Feb 2008
Moving Sale - Prints 80% Off
February/26/08 03:16 PM
Big changes are in the works ! After
five years of managing my photography business and retail studio
location here in Dayton, Ohio, with lots of painful lessons
learned, I’m finally moving onward. The Jim Crotty family is moving
to Texas !
I will be continuing my photography business there, but without the expense and burden of a retail studio location. I will be doing more in the way of freelance, commercial work as well as returning to teaching part-time at the community college level.
When I began Picture Ohio, LLC I emphasized my work with nature and landscape photography, only to realize later that the true potential of the business was by shooting location and assignment work for businesses and other organizations.
This is why I have so many framed prints still sitting in my studio. I made the unfortunate mistake of investing quite a bit of resources in custom framing during my first two years of being in business. Anyone who knows anything about artwork knows just how expensive framing can be.
I have 24″x30″ prints, custom framed with black wood and double white mats, of Dayton and Ohio scenics, nature and landscapes. I also have several 16″x24″s and 8″x12″s. These framed prints have been on display in several area restaurants.
The problem is I can’t take them with me to Texas, so . . . .
My loss is your gain. On framed prints that are normally listed for $250.00 I am offering for sale at $50.00 each. 16″x24″ at $25.00. 8″x12″ at $15.00.
I will be continuing my photography business there, but without the expense and burden of a retail studio location. I will be doing more in the way of freelance, commercial work as well as returning to teaching part-time at the community college level.
When I began Picture Ohio, LLC I emphasized my work with nature and landscape photography, only to realize later that the true potential of the business was by shooting location and assignment work for businesses and other organizations.
This is why I have so many framed prints still sitting in my studio. I made the unfortunate mistake of investing quite a bit of resources in custom framing during my first two years of being in business. Anyone who knows anything about artwork knows just how expensive framing can be.
I have 24″x30″ prints, custom framed with black wood and double white mats, of Dayton and Ohio scenics, nature and landscapes. I also have several 16″x24″s and 8″x12″s. These framed prints have been on display in several area restaurants.
The problem is I can’t take them with me to Texas, so . . . .
My loss is your gain. On framed prints that are normally listed for $250.00 I am offering for sale at $50.00 each. 16″x24″ at $25.00. 8″x12″ at $15.00.
I also have many, many mounted and
unmounted prints sitting in my print bins. Some the mounted prints
are as large as 40″x60.” Lots of unmounted prints in the 5″x7″ to
16″x24″ range. All of these I’m offering for sale from as low as
$5.00 (5″x7″s and 8″x10″s) to $50.00 for the largest mounted
prints.
All these prints, and more, need to be sold. EXTREMELY low prices.
Sidney my dog is not for sale, despite urgings from the wife. He’s
coming to Texas too.
This is a “cash and carry” sale only. Pricing applies to just those
prints, both framed and unframed, that are currently in stock at my
studio in Centerville at 6372 Far Hills Ave., just a few doors down
from Elsa’s.
No refunds or returns. All sales are final. No special orders. I
accept cash, check, VISA or Mastercard. Ohio retail sales tax
applies.
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More Than Meets the Eye
February/06/08 03:12 PM
Yes, there is such a thing as press
that’s less than positive. Sometimes it’s completely
non-intentional and the negative effects aren’t realized until a
few years down the road. Shortly after I started my photography
business in 2003, the Dayton Daily News ran a full-page story about
my work with nature and landscape photography. It was a good
article. I can’t complain about that. The problem is that it ran at
a time (early stage of going into business) when I held the
mistaken belief that I could actually make a living solely based on
the fine art market for nature, landscape and wildlife photography.
The lasting negative effect of both that initial belief and
particular article is that I’ve been permanently pigeon holed as
just a “nature photographer” here in my local market, and I accept
full responsibility.
I received a quick and expensive education to the contrary once the payables far outstretched the receivables. Even today people in Dayton keep mentioning “the article” and how much they are a “great fan of my nature and landscape photographs.” Daytonians love my work so much that they email or call me quite frequently asking me to donate a print to some silent auction or donate services or donate licensing rights. Donate, donate, donate. “It’s a great way to get your name out there.”
If I hear that phrase one more time I’m going to go out of my mind. Uh, I’m pretty sure that here in Dayton my name is out there. Perhaps that’s part of the problem ??
Here’s one the few certain things I’ve learned now that I’ve been in business as a photographer in the Dayton area going on five years now. The only thing that results from donations are more requests for donations, plus a whole host of hobbyists fishing for free info (that’s why I added paid workshops and lessons to my list of services).
Anyhoo, the truth is that my bread and butter is my commercial and assignment photography services, particularly in covering events, architectural projects, business portraits, products, processes, and a recent pick-up in activity for family portraiture.
Posted below is a new flyer I put together highlighting some of the recent architectural projects that I photographed. If I had to decide which area of commercial photography that I enjoy the most, I would have to say architecture followed closely by editorial and event work.
And yes, I will always hold-on to my first love of nature and landscape photography. However, I like to consider myself as a “renaissance man” in the field of photography. I can’t stand being pigeon holed - whether it applies to my professional or my personal life. What is it about this area of the Midwest that people feel so comfortable being permanently stuck in ruts - ruts of the same old way of doing business, day in and day out, and of applying convenient labels to one another.
Change, expand, adapt, learn, move forward. When things get too comfortable, then I know it’s time to light a fire under my @%# and get moving. In the words of Martha Stewart, “it’s a good thing.” Yesterday an old friend - originally from Dayton but who has also lived elsewhere (and that means out of Ohio) - commented that there’s just this “negative energy” to the area. I think it comes from so many of my fellow Daytonians falling into their comfortable zones and well, becoming permanent residents in the bland land of security and predictability. That’s not living. That’s just simply waiting.
I received a quick and expensive education to the contrary once the payables far outstretched the receivables. Even today people in Dayton keep mentioning “the article” and how much they are a “great fan of my nature and landscape photographs.” Daytonians love my work so much that they email or call me quite frequently asking me to donate a print to some silent auction or donate services or donate licensing rights. Donate, donate, donate. “It’s a great way to get your name out there.”
If I hear that phrase one more time I’m going to go out of my mind. Uh, I’m pretty sure that here in Dayton my name is out there. Perhaps that’s part of the problem ??
Here’s one the few certain things I’ve learned now that I’ve been in business as a photographer in the Dayton area going on five years now. The only thing that results from donations are more requests for donations, plus a whole host of hobbyists fishing for free info (that’s why I added paid workshops and lessons to my list of services).
Anyhoo, the truth is that my bread and butter is my commercial and assignment photography services, particularly in covering events, architectural projects, business portraits, products, processes, and a recent pick-up in activity for family portraiture.
Posted below is a new flyer I put together highlighting some of the recent architectural projects that I photographed. If I had to decide which area of commercial photography that I enjoy the most, I would have to say architecture followed closely by editorial and event work.
And yes, I will always hold-on to my first love of nature and landscape photography. However, I like to consider myself as a “renaissance man” in the field of photography. I can’t stand being pigeon holed - whether it applies to my professional or my personal life. What is it about this area of the Midwest that people feel so comfortable being permanently stuck in ruts - ruts of the same old way of doing business, day in and day out, and of applying convenient labels to one another.
Change, expand, adapt, learn, move forward. When things get too comfortable, then I know it’s time to light a fire under my @%# and get moving. In the words of Martha Stewart, “it’s a good thing.” Yesterday an old friend - originally from Dayton but who has also lived elsewhere (and that means out of Ohio) - commented that there’s just this “negative energy” to the area. I think it comes from so many of my fellow Daytonians falling into their comfortable zones and well, becoming permanent residents in the bland land of security and predictability. That’s not living. That’s just simply waiting.