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Author Topic: Selling landscape artwork  (Read 4921 times)

geotzo

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Selling landscape artwork
« on: May 29, 2009, 08:49:37 am »

Hi all,
lately, I have been working on a few images that I consider to have a "fine art print" potential and would like to get into selling some artwork, mainly for fun, additionallly to my routine studio work. Having sold a few pieces in the past, by displaying them in some local shops, I thought I should give it a go in a more organised manner. So I m about to setup a website for it, but was also thinking of other established markets online, who are reviewing artwork often, as I should think they have a greater chance to sell your work because of popularity and online visits. I know a lot of you are into this kind of buisness, so I would be greatfull for any advice on where to start and which method has worked best for you.
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astockwell

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Selling landscape artwork
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2009, 09:15:05 am »

Quote from: geotzo
Hi all,
lately, I have been working on a few images that I consider to have a "fine art print" potential and would like to get into selling some artwork, mainly for fun, additionallly to my routine studio work. Having sold a few pieces in the past, by displaying them in some local shops, I thought I should give it a go in a more organised manner. So I m about to setup a website for it, but was also thinking of other established markets online, who are reviewing artwork often, as I should think they have a greater chance to sell your work because of popularity and online visits. I know a lot of you are into this kind of buisness, so I would be greatfull for any advice on where to start and which method has worked best for you.

Check out redbubble, it is free cost to artist, and anything you post has option to sell, with adjustable markup. I to date haven't sold anything through there. It's all about finding a niche, and a buyer for the product. You can say you are going to sell it, but if there is no buyer, it makes it much harder. ETSY is another option, as is stock photography, and there are tons of online stock agnecies out there. I haven't gone this route yet, due to the fact I don't have a diverse enough portfolio yet, I have smugmug as my main site with a customized URL, so I have my own name associated with my site, instead of Smugmug, and you can change price via markup there also, but it costs to sell there $149 a year for a pro membership. You can go power, and if you have your own e-commerce site setup, then you could link it and do it that way, or via paypal, so you are doing all the promotion of your work, and making a name for yourself, but using paypal for the commerce side. Google Checkout is another option. Smugmug has a really good ability to be customized to your liking as far as your website goes, via use of CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), so it makes customization really easy via their FAQs, tutorials, and webforum Dgrin.com. Another thing is to promote yourself as much as possible. I want to say it is the economy, but I'm sure somebody is selling work right now. I think stock is the best way to make a long term investment in photography(landscape) as a profitable venture, unless you shoot portraiture or editorial work.

Hope this helps,

-Andy
« Last Edit: May 29, 2009, 09:17:45 am by astockwell »
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alainbriot

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Selling landscape artwork
« Reply #2 on: June 02, 2009, 04:22:14 pm »

Quote from: Majik_Imaje
FURP !! that is my response, (no offense).

Majik,

What does FURP mean?

Quote from: Majik_Imaje
I made a fortune selling crappy snap - shots. (. . .)

Once you frame and matt ANY PHOTOGRAPH - and place it into a GALLERY, is it known - it is referred to as.. .. .. FINE ART !!

Not necessarily although I see your point to some extent when I look at some specific examples of postmodern art.  Yet, it is not an automatic process.  At any rate, I wouldn't advise to sell "crappy snap - shots."  Not a good advice in my view.  What is considered art may be a matter of personal opinion,  but quality can be rated fairly accurately.

My personal recommendation is quite the opposite: limit quantity and focus your efforts on offering the finest quality.


How much is "a fortune" for you ?

ALain
« Last Edit: June 02, 2009, 04:28:23 pm by alainbriot »
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Alain Briot
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alainbriot

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Selling landscape artwork
« Reply #3 on: June 03, 2009, 01:39:57 pm »

Majik,

Thank you for your answers.

Alain
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Alain Briot
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larrytxeast

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Selling landscape artwork
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2009, 12:35:48 am »

Quote from: Majik_Imaje
►snip◄

Thanks a lot for this follow-up posting to the original poster's question. I say this because I've been considering selling landscape shots I've taken, just like the original poster, and find the advice given there quite insightful. Maybe, just maybe, it will help. It certainly is appreciated.

LRH
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geotzo

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Selling landscape artwork
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2009, 06:04:41 am »

Well I thought i had no more replies, but there you go. Thank you all ever so much, I think it was eye opening indeed. Standing up front for your work, is something that works best most of the times. I really like the idea of carring your work with you all of the time, ready for being sold in small prints or post-cards. In fact, I ve sold a few to some clients, by having them on my studio walls! This kind of approach is something I will try soon.
Kind regards to all,
George
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byork

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« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2009, 06:34:20 am »

My brother in law does something similar to this.....he wrote a book, a love story in the form of poetry. It's damn hard to get the public to buy poetry, but he travels all over Australia selling it, and is now in his 3 or 4th edition. I reckon next time he goes out, I'll be slipping a box of my photos in his van.
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laughingbear

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Selling landscape artwork
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2009, 10:27:26 pm »

It is a strange world away from the ice David isn't it. Good to see you!  

Out of my personal experience:

....I had a lot of money at some stage in my life, I was not rich. I lost it all, I became rich beyond comprehension.... It is 4AM and I am walking down the bay. The god damn midges are eating me alive as soon as I stand still for longer than 10 seconds, they attack viciously.... It is 5AM I am still walking down the bay, in deep thoughts, when suddenly a young stag is right in front of me, as surprised as I, he looked at me equally surprised, may be he was in deep thoughts too. There he is right on front of me, may be 2-3 arm lengths away and looks right at me, so do I. I feel humble and more, a feeling of happiness starts bubbling in my stomach and takes over my entire body, I must grin. What a beauty he is, by his antlers I'd say 4-5 years. So we stand there for 30 seconds and look at eachother, not longer, I can hear him breathing, I can smell him and see his eyes. Very long 30 seconds in deed. Rich 30 seconds no one can pay for, no one can buy, no one can make that stag cross my way, no money in the world.

He turns around and walks gracefully slow away, no fear at all, he turns his head again, and then starts to run to the nearby pine trees.

I am still standing there with a grin in my face and slowly return to reality when I realised that the damn blooduckers were all over me having a feast. I start running as well. After a short sprint I setup my tripod, take a single picture from Derryveagh mountains in the distance and go home again to hit the bed for a few hours snooze. It is 6:30 now and all over people are standing up to get ready, drive to work, sit in an office and being told what to do, most of them do not like what they are doing, most of them are poor I think, reagrdless how big their pay cheque might be....

My advise would be: Tell the story of your picture, the way it was for example, this will ad another dimension, an important dimension, your experience being told will tell a lot about you and the photograph, the way you see the world.
 
« Last Edit: June 14, 2009, 10:33:00 pm by laughingbear »
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