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Limited Edition prints and stock images
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Recently i had a discussion with a photographer about offering an image of his “limited Edition Print Collection” as a stock image for sale. His opinion was:
Limited Edition because he will sign just 20 prints of this image and no more but he still can offer this image file for stock licensing.
My idea of limited edition is: THIS image will appear in the world of paper just 20 times and not more. Not for a flyerprint of a hotel or something else. so no stock image sale of THIS image.
What is the right Rule of limited Edition Prints – does anybody know for sure?
I find it very important in the bursting printing market to be autenthic! Ecspecially after dealing with collectors.Cheers
MadeleineI think that the idea of limited edition came originally from etchings; these were often limited to say 75 copies
after which the plates were destroyed, so no more could be made; and they were usually numbered as xx/75.Things seem to be much more elastic in photo prints; editions may be limited to the number of people who will buy them,
and ‘limited’ to a particular size, and/or particular paper/canvas etc. If there is a generally accepted definition
of ‘limited edition [photographic] print’, then it has escaped me.I think I saw mentioned before here somewhere about tax exemption for limited edition prints. If there is tax exemption I’ll bet there is a legal definition of limited edition in Ireland.
RC53
Well just imagine this: You are a collector or private person who INVESTS into a limited edition print 16/20 and pays a lot of money and would like to sell that later for more money…It still is a business as well. Now the photographer really just printed and signed 20 and sold licensed to a company for 3000 poster prints.
Although they are not handsigned by the photographer….it will be spreaded into the world and maybe offered for sale to support whatever-campagne.
The value of the rare appearence is damaged!Or do i have a wrong logic?
man i would be soooo annoyed if i bought a limited edition then saw the image in an adverts or something
If there is no legal reason there is definatley a moral reason for not doing this
also long term its not good for the photogs business, if he gets a bunch of people annoyed about this kind of thing, they aint gonna buy anything else from the photog, which generally i guess they would if they liked the style.
i just found an image of a superfamous photographer, offered in the section “limited edition” and i found it in his stock gallery with available license for 1xprint and everything else. The price difference is 200-300%, means: the limited edition price is 200-300% more expensive than the purchase of a 1x print license for personal use.
Well i am aware that his limited edition price inlcudes his printing costs and the value of his handsign.I am totally confused now because he is the master and master should/will know the “laws”.
:roll:
MadeleineCalaidoWeber wrote:
RC53
Or do i have a wrong logic?
No, I think you are correct, as the others have already said; I agree with your sentiments, but ‘limited edition’ does seem
to have a very loose definition.You might say that high quality fine art prints are limited, and other uses — not fine art — are permitted, but this is a rather dubious sort of thing.
I have seen this discussed somewhere else — I forget where — and no clear conclusions reached. It looks as if
each photographer makes his/her own rules.OTOH, if your prints, as the final expression of the images, are really limited, do you then delete the original digital file?
mmhh nob.
It seems to be that every photographer figures that out by him/herself which i didn’t know…thought there is a basic rule.
Limited editions are actually just interesting for collectors….to enter that market is quit tuff.
thanks for all your imput. I agree that nobody is right or wrong ( ;
I think Limited Edition is very elastic !
I was commisioned to take a picture of Ballinasloe Train Station
by a private buyer. They wanted to be sure that the image I produced
for them would not be seen anywhere else. It was for a very special
occasion of this specific area so they really wanted it to be special.I hav’nt produced it anywhere, It is not on my website, I hav’nt posted it
here etc etc . . . but what is to stop me from making a different
crop of the image or processing it slightly different and releasing it
again?[Personally I would’nt do that!]
Maybe it is time which adds to the value of a limited edition print, If
that image is produced in a magazine it is soon forgotten but the signed
numbered print over time should count for something . . .A lot ot think about with this thread.
thanks, yes i agree now. i tried to find the propper way for the “limited edition buyer perspectiv”. I contacted art wolfe and even him is selling limited edition prints in different sizes and offers the same image for stock. I think i found my view point now. thanks for all the ideas about to help to make up my mind. M*
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