I want to sell my photography...

[montessorimelanie]

I have been an aspiring photographer for about 3 years' and have many prints that I am proud of and would love to sell as cards, magnets, or 3x5, 5x7, or 8x10..anyone interested or do you know someone who can help me get started??? much love----blessings-melanie

[Tars]

I have been an aspiring photographer for about 3 years' and have many prints that I am proud of and would love to sell as cards, magnets, or 3x5, 5x7, or 8x10..anyone interested or do you know someone who can help me get started???

I assume this'll get moved to WaccoTalk, or whatever. But since you asked...

Perhaps I can help you get started....or rain on your parade...depending on how you look at it. I was a professional photographer for about ten years - sports photography, wedding/events, portraiture, fine art. Wanna buy some expensive cameras? Just kidding, but I do have some acquired experience.

First, thing I was told when I got into it was that photography is a very VERY competitive business. Anyone with a few hundred bucks can buy a semi-competent camera & not-too-shabby lens - voila, they're a photographer!

When I started, the average full-time photographer made less than $15,000/year. I found that to be true, And it's probably less than that today. Why? Computers/scanners/internet/photo printers. If you publish your images on prints, buttons, cards, t-shirts, whatever, expect them to be ripped off and used elsewhere faster than you can say, "scan this!" Repeat sales is where you make significant money, and if every pimpledy-faced little computer punk can grab your images, your repeat's gonna be non-existent.

I travelled fairly extensively for sport photography. While on the road I visited art/photo galleries in many places, trying to sell my prints. The hard truth is, many people go OO...AH at well-crafted images, but they rarely buy them. Galleries are a tough sell, website sales, forget it. Stock photos are a possibility, although the market is positively saturated these days.

You may have better luck selling photos with a little local flavor in the gifty shops. I'm guessing you might make enough on that type of product to enable you to buy an occasional lens or camera gadget on eBay. Try "Shutterbug" magazine. In the back they have ads for specialty photo products that you might be able to put your images onto - buttons, mugs, t-shirts, custom frames, etc..

But then, I'm a curmudgeon, you may well be on your way to world fame as a photographer. Best of luck to you!

Tars
https://www.rpriddle.com/webpix/camerabot.jpg

[adamal]

I agree with the above poster. I worked in a studio with a fairly successful photographer that had his own studio, etc. It was mostly a nightmare, but that is beside the point.

I did a quick google search and there are some good places that you can set up shop online, etc. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&q=sell+photography+online&btnG=Google+Search

You might want to also check into local farmers markets, etc. but the bad thing is you have to have the money up front to have these printed, matted and whatnot.


I have been an aspiring photographer for about 3 years' and have many prints that I am proud of and would love to sell as cards, magnets, or 3x5, 5x7, or 8x10..anyone interested or do you know someone who can help me get started??? much love----blessings-melanie

[colleen farrell]

Hi Melanie,

I agree with the other posters that photography is very competitive, and you most likely won't be able to quit your day job. But don't get discouraged. My suggestion is to go the greeting card route. See if you can get friends and relatives to buy your cards, then maybe some shops in your town, and with luck and persistence (and talent!), your sales will increase through word of mouth. It won't be a lot of income, but it's fun to get paid a little bit for your work. I've done this using Photographer's Edge cards (find them on the web). Their catalog even gives tips on selling cards. Good luck!


I have been an aspiring photographer for about 3 years' and have many prints that I am proud of and would love to sell as cards, magnets, or 3x5, 5x7, or 8x10..anyone interested or do you know someone who can help me get started??? much love----blessings-melanie

[Tars]

See if you can get friends and relatives to buy your cards, then maybe some shops in your town, and with luck and persistence (and talent!), your sales will increase through word of mouth. It won't be a lot of income, but it's fun to get paid a little bit for your work. I've done this using Photographer's Edge cards (find them on the web). Their catalog even gives tips on selling cards.

Photographer's Edge cards upside: They are very nice looking. You just slip your 3X5 or 4X6 print into the window on the card - instant photo greeting card. Downside: Last time I checked, several years ago, they cost about $2.50 each. To sell one of those with a profit for the photog and the gifty shop both, the card would need to retail somewhere between $5 & $6 each. At best they'll be a very slow mover - even if your images are Ansel Adams quality.

But - if one was to ripoff...er, I mean adapt the window card concept....inkjet a design onto cardstock or other craft paper, and handcut the windows, pressed designs, etc. then one might get the card retail price down to under $3.00 - much more likely to sell. Riley Street art supplies in SR has some mighty fine art papers that would work well for this. There's a paper supply house off of Airway Drive that sells a wide variety of envelopes.

[Lisa G]

Hi all,
I have been doing free lance photography/video / film for twenty years and I agree with the above posters - it is saturated, hard to get poeple to pay and cost money to get going.
I would be interested in talking with you though becasue I have been thinking of ways to combine my artistic skills (making greeting cards, designing business cards, funny illustrations etc.) into other things which while it may not enable to me make an affordable living would give me some income and the fulfillment of having my work out there.

I was never able to really just work in the artistic field financially.

It is hard for me to do anything on line becasue of my very slow dial up as well.

but i just keep trying!
call or e-mail me privately if you want to chat.

Lisa Gurian
575-9106