Christian Aid Week sale update

A few weeks back I promised an update on the sale of prints and cards for Christian Aid Week.  On the day of the sale I reported that we'd raised £38 from a handful of sales to colleagues who work for the charity.  I'm pleased to share the news that there was lots more interest during the week, and I have now been able to pass a cheque for just over £94 to Christian Aid to help support the work of their partners overseas as they seek to help communities build their way out of poverty.  My thanks to colleagues whose generosity about my photography made that possible.

In my last blog I reported a difference between the print sales - mostly fine art or pictures that challenge the boundary between photography and painting - and card sales - simpler landscapes and floral cards.  Small cards were outselling larger cards.

With more time for consideration, A5 card sales overtook the smaller square cards, selling at more than 2:1.  This probably reflects a donation dynamic - on the day of the sale, some purchases will have been as much about supporting Christian Aid, as a vote of confidence in the photographs.   Later in the week, people were reflecting on what they like and what they want to send to friends or loved ones - so while the charity donation was why they were buyng, the what was becoming more important.  Joint top sellers were Tower Bridge Blues - featured at the bottom of my last post - and Heels and Roses, the star picture from my collaboration with the talented Linda Anderson over at filledwithlovecupcakes.org

For prints, the trend I highlighted continued.  Purely photographic landscapes and floral photos were admired but not purchased.  But venture into the fine art space, or the cross over between painting and photography and the sales continued - modestly, but continue they did.  Three pictures split top honours : for most of the week Ripples shared top billing with Monet at Stourhead? These were right in that cross over space.  But the late star was The Other Gate at Corfe Castle, including an A3 sale (to one of our key suppliers, Open Fundraising (thanks guys!)), and one special order of a canvas that will be travelling to Australia as a wedding present.  

This international photographer malarkey is very exciting - one picture is on a wall in Brooklyn, and now one in Australia!  Perhaps I should put my prices up!

I'm chuffed to have had such a positive response to my first sale / exhibition and would like to thank colleagues (and Open) for their support and encouragement.

Its all given me a lot to think about - particularly as a couple of sales to other contacts over the last two weeks have reinforced the message fine art message.  The question to wrestle with now is how to spread the word.  Know a friendly gallery owner anyone?

Finally… if you would like to purchase one of my pictures, or any of my cards and  help Christian Aid, then email me or pop over to my Etsy shop I am starting to add these prints, mention this blog (or just quote BlogCAW20) and I will make a 20% donation to their work from the sale. 

On the Monet?

Photographs can inform, challenge, inspire.  They can bring excitement or moments of reflection. And sometimes they just tease. One of the photographic teases I enjoy is to set up the conundrum: is this real?  This shot is one of those.  I am often asked whether it is is photoshopped.  And barring a mild colour / contrast boost, it's not.  The Monet-esque effect is pretty much straight out of camera.  (And, for those who know I post-process with Aperture 3 not Photoshop, there was no more tweaking there either!)

There is a second tease element here too: what way up should this be displayed.  In fact, what do you think the camera 'saw'?

  

Well, the picture was taken in early Autumn at the wonderful Stourhead ( nationaltrust.org.uk/stourhead/ ).   The lakes here often offer the possibility of great reflections. My usual thought would be to capture both image and mirror-image.  But here the height of the trees were challenging from the narrow path and anyway, the real interest was in the reflection on the so-slightly disturbed surface of the water.  So that's what I framed.  In a way it was an easier shot than to try to include the trees and brighter sky: I was able to concentrate on getting the exposure right - and balancing shutter speed against the movement in the water.

When I saw the final image it was a Monet moment, reminding me of his waterlilies.  So which way up would you hang it?

I was delighted to sell a 16x12 print of this at Christmas.  The gift was for a Monet fan. I understand she hung it the way it was shot.   Available as print, card or canvas over at Redbubble.com/people/colinkemp

Thanks for stopping by - do let me know what you think.