New to the bussiness, an LOST

[stpierre87]

OK, here's the quick version of the story, help in anyway you can, it will be greatly appreciated...
Started shooting seriously like 4 months ago, kinda for fun. Im starting to make alil money off of it, but nothing crazy cause i barely know the in's an out's, let alone its my first 'dslr', which i've become pretty good with, if i might say... lol
ok, so i got the "photographers market 2011", i know how to copyright an watermark my prints. Here's where i'm stuck, i'm not sure how i should go about contacting them, if i should have forms ready... I'm so lost. i found some software called "fotobiz" which looks really nice, an easy to use, but i can't afford that right now !!!
any idea's, help, or anything for that matter would be helpfull!

rob

[TPF Sponsor]

[tirediron]

Sorry, who are "them", and what sort of work are you trying to market?

[Bitter Jeweler]

Contacting who? Why?

[stpierre87]

Them being... umm, say one of the contacts i've chosen in the 'photographers market' book... should i have a form of some sort... and i'd be contacting them to try an sell my work. in which ever field i'd chosen to pick them from ?

[Fujito]

Don't use ellipses.

Why are you being so ambiguous? SPECIFICS!

[Bitter Jeweler]

Oh, that scam.

How & Where to Sell What You Create | Artist's Market Online

Should you be asking them?

[orljustin]

"Hey, I got my first dslr for Christmas, and now I'm an awesome photographer! Who'll pay me for my pictures?"

Sigh. Try to demonstrate a modicum of interest in learning to light correctly, or compose a shot, or expose or anything. Have you taken the camera off the little green box yet?

[stpierre87]

well just to inform 'justin'... i only shoot in manual, an if you read alil bit slower in first post, you will see its my first 'd' slr.... an you will also see that i have said ,"started shooting seriously".... not "started shooting".

I didn't post this do be judged by someone I don't even know, so if you can't help an rather judge, just keep your opinions to yourself (or at least read the facts correctly)........................................ ................. "..."

[KmH]

You communicate like a real pro!

[stpierre87]

oh, forget it !

[Fujito]

You communicate like a real pro!

[KJlayland]

So you're trying to sell images you've already created? Why don't you register with a stock site like istock? They have instructions for what you need to do to get started.

[stpierre87]

ok, well, seeing how your being so helpful. why don't you tell me, what i need to do, to speak like a real "pro"?
an thanks kj

[Bitter Jeweler]

Well, seeing as how nobody really understands your first post, why don't you try to explain it further?

But if it's what I think you are trying to say, I think the answer to your question is in the book, or on the books website. *shrug*

[Overread]

Stock is a very hard thing to get into - the larger established stock sites already have a lot of stock photos and set a very high technical standard. Furthermore many operate MP limits (ie your shot must be over x number of MP in size). In addition with the market so full its very hard to make sales unless you have a massive number of shots or something that the market needs that is not yet fullfilled.

Microstock can be easier to get into, but its even more oversaturated and the prices you get per sale are so tiny that its hardly worth doing from the photographers perspective. To make any meaningful money from it you'd have to have 1000s+ of shots on sale and that is a lot of work hours - its just not something that effectively pays for itself.


As for your communication skills; proper typing; using capitals; proper sentence structure and such are all going to help your cause in coming of as a more serious person than someone who is just in it for a laugh. Furthermore don't jump at people who make judgements - if you give people little to no info you can only expect little to nothing in return.