*** Disclaimer ***
Let me start by stating I have nothing against Jewelry nor any other form of art. I have admiration and respect for artists of myriad mediums.
I do not claim or insinuate any medium is superior to any other.
*** End of Disclaimer ***
Now on to the issue:
I am still trying to understand why people will spend the same money or much more at a show, for Jewelry (just one example) than photographic art.
The Jewelry will often sit in a drawer and only be seen / used once in a while. Unless it is one of very few pieces the person owns.
The photography will hang on a wall and be viewed constantly for many years, regardless of the occasion.
Appreciation / depreciation in value can be comparable. Both have as much usefulness. Longevity can be similar. Price points similar. Photos need wall space, if no room then a piece must be removed from the wall to allow a new piece. Jewelry needs body space, if need one must choose which piece(s) to wear that day.
This is not just a "salesmanship" issue. It is evident from how many Jewelry vendors are present at shows compared to photogs etc. jewelry does the numbers. Why?
is there a great method of using the jewelry allure to aid in photog sales?
Replies
Bottom line - women do most of the spending. More women go to shows than men. We would rather buy jewelry. Without the jewelers A LOT LESS people would be at the show. I am a jeweler, my average sale is $80 - $100. Fine art is usually priced higher than that. A lot of fine artists make more than I do at shows, with less sales (why am I not painting?). A lot of what you see at a show is an illusion - every woman looks at every jewelry booth, this does not mean she is buying, it does make jewelry booths look very busy. As you have pointed out there are often many more jewelry booths than other mediums, this means our sales are spread too thin among too many of us, I have dropped shows for this reason, and yes many of us have had shows with ZERO sales.
You asked "why?" its really simple- women are at the shows, spending THEIR money, on what they want. Almost ALL women own some if not a lot of jewelry. I always wonder why the food and kettle corn people make so much at the shows - oh yeah, cause everybody eats.
So "is there a great method of using the jewelry allure to aid in photog sales" have you tried asking all these women at the shows spending THEIR money what kind of photography they would like to buy?
Courtney
Good points. Interestingly I did a small show recently that was one day during the week. I felt it might be a waste as weekdays might not have the foot traffic, with peoples work schedule. I was told by other vendors that it was a good show to do because (not my viewpoint just what I was told) "The women come to the shows without their husbands, so they can spend money".
Would not matter to me who's money it was, as long as it is legally obtained, US currency, I'll accept it.
Yes, I have asked people in my booth what they like to buy.
Robert
You bring up some valid points. I agree with a bit of what you say about the demise of public respect in the field of photography. It has become much easier, due to technology, for everyone to shoot pictures... often, low to no cost, adjust exposures, focus, enhance or alter extremely. None of which make an excellent photographic artist. Having an eye for composition, understanding lighting, being able to convey a message, what paper /medium will bring out the best results... far more make the difference.
This would be the concept with what is proposed of mixed media involving jewelry made from photographic components. While it may be a great idea. It is not for me. I would be the same as those that think they are photographic artists except I'd be applying it to jewelry. I do not, as far as I know, posses the vision, expertise etc. in jewelry type work. Most importantly I would not have a MOST important quality for that media that I have in photography... PASSION.
Many take nice pictures. Many can manipulate the images in post processing. Many can market their work. I desire to successfully market my work however it is not very important. I love doing photography. I do it for free. I feel close to a euphoria when I shoot and at times produce what will invoke feeling and convey my thoughts. What separates us artists from those just selling goods they made is that passion. Without it I would not be doing this. If I ever lose it I will cease. Those that come and view my work find some of that passion. At times the pubic does not recognize the difference.
If you want the jewelry allure for photography, combine the two. I see practitioners of alternative process photography utilizing platinum/palladium images, tinypes, modern daugerrotypes, and glass plate images for jewelry pieces. These tend to be either necklaces, pendants, or earrings. Otherwise you're trying to conflate two different media with different uses and aesthetic values that address dissimilar markets.
I love glass plate. Incredible effect. I've never worked with it but admire it.
Very nice ideas you propose.
I'm looking to just do the imaging process if possible. Although I do the entire process from shot to matted piece, I don't desire to do the printing, matting etc. I consider it a necessary evil for me. I want to control the quality.
If I thought I could just do the shot and nothing after that but the interaction with people who would like to discuss the finished artwork, I would. However quality and making sure the finished product reflects what was intended is paramount.
Sales are important, not as important as the other factors, though.
Probably the route you would want to go is either 3D mixed media or bill yourself as "wearable photography". A jeweler can't get by with purchasing a bunch of pre-made components, but as mixed media (I'm guessing) there isn't as much of a restriction, and certainly as a subgenre of photography you could buy the necessary parts for assemblage in much the same manner as buying premade frames which no one questions or has restrictions.
Regarding my own feel toward photography, and this is based on long term experience, I have concerns about future directions. I started doing photography in the late 1950s, became serious about it in 1970, and started doing art fairs in 1988. In the 80's and 90's, you saw mostly B&W photography and some color work. Most work was done by the photographer in those days; shooting, developing, printing, matting, and framing. Each of those, in reverse order, seems to have dropped by the wayside, and B&W even in digital form is seldom seen.
Part of the allure for the buyer is knowing that the photographer has controlled the entire process and done it themselves all the way through. Metal and glass prints are the exception as that's a very large technical hurdle requiring expensive and touchy gear. The heat presses required for the metal dye-sublimation prints are very pricey for the larger sizes and the volume requirements for a dye-sub printer are such that it isn't practical for a single user operation due to head clogging in all but high volume operations.
What it comes down to for the buyer is that the photographer has to be turning out a product that is clearly head and shoulders above anything they can do and has technical requirements that are beyond their reach. Borrowing from the electronics industry, new technology must be on an order of magnitude greater than it's predecessor in order for it to have immediate acceptance. The average Joe Blow has the mindset that if they have a camera, they can do work just about as good as you can, despite the fact that they can't. Most of them lack the expertise to even recognize the differences, so they're blind to what real quality is. The tip-off to that is the number of professional photo studios that are going under, and have gone under, as a result of the digital camera proliferation.
To survive and prosper, and this applies to other accessible media as well, the artist has to produce something that the average person can't go down to Walmart and either buy or place an order for. Metal prints and canvas prints are dime a dozen at Walmart and Costco. Hell, you can even order those from Walgreen's now. Your work has to be simultaneously in a different presentation but not so far out that it's totally ahead of the wave. If not, they look at your prices and decide that their latest cellphone shot ran through some Snapchat filters is the better deal. It comes down to the fact that photography is no longer the medium that required a lot of study and practice to get acceptable images for the general public. When our work combines the "good eye", artistic content, and an obvious expertise that Joe Sixpack can't replicate, then we're starting to sell well.
Larry, I have to ask this one question. How many shows have you done? I went to your profile and I see this is your first year. You have so much to learn! And frankly, you will get your biggest education just by observing others.
I do plenty of shows with photographers. Some are artists and others are photographers with a great eye. I do shows with one photographer who does wildlife and he travels to Alaska to shoot his photos. His work is fantastic and it has a very broad appeal. He also knows what shows to do and what shows not to do. That only comes with experience and the dreaded trial and error. Something we all must do.
Another example of trial and error was the time I did a show here in Vermont and there was a photographer with great shots of the Jersey shore. He was amazed that he didn't do well. Get my drift? That show wasn't his market.
So here's your first lesson. There's a difference between art and craft. It's something I have believed all the years I've been doing this. Art is something to be admired. 2D, photography, sculpture, chainsaw art, etc. Crafts are useful. Pottery coffee mugs, fiber, and yes, jewelry. These are craftsmen. And no, that's not a dirty word.
So what you're doing in your post is comparing something to be admired vs something useful. Once the show begins, both are equal.
Chris
This is the second time you have admonished me for ... this being my first year.. my being new, etc.
I am not going to post a resume, I hope to present my work well enough to let my ART speak for itself. However I am new to marketing my art at fairs and shows.
I am not new to photography. I shot the 1964 world's fair with my twin lens reflex, then went into my darkroom, developed and printed my work. I've done photography professionally, taught it, ran well known studios, over a span of many years. Separately, I've worked the shows / markets since I was a youth. We had a family business in a different field. There are many photographers far better than I. There are many far less than I. I respect all their efforts.
I have also been going to shows, observing and researching information for awhile now.
You are correct in that I have a lot to learn. I am constantly learning. Constantly seeking. Always listening. One method of learning is via sharing, in an amiable way, with others on forums like this.
Being "new" is not a detriment nor something to be criticized for. Talent is not learned. Talent does not increase or decrease based merely upon time. Technique, knowledge and skill do. I have skills which took a long time to develop. Either I have artistic talent or I don't. Any one person's opinion on whether or not my art is appealing to them is weighted as just that... one person. Your description of the Alaskan photographer's work is your opinion. It may or may not be art. It may or may not be a "fantastic" photo.
Creating art is one thing. Marketing is another.
To assume all crafts including jewelry are useful, versus photography is merely to be admired is false. Jewelry is an art. Functionally it decorates the wearer. It enhances the appearance. It makes a statement. It may invoke ideas. My photography does this with the walls, desks, homes, offices, publications, galleries etc. it adorns. Hopefully it also invokes thought, effects change, inspires and creates dialogue. So for the home with bare walls, photography is useful. For the body without adornment, jewelry is useful. Useful is a matter of opinion, affected heavily by the personality type. A minimalist might see things very differently.
I believe many whom admire art and pay dearly to own some do not perceive it as useless. I've been there & seen the soaring Bald Eagle, in Alaska, diving for that beautiful fish. The great colors, smooth form, shape in the fish was art. To the Eagle it was useful.
I have no negative opinions of craftsmen. I admire the work and feel many make beautiful pieces of art. I have also done certain things in this field. However I would not consider myself an artist in the field of crafts, as I do not have the talent, in that area. I have made useful crafts that earned over $100,000 however it was not art.
Experience alone is not a reason to admonish. As when I taught a gifted course, as a student displayed something very good to me, I did not criticize her and state she needed to go through more trial and error or needed greater experience. I welcomed her thoughts, questions and ideas. Perhaps she knew or understood things in a way I did not.
However I do appreciate your input (the less derogatory parts). Understanding how you view the uselessness of photography etc. is added to my collection of knowledge. Applying sales techniques to have the customer perceive art as a needed, useful thing is a method. However I do not use hard sell tactics.
I welcome the inputs and open, pleasant discussion many offer on this forum. Constructive criticism is often useful, albeit is not art.
I am not admonishing you and obviously you feel I am, so I apologize.
At no point am I saying photography is "useless" (your word, not mine). But it is an art. And as I said that's what I was taught so I'll stand by my beliefs. Someone can stare at an image by say, Ansel Adams and say "nice picture", and have no idea how wonderful his eye was to shoot that "picture". So they'll go buy some earrings instead.
Heh, I have about 50 some-odd large pieces of framed work or prints on canvas in my inventory but only have three of those hanging in my own house. Just not enough wall space. The rest of the wall hangings are small personal pieces of family photos or vacation shots. There is about seven feet of open wall space in the living room where two of my 20x30 pieces hang, one spot in the dining room, and a couple of spots in the bedrooms. A lot of homes are more open and window placement screws up available wall space. Interestingly enough I had a discussion with someone at a South Carolina show a couple of weeks ago and they made the comment that most newer Southern homes feature a lot of window space which cuts down on available spots to hang 2D work.
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next