Sales with Instax: Ronald Leong on selling Instax Wide prints at Magicon 2024
Photographer and entrepreneur, Ronald Leong, decided to also offer Instax prints to his customers at Magicon 2024. How did this work out for him, and what were the lessons learnt from this endeavour? We chatted with him to find out.
Tell us more about Magicon 2024 – what happens at the event and how are you involved?
Magicon is a Gauteng fan-made, fan-focussed event based on the wizard universe; if you read the books or seen the movies about a boy wizard attending a certain wizarding school you know what this is about. It was held at Castle da Angelo, a castle just outside Tshwane, and was a weekend filled with interactive lessons, quizzes, photosets, movie screenings, stalls and more. I was the official event photographer, also offering personal shoots for those in attendance.
You decided to use the Instax Link Wide printer to sell photos you took at the event. How did this come about?
The idea of using Instax for this event went way back many years, as I have shot events before with cosplayers. I would do shoots at events and then edit them afterwards, but always thought Instax prints would be the perfect filler, offering an on-the-spot image for them to keep while they wait to receive their professional photos. A print is a great memory they can take home on the day and I used Magicon 2024 to test this out.
At the event I took a photo on my Fujifilm camera, sent it directly to my smartphone and then to the Instax Link Wide printer to print on the spot.
You said the attendees loved the larger Wide prints. How did this influence your asking price?
I have attended a previous Fujifilm event where the staff had Instax cameras, shooting and printing out Mini prints for the attendees. This is a great wallet sized keepsake and great for handouts, but after research I have come across the Square and Wide Instax formats and loved them.
As a photographer I know seeing more is better, and the Wide print makes for wonderful portraits of landscapes, and displays well on fridges or frames.
For the event I used the Instax Link Wide printer, which allowed me to ask a higher selling price (R100 per print), with clients willing to pay this amount for a keepsake of the day and their outfit.
Now that the event is done, what worked and what didn’t work for you in regards to the selling of Instax prints?
I think the hardest part of any event is exposure. I did market myself as a roaming Instax photographer, but I did not have adequate advertising as a roaming photographer. One of the stall vendors suggested having an A4 paper with my pricing pinned to the back and front of my shoulder bag. That way, when roaming the event, anyone I approached would know that Instax prints are on offer, plus the price of the print.
Did you have a favourite moment at Magicon 2024?
When I’m in work mode I don’t often let my hair down until the job is done since as a professional photographer, I want to make sure the attendees and clients receive the best experience I can offer.
My favourite personal moment is the new clients and the shoots I did for them at the event. I made friends and it was great just putting the camera down to experience the unique atmosphere of the event since Magicon provides a really enjoyable few days.
As an entrepreneur, a great moment was people really taking to the Instax Wide prints idea. They liked larger physical photos and the quality of the prints. It was a worthwhile idea for me to invest in.
You are a great photographer yourself, where can people find your work?
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