| Photography donations are a long-running staple in | | | | lot of weddings, although I personally love these dance |
| silent and occasionally live auctions. Usually the | | | | photos ). The post that really caught my eye was this |
| donation is a free sitting with one print for a family, a | | | | post talking about a family photo party. |
| couple, or an individual. | | | | The gist is that he reunited with some friends via |
| It is almost a guarantee that the donated photography | | | | Facebook, and one of them asked if he would do a |
| services will display nicely. Photographers always have | | | | Photo Party at her house. She offered to organize the |
| lovely images of their work to serve as a prop. | | | | party, inviting 10 to 15 families over so he could take |
| Despite all the visual appeal, the items rarely sell for top | | | | family portraits for everybody. |
| dollar. | | | | He thought it sounded like fun and his finished work |
| Procuring donated items for your benefit auction is a | | | | shows families and kids. Has the photographer been |
| place where a committee can be creative and let their | | | | asked to do a family photo party for your charity |
| imagination roam. This is also the place for a | | | | auction donation? |
| committee to occasionally lead a donor and suggest | | | | Here's the $64,000 question: If a sitting is usually a |
| twists on a donation that will really appeal to your | | | | 3-hour or 4-hour process in the studio, would a |
| audience. You can make a direct impact on your | | | | photographer be willing to visit a home and have the |
| event revenue with procurement. So, if you have a | | | | opportunity to shoot several families, albeit in a more |
| donation that isn't historically a great seller, consider | | | | candid way? I am betting that a mom or group of |
| ways to tweak it until you feel you have maximized its | | | | moms would really love this party for their families. |
| value for your auction. The work you do during | | | | The advantage of shooting in a studio is that the |
| procurement will get auction bidders excited and | | | | photographer can control the light and weather is |
| excitement is what makes bidders pull out their wallet. | | | | irrelevant. It is more challenging for a photographer to |
| As I often do with an item that I know is going to have | | | | work outside. But on the flip side, if the photographer is |
| a long life in the donation world, I have been looking for | | | | willing to shoot on location at someone's large home |
| ways to freshen up this benefit auction item and get | | | | and yard, he or she might be able to sell more finished |
| people excited about the item. | | | | prints. And that's a win-win prospect. You just need to |
| Christopher Duggan is a photographer in New York, | | | | ensure someone with the right home is willing to host |
| NY. His company is Threshold Visions and he shoots a | | | | the Photo Party. |