Print Exchange

[venchka]

Other forums do it. I haven't seen mention of one here.

Do you all understand the workings of a Print Exchange? Is anyone interested in a Print Exchange?

[studiocygnet]

OK, I'll give, what's a print exchange?

[venchka]

It's like this see.........

A very kind and hard working individual volunteers to be the Middle Person.
Folks who want to exchange prints with other folks join the Print Exchange. A sign up thread is used. A deadline is established in the beginning. Say 30 days.
At the end of 30 days, the Sign Up List is broken into groups. Example: 5 Groups of 10 people each. Each member of the group will make 9 prints to send to the Exchange Middle Person Volunteer and then they will get 9 prints from the other members of the Group.
A time limit is set for mailing the prints to the Middle Person. Say 6 weeks.
Participants pay for all postage and packaging.
The Middle Person assembles all the prints and remails them to the members of each Group.
Net result: Your prints get out in the Real World and you have a stack of prints from others to display.
Size limit: At least 8x10 paper but no larger than 11x14 paper. Any size image on the paper. Silver or inkjet. Unmounted to save postage cost.

There you go.

venchka added 221 Minutes and 8 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

23 Silent Viewers. I guess that answers that question.

One more stipulation about the prints: A photo taken during a specific time period. The current Print Exchange at the Large Format Photography Forum is limited to phtos from 2008.

[studiocygnet]

Sorry, but it sounds like a lot of photographs that I would then feel like I had to do something with, protect and store. I change the one's on my wall one at a time every year or two, so 9 photos all at once would be a challenge. Maybe something more like a rotating gallery, that you stipulate a size and then you get one photo for a period of time, then send that one on to the next person on your list, and that person sends his/hers on, and it goes around the circle so that you get a replacement for the one you sent off, until you finally get back your own? I could see acquiring one at a time.

[venchka]

Good idea. Again, for the sake of postage, just send a standard size print that would go in a standard mat and frame. Whatever "standard" is. Kinda like the traveling camera that floats around the Rangefinder Forum.

On the other hand, I am really looking forward to getting 9 new prints.

venchka added 1273 Minutes and 51 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

46 views. Silence.

No Print Exchange here.

Tom, someday when I have a print worthy of display I'll send you a copy.

[wclavey]

I know that this is an old thread, but... I had so much fun doing the prints for the LFPF print exchange that I am ready for another... and I already have my print in mind. Even Wayne had fun helping me with my prints, didn't you, Wayne!!! Even 1 group of only 5 or 10 would be good... I find it very inspiring to look at the real finished products from someone else (something you can hold in your hands), whether I do anything specific with their prints or not.

[venchka]

Originally Posted by wclavey

I know that this is an old thread, but... I had so much fun doing the prints for the LFPF print exchange that I am ready for another... and I already have my print in mind. Even Wayne had fun helping me with my prints, didn't you, Wayne!!! Even 1 group of only 5 or 10 would be good... I find it very inspiring to look at the real finished products from someone else (something you can hold in your hands), whether I do anything specific with their prints or not.

Is anyone besides Westley and I ready for the Great Texas Photo Forum Print Exchange? Wes & I will even allow inkjet originals from digital files. How's that for unbiased, hey?

If Westley and I are the only interested parties, we'll just exchange prints the next time we bump into each other.

Lightbulb: Yo! Lee! Keven! Cornbread! Etc. How about a print exchange from the Film Crawls???????????????

See an earlier post here for a brief explanation of a Print Exchange. If we did an All Houston Exchange it would eliminate the hassle of shipping.

[KJ Smith]

Well, to be brutally honest, I just can't seem to make a decent print anymore.

Of course, thats assuming that I ever could.

I would be interested after I improve my skill level.

I also am going to need to find a decent paper to print on.

Elite is gone, whats comparable.

Kevin

[carrbowl]

Prints...Heck I'm still trying to make a photo worth printing!!!

[venchka]

Kevin, I'm clueless. Agfa Brovira was my paper of choice back in the Stone Age.

Renae, Hush! You make perfectly good photos.

[J Eddington]

Humm, Interesting concept. I might be in.

[KJ Smith]

Originally Posted by venchka

Agfa Brovira

Portriga Rapid, Now thats was great stuff. I still have a little, someday I will see if its any good.

I will check the other forum when I find something to print.

Kevin

[venchka]

Stand by Janice. That makes the count 3 and a possible maybe 4th at the moment.

[jeffkohn]

I'm game if digital is included; I haven't done any printing in a while. Would there be some sort of subject/theme, or would it need to be recent work? I haven't shot much lately, though I should be much more active with photogaphy this spring.

[venchka]

Jeff,

2 thoughts come to mind depending on how long it takes to get enough folks together:
1. Any photo created in the previous 12 months. And we aren't real particular about dates.
2. Any photo from 2009.

My only experience with a Print Excahange is the one I am currently in. There was a 2007 exchange so the current Exchange was announced Jan. 1, 2009 for photos from 2008. Heck. we could make this the Great 2009 TPF Print Exchange for photos from 2008 to the day we set up the exchange. The fewer restrictions the better as far as I'm concerned.

This will be about exchanging prints. How you get the photo on paper is your business. Again, fewer restrictions is better.

venchka added 22 Minutes and 19 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Originally Posted by darr

Whether your a Newbie or an Old Timer, this is a great opportunity to participate in a unique print exchange. You'll receive beautiful prints and have your work published in the online LF Gallery. This will be the second exchange I will sponsor and the 2007 Print Exchange was very successful! The rules are posted below and do not vary from last year. Please respond with your request to participate so we can start filling the positions and start planning a print delivery time. Please post all questions here so everyone can share the info.


How this works:
For example a small exchange with 10 participants would contain two groups of 5 photographers each.

Group #1
Joe
Jim
Judy
Jeff
Justin

Group #2
Bob
Bill
Brenda
Ben
Beau

--

Joe, Jim, Judy, Jeff and Justin mail 4 prints according to the specs posted to the exchange facilitator (me). I then sort out these prints so they each group member receives one print from each member of their group. Bob, Bill, Brenda, Ben and Beau mail me 4 prints each according to the specs posted. I sort these prints out so they too receive one print from each member of their group. Everyone receives four prints, one print from each of their group members.

The groups may actually be in the neighborhood of 12-15 participants, but not too large so as not to burden us all financially.

Groups are chosen at random. The method I use is simply imputing each name in an Excel spreadsheet and then execute a macro for mixing up the data. Works wonderfully!

--

There is monetary cost involved.

1. You will need to print the amount of prints necessary for your group.
2. You will need to ship these prints to me
3. You will need to include a fee (PayPal or check) for the return shipping fees*.

*Shipping fees will be determined after the prints are ready to be shipped and you will be notified via a PM.

--

There will be US, Canadian, European, etc. mailings. Please note that I will not have an exact idea on shipping costs to the recipients until I have the list of addresses. This all takes a bit of time and the cooperation of participants to respond when asked to.

--

Print Specs
Black & White or Color
Wet darkroom or digital prints
NO larger than 11x14" paper
NO smaller than 8x10" paper
Image area can be any size as long as it is on paper from 8x10" to 11x14"
NO Mats due to added shipping weight
NO Mounted prints due to added shipping weight
Include an info sheet for each photo on your tech specs, location, etc.
Filters/Digital Manipulation OK
2008 creation date desired, but not necessary

--

In the past a few folks shipped additional shipping materials along with their prints for the return prints shipment. If you care to do this, that is fine, but I will not recycle the outside envelope. I will recycle the cardboard if it arrives in good shape. I will not supply cardboard or shipping materials for free. To anyone that is in need of shipping materials, I can offer for an additional US $4.00 the following return shipping packet or similar.

Attachment 21316

I have a mail order business and purchase these materials in bulk. It would include a heavy cardboard mailer, two archival backing boards and an archival bag that you can safely store the prints in for years to come. You are under no obligation to do this, and I am not making any money off of this, I am offering this as it may make some of this a little easier. It was incredibly easier on me in the last exchange to use my materials, so please consider this. It may actually save you postage if you do not mail shipping materials to me with your prints.


These instructions will get refined as time moves on.

If you are going to participate, post your name here and I will respond with acknowledgment and the lists begin to grow. As soon as the lists are completed, I will publish them along with shipping info. I, like most of you, work for a living. I will respond at least twice during the day looking for messages. I am opened to suggestions, but I think we can get this going if you are serious like last year. You will need to get going with your image selection, printing and mailing of prints. Don't be one of the ones that missed out last time because you procrastinated!!


Get moving people ...
Darr



PS: I do this for the prints -- I'm a print junkie -- they look so lovely and sometimes kind photo-togs include an extra print for me -- ***Not Required*** but definitely appreciated! :D

All 30 pages plus of print exchange business:

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ad.php?t=44453

That should make everything clear.