A little brick and mortar exposure again

[Robert Watcher]

What to do with tens of thousands of photographic images. That almost stifles my incentive to go out each day and photograph.

At this point in my life / career, I’m not concerned or even expecting to make money from my photography. But it sure is nice to have a venue where people can see my artistry. In the days of my High Street Studio, I got more pleasure from watching people peering in my windows - smiling, pointing and engaging as they looked at my prints.

So it was so fun when earlier this year, my daughter Rachel asked me to put together a selection of matted 5x7 prints display with her creations at art and craft fairs that she setup at. It’s been fun to hear that people love thumbing through my box of prints - even though only a dozen or so have sold.

Well, Rachel went ahead and opened a small boutique last week, where besides her own products includes carefully curated collections from artist friends of hers. She asked me to set up a section as well as an area for my wife Anne’s amazing quilts. She has been very busy and successful right off the bat.

While I still will be keeping my offerings to 50 or so 5x7 matted prints as well as a couple larger framed prints —— I have named each photograph, including location where the photo was taken, and detailed description of the image printed on a label on the pack of each package. Rachel let me know that everyone that comes in to her store, spends time reading the details and trying to figure out where the location is, as well as commenting on them. That’s all I need to know. The photos don’t do anything for me, sitting on my hard drives LOL.

Here is my modest display, and a snap I took on her first day when there was barely a time when no one was in the store. The woman on the left is flipping through my prints.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Delightful!

I am interested in this simple solution to the deadend vision of thousands of images imprisoned on hard drives!

I have define capitalized “ART” as “The export of creative constructs we enjoy in the private “Cathedral of out minds”!”

In ART, as I see it, stage I is conceiving of the structure and aesthetics, with our own private enjoyment.

Stage II We look, listen and feel our creations physicality, impressing and moving us. Now ART is born!

Stage III We share our ART in the public space to complete its entrance to work competing for longevity!

You have completed “Stage III”

Kudos!

Asher

 

[Robert Watcher]

Sounds right Asher. I create what interests me, but value others enjoying what I create and bringing a smile to people’s faces. Guess that is Stage III

I just returned from taking a few of my wife’s pieces to my daughter’s store, this morning. As I entered the store, a woman who had been driving through the town, noticed Rachel’s sign and stoped in to see what the store was about —— was flipping through all of my matted prints. My daughter says to her, “here is the photographer”. The woman turned and told me how well done my photos were.

Rachel had obviously been talking with her about some of the photos there that were from my trip to Holland earlier this year, and let me know that the woman loves making photo books and had just returned from Holland and recognized some of locations in my shots. The woman then began to tell me about her upcoming trip to Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India in a few weeks. Anne and I wished her the best on her amazing trip.

But it is just so cool how my photos are opening discussions in my daughters store. I absolutely love that and is more gratifying than if I ever sell a print or not. Those things never happen in the recesses of my workspace environment and computer. LOL


Now that I have worked out the process of creating these small relatively inexpensive matted prints, and having a large collection to offer —- I may use the winter months to look for a few similar type locations around the province to see if they will make a spot for my setup. Already one such store about 3 hours from where I live has asked if I would drop in and chat about it, because she does not have such an offering in her carefully curated store of local artists and craftspeople.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Good luck, Robert.

It’s a highly worthwhile project to find away to get your photography into homes where folk can enjoy them day after day.

….and small pictures seen at 2 ft distance are as detailed as larger prints seen from further way!

Please keep us informed!

Asher

 

[Robert Watcher]

Simple little process I have going. Will be a fun and relatively inexpensive winter hobby / project

 

[Robert Watcher]

Since our daughter Rachel’s store opening a couple of months ago, I have been expanding the use of my images into handmade photo cards as well as hand cut and hand stitched journals. My daughter has given me a section, and even in the little town where her store is located, my more artistic photography has caught people’s attention and comments according to her - and has results in sales that benefit both myself and my daughter. To augment these products that I am enjoying creating, I am going to the effort of setting up an Etsy store where I can provide a more complete selection, than her store can accommodate.

I have also produced several simpler sets of notebooks with Rachel’s logo and selection of her colours for the cover stock. All of this stuff I have discovered is right in my wheelhouse. During my professional photography days with my Main Street studio, I developed and printed all of my own films and prints for clients, created colour brochures and cd covers for businesses and bands, and cut all of my own Mats for my framing business.

 

[Asher Kelman]

I seem to have missed where you describe the choice of printer inks and paper!

Still from the images here, these are remarkable for bright rich colors and well designed compositional elements that make them inviting!

Asher

 

[Robert Watcher]

I seem to have missed where you describe the choice of printer inks and paper!

Still from the images here, these are remarkable for bright rich colors and well designed compositional elements that make them inviting!

Asher

Epson XP 15000 13” printer which I will soon replace with the Epson ET 8550 Ecotank 13” printer to cut down costs with the bulk ink tanks. For the photo cards and notebook covers, I like the Koala heavy weight double sided photo matte paper from Amazon. The feel and surface are really nice and my images print well on it.

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Rob,

Wondrous in so many ways!

Congratulations to you and Rachel.

Best regards,

Doug

 

[Asher Kelman]

Epson XP 15000 13” printer which I will soon replace with the Epson ET 8550 Ecotank 13” printer to cut down costs with the bulk ink tanks. For the photo cards and notebook covers, I like the Koala heavy weight double sided photo matte paper from Amazon. The feel and surface are really nice and my images print well on it.

Perhaps before getting that bulk ink printer, (of which I have the first version), check in a store like Office Depot, how it prints on your chosen paper. Your current prints are so good.

Asher

 

[kursai33]

What to do with tens of thousands of photographic images. That almost stifles my incentive to go out each day and photograph.

At this point in my life / career, I’m not concerned or even expecting to make money from my photography. But it sure is nice to have a venue where people can see my artistry. In the days of my High Street Studio, I got more pleasure from watching people peering in my windows - smiling, pointing and engaging as they looked at my prints.

So it was so fun when earlier this year, my daughter Rachel asked me to put together a selection of matted 5x7 prints display with her creations at art and craft fairs that she setup at. It’s been fun to hear that people love thumbing through my box of prints - even though only a dozen or so have sold.

Well, Rachel went ahead and opened a small boutique last week, where besides her own products includes carefully curated collections from artist friends of hers. She asked me to set up a section as well as an area for my wife Anne’s amazing quilts. She has been very busy and successful right off the bat.

While I still will be keeping my offerings to 50 or so 5x7 matted prints as well as a couple larger framed prints —— I have named each photograph, including location where the photo was taken, and detailed description of the image printed on a label on the pack of each package. Rachel let me know that everyone that comes in to her store, spends time reading the details and trying to figure out where the location is, as well as commenting on them. That’s all I need to know. The photos don’t do anything for me, sitting on my hard drives LOL.

Here is my modest display, and a snap I took on her first day when there was barely a time when no one was in the store. The woman on the left is flipping through my prints.


View attachment 12326



View attachment 12327






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Love this! Your setup at Rachel’s boutique is perfect—people connecting with your art and stories is what it’s all about. Keep sharing your work; it’s clearly bringing joy. Well done!

 

[Robert Watcher]

Thank you

 

[Robert Watcher]

It’s been nice getting a small check for the value (less commission all artist vendors pay in her store) of cards, prints and pocket journals sold in our daughter’s store. A few days ago, Anne suggested that I start putting together collections of these and have small handmade journals based on a theme along with a few individual books. I starting with the group of Spider Web images I took - “Wild Wild Web Collection” - and immediately they sold. One of the customers was a local Real Estate agent who thought it would be a unique gift for her company to donate to local charities that she supports. Never thought of that avenue. Thankfully I packaged them up in the nice little sealed bags.

Being I am going to effort of producing these and have made the process of each product efficient to print and put together, I made the decision to build an Etsy store last week to make everything available outside the local area of my daughters store - including the artistry of my wife Anne with her quilts in a “oneroomhouse”.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Gradually you are building an efficient way to express many decades of work that otherwise would be hidden and ultimately lost.

Now some of these will become personalized and kept as treasures, or even framed by someone’s bed or desk as an uplifting inspiration.

Fabulous!

Asher

 

[Robert Watcher]

thank you Asher. It’s not like the old days where a decent living could be made with a solid collection of a few thousand Stock images. About the only venue for Stock photos nowadays is putting digital files on Dollar stock sites. Not my thing. So this is satisfying in a small way, and I know those who care enough to buy based on wanting to support the way I see things, are finding the true enjoyment of holding a real paper print in their hand —— even if small.

I was so happy when my daughter told me that a woman who came in to her store a few weeks ago and bought the blue tulip greeting card (along with other purchases in her store), returned last week and purchased 3 more cards with different images on them. I guess they are unique enough that people see enough value that they will spend $12 when they can buy a card that basically serves the same purpose, at the dollar store around the corner
for a dollar or two.

 

[Asher Kelman]

thank you Asher. It’s not like the old days where a decent living could be made with a solid collection of a few thousand Stock images. About the only venue for Stock photos nowadays is putting digital files on Dollar stock sites. Not my thing. So this is satisfying in a small way, and I know those who care enough to buy based on wanting to support the way I see things, are finding the true enjoyment of holding a real paper print in their hand —— even if small.

I was so happy when my daughter told me that a woman who came in to her store a few weeks ago and bought the blue tulip greeting card (along with other purchases in her store), returned last week and purchased 3 more cards with different images on them. I guess they are unique enough that people see enough value that they will spend $12 when they can buy a card that basically serves the same purpose, at the dollar store around the corner
for a dollar or two.

People still are discerning enough to recognize individually created small scale art that is absolutely original, has the fingerprints of the artist on the back and can be purchased for less than the price of a fancy laté!

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

BTW, did you mention your choice of printer and is is with pigment inks?

Asher

 

[Robert Watcher]

BTW, did you mention your choice of printer and is is with pigment inks?

Asher

I am using an Epson XP 15000 die based printer for my cards and notebooks. I don’t feel the need to provide pigment inks for these. As well the Claria die inks are so much more vibrant than pigment ink can provide and settle into the surface so nicely. I am printing these on a heavy weight double sided matte paper, which looks and feels beautiful. I have settled on a Koala paper stock that I get from Amazon for cards, zines, and Notebook covers. However I have just heard about and ordered from Red River papers in Texas, their 60lb Polar Matte pre cut and scored card stock. It will be here on Monday and I am looking forward to giving it a go for my 5x7 photo cards.

 

[Robert Watcher]

A new card stock was delivered today, and I was excited to try out this Red River precut and prescored paper as an upgrade to the stock and methods I am currently using.

I had an order of 6 photo cards to print and ship out today, and so the timing was perfect to use the new card stock for that order.

So many good things to say about my experience with Red River papers so far.

Firstly - the package was delivered impeccably with much care being taken to make sure it was delivered without damage. It was delivered in an oversized box, with heavy bubble wrap packing taped around an inner box, much like the type and quality of box that I would purchase Kodak or Ilford paper in, when I printed my film. That has not been my experience with the materials I have received from Amazon.

Most importantly, the card stock prints my images beautifully. The matte finish is gorgeous to the touch, with an ever so slight rich creamy tonality to the white surface. The interior is uncosted and perfect for writing on with a pen. I have all of my card layouts set up in Affinity Publisher and print out wirelessly to an Epson XP 15000. I didn’t waste any paper with the first order of 6 cards that I was able to ship out today to clients. As well some time was saved not having to manually cut and score the cards. The cards from RR folded accurately.

 

[admin]

Fabulous incremental workflow advances, generously explained so anyone with a library of excellent scenes could follow and likely succeed at first attempt!

What’s your pricing concepts?

Kudos!

Asher

 

[Robert Watcher]

I’ve had success selling the photo cards for $10 per card —- in the ballpark of a premium Hallmark card. Not a money maker by any means, but a fun hobby for me now that Anne and I aren’t reliant on extra income. It was nice receiving a check from my daughter for a bit over $200 for sales in her store in January - that was after she took off her cut of $25% that she charges the vendors. Nice too, hearing the feedback from ones who purchased. As well I sold quite a few directly in January, such as the six pictured that I mailed yesterday. Anne and I plan on using some of our favs for our own use as well, now we can print them off so effortlessly.

 

[Robert Watcher]

If anyone would like me to mail them one of my photo cards to have a physical piece of my work, just send me an email with your name and full mailing address at —— opf@rwmail.ca —— and I would be happy to send it as a gift by standard mail.


I may have to limit the number I am willing to send, depending on number of requests.

 

[admin]

That’s so generous. But it could be costly!

I will send you $50 to cover at least some expenses and you could send some to whoever is posting recently who might be interested!

Asher

 

[Robert Watcher]

I was just going to send regular mail service in the envelope. It’s not costly. I sent a package of 3 of my pocket notebooks to Sweden this week this way, and it was only $8.00CAD. It won’t be that much. Anyway, I’m not at all worried about the small amount of cost. I just thought it would be fun to do. But thanks anyway Asher.

I don’t have an agenda and a not collecting email addresses. If preferred an address can be provided in a Private Message on this OPF forum.

 

[Robert Watcher]

The framed wall prints at the store have sold this week, so I had to restock with new images this morning. I can’t really believe the steady sales of all of my offerings in her new little Main Street store, in a little remote town of only 3500 people. Just before I got there this morning a n elderly lady had thumbed through all of my 5x7 matted cards, wanting several, but only having the money today to purchase one. Rachel is sure she will be back for more.

Took a pic of the setup allotted me at my daughter Rachel’s Boutique, Artisan and Gift shop. She put a couple of the square framed prints in her front window.

 

[Asher Kelman]

I am not at all surprised. Your pictures make the sale with just one glance!

What framing company do you use? Is that glare free glass or plastic?

Asher

 

[Robert Watcher]

Thank you for that vote of confidence Asher. I hope that your Photo cards arrive soon. Please let me know.

I’ve just been picking up frames at Michael’s Store not far from us at this point in time. I’m not selling fine art expensive prints, so keeping frame costs as low as possible, while still looking good. In Rachel’s store, there are no options for selling or customers ordering larger wall prints, other than what is on her walls. Not an area that I am really wanting to get into at this time.

Other than the two larger frames and a couple of small 8x10 frames for display to show people how they can use the matted 5x7 prints, I don’t really have a need for volume wholesale purchase at this time. If that changes, I do have a lot of experience in custom framing from the many years that I operated my Main Street Photography studio during the 1990’s, where I did a lot of picture framing and mat cutting.

 

[Robert Watcher]

It was enlightening when Rachel told me about the elderly lady who purchased my “Rural Tempest” framed print a couple of days ago. She had visited Rachel’s store twice previously, the first time commenting about how much it appealed to her and then she left. Last time she came in, Rachel said that he stood and stared at it for quite a while and looked down and read in great detail the plaque that was under the frame. She told Rach, that she just got her old age pension and would have to work out the math to see if she had enough money to buy it. Then she took a pic on her phone of both the picture and the words on the plaque.

Well on Thursday she came back in with the money, and insisted that Rachel also give her the little Plaque containing the Title, Description, Location and Photographers name. She said that was a big part of the photo. Rachel gently removed it from the wall and included it. It turns out that the woman is purchasing it as a gift for her daughter who she knows will love it because she is a photographer.

Here was “Rural Tempest” print in the “relic’s” frame that I picked up at Michael’s to match the intensity of the scene.

Isn’t that something. It reminds me of talking to a curator at our London Art Gallery where my uncle had a large show. He said that there are thousands of Art painting in their back room archives, with no information as to the context, date, story or even artist, that will never get displayed. I learned a lot that day about how important textual content is to attach to my photography. In fact Rachel is referring to anything she sells by its name. The matted print she sold this morning, is “Tulip Tango”, and another lady was going through the stack of prints picking out ones where the location that I am including in the back, is in the region of where she lives.

 

[Asher Kelman]

It was enlightening when Rachel told me about the elderly lady who purchased my “Rural Tempest” framed print a couple of days ago. She had visited Rachel’s store twice previously, the first time commenting about how much it appealed to her and then she left. Last time she came in, Rachel said that he stood and stared at it for quite a while and looked down and read in great detail the plaque that was under the frame. She told Rach, that she just got her old age pension and would have to work out the math to see if she had enough money to buy it. Then she took a pic on her phone of both the picture and the words on the plaque.

Well on Thursday she came back in with the money, and insisted that Rachel also give her the little Plaque containing the Title, Description, Location and Photographers name. She said that was a big part of the photo. Rachel gently removed it from the wall and included it. It turns out that the woman is purchasing it as a gift for her daughter who she knows will love it because she is a photographer.

Here was “Rural Tempest” print in the “relic’s” frame that I picked up at Michael’s to match the intensity of the scene.


View attachment 12447


Isn’t that something. It reminds me of talking to a curator at our London Art Gallery where my uncle had a large show. He said that there are thousands of Art painting in their back room archives, with no information as to the context, date, story or even artist, that will never get displayed. I learned a lot that day about how important textual content is to attach to my photography. In fact Rachel is referring to anything she sells by its name. The matted print she sold this morning, is “Tulip Tango”, and another lady was going through the stack of prints picking out ones where the location that I am including in the back, is in the region of where she lives.

I once had an argument with an OPFer here who was an expert in knowing, and declaring), the lighting and critique of photos shown. He insisted that the picture must speak for itself.

Well we had a fellow post a picture of a rare flower. But how would anyone know I was so rare, impossible to find and very endangered, so my friend would walk barefoot so a not to crush the wild plants around the woods and photograph the flower.

But because of that precaution a tick jumped on his feet sensing the rise in carbon dioxide. He developed fever and and a rash.

The fellow posted that rash. I recognized it as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Stanford University had misdiagnosed it and given the wrong antibiotic as it was a cardiologist on duty in the Emergency Room!

I told him he needs a Tetracycline or he could be dead in several days!

He saw their infectious disease specialist can’t who was shocked at the tragic mistake and gave the correct medicine.

That wildflower needed that story of a man who respected nature so much to safeguard his innocent quarry, a rare flower others might destroy!

I know about a photographer tracking through the mountain passes to where there’s an updraft that carries the eagles and wait for the birds to fiat in, MUST accompany the pictures as that’s part of understanding.

Pictures do at times need to be introduced!

Asher