Hi Nicola
Well done on selling your first print
- it's a great feeling isn't it and I hope this sale will be the first of many for you
I know it's stating the obvious but any image is only worth what someone will actually pay for it (not necessarily the same as what they can afford!) and that will often depend largely on the purpose for which it is to be used. For instance, the grant of licensing rights to use an image for commercial purposes will obviously demand a higher fee than an individual print sale to a private customer intending to use it simply for personal enjoyment or, as in your case, as a gift.
The means of sale may also have a bearing on the price. As Jason intimates, sales via stock image agencies or galleries will typically involve the deduction of a commission of 40-50% or even more and clearly this has to be factored into the price.
Your own direct production costs will also be relevant. For instance, are you producing the print yourself or are you having to engage the services of a printing company? Either way the costs to you need to be factored in and, if the latter applies, the one-off costs will doubtless be greater.
I should mention that in my case I produce my own prints on a pro-quality A3+ printer, using pro-quality paper/inks. I also do my own framing, using ready-made frames purchased from two suppliers at trade prices.
At my latest solo exhibition approximately 5 weeks ago I was selling A3 (roughly 16.5" x 12") framed prints directly to private customers (and with no commission to pay) at £65 each, with A4 framed prints at £33. I sold almost £1,000 worth of work in a single day so reckon that I must be doing something right
In contrast however, some of the same work was on sale at the same time in a 3-week long exhibition at a local
Gallery and where it had been priced (by the
Gallery) at £98 and £58 respectively - none was sold
Incidentally, I also sell a steady stream of mounted/unframed A4 prints at £21 each via my website and also via the visitor centre at the National Trust's Wicken Fen Reserve.
To me the message is clear - if you want to maintain a continuing steady flow of sales (as opposed to the odd sale here and there) directly to private customers, your work not only has to have public appeal but must also be reasonably/attractively priced.
As an aside, when I held my first solo exhibition last November one of my camera club acquaintances was horrified that I was selling A4 unmounted prints for only £15 each, saying that he'd want at least £50 for one of his images. When I asked how many he'd sold his answer was "none"
I went on to sell some £1,200 worth of work at that exhibition and my total sales via all sources during the 8 months or so since then are now nearing £5,000 so I think I've got the pricing of
my work to
my customers just about right.
I have, incidentally, also sold some images for commercial/editorial use (including greetings cards) with prices being individually negotiated or, in the case of the greetings cards, as a percentage of sales.
Coming back to the question of how much to charge for your one-off private sale of a 20" x 25" unmounted/unframed print, it's perhaps worth bearing in mind that framed prints usually sell for something approaching twice the price of unmounted/unframed prints.
The print you are selling is more than twice A3 size and if I can sell framed A3 prints at £65 each (and, as mentioned earlier, depending on your production costs), I would suggest that you should be asking at least this sum.
As your customer is a
Gallery owner she'll know better than most what to expect to pay. However, as she's also a friend (and a potential avenue for future sales
) you might want to give her a 'mates rates' discount and offer to sell your image at the
discounted - and be sure to emphasise that - price of, say, £50.
Personally I think that selling a print of that size for only £30 - £40 is undervaluing your own work and that of every other photographer but here I feel that establishing/maintaining your relationship with this particular (and potentially very useful) customer is the main determining factor in setting a price and I'm afraid only you are in a position to properly evaluate that.
I hope that's been helpful
Jeff
(Schedule 1 Licence holder for Kingfishers, Barn Owls and Avocets)