Could I sell shots....

Could I sell shots like this at local gym? Want to really start doing more boxing photography and get shots of

guys sparring as well<div></div>

or this<div></div>

You need to get a website that you can post them on, so that the boxers can go there and choose to purchase the ones they want.

Selling pre printed prints is a waste of time and materials.

Probably a better question is would anyone buy them? And that question has less to do with quality and more to do with the avaliable market. (BTW, I like the first one better, basically coz you can see the guys face)

 

I frequently go as a participant to swing dance balls, I usually take a camera, get lots of good shot and have long thought about selling prints but could never be bothered organising it as there didn't seem to be an easy way in Aust. and I wasn't sure I'd sell much anyway. This weekend there is another ball that I'm planning to shoot and have a go at selling the photos. What makes this one different is that it's a "really" formal one, black tie, everyone will be dressed in 1930's and 1940's vintage which makes me think that people are more likely want photos and hence worth the effort. Anyway that's my logic, fingers crossed.

give a couple at first create a demand and you will see. It work for me

Nice shots! One thing you may could try is shoot and make a proof book and leave it on the front desk and let

people thumb through it directing them to your site..or call you with the image number...

 

I find that simply having a flyer with a generic image and your website address on the desk is not enough to

drive traffic to your website. The proofs don't have to be high quality just enough to spark their interest and

to see themselves will increase the traffic to your site. Then add some discount hooks on the site..they dont

have to be a real discount just the perception they are getting a great deal.

 

Also, contribute a couple to the gym for display in a decent classic black frame with signed matte. Offer signed

matte framed prints as a product, perhaps adding their name to the matte and your signature.they love this..

 

Also, what might look cool is the add some grunge to the images -adding grain, mono noise and/or higher contrast

in Photoshop.

Commenting purely from a business perspective (i.e. irrespective of the worth of the images):

 

> You need to get a website that you can post them on, so that the boxers can go there and choose to purchase the ones they want. <

 

I disagree with this concept as being the most effective marketing tool, for this application.

 

> Selling pre printed prints is a waste of time and materials. <

 

I totally disagree with this point of view.

 

> give a couple at first create a demand and you will see.<

 

This idea has legs, IMO.

 

WW

As someone who sells boxing shots, I can tell you:

 

1. People mostly want color shots these days.

 

2. You have to show the face, usually of the person who will want the photo.

 

3. "Almost" shots are rarely of interest.

 

4. Most people prefer the website approach and will tell you what they want from web images.

 

5. Printing in advance *is* a wasted expense.

 

Prints are dropping off. People want web images for the most part. My clients no longer ask for any prints.

So Jeff how do you go about selling web images? Do you email them the full size JPEG or RAW image after they pay type of thing? Or do you ship them a print once they order? Say it was a really good shot. One guy could get web image then duplicate for his buddies

JS speaks volumes, I have learnt something, Thank you. I did state on the former thread I have not shot (or sold) boxing and Jeff would be one guy to ask.

 

I have re-thought my application to this question.

 

As an example, I have seen success at printing on site at swimming meets. I think that because Children are the Subjects and Parents are the clients and there is an impetus and immediacy, that situation is very different to this question. The applications of my experiences to this particular situation were flawed, I think.

 

Jeff: your points 4 & 5 are noted. Thanks again.

 

WW

JS has good points.

I agree - get a website - look at www.Smugmug.com. where you can sell photos online. You upload, set the prices, and you are done. And it is easy to set up a decent looking site. They, as other photo e-commerce sites do, handle the printing and shipping. You just have to upload good jpegs.

 

there is no one best way to advertise. An inexpensive e-commerce photo site very worthwhile. Also, some form of business card. I make 4x5 hand outs from 8 1/2 x 11 bright colored heavy paper.Get a page on flickr and even a myspace page with some of your good shots.

 

DON'T start handing out FREE photos!!! Makes it tough to start charging and hard for other photogs trying to make a living at photography.Respect your peers! Take a few good shots and frame them - buy a frame from local 'big box' store and do it yourself. Then ask the owner of the boxing club if you can hang them up there, along with your 'business cards'. Maybe 'give them to the club owner, but with the stipulation that they will be on display with your business info.Change them out or add more as time goes by. Keep them 'fresh' looking.

 

Now, relative to the two images posted here: 1st is not sharp, but otherwise fine. No.2 - no faces, not a keeper. You have to learn to get very critical of your own work and dump alot of images. I still have to keep reminding myself - after 3 or so years!

<I>So Jeff how do you go about selling web images? Do you email them the full size JPEG or RAW image after they pay type of thing? Or do you ship them a print once they order? Say it was a really good shot.</i><p>Taking the last point first, a single shot rarely is going to get the payment unless it's useful as a splash page on the web or for some advertising. Except for advertising and publication, I always sell a full fight, or, if it's gym sparring like it appears to be above, I shoot over a few days and sell a collection of them. Because I deal with the boxing gyms, I don't have any lifting of the images. I put up galleries that are not advertised and then negotiate with the gym. They use the jpgs that I post on the web. I haven't sold a print of boxing in quite a while.<P>I will also sell larger image files (never RAW, just jpg) and negotiate those separately. I used to deliver on CDs, but now I have a location for FTP.<p>Publishers usually find me through the gyms, typically, but I try to meet them at the fights if they have someone covering. I have a lot of contacts now and that really helps. <P>You should also think about this - shots with headgear are worth far less to most buyers and gym sparring is worth far less to most buyers.

I've recently started using photoshelter to sell some selected images, i've setup a photo blog off my main website to provide an easy link for users and printed up some business cards to hand out at the events.

 

Since i got my camera late last year i've been taking a lot of sports images (well, for me anyway), I started soley to get a couple of shots for use immediately following games for the pro basketball site website i manage... a couple to into 100's each game.

 

It wasn't until months into the current offseason i decided to put them in a 'shop'. Sold a dozen so far, but i'd expect a lot more when the new season starts.

 

One thing we are planning for the team is to release a new "Photo book" for autographs, we've got a couple of samples done through Blurb and pretty impressed with the result. Will probably buy a few hundred (cheaper in bulk) and sell them at 'autograph' games.

 

Shot last season with a 50mm prime, but have upped the arsenal to a 70/200 f2.8 which im looking forward to using, had a quick go at the local stadium last week for a pre-olympic warmup and was happy with the results.

 

My hobby led friends to asking me to shoot their sports (amatuer basketball, wheelchair basketball, baseball, soccer, fitness) - i've added selected pics to photoshelter and have sold a few via that. Their fees are resonable and the interface is pretty easy to use.

 

Will be donating a few to the sporting teams to auction at their end of season functions. The baseball and the fitness crew will also be ordering photobooks and calendars created before xmas.

 

With a bit 'promotion' from my end, i hope to have the camera pay for itself in the coming months.

 

I'm off to China next week to watch a mate in the Australian basketball team, was really hoping to get shots but tight restrictions look like restricting me to a P&S.. hopefully the players get allocated good seats :P<div></div>

Thanks Joel, this gives me a really good idea on how to go about this. I have lots of baseball and hockey photos as well. Once I get a site going I will be checking out those sites that you can sell shots on. Your site looks great, good luck in your venture.