Focus On Imaging

[Martin Harrold]

I don't claim to be 'the elite' of the Guild, as described by our good friend Steve, but as Members Warden (effectively Deputy Chairman) I was actually on our stand at Focus for most of the four days. Given that and the reality that few photographers are currently members, it hardly seemed worthwhile duplicating effort by having Louise Hay travel up.

I did talk at length with several people about the new Guild initiative to help promote the benefits of Museum and Conservation mountboard to the consumer. All framers and galleries can participate in this, at no cost. I also spoke with another USA matboard manufacturer who wants to subscribe to that programme.

An important trend of interest to all framers was the fact that almost all canvas printed art at Focus had some kind of frame around it. In short, many are recognising that a simple wrapped canvas hanging on a wall looks rather naked.

The Guild is also at the research and planning stage of a possible new initiative, currently entitled the Inkjet Print Quality Assurance scheme. IPQA for short. I discussed the concept with many people actively involved with inkjet printing and it seems to be something that many, especially the smaller printers and self-publishers, will find helpful in their own marketing. So it looks like work will be stepped up so that it can be introduced for the Autumn. This is a scheme which could also be popular with many who print photo art.

[CanvasChris]

The Guild is also at the research and planning stage of a possible new initiative, currently entitled the Inkjet Print Quality Assurance scheme. IPQA for short. I discussed the concept with many people actively involved with inkjet printing and it seems to be something that many, especially the smaller printers and self-publishers, will find helpful in their own marketing. So it looks like work will be stepped up so that it can be introduced for the Autumn. This is a scheme which could also be popular with many who print photo art.

Hahnemuhle are doing something similar by certifying studios who print fine art and canvas using their own media. It would certainly help in the marketing to be a certified printer and any accreditation would be helpful. Although cost to achieve this may outway the benefit for some of us.

I have applied to be a Hahnemuhle Certified Studio and although they have a limited amount of places per year they charge nothing for doing it.
Hahnemuhle

[Steve Goodall]

I don't claim to be 'the elite' of the Guild, as described by our good friend Steve, but as Members Warden (effectively Deputy Chairman) I was actually on our stand at Focus for most of the four days. Given that and the reality that few photographers are currently members, it hardly seemed worthwhile duplicating effort by having Louise Hay travel up.

Martin - I apologise - I always simply think of you as a supplier member (just like me) - rather than being a court member. I stand corrected & I am sure you that you did a great job in promoting the guild suppliers at the show.

Rather than 'elite' - I would class you as one of 'the great & the good'.

[Martin Harrold]

Ref Canvas Chris:

Thanks for your observations.

We are aware of the Digigraphie scheme for Epson media users and there is another from HP. The Hahnemuhle one is new to me. All those are designed to tie the participant to a particular brand of media.

The IPQA proposal would allow participants to use any media and any ink/paper, and allow the consumer to trace the materials used through a special Guild database. As for cost, for a typical user of a wide format prnter, it would be around £50 per year, on top of normal Guild membership.Why so low in cost? Well, the participant would do all the admin, loading info on each print onto their section of the database.

[jamiesuds]

One idea to counter act this may be to start our own buying group. I put this to the FATG many years ago but they're so tied up with trade suppliers it was never going to be considered. There will be items of hardware that we all use day in day out.With some volume we could negotiate with manufactures to get much better prices. This would only work though with framers who could take a whole case of tapes (48 off for 38mm) but instead of paying 2.59 for a roll of Eco25 tape 38mm from Lion you would pay 1.25 a roll This would also work with framers using larger quantities of fixings.

Anyone interested?

I would be
I've been a member on here for past 4 years but forgot about it only came accross it again today while trying to source better prices. We do buy by the box but would be keen to get a bunch of folk together to buy by the pallet, especially mountboard, even better if it 60x40" BUT I'm in Scotland and suspect many forum members are in England.
the other problem would be our main suppliers, would they take a dim view of this and reduce and discounts we get?
other points would be tax and invoicing, how would it be broken up?
Hmmm, if i wasn't a neighbor to a big uk supplier I'd become one myself.

Also, is it just me or has Lion become very expensive over the past few years? I can buy cheaper on Ebay and the VAT is included

[Jonny2morsos]

Also, is it just me or has Lion become very expensive over the past few years? I can buy cheaper on Ebay and the VAT is included

Strangely enough I was just going through my database of prices on our pricing programme the other day and also clearing out some out of date Lion catalogues and looked back at the prices. Taking the Minerva range as an example they seem to be going up by about 10% pa which is well above inflation.

A quick comparison with Polcore:

Pol-0090 = £1.04 per metre bought by the length vs Lion M107-02 £1.40 per metre

Box quantity 0.73p pm vs. 0.94 pm

I do, however, like the fact that lengths of Lion Minerva come individually wrapped and my local wholesaler can supply single length at Lion prices. If I was doing contract work though I might be tempted to shop around

[Graysalchemy]

I spoke with framerpicture yesterday and his and my own comments were ment to be taken tongue in cheek. I think any form of buying group would be impractical.

With regards to mountboard significant savings can be made by buying 125 sheets at a time from arqadia, other suppliers may well do similar deals. Buying a pallet (500 sheets) makes a saving of about 40% but is probably only any use if you use a large volume of a single colour.

It is possible to find cheaper supplies however Lion like all wholesellers provide a one stop solution which many people find useful.

Alistair

[guzzijim]

When it comes to camera clubs and mountboard I buy at trade from Seawhite of Brighton, it's not archival and the core discolours after a while but it's cheap.
Being a member of a camera club I supply this board as 500x400 in white/black or grey.
Most prints are only used for one season, so the discolouring is not a problem.
Regards reusing mounts, any photographer worth his salt will not just fill A3 or A4 paper, he will crop his picture to best advantage their subject, therefore these custom apertures are unlikely to fit other prints.
From experience I've found that most mounts after one season or less are looking the worse for ware, bent corners are scuff mark etc.

[Merlin]

When it comes to camera clubs and mountboard I buy at trade from Seawhite of Brighton, it's not archival and the core discolours after a while but it's cheap.
Being a member of a camera club I supply this board as 500x400 in white/black or grey.
Most prints are only used for one season, so the discolouring is not a problem.

Do you sell your mounted prints ?

[guzzijim]

Do I sell my prints ?

Yes, but mounted using white core.

[Merlin]

OK.

From your previous post, it sounded as though you are buying Standard board because it is 'cheap' and using it for customers work, knowing that it is non archival and that the core discolours.