Need advice

jayne

New member
I am seeking some help and guidance from any other experienced photographers. I am a longtime photography student and enthusiast just beginning to really expand my zoom lens. :) My goal is to capture a host of photos suitable for large-size printing on high-quality photo paper as well as canvas; the latter more so than the former. I have a few regular photo printers, but I went out and also purchased a commercial printer that can print as wide as 64-inches and as long as 20-feet (or more). Now, I am focusing on traveling around and capturing photos suitable for printing in large-size for display behind couches and large walls (such as tall living rooms and office lobbies). I have a few good ones and have already started framing them in gallery wrap.

So, here is what I need help in: I need to keep the printer busy or the ink heads will dry up. For this reason, I offered to print the photos taken by other photographers in large format. Most of the interest has been for canvas printing, so far. I can do this far less expensively than Costco, Mpix, Office Max, or Kinko’s. However, I do not know the best way to reach photographers who also share an interest in large to giant format prints. I want to keep what I am doing small and specific – large photo paper and canvas printing – and I am stuck. I need to know what you believe might be the best way for me to reach out and find others who have this common interest and for whom I can cost effectively print their photos.

I do not want to run ads or create some giant business. Not at all! I am looking to make friends and contacts first; and a little bit of profit second; while keeping my printer in top condition third of all. I guess the best way to phrase my question is, How do I get the word out about what I have to offer and for whom I am looking without really picking up responses from people who just want to get giant prints of their photos at an unbeatable price? Any ideas shared or directions provided from experience would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
~Jayne
 

Browncoat

Senior Member
I think the most cost-effective way starting out would be social media. Google+ has a rather large photographer base (17,000 and growing), so I would probably start there. You might also have luck with 500px, and to a lesser degree, Facebook. Having a website couldn't hurt either.
 

jayne

New member
Thanks.
I use Google Apps for my email (old domain I've had for years, but cannot seem to get rid of :p), so I cannot use Google+ yet; but I cannot wait for it to become available. Reviews say it will rival Facebook. How would I use that to just kinda get the word out about what I can do? Without being pushy and overbearing and seeming to spam?

I've never heard of 500px. Will have to look into that one.

Facebook and website, same question as above. I don't want to just push my product. I want to be able to be a name, not just a service (does that make sense?).

Again, thanks!
~Jayne
 

Mestre

Senior Member
I don't know if this a good lead but you could try sites like 1x.com and Fineart. A customer can print photos that are on the site but they might consider other suppliers regarding printing in canvas.
 

FoxRacer2

Senior Member
I don't really like google plus. I just got invited the other day, not really a fan.

I would create a page on facebook and link it to your main facebook account, so your friends and such will see it!

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk
 

jdeg

^ broke something
Staff member
I would definitely create a Facebook page for your printing. Invite friends that you know would be interested and urge them to invite their friends. Eventually you'll get a good number of likes to the page. Make sure to post as much information as possible and and pictures you might have of your work.
 

Browncoat

Senior Member
A blog isn't going to help her much, if at all. This is a business-to-business service.
Your business plan is this: You have a Hugh Jass(tm) printer and you're looking to offset some of the costs of owning it. Essentially, you're creating a time share. Your market is extremely niche, as not many photographers are looking to make gigantic prints. You don't have a DBA or professional printing experience, or even a storefront. Your biggest problem is going to be convincing potential buyers that you know what you're doing and why they should choose you over a traditional large format printing service.
Social media is the perfect solution for you. You need to find where photographers hang out online and go there and create a presence for yourself and start networking. Places like this forum (and others) where photogs can be found sharing their work and socializing. The latest numbers I've seen on the Google+ photographer network was around 20,000. Of those, less than 10% are going to be your target...but still, that's around 2,000 potential customers. Not too shabby.

I honestly feel like G+ is your best bet right now. Facebook just isn't built for this kind of networking. It can be done, but it would take far longer than it would with G+. Set up a Google account and Gmail account and send me a PM...I'll invite you.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

jayne

New member
Thanks!

I have a Facebook, but I'm really sure what to do with it (as far as using it for promotion), but that is a smaller issue :) I think I will also try the Google+, and see how that interface is. I've heard that it will be a huge competition for FB.

So now my question is: Can anyone give me tips on how to present myself? I don't want to come off as a pushy "salesperson". I really want to make lasting contacts and friends, as well, so I don't want to throw anyone off. I do consider myself a photographer primarily, so I really want a great network of photography friends that I can freely ask questions to, but I also want to be able to shout out (politely :p ) that I can do this, as well.

Thanks, again.
~Jayne
 

Browncoat

Senior Member
Can anyone give me tips on how to present myself? I don't want to come off as a pushy "salesperson".
This is a subject that could fill many pages of responses. The best advice I can give is to read up. You have to really be careful with this topic, because there are so many promotional and self-help "gurus" out there, it's difficult to know which ones are worth a damn.

Do some research on Seth Godin. Buy his books (a couple are even free for download if you can still find them). He is universally accepted as a marketing god. Also check out Me 2.0 by Dan Schawbel. This is an incredible book about personal branding and marketing yourself.
 

jayne

New member
Great! Thanks, I will definitely be looking for those authors.

I have one more question on this topic, then I shall probably be moving on and making 2 new threads about unrelated topics.

On this forum in particular, and photography forum in general, when a thread says "list your photography business website", is it appropriate for me to do so? I have it mostly listed as a "retail" site simply so that I have all my info accessible for someone I'm talking to in person that wants more details (I don't have all cost memorized, but don't always have my computer with me), but I do have a section for my personal work (not actually online yet, just working on it offline til I have it looking how I want it). My personal page is less a "business" page, more a "hey, look what I did!" type page :D, and a location for hosting images so that I do not have to use a 3rd party site.

If not the printing page, can I then link to my personal page, which is a subdomain?

(I'm not planning on jumping out there this exact moment, so don't think I just want to link my page; I want to make sure I'm doing this correctly, and not just here, but any other places where I'm trying to meet people.)

Is it appropriate to post my personal site anywhere? (And that's just narcissism, lol.) By anywhere, I mean forum or otherwise. I ask because it is a subdomain of the business aspect, and a) I want to host my own images, and want to display them, and b) I really love my domain name, it's pretty cool, so I don't want to get another one. I don't want to be seem as a spammer just trying to promote my site, when I really want to promote myself.

Ok, that's it for now. I'm sure I have more questions up my sleeve, but I will ask them later.

Thanks again, everyone! So far, this has been the most helpful forum, yet, for a variety of the photography questions I can come up with (and mine are always different, if I do say so myself :) ).
 
Top