In the papers
Loch Goil sunrise
Looking back over the past year or so, it’s clear that my most popular prints are those of Lochgoilhead - my home. It’s not surprising really as this place gets into the heart of most people who visit. I’m also fortunate enough to be around to catch the best conditions when they appear. What’s also clear is that it’s just as well I have other sources of retirement income…
My preferred way of getting the best quality prints to customers is drop-ship printing, where a professional print lab handles both the printing and distribution for me. It took a fair bit of setup and more upfront cost than I’d like to admit. We tested different papers, fine-tuned the process, and ran expensive end-to-end tests from website checkout to delivery. I now own lots of my prints that will never see a frame or a wall. The upside of course is peace of mind: quality is both high and consistent, service is immediate, and my tiny house isn’t overflowing with printers, paper, and cardboard packaging. I’ve pretty much nailed the technical processes of getting new photos calibrated for my chosen papers, uploaded, stock coded, and placed in the shop windows of my web site and Etsy store.
Costs, however, are another matter. Low volume sales don’t attract discounts, so I pay full-whack to The Print Space for every order. Add in expensive subscriptions for photo editing software and website hosting, along with the darker mysteries of Etsy fees, and soon any small profit is nibbled away. As for covering the cost of my camera equipment… well, let’s just call that a charitable donation for now.
As long as I’m not making a significant loss, I can carry on as I am in the hope that sales continue to creep upwards. But it is a close call. I’m taking a bit of a hit on delivery fees and I have recently had to bump up my prices a little. I’m also considering dropping Etsy as a sales channel. It was something of an experiment anyway, and whilst it has been a source of some international sales, the fees make me wince, and it’s quite a clunky interface to manage shop listings. I’d much rather be out taking photos.
So what’s the plan?
Photography first. If the work is good enough and people connect with it, my prints will sell. Commission work is always a bonus too, though I probably don’t chase it as much as I should. Ultimately, I may have to bite the bullet and start doing all of my printing and mailing from home. I currently manage to print and frame images to sell in local cafes and the like, but I could scale-up gradually in the background: a bigger printer (and ink…), some outrageously expensive paper, and all the materials that come with posting prints around the world. I’ve tried to avoid it because printing can become a hobby in itself, but if I can build up capacity and a stock of prints that I’m genuinely happy with, I might flip the switch later in the year.
I’m also keeping an eye on digital opportunities. At some point in the not-too-distant future, low power, high resolution e-ink photo frames will become commonplace, and the world of static printed wall art may start to shift. It’s not quite there yet - digital photo frames are currently not much more than tiny, power-hungry monitors, but I’m hoping to partner with some e-ink frame manufacturers to offer downloadable image collections - small windows to the places people love, even when they’re at home. That brings a whole new set of challenges around digital rights management, licensing, and of course, AI. Watch this space.
For now though, I’m still happiest doing what I’ve always done; getting out when the light is right, and trying to bring a little piece of Scotland home with me to share with you.
