What are the reasons behind people thinking they can sell photo prints without understaning basic principles of photographic technique?

[falcon7]

<p>I'm not sure if this inquiry belongs here or under business of photography, but the question goes more to perception and attitude I believe, than money. I'd like to use Etsy as my 'case study' regarding the sale of photo prints since I studied the site several days ago and was a bit perplexed. <br>

I'm not addressing the intention or integrity or good will of many of the people who offer photographic prints for sale on Etsy; everyone selling in that category seems sincere in their endeavor. And I'm sure there are good photographers who sell there. But it amazes me how poor so many of the images are that are put up for sale. Not to say the photographers couldn't become better or even excellent with practice or experience, but what makes so many think their photos are of a quality high enough for someone to show in interest in buying them? <br>

I suspect it has something to do with the idea that 'anyone can be a photographer.' True, but that has nothing to do with being a good photographer (I'll give this category a some latitude because of course this is partly subjective. But I see many images that just couldn't possible lie within ANY form of accepted latitude. The only analogy regarding the assumption that "If I took the photo, then it must be good" sort of thinking I can make from personal experience is when I worked at a literary agency. We'd get manuscripts that were just incredibly awful--even in regard to the submitter's ability to write a syntactically proper sentence (and there was very little correlation in writing quality and 'formal education or training.' I suspect the same idea was at play: namely the idea anyone can be a 'writer'. All you need to do is write. Do you think that's the basic crux of the thinking behind the photo print offerings that don't seem to have little to offer?</p>

 

[frank_skomial]

<p>1. buyers do not understand those principles either, and they will purchase because they just like what they see.</p>

<p>2. - your turn...</p>

[Charles_Webster]

<p>I think some of it comes from the encouragement of friends who say "Oh, you should sell your pictures..." after seeing one, slightly-better-than-average picture from the photographer. Before I turned pro, I heard that all the time. Interestingly few of the pictures that gave rise to that reaction actually sold!</p>

<p>Having been an editor for many years, I agree that it's similar to the "anyone can write" syndrome. Today's technology makes the mechanics of writing/photography easy, so people forget that there really is a craft/discipline to writing/making pictures that can't be shortcut by an automatic spell/grammar checker or a green box auto exposure mode.</p>

<p><Chas><br /><br /></p>

[garydem]

<p>very likely. how many times has a person who was using a p&s bought a dslr, then in a week or two say they are goijng to shoot a wedding for fee and THEN ASK HOW?<br>

it is the basic thinking-i have good gear therefore i shoot good images. that being so i can sell them and make money and pay for the gear and make money for me. unfortunately there are a lot of b+gs who get stuck with the poor product. and others who put the images on a web site and sell them to anjyone foolish enough to buy them. there are very good photogs who have spent decades learning their craft and yet here comes the experts who have spent a month and then sell the results or try to. oh well.</p>

[Spearhead]

<p>One can spend time thinking about what they can do to improve their photography. One can also spend time thinking about what other people do. For me, the choice is easy, but I guess it isn't universal.</p>

[craigd]

<p>I don't think this is unique to photography or even the arts. People who have no idea of the basic requirements of work in almost any field will think they know enough to get by. Hang out for a while on just about any non-professional scientific forum and you'll soon come across any number of idiotic theories asserted with great confidence but based in complete ignorance. When someone really has no clue, they have no idea of how little they know.</p>

[charlesheckel]

<p>When you're creative as all get out, you don't need to understand what you're doing.</p>

[dan_n1]

<p>you can sell anything to anyone if you're good to convince people and you're making the product look good.<br /> It has nothing to do with the basic technical aspect of making the product, including photography.</p>

[mike dixon]

You should pick out several people with terrible photos and write them directly asking why they think they can sell them. Any other answers are just speculation.

[the celt 2]

<p>Have to agree with some of these posts. Pople will buy what they like. I personally hate the word "pretty" when used to descibe a photo. (that's just the old fart in me) I was once asked why I don't (or rarely) shoot color, because "color is prettier" than B&W. This coment came from an adult.</p>

[bobatkins]

<p>What do you have to lose?</p>

<p>Someone, somewhere might like almost anything. If it costs you nothing to offer something for sale you've little of nothing to lose by offering it.</p>

<p>This is the internet generation where people find tweets about what you had for breakfast interesting</p>

[marcaubin]

<p>"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few." <br>

<em >- Shunryu Suzuki</em></p>

[railphotog]

<p>In our area there are still quite a few covered bridges, and they seem to attract a lot of photographic attention. I noticed many years ago in public shows put on by the camera club I belonged to that we'd get the most comments from the general public on the covered bridge photos. Even if they were just plain simple shots of the bridges, the public liked them. So I imagine anyone could roam around taking photos of the bridges and would probably sell some of them, whether they had any artistic merit or not. </p>

<p>"I don't know about art, but I like covered bridges".</p>

<p> </p>

[bobatkins]

<blockquote>

<p>"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind there are few"</p>

</blockquote>

<p>That's a criticism of experts, not the beginners (as some many think). The point being that experts become close minded, not that they know the "truth" or "correct" way to do things! We should all strive to be beginners and explore all possibilities.</p>

<p>I guess that includes offering images for sale regardless of "skill level"</p>

<p>If someone likes an image enough to buy it, it really doesn't matter how skilled the photographer was.</p>

[steve m smith]

<blockquote>

<p>What are the reasons behind people thinking they can sell photo prints without understaning basic principles of photographic technique?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It's quite simple. If they are selling prints then they can.</p>

[craigd]

<blockquote>

<p>That's a criticism of experts, not the beginners (as some many think). The point being that experts become close minded, not that they know the "truth" or "correct" way to do things! We should all strive to be beginners and explore all possibilities.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It's neither merely a criticism of expertise nor praise of ignorance or lack of skill. The point is to have all the expertise but not lose the beginner's enthusiasm and sense of infinite possibilities. To have expertise but be limited by ideas of what is "correct" is creative death; to have ideas but not the skill to execute them is merely incompetence. </p>

[aplumpton]

<p>Probably for the same reason that most think they can flash brightly on one of the Idol shows. Also, unless you are well-informed of what the medium can do at best, or are critical enough, a lot of ordinary photos are appealing to you.</p>

[976photo]

<p>If people are willing to buy it you can sell anything you want, regardless of the actual "quality" of the item being sold.</p>

<p>Take the Twilight movies for example, they have sold and continue to sell millions of tickets and merchandise for a very sub-par, poorly written, and horribly acted vampire-romance movie. As long as people are willing to dish out the money for it, they'll continue to put the, uh... crap... out there for them to buy. </p>

[david_henderson]

<ul>

<li>Because prospective buyers don't think about the photographer's technical merits. They either engage with a photograph or they don't. If they do they may buy it.</li>

<li>Because there's a huge difference between putting a photograph up for sale and selling it. Don't run away with the idea that all the photographs you think are c**p are actually selling. More worrying is the fact that most of the stuff you think is great won't sell either.</li>

<li>Because there's no cost to try, and the bragging rights for even one sale are considerable</li>

<li>Because not all the photographs that you think are clueless are in fact clueless. And not all the photographs that are in fact technically useless are considered so by their authors. </li>

</ul>

<p>There's more- in fact there's much more, but I think that's enough.</p>

[steve_levine]

<p>As grandpa used to say, "there's an ass for every seat".</p>

<p> </p>

[leighb]

<p>The people BUYING the photos know nothing about technique.</p>

<p>They just know what they like.</p>

<p>Ultimately the only reason anything sells is because the buyer wants to buy it.</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

 

[kevin_delson]

<blockquote>

<p>the only reason anything sells is because the buyer wants to buy it.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>..or marketing pressures have convinced all the sheep they need it.</p>

<p>Pet Rock Syndrome</p>

[alanmac]

<p>There is nothing in this world that someone cannot make a little nastier and a little cheaper. Those people that consider price alone are that man's lawful prey</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>In the beginning were the experts, critics, curators and teachers.</p>

<p>And the walls were barren and there was nothing for them to do.</p>

<p>Look now! Come the rabble, the purveyors of artless works and consumers thereof.</p>

<p>And there was much rejoicing among the experts, critics, curators and teachers, who scoffed at the dimness of the rabble.</p>

<p>And God said: "Lighten up."</p>

[thomas_sullivan]

<p>I worked in a major camera store in NYC and I saw some of the worse photography I have ever laid my eyes on that customers and other employees made. There are people that just sell...they can't be happy just doing something unless it has the potential to make money. And these people were making money with their crap pictures. There are people out there that just buy anything. As far as I'm concerned the producer of crap and the buyer of crap deserve each other....</p>

<p>....and except for the occasional amazement I get that this actually exists in the world.....I could care less what they do.</p>