Making a living

[dougbraz]

Does anyone here on this forum make a living - just - from offering the customers' own images sublimated on Chromaluxe (max size 50x40cm or multiples therefore for a panel). The scope is fairly large I know, but then I think you have to focus in only a few areas so as to avoid being over burdened with thousand of shapes and sizes in stock. Mugs are not for me - have given this up. As a semi pro photographer, sublimating photographs (even other peoples' ) has its attraction, but long term can it pay the bills?
Just curious for any insights here.
Thanks

[Andrew]

Not sure if anyone does specialize in just Chromaluxe but I suppose if you market it correctly and find a very good route to market you can make a living out of many aspects of niche printing. To make a living the business side of things is always the hardest thing to get right.

[dougbraz]

Thanks Andrew for a quick response. What would be your suggestion then for a secondary - complimentary - niche to this, given the same equipment? Tshirts are 100-a-penny in my market (also the mugs..). I am trying the American High schools here (there are three) for the variety of products that are suggested to offer there by Chromaluxe, but any other ideas?

[Andrew]

Only so much I know about the market over there but I would do the same thing as we started out over here. It is a much more developed market in the US from what we had to work with which would be custom merchandise for the sports clubs. The stadiums and club shop merchandise sector in the US even at the High School level and above is better than some of the mid level pro teams we have in the UK. There is probably a fair bit of competition but that will largely apply anywhere. Creating a range of cost effective products that appeal to the every day supporter wasn't too hard. Designs that looked good was the main thing we had to develop so all depends if you are solely photography based. I found it quite easy to start making a living within a year and then grow from there. Plenty of hard times in between and some steep learning curves.

I do think too many don't learn the business aspects of what they are doing as it is too easy to get heavily involved in the creative side. Find that balance will be key for most in how well they can do.

[GoonerGary]

I was looking for the company again, but there is an app that allows you to upload your Instagram pics and print onto 4x4 inch Chromaluxe. The prints were very cheap, but they looked very popular. Sorry couldn't find the site again, but you could probably google it.

[dougbraz]

I was looking for the company again, but there is an app that allows you to upload your Instagram pics and print onto 4x4 inch Chromaluxe. The prints were very cheap, but they looked very popular. Sorry couldn't find the site again, but you could probably google it.

Yes Gary, there are in fact quite a few apps that do that which you can incorporate into you own website (slo-o-o-o-o-wly coming to life..). The main problem here is that people just really "love" the idea (particularly of instagram) especially once they have actually SEEN the quality of the finished product and promise they will send the pic, but then they get home and turn on the soap opera..

I am also actively trying to work with wedding and newborn photographers, but it is slow..not that the economy is helping much these days...

cheers
Doug