Photography Questions

[HorseFeathers]

I hope this is the right section.

I know there's a bunch of professional photographers out there, and I have a couple questions.
I'd like to sell prints of my work. Where could I do this? I am a minor and am afraid people won't take me seriously. A local restaurant shows local photographer's work. Would this be a good option?
Where can I get prints done for not a lot of money?
How much should I charge for photos like these? (Obviously without writing on them)

 

[ChickenToes]

I think showing at the restaurant is a great idea. It lets a lot of people see your work. Also, if there are any fairs or art shows in your area, see what you have to do to enter your work in them.

I know a photographer who does a lot of senior pictures, and she has her photos printed by an online company. Unfortunately I don't know the name of the company. She emails her photos to them and they print them and mail them to her.

 

[MichiganWoods]

Good work! I particularly like #3 and #4.

I agree. Start with the restaurant. You can also gain some attention for your work by entering as many photography competitions as you are eligible for (not sure because of your age there). I've received numerous honorable mentions in the (IPA) Lucie Awards, placed 3rd for People's Choice Award in (PX3) Prix De La Photographie Paris, been a finalist in a photo contest hosted by the Grand Rapids Press, and even won a Grand Prize from Picture.com. A lot of people say Picture.com is fake, and really they do con a lot of people into buying their books. That is how they make their money, after all. They try and make you feel special by wowing you with saying "You're published! Now buy the book so you can always cherish it!" They print nearly every photo sent to them, unless it's indecent. The way to get around being conned is just to submit your photos and don't buy anything. Not even their little award pins or coins etc. Their Grand Prize per competition is $1,000. I also placed 2nd once, and received a little award medal. Your city, or a nearby large city, may run an annual city festival. Tons of these city festivals host free, or low-cost entry photography contests.

You might also want to check and see if you are eligible to upload to Jones Soda.

They've printed around 14 of my photos. It's fun to find your picture on a bottle in the store, and have your printed right next to it. Can't tell you how many cashiers around here know me.

They all get really excited when I casually mention that those are my photos on the bottles.

I think you have to be older to join, but one day you might consider becoming part of iStockPhoto. Or other such micro-stock companies. I've been a member with iStockPhoto since December of 2007 and I've only uploaded 48 images into my little portfolio. Since joining, I've earned over $2,200 so far. It's nice to have a little extra spending cash (particularly when you are a stay at home mom!).

Good luck with your venture!! Photography is very rewarding.

 

[HorseFeathers]

Thanks for the advice. How much do you think I should charge?

 

[MichiganWoods]

Price is always very subjective. There are no guidelines to go by, so you have to take into consideration what the market will tolerate in your area. The best advice I can give you is check out some of the local shops and/or art galleries, or some place that sells prints of a similar nature to yours. Make sure they are prints by local photographers and not something mass run. It's not a fair comparison to place your work next to a mass run print. The retailers buy those in bulk and pay pennies for them, then are able to sell them at a cheap price and still turn a profit. That will never be the way for small time photographers. If you go through anything like I went through, the problem will be a lack of money to invest in prints. Then you have to be able to sell those prints in order to first break even, and then attempt to turn a profit. Check out places like CafePress.com that allow you to upload your pictures for free, set up a store and sell prints where you get to keep the mark-up value you set. Fair warning though. You will only sell your photos if you work really hard on promoting yourself and your portfolio. Promotion/Advertising are exceptionally important.

 

[HorseFeathers]

OK. Thanks. At the restaurant I mentioned there is a photo on display for $125 that is almost exactly like a photo I once took.