What is the best way to sell my Photography? What are my most lucrative options?

Question

I produce Digital Images of Nature and Models (Real Women); all of my work is online.

Answer 1

There are a multitude of ways to actually make money with photography. Whether you do nature, candids, pets, weddings, etc.

In your case, however there is a few best approaches that hopefully I can help provide you with.

Option 1:: You can try to approach local newspapers / magazines. Sometimes they are looking for photographs of the local area and are very happy to see if the work comes from someone local also.

Option 2:: A lot of towns and smaller cities have annual trade shows (or craft shows). People can purchase a booth space and show off their work. You see stuff from quilts to photographs to knives at these things. THis is a great place to show off your work. However, if you intend on selling you have to have sellable work that is printed and usually mounted (framed is optional).

Option 3:: Nature photographs work great as inspirational prints. If you were to print some nice 20x30 or 24x30 prints you may be able to sell them to local businesses, shops, companies, etc.

Option 4:: I'm not sure what you mean by 'real women' (as apposed to a fake one I guess), but if you have built portfolios for these models, take them to local modeling agencies and offer to cut a deal with them. A photographer I worked for got a lot of business from a semi-local agency that referred models to him. In return, he referred anyone interested in becoming a model to them.

Option 5:: Word of mouth. Take a nice print, mount it and frame it and have it put up in a friend or family's house. Also, leave a business card with it. THis way, when people ask about it, your name will get dropped and you may get a sale out of it.

Option 6: Sell your stuff online. Sign up with multiple stock-photo companies and sell online. I'd suggest signing up with 2 or 3 big companies (istockphoto, dreamstime and gettyimages) and submit your work to them.

Option 7: Check out local art galleries. They are usually more than happy to help out a local artist of any type.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

Try the 2006 Photographers Market available from Amazon.com. It will tell you who uses freelance photographers, how much they usually pay, how many images they use per year, what their technical requirements are and even who to submit the pictures to. I have been using these guides for over 25 years with a fair amount of success. Keep in mind that unless you are a DAMN GOOD photographer, you won't be able to sell many pics in the stock, fashion, beauty or sports markets. You would be more likely to sell pictures of their distinctive semi rigs to a trucking company than the winning touchdown of the 2006 Superbowl to a magazine.

Answer 3

Unfortunately, I think wedding photography is the most lucrative. Nature images aren't that desireable (stock photography maybe) and the only model photography that makes substantial $$ is porn.

Good luck.

Answer 4

most lucrative photos are ones that are accident or accidently....ie the shot from ok city with the firefighter and the baby the ones of the world trade ctr plane crashes etc have your camera always with you and lots of film or extra for your digital formatted memory cards ready at all times. a professor of mine actually sold multiple shots from a plane crash and eventually used his notaritity to get a job with national geographic only because he had run to the nearest photo shop and bought up all the film avail and then run to the site of the crash to start taking pictures.

Answer 5

Go for freelancer that you will be paid as you sell photography. Or you can run a photographer shop to use your skill to sell photography of portraits or landscapes.

Answer 6

Approach magazines or companies that will require your work to go alongside with their brocheres, articles.

Answer 7

make public all yours photos and where people can find it on line.