Photography and Writing Selling

[Mouldy]

I was wondering If anyone out there has experience selling writing and photography. I'm more interested on the photography side of things for now I guess but wouldn't mind getting into writing more too. As some of you might know, I have a small portfolio of pictures that I have been meagerly trying to sell (facebook page, family &amp; friends). Now that I'm going out on my own, I would like to try to get serious and sell them. I know the economy for pics is down, but I can adjust prices. Does anyone have experience selling photos on this site? I've looked into buying a subscription to a stock photo company for 100 bucks a year and you get royalties off what they sell. I figure I better build up my portfolio a little more before throwing a benjamin down.<br>I remember reading an article on the left where a guy makes some money off of articles but it seems like it takes an awful long time and effort for what he gets. Anybody worked with trying to get something published via a magazine or something like that?<br><br>

 

[Guest]

Hi Mouldy, <br><br>My wife is a published writer with one book published and several others written but on the shelf and many, many mag articles...in fact one is coming out soon in Rider Magazine. Along with the writing she sells photos...She has to work a job but if you have some other income, what she makes would be good gas money. (she would love, more than anything to make her living writing) Sorry to say, writing is an enormously difficult way to make a living. I only know one at the moment who does, he is a friend from childhood and has written for a living all his life as a news journalist. These days, about half retired he ekes out a few jobs for business related articles and they actually live on his wife's income as a teacher as well s his investments and SSI.<br><br>That said, I have a friend from Alaska who, with his wife, took his three kids...two of them autistic, on a 7 year circumnvigation of the world in a 42 foot sailboat and is now writing a book with his daughter...they have an agent and ghost writer and have interest both from publishers and Hollywood....it remains to be seen what comes from it. They have a hugely interesting hook with taking the kids along...His wife is an RN and he has a masters in child development.<br><br>I am not trying to discourage you, just give you my and friends experience. Your photos are gorgeous and you may do very well.<br>I wish you the best of luck,<br>Bri<br><br>

 

[Mouldy]

Thanks Bri, I don't plan on making a living off of them by any means, just would like to get a dime for what I like to do <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br>

 

[Guest]

You will do that for sure! Many sales to you bro!<br>Bri<br><br>

 

[dlivesgreen]

Hi Mouldy,<br>I am a new member of the Yahoo! Contributor Network (<a target="_blank" href="https://contributor.yahoo.com/signup.shtml">https://contributor.yahoo.com/signup.shtml</a>).&nbsp; They pay $1.50 per 1000 views of an article.&nbsp; I have been on the site for a month, only submitted 4 small articles, and I am at around 500 views.&nbsp; This is not very much money but the articles are what I wanted to write about.&nbsp; If you are a truly talented writer, you can be paid up front in addition to the pay per views.&nbsp; This is most likely not something you are going to get rich from.&nbsp; If you write about stuff that people are interested in, like travel and sports then you will make more than writing poetry.&nbsp; They have pictures as something you can submit but I do not know how much you would make from them.&nbsp; Good luck and let us know if you find any sites that pay well.<br>

 

[blars]

I've not done it myself, but know people who do.<br><br>It depends a lot on what you take pictures of or write about.&nbsp; Portrait or wedding photography is different from selling pictures of landscapes or animals.&nbsp; Porn is it's own market.<br><br>Selling fiction seems to be a matter of persistance as well as being good.&nbsp; Expect hundreds of rejections before your first sale, and if you are lucky and close to what they want they may even give you a hint why you were rejected.<br><br>There are sites out there that pay for short non-fiction on subjects they choose.&nbsp; A quick author can even make minimum wage at it.<br><br><br>

 

[akrvbob]

My hobby is nature photography and I think I am pretty good at it. Lots of friends have told me I should turn pro, but I know better. The nature photog market is flooded with with guys who are true masters. And for every one of them there is 10,000 guys trying to break into the field. I have a friend who makes a living at it. He travels around the country to invitation only juried art shows and sells his prints that are 3 foot by 6 foot and bigger. If&nbsp; my shots are a super cub, then his are the space shuttle. Bob<br>

 

[Tara]

After much experimentation with this sort of thing I think it's *usually* only worth it if you control the distro. For example, say you make a blog and you market the hell out of it and get 5,000 followers. Then make an ebook that you sell for $5 and 500 of them might buy it if you're lucky.

People are doing interesting things with kickstarter these days too. Do a swath there for photography and books - if you can network and promote yourself you can probably self publish.

Regular magazine publishing pays like $5-50/article (usually closer to 10 or 20) and IMO it's really only worth it if you're making an impact on a niche audience and sending them to your site.

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

<B>I mentioned this in one of the other threads.&nbsp; I turn my fine art paintings into cards. Have a nice border around them and hand sign at the bottom of each 2 to 4 dollar card.&nbsp;Artist friends turn their photograpy into cards and sell them off the shelves.&nbsp; The cards fit well in a basket.&nbsp; You do need to buy prefab cellophane&nbsp;sleves to protect them, cheap and professional looking. They also travel well and are light weight and take up little space. Email me for info and tips,I've done this for a long time. Yeah, I would love to be selling original work like I used to befor the economy nosedived but you just have to be more open to other ideas.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </B><br><b>Diane&nbsp; at <A href="mailto:[email protected]" target=_blank>[email protected]</A></b><br>

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

<B><FONT size=3>For you photographers, I wonder if you could sell to the park gift shops? </FONT></B><BR><B><FONT size=3>diane (the 3rd one with the butterfly&nbsp;was made for my alcoholic .......) to remind her of choices.</FONT></B>&nbsp;&nbsp;<B> These may be made on the road using Office Depot, Wal Mart etc.</B>

 

[Mouldy]

By park do you mean Nat'l Parks and state parks?<br><br>P.S. Very nice work <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br><br>

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

<P><B>Some of the state parks and national monuments have gift shops.&nbsp;&nbsp; I was thinking about photos of the park you might stop at to sight see. Take some photos of the favorite attractions and sign your work, even measly little cards or postcards. Heck, they get that stuff they sell to tourists from somewhere. Maybe they would buy from a photographer/artist addition to the Chinese and Japanese&nbsp;crap they sell. Don't know never tried it but I'm going to take some of my hummingbird feeders to Houston Woods and see if they will buy. Been turned down before so it doesn't bother me much</B><IMG border=0 align=absMiddle src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/bawl.gif">&nbsp; </P>

 

[Seraphim]

I suspect most SPs and NPs have purchasers higher up the chain which contract their sources. Occasionally well known locals might get a foot in, but won't want competition. They probably won't be happy about you selling on the premises (anywhere in the park) either. Check laws on soliciting in the area and the laws governing the park.

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

<b>Hello Seraphim, I'm glad you cleared this up.&nbsp; I did not mean to set up in the park to sell.&nbsp; Parks in Ohio are contracted for many services.&nbsp; I walked into a gift shop to inquire who their buyer is. Xanterra is the contracter.&nbsp; I then had the buyers info and contacted her and I have an order for 2 dozen hummingbird feeders I make.&nbsp; Hopefully these will go well and she will want more.&nbsp; Please remember that if a buyer does not want what you have, it is not the end of the world. Redesign or try somewhere else. I have been turned down many times for other art work.&nbsp; Think I should use my little blog for tips and tricks to make things on the road?</b><br><b>Diane at <A href="http://www.dragonflyinthesky.com" target=_blank>www.dragonflyinthesky.com</A>&nbsp; </b><br><b>ps, my website is not complete.&nbsp; I have been busy trying to get the book and illustrations together and copyright and all the other unfun stuff that goes with making a book. I don't have enough to pay someone to help out so I have to use the internet to walk me thru this process.</b><br>

 

[Seraphim]

<P><FONT size=3>Thanks for clearing that up.&nbsp; I&nbsp;vaulted to a conclusion and didn't stick the landing *grin*.<BR><BR>Did you mean Hueston Woods, as in Oxford? Went to college at Mother Miami and we're not too far from there.</FONT></P><FONT size=3>Considered using photo and writing skills post-retirement but it doesn't seem to be worth the while, financially-wise.<BR><BR>Need a formal poem or two for your book, though, give me a holler lol. No vers libres.<BR></FONT><BR><P>&nbsp;</P>

 

[supergypsy]

I've thought about selling photography at festivals. I would do this by buying old picture frames from thrifts stores and garage sales, pretty them up, and then put my favorite pictures in them. I haven't gotten to work on this idea, however, because I would need a lot of supplies and I don't want to sacrifice the room. <br><br>As far as writing goes, there is an online writing workshop called Zoetrope.com. There used to be a membership fee but I believe it's free now. If you enjoy writing, you critique the works of others in exchange for posting your own work, which is then viewed and critiqued by other members of the workshop.&nbsp;I know a guy who actually has sold some of his work via zoetrope.com..He &nbsp;has published 2 novels now and I believe he sold&nbsp;a screen play as well. &nbsp;It could be worth a shot. <br>

 

[Seraphim]

<P><FONT size=3>I'm surprised no one has mentoned it, but a viable source of income for free lance photographers is portrait photography. Learn to work with outdoor light and the props provided by nature. Group campers might like an informal group shot and be willing to cough up&nbsp;a few bucks. Cute shots of kids of doing kid type stuff, motorcycles, cars, rigs...<BR><BR>Use your imagination - people like photographs of their pride-and-joys. Don't overprice yourself but don't give your work away either. Take some shots&nbsp; without asking and show them your work and offer a print. </FONT></P><BR>* Careful these days about taking unrequested photos of kids lol<BR><BR><BR><BR>

 

[Guest]

When I used to work the flea markets in Oregon, there was a fella that would come in and walk around with a camera (way pre-digital) and take lots of photos. He would disappear for a while and pretty soon here he would come again and he would hand you a small plastic viewer like you used to get in souvenir stores....when you looked into it there you were! He wanted a couple dollars and if you didn't want it he would take it back and put a different photo in it for the next person. I don't know how he did it but it was done out in the parking lot and in a vehicle. It would work wherever there were people sitting around long enough for him to go out and do his magic...<br>Bri<br><br>

 

[Seraphim]

Ektachrome processing only required a warm water bath for the chemical process. I still have the set up lol. Prints would have required a darkroom and an enlarger. He was probably showing ektachrome slides: about 30 minutes if he had a film dryer.