An Idea For Benefit Auction Donation From A Photographer: Family Photo Party

In most of the silent auctions my company conducts - and occasionally a live auction - at least one of the items will be donated from a photographer

. Usually the donation is a free sitting with one 8X10 print for a family, a couple, or an individual.

Although these items are usually displayed nicely and the photographer often has a lovely image of their work available to view, the items rarely sell for top dollar.

Procuring donated items for your benefit auction is a place where a committee can be creative and let their imagination roam. This is also the place for a committee to occasionally lead a donor and suggest twists on a donation that will really appeal to your audience. Procuring the right items for your auction can make a difference with your auction revenue. So, if you have a donation that isn't historically a great seller, consider ways to tweak it until you feel you have maximized its value for your auction. The work you do during procurement will get auction bidders excited and excitement is what makes bidders pull out their wallet.

I've been thinking of ways to improve a photography donation and recently read something that might offer a fresh twist on this traditional, but a little tired, auction item.

Christopher Duggan is a photographer in New York, NY. His company is Threshold Visions and he shoots a lot of weddings, although I personally love these dance photos http://blog.thresholdvisions.com/2009/08/). The post that really caught my eye was this post talking about a family photo party.http://blog.thresholdvisions.com/2009/07/family-photo-party/

The gist is that he reunited with some friends via Facebook, and one of them asked if he would do a Photo Party at her house. She offered to organize the party, inviting 10 to 15 families over so he could take family portraits for everybody.

He thought it sounded like fun and his finished work shows families and kids. Has the photographer been asked to do a family photo party for your charity auction donation?

Here's the $64,000 question: If a sitting is usually a 3-hour or 4-hour process in the studio, would a photographer be willing to visit a home and have the opportunity to shoot several families, albeit in a more candid way? I am betting that a mom or group of moms would really love this party for their families.

The advantage of shooting in a studio is that the photographer can control the light and weather is irrelevant. It is more challenging for a photographer to work outside. But on the flip side, if the photographer is willing to shoot on location at someone's large home and yard, he or she might be able to sell more finished prints. And that's a win-win prospect. You just need to ensure someone with the right home is willing to host the Photo Party.

Copyright (c) 2010 Red Apple Auctions LLC

by: Sherry Truhlar

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