How to Prepare for a Photography Exhibit

Photography is an art that takes a lot of effort for one to be called a professional in the field. Viewing the world from your lens and perfecting the craft can never be complete till you share your work with your target audience.

Exhibiting your work gives you the platform to meet an audience that appreciates your photography, challenges you and also challenge you. It is at these exhibitions that you also get an outlet for your visual art.

The photography exibitions, however, require adequate preparation. Preparations are meant to make the process run smoothly and meet its end goal.

As professional photographers may refer to it, it is a career milestone for any photographer who is aiming high in the photography industry. Below we discuss the steps to take to prepare for a successful photography exhibit:

1. Create a reasonable budget.

For a successful exhibit, you must be ready to spend. However, you spend as per your ability. Creating a realistic budget makes sure that you do not spend anyhow on your first exhibition. An excellent and viable budget should cover the following:

-Venue rental.
-Production of marketing materials such as flyers, posters, business cards, and brochures.
-Transport of your art.
-Food and drinks.
-Printing, framing, and mounting of your photographs.

For every budget to be complete, you must also set aside some cash to be used as miscellaneous. It covers any costs that are incurred in the process.

2. Choose between exhibiting as a group or solo.

Whether you exhibit alone or as a group is a very crucial decision. This is because the two factors have their advantages and disadvantages. You will have to weigh, which one suits you and your art best.

When you choose to exhibit alone, the exhibit will aim at showcasing your work. Exhibiting solo is however challenging since you will have to cover all expenses and encounter risks alone. Exhibiting as a group is also favorable to some photographers in that you share any costs and risks. The problem with exhibiting as a group is that your target audience will not focus on your art alone. Their attention will be divided towards your work.

3. Choose the perfect theme for you.

Every photographer can freely pick the theme that portrays your passion, intentions, and ideas. You can choose a theme that tackles social issues or an autobiographical theme.

Choose the picks that rhyme with your theme. You can select photographs from your portfolio, take new photographs for the specific theme or mix your new artwork with your old artwork and come up with a collection that suits your chosen theme.

4. Rent the space of your choice.

Photography exhibits can be held in non-traditional spaces or traditional galleries. Non-traditional spaces are such as restaurants, barbershops, coffee shops, boutiques, community centers, schools, and libraries. In some venues such as the coffee shops,it will save you the cost of food and drinks as the coffee shop will benefit from your audience.

Traditional art spaces are also an excellent venue for those specific about the venue for their exhibitions. Sample several galleries and pick the gallery that pleases you. Review the contract of the gallery before committing yourself. Critically analyze the terms and conditions of the gallery to know what the gallery permits in their premises.

After booking the space, get a floor plan from the management to use while planning how to set up your artwork.

With the following steps, you will be ready enough to get out there and create a client-base for your work. For 99% productivity of your first photography exhibit,be open to your audience views, let them challenge you as much as they can. This will build you into a better photographer.