Perks Preferences?

[pinepig]

What kinds of perks get your attention and encourage you to dig into your hard-earned cash? I'm trying to figure out how to adapt crowdfunding to my photography and am interested in knowing what people like, what is The Shiny that encourages them to dig in. And what are realistic levels to ask for when you're a budding artist?

You don't have to actively support crowdfunding or photography or crowdfunded photography if you want to answer.

I figure prints are always a possibility. The 2 biggest issues with that right now are cost of postage & getting time to ship (I live in New Zealand) & our printer, while a good photo printer, sometimes puts marks on the back of the paper and I'm afraid this might turn people off.

I like ysabetwordsmith's use of posting a few pictures in her journal and then offering to post others if she gets donations. I usually upload my picts to Webshots for people to see/download as screensavers/send as e-cards. I could hold a few prize ones back when I do this and offer to upload them if I get donations. When I upload my Webshots I'll usually upload a few of the better ones to my Weblogimages account and post them in my journal.

I could also see if there's a way create a special album at Webshots and lock it to only certain people. I don't know if it's possible and this would require my audience getting a Webshots account.

Or I could make a special Donor filter and post the picts on that on my DW/LJ.

What are your thoughts?

And come to think of it, how do you make a Paypal donation button?

(ETA: Sorry ysabetwordsmith, not sure what tag would fit best for this so I've put networking but feel free to tell me what to change it to!)

Comments

Re: There are alternatives to PayPal out there :)

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>Donations for research and development is an excellent idea.<<

I agree. I actually had someone chip in toward my first (crappy) digital camera when I wanted to buy a cheap one to see if I could shoot digital. I've also seen artists do fascinating fund drives for new brushes.

>> Personally I'd rather see my government put more money in to the arts (in fact I think a welfare system for artists would solve a lot of problems)<<

I would like to see more money devoted to the arts also. But that always starts arguments over what is "good enough" to support that way. Maybe the government isn't the best way to do that; I don't really have much faith in government. I wonder if crowdfunding could take over. Some of the big sites are fielding -- and filling -- projects with four-or-five-figure goals. Crowdfunding probably isn't developed enough to do this yet, but eventually might be able to raise funds collectively and then dish them out to qualifying creators.

Re: There are alternatives to PayPal out there :)

[thejeopardymaze]

I don't think it should be about what people think of good verses bad art at all, and money from public education, at least by the time I left high school, goes in to art classes.

I don't have faith in the current system of government, but that doesn't mean we can't change how it is run.


Crowdfunding probably isn't developed enough to do this yet, but eventually might be able to raise funds collectively and then dish them out to qualifying creators.

It's a good idea for the meantime, I'll give it that.

Re: There are alternatives to PayPal out there :)

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>I don't think it should be about what people think of good verses bad art at all, <<

Nevertheless, people argue vigorously about that, either over whether funding should be tied to quality or not, or what's worth funding or not, or some other variation.

>>and money from public education, at least by the time I left high school, goes in to art classes. <<

I think this aspect is a great idea. Sadly, it has become quite unpopular. Class sizes are rising as schools fire teachers and consolidate classes; most things outside core academics and sports have been cut widely. Arts and music are usually among the first to go.

Re: There are alternatives to PayPal out there :)

[thejeopardymaze]

Very true sadly. My favorite classes were the art ones.

Re: There are alternatives to PayPal out there :)

[ysabetwordsmith]

I enjoyed art class, though I was never much good at it. The only bits of my artistic talent that came through intact in this life are my eye for color and my eye for composition. Eventually I started playing around with art forms that rely on those rather than on stuff I suck at: photography and scrapbooking. But kids really need a chance to explore and discover where their talents lie -- without being condemned or penalized for the inevitable disasters as they discover what they suck at.