biowild: I want to know if this is just too wild, and if I should go traditional with a typed out sheet. I will be exhibiting a collection of my work at a print shop and the owner...

RiverNan Loc: Eastern Pa

I want to know if this is just too wild, and if I should go traditional with a typed out sheet.

I will be exhibiting a collection of my work at a print shop and the owner asked for a bio??? My education trained me for public education not photography. The only thing I would ad is my particular interests which will be on display and there is really not any more room if I go with this format.

I could print it and slap in an 8x10 to take up some wall space or include it in a portfolio with printed works that wont be hanging and a price sheet...in the portfolio might encourage them to look further.

Frank2013 Loc: San Antonio, TX. & Milwaukee, WI.

RiverNan wrote:

I want to know if this is just too wild, and if I ... (show quote)

You are the artist my dear.......so I feel you should go with your gut. The h#%! with what anyone else thinks of your choice. Don't second guess yourself.

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

Ex marketing/business man here. Make it short leave em thinking. The less you say the more you can charge generally.
The two publications you mention indicate you work cheap and have amateur status. Secret is to convince them you are a pro and they should be honored to be given the opportunity to buy your stuff. 10 to 15 words should suffice.
Guy once said to me "Chimps make a lot of noise and work for peanuts and bananas".

neilds37 Loc: Port Angeles, WA

Just an opinion of a "general public" type person... I like it!
I'd go for the 8 x 10.

RiverNan Loc: Eastern Pa

thank you...I appreciate your comment and encouragement.

Frank2013 wrote:

You are the artist my dear.......so I feel you should go with your gut. The h#%! with what anyone else thinks of your choice. Don't second guess yourself.

RiverNan Loc: Eastern Pa

thanks for responding Billy...but do you think it too busy with the background? your marketing/business man intrigues me...The two publications are quite varied...the guide published my pic in result of a contest. You are right that I earned nothing for that one...but the publication will accompany a large print that will be for sale. The annual report image earned a fee. $100 for the digital image and the user solicited me. Feel free to revise what I have written to show me what you mean.
oh ya...I am an amateur! Help me convince the viewers I am a pro...HELP ME CONVINCE MYSELF!

Billyspad wrote:

Ex marketing/business man here. Make it short leave em thinking. The less you say the more you can charge generally.
The two publications you mention indicate you work cheap and have amateur status. Secret is to convince them you are a pro and they should be honored to be given the opportunity to buy your stuff. 10 to 15 words should suffice.
Guy once said to me "Chimps make a lot of noise and work for peanuts and bananas".

RiverNan Loc: Eastern Pa

thank you, kind of you to say.

neilds37 wrote:

Just an opinion of a "general public" type person... I like it!
I'd go for the 8 x 10.

pfrancke Loc: cold Maine

Hi RiverNan,

I guess some of it depends on what is hanging around it. I don't like it as I find it overly busy and hard to read with the white on red.

About the content.. I must be grumpy today, I don't like "accomplishment oriented". You are there! You don't need to "prove" yourself with the Bio.

Use the Bio to talk about your love of photography, about what you seek to accomplish, something about your soul - Though your images will do that too. Brief is good. Write a lot about who you are and see if you can boil it down to the essence.

jim hill Loc: Springfield, IL

RiverNan wrote:

I want to know if this is just too wild, and if I ... (show quote)

Hi Nan.

As an attention grabber it's too many words.

I have never put my pitch within a photograph. As far as a portfolio is concerned it's my opinion that it should contain photographs only. Possibly an introductory sheet might be placed atop your ten or twelve prints - under the the cover. People are buying the prints and not your story. They should be either dry mounted of museum mounted on archival boards. No over-matting should be used for portfolio prints. However, they should be separated by an sheet of heavy archival blank white paper.

Good luck with your sales.

Jim

RiverNan Loc: Eastern Pa

And that it what I was afraid of...TOO BUSY...guess I just needed conformation.

Maybe just the first two paragraphs? What the heck is a bio anyway from someone like me...not as if I had a career with Rolling Stone, or National Geo.

Maybe I should keep the image with my little self portrait and the text: BIO You figure it out! BHAHAHAHAHAH

Really appreciate your input. Thank you.

pfrancke wrote:

Hi RiverNan, br br I guess some of it depends on ... (show quote)

RiverNan Loc: Eastern Pa

Thanks Jim

Since it is being held in a print shop, I will not be selling from the portfolio...just prints to flip through. The printer can take requests and print on demand only.

Maybe a little bio without the busy background as first page is probably what I will do....I like that idea too.
Really don't know why he wants its...he knows enough about me to tell anyone who might care to ask.

Oy back to the beginning.

jim hill wrote:

Hi Nan. br br As an attention grabber it's too ma... (show quote)