Author Topic: Can I do a limited edition print run on stuff that is already Microstock'd ? (Read 5075 times)

bobkeenan · « **on:** September 27, 2012, 21:04 »

Here is a question. Someone I know is starting up a new site has invited me to include some of my images. I would offer fine art prints. BUT.... the site wants limited edition run. So maybe I only print 100 of a single image with a number system of "1 of xxx" and with my signature.

The questions is...... is this ethical to do this with stuff that that already been on lots of microstock sites (non-exclusive RF) for a couple of years. I have not made any prints of them.

What do you think?

noodle · « **Reply #1 on:** September 27, 2012, 21:26 »

That is an interesting question -

If I buy , say, a LE Robert Bateman print, then I am assuming as a collector that there is going to be only xx number of prints out there signed and numbered. But it is also a fact that there are numerous copies of same Robert Bateman print that are NOT numbered and signed that would be worth a small fraction of what the LE editions go for,or in other words there worth almost nothing to a collector.

So, that is the case of what is already being done on the market out there... the LE, signed and numbered prints are worth something, while the unnumbered and unsigned prints are worth only a few bucks.

Starzipan · « **Reply #2 on:** September 27, 2012, 21:47 »

So long as you don't make any other prints in the same size and paper you should be fine. You can do the same image in two different sizes and it'll be two different LE print series. The signature and print number are important as well.

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #3 on:** September 27, 2012, 22:17 »

Quote from: bobkeenan on September 27, 2012, 21:04

Here is a question. Someone I know is starting up a new site has invited me to include some of my images. I would offer fine art prints. BUT.... the site wants limited edition run. So maybe I only print 100 of a single image with a number system of "1 of xxx" and with my signature.

The questions is...... is this ethical to do this with stuff that that already been on lots of microstock sites (non-exclusive RF) for a couple of years. I have not made any prints of them.

What do you think?

I don't know the ins and outs of prints, but since anyone can download your image and make a print, they're hardly limited, are they?

Poncke · « **Reply #4 on:** September 28, 2012, 06:45 »

I agree with Sean, if the photo is up at CanStockPhoto or FT or wherever, someone can buy an EL for POD and print their own stuff. If the site you are selling to advertises that the print they buy is limited to 100 and the buyer finds the photo on mugs and mouse mats at Kmart they might feel a bit scammed. Is it unethical, depends on what you think of it.

wordplanet · « **Reply #5 on:** October 01, 2012, 13:14 »

I agree with Sean too.
Use photos that aren't on the micros. It's one thing to sell them as prints, and another to say they are limited editions when you really can't be sure if someone else is out there printing them.

I recently put some of my photos on redbubble for iPhone cases and figure there's lots of art on things like that, so I'd sell them as prints, but I wouldn't sell any of them as limited edition prints. The term "Limited Editions" connotes something unique and valuable. Since each print of a photo is an original, it's an iffy thing to differentiate between the signed prints and others unless you are printing them yourself. If it's a POD site, it's not very different than someone else printing and selling your work. The signature arguably adds some value, but I'd be hesitant about selling limited editions that only differ in that one respect - your signature - unless you're really famous or you are printing them yourself. If someone is buying work by a lesser-known artist, IMHO they don't want to see it for sale elsewhere.

You must have some other work you can sell on your friend's site. Good luck!

CarolinaSmith · « **Reply #6 on:** October 01, 2012, 18:22 »

What Sean said.

You could sell signed prints, but numbering them is pointless since you no longer control who can print them. A fine art gallery owner wanted to show and offer my photography as LE's, and I was upfront (honest) that most of them were already stock images, then he said 'that's too bad' we can't do that then. The whole point of LE is to artificially induce value by 'limiting' them. But that means the artist has the capability to limit them, which of course can't be done if they are 'stock photography' or digital files are now in someone else's hands too. Now if you Only had them on Red Bubble and could vouch that a print (or digital file of it) had never been sold, and you pulled it off the market, then you could do a LE.