by Gavin Seim: Updated 04/2012:
Ever admired classical art? It’s from the painters that we inherited this profession and every photographer should take time to look closer at what they did. You owe it to yourself and your clients to start placing appropriate sized pieces on walls. Photographers have missed much of the furniture quality appeal of art.
But it’s not simply the fault of digital, or too many people with cameras. We’ve trained ourselves and our clients to think small. It’s something that goes back to the early days of the wet plates and small contact prints that we’ve never quite escaped. People walk through our doors thinking in 8×10′s, 5×7′s and wallets. And we encourage them. It’s helping make photography a cheap commodity and it’s time to start changing all that.
Why should an 11×14 hang on the wall? It probably shouldn’t. Chances are the wall is much larger than that. But we’ve fallen into a rut of thinking small is all people want and need. Some tell me that “people won’t want these in my area”. But I’ll be blunt.. If people aren’t buying wall art, it’s because you don’t know how to make and or sell said wall portraits. I live in small town America and have discovered for myself that people love personalized wall art. You simply need to show them the quality and value of a beautiful appropriately sized piece. But first you have to understand the value yourself. Lets look…
120x72 - Among the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Albert Bierstadt, 1866. Birstadt is one of my favorite Husdon River School pictorialist's. Amazing work at stunning sizes. Click this one for a large version. It's amazing.
When you walk into a furniture store are they afraid to show you the larger dining set that fits your room? Do they act like it’s a stupid to buy the Italian leather instead of the cheap import? No. The only reason clients are asking for eight by tens is because we’ve trained them to. Try showing them a thirty inch framed canvas of their beautiful family and see how they respond. Now you’re making fine furnishings.
It’s been over 3 years since I first attended Wall Portrait Conference to really learn about all this. I know it can work, because nearly every client I have purchases at least a 24 inch heirloom quality print for their wall (I charge around $550 for those). That’s my smallest wall portrait size. I’ve sold up to 70 inch pieces using these same ideas. Not because I’m a hard sell, but because I’m making and showing quality pieces that myself and my clients can really be proud to show.
But rather than simply making my own case, let me allow history to help. Below are some classical works, listed with their original sizes. We think of these as classics now, but when made, they were often commissions meant to hang on someones wall just like our photographs. Take a few moments to really look at them, then I’ll be back. And if you want to and get inspired in print form, check out some books like Sargent’s Portraits Of The 1890′s, Frederick Church, or J.W. Waterhouse. Or for the lover of pictorials like myself, here’s a stunning book on the Hudson River School era of painting.
46x34, Portrait of Nicolaes Ruts. Rembrandt, 1631. It seems that even 300+ years ago, a wall portrait was a thing of note. Look at the quality of this work. Click for a larger version. Even the catch lights look perfect.
38"x32" - Gather Rosebuds While Ye May by Waterhouse 1909
80"x52" The Voyage Of Life, Manhood by Thomas Cole, 1842
Continue reading ‘Wall Portraits. Why the 8×10 Is Stealing Your Impact & Profit:’
by Gavin Seim: I recently joined David and Kerry over on the Camera Dojo podcast to talk about making and selling large wall portraits and canvas pieces. I’ve been chatting about this quite a lot these days because it’s become so relevant to my business. Large prints sell and they look spectacular doing it.
