Sell Photos

Not everybody wants to buy a photographic masterpiece. Most people just want to see their loved ones being happy. It's not hard to capture that with your camera if you understand the "Three Classic Elements" of producing salable portraits. Rather than spending countless hours in classes learning every possible detail about photography, you can learn some basics which can get you started actually making money in the business.

Steps

  1. Understand the importance of lighting.
    • Photograph happy people whose faces you can readily see. They'll never tell you this at a photography workshop, seminar, or photography institute, but this is what people want to buy.
    • Use soft lighting such as from a flash umbrella or a sunset. Make sure there is enough light to eliminate any shadows and produce a clear photo. You may not win any competitions or awards this way, but if you get plenty of light on the faces, you'll create salable prints.
    • Create bright faces in low-light situations outdoors by using a fill flash. Use a setting on your flash unit that is one less than what is recommended for the current conditions. That will provide just enough light to fill in the shadows without over-exposing your subjects.
  2. Arrange the body positioning of your subjects.
    • Avoid photographing your subjects straight on. The exception to this rule will be for families and large groups, for reasons of body placement. The narrower the body area, the more focus will be on the face of your subject. Regardless of whether people are standing, seated, or reclining on the ground, notice the body angle, hands, and feet positions.
    • Turn hands sideways with the fingers together, so that they are less visible. You can also hide them behind someone else in the portrait, if possible.
    • Minimize the amount of leg area seen by crossing at the ankles, if the legs will be visible. This blends the two legs together, and tapers them nicely. If standing, have the person place one foot in front of the other in such a way that the legs are seen as tapering into one general area. Have them place their weight on the back leg (remember, they are at a slight 3/4 angle) and bring the front leg forward, tilting the foot slightly to face out towards the camera.
    • Have subjects tilt their head slightly. A woman alone should tilt her head just slightly in either direction, while men can stay straight up or tilt slightly away in the opposite direction from the most forward shoulder.
  3. Develop a good eye for composition.
    • Keep everybody's head at a different level. In some cases, you will recognize that it's not possible, but if you do your best to stagger head height from individual to individual, you will create professional-looking images.
    • Have people stand, sit in chairs, on the arms of chairs, or on the floor. Get others to kneel, crouch, and even lay down.
    • Tip heads inward toward one another for unity when photographing a family group, and note that men are usually positioned higher than women. Believe it or not, the images where mom is sitting higher than dad don't sell as well as the reverse.

Tips

  • Notice what elements of your photos appeal to people. Ask them why they chose the particular prints that they buy. The more you understand about your work and what your customers like, the easier it will be for you to play around and have some fun while you're producing salable prints.
  • Go out, find some customers and get started. Learn from your mistakes and grow your business.
  • Don't believe that you need to know every possible detail about how to make perfect pictures before you begin. The typical amateur photographer makes this fatal mistake and therefore never proceeds into the business until everything is "perfect" which is unnecessary in order to please the average portrait client.
  • If you know some cute couples, take pictures of them and sell them wallet pictures of each other!
  • In addition to creating your own website or portfolio, there are services such as Cutcaster, Fotolia or IstockPhotowhere you can sell royalty-free photos by commission to a broad audience.
  • "Salable" is an industry term which every photographer quickly becomes familiar with. It distinguishes between the everyday reality of earning a living from the process of creating "artistic" or "award-winning" prints which often don't earn much money.

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