How To Make Photographs that Sell – Just Do It!
Most of us create images that we like and we hope other’s like too. When we share a photograph on facebook, we often get a dozen “likes” and a few comments like, “I love it,” “you really have an eye,” “you have a gift,” these are all common and rewarding to artists, but how do you create images that sell? The answer for me is, you just do it. . . Let me explain.
Your photographs have to speak to people. By speak to them I mean they should help them have an experience, or feel something special in their heart or mind when they view it. The image must draw them into the scene, and cause them to think deeper. Over the past decade of producing wildlife, landscape, and outdoor commercial images for the travel and tourism industry, the outdoor commercial products industry, and editorial sector, I’ve learned something about what makes a salable photograph. But how did I create them?
My most successful images, and by success I mean in sales, have come about when I just let it all hang out. When I’m in the field, I’m exploring with my mind and soul. I find that I create the most compelling images when my purpose is to learn. Sure, I create images while on assignment, in which case there is always a theme or subject and therefore I have to create images that capture the essence of the project, but I find that I do my best work when I’m in my “zone.” When I’m just “freelancing” the environment around me. Whether I’m on an assignment in the middle of a rugged landscape shooting commercial products, or whether I’m shooting landscapes, or wildlife for my stock library, my best images come when my mind is clear and I’m exploring.
The key to exploring is to be open minded while still having purpose (I know this sounds like an oxymoron but it’s essential). My purpose is to learn more about the land and the people and critters who use it. I explore and learn first, then create images that I believe are compelling. I look for those places that have elements needed for a compelling photograph then I learn as much about the place as I can. It’s like hunting, you have to look, listen, smell, and most of all, pay attention. You have to be in tune with the place and to do that, your mind has to be free. You must be able to ignore the “noise” and focus on the subject.
Here’s an example. This image is pasted across the nation in magazines, on the sides of buses, elevator doors, billboards, skylights, and even entire store fronts in major cities like Chicago, Minneapolis and Seattle. It is being used to brand the state of Montana and it’s the cover of the 2012 Montana Guide.
the cover of the 2012 montana guide book
- Photograph of glacier national park on bus downtown Chicago.
To me it’s a magical image. I captured it while I was exploring a place I’ve been to 100 times! But my mind was open and clear and my purpose was to expose an image that could be used to show people the beauty of a place I cherish. I did not go there thinking, “I must come home with a great photograph.” Instead I went out thinking, “I want to really see what’s here.” Sounds a little philosophical I know, but give it a try.
glacier park bear grass, sun rise glacier national park, logan pass glacier park, going to the sun mountain glacier park, heavy runner mountain glacier park, (© tony bynum)
16 Responses to “How To Make Photographs that Sell – Just Do It!”
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Great article, and great advice.
Love the new blog.
Thank you Carrie. And keep up the great work you do!
Nice post, Tony. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Nice post, good info. I hooked in through Linked in.
The whole blog is put together well and of course the photos are outstanding.
Daryl, thank you for taking the time to comment, and for announcing where you found the information! I’m delighted that you found some interest in this blog post! I’m always looking for people to share their own thoughts, so if you have any more, please share them. I’m also interested in having some “guest” bloggers on my http://www.glacierparkphotographer.com blog. If you or anyone has interest in glacier national park, and also are interested in posting to my glacier park photographer blog (which has great traffic), please let me know!
Cheers!
Tony
Tony, this is a great article. When I see websites that hold photo contests and other forms of recognition and most of the photos never point beyond themselves, have no message except showing off technical proficiency for its own sake, that drives me crazy. My primary “beats” are the Hudson Valley (including Catskills) and Rhode Island. I love these areas, know them well, and it shows in my photos. I believe you have to have a deep rapport with a place; I’m not the least interested in photo trips to exotic places so I can get the same cookie-cutter images as everyone else. I relate to what you say about having a plan while at the same time being open to whatever comes along. It’s my standard m.o. I’m shooting for a book on the Hudson Valley/Catskills, but sometimes I get shots that I never planned but will be useful anyway. Tony, I accessed your blog via LinkedIn and I’m very very glad to have met a kindred spirit.
Nancy, thank you for your own insightful comments. I am not a big contest person myself . . . I’m also not big on redoing shots that have already been done. . . I do try to bring new visions to life but depending on where you shoot, that can be a quite a challenge, particularly in a place like glacier! That said, it’s possible and in order to produce new, authentic work I choose pay little attention to what other people are shooting. It’s a double edge sword in that on one hand you don’t know what’s being produced if you don’t look for it, but you also don’t get influenced by it if it is out there. I believe photography is a personal endeavor so each person sets their own limits on what’s unique and what’s good. I like that part of it, it gives everyone an opportunity to be creative. Keep up the great work that you do! Share the book with us when it’s done! Tony
Hi Tony, I also came to your blog through Linked-in. I really like the way you describe how you are in the zone when you take your best images. I have only been using the camera a couple of years and I love to photograph horses, in particular the horse-human relationship. It really does help to have an affinity with your subject and what you say about remaining open is so true. My best images have always come from times when I was lost almost in my subject, as though I had given myself over to what I call ‘the Silent Witness’ (my camera)and allowing truth to come forward and reveal itself. What transpires from that place is breathtaking, and yes touches the very heart and soul of others – like your beautiful image shown in this article.
Michele, thank you for your feedback and your contribution to the discussion. I, like you, find that I can get lost in the art of crafting photographs. Some times “zone” is so strong that I completely find myself out of touch with everything but my own concentration. . . It’s the strangest feeling, yet I think it’s part of what keeps me motivated. However, the one problem I find with it, at least in Glacier, and along the Rocky Mountain Front, is that I always have to be aware of my surroundings due to running into Grizzly bears, which is a very frequent occurrence. More times that i want to admin my shooting has been interrupted by a grizzly bear. It is such a real challenge that I find it hard to get completely lost in the “zone” or the “silent witness” as you call it, because I’m always looking out for grizzly bears. I know when I’m not in grizzly country, I can get completely lost! Cheers!
Hi Tony, good of you to share your thoughts, you described how I feel perfectly! I sell a few images here and there via Alamy, the last one in fact for $400, nothing special but just showed a place. That was quite a thrill. Have also managed to sell a few of my ‘home made’ canvases. I’m more or less retired so not trying to make a living, however, making a sale here and there certainly keeps the adrenalin going. The canvasses that don’t sell, well, there on my wall!
That’s fantastic! What was the photo that sold through Alamy? It is good to make a fer sales here and ther that’s for sure. You know selling is not always about making money though. . . I thing selling just means that someone likes your work. . . In some ways that’s gratifying right? At the end of the day I find that the only way I’m satisfied is if I can “sell” myself on my own the work. However I can make that happen, if I don’t find inspiration and vision in what I’m creating I find it very hard to sell it, even to myself. Shoot from the heart, creat things that move you and all will be wonderful!
Hi Tony
I agree with the previous comments – nice thought provoking article. When you see the various books that are around about selling your photos for stock, it is refreshing to see a view put forward that simply says – try to capture what really made your heart sing about the vista in front of you. If you can capture that, then it will be clear to potential buyers of your photo.
Of course the trick is then to get the image visible in front of those buyers, and I plan to search your blog for answers to that question! I personally have been submitting to microstock agencies for four years or so (and to Alamy and a couple of higher priced sites). It has been hard work, but I now have about 2500 images online and am starting to get a steady income from the sites. Shutterstock is always the best, followed by iStock, but Alamy surprises from time to time. I’ve not had a $400 sale, but do get $100 sales once or twice a month.
Do you have any special approaches to marketing your images?
Steve
Steve, thank you for taking the time to comment! You bring up a good point, how do we market . . . In today’s world there are more ways than ever to get your material in front of potential clients. It’s almost hard to not be seen these days if your creating original work. The key today is to target your market more than ever! There are more channels today than there ever has been. Therefore there is more “noise” and you dont want to be lost in the noise. Perhaps people should focus on what they create and then look for those places where there is a market. I’m not aware of any special tricks or “insider” mechanics for selling photos . . . If i had that kind of information I would retire from being a professional and just become a photographer . . . This blog is relatively new, my older blog posts, mostly dealing with photography in and around glacier park can be found at http://www.glacierparkphotographer.com. If anyone is ever interested in guest blogging and you’re a photographer that’s been to Glacier, let me know and we can put it up on the glacier park photographer blog! Thank you, Tony
Good point – if there was a magic answer, we would just apply it and retire to a life of photography!
I’ve tried many approaches – I keep a pretty active blog on selling photos (BackyardSilver.com) and wrote an eBook on how to get started in stock which sells reasonably well, but both of those are hard to tie in to an increase in sales. I think there is a little bit of evidence to say that when I talk about an image on my site that I am particularly proud of, I do see Google searches coming in to that page from people interested in the topic, and it is possible they then go and license it from one of the stock agencies. I certainly had someone buy one of my prints of the moon rising behind the Capitol in DC after seeing it on a stock site.
Apart from that, I think it is more about keeping a flow of marketable images onto the various agencies, and creating a body of work that causes buyers to “bookmark” my portfolio for their future requirements.
Steve
Tony,
Great blog, advice and images.
I kinda like the “be one with nature”, I have found some of my better images were impulsive…quick stop, quick shot, other times it was just being out there soaking up the sun, the fresh air. just enjoying nature itself and the image presents itself.
Best regards,
Douglas
@ Douglas, thank you for bringing that to my attention. I find that when i’m in a beautiful setting and my mind is going nuts trying to get to every place at once, knowing full well that i have only a few minutes to get the shot before the light goes away, that if I tell myself to slow down and capture one moment really well, i’ll have lot more great images at the end of the year. I’m not a shotgun, or auto-loader type of photographer. I use to be until i found out that one great shot is worth much more than 10 average stock shots . . .
@ Steve, stock is on avenue for selling. I have several stock agents, but i look at stock as one part of a larger program. These days I cant afford to do just one thing, i have to be in multiple channels. This fact alone is what, at times separates the full time professional from the hobby or semi-pro. Full time guys have make the time to develop the business more fully. . . nice grammar there ay! LOL I’m not saying you cant do it just through stock, if you can great, but I have yet to find a way to make a living on my stock sales . . . Cheers!