In my thread "Marketing tips from the best (Part 1)" I talked a lot about what I learned from master marketer and landscape photographer Ken Duncan KenDuncan.com about getting the portfolio absolute top notch. It is all about the WOW factor (shock and awe)! Ken was insistent on the images to be loose, not bound, so prospective buyers can mix and match and compare! The ultimate way to have the portfolio done is 12x18's or even 20x24's FUJI FLEX professional Crystal Archive (printed off a Durst Lambda at 400ppi) mounted onto plastic black mounting board (don't know where to get that yet, unless I use Kens lab) with an extra inch or two around the image, and with black velvet mounted on the back of the boards so that they can be stacked and not scratch each other. Also ultimately the images need to be laminated (Ken has pioneered a certain amazing laminate that I think is the best - which can be used by contacting his lab "Created For Life" in AU: CreatedForLife.com.
But, some do not have $1000 - $3000 to shell out for their portfolio at that start! Neither did I (although I am about to do this, before heading down to Vegas).
So, I shared with folks on this board that a temporary makeshift quality portfolio could be made using Costco 12x18's. Then with the intention of making some good sales, one could eventually (asap) upgrade their portfolio to the aforementioned premium way.
So, anyway I got some emails asking for me to post a picture of my makeshift portfolio I have used so far with great success. So below are the images! The first shot is what the portfolio pieces look like. The second is a 20x24 inch FUJI FLEX Limited Edition print getting ready to be shipped.
*Lastly, and very importantly, I am in the process of printing my large 36 or 40 inch FLEX DEMO print to have premiumly framed to go along with the portfolio! This is so that people can see what these images are going to look like ideally. This is critical! Once I get this done, and write Part 2 to that thread I hope to have a picture of my framed 36 or 40 inch print, so you can see that too.
It's an absolute joy that you are so generous with your work flow, Mark. A true sign of honesty, character, and "helping your fellow man". I'm sure you wake up every morning knowing that you've given your contemporaries a selfless gift, and that probably brings a lot of peace to your inner visions.
Larry55 wrote:
It's an absolute joy that you are so generous with your work flow, Mark. A true sign of honesty, character, and "helping your fellow man". I'm sure you wake up every morning knowing that you've given your contemporaries a selfless gift, and that probably brings a lot of peace to your inner visions.
Thanks. To be honest, in the past I have been intense and very overly competitive, trying to do anything possible to beat others and step past (and sometime on) them. But one really great thing I learned from Ken KenDuncan.com is a spirit of generosity in regards to this work. He does NOT believe by being generous he is creating his own competition! He has faith that God covers him no matter what he does, and that love and generosity, in a often self centered ego driven industry, is a light in a dark place.
After coming back from hanging out with Ken (last summer) I have had a lot of success, and I do not think I did it all myself. I have had some very real graces. S,o basically what happened to me, is that I don't feel that competitiveness so much anymore. I think it is better to love folks in the realm you can, and that speaks louder than words. But I had to see that in Ken first, to myself be inspire to do it too. I hope other will do the same as well.
Thanks for the kind help Mark.. for the black border around your final output, is that part of the print, or a seperate 'mat' between the image and, say, a white mat?
floris wrote:
Thanks for the kind help Mark.. for the black border around your final output, is that part of the print, or a seperate 'mat' between the image and, say, a white mat?
When I sell the Limited Edition prints I have about a 1 inch boarder, black, around the image. This is where I sign the image in gold pen, title, and number the image. That way the signature does not intrude on the image.
