I've been shooting landscapes, nature, aircraft, motorsports etc as a hobby for years and was thinking of trying to sell some of my work on EBAY. Any comments? Is there a market out there? Are prints more marketable than digital files? All my work to now has been in 35mm with digital scans as a backup (I'm saving for a Canon 1DS Mark III).Just curious how anybody out there is doing selling photography on EBAY.
Just my opinion and from personal experience with ebay, art and photography, unless rare/collectible, go pretty cheap on ebay, this is an auction site, people are looking for "deals" mostly.
If you are like most artists, you won't get what you think your work is worth.
If you are extremely unique or famous, you can be sought after. This is just a huge marketplace- making it great and tough at the same time.
However, I would certainly give it my best shot- you never know what people are looking for?
If you find a certain type of your work is selling- go for it big.
So put it out there, be unique, see what successful sellers are doing, emulate success- but make it your own.
Remember, there is no failure- only lesson on how to do it better the next time.
I was thinking about the same thing. I like to shoot documentary style photos in the streets and public events. I did a search of photographic print items and did not come up with much. I see a lot of old photos, some original some reproductions.
I read that ebay has a "services" section. Maybe hand-tinting and restoring people's old photos of their relatives. I have to look into it.
In this day and age EVERYBODY thinks they're a photographer! Digital photography has made photography so easy that even a idiot can just push a button and presto a properly exposed photo ... but wait you can even set up your camera to auto bracket! Unheard of 15 or 20 years ago! If a photo is a little goofed up or something isnt right there is TONS of software out there to straighten it out besides the wonders of PHOTOSHOP! With so many people taking billions of photos out there nowadays with even just a simple cell phone and without needing to worry how much film they are going to burn through it is HIGHLY unlikely you will able to do well selling photography on ebay. Of course unless your work is so unique or something that really sets you apart from everyone else. Your best bet is to contact a local gallery to show your work. A lot of times you can sell your work there as well or even at an artsy section of town you can talk to the restaurants that alllow artists to hang their work. As for selling photography on ebay? Take a look for yourself there's not much on there even in the completed auctions. Thats pretty much a NO from how I see it!
Ouch harsh much... I use digital mostly for my pictures and yes it does deal with what type of pictures you take, With digital it has to be something that no one has the same of. I mostly do landscapes but I also go for local stunts in the area, you can find people doing crazy things all over. I do pretty well but my sales are mostly off ebay. I say try local shops, you might get a better chance of selling. Just remember to put your name.
If you are going to try doing this, or are thinking of setting up a website and doing it that way, good luck, but remember one thing-you should digitally watermark your images before trying to sell them online, or elsewhere, for that matter. Digimark is a good place to start.
I will not suggest that you stay away from selling on ebay. That said I will offer a few suggestions:
1. DEFINATLY WATERMARK your posting images! 2. Resize ALL images that will be posted online to 4x6 inch @ 72dpi. This will allow a nice viewing size but will not allow for a print larger than a 4x6 and even then it will not be real crisp, to discourage 'right-click' 'save-as' theft. 3. If selling images of people, make sure you have a 'Model Release Form' signed by the subject. If you don't you leave yourself open to lawsuits. (Candid photos are NO EXCEPTION.) Tip: When taking candids, get the shot, THEN ask to have a release form signed. If shooting digital, show the subject which shot you plan to use and offer them a FREE 8x12 print of the finalized image in return for thier signature. 4. DO NOT DO THIS TO GET FAMOUS OR RICH !! DO it because you LOVE to create and share your visual art! Getting your name out there is a bonus. 5.Keep your print offerings to a max of 8x12 or 16x24 ( I am using digital 2:3 ratios here.) Keep the price low for non-mounted/framed prints. 6. If offering prints mounted, matted and/or framed, keep the colors and styles neutral and complimentary to the image. Bold Colored Mattes and Exotic Frames do NOT fit into every home decor. 7. MOST who would purchase art online would prefer to have the option of custom matting/framing. Offer a referral to a custom frame shop(s) with every print purchase. 8. BE PATIENT 9. KEEP YOUR listings to a maximum of 6 per genre: Portraits, Landscapes, Wildlife, etc. People become overwhelmed when confronted by TOO many choices. 10. MOST IMPORTANT: OFFER ONLY YOUR BEST OF THE BEST WORK !!
Your best bet is not ebay for photos, you see a lot of people discounting their work on ebay and discounting a product is one thing but discounting your photography is discounting part of yourself. The art show circuit is the way to go if you feel you have some talent most artist pay back their investments in tents and booth supplies in less than 6 shows. Remember that most art for peoples homes can be gauged directly to the home market in your area which if it's anything like north Florida where I am is really poor right now. The best thing might be to approach businesses about decorating there offices.
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