If you want to make money selling your photography prints either instead of or as well as selling digital media there are several ways that you can do this.
There are several ways you can make money selling photography prints offline. These include selling your freelance work, selling to shops and restaurants, or selling in local galleries. Below are sure where you can sell your work, how to go about it and some challenges of doing this.
It’s a good idea to not limit yourself simply to being online and extend your business 2 offline physical prints as well period this helps you get better now and gives you extra income streams.
How To Make Money Selling Photography Prints Locally.
First, decide whether you want to sell online or offline or both. There are different skill sets for each method. Sometimes they are also combined.
My own view is that everyone needs an online presence and way of selling.
Local Off-Line.
Think about where you can sell your work. Below I cover several areas where you can sell your prints offline and how to go about doing it.
Top ways to sell prints offline:
- Galleries.
- Restaurants and shops.
- Local attractions.
- Privately.
- As part of a freelance job, for example, weddings or schools.
Where to make money selling your photography Prints Offline
Sell in Local Galleries
If you want to sell in local galleries and local galleries you need to go to the galleries to see what they sell.
While you can phone them do you really need to go and visit them in person perhaps make an appointment to discuss your work and the possibilities of showing in their gallery. They may not have any spaces available and you may have to wait.
This can require a lot of footwork and rejection but it’s well worth it if you get accepted require a lot of footwork and rejection but it’s well worth it if you get accepted.
- Visit a gallery.
- See if what they sell is in line with your work.
- Also, what they sell indicates what will sell in your area.
- Make an appointment to show them your work.
- Check over any agreements and sign.
Sell Your Photos In Your own Gallery
You could consider setting up your own gallery. This requires a lot of advertising in various ways to get it off the ground. There are groups that you can join where you have an open gallery for art photography and ceramics etc period then you can go into a book so that people know that you are there.
This may not be the case in every area but it’s worth checking out to see if you have that in your area. If not you could consider setting one up.
All you really need it is a room with access for the public for a gallery. I have seen galleries in the middle of nowhere with people go and visit them. And also was in the center of thriving coastal villages. Obviously here cost is an issue and you might decide that you want to share a gallery with other photographers and artists.
Sell in Restaurants, Cafes, Pubs or Shops
Who does things that you can go to some lot of restaurants, cafes, pubs or shops locally where I am is that many artists and photographers have their work displayed on the walls?
This helps the shop or restaurant as it says them having to put our top. And it helps the photographer because they are getting their artwork out there. Also, the shops would take a commission.
Again this is something worth looking into but may depend on your area. As I say my area is a high tourist area so pictures of the local area will sell very well.
Note: Be careful on the terms that you use to display your work. Not everyone is as careful with it as you.
Make sure you have an agreement in writing and the terms are clearly laid out. Including the price, commission percentages, any damaged goods issues etc. List the images taken. And both parties sign it.
Where and What You Sell, Makes a Huge Difference to Your Success
If you’re looking to put your pictures in one of the above areas to sell them where you sell might make all the difference to your success. Where I live locally, for example, is a very touristy area. Especially around the beaches. Tourists come down, and they would be willing to spend much more money on art or photography in some tourist areas than they would inland in a normal cafe for example. Also, they like to have a memento where they’ve been and what they’ve seen so was a stunning piece of art or photography would work really well of the local area.
Remember to Include Smaller Prints
Not everyone wants to buy or has the room for all the money to buy a large piece. You may find it worth your while having smaller prints of postcards, greetings cards or just simply smaller frame parents taken off if you’re selling locally.
Do Freelance Work and Sell Prints
If you prefer to sell prints rather than digital media you may prefer to do some kinds of freelance work. Although these days you may find yourself selling both digital media and prints depending on what you choose to do.
People still like to have hard copies of things like wedding photos, school photos, and pictures of pets and their homes, etc.
It’s a good idea to become a specialist in one of these areas rather than trying to do all of them.
As each area requires its own skill sets and entry methods it is too much to go to in one article however there are individual articles on many of these subjects.
3 Challenges Of Selling Your Photography Offline
Branding Getting a Name and Reputation
My view is that you need to have a reputation or gain one for selling your photography offline. I’ve seen the results of these first-hand many years ago when I worked in the corporate world.
Someone was retiring, and she had her heart on a framed photo by a particular photographer. He wasn’t a professional at that time, but he was selling his work as a side business.
When I saw this photo I was floored. It was a picture of a rock, a huge picture of a rock, but still, rock. It was nothing out of the ordinary, not good lighting or anything. Maybe it was sour grapes but I felt that even I could produce something at least that standard.
I didn’t realize it then but in hindsight, I realized it wasn’t just about producing a good quality picture.
She wasn’t buying just a picture of the rock although it did have special significance to her. She was buying the print because it was by this particular artist. It was the name that counted. And I noticed since then but that’s often the case. This is where I fall flat on my backside. I’m too reserved to be out there getting a name. I’d rather just sell my work.
So this is one of the things you need to think about if you want to sell your prints offline. While it may not be always necessary it certainly does help.
If you’re one of these eccentric powerful people that come across well and can get a name for themselves or just very dogged, then you might be able to sell like this. If not it would probably pay you to get somebody else to do it for you or find a different method of selling your work.
People Don’t Always Place Great Value on Photographs
The other issue I noticed, again years ago, when I was volunteering at a photography and art gallery for a few days was the reaction people had between Art and Photography.
They quite clearly weren’t willing to spend the money on the photographs whereas they were on the art. The artists did a lot better than photographers. I asked and their reasoning was all pretty much the same. Art required much more skill than photography.
I very much feel that this is a view that is still the case today. Probably even more so with the huge quantity of cameras in everybody’s phones. Everybody thinks they can take photos. Because they do all the time and don’t see the flaws a photographer would see.
This kind of devalues the value of photographs in their eyes. Most who people wouldn’t really attempt to do a picture in acrylics, for instance, would think nothing of snapping pictures of their cats or lunches etc.
This isn’t meant to deter you simply to make you aware of things that you may want to consider when you take your pictures out and display them and galleries, etc.
If you’ve got the kind of personality where you can carve some form of identity then that helps a great deal.
Find a Unique Perspective, Style or Angle
Another thing that I think is important, maybe this is a personal one for me, is that I often like to see things that are different. Originally the skeleton photos were different and some people take incredible pictures of haunted houses they’ve carved a niche that wasn’t previously covered.
When it comes to crafts lot of people say they don’t actually sell much at the craft fairs. But that isn’t the reason they really go. They go to obviously hope to sell their work but also to get their name and their brand out there so people get to know them. So even if you find yourself not selling your photos at least you’re getting well-known locally. This may lead to sales, opportunities or freelance work.