artisthelp-sidebar

Marketing Advice and Information for Artists

Advice, Websites, and Information Helping Photographic Artists:

Wide range of good information at: http://art-support.com

Mary Virginia Swanson's photography marketing blog at: http://marketingphotos.wordpress.com/

Photographer's Rights:

Sadly, even artists have to know their rights. These days a lot more converstations start "...you can't shoot that" or "...what are you doing". I get this I especially get it when I stand in one spot for hours by my tripod.

If you want to avoid getting hassled when you are confronted about your photography. Take a look at these pages, the sites listed below have pdf's you can print out and carry them with you:

US Photographers rights: http://www.krages.com/phoright.htm and... http://www.kantor.com/useful/Legal-Rights-of-Photographers.pdf

Canadian Photographer's rights: http://ambientlight.ca/laws.shtml

UK Photographers rights: http://www.sirimo.co.uk/ukpr.php

Australian Photographers rights: http://4020.net/words/photorights.php

Portfolio Reviews:

For photographers, Ibelieve Portfolio Reviews are a great way to get exposure to your work when you have a tightly-edited conceptually solid portfolio. Great chance to meet and start building relationships with curators and others who can further your fine art photography.

Photolucida (held in odd years, next April 2009)
http://www.photolucida.org/critique.aspx

FotoFest (held in even years, next 2010)
http://www.fotofest.org/success.htm

Photolucida's Critical Mass (CD-based review)
http://www.photolucida.org/current.aspx

Artist Registry:

Artists Space (free, 2 images, contact) http://www.artistsspace.org/afonline.html

Charles Saatchi Gallery, UK
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/yourgallery/
Brad Carlile's listing at Saatchi
http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/yourgallery/artist_profile/Brad+Carlile/14434.html

Juried Show Information:

Arts Deadline List gives competition deadline listings nationwide for all media: http://rtuh.com/adl/

Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) provides information and opportunities for Portland, Oregon (Clackamas, Multnomah, & Washington Counties) http://www.racc.org/

CameraArts Listing:
http://www.cameraarts.com/contests.php

Artshow.com is another source: http://www.artshow.com/juriedshows/index.html

NYFA offers current calls for a nationial listing of competitions: http://www.nyfa.org/ (look under Opportunities for Artists Link)

Southern Arts Federation provides an online search form http://www.artsopportunities.org/

Boulder CO Arts Resources http://artist.bldr.net/Opportunities.cfm

Manhattan Arts International: http://www.manhattanarts.com/Resources/exhibitions.htm

Projekt30 Online Gallery: Thirty Artists per Month show in online juried show, not free as it's $180/year http://www.projekt30.com

Brochures vs. Slides:

  • Presents reasonable size photographs for sample viewing
  • Most reviewers don't project slides but look at on light board without lupe, or worse hold up them to a light
  • Don't have to wait for slides to be returned
  • I abhor shrinking by medium format slide to 35mm (60mm x 45mm to 35mm x 24mm)
  • However all juried shows I've seen require 35mm slides or CDs

Creating Brochures:

8.5"x14" Trifold Brochure Template

  • Fits 6x9 Envelope (which also fits cover letter folded in half)
  • Pleasing size to hold
  • Larger than traditional run-of-the-mill marketing brochures
  • Approximately costs $0.60 to mail
  • Convert images to CMYK before printing for best control, embed images do not link
  • 4/4 is full color & good text on both sides
  • Use bleed of at least 1/4" if not white background, will be cut from 11"x??" paper
  • Panels for interior and exterior need different sizes to allow for the folds
  • Exterior panels: Left: 4-10/16", Center 4-11/16", Right: 4-11/16
  • Interior panels: Left: 4-11/16", Center 4-11/16", Right: 4-10/16
  • Exterior panels: Left: hidden by cover, Center: back, Right: cover
  • Interior panels: Left: left interior, Center: interior, Right: last part of interior seen
  • Center artwork in each panel (as they are different sizes)
  • Get fold & score for nice folds, at least 1/8" gutter or saftey from trim or fold
  • Short turn is 1000-2000 brochures
  • Get scored and bladed proofs

8.5"x11" Trifold Brochure Template

  • Fits Standard #10 Envelope (which also fits cover letter folded in thirds)
  • Standard for brochure for anything (cheaper look?)
  • Easy to find brochure holder
  • Convert images to CMYK before printing for best control, embed images do not link
  • 4/4 is full color & good text on both sides
  • Use bleed of at least 1/4" if not white background, will be cut from 11"x??" paper
  • Panels for interior and exterior need different sizes to allow for the folds
  • Exterior panels: Left: 3-10/16", Center 3-11/16", Right: 3-11/16
  • Interior panels: Left: 3-11/16", Center 3-11/16", Right: 3-10/16
  • Exterior panels: Left: hidden by cover, Center: back, Right: cover
  • Interior panels: Left: left interior, Center: interior, Right: last part of interior seen
  • Center artwork in each panel (as they are different sizes)
  • Get fold & score for nice folds, at least 1/8" gutter or saftey from trim or fold
  • Short turn is 1000-2000 brochures
  • Get scored and bladed proofs

Business Cards:

  • Card Size: 2"x3.5" (Photoshop approx 2452px by 4291px)
  • Best sizes for Fonts: 11 point to 7 point
  • Coated 100lb stock for cards with full color photographs
  • Heavier card stock possible if limit to 1 or 2 color

Post Cards:

  • 4/4: full color both sides
  • 4/1: Full color one side B&W other
  • 4"x9" Postcard (same as rack brochures), 2 to 3 images on one side, room for background on reverse, fits #10 envelope
  • 3"x5" Postcard, 1 image on one side
  • Always send with cover letter