The story so far...
Intro
Nomad Prints is a project that aims to bring together beautiful and meaningful Travel Photography from all over the World.
It's inception was the moment in which one artist left the conventional path, instead taking a risk on following his passion. Bridging a divide that existed for him, (as it does for many of us who have a need to create) between who we are and what we do. The journey has not always been easy, but there was never any sense of doubt that it was the right path to follow. The sense of purpose that an artist feels when he is creating is a source of endless energy.
This is that story.
Humble Beginnings
The project had humble beginings in the unoffical street markets of Barcelona. I literally just printed out a few of my images and laid them on the pavement in the hope a passerby would take interest. Some actually did. I was surprised, although for some time people had been encouraging me to pursue photography as a career. I guess if our friends and family, as well as complete strangers keep trying to give us a piece of advice, we should stop and listen.
Long days in the street at my little ‘market stall’ were followed by long evenings at my desk, cutting passepartout windows by hand, pasting photos, and writing descriptions. The profits (which were minimal at first) I would reinvest into the business, choosing more images I thought might have a chance to sell or spark interest. Or buying mount board and other arts supplies.
It was a hustle and I asked my friends if they thought I was crazy but in truth I had found a project I was compelled to pursue. Most of the crowds in this Barcelona market filed by disinterested in my work. They were looking to buy some fake Gucci handbag, sneakers or underpants and had no interest in Travel Photography prints. It was like they didn’t see me.
The inspiration to continue...
Every now and then the prints would catch someones eye, and in that case it was always people who shared my passions. They too loved exotic travel, and art. More often than not they were artists of some sort themselves. If not photographers then painters, writers or musicians, and we would chat for ages. I realised that putting out there this work which was an expression of my self and how I saw the world, what I found beautiful and meaningful attracted like minded folk and invited them to share their ideas, experiences and art with me also. This project was creating more than just a few euros to get by on, it created connections with other people like myself.
More often than not we would have a conversation, they would wish me best of luck and continue on their way. But some people found a print that spoke to them and bought it. Each of these sales gave me an energy boost, encouragement to keep working and a confirmation that I was on the path to somewhere.
A shop-on-wheels
Just when it felt like things were going smoothly, the pandemic hit. I found out some of the hard reality of being a self employed ‘solotrepenuer’. Quite simply- if you can’t work, you don’t get paid. Fortunately I’m privileged enough that I wasn’t going to starve to death. But for me working has always been equally as important for my mental health as for my financial health. I quickly realised I was going to need a project to keep my hands and my brain busy whilst I was confined to my small studio apartment. If not for my sake, then for my girlfriend who had to share it with me. It didn’t take me long to understand what the project should be. Since the very first days of selling prints in the street, I had been frustrated by the inadequate circumstances. Laying out my merchandise on the ground meant the prints were out of sight, awkward to pick up, susceptible to blow away in the wind, get dusty or even trodden on. I had an idea that would solve all these problems and also make the prints easier to transport. A shop-on-a-bicycle. I had even seen another photographer in Barcelona’s gothic quarter using a bicycle to display his prints. I got to work, using only what I had to hand.
By the time lockdown was over, I rolled out the new creation. A shop-on-wheels to display photography prints. Out of this time of hardship, had come something new, a leap forward in the project.
Nomad Prints, Online.
I made prints of my photos available to order online early in the project. Although I was initially using a third party to dropship the prints and there were issues with the quality and customer service. It was obvious to me that the only way to guarantee the best possible prints to my online customers was to keep the production ‘in-house’. So I overhauled my online store and since then even aspect of the printing, mounting, packaging and shipping would be done by me, so that I could control all the small details and not lose the personal touch. Besides, I love making prints! Another thing that was important to me from when I first began selling prints over the internet was to include free shipping, regardless of where the customer was based. This is important to me for 2 reasons. Firstly nobody likes to get a nasty surprise when they are at the ‘checkout’ stage of an order. Also because I feel that this project is ‘global’ in it’s scope. That is to say I want to include images from all over the world, and to make the prints accessible to people all over the world.