Broadsheet, an online Australian city ‘what’s on’ guide, has launched Editions – a curated series of photographic prints by contributor photographers that are available for sale in five sizes.
It’s an interesting project, as the strictly online media company looks to monetise its photo archive by whipping up images into prints.
Editions currently features over 100 prints by 11 past and present photographers, who were asked by Broadsheet to select a series of images for the project. Prices start at $220 for an unframed 60x40cm print, and up to $2400 for a 150x100cm print framed on locally-sourced hardwood.
The photos are printed on 300gsm cotton rag stock, which is dry-mounted to an acid-free foam board by a third-party printer and framer. Photos range from landscape and aerial photos, through to commercial, fashion, food and architecture.
When Inside Imaging picked up on Editions, we were interested to know what was the photographer’s input, and whether they were remunerated.
‘Editions was born out of a desire to celebrate the wonderful work that both emerging and established photographers have done for Broadsheet over the last decade. So firstly we go through the photographer selections…,’ Emily Beasley, Broadsheet marketing manager, informed Inside Imaging. ‘Once they have gotten on board we work collaboratively with them to curate their photos down to an edit of up to 10 images, which reflect both their work for Broadsheet or otherwise from their personal collections. As we want the photographers to have the upmost control over the collections we don’t give much further brief in terms of parameters as we want them to take the lead – it is after all a reflection of their practice.’
Emily added that photographers receive a share in all sales, without stating exactly how much, and added it’s also ‘about creating a platform for them to market, sell and ship their prints all over the country, something that can be tricky for working photographers’.
The participating photographers currently are Linsey Rendell, Gareth Sobey, Kate Shanasy, Michael Woods, Jessica Wyld, Peter Tarasiuk, Rebecca Mansell, Jake Roden, Nikki To, Pete Dillon and Mark Roper. The Edition print shop is set to become much larger, with Broadsheet founder Nick Shelton describing goals like horizons – ‘you never really reach them; you just keep evolving and striving to get even better’.
Michael Woods told Inside Imaging that, as an up-and-coming photographer, Broadsheet provided him with the opportunity to further his career. He went from shooting Melbourne nightlife to music festivals and concerts through Broadsheet. And not long after, he landed other editorial assignments and commercial/food photography work also came along.
Michael has since moved on from Broadsheet. One of his last editorial assignments for the publication was to capture the November 2017 result of the same-sex marriage vote at the State Library of Victoria. Having shot crowds at fever pitch during music festivals like Splendour in the Grass and Groovin’ The Moo, Michael skilfully captured the energy of the moment that Australia said ‘yes’.
‘It was a pretty mental moment,’ he said in 2017. ‘I went from shooting an intense gallery, to basically shooting a music festival … in five seconds. It was the most overwhelming feeling, to be a part of that moment. Everyone felt welcome. It genuinely nearly brought me to tears.’
The photo went viral and is part of the Editions series, along with a selection of photos he chose to represent Melbourne and the Broadsheet style. A few prints have already sold, with Editions offering an unlimited run of the artworks.
The young photographer now shoots more commercial work and also just exhibited Dream, his first large-scale solo contemporary photography project. He says that from the get-go Broadsheet were supportive and served as a critical stepping stone for his career, as well as many others, and Editions is a project he’s proud to participate in.
With the costs of printing Dream fresh in his mind, Michael’s happy to palm off the responsibility to Broadsheet and recuperate a slice of the sales they generate. He recommends the framed prints – they look way better.
Be First to Comment