How to Sell Your Photography

There will be a point in every new camera addicts life, in which they inquire of themselves, can I earn money with this? With one of the hundreds of unique DSLR’s in hand, they take kid photo after kid photo, occasional wedding pictures, family shots that will go on walls, and more child images. They post them everywhere, and email duplicates just to make sure they are received. The feed-back start rolling in, and people adore the images that are caught. Now the thought grows… I CAN make money at this.

But How?

Here is where I want to address my cautioning of the photography world…

As quick as you receive comments of gratitude and adoration about an image you took and gave away, you can more quickly receive comments of animosity and dislike when you charge for an image.

With that being known, don’t ever let a few comments or problems get in the way of doing something you are truly wild about. If you want to give photography a go, a true chance to provide a career, then do so. Gain knowledge, start small, and always comb through the plan you put in place. Everyone starts somewhere, and you learn as you go along. So how do you make your 1st buck?

All of those friends and family that regularly ask if you mind snapping a few photos of their kids, start there. Before you make this obligation, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PRICING WRITTEN DOWN. The question will come at the most random time, and you have to be ready to tell or show them what you charge. If not, you are going to be asked to produce free work at every social function from now until your camera dies. How much are you going to charge for taking the photos? How much will each print cost? Do I get to keep a copy of the images? These are just a few to be ready for. Pricing on the other hand, is up to you. Write down the cost, and figure out what you are confident charging. The fact is, if you are giving this a shot, you have to START charging.

Try your hand at offering stock images. Hundreds of online image libraries will post your images to the general public, or private organizations, and with the click of a mouse, one of your images can be sold. Sites like iStockPhoto, Stocklib, or even Getty Images (the most professional of the bunch). Most will allow you to create an account and upload photos to start selling. The downside is, most images sell for cents, and very few become well known enough to provide a sizable revenue stream. You’re essentially playing a game of statistics. If you upload hundreds and hundreds of stock images, chances are someone is going to like one or two of them. It may be for a 1/4 inch website icon, or a 20ft billboard, but the chance are better with a vast number of submissions. So if this is your route… start shooting now!

Solitary image sells may provide the most satisfying feeling to a photographer. You generate an image of an object, in the perfect light, with the perfect composition and exposure, and sell it to a favorable individual. You love the image, he/she loves the image, and you both get something you want. A wonderful image, and a handful of money. So how do you set this up? You either print the image and frame it in an equally beautiful frame, or, you post the image on a custom made website/blog and allow the client to purchase online. Sounds difficult? Not really. One involves putting money up front in hopes of a sell (print, frame, and matting finish), and the other involves taking time (building a simple website/blog). The best solution would be both, but when you are just starting out, pay attention on one or the other. Just as before, if you plan on selling anything using either of these methods, make sure you know how much you are going to charge before ANYONE sees your images.

Now, here is where we separate the true photography lovers from the hobbyist. Photography ideas from true camera lovers never stops. They have an unwilling desire to continually pick up their camera and create an image out of something… anything. They take hundreds and hundreds of pictures for practice. They download those pictures and edit them in the most recent editing software, only to learn more about photography. They do this so that every image they give away, or sell, is a complete reflection of the desire and love they have for the photography world. If you are going to attempt to sell photography for a living, or even as a side job, I employ that you ask yourself if you fit in this category. These are the people that not only make money, but make happiness in their lives. Sometimes a person can sell a photo for 2 bucks, while the next guy is selling one for 10 grand. But if that 2 bucks makes you happy, then proceed to do so.

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