Life, Love, Sex

Photo Buisness Update- The Starving Artist

I made a purchase last night from B&H for film and paper that I think should get me a solid start in my photo selling project.  $400 I spent just for film and paper.  Hopefully my parents won’t pitch a fit.  Or ask for me to pay it back.  But I got 20 rolls of film and 250 sheets of 11×14 paper and also a few rolls of infered film I want to try out, though I also need a red filter to make it truly awesome.

As of now I’m working on building an online store.  I’m putting it together right now, and I’ll put up the link when I’m ready, but it probably won’t be until after Christmas, possibly the new year because 1) it’s going to take me a little while to figure out how all the features like shipping and taxes work on it and 2) I need to make more product.

I’m figuring out right now about what to do for shipping.  I don’t want to kill anyone on shipping, but I need to charge enough to cover postage and packaging.

And then I also have to figure out if I collect taxes on purchases (from NJ residents only I’m assuming), and if I do collect any taxes, what the hell do I do with them?

Also, if I’m selling my stuff, I could essentially write off my photo supplies, but then I would also need to claim my income from the photos which would suck, but probably not impact me much.  Double edged sword, right?

Damn, this business stuff is kinda hard!  I really hope I can pull this off.  Maybe I should get E-commerce for Dummies?

Though, I guess if the whole store website gets too confusing, I can do it much more informally through e-mail and PayPal.

But more photos are up on my photo blog!  Here’s the address again: http://designingintimacy.com/photography

Consider it a preview to what I’ll be selling as a lot (but not all) of those images will be for sale.

Wish List and Business Venture

So, as we all know, Avah is poor. As usual. See, while I was stupid enough to take 4 studios in one semester, I wasn’t so stupid as to take a job at the same time. But you know, no job = no money.

Except that, well, I need money. And not just for food and gas, but for things in the future like Dark Odyssey Spring (Winter?) Fire in March and Shibaricon in May (and paying off my credit card for Camp would be nice too). So this is big bucks we’re talking about!

This is where my call to you all comes in.

I want to sell you my photos to help send me on my adventures (that you ultimately get to read about!).

I have some excellent shots that I’ve taken already (see some examples here ) and I plan on taking a lot of pictures this winter break. I figure I could set up an eBay store and people could pick out the ones they like best.

I print Black and White on Fiber paper (the good stuff) and have been printing between 5×7 to 8×10, but plan on going up to 11×14 (and perhaps 16×20 if there’s an interest). I don’t have the overhead for framing, but I can dry mount it (attach it to a piece of mat board- standard black, or you can pick an alternate color).

Speaking of interest, I’d be happy to do any kind of “commissioned” work as well. If you’re interested in helping me out but having something specific in mind, ask me! Obviously no request is too outrageous.  Perhaps if you’re local to the NYC/NJ area, we can arrange some kind of photo session for some agreed upon price?

As far as selling my pictures, price wise I’m thinking $15-25 for prints up to 8×10 plus shipping (what, like $3?), and like $30-$40 for 11×14. I need to at least make some kind of profit after paying for the paper and film and mat board.

(I could shoot color too, but since I can’t process it myself, I would need to include the cost of developing and printing in the price).

If I could sell 25 pictures that would be a tremendous help. I have hundreds (nearly 1,000) of readers out there, there’s got to be at least 25 of you that would want to help support a budding artist!

If this piques anyone’s interest at all, leave me a comment, or drop me a line (avahsascent AT gmail [dot] com).

Also, more in the interest of fun, I made a little “Dream Wish List” at B & H Photo here. I’ve listed things from the outrageous (like a $5,000 Hasselblad) to the common (like $3 film).

My Photos!

I’ve started scanning my pictures in and uploading them to a special photo blog:

http://designingintimacy.com/photography/

There are just a few up right now, but I’ll be adding more as I scan them and edit them.  The scan job isn’t too bad, though not perfect.

Comments are perfectly welcomed and wanted!

My Next Week (2 actually) of Hell

Or why I shouldn’t be writing this post right now.

I took 4 studio art classes and and art history.

What the fuck was I thinking?

And I’m an idiot.  I let myself get behind.  I knew in the back of my head that it was going to pile up right about now.  Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Here’s the damage:

Art history- 1 paper that is a week late (as of tomorrow).  Going to buckle down and finally do that tonight.

2D design- oh, all of the 2nd half of the semester’s worth of work.  Basically just going to concentrate on the final project which I haven’t started (nor do I have all the supplies for)

Painting- Need at least 3 (preferably 4, though supposed to be 5) mostly done paintings.  Have one started from September.  Threw one together last night.

Adobe class- Way behind on project- need 3 compositions- all about me.  Easy, right?  I just fucking hate Illustrator.  I’ll just end up doing it in Photoshop.  But then I need to do a “book” with InDesign.

Photography- Where all my enegry has been put this semester.  One would think I’d be ahead of the game here, right?  Well, maybe if I weren’t so concerned with perfection here.  I spent 11pm-4am Saturday in the darkroom (well, including clean-up) and worked another 4ish hours yesterday and basically only got 2 prints (I also developed film), but after doing some editing with my friend, I decided to go in a slightly different direction, so even though I have other prints that I did, I won’t be using them.  And then others that I did I’m going to redo to crop a bit.  And just other shit.

So, yeah.  This is why I’m really not socalizing for the next 2 weeks.

As it is I think I’m going to dig into my stash of uppers which I’m hoping will send me into a manic state of creativity as has happened in the past.  (True story, once I took this medicine in a high-ish dose after missing it for a few days and I didn’t sleep for a day and spent about 18 hours in the ceramics studio without eating.  Yeah.  That’s what I need right now.)

So, if you see a post from me after this, yell at me, ok?  Until like, Dec 15th, really.

And I promise next semester I won’t do this again!  (But I only have 2 studios in the Spring at least.)

Busy, Busy, Busy

So, I definitely didn’t study enough for my art history mid-term today…but I think I did ok, actually.  I forgot some titles (especially of Egyptian works, hence the video…) but I think I may have managed a C.  That’d be awesome.

I’m busy, busy, busy until Sunday night- doing lots of perverted things!  Hehe!

And, I’m feeling better- like 90% (10% remains because of my slight stress about getting my photography project done on time).

Ok, kiddies, updates and stories to come soon enough!

Can You Believe it?

Can you believe this?

What is this world coming to?

Fallen

I’ve fallen in love.

I’m borderline obsessed.

I want to spend every free moment with my new love.

I want to learn everything there is to know about this wonderful new obsession.

Nothing else matters anymore.

Everything else I once cared about just bores me now.

It’s only been a month, but man, I’ve fallen hard.

Photography.

I’ve fallen in love with photography.  I itch to be in the dark room.  I ache to snap shots everywhere I go.  I’m just completely insatiable.

We’ve only been given 2 assignments so far, and I’ve already shot 8 rolls.

I’ve printed dozens of prints already, just this week actually.  Only 6 are worth turning in.  One I want to reprint because I noticed a smudge.  Another I may toss aside because I’m not such a fan anymore.  We’ll see.  Time depending.

As a Photo 1 student, I’m relegated to Open Lab hours, where as advanced students have access 24/7.  Lucky bastards.

But then again, as a Photo 1 student, I really know nothing.   And it’s a bit frustrating.  I’m trying to absorb as much as I can.  Trying to figure out what to look for in my photos when developing to determine for myself when to add seconds or go up or down in filter.  I may be getting the hang of it.  My last print of the day, I made perfect in just 2 prints (save for the smudge).

That was pretty exciting.

Fuck painting.  Fuck graphic design.

I just want to photograph!

Ahem. That’s Hot.

Busy, Busy

I’m going to be busy these next few weeks finishing up things for classes. I have an article review due Tuesday for my science class, I have to visit 3 museums for my art history class, and I have to have 5 finished paintings for my painting class.

I have yet to pick an article even for my science assignment. But I will be doing that this weekend.

I have yet to visit one museum, but I’ll definitely be doing that on my days off this week.

And I only have 1 completed painting so far. And it’s a half-assed one at that. But this last one I’m working on is totally making up for it.

OMG, it’s really just amazing. I’m shocking myself at the awesomeness of it. I’m really just having a hard time believing I’m the one painting it!!

I started it yesterday.

Here’s my photo reference:

Jefferson’s hands grabbing my boobies. Provocative, I know!

I spent the day drawing it (with a lot of dilly-daddling in between…)

Then, that evening, I knocked out the first layer in a couple hours….

And then this afternoon I added the tattoo coloring:

I have more done, I’ll take pictures when I get back to my room. I took a bit of a dinner break. I was painting for about 6 hours straight and had only had some crackers to eat. So, I was a bit hungry to say the least…

But, you can see why I’m so excited with how this is turning out.

Though, I was so wrapped up in my painting, I didn’t get to enjoy the beautiful day. I mean, I had my window open and the blinds up, so I was still absorbing the fresh air and sunshine. But, I totally rationalize it by pointing out I was being totally productive. It’s not like I was just fussing on the computer. I was doing school work after all. And while painting outside seems like a nice idea, I a) don’t want to be watched by strangers, lol, and b) find it hard to mix colors in too bright light.

I know, I know. I don’t like strangers watching me dance or paint or breathe or anything, but I totally get off on them watching me fuck.

….I dunno…

Lol.

Ok, I guess I’ll head back to my dorm and paint some more. Or do my science article. Or write more smut. Grr…I shouldn’t do that. Hey, ok, I won’t. But if you want to read a hot story, Jefferson finished writing about our first date…

——-

Edit 4/22: Ok, so I didn’t write or paint or do homework last night…I spent a few hours putting line breaks in Jefferson’s profile description.  Damn it, seriously a few hours… now go admire it…

But here’s “Stage 2″ of my painting (Everything I accomplished yesterday after coloring the tattoo…)

Eeek!! Joy!!

I just discovered Photoshop brushes.  I’ve downloaded almost 2 dozen sets already!!

And I’m discovering all these other cool things in Photoshop I hadn’t known about!!

I’m having a serious artgasm right now. Yes, artgasm.

I’ll see ya in a couple days, lol.  Cause I’m going to be absorbed in this shit for awhile.