Which bussinesses could I sell my work to?

[phil_johnson]

Hello,

I have a lot of pictures at my house and I'm waiting to find out where to sell them to. I know i am going to get rejected at least 90% of the time. I feel that I have a couple quality pictures. Thanks to anyone who posts here for spening their time helping me out.

[don_baccus]

You need to tell us more. Are these slides or prints? Are you thinking of selling large prints or are you speaking of trying to get published in the press?

 

<p>

 

If you're interested in getting published in magazines, I suggest you scour a good newstand for magazines that interest you. It is easiest to break into small, regional magazines. They don't pay all that much so you won't be competing against the likes of John Shaw or Art Wolfe for space. And your collection of photos from nearby areas are likely to be your strongest asset, if you're like most photographers. So, a small regional, magazine specializing in your area is a good place to look.

 

<p>

 

After you identify your target, you must seek and destroy it :) Buy a copy of the magazine and study the photographs it uses. Do they run stand-alone photos, or are all photos associated with a story? Magazines that run stand-alone photos are a much better target, as often the writer picks the photographer (or is the photographer) for articles, especially with smaller magazines.

 

<p>

 

So you've found a smallish magazine that covers a region that's a good match for your photos, and publishes stand-alone photos on a regular basis. What now?

 

<p>

 

Buy a copy. Read it cover-to-cover and take a look at past issues if possible. Such study will help you put together a submission that fits their style of photography and taste in subjects. Then, look at the box towards the front of the magazine that includes the name of the editor, addresses for subscription, for editorial stuff, etc. Write them a short letter asking for submission guidelines, and include a SASE. Don't send this to the subscription address, which is often just a commercial company that manages subscriptions for a shitpile of magazines. Send it to the editorial office. They'll send you their submission guidelines.

 

<p>

 

Then - follow their guidelines to the letter and submit.

 

<p>

 

If you get a rejection letter, don't feel bad. Many magazines send out a form checklist rejection. There's usually, in my limited experience, one possible checkmark that in essence politely says "your photos suck". If you get one of those, you seriously need to re-evaluate the way you select photos to submit.

 

<p>

 

More frequently, though, you get a letter that in essence says your photos either duplicate stuff they've got, or don't meet their current needs. "rejection" is a bad term for such a letter, because it implies your stuff isn't good. You have to remember that this doesn't mean the editor is rejecting your work in any critical sense, but simply means they don't need what you have to offer at the moment. It's not (necessarily) a value judgement of your photography.

 

<p>

 

For instance, my most recent rejection letter, from a regional magazine I've done quite a bit of writing and photography for, included a hand-written note saying "sorry, two other writers beat you to the punch" with my (topical) idea for an article. Of course, one of those two others got a note saying "sorry, someone else beat you to the punch" whereas the other got a note saying "good idea! We'll take it!"

 

<p>

 

Get the picture?

[phil_johnson]

Thank You. I am working with prints, not slides. I was thinking of working with smaller press prints. Thanks again for your help.

[bob_atkins]

There's a book with a title of something like "Photographer's

Marketplace" (there are other's like "Writer's Marketplace",

"Artist's Marketplace" etc.) which you can find in any large

bookstore. It lists a lot (and I mean a <em>LOT</em>) of

places which buy images.

 

<p>

 

You will have to be very, very lucky to sell "a couple of

quality pictures", especially as negatives. Many people trying

to sell their work have thousands of quality slides - and they

don't find it easy! A 90% rejection rate isn't all that bad, if

you sell images to 1 out of 10 contacts, you are doing very well

indeed.

 

<p>

 

BTW I'm assuming these are nature images. If not, the question

does not belong in this forum!

[jeff_hallett]

I might also add that,at least in Photographers Mkt, they want

slides form the most part and generally do not deal with prints except B&W.