Selling Your Photos
  
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Focusing On A Career In Photography


An article in a national magazine told about a famous fashion designer who went on location with the photographer responsible for creating the special look of his ads. The fashion designer not only worked alongside the photographer but actually appeared in some of the hundreds of pictures taken over a period of three days The fashion designer also helped edit the pictures into an advertising campaign.


One of the popular photography magazines included an article about a guitarist for one of the top British musical groups. Between performances on tour, this musician captured abstract and surrealistic views of behind-the-scenes action with his 35 mm camera. His photographs, which mirror his personal experiences as well as his musical taste, have been published in a book.


A feature newspaper article about a major new restaurant included an extensive interview with the head chef. While this head chef acknowledged that he grants complete creative freedom to his pastry chef, he admitted that he regularly uses color photographs of carefully designed entrees as a quality-control guideline for those who must prepare them, day after day.


Every day, you come in contact with newspapers (daily or weekly), magazines (mass-circulation or special-interest) and books (textbooks and leisure-reading paperbacks and hardcovers). If you pick up the home remodeling magazine on the end table, you may notice an article about an architect who shows potential customers slides of creative solutions to past clients' problems. Yes, you can be a "photo in career" detective without leaving your living room. So, what are you waiting for?

EXERCISE: During the next month or so, make an effort to read articles about people involved in different careers. Notice how they use photography in their work. If they make no mention of photography, try to imagine how the photo skills you currently possess might make their jobs easier. Keep notes on your findings, and your imaginings, for use in future presentations to other 4-H Club members. Select a career you have read about. Do a layout of how photography could enhance that person's job.

Ok,so you want to sell your photos... let's put this into context. The primary difference (of many) when it comes to photography is that of lifestyle. You may think that you're just a casual hobbyist that wants to maybe pick up a few dollars selling your photos, but by the time you actually get those dollars, you'll have invested considerable time and effort into photography,not to say it's not worth it. Many drop out by that time, so if you do get that far, now you're the serious photographer.


Now, you've achieved that level of "a few dollars," you'll believe that "just a little more effort" can yield considerably better returns. It's sort of like buying a soft drink in a movie theater: the smallest cup you can buy is ridiculously expensive, but for just a couple of quarters more, you can get twice as much. That's what the photography business feels like. But, by the time you learn "a little more work" is really a lot, you've graduated to being the insanely serious photographer.

Where you see yourself along this spectrum is really what will determine where you end up. Are you "the hobbyist that wants to make money," or do you want to build a real, bona fide career? There is no right or wrong to either choice, because the type of work (not just the amount of it) will greatly alter your lifestyle choices.
In fact, the two tracks are so completely opposite of one another, that you can actually do yourself more harm than good trying to make a career using the strategies that a hobbyist might. Similarly, the hobbyist would quickly lose interest by trying tactics that only the professional-minded photographer should use. Put another way, making short-term income often involves tasks that have no long-term benefit. Likewise, there is a limit to how much you can make as a hobbyist, simply because the tasks and methodologies are so brute-force and simplistic, that they can't be automated cost-effectively to yield any appreciable income.

An example of this is the postcard business: you can make some money, but just getting to a point of generating revenue requires work and time that, if invested in other areas, yield more profit. Is that payoff worthwhile? For the amateur looking to tool around in a car visiting gift shops around town or in a vacation spot, the experience alone is often joyful enough. But, don't expect to raise a family on this strategy without having expanded into something that's no longer considered a "photography business." That is, people who make a living in postcards alone are usually in the distribution business and happen to spend little time doing photography.

Alternatively, someone migrating to freelance photography from having worked as a photojournalist would be well-suited to sell stock photography into the very market segment from which he came. Having contacts is one thing, but also knowing how the business works and actually being able to sell your photos along with —price points, negotiating points, and other inside business inside information—provides a great springboard for upward mobility.
Remember, all of this applies if photography is your career. If it's just a small money-generating hobby, the "business management" aspect needn't be so time-consuming or troublesome. This is why the migration path can be a more attainable and fun activity. If you have realistic about what an "arm's length" is, and reasonable financial expectations, you're set.So selling your photos and photography work is absolutely attainable!

Owning your own photography business requires doing a lot of tasks that begin to spill over into other businesses that, if you aren't careful, can be overwhelming. Many photography businesses have collapsed under their own weight, simply because people over-extend themselves in trying to support a sales effort that just requires too much of their own time. Postcards and Calendars are good examples: people often think it's a no-brainer to take a bunch of cards to a local gift shop and wait till the sales roll in. But it's not that simple, and this very logic is what often causes some to end up feeling that they either have to back away from it.
This sort of brings the gap a little closer between the amateur and the pro; I've seen some amateurs do much better than some pros, but it's only because they're smarter, not necessarily "better."But thats how it is when it comes to selling your photos and photographic work.

There are countless photography schools out there and for some this is a very good option.For others its a complete waste of time.Everyone perceives things differently.I've seen award winning photos and for the life of me can't understand what some find appealing about them.Just remember photography is an art.

The bottom line here is just because you can take pictures doesn't mean your going to be a sucssesful photographer.You HAVE to also know different aspects of photography and possibly get into the Social Networking aspects as a marketing tool That means being at times frugal and being able to market your product.If you can learn the skills associated with both you will prosper.

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You can search for hours and still not get the information you're seeking when you want to do something as important as starting a photography business. Keep in mind that some of the photography businesses that you can specialize in, may have varying requirements and you would do well to remember this once you have read this article and want to learn a little more on each of the photographic areas. 

Almost anyone with the right camera equipment, and the necessary skills can set up a home business, marketing photography(selling your photos). You need only to convert a room of your house into an office, and then you can work immediately.
Because you have modern technology in the form of SLR digital cameras, you do not even need the room for a dark room. You need only to have a personal computer and a photo-editing program. The standard is Adobe Photoshop.

Don't clutter yourself with equipment you do not need. You can hire equipment on and when you need it basis. You have the freedom to work part time for a while until you can devote yourself full time to photography. All you need to be is a serious photographer. There are two types of photographers that makes their living from photography, the serious photographer and the very serious photographer.

Whilst the technical skills needed to make a successful photographer have never been easier when it comes to selling your photos, other aspects have changed the business. The market for photographs of virtually every type has widened, the world seems to have an insatiable appetite for photographs. However the price has fallen as the marketing net has broadened. Photographers are needed in many more fields. For instance many people use car web sites, they simply did not exist ten years ago, and they sell their products as a result of photography. Cameras used by scuba diver's are now an excellent quality, and whilst they are initially expensive, they have forged a new market. People celebrate special occasions more with photography, than they did years ago. The travel and advertising markets have a greater need for landscape, travel and nature shots.

These are excellent markets for selling your photos.I know a couple people who use nothing more than a cheap point and shoot camera and some good software who make a living selling their photos.

It is now easier than ever to turn your dream into reality and create a worthwhile business out of an engrossing hobby. Selling your photos in today's modern world there is more to it than simply pointing a camera, and shooting a picture. You need to be aware of marketing techniques, and here marketing simply means transferring ownership of a product, in this case an image from a buyer to seller.

You also need to be aware of any local gaps in the market in your local area. You should also try to be on top of your competitor's prices, to undercut an existing photographer is one choice, but to neglect to value your skills and not charge enough to cover your overheads is another matter entirely. Remember this, its an important point.

Use your skills to the best advantage of the business and define what you want from it. Writing a business plan helps to keep you focused on the areas you specifically want to exploit. A business plan helps you to define your goals and strategies, it will be changed and updated, but it will help you, to keep things in perspective. You can then refer back to it when things become confusing or complicated. Everyone's business plan will be different, as every objective will be different, but there are certain common factors that make up a good business plan which will help your business grow. It allows you to develop a professional attitude to your business, which not only helps you to increase your earnings selling your photos, but also help you to finance your business.

For the photographer it should include, your business name, or your own, with full details of the proposed location of the business, a copy of your logo, as well as details of your copyright notices. What is the form of your proposed business (sole ownership, partnership, Limited Liability Company or Corporation). This should be followed by a table of contents, which focuses on a logical order.
Included after this should be the type of business you intend to pursue, in a fair amount of detail, and it should contain the services you intend to offer. This section should include any future gaols or avenues you would like to explore, stating your clear objectives. This is so you can check at a later date whether your objectives are on course, or if you have got sidetracked.

If you envisage at any time you may need financial help, then you should include your personal business history.
You should also state a clear and concise marketing plan that should demonstrate how your business will differentiate from the businesses of your competitors. You should be able to establish whom your customers will be, as well as where your market will be, as in wholesale or retail or a combination of both. You should also be able to determine how long this type of market will be available to yourself.

The next section should clearly define your opposition, as well as their strengths and weaknesses. This should include the ways you may be able to exploit any gaps in the market in the specific area where you live. A section should follow this on how you intend to market and promote your individual services.

A financial segment should be included as to how you intend to manage the day-to-day bills of the business. How you intend to price your services, and what factors influence this pricing structure, which includes a section on your competitor's financial structures. This means a fair amount of detective work as well as homework. Get your friends to ask from quotes from the local competition. Or try an even more direct approach, tell your competitor's that you intend to start a new business, and that you do not want to undercut them, as this reduces the cake for everyone. They may well offer to help you construct a pricing structure that ensures everyone's livelihood. It is in their interests to help. Not everyone will be cooperative, but it may mean you can get a truer picture of the market factors that govern your area.

Make a list of all the equipment you will need in your first year, as well as how and where you intend to purchase. Note any difficulties that may arise in obtaining your supplies. Note whether the prices of your supplies have a seasonal fluctuation, that may help you influence you when to buy. You should make a note of any local licenses that will be necessary, as well as any zoning restrictions, that may restrict the growth of your business. Your neighbours may not be thrilled at a procession of customer's to your door, check whether they can restrict your services. Make a study of all your business insurance requirements.

The final segment should be devoted to how you intend to finance the growth of your business, as well as isolating what your financial needs will be. This should include a projection on your future earnings, as well as an accurate assessment of your outgoings'. This should be assessed on a monthly basis for the first year, and on an annual basis for the following three years. An important aspect of the financial statement is an assessment of the break-even point of your business, in other words the minimum you will have to take to pay your expenses.

The purpose of this documentation is to allow you to enunciate what the core elements of your business will be, in doing this it should help you to be able to quickly evaluate the success of your business objectives. If you are not clear on your objectives then you cannot possibly make a plan to bring about the success of those objectives.This all may seem a little complicated at first but its really not.Selling your photos though overnight I doubt will be a reality.I'm sure everyone has seen ads to the effect ...sell your photos make $5,000 a week!Or I made $3,000 my first week selling photos.I'd be a little leary or suspicious of those claims.Selling your photos will require some hard work and dedication but can be profitable and fun.


 

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