Selling photos online... official MoneySavingExpert.com discussion

Mp42010

Greetings all,

I'm looking to sell my photos online (South East UK)

I know that with Photobox they take a small %

I'm looking at Smugmug to link from via my blog but cant seem to find any information if they take a small % for every photo sold.

i'm greedy and want 100% from sales :P

1940sGal

Mp42010 wrote: »

Greetings all,

I'm looking to sell my photos online (South East UK)

I know that with Photobox they take a small %

I'm looking at Smugmug to link from via my blog but cant seem to find any information if they take a small % for every photo sold.

i'm greedy and want 100% from sales :P

If you want 100% of sales you'd be better off selling them independently. No one's going to go to the hard work of selling your photos for you only to get nothing for it.

patman99

You have 2 options.

1 - Set up your own site (don't forget, you will need an unlimited amount of space and traffic allowance)

2 - Set up accounts with the likes of Alamy or Photographers Direct andpay a % fee for any images sold.

With option 1, you will have to spend a huge amount of time/effort/money promoting your site in order to get customers.

Option 2 puts your images on a site which already has a reputation amongst advertisers and publishers. Your image will be searched-for by thousands of potential customers.

No brainer if you ask me.

DustD

This thread has been very interesting to read, as I am intending to make money from my pictures when I am made redundant in November.

Other than the much maligned 'postive comments from friends and family', I have taken an Open University course and passed to a high standard. I will have a lump sum from the redundancy and plan to allocate a few K of this investing in better equipment to give this a go.

I am under no illusions as to how difficult to make money will be, even if I am perceived to be any good, and of course plan to get a 'normal' job as backup. But personally I think I have a good eye, so I'm going to try.

I plan to generate in 2 ways. The first and most obvious is to produce my own 'pretty' and 'arty' images and sell via my own website as prints. Obviously generating traffic will be difficult but going down the route of stock photography seems pointless. I'd much prefer to do my own and link up with a local printer and keep everything 'in-house'.

To supplement this (which I imagine will take a very long time to build up, if at all) I would pitch myself to local business for all kinds of commercial photography.

I've come across a few 'camera snobs' who seem to think that in order to take a decent picture you have to spend silly money. While I wouldn't go 'pro' on a compact I do think you can get a perfectly decent 'pro' set up for say 2-3k and like other people have mentioned here, its behind the lens what counts.

Since digital photography has become so accessable there are plenty of people out there who think there the next David Bailey after taking a few snaps but I also think its fair to say there a few so-called 'pros' out there who because they have an expensive set-up, think they take good pictures.

Its these people, charging silly money for average images, that are harming the industry, surely?

Kiran

DustD wrote: »

.....I've come across a few 'camera snobs' who seem to think that in order to take a decent picture you have to spend silly money. While I wouldn't go 'pro' on a compact I do think you can get a perfectly decent 'pro' set up for say 2-3k and like other people have mentioned here, its behind the lens what counts....

You don't need to spend 2-3 grand, as you mention in your post its what behind the camera that counts! Personally I would outsource the printing until you've made some sales.

OneYorkshireLass

DustD wrote: »

While I wouldn't go 'pro' on a compact I do think you can get a perfectly decent 'pro' set up for say 2-3k and like other people have mentioned here, its behind the lens what counts.

Wow, what camera are you thinking of buying to reach that price? I assume you're including lenses/tripod etc in that figure?

DustD

OneYorkshireLass wrote: »

Wow, what camera are you thinking of buying to reach that price? I assume you're including lenses/tripod etc in that figure?

Yes - the figure I mentioned includes camera, 3-4 lenses, flash, tripod, filters, mem cards etc etc.

OneYorkshireLass

DustD wrote: »

Yes - the figure I mentioned includes camera, 3-4 lenses, flash, tripod, filters, mem cards etc etc.

You might find some inspiration for your venture from this site http://www.tonyhowell.co.uk/
One of the best pro photographers IMO.

DustD

OneYorkshireLass wrote: »

You might find some inspiration for your venture from this site http://www.tonyhowell.co.uk/
One of the best pro photographers IMO.

Thank you

Looksguywalker

http://www.harrybenson.com/

Glasgow born world renowned photographer.

He was there when muhammad ali met the beatles, when Bobby Kennedy was assassinated, has photographed every USA President since Eisenhower. He was one of the few running towards the World Trade Center when it was hit by the planes. There is so much more...Google him!