portrait enlargement trends

[michaelnotar]

curious to know what your experiences and comments are as far as large portrait print sales goes...

5x7s are the most popular, then 4x5, 8x10s for my clients. a few 11x14s and a few less 16x20s.

how often are you getting sales 16x20+ ?

i wonder if its an economic trend or smaller housing trend etc. and i have all the print sizes on the wall at my studio 16x20-30x40.

[Terry Norris]

My sales are about the same as yours, people like 5x7 so they can sit it on a table or put it on the wall, I had several 16x20's this year but none larger. Terry

[Ronald Garrett]

I do a couple of things to try and sell larger prints. I make DVD's of the portrait so that a customer can see the results of a larger size. I offer them larger prints at discounted prices, {most cost is labor anyway}. I try to keep a selection of larger frames available so customers can choose while I have them here and intrested. I find women are not hard to talk into larger size portraits of themselves. Men are hard to sell wallet sizes to. I fully believe that if momma is happy, that decides the sale.

People tend to compare final cost of portraits by size. They forget the work that goes into the image. I cannot compete with the large companies for 4 X 6 or 5 X 7's. Consequently I do not offer those smaller sizes. Most people who get images from Wally World are hesitant to go for the larger sizes as they aren't sure what the end result will be. I try to assure them we will arrive at an awsome image. Appeal to their sense of value. Most womens ears perk up when you approach it in this manner.

A recent development in that photo paper is not available in 8 X 10 anymore is one I intend to try and use to advantage. Sell them 8.5 X 11.5 for the same price. Let them know you will absorb the "loss".

A good salesman will sell more images than a great portraist.

Just my humble opinion.

[Noel_Carboni]

There are only so many places one can hang a framed 20 x 30 or larger print. As photographically oriented as I am, for example, I have only 4 of them that size anywhere in my house, and only one is a portrat (of my son). So, as you alluded, the market is limited for that size.

Note: Selling prints is really only a sideline for me, so take this as only a small datapoint... What I *have* had sell halfway decently is a 24 x 36 fine art print on canvas (I have a moon image that is selling by word of mouth amongst the astronaut set). Winkflash actually makes such prints at a pretty reasonable price.



-Noel

[DougAxford]

We're pushing 'Panels' for family or individual portraits. In the past year, I've definitely changed from shooting one pose of the whole family to lots of photos of the kids, parents, etc. in a PJ style. The advantage is that they love the shots far more but don't want just one large one. When selling 'Panels', you're working on 3 or more 8x10s in one grouping or panel and it's priced with the outside dimensions of the total piece. In other words, the mat & any design is part of the print.

Sample of 2 kids together that is 18x34" total. School & Grad

Doug

[BillyGarrett]

Noel;

great pix of the moon. great way to sell the larger print.... ha
so you got me, how much for the moon pix? oh and how much extra to crop out the human holding the print??? just kiddin.

[Mike_Guilbault]

I've been selling more larger prints than ever... when they are ordering a larger print. Like everyone else, the 5x7s and 8x10s are the most popular, but when they go above 8x10, 20x24 is my usual size. I've sold quite a few 24x30s this year as well as a couple 30x40s. I've also been encouraging 'odd' sizes, such as 10x20 panoramas, 16x30 verticals, etc. Of course this means that they need a custom frame too.. but the results are beautiful and very unique.

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