Is stuff like this marketable (sellable) - (office warning: nudity)

[Picture North Carolina]

If you view this website (http://inspiredbyproxy.blogspot.com/) you will see theme ideas, photography, post processing that ranges from weird to stunning.

Disregarding all of that, and looking only at the business side of things, in your opinion do you think stuff like this is marketable and profitable and why?

[advaitin]

"Stuff like this" ? I've seen some of the work elsewhere--the German photographer's work with children, for instance. These people are showing their abilities and they are so good that it tells the viewer and potential client that they can do anything at a high professional level.

I'm sure these shooters have already sold their work at a level most of us here only wish we could do.

[Picture North Carolina]

These people are showing their abilities and they are so good

Exactly what I meant when I said in the OP "disregarding."

I fully recognize the "stuff" is good. If you read the OP you will also see I used words such as "stunning."

I am talking STRICTLY about commercial marketability.

For example, if these were offered in a gallery (brick and mortar) as prints or in an online gallery, would the casual / normal customer purchase THESE prints. By "these" I am not referring to the photographer's talents, but the prints themselves.

[aram535]

There is always a market. The question is Supply and Demand. Is the supply high enough (are there enough photographers doing it) so that the demand has increased the price enough to be profitable on its own.
My personal opinion is "no", but that's because I wouldn't buy it, nothing more.

[advaitin]

STRICTLY...commercial marketability? Maybe you should simply contact the photographers listed at Inspired by Proxy and ask them how they are doing.

If I had an infinite wall, I'd buy their images--but since I only have room for my own and some work of a couple of friends, I'll admire it all from my screen.

[Gentleman Villain]

The Dragan work probably does well....

I'd wager that some of the creepy pictures of little kids and family might generate some interest at some art galleries (because the idea of attacking the traditional family or religion can sell to the crowd)

The rest of it will pretty much only be popular with friends, family, acquaintances , flickr galleries, OMP, modelmayhem and some ghetto art garage type of publications. In other words, don't quit your day job.

[dreamcatcher23]

The works are from a variety of photographers - I recognise quite a few from flickr and they have had recognition and gallery exhibitions. There's scope for "fine art" sales as well as advertising and commercial work - miss anelia has shot for a bottled water company, for example.

[zagiace]

There are many excellent photographers out there starving. I think very few who primarily market photographic art make a comfortable living at it.
That was a very inspirational site though, thanks for the link.

[sfaust]

I can't comment on the fine art side as I have no experience in that area. But for commercial marketability, definitely. Some of these photographers have already shot for high end clients (recognize some names, images, from advertising, etc).

There are also some images that IMO are very cool and interesting to look at, but probably wouldn't do well commercially. It really depends on the specific image and market. Ie, lots of the images would be very well as CD albums in the music industry, while not even getting a glance by the advertising world.

[Karl Johnston]

Anything is marketable, anything can be profitable...Hell look at pet rocks in the 70s.

[airfrogusmc]

And sometimes your images especailly if you have a strong enough vision and look, like in the case of Witkin, can lead to commercial work. I think he art directed a Nine Inch Nails video a while back also.
http://www.masters-of-fine-art-photography.com/02/artphotogallery/photographers/joel_peter_witkin_01.html

And Davidsons Projects have landed him commercial work.
http://www.art-dept.com/artists/davidson/

[sfaust]

Witkin fits perfectly with 9 Inch Nails. Match made in, well, not sure where, but made nonetheless! ;)

[Alleh]

The work on that blog is stunning. Almost all of it is marketable and already is selling. Commercial and advertising thrives on images like those. Many of the photographers showcased get paid more for a single shoot than many people make in a year.

[Mike Photo]

I agree with a lot of the remarks as far as how marketable these photos are, especially Kajuah's remark that everything is marketable and profitable.

I follow a lot of the photographers careers that appear on that site and most are doing very well for themselves, Including magazine work, exhibitions and gallery/museum hangings.

But besides that there are lots of interesting markets you wouldnt expect them to be selling to. Lots of the European photographers doing bizarre themed shoots are selling there work to high fashion magazines and clothing line adverts. Think vogue and vanity fair.

Several of the Flickr artists who do a lot of self portrait work also do advertising for vintage clothing shops and online catalogs. Which are increasing in number as of late. This may be a small market but it works for those artists.

Several of the mixed media and Photoshop artists have found smaller markets in advertising aswell including for many of the tools and products they use to create their work.

Besides all these examples I think you'd be surprised to see that several of these photographers are also doing the type of work you might expect in addition to the stuff posted on the blog. A few are wedding photographers, some do portraits for models that want unique images. A couple shoot for magazines and newspapers as Photojournalists. While others only tour doing exhibits selling their prints as fine art.

Sorry for the long post I think i got cared away but I wonder if sometime we forget how diverse a field photography is and can be. Its only going to increase in size as technology increases and different artistic mediums blend and create new types of art. there will always be a market for new and unique ideas you just have to find them or create them.
Mike Photo

[Alleh]

Several of the Flickr artists who do a lot of self portrait work also do advertising for vintage clothing shops and online catalogs. Which are increasing in number as of late. This may be a small market but it works for those artists.


Yeah there was the woman from Greenland I think? She did all these really awesome creative self portraits. Last I heard she was shooting a Prius advertisement.

[zagiace]

Yeah there was the woman from Greenland I think? She did all these really awesome creative self portraits. Last I heard she was shooting a Prius advertisement.
Iceland -if it is the same self portrait artist who got a Ford contract from her Flickr work.

[Gentleman Villain]

Self portrait artist - Is that what it's called when a girl takes a naked pictures of herself in her bedroom?

[advaitin]

I asked one, Mark Velasquez, how he was doing. His reply was that photography was not his day job, but that it could be a viable alternative, implying that he could switch if he wanted to.

So some of those posted may be advanced amateurs, but some are obviously (by their web sites) professionals.