Mass Appeal in Your Photos

 

 

 

Selling your photographs, especially if you are attempting to sell them in a fine art market, can be extremely difficult. Trust me on this one, as I have been doing just that for over thirty-five years now. I've seen just about everything one can imagine, when it comes to marketing photography, and I've watched countless photographers fail. The truth is that this is one of the most competitive fields one can find anywhere. It's a tough business that simply is not for everyone, and certainly not for those who think it's going to be easy.

 

Over the years, I've been asked over and over again, "Why don't my photos sell?" "Why do folks flock to some photographers booths, while bypassing others?" "Are my photos just too expensive?" "Why .....Why......Why?"  Well, let's get real here for just a few minutes. Photography is like any other business. Either you have a product that people want, or you don't. Either your price points are targeted correctly for your  audience, or they are not. This is not rocket science, although so many beginners want to make it that way. It's easy to look at your business and rationalize your failure, but the truth is much harder to accept. The question you need to ask yourself is this, " Do I really have a product that appeals to a large audience of buyers, and are my price points going to entice their purchase? " This is a simple question that may need some help in answering, because we all love our own work, and value it accordingly..........a huge mistake. In truth, only the marketplace can answer both segments of that question. Success comes from not loving your own work, but from listening to the buying public. Every successful business understands this basic concept.

 

Granted....you may have incredible photos from your trip to Europe, or you may have eye-popping images from your flower garden, but are they really images that someone else can visualize hanging in their home or office? If the product you are offering to sell is photography, then it has to be images that lots of folks  can see in their special "limited" space. As with most things, quality counts. In this ever-growing field of digital imaging, your images must stand out as something very special. They must say in a very loud and clear voice......"I am Special, and I bet you can't match me with your camera and abilities." Today's marketplace has no room for the "average". If your goal is to sell your photos, then first recognize that you must excel in your efforts. Outstanding images sell themselves, and price is rarely the reason. Set your goals high, be honest with yourself and your abilities, and be prepared for hard work. Simple really........