So I'm considering using 4 B&W photos for my jury images for a couple show applications, but most of my photography is color. I end up with about 25% of my framed photos hanging on my walls at a show in B&W. But is using B&W for jury images going to lead the jurors to expect that my booth will be mostly (or entirely) B&W? Or is seeing the booth image with lots of color photos sufficient to show them that not all my photography is B&W?
Similarly, I've considered using some of my abstract images for jury images. But again, I'm afraid of having the jury expect that I will be showing only abstract.
I'm also afraid of a negative reaction from jurors seeing all B&W or all abstract in my jury photos, but seeing a mix of B&W, abstract, traditional landscape, color, etc. in my booth image.
Am I just being paranoid? Or would it be a bad idea for me to go all B& or all abstract for my jury images?
Chris
Replies
Here is the other thing, Chris. My husband was the artist/photographer. His background was in b & w, but everyone told us "you can't sell b& w." He taught himself to "see" color and we started with an all color show. Then he did stuck in a few b & w photos and their sales took off. Eventually he dropped the color altogether.
Color does sell better than b & w. No doubt about it. B & w has a better chance of getting you into a show. You have a lot of decisions to make regarding what it is you want to shoot and how and with what technology. The are questions that only you can answer. Jim is absolutely correct, mixing confuses people, you have to find your personal body of work.
Thanks everyone for the replies. I guess in reality it will depend on the show. I'm not applying to the really big shows at this point. I'm just starting out and staying local for now. At the two shows I've done, people have showed a lot of interest in my B&W images. But on the other hand my best selling image is color. I've been leaning toward using some of my B&W images for jury because I think they are unique and have gotten lots of good feedback. I just don't have enough B&W at this point to fill a couple walls like Larry's suggestion.
I guess I'll just have to think about it some more and see if I can come up with some more good B&W to get the amount of B&W on my walls up a little higher.
I mixed black and white with color for several years. I love black and white very much. But I found that hanging both confused the public more than it helped me get into the top shows. When I went to a more consistent display, my sales went up. For me, I had to choose one over the other.
to answer your question, yes, if you use all black & white for your jury images, the jurors will expect to see a consistent black and white presentation in your booth. You can work around it like Larry suggests, but I know of at least one art show photographer who was booted out of a show last season for jurying with black and white, and then hanging color with one or two of the jury images. (Can't remember the show, it was one of the bigger ones).
Yes, a little paranoid. Very few judges will remember what they saw in the jury room vs. what they see in your booth, if in fact, they are even the same people. Usually not.
What do you think will get you in the show? What is your very best work? What of your images looks like your "own", not derivative that the judges will say "seen it before" and yawn.
The only issue I see for you is a really big disconnect between the jury images and what you show at the event. Jury with all b & w and then show up with only a few b & w images. The jury images should nearly represent what you'll be showing. Four images does not tell the whole tale and no one expects that to be so.
The bigger problem is that they may expect your booth to look like your booth jury image when you get to the show.
An option is to shoot the booth from an angle setting up your tripod midway between the center and left wall. That will feature the back and right wall but still see things on the left wall. Then hang color on the left wall making sure they can see it's color but featuring the black and white hanging on the back and right wall. If you don't have enough black and white images, just do the back wall and hang similar subject/style but color on the right wall. And if you include a bin (or bins) in the booth, you can also introduce a color image at the front of the pictures in the bin.
In other words, don't get into a situation where they tell you to take work out of the booth because you didn't jury with it.
I'd also join my forum and ask. It has over 500 photographers that discuss art show issues. Art Show Photo on Facebook.
Larry Berman
http://BermanGraphics.com
412-401-8100