FAQ
Atlanta Photography Exhibit FAQ
revised March 2011
The purpose of this document is to create a single source of information for artists participating in APE events/exhibits. This document will cover everything from printing to framing and other things you might never think of. It is a living document and will evolve over time. It won’t answer all your questions, but hopefully most of them. Anything not covered here, just shoot an email to one of the show Coordinators. For more details about the group, please visit www.atlantaphotography.org
What are the rules? Is this a Juried Show? Can anyone join in on the show?
There are only a few rules and since this is not a juried show, but a show for any artist, you photos are not judged based on quality. Our shows for any artist to have an opportunity to show work, we take the starving artist phrase literally. The goal of our show is to provide an avenue for new, up and coming artists with opportunities to show their work in a professional environment. We hope that the experiences gained from this will lead the artist down the path to bigger and greater things concerning their art.
Basic rules for each show:
- A call for entries is released and space is filled on a first come first served basis.
- The typical exhibit is “open” which means you chose the work you wish to present. If you want feedback the APE staff can offer guidance.
- Rarely APE presents themed exhibits. If a theme is announced an additional step of submitting photos for review to see that they meet the theme may be required.
- All artwork presented is for sale, unless the artist specifically chooses not to offer his/her work for sale.
- Artists are 100% responsible for delivering their art at the set-up date and time advertised in the call for entries. Artists are also responsible for picking up any unsold artwork after the end of the exhibit, again at the designated break-down date and time. NO EXCEPTIONS, seriously, none.
- Artists are responsible for delivering their sold framed prints to the buyers after the end of the exhibit. APE will collect the buyers contact information and provide the buyer with the photographers contact info, but the actual delivery of the art is the responsibility of the photographer.
When and where are the exhibits?
APE hosts at minimum two gallery exhibits per year, a spring (April/May) and a fall (October) exhibit at the Big House Gallery/Granite Room located at 211 Peters Street, Atlanta, Georgia in the Castleberry Hill neighborhood. These events always coincide with the Castleberry Hill 2nd Friday Art Stroll which helps increase foot traffic and provides built-in advertising. Typical shows open the Friday one week prior to the Art Stroll and closing night coincides with the art stroll. The first Friday is a soft opening for family and friends and anyone else visiting the neighborhood that evening, Art Stroll nights can often see 1000 visitors pass through the gallery.
This is a view into the Big House Gallery at 211 Peters Street during an APE Exhibit
This is a view of the Granite Room (the back gallery space) and a typical APE Exhibit Artist Market
This is a Typical Artist Area setup
Also look at the gallery photos in the group to see more photos of the space to get a better idea of what it looks like. http://www.flickr.com/groups/atlantaurbanphotography/pool/
Typical entry fees (subject to change):
APE is a not-for profit organization; the galleries we use for exhibits do not take a cut of artist sales, therefore the cost of the gallery rental is distributed among the artists via the artist entry fee, therefore the cost to participate is kept low and distributed among many.
$35 Option – One Framed Photo. An artist can hang one framed photo and place one art bin of unframed, matted and bagged prints in the Artist Market area. Each artist can sign up for more than one spot, same limits apply; see the other options below.
$65 Option – Two Framed Photos. Same as the $35 option plus one additional framed gallery photo.
$95 Option – Three Framed Photos. Same as the $35 option plus two additional framed gallery photos.
Artist Areas – $100/$150 In an artist area, a photographer can hang as many framed photos as they like, usually 4-8 prints depending on the size of the frames. Your presentation must be professional, i.e. you can’t just throw up as many as you like, the artist area must be well presented. In addition, in each artist area, an artist can bring in their own bins to sell prints. There are no limits on the number of unframed prints/bins, since the artist has their own space. There are two types of artist areas available this exhibit.
- $100 Option – One wall – approximately 8′ wide by 10′ tall; suitable for 4-6 hanging photos, depending on size.
- $150 Option – Two adjacent walls – approximately 8′ wide by 10′ tall each; suitable for 8-12 hanging photos.
As noted in the entry fees section APE allows artists to bring a single print bin and matted prints for sale in the ‘artist market’ during the exhibit. APE maintains a sales table and handles all sales during exhibits, (cash and credit card transactions – we do not accept checks). Artists keep 100% of sale price minus credit card fees (typically 4% of sale price), Artists keep 100% of all cash sales. All APE exhibit participants will receive payment for any sales within 2 weeks after the end of any event. We must wait for all credit card transactions to post, balance the sales register, and the cut checks. APE staff and trusted volunteers man the sales table at all events.
How does setup work?
What to bring to setup? – Everything – you do not want to hassle with any last minute items opening night, and we don’t allow it. We host a professional show an when the doors open on opening night, we are 100% ready to go.
What is my role as an artist during setup? – You are to bring your ready to hang framed prints (or gallery wraps), your print bin, and matted and bagged prints. Artists arrive on the designated date and time, check-in, and leave their artwork with APE staff. APE staff will organize the gallery and hang all of the framed prints. The only exception is that artists who have purchased ‘artist areas’ are responsible for hanging their own work during the designated setup period.
In the weeks prior to setup artists must submit hang-tag information for their framed prints via an online form provided by APE. Artists will provide their name as they would like to see it on the tag, title of the print, and sale price of the print. APE will create hang tags for all framed prints hung in the gallery. If an artist fails to submit the information by the deadline, their print will not receive a tag – no exceptions. Artist area artists may use their own personalized hang tags or may obtain the APE template for their use. APE does not create hang tags for the artist area photographers.
What kind or type of photograph should I hang?
This is really a personal decision. You should hang work that you are proud of and work that you want to present for public review. Art is a tricky business. Everyone participating in APE exhibits has the potential to sell their work, however there is no golden rule for ‘what sells’. It takes time to find an audience for your art. We find that all kinds of subject matter sells at our exhibits. APE staff are happy to provide feedback if you are having trouble deciding what to present, but the bottom line is that we are offering artists an affordable venue to experiment and to learn.
What can I sell in the Artist Market?
The artist market is a sea of print bins. You can sell smaller versions of the print(s) you hang in the exhibit or you can sell any other subject matter that you choose, basically it is up to you. We recommend that you bring 10 to 20 prints, typically 5×7s, 8×10s, and slightly bigger sizes sell easily due to their affordability to impulse shoppers.
If you don’t have an art bin there are inexpensive ones available online, such as from Jerry’s Artarama at http://www.jerrysartarama.com Search for “Canvas Print Rack” and the medium size is ideal. Do not buy a mini-bin. Wooden bins are also available. You can find them around town at places such as Sam Flax and Binders, but be prepared to pay twice what you will pay from Jerrys.
How do I price my photos?
Pricing is a tough question. Most people start to think, “wow, it would be cool to sell a photo for $500”, but the reality is often very different. A couple of things are working against you. You are an unknown artist and shows like this have a mental cap. What we mean by mental cap is, and as the gallery owner has told us, anything over $200-$250 starts to become less of an impulse buy and more of an investment. When it becomes an investment question, then people need to think about it and probably won’t buy on the spot.
At previous exhibits, most framed prints sold for between $100 and $200. Ultimately pricing is your choice, but if you want to increase your chance of selling, present unique and quality work and price it in the $100 to $200 range.
In the artist market matted and bagged prints are usually priced between $20 and $50.
Printing
Where to get my stuff printed? There are several local places, such as:
Showcase Photo & Video http://www.showcaseinc.com
Wolf Camera http://www.wolfcamera.com
MyPhotopipe. http://www.myphotopipe.com/
Online:
Adorama http://www.adorama.com
White House Custom Colour http://www.whcc.com
Mpix www.mpix.com
Something really important about photo size – LEARN THE MINIMUMS so you do not end up with bad prints. Please make sure that the photo you want to present is capable of being printed at a size that can be presented, such as 8×10, 11×14, or 13×19. DPI is not as important as pixels, such as 4368 x 2912 (which is way capable of producing a 13×19 print vs 500 x 333 which can only produce a reasonable 3×5 print). Ideally you want to be close to or above 2000 on shortest side of your print. If not, you will see pixilation and an overall unappealing image.
For reference: 150 DPI files with the following dimensions will produce nice prints without any noticeable lost of quality:
4368 x 2912 = 29×19 print
2000 x 1333 = 13×9 print
1500 x 1000 = 10×6 print
Mats
Mats need to be white. There are several places to get custom cut mats. Hobby lobby is by far the cheapest and fastest way to get a custom mat. If you give yourself enough lead time, Redimat is another cheap option, but it takes more than a week to get your mats – they are in California and it takes time ship cross-country – so not a good option if you wait. See below in Bagged Prints for more details on Redimat.
Another place to get custom mats is Sam Flax and Michael’s. Sam Flax will cut on the spot, not sure about Michael’s.
Redimat.com also has Redi-Paks, which are perfect for those looking sell bagged prints in the artist market.
Do I sign my print or the mat?
The generally accepted practice is that you sign the back of each printed photo with permanent ink, such as India ink. You do not want to use ballpoint pens because the pressure used to write with them can leave marks on your print. The ink in most felt tip pins will bleed with time. It is also recommended that you date and/or edition your prints – e.g. 1 of 25. Limited editions add value especially in this age of digital photography and easily reproducible prints. Archivists would argue that you should only use pencil. It’s worth considering.
It is also recommended that you sign the face of your white mat, with a pencil. Usually add the print title, edition number and artists name. Again this is all variable based on the artist, but signing and editioning your prints is highly recommended.
What size do I make the opening of my mat?
Mat openings should be 1/2” smaller than the print size. So if you have an 8×10 print, the opening should be 7.5×9.5 inches. If you are ordering pre-cut mats you just have to pick the right size – if you are cutting your own or requesting custom cuts, use ½” as a rule of thumb.
Framing
Frames shall be black, and preferably wood, or a wood composite – thin metal frames are not recommended – they do not present well on the white gallery walls. APE does not recommend custom frames because the added expense cuts into your limited profits if a photo sells, plus it increases your overall expense of participating in the exhibit. Remember, people are buying your photo and not necessarily the frame. Nice and relatively inexpensive frames can be found at Hobby Lobby, Michael’s (when on sale), Target etc. Your frame should have glass and not plexi.
All frames need to be ready to hang, meaning there should be a hanging wire attached prior to coming to the gallery for setup – no gator teeth bars on back – it must be wired. Attend APE’s Exhibiting 101 for a hands-on education!
Frames sizes: Generally 11×14 minimum and 16×20 maximum are what we allow to hang on the gallery walls. We have a limited amount of wall space and a large number of artists need to be accommodated so we must limit sizes to 11×14 or 16×20. Frame sizes refer to the inner dimension – the mat/print size. The Actual measurement of the outside dimensions of a 16×20 frame are likely to be 18-19 by 22-23”.
Ok, I have the print, frame and mat, now what?
Attend APE’s Exhibiting 101 to learn the tricks to matting, and framing!
If you cannot attend our free workshop, then here are a couple of pointers. It’s best to mount your photo to the backer board, we recommend using water soluble tape that can be found at art supply stores. Use the tape to create a minimum number of hinges across the top of the print – 2 usually does the trick. You do not want to damage the print during mounting – less is more. You can also use photo corners instead of the artist’s tape. Whatever technique you use, you need to leave the print room to move – temperature and humidity can make prints shrink and swell and it can have adverse effects on the presentation of your photo.
Always make sure you clean the glass of your frame, both front and back.
Bagged Prints
You can get mats, boards and bags from Redimat (http://www.redimat.com ) The Redi-Paks have everything you need, except for adhesive. They come in sets of 25 (25 mats, 25 boards, 25 bags). They range in style and size. Prices per pack are about $30 for 8×10 mats for 5×7 prints and $45 for 11×14 mats that fit 8×10 prints (as of Mar 2011) they have bigger sizes and the prices increase accordingly. In the past, people have chipped in an shared the cost of a set.
When you are matting and bagging your prints, please put a business card/moo card/message in a bottle or something so that the people working the sales table know who the artist is and how much to charge – ALL prints must, at a minimum, have your name and sale price on them.
Basics of a bagged print:
Backer board
Mat
Print
Polybag
Business card (you can print simple photog info cards on a how printer and not need to go to the expense of business cards – moo mini-cards are popular too http://us.moo.com/ )
Business Cards
There are lots of low-cost options for business cards, if you want to go to the time an expense, but it is not necessary, especially if you are brand new to this and just ‘testing the water’s. they can be very useful, especially since they are great for taping on the back of your frames (so that we know who each photo belongs to) and they are great for including in matted/bagged prints. However you can easily print your name, email, phone, logo (if you have one) etc. on nice paper, and include it in your bagged prints, for far less cost and hassle.
Moo cards a very popular, very cheap, and they arrive quickly. They are tons fun because you can have your photos on the backs.
http://www.moo.com/products/minicards.php
VistaPrint has free (!!!) business cards and some low costs ones.
http://www.vistaprint.com
www.Gotprint.com is another very cost effective solution to business cards.
Food and Wine
Beverages – We ask that each participating artist bring one or two bottles of cheap wine, or a 6 or 12 of beer for the exhibit, please bring your wine donation during setup. If you do not drink alcohol and are not comfortable with donating wine, please donate soda or water. APE exhibits are always popular and we always have beverage available – it’s just good gallery etiquette.
Wine: It doesn’t need to be expensive, Trader Joe’s two-buck chuck works fine. Kroger has a $3 bottle of wine. Seriously, just cheap wine, people drink it, they get happy, they buy art! It works and everyone has fun.
We have in the past had artist donate a cheese and cracker plate, or fruit plate, etc. instead of beverages. These days we tend not to provide food, but it is not out of the question.
What do I wear?
Dress nice, but realize this is not a black tie affair. There will be casual dressers, while others will get more dressed up, but for the most part it is casual (however this does not mean lazy and trashy keep that shizz at home).
Exhibiting 101
APE staff host a free half day educational session open to all exhibit participants in the weeks prior to the exhibit. During the course we teach the details of many of the things noted here in the FAQ, and it affords you the opportunity to ask questions and learn view demonstrations and hands-on examples. Once you sign-up to exhibit in one of our shows you will receive notifications for the Exhibiting 101 session.
