Hi Everyone

This weeks blog is about photographic exhibitions and what you need to consider during the planning stages of an exhibition.  I haven’t had a planned exhibition for a few years with covid being the main issue and as a fine art and event photographer operating around Edinburgh, Glasgow and throughout Scotland, I am looking forward to planning an infrared exhibition from scratch in the near future.  When I say from scratch I mean with new photos and a new outlook.  So what do you need to take into consideration when planning an exhibition. Here is my list of important considerations:

1 What do want to exhibit for, this is the main one, do you want to boost online sales, or just use it as a promotion tool to get your name out there, or as in my case, do you want to sell images at the exhibition and are the ones on display for sale.

2. The size of the images and the frames used are very important, for instance for infrared I like metallic images and I was A3 or A2 if possible but also some smaller prints, if I want to sell at lower cost for multiple sales.

3. Choose your venue carefully, do you want to utilise a local venue at lower cost, but one that would require more income outlay to promote the event.

4. Who are you aiming the exhibition at.  If I had a commercial event and corporate photography exhibition, this would be very different from a fine art, landscape or infrared photography exhibit and they would all require different marketing strategies.

5. Who do you want the exhibit to appeal too.ie is it a specialised market, or local and any walk-ins. You may not need to market it much if it is on a high street of a city for instance.

6. The pricing of the images is very important.  Are you going for high value limited edition prints or a higher number of sales.  Or do you not want to sell at your exhibition at all.

7. How will you market the event ie online, leaflets, local newspaper advert or story etc.

8. What format will the day take ie will there be an opening day with private invites, wine, special offers etc. and how long will it last, some stay open for a few weeks, others just consist of a planned one day exhibit.

9. how much is your total budget and when you set it try and keep to it.

10. Evaluate the success of the exhibition after it has finished ie did you make a profit with the sales, or has it helped get your name out there as a professional event photographer in Edinburgh or Glasgow, Scotland, for instance.

Anyway, hope that helps.  more info on my exhibition soon.  One thing is for certain mine will be on the subject office art infrared photography.

Until next time.

Kind Regards

Colin

Hi Everyone

As we approach the new tax year, this is often the time for freelance photographers in Scotland to make plans for the next year.  Your business plan for the year ahead will probably include buying and selling of gear.  Now I know things have been a bit upside down with the pandemic but we are now moving into some sort of normal times and as a professional corporate and event photographer Edinburgh, Glasgow and Scotland, I am no exception.  I am a bit different from most photographers in that I don't tie myself to one brand of gear, I use Canon for all my indoor photography and conference commissions and indoor events, Nikon for my infrared photography and a combination of Canon and Fuji for the rest, with some infrared incorporated into my corporate work.  My gear purchase this year will likely be a new lens for my infrared work and a new Canon camera mirrorless body, probably the R6.  When buying gear, either as a professional or as an amateur, you have to buy wisely and not just buy the latest thing out.  I really like the Canon EOS R camera, but I need a camera that has 2 card slots, focus stacking, for my landscape work and a faster and more accurate focus, none of these things are available with the EOS R. I also need a wider angled lens for my infrared work.  I really don't need anything else and won't be seduced by the latest gadgets.  I even stopped going to trade shows as they only encourage you to buy what you don't really need.  i also won't be rushed into buying, with deals that last until the end of the month etc.  

So happy purchasing and purchase wisely.

Until next time.

Kind Regards

Colin

www.colinwrightphotography.co.uk

www.edinburghphotographer.com

Hi Everyone

Hope you are all well.  I have this crappy virus again, which has put paid to any photography for a week or two.  Never mind just before I had a positive test I was out and about in Glasgow, in what was a great day for infrared photography, particularly in or near a city.  So what exactly is considered a great day for infrared, well the sun needs to be out for one, but you also need clouds and Saturday was a stormy day with black skies and clouds, along with the blue skies.  The location was along the River Clyde in Glasgow, one of my favourite places for city photography even before I moved to Kirkintilloch.  As a corporate and event photographer in Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland, I love the mixture of old and new along the Clyde, new industries, alongside traditional shipbuilding.   I am always on the lookout for glass reflections which I feel are perfectly portrayed in infrared and the Glasgow Science Centre is a great place to start.  It really is my favourite urban location and that is saying something from someone born and bred in Edinburgh.  There are also so many angles to photograph the Clyde, it’s sheer size overwhelming at times.  There are usually plenty of people, which is good for urban photography and you also have water and boats, what more do you need.  So I will leave you with a photo taken on Saturday.   Now what can I do, I guess this is an opportunity to work on some photos in photoshop.

Until next time.

Stay safe.

Kind Regards

Colin

www.colinwrightphotography.co.uk

www.edinburghphotographer.com