I am considering entering a local art center's photo competition and see that there is a $15 fee per photo submitted. Is this normal? There is prize money for Best in Show and 1st-3rd place in each category. Also winners photos are up for sale at the end of the competition and you get 70% of the sales price that you set. Any recommendation for an amount to set the photo price at? How amazing would it be to win some money for that new lens I've been lusting after;-)?
Amanda, in the U.S. it is a normal process to charge for jurried photo competitions or showings, because it is where they get the prize money for the winners. I have seen $5 per photo, a flat rate of $30 for four photos, some up to $10 or $15. If you set the price make sure you include in the 70% the cost of printing, framing (make sure it is wood because you will need to frame, mat, and wire for most showings), and if you had any special costs in taking the photo. If this is the local art center, still manage to be reasonable in cost so you can have a better chance at selling. Many people do not realize how much effort and time go into the photo so an 11x14 for $200 will be a lot of sticker shock for most viewers.
I for one would rather pay a small entry fee and a chance to get my work on a wall than enter one of those contests where I only win based on how many votes I get.
This is very normal. I've entered paintings in shows before and the fee is generally right around that same price. As far as what to sell it for, what I did was first go to some shows and look at the prices of the pieces being shown and kind of go by that. Also, think about the amount of money you have invested in the photo, such as framing, processing, fees, etc... then add an amount for your time and also your quality of work. As far as painting, it's hard to put a price on the time, because it takes usually a lot of time to complete a painting. Good luck to you. It's fun to do that and fun to go to the show and see your work on display!
One other thing, however, it seems odd that all the photos will not be up for sale instead of winners only. I don't think I would enter a show if my piece could not possibly be sold. Wouldn't they make more money if there were a bigger pool being sold? You may want to check on that. Unless of coarse, your phone number was listed with your name. That way a potential buyer could get hold of you. In that case, you get more of the sale.
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I always recommend this site for pricing ideas:
http://fineartamerica.com
I for one would rather pay a small entry fee and a chance to get my work on a wall than enter one of those contests where I only win based on how many votes I get.