Customs

I have custom orders on the brain. This past weekend I had my first print-only custom order. I am more than happy to resign myself that you can mat and frame pictures exactly to your liking. So, officially, I'll make you a 5x7 print for $5, an 8x10 for $10 and an 11x14 for $15.
These too can be mailed or picked up or delivered or whatever is most convenient.

On that same subject, while I don't sell online that doesn't mean you can't order. It's better to go straight to the source and that is via my personal email. There is a fairly extensive gallery flipping it's little heart out on the right hand side of your screen. If you see something you like, just let me know. I'll make that picture into anything you can think of. Well, just short of mugs and t-shirts, but I'd find a way if you wanted it.
Shipping is whatever the post office charges, and that's about that.

If you've been to see me at a show, you know many more pictures exist. If you vaguely remember something you liked, I am sure I can figure out what it was for you. I was there for most of them (haha)!

P.S. I'm thinking of a little website redux. I am not very good at design and such, but not quite happy with the way the 'ol blog looks. If you're a frist time visitor, bear with.

Custom Order

Here is my first custom order to be mailed.  It wasn't as tricky or expensive as I had expected, so bring them on!  At Under the Same Sun, custom orders are as they should be:  Cheap and easy!  
Only $2 extra charge for a custom 5x7 print mailed right to your house.  So, pick some out, and at shows, keep that in mind to get just the print you're looking for!

Facebook

Just a reminder that you can 'like' Under the Same Sun on facebook.  Keep up with the latest schedule of events and new pics!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Under-the-Same-Sun/160240764053968

Thoughts on Local Interest

"Can I offer you some constructive criticism?" the officious lady loudly asked.
"No." I replied.
It didn't really matter what I said, as she intended it to offer it anyway.
"You need local interest pictures." she began (and never ended) "I think you'd catch more peoples' attention if you had some local interest here.  The other photographer," she gestured to the other side of the show, "has pictures of this town.  This town!  That's getting him a lot of business.  That's what you need.  I mean from a marketing stand point.  That's what I'd do."
"I..."  I attempted to answer.
"Yep, these are okay, but really what people want is local interest.  You know what I mean?  That's what people expect."
"Okay.  That's great.  I know that other photographer, and that's his thing.  All he has is local interest.  This is my thing.  Besides, I have some local interest.  Just not a lot."
"Well, what you need to do is come to the town you're going to be in, take some shots beforeheand and then you'd be set."
What's sad is that she thinks that she is the only person with this idea.  How did she think the other photographer got pictures of that town.  He's retired, and with that time he recons places and takes local pics.
"The thing is, I already have all of these pictures, and it's not cheap to make them.  I'm just starting out, I don't need to boost my inventory right now.  And, I like to think they're pretty pictures and it doesn't matter where they were taken."

It was about here that this ladys friend started to flip through the 5x7s.  She pulled some our showing to her friend and asked me where they were.  "Gettysburg.  Harper's Ferry.  Boonsboro.  See, maybe I don't need local interest after all."
She seemed to soften.  And backpedal.
"You know what, I think you're going to do just fine."  She continued to browse and repeated  "You're going to do fine, honey."

Oh, God would you please buy something or leave.  The whole interaction lasted far too long and earned me no money. What's nice about having my own business is that I don't have to worry about them complaining to anyone when I dismiss their suggestions immediately.

I'm often asked if I have local interest pics.  And, I do have a few, but the majority are non-local.  I used to apoligize for not having local pics, but I don't bother anymore.  It's not my thing.  At least not now.  The non-local pics are what I have and if you don't like them, no one's got a gun to your head.  I think I've sold enough non-local stuff to have confidence in it and I'm not too worried.  People largely want pretty pictures and I like to think I have a few.  

I meet all kinds at these shows and that's half of what keeps it entertaining.  I hate to rant, but the local interest thing was getting to me.  Thanks to all who come out and enjoy the pictures.  Thanks more to those who don't ask for local interest. 

Taxes

I did my taxes recently, well paid someone to, because I thought that starting a business would really complicate them.  It turns out that the feds only think you have a business if you're making money.  Well, with two shows and an indiscernible dent in my stock, I clearly had no profit.  So, the money 'earned' is claimed under 'hobby' money and that's it.
I must say I was disappointed at it's simplicity and ease.  I had brought all of my receipts and bills and bank statements, and it was all for naught.
Anyway, I am sure that for the next couple of years, the feds will not recognize my business as a business, and that's okay.  Because it makes life easier.  I give a little (very little) money to the Governor and the rest is just hobby income and taxed like normal.
I don't really have a point, just that I hate taxes.  Well, actually, I like them and public services and all that the money can do, but I hate that they are so complicated that I have to pay someone else $200 to do them for me because they are beyond my feeble mind. 

Smart Phone

I have finally entered the century in which I live. Wracked with fears of losing customers in future, I decided to take a chance, pay more for cell service and get a smart phone.
Straight away I ordered the credit card swiper and set all that up. I told the guy at the phone store that the only reason I was getting a smart phone was to take credit cards. I am sure that he knew as well as I did that that is BS.
Having had it for a week now, I can say I got the phone for calling and texting, then for swiping, and after that, how can I ignore that it gets my email, surfs the web, and will give me directions?
Anyway, today I got the swiper which makes my phone officially the HTC Amazballs.  As I like to call it.  I can put in all of the items ahead of time, swipe, and customers can sign for it with their fingers!  Amazballs!  Then, it will email a receipt for posterity.  
And yes, I must confess,  I charged myself $2.00 to see if it worked.  It does!  So, head on over to the next show and browse with confidence!

Greetings

I love snail mail.  I love everything about it.  Handwritten notes, cute stamps, complicated logistics, and getting something special in the mail box.

Because of this and the urging of my one customer I have produced some fancy pants note cards.  They're blank inside, $3 each or 4 for $11.  A bargain! 

It you're a nerd like me you'll like that they're printed on recycled paper in a wind powered factory.

Come see them all at the next show!

New Year

Yes, I know that it's February, but I'm just getting restarted with UTSS business for the coming year.  I've applied to a couple of shows and have officially booked a whole one (1) show for the fall.  I'm on the prowl for cheapish, non-(or liberally) juried, and well attended shows.  And they have to occur when I'm not at work or something else isn't already on.  I felt quite safe booking the show for September, 10 months in advance.  That seems like enough notice.
Either way, I've spruced up the blog and fixed the gallery so the pictures are actually viewable.  I'm not totally pleased with the layout, but like all good things, it is a work in progress. 
In terms of product, I still have quite a lot left from my first round of assembly.  I'll replace a few I sold, and I will have blank note cards by the first show of the year.  Blank on the inside, that is.
I'll keep you informed here and on facebook so you can mark your calendars accordingly.  Though, I believe, that's assuming a lot. 

Custom Orders

First custom order ready for delivery!

New Sign

Here's a close up of the fancy new sign.  I am undecided on it, but after months of thinking on it, I didn't come up with anything better. 
The guy that made it looks like Aragorn, and that makes me want to buy a lot of signs.  Though, this will be the only one. 

Thoughts on Signage

One or none of you may have noticed that I changed the banner on the UTSS blog. What do you think? I need to have a sign made of some sort, and I was thinking, since I went with the sun-esque name, it should included a picture of the sun. Or, something like that. This is on a pic I took just the other day on the way to work. Sometimes it's worth driving at 0530. But not often.
Anyway, I want it to look professional and I'm sure the sign maker will do a better job of it, but this is a sign prototype, one might say. Let me know.

The Weirdest Part of this Picture

...is that I bought fabric.  From a fabric store.  I'm thinking it will be a one-off until this fabric wears out.  Or, until I try to cut it into lenghts and make the most not-straight cut ever known to humankind.  Anyway, I got a couple of tables, because 10x10 is really a lot of real estate, and some fabric to cover them.  Here are a couple of experiments on layout until next week when I can set the whole deal up and see what's what.  So, if you care...

In for a Dime

You know, back when I said 'I could do that' I didn't think of all of the logistics of selling photography at craft fairs.  All of the little things like table cloths, money boxes, credit card capabilities, how to hang pictures in a tent, and the like, never occurred to me.  These are the things that are kind of nickle and diming me to death.  I know it's a business, and that means start up costs, and I know that these costs don't compare to a 'proper' business.  But, still.  I didn't expect to buy 12 yards of expensive fabric to cover my tables.  Call me naive.  But, I have learned the wonders of the internet and how things can be done 'cheaply.'  I use that term lightly. 
Either way, I'll be ready.  I've applied for two shows in October (1-2 and 15-16 respectively) and I would assume I will be in them as they are not juried, and I've already paid. 
I did finally get the tent up, and though the pictures are not up yet, it is pretty spectacular.  Well, it's a big white tent.  Despite it's heft, it was fairly simple to put up and I hope that I never have an occasion to do it by myself as I value it as well as my back.  Seeing it up did give me plenty to think about in terms of decoration and set-up. 
We did decide that I should have a sign made.  We even went to a sign making place, but the choices were fairly boggling.  So I'm on the drawing board, thinking of something that might look nice and is affordable. 
I hope soon to be officially posting upcoming shows, and until then, I'll be doing dry runs to see if it will all fit in my car, and how long it really takes to set up.  (6-7 hours?)

I think the mailman might hate me.

I truly love nothing more than getting stuff in the mail and today was unprecedented.  Tent, and enough material to mat 300 pictures for your future enjoyment all delivered in one day!

Cool Biz Cards?

Somewhere along the line, business cards got cool.  If I do say-so myself, these are the coolest.  Perhaps ever.  In the history of the world.  Or, at least the coolest that I've ever had.  Since the only other ones I've had were a couple I made way back in the day with they byline of "future paramedic and horse-rider extraordinaire!"  Of course, with absolutely no proof or anyone to distribute them to.
Come on down to a future show and pick one up.  There may be one in the works...

That was...easy?

Narry a week since making my online application I have received my shiny new Sales and Use Tax License.  It was almost too easy. 
Either way, I'm going to carry on blindly with it until someone tells me it's wrong.  Or I'm arrested for tax evasion.
So, I'm one step closer to...continuing to not make money at this!

A Good a Time as Any

Requirements for Officiality
1.  Tax ID number (cooking)
2.  pictures (check)
3.  finished products (check)
4.  tent (shopping)
5.  displays (being collected)
6.  tables (ready to be borrowed)
7.  money box (will cardboard do?)
8.  a name (check)
9.  business cards (ordered)
10.  booked craft fair (working on it)
11. receipt book (check)

Things are slowly coming togeher for 'Under the Same Sun' and I am hoping to be tentatively setting up my tent and products by the end of the fall.
Since it's my birthday I figured it's as good a day as ever to mark the official start of this wild-ass plan.  I hope that more than two people will follow this blog and way more than two people will come to craft fairs, wander into my tent and give me the greatest gift they ever could: the desire to display my work in their homes.  What an honor.
So, please visit often, I'll be updating upcoming shows as soon as I find one who will have me.

Complication

After four calls to four different offices (or the same, who could know?) I decided to take the least complicated tax adivice. One person suggested that I needed to complete five different forms, pay some monies, hire an accountant, a lawyer, and a hair stylist, and in perhaps three or four years I could sell some pictures. The last person I talked to said I could fill out an online form and within a couple of weeks I could sell any picture I take anywhere in Maryland. Result!
So, with that more or less done, I went to research upcoming events. Well, that further complicated things. You may think that starting in August, one could get into shows in October. Well, that is apparently impossible. The show I thought would be a great start wanted the application in by March 1st. March 1st and this show is in mid-October. And is really quite small.
The other show I was thinking of is the same weekend as a training for work, so sadly, that is out too. I'll keep you up to date as soon as I have somewhere and something to show.

What's in a name?

Is this name any good? I mean, it's a pretty big decision.
Anyway, to the zero people who will read this, what do you think?