One thing I thought I'd mention about possible portfolio samples for those of you who might not have thought of it.

When I use something I have done for a client (or now, one of the RP Challenges) in my portfolio, I don't have an actual original for clients to view - just a reproduction of what it looked like before.

I always think it gives a better representation of my work if prospective clients can see an ACTUAL original.

One thing I do frequently is go to antique shops and browse their collections of old photographs. They often have ones really in need of restoration (or that have really interesting manipulation possibilities) and because they are damaged, they are usually CHEAP! I take them home, restore them and then put the actual original into my portfolio along with my restored one.

:)
Jak

Hey Jak, great idea. I never thought of that. You are correct when you say the copied original isn't really a true representation of your work.
DJ

That is an excellent idea, but I'll tell you that I haven't had such good luck browsing antique stores. They usually say "if I'd known you wanted them I had hundreds a week ago, but I just threw them away since they were damaged and no one would want them".

They usually say "if I'd known you wanted them I had hundreds a week ago

Funny how different things are in different areas... I always come back from my excursions with 20-30 photos in all levels of damage. I also often look for images where something needs to be added, pictures of single men & single women that can be combined into a couple, groups to combine or remove people from, prints that would look wonderful colorized - all kinds of things...

:)
Jak

Excellent idea! Flea markets might also be a good place to shop for something like that.

Ed

Jak, Good idea! You are lucky to be in an area where the Antique stores dont throw the old photos away. How do prospective clients seem to like having an original to look at and compare? Tom

Jak -- your suggestions make a lot of sense. I'll have to see whether the antique shops in my area have a low-cost supply or are like Doug's.


Doug -- have any of the shops promised to save the next batch for you?

Cj:

One of the first I visited did, so I called back and called back and called back and finally gave up. Antiques are not a predicable business :)

Be glad nothing happened from that...it made me ask "why isn't there a website where anyone can download practice photos?"

How do prospective clients seem to like having an original to look at and compare?

I used to have the impression that some clients were a bit hesitant to believe how much could actually be done toward restoring a photo. Like maybe they thought the apparent damage to an original was a trick...

I'm not sure how accurate those impressions really are, but I know I personally feel better, and somehow more "honest" when I can show people a few actual damaged originals in with my other samples.

I also have some sample restorations on display in local frame shops. The frame shops refer inquiries to me and I know they are happier showing an actual original and a restoration because they have told me so...

:)
Jak

I've had the same reaction here as Doug has had. The antique shops seem to fail to see the worth of old photos. One shop owner told me he regularly threw them out so I gave him my business card and asked him to call me when he had some more but I never heard a word from him. So I called back and he said he forgot because photos weren't important. I was willing to pay for the photos and I can't understand why they can't see that they are losing sales by throwing them away. Doesn't seen good business sense to me.
I've been able to buy a few photos on Ebay and use them in my work.

Very interesting ideas. Thanks for starting the thread Jak! :) I'm not usually one to look through antique shops, but I am fascinated by old photos. Guess I'll be looking for the antique shops in my area in the near future. :D

Ed mentioned flea markets. I think that estate auctions would be a good place too. (Never been to one of those myself, but I've heard about them from friends and it seems they'd be a good source of old photos.)

Jeanie

Funny, but I've had quite the opposite experiences. I'm always scouting little antique shops for old photos, but have found the prices to be outrageous. One such store nearby has had the same box of photos for a year, but wasn't interested in my offer to buy the whole batch for a decent price.....I can't figure that logic out.
Obviously, I'm looking in the wrong places.

The reason I look for these examples is that I don't want to display local citizens in any advertising I might do.

Sounds like we need some way to swap original old photos :)

Let's see...
gotit gotit gotit needit gotit gotit needit gotit gotit... :)

I've had the same reaction here as Doug has had.

What a shame! I just pulled my bag of old photos out of the desk and I still have 11 that I haven't worked on from my last excursion. The most expensive one was $2.00. One time I went looking, I found an actual PHOTO ALBUM - it had something like 28 photos in it and was only $10.00! There are 2 antique shops here that I go to and they have bins and bins of old photos...

I live in a pretty rural area so maybe it's a City vs. Country thing?


:)
Jak

I called 4 antique shops this morning and they all thought I was nuts - like they deal in REAL antiques not that sentimental garbage like photos. I kept calling and the 5th store said come on over - they are located about 3 blocks from me so I scooted over and got about 50 pictures in various stages of decay for $50!

I really appreciate this suggestion. I was getting discouraged with my portfolio album - I had run out of mangled photos and thought I might have to resort to deliberately mutilating some.

Thanks,
Margaret

they all thought I was nuts - like they deal in REAL antiques not that sentimental garbage like photos.

I am so glad it worked out for you!

I also have much better luck when I frequent the little, seemingly disorganized, mom & pop shops rather than the larger, more "snooty" antique malls and such.

Fortunately, where I live now, the ONLY antique shops are the little tiny "homey" ones. I suppose those little ones can't afford to waste any kind of a possible income maker. And, there are a lot of people in this rural area who actually collect antique photos as a hobby - plus many historical societies that collect period photos from the area.

Margaret, I'm so glad to hear that your determination paid off -- I'll have to give it a try also.

I'm also glad that you were saved from the horror of having "to resort to deliberately mutilating some" :eek: :D Of course, we DID have that one manipulation challenge where we were asked to "deliberately mutilate" one of DJ's family photos -- have you done that one yet? :)

I got some interesting challenges among the photos I bought today. I've spent most of the day with one of them and I feel like they may be part of my family LOL

I haven't done the RetouchPro challenge where we are asked to "mutilate" a picture - I'll have to look for that one, it sounds like fun,

Back to work,
Margaret