Photo artist request for opinions and advice

Photoarts

Fellow photographers:
I am new to Smugmug and even newer to Dgrin but would appreciate your opinions and advice for a 'part time' photographer wanting to market his art. Please see my galleries at www.nashery.com . My Smugmug name is photoarts.

First I am thankful for all the great advice on this forum but see a few key items missing that I was hoping to bounce off you and get some advice. Most of what is present is about shooting sport events for kids or wedding family gatherings etc. How about simple art for the bare walls of peoples home and offices. How about galleries that sell art. Is there any money on that even for part time artist who would like to market his art?
I have done some reseach in the business that people spend about 50B a year covering thier bare wall even though I understand most of that may be paintings and watercolors etc. photography as a small percentage of that would still be great if it was simply art! Is there a viable market out there? Do people still buy landscapes and Micros?
I just got started with a Pro account at Smugmug and have a lot to learn about the business but then again photography is not what is feeding the kids, if I could write off some business expenses for a year or two and then get profitable just enough to buy gear and get some cash in two to three years I wouls still be happy, is that a possibility and does anyone have experiance out there that could give me suggestions?
I would also appreciate your opinion on my art at www.nashery.com friends tell me I have a great eye for composition but I am going to find out if that is enough for a part time business or not.

Opinins? Advice? Business dos and don'ts? Art of photography dos and don't?
Thank you!

zoomer

First you must have something people will pay for. Remember on the internet you are competing in a world market.
Your work must be up to that standard.
Since you asked for an opinion: Your work is not at that level.

Some people are able to find a niche market and sell some prints exploring that type of avenue....still more get into photographing people, where obviously the skill level required to gain entry into that market is not very high.

I asked the same questions you are asking 5 years ago. I got the same answer I am giving you, and it is even more true today.
Keep working at it and improve your craft.

Are you familiar with stock photography. People can buy professional quality prints for a couple dollars.

Glort

I have never tried doing it but my impression is that Art photography is the hardest of all to sell and market.
I think I am way above most shooters in my knowledge of sales, marketing and advertising but flogging art pics to make anything worth while out of it is not something I'd want to have to do.

That said, I have read fairly recently where some people were saying they printed and matted their work and took it to various markets and fairs and did well from them. I don't know what " Doing well" actually amounts to but I would think that you would stand a better chance of making sales where people could see, touch and take the pics home on an impulse buy than having to go through the drama of ordering and waiting for the work to arrive. i also think you would expose yourself to a much wider market. I couldn't imagine anyone I know going online looking for art photos but I can imagine a lot of people seeing something they liked and buying it on impulse thinking that would go nice on the wall in the hallway or in the kitchen etc.

Sure you would have to make more of an investment to do this than just printing what you have ordered but I am also sure the results would be a lot different to what amounts to the easy way out of selling on the net.

All this said, i'm sure if you googled "Selling art photography" there would be heaps of info you could find to point you in the right direction.

Good luck with it.

Photoarts

Thanks for the input

zoomer wrote: »

First you must have something people will pay for. Remember on the internet you are competing in a world market.
Your work must be up to that standard.
Since you asked for an opinion: Your work is not at that level.

Some people are able to find a niche market and sell some prints exploring that type of avenue....still more get into photographing people, where obviously the skill level required to gain entry into that market is not very high.

I asked the same questions you are asking 5 years ago. I got the same answer I am giving you, and it is even more true today.
Keep working at it and improve your craft.

Are you familiar with stock photography. People can buy professional quality prints for a couple dollars.

Thanks for the input especially now that I know that it is coming from 'The' Arch photographer and all time top 20 Smugmug contrinutor. I know there is plenty available on the web and much of it can be obtained rather cheaply, certainly there is a lot for me to learn and that is why I joint this forum. I felt Aerial photography as a niche and one that I didn't see many people in but I got really good reviews on Macro and other landscapes too. I apperas to me much of fine art photography is actually purchased in galleries and art shows and not directly off the web. Is that true are there stats one can find. I understand art of any kind is hightly suseptable to any economic down turn as it is simply not essential.
I not only enjoy the photogrpahy but also the fulfilment of making contacts, meeting and talking to people and having my work appreciated, as much as there is a lot more to learn for me. I will read further on presentation techniques and marketing art work if there is more on this site. I have given myself 10K to loose over 2-3years and some hours away from family although not too extreme to make this work and profitable and would like to hear from folks who have been able to do it part time if such a thing exists!
Thanks again

chrisjohnson

My friends who sell their "art" are doing it very traditionally - exhibitions, fairs, galleries. Slowly they build a local reputation and slowly this extends. One miraculous day, new customers actually come calling.

No short-cuts that I am aware of unless you have an influential patron and become fashionable in certain circles.

You could try to cut deals with local retailers - furniture stores, restauranteurs, gift shops, etc. However, your pricing will suffer and probably your image so you need to be very selective.

To sell "art" successfully you need a distinct style. Your photo's are much better than mine but there is no unifying and distinct style that would attract a following - imho.

Angelo

We have so much more here than just sports and weddings! with more than 10 forums dedicated to various photo arts. but to your point...

the old adage applies here: "Beauty (art) is in the eye of the beholder"

What anyone defines as art or as being beautiful or intriguing enough to own and hang on their wall is extremely subjective. You have many beautiful images in your galleries that would gracefully adorn any wall. You just need to find the proper outlet for marketing your images to a discerning crowd.

As for the comparison to other art forms. Many of us have heard stories of huge price tags assigned to the works of photo masters but by and large I see photography as a less expensive medium. At the risk of defaming myself or inflaming my fellow photographers I'll say I believe snapping a photo of a beautiful landscape requires far less talent, creative or technical, than a painter with the ability to convey the scene onto canvas with his own hand.

Understanding that should help put perspective on the price ranges one should expect when offering their work for sale.

.

Photogbiker

I'm with Goldenballs, hit a local art fair and pay for a booth. Spend some money printing your best, a few of them large and framed. Copies of them matted printed 5x7 and 8x10 in bins. Sit out there with a smile for a weekend and see what happens. You'll have instant feedback on which of your prints are sellers, and which belong in the cellar. You'll probably also see others out there doing the same.

Takes big ones to lay your work out for the public to critique, can be incredibly exhilarating or incredibly humbling....often both at the same time. My hats off to those that do it regardless of how well they do.

orljustin

I don't think you're shooting anything that any other weekend shooter isn't shooting. There are an infinite number of landscape, insect, butterfly, etc. images out there to buy. Yours are probably as acceptable as any of them. As mentioned, a weekend show might snag you a couple sales for people looking for impulse buys of random insects.

stirinthesauce

I by no means am making a living out of selling my photographic art, however, I am selling my photos regularly in my area. I will share with you some sage advice that a local artist who owns a gallery I display and sell in shared with me when I was just thinking about possibly selling my work.

To paraphrase, he shared with me about a photographer whom had been displaying his work for years in his store but was unable to sell. He stated that the art was great however it was too "National Geographic", that having beautiful shots were great of Costa Rica, California, etc., however what people wanted at his shop was art of the area. Since his store was in a somewhat of a destination/tourist town, the local shoppers were out of towners. They wanted art (weather plein air oil paintings or photographs) of the local attractions. I took that advice and began to matte and frame those images I had so many off but I thought were unexciting (I saw those attractions daily or weekly so not as exciting to me) and began to sell. See, I had great photographs from Costa Rica (and other places ) but the people buying wanted images of the places they have been to so as to bring home memories. Once I began to display the local attractions at that gallery and others, I began to sell regularly and still do. The area is my "niche" market. I now sell at 2 gallery's in that town and since moving to a neighboring town, sell locally as well.

I have found that selling art locally though is hit and miss. I may have a great month and then nothing for 3-6 months. Very inconsistent. I have since begun to branch out to portraiture and wedding work to supplement my creative passion which is landscapes.

Find out what sells in the area and fill that niche. Or create a niche, just as long as there is an interest. If so, there will be a market.

-Jon

Photoarts

Thank you
Very good advice and one that I had given some thought to, I appreciate that you took the time to write a few lines, thanks.

stirinthesauce wrote: »

I by no means am making a living out of selling my photographic art, however, I am selling my photos regularly in my area. I will share with you some sage advice that a local artist who owns a gallery I display and sell in shared with me when I was just thinking about possibly selling my work.

To paraphrase, he shared with me about a photographer whom had been displaying his work for years in his store but was unable to sell. He stated that the art was great however it was too "National Geographic", that having beautiful shots were great of Costa Rica, California, etc., however what people wanted at his shop was art of the area. Since his store was in a somewhat of a destination/tourist town, the local shoppers were out of towners. They wanted art (weather plein air oil paintings or photographs) of the local attractions. I took that advice and began to matte and frame those images I had so many off but I thought were unexciting (I saw those attractions daily or weekly so not as exciting to me) and began to sell. See, I had great photographs from Costa Rica (and other places ) but the people buying wanted images of the places they have been to so as to bring home memories. Once I began to display the local attractions at that gallery and others, I began to sell regularly and still do. The area is my "niche" market. I now sell at 2 gallery's in that town and since moving to a neighboring town, sell locally as well.

I have found that selling art locally though is hit and miss. I may have a great month and then nothing for 3-6 months. Very inconsistent. I have since begun to branch out to portraiture and wedding work to supplement my creative passion which is landscapes.

Find out what sells in the area and fill that niche. Or create a niche, just as long as there is an interest. If so, there will be a market.

-Jon