Quote:
Originally Posted by ddk632
Thanks Dave,
It's a pretty awesome feeling walking in there and seeing the large prints.
I've never sold any of my work (I know you have) and that's one of my next goals to figure out.
This was a fluke pretty much, my friend decided to open the store and he and his partners looked over my photos and decided to use them. So I had a connection 
Doing it otherwise I can think would be hard indeed, but I like your approach to work with an interior designer to get the "in". |
I know what you mean. Even seeing 50" prints in my own office is pretty exciting and then having my printer and the designer saying my stuff is better than what she put in her last building is even more encouraging.
I have sold stuff, but it's been really spotty. I'll have a big month on Getty and then go months with absolutely nothing, then someone will contact me directly and buy a print at a good margin. It's nothing that I can even count on to fund equipment, much less pay the rent.
Two elements that I've been zeroing in on are the printer and designer contact. You need a high quality printer that will work at cost levels that leave you some margin. Without that, you'll need to invest in equipment to do it yourself or accept lower to non-existent margins by using online printers. The big printers cost a fortune and must be run regularly to keep them operational.
A designer that is loading whole buildings may be the best sales source. Gallery rent and commissions make that a break even prospect unless you have a really popular print that sells several times per month. I still haven't given up on Stock, since my few sales are usually to high exposure kinds of buyers (Wall Street Journal and big advertising agencies) but they've been irregular. I'll stick with that at least two more years and the liscense does allow me to sell the same images as "products". I just can't sell the file so long as it's listed with Getty.
Going at it part-time, I can't complain. Unless you do wedding and/or senior pix, it's really tough to pay the rent with photography. All the guys that I've found doing nature and travel all have other jobs (printers, installers, post-processors, tour guides, etc.). John Fielder is the exception, but he's been at it 30-years and puts out a big book every other year and runs two galleries, etc..
Anyway, it's fun for now. My "real" job makes WAY more money and it's also fun. I hope that I can increase my photography income level in 2014 enough to put it on Schedule C of my tax return and deduct a 1D X and a Series II super-telephoto.
Dave