[shuttertalk]

Just wondering - I know framed photos make great gifts, but do people actually buy framed photos by unknown people? Would you sell your photos say at a market? Do you think it'll be worth your time?

I often see some people selling black and white prints in markets, but I'm not sure if people actually buy them...

[peter]

I think people might buy framed Pictured of scenery and Flora ... and stuff .. .
there should be a market for it since you see them around ...
but i doublt many people our age will be looking to buy anything like that ..

[dewy]

I have often wanted to buy from daprints and if i get my own flat house I might (might even get one after i get my i[mac/book]) as for selling, I would loave to sell 'cause I could do with the pocket money, if any one has some tip for selling my photos, getting jobs, please let me know, thanks =)

[Petographer]

Sure, why not? If you want to invest the time and money on prints and framing. The framing is usually major cost of any picture unless you go with cheap. You can always get them displayed in a coffee shop or someplace and offer a percentage. I don't think it is a very lucrative way of generating any profit but it does advertise your work.

[Toad]

I'd be happy to frame and sell my stuff - I don't see a huge market there however.

I don't know too many people with framed photos on their walls that are not personally relevant to them, or that they did not take themselves. Posters - yes - if your camera can handle the resolution - and you can always get into that inpsirational corporate rubbish that people hang in their offices.

Such as...

[peter]

haha yeah ... that stuff would be fun ..
but whether you can make profit on prints that big is another thing ...
i guess if you go with a printing press rather then a photo service.. it might be a bit cheaper..

[Soundy]

To quote Toad again (this is becoming a nasty habit), "I don't know too many people with framed photos on their walls that are not personally relevant to them..." Almost all the pictures I've sold have been ones that were personally relevant to those buying them... specifically, bands buying back live shots I've taken of them. When someone hires you to do a specific shoot, once again, you're taking pictures that will be "personally relevant" to your client.

[jericho]

I have approx 20 11x14s up (various scenes - nature, landscape, people etc) as well as a number of 8x10s in local trendy local coffee shops. Coffee/eating estblishments are great for high volume viewing. While I have sold a dozen or so framed prints, a good portion of people have contacted me to take photos of "their" kids, family, car or wedding from seeing the samples.

You would be suprised at how willing a lot of places are to use their walls to display "art". Besides, I often tell them that I change the pictures somewhat regularly and for what its worth, my friends will go in there and each time time they they purchase items from the store owner.

Just to continue on my long and boring conversation. One time I used the theme that every shot in the "gallery" was taken within a 15 minute walk from the coffee shop. People were amazed at what they miss on a daily basis, and in the right lighting conditions.

Cheers....

Jerry

[Soundy]

Hey Jerry, that's a great idea... there's a "trendy little coffee shop" just a couple blocks from my place that would be a perfect place to try that idea out.

[shuttertalk]

Yah, cool idea, jericho...

I'll keep that idea in mind...

[jericho]

No problem. Good luck. It works well for me. I rotate through places every 3 months.

[dewy]

How do you advertise in them? Do they ask the manager do you put a slip of paper under it?

[jericho]

I have a one page bio write up that says a bit of who I am and something inspiring about taking photos etc etc. Its usually finished with a statement telling them that I am available to capture those special moments they would like to hang on their walls, be it family, cars weddings all that jazz (I am happy to give you my complete write up if you like - just email me) and leave 30 or so business cards. I usually have to fill the business card holder every 3 weeks, so either the store staff is dumping them out or people are taking them. Whatever the case, its worked wonderfully for me.

jericho_fire@yahoo.com

[peter]

haha ..im htinking of trying my luck at some stage selling prints on deviant art ...
when i get good enough that is ..
i wonder if people actually buy much from there .. .

[Cailean]

I happened upon this service (PrintRoom.com) a while ago and thought it was a great idea for semi-pro (part-time) photogs who want to sell prints of their work but don't want the admin hassle of printing, selling & shipping, etc.

PrintRoom.com lets you set your own prices for each size of each print and then deduct a fixed rate for printing while the customer pays for shipping. You get a check each month. In Jericho's case, for example, to sell prints of his 'coffee-shop art' he would include a link to his PrintRoom gallery on the biz card and customers can order their own prints.

There is a monthly (yearly?) fee so it is volume-dependant - you'd have to be selling enough to make it worth-while, etc.

Just thought I'd pass it along...

[StudioJ]

Relevance to the content is a big part of it for certain markets, a framed studio print of some stranger isn't likely to sell to anyone except family whereas a landscape, a beat up dodge rusting in a field, something you can put with a message and have block mounted and things like that can do. I have a colleague who sells a lot of local images to cafes, others to a greeting card company and together we have done some postcards (which is a great and fairly cheap one to get into)

Otherwise content relevance works for me on a different level, sex plain and simple its a big seller, guys in the 18-32 bracket tend to have a good dose of money. In the promotion for this years (2005) calendar we've been to a few local (over the weekend the last one was 500kms away) events we thought would be suitable to market it at. As Toad said you need to work every opportunity you can so its not just a matter of going down there with a glossy product and hoping people buy it, we made other avenues that fit in, taking promotional girls to wander around selling it and promoting interest in the product, have one of the guys from the calendar bring his bike down and put in the stand. Sell prints of the guys posing with the models, posters of images that didn't make the final cut but still have value.

Anyway, my point is you have to try and do more to sell yourself or you need to be very specialised in your approach. Even though I've only been looking with a business eye for a couple of years I've seen people who are talented try and make a go of it and then fall over because they don't know what to do with the images once they have captured them.

[peter]

yeah ..there are quite a few servuces out there that do the same thing .. only... the good ones requires subscription charges ~_~

[dewy]

I have thought about using one of those services like the one Cailean and make my prices REALLY low (as low as they get) and print my own photos (then move them off ot a cafe =P). Maybe taking photos of coffee mugs surrounded by coffee beans or landscapes etc would be good in a cafe, I am going to contace a few of the cafes around where I live (most are a fair way away) and see if they are interested.