Input from those who sell prints

[sirhawkeye64]

Sorry if this is too broad of a question so I'll try my best....

For those who sell prints, do you have any tips to provide for those looking to do this? Also what genres are you selling prints of (portrait, landscape, travel, etc)?

It's been suggested to me over the years to consider maybe selling some prints. I mostly do landscape and travel photography and would consider maybe selling some of those but never really looked into it as I often hear that it's not a market you can make a lot of money in and that you may end up putting in more work than it's worth, but the other part of me says that I'm going to continue to shoot those things anyway so it's not like I'm going out of my way to find things to shoot to sell necessarily.

So what are your tips if you do, and any thoughts on this? I would only really consider selling prints, no digital copies.

 

[BAK CDN]

A multiple - binary but not necessarily linear - collective approach is potentially imperative for print sale validity.

You need, concurrently, a picture presented in print form, and a person with money willing to exchange it for that print.

That leads to two searches. 1: the print. 2: the customer

You can look up in Youtube Kym Illman and Gavin Hardcastle. They both create prints -- Gavin creates landscape prints and Kym creates Formula 1 racing prints.

Then they offer these for sales to the whole world.

Or, a photographer can find customers. One way is to be find a bride and/or her mother and convinve they to hire you. They you take / create / make a portrait to their customonize specifiations, and deliver it in the form of a print.

You could look up Katelyn James on Youtube. Or Vanessa Joy.

BAK

 

[photolando]

Trying to sell landscape or travel prints is entirely different than selling a portrait print. That is if you're selling to the person who the portrait is of. You really only have that one person/couple/family who is interested in that print. With landscapes and travel, that could be anyone.

I haven't a clue as to how to sell or market landscape and travel images too. Not my thing. But there is a whole process to selling prints of people you just photographed. And most photographers who try their hand at this fail miserably. Most will just shoot, process/retouch and post them online and hope for the best. Worst way to sell portrait prints. Always in person. They will have a million questions that you could never answer by text or email. There is no way you can show them actual sizes or samples online. Or show them a real frame corner, if you also sell frames. You can do very well selling portrait prints but you really have to be a good sales person. I don't mean tricking them or trying to sell them what they don't want. But knowing how to sell them what they actually want is a skill all on its own.

 

[sirhawkeye64]

Trying to sell landscape or travel prints is entirely different than selling a portrait print. That is if you're selling to the person who the portrait is of. You really only have that one person/couple/family who is interested in that print. With landscapes and travel, that could be anyone.

I haven't a clue as to how to sell or market landscape and travel images too. Not my thing. But there is a whole process to selling prints of people you just photographed. And most photographers who try their hand at this fail miserably. Most will just shoot, process/retouch and post them online and hope for the best. Worst way to sell portrait prints. Always in person. They will have a million questions that you could never answer by text or email. There is no way you can show them actual sizes or samples online. Or show them a real frame corner, if you also sell frames. You can do very well selling portrait prints but you really have to be a good sales person. I don't mean tricking them or trying to sell them what they don't want. But knowing how to sell them what they actually want is a skill all on its own.

Thanks, this would mostly be travel and landscape photos so ones that might appeal to a broad audience. I figured that portrait photos may not sell well, although maybe to the client, ad agencies, or those fashion magazines maybe but that's not really my thing (plus it gets more complicated with model releases too).

 

[Gato Amarillo]

I sell only a few prints myself, but I know several photographers who sell on an ongoing basis and one who made print sales a full-time business with what seemed to be a decent income. He wasn't getting rich, but he wasn't going hungry. Here's some of what I get from them:

First, people can't buy it if they don't see it. Second, they are more likely to buy if they feel a connection to you as a person.

You have to get your photos out in front of people, and get your stories out there with them. For most people these days social media is a big part of the business. Back that up with local shows and art fairs where people can see your prints and meet you face to face. You can try selling through online sites, but for most success you still have to get out and push people to your listings.

All the people I know sell mostly regional or local photos -- local landmarks (natural or man made) or Southwestern nostalgia (reminders of ranching and farm life). Each of them has their own unique take. Many thousands, maybe millions, of people have photos of Palo Duro Canyon or the Cadillac Ranch, but only a dozen or so have photos that consistently sell.

I'm trying to think what these people have in common --

They all get their work out there, not so much because it's a business but because they genuinely enjoy meeting people and showing their work. Either in person or online.

They all know the territory. They know the climate, the weather, the landscape and the back roads. They have ideas where to go when a thunderstorm is coming in. Or if they see a location they can think about what time of year or day to come back for better light or a better angle. They know who to ask to get permission to shoot on private property.

They each have a special view or technique. One specialized in night landscapes with star trails or during meteor showers. He also connected with local storm chasers to get unique photos of thunderstorms and night lightning. One does unique color effects with photos of historic New Mexico churches. And so on.

Finally, my friend who made it a business told me that the big prints draw the crowd but the small prints bring in the money. At gallery shows or art fairs people come in and admire the 30 inch or 40 inch prints -- but they take home the $20 8x10s or the $10 greeting cards.

Hope that gives you some ideas.

Gato

 

[cutterpup]

For those who sell prints, do you have any tips to provide for those looking to do this? Also what genres are you selling prints of (portrait, landscape, travel, etc)?

For me, slow start but ramping up has been seascapes/ beach scenes.

It's been suggested to me over the years to consider maybe selling some prints. I mostly do landscape and travel photography and would consider maybe selling some of those but never really looked into it as I often hear that it's not a market you can make a lot of money in and that you may end up putting in more work than it's worth, but the other part of me says that I'm going to continue to shoot those things anyway so it's not like I'm going out of my way to find things to shoot to sell necessarily.

It's up to you to decide how much you want to risk. But, first if only selling prints, you need to decide how and where.

So what are your tips if you do, and any thoughts on this? I would only really consider selling prints, no digital copies.

I live with in a half hour of two local art galleries. The kind located in the historic/antique shopping districts of town. They both have spots open to local artists to display their work for sale. These displays change every three months or so. It is a co-op buy in of $10.00 per item and a 20% commission upon sale. But I have learned how to price my images so even factoring in those costs, cost of printing and cost of frames, I am pleased with my net profit. For those images I have found the best sellers are either a print matted in a 16 x 20 inch frame, or a 11 x 14 print on canvas (stretched and backed but not framed.)

At both those galleries I have smaller matted (but not framed) prints, greeting cards, and 8 x 8 canvas wraps (with wire stands) for sale in the gift shop. No fee to be there but 20% commission.

I also belong to two camera clubs and an additional major art league. This gives me access to display and sell one to three items at various small events they organize with civic groups throughout the year.

A second advantage to the camera clubs is their monthly contests. Ignoring how I may feel about an image of mine, I have learned that an image that does poorly in their contests will sell very poorly or not at all in print form.

Although I have the opportunity to set up and sell at art fairs, at this moment I feel I would not make enough money to justify having the large amount of prints on hand required to do so.

So there is my path for print sales. Some of the larger galleries are very competitive and juried to get in any available spots. But it's worth the effort when you can price and sell at a higher dollar level.

Best of luck whatever route you take.

 

[sirhawkeye64]

I sell only a few prints myself, but I know several photographers who sell on an ongoing basis and one who made print sales a full-time business with what seemed to be a decent income. He wasn't getting rich, but he wasn't going hungry. Here's some of what I get from them:

First, people can't buy it if they don't see it. Second, they are more likely to buy if they feel a connection to you as a person.

You have to get your photos out in front of people, and get your stories out there with them. For most people these days social media is a big part of the business. Back that up with local shows and art fairs where people can see your prints and meet you face to face. You can try selling through online sites, but for most success you still have to get out and push people to your listings.

All the people I know sell mostly regional or local photos -- local landmarks (natural or man made) or Southwestern nostalgia (reminders of ranching and farm life). Each of them has their own unique take. Many thousands, maybe millions, of people have photos of Palo Duro Canyon or the Cadillac Ranch, but only a dozen or so have photos that consistently sell.

I'm trying to think what these people have in common --

They all get their work out there, not so much because it's a business but because they genuinely enjoy meeting people and showing their work. Either in person or online.

They all know the territory. They know the climate, the weather, the landscape and the back roads. They have ideas where to go when a thunderstorm is coming in. Or if they see a location they can think about what time of year or day to come back for better light or a better angle. They know who to ask to get permission to shoot on private property.

They each have a special view or technique. One specialized in night landscapes with star trails or during meteor showers. He also connected with local storm chasers to get unique photos of thunderstorms and night lightning. One does unique color effects with photos of historic New Mexico churches. And so on.

Finally, my friend who made it a business told me that the big prints draw the crowd but the small prints bring in the money. At gallery shows or art fairs people come in and admire the 30 inch or 40 inch prints -- but they take home the $20 8x10s or the $10 greeting cards.

Hope that gives you some ideas.

Gato

Thank you, this was helpful. I'm still looking into this as a potential passive side income perhaps.

 

[DM-CO]

I sell only a few prints myself, but I know several photographers who sell on an ongoing basis and one who made print sales a full-time business with what seemed to be a decent income. He wasn't getting rich, but he wasn't going hungry. Here's some of what I get from them:

First, people can't buy it if they don't see it. Second, they are more likely to buy if they feel a connection to you as a person.

You have to get your photos out in front of people, and get your stories out there with them. For most people these days social media is a big part of the business. Back that up with local shows and art fairs where people can see your prints and meet you face to face. You can try selling through online sites, but for most success you still have to get out and push people to your listings.

All the people I know sell mostly regional or local photos -- local landmarks (natural or man made) or Southwestern nostalgia (reminders of ranching and farm life). Each of them has their own unique take. Many thousands, maybe millions, of people have photos of Palo Duro Canyon or the Cadillac Ranch, but only a dozen or so have photos that consistently sell.

I'm trying to think what these people have in common --

They all get their work out there, not so much because it's a business but because they genuinely enjoy meeting people and showing their work. Either in person or online.

They all know the territory. They know the climate, the weather, the landscape and the back roads. They have ideas where to go when a thunderstorm is coming in. Or if they see a location they can think about what time of year or day to come back for better light or a better angle. They know who to ask to get permission to shoot on private property.

They each have a special view or technique. One specialized in night landscapes with star trails or during meteor showers. He also connected with local storm chasers to get unique photos of thunderstorms and night lightning. One does unique color effects with photos of historic New Mexico churches. And so on.

Finally, my friend who made it a business told me that the big prints draw the crowd but the small prints bring in the money. At gallery shows or art fairs people come in and admire the 30 inch or 40 inch prints -- but they take home the $20 8x10s or the $10 greeting cards.

Hope that gives you some ideas.

Gato

Thank you, this was helpful. I'm still looking into this as a potential passive side income perhaps.

I have sold prints in the past. What I learned is that it’s really a volume game to make any kind of modest profit. It’s a hustle. It’s not “passive”, in my opinion. You prints will need direct, hands on marketing and salesmanship to both get placed out in the public eye and to get sold. It’s an investment in time and resources.

i was unwilling to “rent a tent” at the local art fairs and burn 5 weekends a year, etc. I did have my work in (now defunct) specific online platforms dedicated to “fine art prints”. Sales were just not that great. But, when a sale did come in, I had to ‘drop everything” and make a print, sign it, (number it if limited), print an invoice, pack it, then get it off for shipping.

summary: can you make a go of selling prints? Sure, try it. But I think that you should NOT consider it a “passive” source of income.

 

[sirhawkeye64]

I sell only a few prints myself, but I know several photographers who sell on an ongoing basis and one who made print sales a full-time business with what seemed to be a decent income. He wasn't getting rich, but he wasn't going hungry. Here's some of what I get from them:

First, people can't buy it if they don't see it. Second, they are more likely to buy if they feel a connection to you as a person.

You have to get your photos out in front of people, and get your stories out there with them. For most people these days social media is a big part of the business. Back that up with local shows and art fairs where people can see your prints and meet you face to face. You can try selling through online sites, but for most success you still have to get out and push people to your listings.

All the people I know sell mostly regional or local photos -- local landmarks (natural or man made) or Southwestern nostalgia (reminders of ranching and farm life). Each of them has their own unique take. Many thousands, maybe millions, of people have photos of Palo Duro Canyon or the Cadillac Ranch, but only a dozen or so have photos that consistently sell.

I'm trying to think what these people have in common --

They all get their work out there, not so much because it's a business but because they genuinely enjoy meeting people and showing their work. Either in person or online.

They all know the territory. They know the climate, the weather, the landscape and the back roads. They have ideas where to go when a thunderstorm is coming in. Or if they see a location they can think about what time of year or day to come back for better light or a better angle. They know who to ask to get permission to shoot on private property.

They each have a special view or technique. One specialized in night landscapes with star trails or during meteor showers. He also connected with local storm chasers to get unique photos of thunderstorms and night lightning. One does unique color effects with photos of historic New Mexico churches. And so on.

Finally, my friend who made it a business told me that the big prints draw the crowd but the small prints bring in the money. At gallery shows or art fairs people come in and admire the 30 inch or 40 inch prints -- but they take home the $20 8x10s or the $10 greeting cards.

Hope that gives you some ideas.

Gato

Thank you, this was helpful. I'm still looking into this as a potential passive side income perhaps.

I have sold prints in the past. What I learned is that it’s really a volume game to make any kind of modest profit. It’s a hustle. It’s not “passive”, in my opinion. You prints will need direct, hands on marketing and salesmanship to both get placed out in the public eye and to get sold. It’s an investment in time and resources.

i was unwilling to “rent a tent” at the local art fairs and burn 5 weekends a year, etc. I did have my work in (now defunct) specific online platforms dedicated to “fine art prints”. Sales were just not that great. But, when a sale did come in, I had to ‘drop everything” and make a print, sign it, (number it if limited), print an invoice, pack it, then get it off for shipping.

summary: can you make a go of selling prints? Sure, try it. But I think that you should NOT consider it a “passive” source of income.

Thanks for the insights. Yes I imagine there is a bunch of marketing that has to be done to get your name and work out there although I was thinking that maybe once you've established yourself in the market that the marketing would become a little less as time went on (but you'd still have to do it, but more in the beginning where you may be making less or no sales, but that over time your marketing will change and the art might start standing on its own and promoting itself). Of course I figured probably only but the best get to that level (people like Peter Lik for example).

 

[DM-CO]

I sell only a few prints myself, but I know several photographers who sell on an ongoing basis and one who made print sales a full-time business with what seemed to be a decent income. He wasn't getting rich, but he wasn't going hungry. Here's some of what I get from them:

First, people can't buy it if they don't see it. Second, they are more likely to buy if they feel a connection to you as a person.

You have to get your photos out in front of people, and get your stories out there with them. For most people these days social media is a big part of the business. Back that up with local shows and art fairs where people can see your prints and meet you face to face. You can try selling through online sites, but for most success you still have to get out and push people to your listings.

All the people I know sell mostly regional or local photos -- local landmarks (natural or man made) or Southwestern nostalgia (reminders of ranching and farm life). Each of them has their own unique take. Many thousands, maybe millions, of people have photos of Palo Duro Canyon or the Cadillac Ranch, but only a dozen or so have photos that consistently sell.

I'm trying to think what these people have in common --

They all get their work out there, not so much because it's a business but because they genuinely enjoy meeting people and showing their work. Either in person or online.

They all know the territory. They know the climate, the weather, the landscape and the back roads. They have ideas where to go when a thunderstorm is coming in. Or if they see a location they can think about what time of year or day to come back for better light or a better angle. They know who to ask to get permission to shoot on private property.

They each have a special view or technique. One specialized in night landscapes with star trails or during meteor showers. He also connected with local storm chasers to get unique photos of thunderstorms and night lightning. One does unique color effects with photos of historic New Mexico churches. And so on.

Finally, my friend who made it a business told me that the big prints draw the crowd but the small prints bring in the money. At gallery shows or art fairs people come in and admire the 30 inch or 40 inch prints -- but they take home the $20 8x10s or the $10 greeting cards.

Hope that gives you some ideas.

Gato

Thank you, this was helpful. I'm still looking into this as a potential passive side income perhaps.

I have sold prints in the past. What I learned is that it’s really a volume game to make any kind of modest profit. It’s a hustle. It’s not “passive”, in my opinion. You prints will need direct, hands on marketing and salesmanship to both get placed out in the public eye and to get sold. It’s an investment in time and resources.

i was unwilling to “rent a tent” at the local art fairs and burn 5 weekends a year, etc. I did have my work in (now defunct) specific online platforms dedicated to “fine art prints”. Sales were just not that great. But, when a sale did come in, I had to ‘drop everything” and make a print, sign it, (number it if limited), print an invoice, pack it, then get it off for shipping.

summary: can you make a go of selling prints? Sure, try it. But I think that you should NOT consider it a “passive” source of income.

Thanks for the insights. Yes I imagine there is a bunch of marketing that has to be done to get your name and work out there although I was thinking that maybe once you've established yourself in the market that the marketing would become a little less as time went on (but you'd still have to do it, but more in the beginning where you may be making less or no sales, but that over time your marketing will change and the art might start standing on its own and promoting itself). Of course I figured probably only but the best get to that level (people like Peter Lik for example).

You’re welcome. Photography is a hustle. It’s always been a hustle but it’s even harder now than 25-years ago, It is constant marketing to keep sales/bookings. Clients are fleeting and fickle.

if your goal is to have a small “passive income” by selling a few prints every now and then, that is certainly doable. If your goal is to have significant “passive income” from selling prints, IMO, that is nearly impossible (I guess that it rests on the definition of “passive”)…..most, including the very best “fine art photographers” struggle to make a living from print sales, despite all the work/marketing/client relations/gallery representation.

if you wish to try, I would encourage you to do so. I am sensing in your words however that you think that you will make “meaningingful” profits/income by just “putting your images for sale somewhere.” I hope that you can. But the odds are materially stacked against you.

i think that you should put together your goals. How much “passive income” (profit) do you want to raise a month? $100?, $500, $1,000, $2,000, more?

what do you intend to charge for your prints? What is your margin? Will you be selling limited or open editions? There used to be, and still may be, state laws in a few states requiring printed “certificates of authenticity” for limited editions. If those laws still exist, do you know which states (if you plan to ship to them via the internet) require them?

how will you account for your business transactions and tax filings? If you live in the US (or are a US citizen living abroad) your profit from print sales is taxable. Indeed, should you have any material sales through third-parties like a gallery, they will likely issue you a 1099. Are you a sole proprietor or an LLC (in the US)?

if all you want to do is make $500/year, none of this matters. If you want to make $20,000, it does.

I encourage you to think through a business plan erring on the side of photography being and incredible hustle.

‘edit: if this website is to be believed and is accurate, laws requiring certificates of authenticity for LE prints do exist in a dozen or so US States. I don’t know about international requirements.

Art Business: Checklist for Certificates of Authenticity

In the September issue of American Artist, our art business article discussed how collectors rely on certificates of authenticity--and how some states legally require artists to supply them to consumers. Here, we explore some of

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