how to sell

[vadtel]

Hello. I live in Brooklyn. I really enjoy photography. I'm spending almost all

my income for gear (hi Canon!). And I'm more poet than a businessman. Although

I have family. Can anybody give me advise how to start sell picures? I'm not a

Pro but I'm serious enough in what I'm doing.

I'll be appreciate for any info!

[leicaglow]

Become a marketing person first, or get a good agent. That's my crutch since I'm just a hack. I'd starve otherwise. It's more about who you know than just what you can do. Meet a lot of business people. Get involved in the business community. That's one way to do it.

 

Another piece of advice: never give your stuff away. Keep your prices high and don't take too many crap assignments just to fill your portfolio. People are always taking advantage of photographers (and sometimes the other way around). For every $2500 job you bid, some moron will bid a 1/10th the price. But eventually the client will understand they get what they pay for. Keep schmoozing<g>.

[mitchfalk]

I also live in Brooklyn and spend twice as much on equiptment. If you really enjoy photography, don't become a pro, you won't enjoy it for long. Stay a poet and be true to yourself and your art. I get several jobs a month but people always think they can get it better or cheaper or faster. I have done jobs for almost nothing for couples who dont have much money. The look on their faces when they see my work is payment enough.

[art_haykin]

I'm not clear: do you want to sell photos you've taken as "art" or "creative" work, or do you want to do paid assignments for clients?

[vadtel]

Hello everybody! Thanks for your suggestions! I really appreciate your help!

Yes, I want to sell pictures I already have in my portfolio. Michael, what is the next step after portfolio? If I will print it as a book, where will you recommend me to send it? Does anybody have experience with stock? And if I will build my own site - what is the right way to promote it? Where may I get the release form to sign if I will take portraits?

[art_haykin]

Selling photos for their own sake as "art" is the toughest gig in all of Christendom. Once you get about 30 or 40 of your best images produced, you can take them to galleries that show photos,

submit them to various appropriate publications, go to art and craft type fairs, set up a sidewalk display in town,

advertise on inexpensive local TV, etc. A website must be vigorously promoted, so check with Google on this. Many pay for ads placed all over Google, where appropriate, to call attention to their site, and this costs BUCKS! Stock photo houses are usually interested only in 100s or even 1000s of images, with new ones coming along all the time. Unless your stuff is REALLY spectacular, you may not have a sale for YEARS. In other words, don't quit your day job.