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What is your worth?
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Feb 20, 2021 16:20:15   #
Dean37 Loc: Fresno, CA
 
My worth is what I am. I have never sold my photos or videos, but did a couple of weddings and provided the photos and videos to the bride and groom for no charge. They can't complain because they didn't pay a cent, and I received free meals and got good friends.

I believe my photos that I keep are too valuable to sell. I keep them and enjoy them, probably a good thing, ya think, Paul?

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Feb 20, 2021 16:52:02   #
Steve DeMott Loc: St. Louis, Missouri (Oakville area)
 
Fool-proof way to make a million dollars in this Industry.
Start with 2 million

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Feb 20, 2021 17:00:23   #
Dannj
 
Rongnongno wrote:
In the world of business there is only one definition:
Working all the time and running to the bank when possible.
(Professional photography IS a business)

In the world of 'artists':
Starve to death and criticize those who succeed as sell outs.


In personal world:
How long you will be remembered as 'a good person' after you die.

Historically:
Good people are not remembered, two generations, three, at most.
Bad people are in the pinnacle of remembrance (Look at Napoleon)
'Artists' are remembered after their death and celebrated with what they said they despised: $$$$
Businessmen are remembered when needed, mostly negatively as 'examples not to follow' but 'heck if you can do it, go for it'.

Is this cynical? Yes but true.
In the world of business there is only one definit... (show quote)


You may look at it this way but all I can say is I’m glad I wasn’t raised by you, taught by you, worked for or with you or asked you for advice. Going through life wrapped in a cloak of cynicism wouldn’t work for me.

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Feb 20, 2021 17:04:45   #
Rongnongno Loc: FL
 
hj wrote:
AND, there are idiots who will pay big bucks for a canvas with paint splattered by real monkeys. Can you document that someone paid over four Million dollars for the picture you posted? If they did, they must be the poster child for "A Fool and his money is soon parted".

You have the photographer's name. The date the image was taken, the title of it, the price and the date of sale.
If you want more, look it up.

Search by 'most expensive photograph sold'. By the way this photographer sold another for three + millions dollars.

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Feb 20, 2021 17:13:22   #
Wyantry Loc: SW Colorado
 
hj wrote:
AND, there are idiots who will pay big bucks for a canvas with paint splattered by real monkeys. Can you document that someone paid over four Million dollars for the picture you posted? If they did, they must be the poster child for "A Fool and his money is soon parted".


Pretty. As in “pretty boring”. Would not live in my house/cave/hovel.

But hey! If somebody wants to purchase for mega-bucks, who am I to deny him the option?

Would I sell for >$1,000,000? Hell yes!
Would I sell for $400? Maybe.
Would I sell for $40? Probably not.

Ethics bedamned.

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Feb 20, 2021 17:29:30   #
Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada
 
CHG_CANON wrote:
The easiest way to make money as a photographer is to sell your equipment.


Your so funny. Always make me laugh.

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Feb 20, 2021 19:47:17   #
Dannj
 
User ID wrote:
True, but in terms of this thread the “how one defines” is quite clear ... so there’s no “all depends”. Your sermon does not apply here.


I must have missed the “how one defines” post with the definition...sorry. But “sermon”? I was only disagreeing with your definitions.

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Feb 20, 2021 23:15:04   #
dadaist
 
Rongnongno wrote:
Have you ever dealt with the higher end market? I think not. If you did you would realize that there is no sticker price on almost anything.

As I typed. You are worth what you think you are. In your case peanuts, as I am now since I am out of it. Find me a higher end market, I would go back to it in a flash as would anyone offered this opportunity.

Why do you think a few recent pictures were sold over a million dollars?
Because some folks like you want to call it a con job or unethical it should be sold for what? A few hundred of $$$? Grow up.

Most expensive photograph so far...
Rhein II, Photographer: Andreas Gursky (1999)
Dimensions: 73 in × 143 in
Sold at auction in 2011 for $4,300,000.00.

Now tell me, what is extraordinary that justifies the price?
You cannot?
Well, I can. Someone was willing to pay for it. That's it.
Have you ever dealt with the higher end market? I... (show quote)


You are correct in all that you have stated! In order for purchases at these prices to take place, view it in this light: What good is all that money if you have no outlet for it? Egos must be satisfied! This is not to say that art, in any form, is not worthy of being purchased and collected-it is!

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Feb 21, 2021 00:28:00   #
E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada
 
I have written this concept on the forum many times. I'll give you the"Readers Digest Condensed Version"

Put your ego on hold and get down to business in a scientific and logical way. Stop endless philosophizing and make a plan and set a goal to create a price schedule for your work.

If you go into the photography business to earn your livelihood, YOU are your main and most valuable employee. You must earn enough money to support a reasonable lifestyle. A starving artist is a failed artist- you can NOT function creatively and efficiently in a business-like manner if you can't, pay your rent and basic expenses.

You need to know what you are doing technically and aesthetically- you can't base a business on a poorly crafted, mediocre, lacklustre product.

Figure out how much you need to pay yourself in order to sustain a reasonable lifestyle.

Figure how much money you will need to support the basic costs of doig business.

The sum of those two compilations is the revenue you just generate to stay alive in business.

Project how many jobs or assignments or what kind of business volume you will require to make that figure.

Project how many days per week you are going to work- sum it up per year and with these numbers, you can find out what amount will MAKE your day- week- month. You need to set goals and attempt to realize them.

This is how you begin to form a price list for your work. This is how you establish hourly, daily and weekly rates for commercial assignments.

You determine your costs of sale and mark them up accordingly.

You can't do this arbitrarily or go by anyone else's prices. One of your competitors may live in his car with his cat, subsist on day-old fast food. The other competitor may live in on estate and is putting 4 kids through college. I know this is an exaggeration but YOU need to strive to accommodate yourself and your family. Of course, you can start with modest goals and build things up as you gain a customer base and success.

This can be a long-term plan. You can save up some money to capitalize on your business and keep it afloat during the start-up period.

You need to do your market research and determine if there's a market that will support your business and your needs. You need to investigate and determine the buying habits of your potential client base, socio-economic conditions and find out what your competition is supplying. You are not "looking into people's pocketbooks" and charging them accordingly. You just need to find out of your potential customer base can support your business and if they buy what you have to sell. You don't undercut your competition- you do superior work so you can charge more if your quality and services warrant it.

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Feb 21, 2021 02:59:12   #
User ID
 
Dannj wrote:
You may look at it this way but all I can say is I’m glad I wasn’t raised by you, taught by you, worked for or with you or asked you for advice. Going through life wrapped in a cloak of cynicism wouldn’t work for me.


Work for me. Do what works.

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Feb 21, 2021 03:31:31   #
User ID
 
Rongnongno wrote:
You have the photographer's name. The date the image was taken, the title of it, the price and the date of sale.
If you want more, look it up.

Search by 'most expensive photograph sold'. By the way this photographer sold another for three + millions dollars.

I find that the usual mind set of the idjitz that freak out over mega-mega $$ art sales tends to revolve around the price of groceries. Groceries such as substrate and ink, and perhaps amortization of the hardware involved.

These walnut brains have zero bidnez commenting on the “art market”, given that they have zero grasp of artistry. Note that I said “grasp of artistry” and not “grasp of art”. Such “big money” is not “buying art”. It’s rewarding artistry, and promoting its continued existence in a hostile environment.

“Art” they believe they grasp. “Art” is a shot in a botanical garden that exhibits gobs of bokeh. If they themselves can routinely knock out such magnificent drivel, how can anyone else’s work be held in absurdly higher esteem ?

I operate and live at a very high level of artistry. While my $$ rewards for that are less than newsworthy, I celebrate newsworthy mega$$ sales. Such sales, despite being sullied by “investment value”, remind me that somewhere some few people put their money where their mouth is as supporters of the great value of artistry to civilization.

Such sales are like the statues of heros and great leaders, in that such sales are material monuments to the importance of something. That something is artistry.

++++++++++++++++++++++

I spoze there will be a comment asking me to define artistry. To that I reply that if you hafta ask you’ll never understand the answer, so please go away. Others may comment that I’m kinda arrogant. To that I reply that your grasp of the obvious is truly quite remarkable ;-)

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Feb 21, 2021 03:58:32   #
User ID
 
Artists do not make widgets. They are service providers. And that service is absolutely priceless.

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Feb 21, 2021 11:25:35   #
rondmallett Loc: Colorado, near Wyoming
 
I'm just an 83-year-old decrepit man who loves the world
he was born into. I'm in awe of what I see every day
here in Colorful Colorado. I try to capture some of it
as a way of remembering it. No economics,
just bathing in God's beautiful creation.

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Feb 21, 2021 13:54:51   #
clint f. Loc: Priest Lake Idaho, Spokane Wa
 
quixdraw wrote:
No price list, setting your prices based on your customer's wealth - ethical? Just a con game.


That is exactly what the IRS does.

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Feb 21, 2021 14:31:23   #
DHenard Loc: Northeast Tennessee
 
4 million for 1 picture!!! I would have sold several thousand for a lot less.

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