 Joseph M. Kolecki |
How/where to sell prints Hello, For the past four years I have been doign wedding photography... Pretty straight forward, I shoot the wedding and my customers purchase prints from their proof album. What I would like to do is something more in addition to wedding photography. I'd like to start selling prints of my nature/city photography. Where and how would be the best place to start doing that? I'm really not sure who would even buy that or how to compete (so many others doing it). Could anyone offer me advice? Thanks in advance. Joe
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Mark Feldstein |
Do some homework Joe. First drop a dime on a book called (strangely enough) "Photographer's Market" by Writers Digest Press. Read it and then start sending out query letters. Hunt around BP for articles and threads on identical subjects your're asking about including stock and then write some more query letters. Take it light ;>) Mark
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Pete H |
Joe, The road you seek is sought after by many. Mark's advice is bang on. This is NOT an easy profession to break into; even harder to maintain. Might I suggest the following web site by Dan Heller. I read and then re-read his material many times over years ago. http://www.danheller.com/ This guy is a "been there done that" person. There is not a single person alive today who can give you a A-B-C approach to selling & marketing. What works for one may not work for you..There are many variables. I cite Dan Heller's web site because he almost (dissuades) the one who desires to do this as a profession or just added income. He eloquently lays out the pitfalls along the way. I can not speak for anyone else here on the BP boards, but a professional does not (sell) his/her photos..They MARKET them!..and you can not market without a business plan; you can certainly try, but that is what I call Voodoo economics. It is not that no one is willing to answer your question directly; it is more of a case that no one CAN answer your question directly. It is not like baking a cake. I could give you 50 sources to sell your prints..and that information is pretty much useless! My best advice? 1) Market research. This should take you about a year to do properly. 2) Business plan. Maybe a month to develop a good one.
Pete
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Joseph M. Kolecki |
Mark and Pete, I appreciate your responses and advice. Not what I wanted to hear?... I don't know, it definitly reassures my suspicions of this being a hard profession to break into... Its good to hear others say it.
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Joseph M. Kolecki |
I wonder if you would critiqing my website? www.koleckiphoto.com. You certainly do not have too, but it would be a great help to hear what other photographers have to say about it. Be as brutally honest as you like, believe me you will not hurt my feelings.
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Mark Feldstein |
I agree with Petes advice as well. I've been in this biz for 35 years and every time I pitch a prospective new client, I feel like in some ways I'm getting started all over again. It's interesting, Joe, that photo buyers are a stranger lot than the photographers they buy from. What pleases them one day may not the next. Selecting work is is usually a very arbitrary process at best. As far as critiquing your web site, you need to be your own best and worst critic. Be tough. Very tough on yourself but at the same time, understand that you're on a learning curve. It takes a lot of time to perfect various techniques, learn how to handle various situations and how to solve photographic problems. That's why commercial shooters and photojournalists are often hired: because the person who does the hiring knows that we know how to solve their photo problem. It's certainly not the fact that we have camera equipment or even just one camera and a business card, if that. Charging for services doesn't make one a pro either. Get the book, do your research, practice a lot, send out a lot of trial balloons and find a niche market for yourself to test and explore.
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Paul Hakimata |
Hi Joseph, I sell my photos through Dreamstime. This might be something for you. You can read more here: Hakimata Stock Portfolio. Best,
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