Does anyone sell prints online?

Or at art fairs?

I would be interested to know what the saturation is for photographers selling thier artwork online? Do you get much business that way? How about art fairs?

Thanks,

Rad

There have been several threads over the past couple of months on this subject.

Here is one of my responses on how I am dealing with the craft fair thing.

I can provide an update on the first of these sales which happened last weekend. After adding up the costs and sales I am a few hundred dollars ahead. I was not able to attend myself and the person that was doing the selling for me was not able to answer any technical questions which she said there were quite a few of. There was apparently two competing sales in the same smaller community (45K) which didn't help any of the artisans at either sale. I am not unhappy with the results but not overly joyed either. I still have allot of stock and hoping that this will move in the next sale that is next weekend.

This is becoming a saturated market as the listing of the vendors for the one sale we had a booth at listed 8 persons selling photographs and many others selling art work.

IMO, print selling is becoming tougher and tougher with the sheer number of people with higher quality camera gear. This segment is no different than, for example, the wedding photography market where there is a whole slew of photographers doing it now. Everyone with a new DSLR are capable of turning out good quality work. Some choose to exploit it by shooting part time thus making the market more saturated.

Browse through a number of the threads here over the past couple of months and you find quite a few dealing with this subject.

I do and business is quite good.

Having said that, I am in a niche market and have worked hard to build client loyalty (yes, there still is some out there).

www.pbase.com/jpfergus​on

Do you have to frame photographs to sell them at art fairs? It seems that is where the most expensive for a photograph is. I believe sometimes I just see them matted, with no frame, but they could have those in the back. I would like to get into this at really small, free fairs, and was wondering if I should just buy those $2 walmart frames for 8x10's that come with matting or something.

I sell sports and event images online, but the key to my success is not only marketing but the fact that the images actually mean something to the customer. People seem to be more apt to buy photos of their child participating in a sporting event or performing in a play vs. an art print. As Sheldon said, there are too many people out there now with high end equipment to make selling art prints a huge success.

I just started ad I am selling prints, but I dont know how anyone would want to count on this to make a living? Dont get me wrong, I love shooting sports and playing on the internet, but that is all I do, just play. I know it can be done, but it takes work and selling youself and your site and your product.

I am going to stick to my day job so I can retire one day and afford to update camera equipment once I am retired....

Have been selling online for over three years & i look at it as martketing and a bonus. Make your money up front to survive

Vegas Poboy wrote in post #2303818
Have been selling online for over three years & i look at it as martketing and a bonus. Make your money up front to survive

That's an important point to make. I don't depend on the online sales as a main source of income, but rather a means of exposure. I've booked numerous portrait sessions from my website, and that is how I make money. Getting the money up front is good advice, too. I make it very clear that session fees and print fees are to be paid up front, and I will not photograph anyone or order prints unless this is the case.