Marketing your photos

Bald Eagle

Ever wonder how to make some money on all the photos you have shot.  Well it really isn’t very hard.  There are, of course, a few requirements in order to make them saleable.  Then you need to locate the outlets or resources to market your photos.  In other words gain the exposure for your photos.  Or begin to think of shooting photos that could sell.  Here is a simple example.  Think of all the culinary magazines that are published monthly.  Now look around your kitchen.  There is a whole world of photos that you could shoot right in your own kitchen for potential publication.

So let’s start with the photo itself.  First, it must be of reasonably good quality.  Notice I said reasonably good, not perfect.  Let me explain; perfect photos gets you published in National Geographic or Arizona Highways or many of the other top-of-the-line magazines.  However, if you drop into your local news stand or book store, you’ll see a zillion magazines other than just the top of the line magazines.  Pick out any magazine and count the number of photos in that magazine.  I know without picking one up that there are well over 100 photos.  Now multiple that by 12 for a monthly publication.  Now multiply 1200 times the number of magazines in the rack.  I know you can’t count that high and you shouldn’t have to.  Just think about how many photographs must be submitted each month for those magazines to get published.  Publishers are looking for you…why not help them?  But, it isn’t just publishers, there are greeting cards, posters & related products, calendars, newspapers, stock photography agencies, advertising and design related markets, galleries, art fairs, contests, workshops, photographic tours and web sites all requiring some sort of photography.  Believe it or not they do not all require perfect photos.  Many are looking for unusual photography.  For example lightening.  If you had a very nice lightening shot, I can almost guarantee you could sell it six times over. So a good lightening shot could bring you $100.00 to $600.00.  A really spectacular shot could get purchased for a cover shot and that cover alone could pay $600.00.

So pick your outlet (magazine, etc) where you want to begin.  Send an Email requesting their “Photographic Guidelines”.  They will normally want you to submit on a disc or via Email as. jpgs, .tiffs or in .pdf files and a 300 dpi. on a 10” format.  Generally they’ll ask for a low resolution for review then after selecting specific photos, will need a higher resolution for publication.

So where do you or how do you get started selling photos?  First we need to dress ourselves up to look like a photographer.  By this I mean, start by printing up something unique for a business card.  Use a picture of yourself with your camera in hand so someone will remember you, not only from your photo, but from your camera too.  Get some stationery printed up that reflects your specific photography interest.  Create a website or use one of the already formatted ones that are available, such as Smug Mug http://www.smugmug.com/ and Shutter point http://www.shutterpoint.com/ and there are others.  Be sure that if you do use a website you ad that address to your business card and stationery.  Take a peek at a couple of my friend’s websites for kicks. I have a few images on this site  http://www.stammphoto.com If you'll find the Woodland & Prairie Wildlife then  scroll down quiute a way  and you'll find a few of my images.   http://www.outdoorimages.smugmug.com  These will give you some idea of where you may want to go.  I would also suggest you may want to join some professional organization to also promote your work.  I am a member of the Outdoor Writer’s Association of America, which serves my needs for both writing and photography.

Now, I’ll give you a few more suggestions.  Check with banks as they will frequently hang your photos for display.  Also professional offices, i.e. doctors, dentists, lawyers, etc are interested in well framed photography.  When calling on these types of businesses it is best to make an appointment with the “decision maker” and then have a portfolio of your photography to show them.  This will give you a more professional appearance and reduce the time you need to get the order.  The purpose in doing this is to get your name out in front of your potential buyers.  Also donating some nicely framed photos for your favorite charity works well also.  Displaying at craft fairs and Sun City Grand has two for you to consider, the Spring Arts & Crafts Fair and the fall October Fest.

I would further encourage you to enter our Grand Photos photo contests.  You’ll need to build some sort of creditability with your potential clients.  So if you have a list of your awards, this will help.

I might suggest you covering yourself from having your photos used for profit by unauthorized folks.  In other words copyright all of your work.  A simple rubber stamp with the Ó before your name will work well.  Also using Elements IV you can add a copyright to your photos.  But, rather than getting into that discussion I’ll leave it for another time.