Woohoo!!! I sold my first photo :-) Advice Please!

I am sooo excited!! A number of people (friends and friends of friends)want to purchase large copies (11x14?)of this photo ...


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/...652753b8_z.jpg

I will probably use AdoramaPix (which I never used before) but have no idea what paper finishes and paper typesto use (Supra Endura Lustre, Matte, Glossy or Professional Metallic or Silk)for this type of photo. Anyone ever use the Metallic?


http://www.adoramapix.com/products/prints


Most I have ever had printed was 3x5's at Walmart or Walgreensbefore buying my little HP printer that prints 4x6 & 3x5's only!

And the big question ...how much should I charge over my cost of printing and delivery??

Any advice given is greatly appreciated!!

Denise

Awsome!


I use Lustre. I also like matte. Make sure you also have it mounted on an artboard or foam board.


I would charge at least $40 for an 11x14 and $60 for a 16x20..


Awsome shot by the way


Mark

Hi Denise,


No advice to offer on finish or pricing. But, I have to say...CONGRATULATIONS! It's great that your excellent work is being recognized and appreciated (outside of these forums, where it already is)!!!


--John

Congrats Denise--this really is a great shot-----

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Originally Posted by clemmb

Awsome!


I use Lustre. I also like matte. Make sure you also have it mounted on an artboard or foam board.


I would charge at least $40 for an 11x14 and $60 for a 16x20..


Awsome shot by the way


Mark
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I have one more thing to add to Clemms priceing which is absolutely appropriate for family---But your friends on TDP should definitely get a FREE 16x20 mounted and framed. [:D]


Bob

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Originally Posted by Bob Williams

I have one more thing to add to Clemms priceing which is absolutely appropriate for family---But your friends on TDP should definitely get a FREE 16x20 mounted and framed. [img]/emoticons/emotion-2.gif[/img]


Bob
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Count me in. [:D]

Have Mpix do the printing. Their Metallic paper is incredible and there pricing is hard to beat. They know high quality printing for sure plus they will ship directly to your customer. The only company I trust with my printing needs.

Congratulations! Great photo!


Don't forget to sign your photos before you sell them! There is no better advertising than having other people display your work (and name).


Stephen

Hey Denise,


That picture is awesome, just totally awesome! I love it, and congrats on your first sale!


Rich

Just a little advice, especially since your doing large prints.


Whoever you choose to print it, I would have them send the prints to you, not your customer. Not all printers produce prints the same. After getting such a great shot it would be a shame if your print went out and it wasn

Congrats Denise!! That is awesome!

BIG thank you to everyone :) I will look over all suggestions this weekend! These are going to be a tremendous help in deciding what to do because I am absolutely clueless when it comes to selling it.


Thanks a bunch!!!


Denise

Awesome! I can see why!! Great image!

Congrats Denise. It

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Originally Posted by clemmb

I use Lustre. I also like matte. Make sure you also have it mounted on an artboard or foam board.

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If I go with AdoramaPix, for this type of photo, do you think lustre or metallic would look best? They recommend metallic for landscapes &amp; scenic photos but with this having limited colors, I'm not sure.


Also, are all of these frameable ...<span jquery1287364309061="28" id="weightCaption" style="color: inherit;"]Single Weight Matboard,<label sizset="8" sizcache="1"] <span id="weightCaption" style="color: inherit;"]Foam-Core, </label><label sizset="9" sizcache="1"]<span id="weightCaption" style="color: inherit;"]Styrene??

Thank you for your help!

Denise</label>

Denise


I took the liberty of printing your pic off on my pixma pro 9500 with a few papers.(I promise I wont sell them).Using Fine Art Photo Rag and Glossy II.


My opinion is a glossy picture is more what you want for this one. The photo rag is a matte finish and it seemed to take away from the bird in front of the sun. Where the gloss made it shine and made it pop a little bit. I think the lustre would be similar to the photo rag as both are to the matte side and might not be good here.


I think the metallic would be better to bring out the blacks in the birds out of the sun....needs to keep the shine on the bird in front of the sun as well.

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Originally Posted by freelanceshots

Have Mpix do the printing. Their Metallic paper is incredible and there pricing is hard to beat. They know high quality printing for sure plus they will ship directly to your customer.

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Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

I have both the pixma 9000 and 9500. Once I learned to print with the 9500 I have never gotten the same quality from a lab.

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<div>All I can say is that I agree with both of these approaches. There's many more photo-print fulfillment companies on the net, but Mpix are one of the best. However, nothing beats the gallery quality and the full control you get with your own printing (assuming that you have a top quality photo-printer, like Canon or Epson semi-pro line and that you know what you are doing). In such case, you can charge practically as high as the customer is able and willing to pay. For occasional printing, though, I would go with one of the on-line services.</div>
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Originally Posted by ddt0725

Also, are all of these frameable ...<span id="weightCaption" style="color: inherit;"]Single Weight Matboard, <span id="weightCaption" style="color: inherit;"]Foam-Core, <span id="weightCaption" style="color: inherit;"]Styrene??

Thank you for your help!

Denise
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I have never used AdoramaPix. My lab uses double or triple weight art board or faomboard. I am sure different labs use different names for the same thing. The art board tends to warp a little and we end up putting a foamboard behind it. We prefer using the 3/16" foamboard. This can be directly mounted in a frame. We usually deliver the prints mounted on the foamboard and let our customers frame them.

I have never used metallic but have seen it. I thought it lends itself to commercial work best. It would be interesting to see but I think I would try a small inexpensive print first to see how I like it.

Hope this helps

Mark

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Originally Posted by clemmb

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

Also, are all of these frameable ...<span id="weightCaption"]Single Weight Matboard, <span id="weightCaption"]Foam-Core, <span id="weightCaption"]Styrene??

Thank you for your help!

Denise
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I have never used AdoramaPix. My lab uses double or triple weight art board or faomboard. I am sure different labs use different names for the same thing. The art board tends to warp a little and we end up putting a foamboard behind it. We prefer using the 3/16" foamboard. This can be directly mounted in a frame. We usually deliver the prints mounted on the foamboard and let our customers frame them.

I have never used metallic but have seen it. I thought it lends itself to commercial work best. It would be interesting to see but I think I would try a small inexpensive print first to see how I like it.

Hope this helps

Mark
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Yes, this helps alot! Thank you!! I would go with Lustre &amp; foamboard.
Only problem now is @ AdoramaPix, the only size I can do for this photo is 11x17. Otherwise, they chop off part of the photo or there is white space at top &amp; bottom. This is bigger than he wanted to go so I don't know now if the sale will still fly! [:(]

Denise

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

Only problem now is @ AdoramaPix, the only size I can do for this photo is 11x17. Otherwise, they chop off part of the photo or there is white space at top &amp; bottom. This is bigger than he wanted to go so I don't know now if the sale will still fly! [img]/emoticons/emotion-6.gif[/img]

Denise
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Wow, I am use to a photo lab that can do any print size I want. If you are interested, here is the lab I use:


http://www.fullcolor.com/


Mark

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

Only problem now is @ AdoramaPix, the only size I can do for this photo is 11x17. Otherwise, they chop off part of the photo or there is white space at top &amp; bottom.

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Hi Denise - looking at the AdoramaPix price list, they can do any size print as a foam-core mount.


Do you mean finding a size that works for the image, without eliminating a goose or worse, cutting off part of a wing? Try the various options yourself by constraining the crop function to a specific ratio in Photoshop, for example. A 2x3 ratio (6x9, 8x12,10x15 print, 11x17 is close but not exact) would maintain the original aspect ratio of the image. I tried some quick crops, and it looks like a 3x4 ratio (9x12 print) would work as well (barely including the wingtips of the geese on the sides), and a 10x13 works too (even tighter, wingtips touching the edge). You do run into the issue of those being non-standard frame sizes (hard to find at Target), but unless you're providing a framed print, that's not your problem, per se (that's why there are custom framing shops). If you are providing a framed print, AdoramaPix has a custom framing service, too (for example, if you have a 12x8 image, the selection tool gives you an 18x14 frame with a 16x12 mat cut for your 12x8 print).


Hope that helps...and congrats again - it's a beautiful picture!


--John

I was just thinking, this photo would beautiful in a gallery wrap. More expensive but no framing required. This will allow you to keep the ratio and the beautiful color wrap the edges.


Just another option to think about.


Mark

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Originally Posted by neuroanatomist

Do you mean finding a size that works for the image, without eliminating a goose or worse, cutting off part of a wing?

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Yes, it would cut off the wing on the left side or add the white to the top &amp; bottom.

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Originally Posted by neuroanatomist

Try the various options yourself by constraining the crop function to a specific ratio in Photoshop, for example. A 2x3 ratio (6x9, 8x12,10x15 print, 11x17 is close but not exact) would maintain the original aspect ratio of the image. I tried some quick crops, and it looks like a 3x4 ratio (9x12 print) would work as well (barely including the wingtips of the geese on the sides), and a 10x13 works too (even tighter, wingtips touching the edge).

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I don't understand why adoramaPix couldn't apply this same ratio techique! I'm baffled by the limitation.

He originally this morning told me he would purchase the 11 x 17, lustre with thefoam core board but then ...

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Originally Posted by clemmb

I was just thinking, this photo would beautiful in a gallery wrap. More expensive but no framing required. This will allow you to keep the ratio and the beautiful color wrap the edges.


Just another option to think about.

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Final decision after I discussed the gallary wrap with him (which he didn't know what one was), was to give me the go ahead to place the order for an 18 x 10.90 wrap!!!!!! YIPPPEEEE!!!


Thanks for all the help!

Denise

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

I don't understand why adoramaPix couldn't apply this same ratio techique! I'm baffled by the limitation.

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Me, too! But then, I've never tried with Mpix. I always do all my processing, including cropping to the desired final print size, before I upload the image. Aspect ratio is an issue to consider when taking pictures intended for printing - in fact, Canon makes focusing screens with crop lines for 4x5 ratio (e.g. 8x10 prints), although the 7D focus screen cannot be (easily) changed out.


But, looks like you found a better solution!

Congratulations on your sell!

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

Final decision after I discussed the gallary wrap with him (which he didn't know what one was), was to give me the go ahead to place the order for an 18 x 10.90 wrap!!!!!! YIPPPEEEE!!!

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Is that Canvas? Ouch those prices...


I hope the buyer enjoys your picture! This should have been printed at 20*30 or something. I really like to do that to my own shots a few times a year and hang it in my room.


Just out of curiosity...what price did you sell it for?


Jan

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Originally Posted by Sheiky

Congratulations on your sell!

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Thank you, Jan! I'm pretty excited about it ...oh hell, who am I kidding, I'm alot excited about it!

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Originally Posted by Sheiky

Just out of curiosity...what price did you sell it for?

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[:D]


Well, we changed the final set-up once again. We are still going with the canvas but we're going with 17x11.33 and a black color side instead of wrapping the photo to the sides so we don't lose part of the sun on top. The wing on the side would have been ok for a 3D effect but who looks at the top of a photo to see the rest of the sun!? Anyway, I am charging him $87. With my $10 credit at adorampix for opening an account, I'm making about $42 profit. Not huge but not bad for a first photo sale ...actually, I'm still not sure if that is good or not so good! [^o)]

Denise

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

oh hell, who am I kidding, I'm alot excited about it!

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Great! [Y]


I'm glad you changed the setup again. I have made some canvas prints myself. Also for family. Some with the wrapping, some without and some with the photoshopped stretched edges.


The 3D effect sounds better than it is honestly. When you're really viewing the image, you're going to stand in front of it anyway. The 3D effect might work for the passing by viewers, but not for the real viewers I think.


I personally don't like canvas anymore since I started printing and framing posters. I always advice people who I shot a photo for to print it large instead of doing canvas. I just like a good print. Canvas works great for the more artistic shots though!

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

Anyway, I am charging him $87. With my $10 credit at adorampix for opening an account, I'm making about $42 profit. Not huge but not bad for a first photo sale ...actually, I'm still not sure if that is good or not so good! [img]/emoticons/emotion-40.gif[/img]

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Yeah it's always hard to charge a good friend or relative (it's hard for me no matter what person asks).... The price seems right to me though. You're not selling any copyright I hope? Just a print? [A]


Oh make sure the canvas gets delivered at your place. Especially when you don't have experience with printing on canvas at that place. You never know, the print may be a lot different than the output on your monitor. And you probably want to make sure the quality you deliver is high.


Good luck and enjoy your victory [B]

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Originally Posted by Sheiky

I personally don't like canvas anymore since I started printing and framing posters. I always advice people who I shot a photo for to print it large instead of doing canvas. I just like a good print. Canvas works great for the more artistic shots though!

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Well, I can't go back and change it again now. I'm just going to have to keep my fingers crossed and hope this turns out!

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Originally Posted by Sheiky

You're not selling any copyright I hope? Just a print? [img]/emoticons/emotion-13.gif[/img]

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Ummm, Ithink I'm just selling the print. [:|]

I had one guy that wanted me to email him the photo so he could use it as a desktop ...I am quite sure he wanted to sell it!

BTW - There is another guy in my office that I do allow using my photos as desktop pics but I guess I never took my photos serious enough before that anyone could make a $ off them. How do I make sure they are copyright protected!? Maybe that is a whole seperate thread topic!

Denise

Sorry, I

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Originally Posted by neuroanatomist

in fact, Canon makes focusing screens with crop lines for 4x5 ratio (e.g. 8x10 prints), although the 7D focus screen cannot be (easily) changed out.
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I have to have an 8x10 crop screen in my camera. It is difficult to explain to a customer that I can not give them an 8x10 without cutting their head off. I used brightscreen for my rebal. Brightcreen sells cameras with the 8x10 cropline or you can send them yours to have it installed.


Here is another company that sells the screen with instruction to replace it yourself.


With my 5D I purchased the canon screen with the 8x10 croplines.


Mark

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Originally Posted by clemmb

I was just thinking, this photo would beautiful in a gallery wrap. More expensive but no framing required. This will allow you to keep the ratio and the beautiful color wrap the edges.


Just another option to think about.


Mark
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Sorry Denise, I haven't been follow this string---but from what I just read---I think Mark hit the nail on the head


Bob

Thanks Bob &amp; deltasun :)


I placed the order tonight with AdoramaPix and went with the gallery wrap without the wrap, if that makes any sense! [:P] If I wrapped it to the sides, I lose part of a wing and part of the sun. So, it has black edges all-around so you can see the entire photo looking at it straight on.

I went with AdoramaPix because of the credit balance I had there. So, the entire thing only costed me $25. Next time (if there is a next time), I will go with Mpix, they seem like many peoples favorite!

Denise

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

went with the gallery wrap without the wrap, if that makes any sense! [img]/emoticons/emotion-4.gif[/img]
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Denise


This is what my lab calls a canvas stretcher. It give your image that painting texture. Great way to go. You will love it.


Mark

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

I placed the order tonight with AdoramaPix and went with the gallery wrap without the wrap

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Great Denise, Please let us all know how you like it nd how you like dthe quality of the product.


Bob

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Originally Posted by Bob Williams

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

I placed the order tonight with AdoramaPix and went with the gallery wrap without the wrap

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Great Denise, Please let us all know how you like it nd how you like dthe quality of the product.


Bob
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Thanks, Bob and I very much will give a full report! I'll even take a photo of my photo! [:P]

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

Well, I can't go back and change it again now. I'm just going to have to keep my fingers crossed and hope this turns out!

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Well it's a personal preference. Others might actually like the painting effect very much. So you'll have to see for yourself.

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

Ummm, Ithink I'm just selling the print. [img]/emoticons/emotion-8.gif[/img]

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Yes you are [;)] It must be contracted if you're selling the copyrights with it.

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Originally Posted by ddt0725

I had one guy that wanted me to email him the photo so he could use it as a desktop ...I am quite sure he wanted to sell it!

BTW - There is another guy in my office that I do allow using my photos as desktop pics but I guess I never took my photos serious enough before that anyone could make a $ off them. How do I make sure they are copyright protected!? Maybe that is a whole separate thread topic!

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Well it's a hard thing. You're pictures are automatically copyrighted, because you are the artist. However some people might make advantage of it without you knowing it. You cannot do much about this. If the guy was really selling the prints and you would know it, you might get to sue him, but if you don't see it, there's nothing you can do.


The best thing for you to do is not to give away full resolution files of high quality jpeg or other files. That way people can't make large size prints without having serious loss of detail and quality. For a desktop 1200 pixels wide or so is often large enough to fill a desktop. (Depending on the size and resolution of the screen of course) If your image would be 2:3 ratio the height would be 800 pixels. 800*1200 = 960000pixels...in other words, the file would be less than 1 MP. And therefor it would be suitable for small prints, but definitely not for larger ones like posters.


I think the "large" picture standard on flickr is 1024 pixels wide, so you might want to take that as a standard.


This is pretty much all you can do. Be safe to your photos.


And to be honest if someone at the other side of the world would have printed one of my images on a poster for home-use, I would actually be flattered [A]