Blog Catalog Discussion: Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?

Getty72 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Getty72 — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 11:02:37 -0500

Thanks for your advice. It looks like a cool site (I see what you mean about the anime...lol!). I have signed up and will let you know how it goes. Thanks again!!!

riverstyxxx on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

riverstyxxx — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 18:36:56 -0500

It's great, the only problem is it's completely flooded out with useless anime. However, the good stuff usually doesn't have a problem getting noticed.
Selling prints is a free service too, from what I gather anyway.

Getty72 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Getty72 — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 18:34:58 -0500

That's really useful to know. I will take a look at Deviantart. Thanks

riverstyxxx on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

riverstyxxx — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:26:59 -0500

Use Deviantart if you want to sell your digital stuff, it won't even cost you a dime and lots of people will see it.

Getty72 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Getty72 — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:23:21 -0500

I have just had a look at the work on your RedBubble page. Fantastic work. Your friend is truly talented!!!!

I agree, the hastle is completely removed in RedBubble. Everything is done for you, all you need to do is upload the art and set the price. I have found that attaching the art to various groups increases it's exposure.

Good luck!!!

Dukepro25 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Dukepro25 — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 08:12:38 -0500

I was on Cafepress for awhile, but they only did shirts and things like that. I think the only prints they did where greeting cards. The rest of the stuff was like shirts, hats, cups, magnets and that kind of thing. You get a free store, but you’re only allowed to put one design on all of the available products. You could have 12 different designs, but you’d have to put them on 12 different items. I think the upgrade is like $10 I think.

I like RedBubble because it deals mostly with art prints. I use to sell stuff on eBay, but I had to worry about printing the prints and having them in stock. I love RebBubble, because it is print to order. You don't have to worry about getting your prints from the printer on time and shipping and all that. Plus it’s free. What an awesome deal! :)

Thanks Getty! Much appreciated! :D

http://www.redbubble.com/people/dukepro25

Getty72 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Getty72 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 20:24:25 -0500

This is great information. I have just signed up with Cafepress and will have a try with it. Thanks!!!

Sewmarm on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Sewmarm — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:17:08 -0500

I've sold some photos as stock photography, and I have a premium cafepress store that I promote with my own website. I use a purchased script, cpshop from marty.net to pull my products (or anyone's products for affiliate commissions) onto my site.

You don't have to go premium on Cafepress. I have one premium shop, and then some free shops that have very non-related themes. You can always import your free shop items into your premium shop later.

One advantage of going premium is that your products show up in the Commission Junction affiliate program datafeed. That means you've got another way to promote your products: get related blogs, sites, etc.. to market your products and they can earn an affiliate commission.

What I've found is that since Cafepress is a POD (print on demand) service, offline businesses can also be approached with samples, and you don't have to keep a stock.

I like the lighting and perspective on Clink Street.

Getty72 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Getty72 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:32:48 -0500

I'll have to take a look at cafepress, a few people have mentioned that site to me. Thanx

jafabrit on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

jafabrit — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:35:22 -0500

Thanks getty :)

Greekgeek on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Greekgeek — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:22:03 -0500

Only on CafePress, selling photos of ancient Greek art ('cause it's out of copyright):
http://www.cafepress.com/greek2me

So far I've made a few hundred dollars, not bad considering one only gets $2-3 commission for each item unless you apply a big markup.

Come to think of it, I really ought to make a design with the photo I use as my avatar. It wasn't a famous or dramatic piece, but I like the face.

Next time I go to Greece, I'm bringing a better #%@$@% camera, though. I had very few that were high enough detail to work for printed designs.

Getty72 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Getty72 — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:14:23 -0500

That's fantastic. Please be sure to post them and let me know. I would love to see them.

Kiwipulse on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Kiwipulse — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:43:51 -0500

great! I got a new camera, I will try to take some interesting pictures around my city :P

Dukepro25 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Dukepro25 — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:38:46 -0500

I'm a photographer and graphic artist as well.

I'm just not as good as my friend. :D

Dukepro25 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Dukepro25 — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:38:03 -0500

I set up an account, but I won't be able to put stuff up till tomorrow.

This is an excellent concept!

I love it!

I was selling prints on eBay, but then there was the hastle of printing them myself.

Not to mention having to pay for a storefront, auctions, and them taking a heavy percentage of my sales. (them and paypal that is)

I'm seriously interested for a friend that I was marketing for.

He's a photographer/graphic artist.

He does fantasy photography.

He's amazing!

I'll let you know as soon as I get stuff up! :D

Getty72 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Getty72 — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:10:45 -0500

Hiya Dukepro25

redbubble.com do the printing for you. They have a fixed price for their element of the service (materials, printing, delivery etc.). You then set your own desired mark-up price. There is no monthky charge, you just receive the mark-up that you set for each sale.

With regards to seeling the rights to your photographs, I have no idea how this works. I am quite new to redbubble.com at the moment. As I learn more I will let you know. However, from what I have seen so far, it looks like a cool site.

Let me know if you set up an account with them. I'd really like to see some of your work.

Thanks for commenting!

Dukepro25 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Dukepro25 — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:21:53 -0500

Love ur enchanted forest! :)

http://www.redbubble.com/people/getty72/art/823827-1-the-enchanted-forest

Dukepro25 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Dukepro25 — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:19:42 -0500

LOL

That's awesome!

Dukepro25 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Dukepro25 — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:22:51 -0500

They do all the printing for you?

What are the rates? (How much a month?)

Can you sell rights to your photos? (Royalty free?)

Dukepro25 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Dukepro25 — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:17:14 -0500

I've sold prints on eBay and they sold ok.

But I'm done with eBay.

Their rates are too high.

They take a chunk of your earnings anywhere they could.

I'll have to check out RedBubble.

Getty72 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Getty72 — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 17:33:06 -0500

Thanks wandadog. This is really valuable advice. As I mentioned, I am just venturing into the promotional element after being advised by a number of people to promote my photographs.

I will definitely look into entering some competitions to get some exposure and if it works out well, I will set up my own website to sell my work personally.

Thanks again, I truly appreciate your advice.

wandadog13 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

wandadog13 — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 15:55:03 -0500

My partner sells her own artworks (digital abstract art) via her own website (www.purple13.co.uk) but since she expanded her business interest into personalised photo gifts, its become very much a hobby, hence little promotion other than an odd guest spot on our blog etc.

She also sells her images (licenced sales) through a few national image libraries (Alamy / FotoLibra) and although the percentage earnings of a sale are quite low, you do gain by having your work showcased to the whole world.

Try entering a few competitions or even sending work to specific exhibitions (f.o.c) as its all exposure. The more exposure, the more chance of actually selling something.

You'll make more if you try to sell your work off your own back, rather than allowing an 'agency' to sell it all for you.

Good luck.

Getty72 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Getty72 — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:45:25 -0500

That's great. I had a photograph appear on TV as a backdrop to the weather forecast. I nearly fell of my chair when I saw it....

boss18 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

boss18 — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:43:46 -0500

Once I sold a photo to a local newspaper.

Getty72 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Getty72 — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:41:29 -0500

I am sure it will never compete with a true gallery or a personalised website. But in my instance, it is kind of like a litmus test - if people like my images then I will set up my own gallery site. I won't be leaving my day job just yet though...lol!

Getty72 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Getty72 — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:39:37 -0500

Thank you so much for your kind words.

Getty72 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Getty72 — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:39:10 -0500

The good news is that they do everything. All you have to do is upload your best photographs. If you do set up an account with them, please let me know. I would love to see some of your wonderful work!!!!

globalgirl on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

globalgirl — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:03:43 -0500

Never heard of redbubble.com until now. Great site. I used to make cards using my photography of Guatemala and sold them to card shops. It was labor intensive and, as a result, not really profitable. Do they send the product to the customer or do you?

globalgirl on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

globalgirl — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 10:58:52 -0500

Beautiful images!

Getty72 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Getty72 — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 09:59:06 -0500

Thanks for sharing. It's great to have such a wonderful hobby

offendedblogger on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

offendedblogger — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 20:15:07 -0600

I have nothing to sell, but my beautiful Photos from Northern Norway calender arrived today! I ordered it through cafe press and it was worth every penny.

In fact, it is so lovely that I won't be using it for archery target practice after all and I take back everything mean I said about jungl and the Vikings now. :)

BlogBadly on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

BlogBadly — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:55:40 -0600

I have an account on redbubble for the sole purpose of entering one of their contests. I submitted a few works I had previously written that fit the theme.

I don't know how well artwork sells, but if you make a funny t-shirt design then it could do well on Cafepress or something.

jembie on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

jembie — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:05:02 -0600

I have a store on Cafepress and on imagekind. It is only a hobby though, not for a living :)
http://jembie-creations.net
http://jembie.imagekind.com/

Getty72 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Getty72 — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 18:21:55 -0600

Jafabrit, thanks this is useful information.

ps. I love your artwork!!!!!

bsilvia on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

bsilvia — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:52:03 -0600

I'm selling my artworks and photographs, that's what I do for a living :)

begga212 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

begga212 — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:35:45 -0600

How about Location? Age group? Income range?
You don't really have to do much research sometimes, if you like your own work, target to people who are similar to you. If you are targeting them to galleries, which is what I've done, you have to put different approach on how to "present" yourself.

I did all my research from emarketer.com haha to market my ART work. I hate how commercial it gets now.

DeansDesignIdeas on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

DeansDesignIdeas — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:30:15 -0600

Interesting answers . thanks!

jafabrit on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

jafabrit — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:23:44 -0600

hum! target audience! now that is a good question. I mean if you create niche type work that is easy as pie, but what if your work doesn't fit a niche!

begga212 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

begga212 — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:50:23 -0600

I sold my work through the gallery that represents my work.
For online, it is the best to setup a simple personal portfolio, and market it to the target audience that you want to reach. Hope it helps. Tell me if you need further information.

Getty72 on 'Have you tried selling your photographs/artwork?'

Getty72 — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:45:01 -0600

I have no idea how good redbubble is yet. I'll keep you updated.