Merry Christmas. It’s time to take a look at some cool gadgets and get optimistic and practical about profit in 2010. Don’t miss the last half of the show when we get down to serious business.
How often do you go into a gallery and see a masterpiece that’s not signed?
How often does the same piece have a HUGE ugly watermark across the front?
by Gavin Seim Updated 11/12: If your name is not on your work, you’re missing out. But it needs to be done well. The truth is, selling images is not about just having passion, it’s about business. Is your work just piece of paper, or is it a piece if art? I think many people who don’t brand their images do so because they lack branding experience, or don’t consider their images of high enough value to hang equally next to other art. Some on the other hand some take image marking too far, ruining their presentation by going overkill with watermarks. Petapixel did a fun satirical article on this recently.
Today we’ll look at nearly every angle. From web images to print – First lets remember that classy branding on an image generally adds value. How often do you buy a book without the authors name on the front? Even the cars we buy have logos on them. If you bought a Ferrari would you want it without the emblem? I think not. Why then should the art we make be unmarked! Are there exceptions? Sure, but not many. For example a commercial client may require unbranded images, but they should also expect to pay a premium for that right. Artists have been branding their work for centuries and so should you.
This night HDR of the Seattle skyline shows an example of how I mark images for gallery and print exhibitions while keeping them classy. I hand sign my best pieces, as we’ll talk about below. Take the time to work on a good signature. While this is very subdued, people do look at signatures and names. It keeps it classy yet keeps the brand strong.
I’ve been a fan of OnOne products for awhile now. I did the review on V4 some time back and it nailed a 7/10. Plugin suite is a nice collection of tools in a single package. V5 is now available for order and the folks at OnOne have hooked readers up with a sweet deal. I’ll be getting hands on for a closer look at whats new in version 5 soon, but for now here’s some details.
The sale is for $200 off the complete suite. That’s over 30% off, making it $399. It ends Dec 5th 2009 however. Here’s the direct link, or you can just use coupon code PPS200 at checkout.
If you found this post after the sale ends you can still use code PRPHTPC for 15% off. You can also check for other specials over the the PPS Deals page. Have fun… Gav
Resize images using Genuine Fractals 6.
Remove unwanted backgrounds with Mask Pro 4.
Color correct photos with PhotoTune 3.
Put the focus where you want with FocalPoint 2.
Get the professional look with PhotoTools 2.5.
Add the perfect finishing touch with PhotoFrame 4.5.
by Gavin Seim: Here’s the latest episodes of the new Photo Couch podcast. Short quick bursts of photo ideas and information. If you want to get them as they come out, you can subscribe in iTunes or use the direct feed in any podcatcher.
There’s a bunch of topics in these five episodes, all no more than five minutes long. Give a listen and get some ideas. If you have thoughts you’d like to discuss in depth, visit the Photo Couch board on the forums.
PC #008 MP3. 11/11/09 Seeing Your Site with Client Eyes.
