nikonian Loc: Indianapolis

Greetings.

I have an award winning print which is a mounted 16X20.

I want to start selling copies but don't have a clue about how to go about doing that. Any advice or links would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Carter Keith
Keith Photography LLC
Indianapolis

ricardo7 Loc: Washington, DC - Santiago, Chile

Line up behind the other 50 million amateur photographers that want to sell their pictures.

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Keith, Develop a relationship with a local gallery. Consider local craft sales.Consider Ebay!

russelray Loc: La Mesa CA

You need to understand marketing. If you don't understand marketing, you need to hire someone who understands marketing.

Who is your target audience?

I'm currently selling an average of $10,107 each month to my target audience of Realtors, escrow agents, title agents, and loan agents here in San Diego County. Word of mouth advertising has resulted in people in those four target audiences from Australia, New Zealand, and England buying from me. They buy to use as close-of-escrow gifts. Much more memorable and long-lasting than the bottom of wine, the fine dining certificate, the plant, the basket of snacks, etc.

Don't rely on Google to get started. Rely on your own marketing to your target audience to get started.

I shared with UHH several years ago when I was starting: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-327835-1.html

Vietnam Vet

This museum hosts photographers work and is sold to the public. Contact them and ask about showing your work or if they can let you know of a museum in your area that hosts photographers work.
https://spivaarts.org

Bipod

The goal is to build a portfolio of prints, then develop a relationship with a gallery.
Fine art print sales --- like any art sales--is not really a one-off thing. Their value
depends on building a regional and then national reputation.

At first, your goal is to get one of your prints into a dim corner of a good local gallery.
If that print sells, the gallery owner may decide there is room for two of your prints--
especially if he likes them.

One cannot expect a gallery to handle anything priced lower than the lowest priced
work in that gallery. So breaking into the business requires having either having
some notoriety or a really good portfolio (preferably, both).

There are millions of people doing photography as a hobby, but very few serious
primt makers. I'd recommend the next time you are in Chicago, NYC, SF, or Camel CA,
go to as many galleries that handle photography as you can, and be acquainted with
what is being offered for sale, and the price ranges.

In architecture photography and fine art landscape photography, the view camera is not
extinct. (You wouldn't want to show up with a knife at a gunfight.) Also,
permanence of materials is of great importance to serious collectors. (And needless to
say, museums and art conservators have a different definition of "archival" than inkjet
manufacturers do.)

Photographer Beth Moon of San Francisco had to replace ever print sold from an entire
show becuse they all turned green. At that point, she switched to printing on transparencies,
then contact printing onto platinum paper that she makes herself. Permance considerably
enhances the value of these unique original prints:
https://doorofperception.com/wp-content/uploads/doorofperception.com-beth_moon-ancient_trees-2.jpg

Sometimes a commission from a local non-profit will allow a photographer to get their
work exhibited for its documentary value. I'm sure Indianpolis has an historical society.

Having a regional print collector or art patron can be a great help. Ansel Adams got his
big break when Albert M. Bender of San Francisco financed publication of his first
portfolio, Parmelian Prints of the High Sierra in 1927.

As I'm sure you know, Adams was also helped by the fact that he belonged to a movement
(straight photography) promoted by a group of photographers (f/64) and eventually championed
by a gallery owner in NYC (Alfred Stieglitz). This was a unique time in photography, but
it remains true that art movements are magnets for publicity.

If you do landscape work and don't already subscribe to Arizona Highways
(published by the Arizona Dept of Transportation and 99 years and a major outlet for
Ansel Adams, three generations of the Muench family, Jack Dykinga and Bruce Barnbaum),
consider subscribing.

Sales guru Robert B. Miller said "sales is a process, not an event." That's especially true with
fine art photography. "Networking" and building relationships are very important. You are
probably better off asking for the advice of professional artists than of most professional photographers
(painters don't do weddings or school pictures).

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

> Photographer Beth Moon of San Francisco had to replace ever print sold from an entire
show becuse they all turned green. <
I've had that a few times. The processers blamed an accidental slide film process, that contaminated the chemicals for the negatives.
One chain's manager informed the new (cheap) replacement photo department workers they didn't really need to change out ALL the chemicals - remove half and refill. Prints came out reddish. Same negs printed elsewhere came out fine.
Certain areas have tap water with high iron, copper or sulfur - this will change the ph, and cause age degradation.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

My 16X24 prints sell for $150.00.

Maik723

Gauge the pricing of photos in your local area and use this as baseline.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

nikonian please keep in mind that fame i.e. awards do not pay the bills... I have a stack of published tear sheets that won't even get me a short mocha at Starbucks... word!

However back in the 80's I worked the craft fair scene... made my own frames out of weathered barnwood... printed in various mediums on differing surfaces... controlled the entire workflow.

I had a table and stand up display board which conformed to most craft fair requirements...
Made a handsome profit and my lovely wife accompanying me to the shows... She was gorgeous (I'm maybe a tad bias here) and closed many sales herself... We were a team and had lots and lots of fun... Tried the gallery thing and it sucked... too sterile... no way to promote in real-time... guess it works for some but I would have starved on gallery sales... nope, craft fairs were not only fun but generated a sizable revenue stream...

Please note: That train left the station decades ago... I'm only sharing what worked for me in a particular era... You will need to find a niche that works for your market and target demographic...

food for thought... the thought of selling prints is a delusion that nearly all photographers pass through on their photographic journey... The fact remains that family portraiture is the most lucrative market available and has been for decades... might consider that route after your print sales escapade ends...

All the best on your journey nikonian and kudos on your "award"

Kingman

Go to local craft shows and get an idea what a framed 16x20" print sells for and determine whether your work measures up and you can live with the pricing range. Most street fair/craft shows sell matted only prints 11x14" from $25-50 each. Value is in the eye of the beholder, however you do need to cover your costs and make a reasonable profit. Just as a potential customer can say no to a price, you as the artist can say no to an offer for your work.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Sounds like a frustrated photographer trying to scare off competition. The OP should ignore the naysayers. Pay attention to those trying to help. Ricardo7 you can safely ignore.

Kingman

...an observation of "the other 50 million amateur photographers that want to sell their pictures" ...but most DO NOT, and so DO! Also of the 50 million amateur photographers, a lot of them take great images!

Picture Taker Loc: Michigan Thumb

I'm not making a living nor close to that but, I learned one thing, I don't put them on consignment. I have 2 prices retail and wholesale. ie. One 24X36 is $200.00@ and 6 nor more $100.00@. or what have you.