Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Ara 
<rovision@y...> wrote:
> I'm afraid that's a lost battle! With the proliferation of cheap
> digital printing and image taking, everybody, far more than before,
> is a "photographer" if they know how to select "Auto" on their 
camera
> [which comes probably preset anyway].
> 
> Photographers don't really like and are not themselves prepared to 
do
> "customer education" kind of work. They are mostly inclined to 
spend
> time with the creative process, and leave the rest, including 
sales,
> marketing, client education, to others. The reality is though that
> most of these type of photographers are not succeeding in business,
> but those who have or acquire these "other" skills are faring much
> better.
> 
> If you want to handle all these sales related issues by yourself, 
you
> need first of all to educate yourself. Then, if you have the time 
and
> expertise, you will probably spend some time trying to educate your
> potential buyers. 
> Potential buyers are of many hats too, including those who educate
> themselves, or those who simply listen to what a "qualified" seller
> will tell them [gallery owners, etc.].
> 
> Finally this issue is not new by any means. It exists since
> photography was invented, only that it is more acute lately with a
> growing number of photographers available vying for the same
> potential buyers market.
> 
> Ara G.
> 


Amen, you got it - that is the big problem and one that will only 
get more difficult to overcome, hence the 'giclee' term and the 
recent discussion here on carbon pigment printing etc.  We are 
trying, legitimately so, to get away from "well I could have done 
that at home on my lexmark - and inkejt prints fade after a few 
weeks" group that is proliferating our market.  
.....and back to the original issue, Bronzing AND outgassing for 
that matter, affect what we do VISUALLY and that presents ammunition 
(for want of a better term) that goes against all that we try to 
promote in our wares and our methods/skills.

Steve