Some people don’t understand how this might work. Attracting clients is one way to go. A guy nearby has paid the bills for 30 years, at craft shows. He’s never had a studio, keeps his overhead low. Has excellent research on what shows to go to and which to avoid.
That way, they buy it or they don’t. No expectations involved.
Some advice from him, when I was on the ciruit.
"You have to have the artisitc shots, people will look thruogh them to see that you are a “real artist”. Then they a buy wildlife or a sunset."
Making a go of photography is tough. But not impossible. If you’re not making it, you’re not working hard enough, or you’re doing something wrong. In our booth often people would walk through, look at our 30x20 inch canvases, then look through bins of “artistic shots” while they made up their minds. We didn’t sell many of them, but they were part of the experience for our buyers.
By the way, my buddy pays $700 to get into a big show that will be attended by 25,000 people and can walk away with $10,000 for a 3 day weekend. Bottom line, I know way more that want to be but didn’t have the talent or some other issue. Some folks think it’s just about taking images.
Building up a good collection f inventory, taking care to use good storage and display cases and an attractive portable booth, getting reliable outside printing, and just plain hustle. I’d be way more tempted to say, if you fail maybe you’re not doing it right. But where I live there are at least 4 fulltimers, offering classes, photo tours etc.
I hate it when people imply because they know someone who couldn’t do it, means no one can. But I do suspect most people don’t have the needed combination of skill sets. The fact that most can’t do it doesn’t mean no one can. Same as heart surgery, teaching, auto mechanics or anything else.
This article would seem to be like me saying, “I know a guy who’s really good fixing cars, but he can't make his livign at his garage." FIne, that’s possible. That doesn’t mean no one can.
My buddy gave me clear roadmap to a succesfull career. From selling next to him in his both at one show, I know my stuff would sell, I actaully outsold him at that show. I lack the desire to do so. I like hiking, canoeing, volleyball, to many other things that take time to devote myself exclusively to photography. That’s on me, not the lack of opportunity.
The opportunity is there, I just don’t have the “get after it” to take it.
I know people who take images from the air or people’s properties, sell large scale wall sized prints for humungous prices, do catalogue photgraphy there are mahy ways to be succesfull, all of which are hard to get started in, but not so bad once you’re established. ANd I dsiagree compleley that artistic doesn’ help pay the bills. They just help in a way the author of this article doesn’t comprened. They establish your reputation, but you better have the sunsets and wildlife when it’s time to collect money.
It was get in get sharp, clear shots to document the scene and get out, which suited me just fine, because some of the circumstances and locations, weren't very pleasant.
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