Author Topic: Selling your Best Pictures online? (Read 5837 times)

hasuwini · « **on:** September 19, 2018, 14:53 »

Sup guys?

As big newbies, I was just wondering, if you guys were selecting the pictures you do not put into Microstock sites for your personal website and for sale,

Tell us about that if you do, cause yea I'm interested

Sean Locke Photography · « **Reply #1 on:** September 19, 2018, 14:58 »

Part of the learning experience is figuring out what works best for you at what pricing level.

rinderart · « **Reply #2 on:** September 20, 2018, 19:55 »

I show in a Gallery In my town Beverly Hills. I do 2 a year. One for new Paintings and One for photos. Always B&W Photos and always street work. paintings are usually large scale because i do whats called main Room pieces 6ft x 6ft or larger.or over the couch 30 x 40 ish I also do Installations In corporate Locations,,,,banks,Libraries etc.. . I will usually mix subjects from Hard Core Abstract to landscape.
Photos I do 20 x 30 Framed. If the original paintings don't sell and because I Photograph everything when Finished. The original Pieces go Into My Rental Area. Every TV show or Film that has Interior shots has artwork On the walls. It is rented. and a VERY good business. My agent for 30 years does quite well. A large piece can Get $500 a week and if it's TV and becomes Popular??? Ca Ching. then they will usually Buy the piece.

I;ve done over 1800 pieces and I Photograph each One, I then do a Hidden Portfolio Site for Interior Decorators that I've worked with for years. that do Hotels,Restaurants.Hair shops etc all Over the world. The Kind of stuff you see going to your room in Hallways. they will order a 100 at a time. I supervise the Archival printing, I ship, They Matt and frame.Done.
Whatever is used up or a certain amount of time goes to stock Output. which is coming to a end in the foreseeable future unless there are considerable changes. Been doing micro for 14 years and general stock since 1968 and it's getting quite Old and Rather futile and simply Not cost effective anymore and Honestly Kinda heartbreaking.... The site greed factor is alarming.And there is No way I would or could do this today. A little Flashback for ya. I sold My first stock Image on Kodachrome. we had dupes made and sent to agency. MY first sale Had a commission of $400 for a Cactus in arizona,Magazine cover. Thats A LOT in todays Money. you could Buy a car for That. LOL
My advice is Listen to Sean. A Large part of Image Making Is Learning How to sell. I have Old artist friends that do the art Fair in Parks circuit. they do weekends for 3/4 Months of travel, Kinda like a circus. then come home. Thats a very simple way, If you have the selling Gene. If not?...Good Luck..I DO NOT do any POD sites!!.. Way to many Fools Taking a Image by someone else. running a filter on it and calling it Theirs. And the sites don't care one Bit.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #3 on:** September 26, 2018, 11:14 »

Quote from: rinderart on September 20, 2018, 19:55

I show in a Gallery In my town Beverly Hills. I do 2 a year. One for new Paintings and One for photos. Always B&W Photos and always street work. paintings are usually large scale because i do whats called main Room pieces 6ft x 6ft or larger.or over the couch 30 x 40 ish I also do Installations In corporate Locations,,,,banks,Libraries etc.. . I will usually mix subjects from Hard Core Abstract to landscape.
Photos I do 20 x 30 Framed. If the original paintings don't sell and because I Photograph everything when Finished. The original Pieces go Into My Rental Area. Every TV show or Film that has Interior shots has artwork On the walls. It is rented. and a VERY good business. My agent for 30 years does quite well. A large piece can Get $500 a week and if it's TV and becomes Popular??? Ca Ching. then they will usually Buy the piece.

I;ve done over 1800 pieces and I Photograph each One, I then do a Hidden Portfolio Site for Interior Decorators that I've worked with for years. that do Hotels,Restaurants.Hair shops etc all Over the world. The Kind of stuff you see going to your room in Hallways. they will order a 100 at a time. I supervise the Archival printing, I ship, They Matt and frame.Done.
Whatever is used up or a certain amount of time goes to stock Output. which is coming to a end in the foreseeable future unless there are considerable changes. Been doing micro for 14 years and general stock since 1968 and it's getting quite Old and Rather futile and simply Not cost effective anymore and Honestly Kinda heartbreaking.... The site greed factor is alarming.And there is No way I would or could do this today. A little Flashback for ya. I sold My first stock Image on Kodachrome. we had dupes made and sent to agency. MY first sale Had a commission of $400 for a Cactus in arizona,Magazine cover. Thats A LOT in todays Money. you could Buy a car for That. LOL
My advice is Listen to Sean. A Large part of Image Making Is Learning How to sell. I have Old artist friends that do the art Fair in Parks circuit. they do weekends for 3/4 Months of travel, Kinda like a circus. then come home. Thats a very simple way, If you have the selling Gene. If not?...Good Luck..I DO NOT do any POD sites!!.. Way to many Fools Taking a Image by someone else. running a filter on it and calling it Theirs. And the sites don't care one Bit.

You wouldn't be hinting at a site with the initials FAA would you?

Quote from: Sean Locke Photography on September 19, 2018, 14:58

Part of the learning experience is figuring out what works best for you at what pricing level.

Well said and direct.

Answer the Question:

Do I sell my best work on Micro, yes some. Do I hold back some for other outlets? yes some. It depends. If I could find more places to sell for more, then I'd upload less to Micro. But most of the time, I'd like to have a bit of something, rather than 100% of nothing.

nobody · « **Reply #4 on:** September 26, 2018, 12:11 »

competing against millions of other's image you will need your best image - sad part is that your best images will get about $.38 (Subs) on most sites

rinderart · « **Reply #5 on:** November 30, 2018, 17:25 »

To me...stock is just another Outlet. certain stuff for that and other stuff for different markets if this is all I could or wanted to pursue. I don't think I would.If I was a LOT younger and didn't know better or havent been around a Long time. I probably would. To be a working Image maker you really have to consider all Opportunities and different markets. If I didn't Have the clients I have. I don't think I would do this....at least not Now.I deal with set decorators and Interior designers that do Hotels and such. I do Album Covers 43 so Far.I do dishwashers for 30 Years...LOL Alcohol companies Boring as sin But sure pays the Bills. and Try to make a bottle Of Bourbon sexy or a Office stapler or a Dishwasher.....Thats what it is Guys. Commercial Photography . Doing Micro means I can relax and Just shoot My crack faced seniors and have some fun. and Take road trips and just drive until I see something That interests me. That don't pay the bills. I don't live in the woods Of idaho or someplace.

Try shooting a office stapler and the owner is standing there and says C-mon Make it Look sexy.......I do OK on Micro..Obviously ,Like many others Not like It was But ...OK, the $900 days are Long gone.