I was excited about setting up a booth and displaying my photos at the Colorado Cup. Fantasies of selling enough prints to pay for the booth fee and the supplies filled my head. How hard could it be? I asked myself. After all, my prints were reasonably priced—only $20 for an 8 by 10. Even the most expensive ones, the matted 8 by 12s, were only $40. Surely I’d get a few takers.

Photo by Todd Bradley.

Unfortunately, the Colorado Cup didn’t draw more than a few hundred people this beautiful weekend. I think everyone else was out enjoying the weather after our snowy April.

It was too bad for the vendors and the skaters, some of whom came from as far away as Las Cruces, New Mexico. The roller derby was fun, especially the bouts between Grand Junction and Ark Valley (Salida) and between Crossroads City Derby and Fort Collins. But the rest of the time, I saw at a table and talked to perhaps 15 people about derby or photographs. I got a lot of compliments, and some people took my cards. But I made no sales.

I’ll chalk it up to marketing and hope the people who took my cards will find Beth Partin Photos.

Next up is finding a coffeehouse to display my photos. That means more expense for framing. Soon, I hope, I’ll be making some money to pay for all these supplies.