Do you think my photos are good enough to sell?

[PS9]

Meh... I'll stick to the day job

Thanks for the opinions.

 

[HughGuessWho]

I would suggest looking up the Rule of Thirds and Composition and Exposure.
And, honestly, if these are typical of your work, then, No, they are not good enough to sell. Sorry.

 

[panblue]

Art is totally fickle. Quality is subjective. A lot of people don't *see* quality, they see subject. So ..aircraft, Mustangs etc..sure; but guessing what random subjects, random people may like isn't a good living, usually. That's why pros shoot on demand - studio, weddings, news, events. Or they please themselves subjectively, but get known for sticking to something niche. That takes dedication and time.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Matthew Kuhns Photography

 

[MLeeK]

If someone is willing to buy them? Sure. Why not.
You might try the stock agencies. Selling photography as fine art is going to require a bit more than just a decent image.
This business is HARD AS HELL. Selling photos like that which are art pieces instead of portraits of the people you are selling to is even harder.

Think about this: WHO is going to buy your photos? WHY would they want them? HOW are you going to get YOUR photos in YOUR website into their line of sight AND make them NEED to buy your work? WHAT would they be willing to pay for your work?

This then becomes a business and that is something incredibly more complicated than just starting a zenfolio account and printing some photos. Check here for some insight on the business end of it.
This isn't a snarky question-it's the reality of where you need to start in order to

 

[Derrel]

Sorry, but the three samples shown are not very good. Selling images "cold", via Zenfolio??? Ummmm...that doesn't really "work".

 

[panblue]

So true!

 

[panblue]

Furthermore, I think these things were tough enough pre-the-internet-taking-over-the-developed-world, now we are living our lives in this DELUGE of art/media/stimulus.

Someone quoted as saying "when everyone's somebody, nobody's anybody"; I don't recall who that was. The two sides of the coin now are, one the one hand, a non-entity goes viral, one the other hand, a hundred million talents lost in the surf/background noise.

So yea..marketing is 9/10s of the law. It's the thing. Networking/distribution. Look at the cheesy photos in the coffeeshop chains. Someone made a pretty penny there! Quality needed only be 'adequate'.

 

[panblue]

PS9,
I can confidently imagine that I know/have known people who would buy the images you posted. Your pictures are better than they could make (or they are unable to make, lacking access to the subjects). They also wouldn't care that your photos are not the best in the world. But those people are like 1:10K of the population. So unless you can reach millions, targeted advertising, and cover CODB, and make a profit, it isn't a living. It can be a sideline/hobby but not much more. If you raised your game (skill/equipment/networking) you could maybe freelance. But the competition is fierce and huge.

I can see that from where I'm standing and I'm not even in the biz! lol

 

[PS9]

.

 

[panblue]

I agree totally. And your understanding of the reality is sounder than some artists I've known who've set-up bricks-and-mortar galleries with all that cost, in provisional towns where hardly anyone buys (but lots of people window-shop).

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

It's the supply vs demand that worries me, there's too much supply of photos like the ones I take.

Yes, there's too much supply of mediocre snapshots, because too many people who have cameras think they can monetize their hobby.

You love taking pictures? Then enjoy your hobby.
You want to make money? Be exceptional!

 

[cgipson1]

I agree totally. And your understanding of the reality is sounder than some artists I've known who've set-up bricks-and-mortar galleries with all that cost, in provisional towns where hardly anyone buys (but lots of people window-shop).

PanBlue....... if you are going to reply to posts, please do the "Reply with Quote" function, it makes it all a lot more coherent, as we can see who you are replying to! I take it you are new to forums?

 

[panblue]

A lot of art (Fine Art ..art for art's sake) gets stymied by the fact the artists feel they have to 'be serious', 'be pro' (i.e 'be safe'). There's an army of photogs out there all doing the same thing with landscape imagery, studio portraiture. With very similar editing approach and style of presentation of imagery. It's a bit like the 21st century equivalent of the Salon de Paris with all those rules about acceptable subjects/composition/perspective/color It doesn't make commercial sense, as a start-up, to be too experimental, so it can't be undertaken as a business until you've nurtured some interest in what you are doing.

 

[panblue]

I agree totally. And your understanding of the reality is sounder than some artists I've known who've set-up bricks-and-mortar galleries with all that cost, in provisional towns where hardly anyone buys (but lots of people window-shop).

PanBlue....... if you are going to reply to posts, please do the "Reply with Quote" function, it makes it all a lot more coherent, as we can see who you are replying to! I take it you are new to forums?

OK, sorry for any confusion.