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FORUMS Post Processing, Marketing & Presenting Photos The Business of Photography 
Thread started 30 Oct 2010 (Saturday) 13:03
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Selling Prints

 
Zipline
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Oct 30, 2010 13:03 |  #1

A lot of people have been telling me lately that I should really start selling some of my photos. Mainly my whale shots, but there are others as well. I'm not sure what type of market there would be for whale photos, but I'm willing to give it a shot. I've never done anything like this before though so I don't even know where to begin. I know I'll have to come up with a new website showcasing them and such, but that's about it.

How do you sell your photos? Do you just print them at home using high quality paper or do you bring them a photo lab and have them done? I don't have a professional quality printer (it's a Canon i960), but it is a photo printer and I can't afford to buy one right now. I've been very pleased with the quality of prints. Also, do you prefer to use glossy or matte paper?

Any other beginner advice is welcome! :)


- Mandy
> Bodies: Canon Rebel 300D, XTi, and T3i
> Lenses: Kit Lens, Canon 75-300mm & 55-250mm lenses
> Check out my new site @ Hypnotized by Nature (external link)

  
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amfoto1
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Oct 30, 2010 14:10 |  #2

There are a lot of ways to sell photos....

You asked specifically about selling prints, but before I go there you might want to keep in mind some other ways to make some money off your images.

You can license them for usage by publishers, in advertising, on posters (and you don't need to have whales sign model releases!). Maybe you should try selling them through some stock photo websites. I'd suggest steering clear of micro stock, at least initially. That's where image usage is sold for very small amounts, often just a few dollars, and often royalty free which means they can do practically anything with your images for as long as they like. Insteadfirst give the higher paying, more traditional stock photos sales a try. I see you shoot video, too... there might be a companion market for that, as well.

Stock photography can be quite rewarding to someone with a good sized portfolio who is regularly adding new material. Check out Bill Bachmann's website at billbachmann.com. He's been at it for 30+ years and is probably among the top four or five stock photographers in the world (but it's still just a sideline to him!). Bill occasionally does seminars on stock photography. Highly recommended and very eye-opening!

If you want to sell fine art prints, too, hey go for it. Some suggestions... Go for the high end, with limited edition, framed or matted and framed prints. Outsource your printing unless you have a lot of skill and a large format, pigment based printer. Most typical inkjets use dye based inks that don't offer the long lifespan of pigment inks. Paper is a big consideration, too. High quality, 100% rag paper is generally preferred for fine art prints, but it costs a lot more than standard inkjet paper. So unless you are willing to put the money into a printer and supplies, plus learn to use them very well, you might want to outsource your printing for a while.

I mention matting and framing because in my experience buyers are lazy. They purchase framed prints 10X or more as frequently as they do unframed. They are willing to pay the additional cost to be able to take a framed print home and hang it on the wall. Of course, this means additional cost to you up front, for matting and framing. You also have to make selections that you hope people will like and can see fitting into their home decor. If you do your own matting and/or framing (assembly only), you can offer customizing options, a modest selection of frames and mats that are done to order.

You don't need to keep all these things on hand, in stock. But alternatively need a good, reliable source to go to when a customer places an order. I suggest sticking with standard sizes, so you can use precut mats and readymade frames, which are far less costly than custom made.

There are some things to learn, to do matting and framing well, even with precuts and readymade. Often there are classes available, which I recommend. They might get into cutting your own mats or assembling your own frames.... Which may be a little more than you want to tackle initially, if for no other reason than there are some expensive tools to buy to do it efficiently and well. But it still be very helpful to know what's involved.

Next you have to think about where and how to market your images. In my experience, wine & cheese festivals, Renaissance Faires, and, to a lesser degree, many arts & crafts shows just aren't very productive. If people are going to an event to watch ethnic dancing, get their kids' faces painted, and eat interesting foods, that's not likely a good venue to try to sell higher priced artwork. It might work well for lower cost items such as mugs or mouse pads or greeting cards with your images on them.

A juried art show is perhaps the best outlet for fine art photos. There the customers are more art-savvy and probably expecting to spend a bit more. It's less of an impulse buyer market, more people looking specifically for something to hang over the sofa or in the dining room.

Some arts & crafts shows work out well for photographers, so I don't discount them entirely. Check any in your area out carefully - perhaps by talking with other photographers - before you commit and put a lot of money and effort into printing and preparing a lot of work to try to sell there.

Above I also mentioned limited editions. That's important with fine art prints. Buyers are often thinking of their purchase as an investment, so don't want the market to be flooded with copies. Personally I limit my editions to 200... But I've seen others limiting photographic prints to very small numbers - 10 or a dozen. And offering larger editions - up to 500 or sometimes even more. Basically, a well established photographer who has some wide recognition can probably get away with larger editions. Check out Thomas Mangelsen's website, for example: mangelsen.com.

You also might look into hanging some of your work in local coffee shops, doctor/dentist offices, restaurants, etc. Often these places need decor and will jump at a chance to get it for free, even if for a set period of time. (Permanent displays they should purchase.)

Your website is another place you might sell, possibly stock photo licensing, fine prints for display, and other products you might make from your images. The trick is promoting your site and driving traffic to it.

I generally prefer matte paper for fine art prints because I mat and frame them under glass. Also matte shows detail a little better and is often longer-lived (more archival). An exception is black and white, where I generally prefer a slight satin finish. I don't use so-called "non glare" glass (loses a lot of detail) and shiny glass on a glossy print you can too often get a double glare or reflections off the surface. Glossy paper does tend to have a bit deeper blacks and more saturated colors, but you can dial up an image on matte or satin to come very close. A glossy finish is more durable for use in photo albums and other areas, but shows fingerprints more than satin. I try to avoid touching a matte finish at all... it's often quite delicate.


Alan Myers (external link) "Walk softly and carry a big lens."
5DII, 7DII, 7D, M5 & others. 10-22mm, Meike 12/2.8,Tokina 12-24/4, 20/2.8, EF-M 22/2, TS 24/3.5L, 24-70/2.8L, 28/1.8, 28-135 IS (x2), TS 45/2.8, 50/1.4, Sigma 56/1.4, Tamron 60/2.0, 70-200/4L IS, 70-200/2.8 IS, 85/1.8, Tamron 90/2.5, 100/2.8 USM, 100-400L II, 135/2L, 180/3.5L, 300/4L IS, 300/2.8L IS, 500/4L IS, EF 1.4X II, EF 2X II. Flashes, strobes & various access. - FLICKR (external link)

  
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Zipline
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Oct 31, 2010 09:45 |  #3

Thanks for the great info. You definitely gave a lot to think about. I definitely can't afford a professional printer and I really don't want to have to stock frames and mats (at least not now) so I'll be looking into the licensing side for now. :)


- Mandy
> Bodies: Canon Rebel 300D, XTi, and T3i
> Lenses: Kit Lens, Canon 75-300mm & 55-250mm lenses
> Check out my new site @ Hypnotized by Nature (external link)

  
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