Feedback Plz: Turning Your Photography Into A Business

Sarbajit Chakraborty

I have been trying to see if I can sell my photography online. However, given my apathy towards most of social media, it's almost impossible to get any traction, in terms of reaching an audience.

I have also tried to reach out to local photographers who have a business and partnering with them, but haven't had a lot of tractions that way either.

Lastly, this is my personal opinion, but I don't think street photography is something people are generally attracted to, especially in terms of putting up on their walls. Specially when there's a stranger's face on it

Hayley Flint-ahern

I am a full time hairdresser we work so many hours somehow by day and so I rely purely on using my holidays and days off to get out and take photos, so I find that the time for editing processing uploading and all of the post production stuff is really like a unicorn. That’s why big photo hunt has been my favourite thing to get my work out there and feel more productive and get some of that processing done. Now that I have this I can see what images are worth looking at and have been thinking more about passive income from selling the images. That being said I am clueless as to where to start and what to do I only made my Instagram account like two weeks ago!
I have had a client or two at work be interested in images and if I had a way they could order a print or I could for them it would make it more possible.
All information is helpful and appreciated so idk maybe a selling photos for idiots 101 might be a cool idea

Nisah Cheatham

Hi Ken!

I'm a firmly "only passive sales" kind of hobby photographer. Photography is my meditation. IF I can shoot what I am naturally drawn to shoot and edit and someone wants to buy it - sure I'll make it available. But I've turned down several product, event, and portrait shot requests because it felt like work.

In my mind, once it becomes my livelihood I will have to start shooting things I don't really want to shoot and/or hustling the social media platforms to keep turning up new gigs. I don't want to feel that I can't wander the streets because no one is paying for the shots, or that I have to go shoot an event or something because bills have to be paid.

I use Fine Art America / Pixels because I like the founder's story and it works for how I use it.
https://fineartamerica.com/newsletters/history-of-fineartamerica.html (I feel Sean's story might resonate with you Ken.)
I also very slowly growing collection on Adobe Stock. But again, I'm not doing it because I think it will pay bills. These days I do it because I like the dopamine hit I get from random .99¢ stock sales notifications. HAHA. Way better than chasing like with those same shots on Instagram. People have told me, why put it on stock and get stupid sales of less than $1, to which I answer, "why post those same shots on social media and think 500 likes is any better?" 🤷 Its all about personal guidelines and guardrails. There is no right answer.

Nate Riggins

I have some photos that I sell in one gallery in Estes Park, Colorado. I did have Konica-Minolta buy a couple of my prints this summer that they used for some cards. That was kind of cool. I also do some side jobs every once in a while for property photography including drone photography.

Ralph Berrett

It’s an old joke. A fellow goes to New York to attend a concert but gets lost. He spots another fellow who’s carrying a violin case. “Sir, can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?” The musician smiles and says, “Practice, practice, practice.”
Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst" is a quote attributed to Henri Cartier-Bresson, a French photographer considered the father of modern photojournalism. The quote is often interpreted as meaning that it takes a lot of practice to become a good photographer.

I would recommend trying adult school or junior college for the photo programs. A very important thing is to get your basics down, exposure, and how to use the camera manually so you control the camera and the camera doesn't control you.
It does not matter if you shoot auto but you should understand what the camera is doing and how to change your exposure if the camera is wrong.

I started in high school, then went to a junior college, then a four-year college, majoring in photography and photojournalism. I started working part-time as a photojournalist at 19 and covered my first NFL game. I have worked for Scripps League, Lee Enterprises, and Pulitzer Inc. I started my career in photography in 1983. I still do journalism, but I also do sports and commercial arts. I've also added a video to my repertoire.
There will be a lot of people who recommend watching YouTube. YouTube is an okay source, but sometimes it gives inaccurate information. One that comes to mind is Ken Rockwell. A perfect example of that is his take on raw not being any different from JPEGs. That is just plain bad advice and wrong.

As you take more photos, you'll develop your style and technique. Don’t be afraid to work with people who have more experience than you. It is a good chance to learn and expand your knowledge.

A lot of photographers starting a business ask what cameras and lenses should I purchase. Well, let's start with most photography businesses that will fail within three years like restaurants. Now what I am going to recommend is based on the Nikon System but the same principles work for Canon. I have shot Canon and it is a great system but my personal system is Nikon and I have more expertise in it.
First, when I look at camera gear I tend to look at reliability over the latest and newest features. What I am going to recommend is used gear.

Let's start off with the Camera. You will need two especially if you are shooting weddings. The reason for two cameras is simple if one fails you have a backup. Also, it is nice if you are shooting an event you can have a wide zoom on one camera and a tele zoom on the other.

For just starting out I would go with the D4s which runs about $1000. It is a durable pro body that works well in low light and has video. There are multiple focus points that make composition easy.

Now to be blunt it has Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Program mode. It does not have portrait mode, sports mode, or scenic mode. If you need these modes I would recommend studying the basics of photography before starting out as a professional.

As I stated I would buy two cameras if you want the second camera could be a D600 which runs about $600. I would get two the same because the control layout is the same.

Now for the lenses. I would For the wide-angle I would go with a 17-35mm AF-S for about $350. This lens will allow you to shoot large groups of people, interiors like churches and Real Estate, and environmental portraits (EP).

I would recommend the 28-70mm f/2.8 AFS for about $350. It is great for group shots, EP, couples, and dance floor shots.
An alternate is the 35-70mm f/2.8 (My Backup) which runs about $50-100. It has a great macro feature the AF is good but not as fast as the 28-70mm.

For a telephoto zoom lens, I would go with the Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 AF-S, great lens fast AF tack sharp it runs about $350. It is good for EP, 3/4 shots, portrait shots, sports, and wedding ceremonies.

A good alternative is the 80-200mm f/2.8 ED (my backup) which is a push-pull lens for zoom and runs about $160. It is a great portrait lens, the AF is good but not fast.

Some may be wondering why the lenses are f/2.8. They are great for low light, easier for you and the camera to focus, and bokeh.
I would also recommend two SB800 speed lights which run about $80 apiece. with Nikon's creative lighting system, you can do very cool lighting with multiple flashes.

You'll also learn how to use your equipment to its full potential. And you'll start to develop a better understanding of what makes a good photo.
So, if you're feeling discouraged by your first 10,000 photos, don't give up. Just keep practicing and learning, and eventually, you'll start to see improvement.

Last, some simple business tips.
A little ego is a good thing. Be confident while shooting; don’t sabotage yourself by apologising for your skills or equipment. Avoid those awkward moments of silence. You want the client to feel good about your work, so they look forward to getting the final product. Take your time working with the client. Make three minor adjustments to the subject (clothing, jewelry, etc). after each pose. Show the images to the subject so you can get feedback and get them excited about the images. You want the client looking forward to the images, not dreading them. Don’t let the client see you sweat.

Have a plan for your shoots. Too many shooters don’t have a plan for what they are shooting.

Never take a job you don’t have the skills or means to complete. There is a difference between gaining experience on the job and trying to learn on the client’s dime.

Be organized with your kit, so don’t waste time during the setup at a shoot.

Always meet with the key people before a shoot so you are all on the same page. For example, weddings: Next, realize you and the DJ control the pace of the wedding, so you will need to talk to the DJ. Talk to the pastor, priest, or demon lord performing the wedding and what their rules are.

If a problem arises, adapt, overcome, and improvise. Be in charge, don’t panic.

Shoot what the client wants and also what you think he needs.

Marketing is very important. Things like Facebook, websites, and social media are important, but you are the most important factor in marketing. Go to where your clients are, such as business mixers, ribbon cuttings, and trade shows, introduce yourself, and pass out business cards and marketing material. Remember, social media is a double-edged sword, so don’t be stupid on it.

You are only as good as your worst shot. So don’t flood the client with everything, do tight edits. Keep your portfolio tight and up to date.

Kristian Pal

My best advice is to go local and specialize. Your goal is to become the go-to person for a certain type or style in your area. Then you are in business.

Ian Hops

i sold one or two prints at the start of my Journey, then decided to make a website which it fluctuates on traffic, i also advertise my work on Insta Threads Twitter and an App called Vero, which to be trueful is hard work on it's own just to keep everything updated with my current projects at that moment, but i love the hustle i sell Calenders to regular clients, i don't make much but i always get great feedback plus i have my website hoppiesvizion.com excuse the plug haha and i sell 5-6 prints a year and a few framed versions either way i just love the journey that i am on because Photography actually saved me

Jenn Howard

Yes but I’m not sure how to set up a website or get started.

Lee Churchill

At one point I did want to turn my photography into a business at the time I was shooting weddings and had a fair few clients coming through word of mouth I did about 13 weddings over a two year period and had started to set up as a sole trader though when it got to the last few weddings the market had got so competitive, it was hard to get a client that understood what it actually took to deliver what they needed for the price I had laid out, at this point I was also doing my normal day job and It all got a bit too much and not being able to bring in enough to cover the bills with photography I reverted back to photography as a hobby and taking paid jobs if they fitted in, I have now shifted my thoughts to maybe trying to offer some photography tuition in basic photography and urban and street photography, this requires me to work on my self belief and figuring out a business model.

Ian Hops

@[Nate Riggins](9b83f1a3-a802-40bd-b214-d2f84c0bdb22) going back to advertising thru Insta Vero Twitter it is hard work i find when i go in for my Treatment thats normally when i bombard

Kimberly Thomas

I would love to sell my photos online. Im not sure how and where to start. Im learning so much but havent figured this one out. Any assistance would be helpful for me.

Toby Blades

My photography business sort of went south when my partner, who could sell me for a lot of money for a shoot died, I am just not very good at the Marketing side of things. And at this point I need a bit of inspiration. Love to hear what you have to say, Toby

Hayley Flint-ahern

@[Sarbajit Chakraborty](185b0ac5-48af-471d-98e2-3c6a6602decc)
Have some faith your photos are excellent and I think everyone has someone who loves their art. I think your problem is confidence in yourself and your work! I understand that but art is supposed to be different than everything else because it’s yours or mine or Ken’s not a robot.

Nisah Cheatham

@[Sarbajit Chakraborty](185b0ac5-48af-471d-98e2-3c6a6602decc) I agree. People don't tend to like true street photography wall art. I have sold a few print on demand wall art pieces that were more "urban photography" and obviously cityscape. I have also noted that peoples ezines or ebooks with a goo theme sell better than single shots. Does this mesh with what you've seen?

Sarbajit Chakraborty

@[Hayley Flint-ahern](82d0a8ab-3fa2-47f0-b8e7-69dc32871621) I cannot tell you how much that means to me! I will say I have my wife as my every present supporter (goes both ways!) I think another big problem is my lack of patience to set things up, and/or invest time in marketing it anywhere!

Hayley Flint-ahern

@[Sarbajit Chakraborty](185b0ac5-48af-471d-98e2-3c6a6602decc) @[Nisah Cheatham](cf53a09d-1eb6-45e0-b529-06e3bf21aaf4)
I think you both have a lot of work that granted isn’t street photography but is stunning and absolutely would hang on the wall of a home beautifully. The street photography I feel has a more interior design focus and probably would have more commercial appeal for interior designers working on businesses such as restaurants or salons etc. London businesses i often find have this sort of focus on aesthetics and use images and photos like this all the time when looking at themed interiors. Also I feel when people are present but faces aren’t visible will help a lot with the desirability as people may imagine it might look like someone they know etc

Hayley Flint-ahern

@[Sarbajit Chakraborty](185b0ac5-48af-471d-98e2-3c6a6602decc) there’s always an impressive woman behind a success of a man love that! Patience is also my issue I’ve not had time or dedicated any time I do have to actually going for it.

Sarbajit Chakraborty

@[Nisah Cheatham](cf53a09d-1eb6-45e0-b529-06e3bf21aaf4) I have not delved to zines or ebooks at all. As I said, I'm lazy, so haven't really explored that option at all. I like the idea of a photo book, but I feel like that'll be a good coffee table decor without much appreciation for the content.

Is there a place where you have looked at zines from?

Nisah Cheatham

@[Sarbajit Chakraborty](185b0ac5-48af-471d-98e2-3c6a6602decc) I say ezines because they are just thin ebooks.

When it comes to info on photo ebooks and physical photo zines - Evan Ranft, Sean Tucker, and Nick Carver (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D79phxav9I)

I was thinking of digital download-level stuff because I don't want to spend my time. I know its not going to make "real" money, but the work of making and shipping a tangible thing takes way more time than I'll give it and I'll start to hate it. 😂🤣

Nisah Cheatham

@[Hayley Flint-ahern](82d0a8ab-3fa2-47f0-b8e7-69dc32871621) 🙏🙏 Thank you for the kind words, Hayley.

Regarding sales - I've sold a few things at Fine Art America / Pixels.com
Shots of mine that sell tend to look one of these three. One exception being an Alhambra detailed door shot that sold.

Ken Deckinger

@[Nate Riggins](9b83f1a3-a802-40bd-b214-d2f84c0bdb22) thanks for sharing! Really cool about the gallery. Curious... Of the two - selling photos in the gallery & property photography - which do you prefer? Like if you were told you could only one which would it be?

Also, is there a pain point or something frustrating about either of those that you dream about being able to take off your plate?

Really appreciate the feedback! And of course your amazing photos!

Ken Deckinger

@[Nisah Cheatham](cf53a09d-1eb6-45e0-b529-06e3bf21aaf4) thanks for the response! And... I'm the same way! :-) When I do do "gigs" I feel it encroaches on my "me time" for lack of a better term. Photography is something I love and also find wandering the streets with my camera meditative so I protect that.

Curious... Is there something that, if taken off your plate, would make that feeling go away? Like for me... I think that if after a gig, the culling and initial edits were taken care of then I might be more open to doing more. I think it's Imagen that does this. I've been meaning to dig into it but haven't had time yet.

Adobe Stock is the same for me, "oh cool I made 18 cents last month!" :-)

Cool heads up about Sean. Maybe I'll have to have him on the Big Photo Hunt podcast (https://bigphotohunt.buzzsprout.com) sometime!

Ken Deckinger

@[Hayley Flint-ahern](82d0a8ab-3fa2-47f0-b8e7-69dc32871621) thanks for sharing this! And... I can relate to all of it! :-)

Quick follow up for you if you don't mind: Is the bigger of the two obstacles you're facing (a) the uploading and/or editing or (b) knowing how to sell them online? Or both!?!?!?! 🤪

And, re: "selling photos for idiots 101" 😂 - I'm curious... What are the top three things that come to mind that you're "wondering" about selling photos?

Ken Deckinger

@[Sarbajit Chakraborty](185b0ac5-48af-471d-98e2-3c6a6602decc) thank you so much for sharing this.

First... I'll have to agree with @[Hayley Flint-ahern](82d0a8ab-3fa2-47f0-b8e7-69dc32871621) below because your photos are gorgeous. ;-)

Second... Is the hard part for you setting up social media, consistently posting on social media or just kinda getting traction period since you prefer to stay off of social media?

BTW - I too think that street photography can be a challenge to sell.

Actually, I take that back; I don't think street photography is challenging per se. But, in my mind, in order for someone to want to buy a photo, it has to "speak to them." I think, as street photographers, our work often speaks to us, but maybe not a broader audience. Ever think about using your street photography to make iconic Seattle landmarks the actual subject, with the street and people just kind of secondary (to show life and scale)?

Just kinda thinking out loud here, but I could imagine people who love Seattle or who visited and want to take a part home with them might be interested in a moving photo of the Space Needle or something? Bad example - probably not the Space Needle ;-) because there are 17 million photos of it, but that kinda idea.

Sarbajit Chakraborty

@[Ken Deckinger](c3048578-7544-410e-a042-d00e6ec6333e) Thanks a ton for the encouraging comment Ken!!!

So for social media (specifically something like Instagram) my problem is 2 folds:

1. For something like Instagram, consistency seems to be a major driver of engagement. But I am not going out with my camera every day, so I don't have something to share everyday. Also I don't like sharing for sharing's sake! I'll share something if I think it's worth it.

2. Lack of originality - sometimes, it seems like folks all tend to go towards the same "style" to catch the waves and gain popularity. For example, when we were looking for photographers for our wedding, I found a lot of people clicking pictures that were de-saturated and "filmic" cause that was (or maybe still is) the trend. In my opinion that's ridiculous especially for an Indian wedding, where everything is so colourful!

I should not say that I am not on any social media. Apart from this platform, which I love (THANK YOU, KEN!) I am on Foto (which I personally love!), and recently on Glass. I use Flickr primarily for storage.

As for people wanting to buy photos, you are absolutely right (in my opinion). A Space Needle photo will sell a lot more than a nice picture of someone selling flowers at Pike Place (I am not advertising myself). But even with that, they are dime a dozen, so again I feel like it'll depend on where you are selling them - you might get sales for landmarks if you are selling the at Pike Place, or Seattle Center, in a physical copy, but not online.

Lastly, I am trying to see if I can have a stall somewhere in a local fair (or farmer's market) to sell. That, however, requires quite a hefty initial investment (in terms of money and time and effort), so I have been lazy about that!

Nate Riggins

@[Ken Deckinger](c3048578-7544-410e-a042-d00e6ec6333e) Thanks Ken. I prefer to sell in gallery's. Tourist locations usually do fairly well. Pain points - printing your photos can always be a bit of a challenge. Getting good quality and colors. Having prints ship and the gallery receiving them in good shape can be a challenge as well. I just had to reship some photos to this gallery last week due to a shipping issue.

Nisah Cheatham

@[Ken Deckinger](c3048578-7544-410e-a042-d00e6ec6333e) Sean on the podcast - that would be cool!

Hayley Flint-ahern

@[Ken Deckinger](c3048578-7544-410e-a042-d00e6ec6333e) bigger of the two obstacles has been editing for sure I have had only ancient tech at my disposal until recently so that is now more accessible but I’m so time limited and have so many images I already want to process. Uploading wise I wouldn’t even know where to start lol
I guess I’m really thinking what platforms how much time can I dedicate to it and where/what would be suitable or most successful.

Top three things for selling images I would say
Where to sell
Preparations and things to know before starting
Options like straight to client from printing or buying prints and selling that as stock
Small scale vs large scale
Pros and cons as side hustle not main income

Sorry that’s like 5 things but I am clueless af and would love any and all direction on this.

Kristian Pal

@[Ralph Berrett](ed0d35cf-31b3-4406-ab3b-5087b32c2f89) I used 30 fps for a steep learning curve, but don't think I got better after 10,000 photos.
Jokes aside, a general rule is that you need 10,000 hours to be a true master in a certain field (you are already pretty good after 1,000 or 2,000 hours). Given that HCB shot on film and, more importantly, looked before taking a shot, this could coincide with 10.000 photos.
Depending on the technique you use, the number of photos varies. Shooting on 8x10 and printing yourself, you won't get to 10,000 in your whole career, but you spend a couple of hours per image. Shooting action, sports, and wildlife, you'll have hundreds of thousands of photos until you reach 10,000 hours (spotting and waiting counts, of course).
Wrapping up with my personal experience, some of my best photos are from my early days, especially while in college. Therefore, I definitely second that taking classes helps a lot. But I would look for programs where content, meaning, and thorough analysis are at least as important as proper technique.

Nisah Cheatham

@[Ken Deckinger](c3048578-7544-410e-a042-d00e6ec6333e) ha - just got a $1.02 Adobe Stock notification! HAHA

Ken Deckinger

@[Ian Hops](666e3da0-95aa-4f55-bb2d-eeec3ca4bec0) thanks for sharing all this! Curious... Where do you print your calendars. @[Nate Riggins](9b83f1a3-a802-40bd-b214-d2f84c0bdb22) was inquiring about that I believe: https://bigphotohunt.com/board/post/2fc7f4d1-f119-490e-906b-c16c31dc2bda

Also, if you don't mind I had a follow up question: what's the hardest part related to advertising your work on Insta, threads, Twitter, and Vero? Is it just keeping up with it? Is it writing the description copy? Managing it all? I'm just curious what part of that is most challenging or annoying to you, or are they all equally challenging and annoying? 😂

Thank you for sharing what your process here. Really cool.

Ken Deckinger

@[Kristian Pal](a34305fc-fc7c-45eb-b6b2-154d0beb5cb6) I think this is awesome advice, and for me it makes sense if you are taking photos in a local market and people want those photos because they can relate to and connect with them. That's something that I think they would appreciate.

Curious though - I may be misunderstanding you: Are you specifically referring to building a client base in your local area or going out and taking photos and selling those to people in your in your area.

Thanks for taking the time to respond! :-)

Ken Deckinger

@[Nate Riggins](9b83f1a3-a802-40bd-b214-d2f84c0bdb22) thanks for sharing this. Super interesting to hear. And I think it's so great that you're selling in galleries. That's pretty cool and something to be proud of!

Curious... Any printing service that you'd recommend? I have used Whitewall and Framebridge before. Both have their pros and cons. Always looking for additional options.

Ken Deckinger

@[Nisah Cheatham](cf53a09d-1eb6-45e0-b529-06e3bf21aaf4) I almost feel like if I every got that I'd want to tape the $1 to the wall! Well done! Next goal = $2.04 😂

Ken Deckinger

@[Hayley Flint-ahern](82d0a8ab-3fa2-47f0-b8e7-69dc32871621) awesome. And you know what they say... Five is better than three! (I think they say that.)

BTW - Editing is finally coming together for me after literally years of messing it up. I think a combination of YouTube videos and bad edits can help you improve with time - which it sounds like may be the most limiting part of all of this for you.

Speaking of time though, I really appreciate your time here on this post. It's helpful to hear!!!!!

Ken Deckinger

@[Sarbajit Chakraborty](185b0ac5-48af-471d-98e2-3c6a6602decc) Yeah... I agree there enough photos of the Space Needle. ;-) Just a few of them out there. good point.

The stall sounds like a cool idea! Question: Have you identified where to set up a stall and/or how are you going about doing that?

Funny about the de-saturated Indian wedding photos. Color is everywhere!

Thank you for sharing all this Jeet! Appreciate it!!!!

Sarbajit Chakraborty

@[Ken Deckinger](c3048578-7544-410e-a042-d00e6ec6333e) I have looked at local farmers markets, which have a high concentration of artisans (like Everett Sunday Market) is a place that I've been looking at. How is the big question that I don't have an answer to - I need to figure out how to get on their list of artisans that have license to put up their stalls, printing the items, and gauging the market to see what I should or should not print. I want to start smaller and then go larger, but the lack of options is also not a good selling proposition.

Thanks to Shaun Croft, I am trying to work w/ Claude AI to see how I can get a start on this!

Hayley Flint-ahern

@[Ken Deckinger](c3048578-7544-410e-a042-d00e6ec6333e) they say that for sure. Definitely 5>3

Anyway lol thank you for that tidbit it’s more helpful than you might think truly. This whole thing spurs me on to focus on all of these facets a lot more.

Nate Riggins

@[Ken Deckinger](c3048578-7544-410e-a042-d00e6ec6333e) I manage a print shop so I print them myself! 😁

Kristian Pal

@[Ken Deckinger](c3048578-7544-410e-a042-d00e6ec6333e) I give you examples.
If you like stage photography, ask at little theatres, clubs with live music, etc. if you can come and take pictures. Give the venue and the artists a few photos for free; charge for high res and/or usage. Next time they probably hire you for a gig.
If you like food photography, look for new restaurants and offer them a free test shoot with a couple of dishes; charge for more.
If you like parties, take photos of party people, print them with a small printer, and give them away for free; charge for bigger prints. Maybe a promoter books you for their next party.
If you like landscape, get in contact with the tourism office, and ask if they are looking for something special.
In general, try to match your photographic interests with what people like to have photos of.

Ralph Berrett

@[Kristian Pal](a34305fc-fc7c-45eb-b6b2-154d0beb5cb6) I started on a 4x5 view camera, then medium formats, later 35mm, and finally digital. So I still approach digital as I did with film. I shot film for over 25 years. During my Nikon F5 days, I would occasionally shoot on a 4X5 Graflex camera.

Ralph Berrett

@[Hayley Flint-ahern](82d0a8ab-3fa2-47f0-b8e7-69dc32871621)
There are several gallery services like SmugMug.
Here is a list of said services. https://www.imagely.com/sell-photos-online/

I am going to place a disclaimer here. I do not use these services mainly because I deal with editorial and commercial clients. The way I work is not conducive to setups. I am a butcher when it comes to editing. If I shoot a 30-minute portrait session, I will send 8-10 images. During the shoot, I am getting constant feedback from the client, so I know what they want. So there is no point in uploading a gallery. I then send the files to the client via WeTransfer. That way I have a record of the images being downloaded. My turnaround time is the same day. When I shoot a Fresno Grizzlies Minor League Baseball team game, I will have about 1500 images to edit. In about 45 minutes, the team is getting their images. If I shoot a wedding (Boy, do I hate weddings), my turnaround time is under a week.
The big trick to fast, tight editing is to be your own worst critic. Don't do image triage; let the patient die. Cold, I know, but you are only as good as your worst shot.

Nisah Cheatham

@[Ken Deckinger](c3048578-7544-410e-a042-d00e6ec6333e) 🤣

Ken Deckinger

@[Nate Riggins](9b83f1a3-a802-40bd-b214-d2f84c0bdb22) Ah! 😂

Ken Deckinger

@[Kristian Pal](a34305fc-fc7c-45eb-b6b2-154d0beb5cb6) thank you for sharing this. Got it now! :-) Love the tourism office idea btw - great for travel photographers too! :-)

Ken Deckinger

@[Lee Churchill](0f1c77d6-bdd1-4129-944e-500e5a1d3791) thank you for sharing all this. Totally get how challenging it can be to get clients to understand what goes into delivering what they ask for. I really appreciate your thoughtful response.

Quick follow up question if you don't mind: What's one thing that you could benefit from (a tool or a service) that would help you take that next step with "trying to offer some photography tuition in basic photography and urban and street photography"? Like, would you benefit from someone researching the market for you, creating a business plan for you with step by step details to start the business (basically taking the load off you so you can just follow the road map)? Anything else?

Lee Churchill

Thanks for the reply @[Ken Deckinger](c3048578-7544-410e-a042-d00e6ec6333e) a road map would be great it’s the same with my you tube not really knowing where to start and putting out information sporadically and not really in any order I kneed to get my abc in priorities sorted out I.E. start with basics up to settings and how to do them in a unique alway as I am aware they have been done thousands of times already

Ian Hops

@[Ken Deckinger](c3048578-7544-410e-a042-d00e6ec6333e) hey sorry for late response, been hectic few days with my treatment in 30 degree heat here in the UK, i've used a few companies for prints and my Calenders but the most realiable i have found for my Calenders at present is a local company here in the uk they have been really good especially trusting someone with my Art i have been using them off and on for over 2 years, and i can honestly say not once have i been let down. Glenn and the team have been great, i dont have loads of customers but every year same 10-15 people return plus a few buy my framed prints i normally get them 250gsm silk finish cost afficient in this day and age counts for everything, going back to advertising on Insta Twitter Threads etc it is hard work , i normally use my Treatment time to bombard Twitter because lets have it right on any given day Twitter can be toxic if you let yourself get dragged in i normally post reply to messages then come off, haha as for Insta i normally just do a story adverytising what i got on special at that time i do the odd competition just to get people involved but it's very hard threads is quite chilled not much on there though, it is dog eat dog on there people talk a good game but no one supports Vero is half decent no algorithum so you don't get bombarded i just post my Art and move on i can honestly say though i had more sales through my website and word of mouth Thanks for the question @[Ken Deckinger](c3048578-7544-410e-a042-d00e6ec6333e) and @[Nate Riggins](9b83f1a3-a802-40bd-b214-d2f84c0bdb22) hope this helps

Nisah Cheatham

@[Kimberly Thomas](527d0c7c-deb6-4623-9873-ac02f877c4f2) I think the easiest way is to find a decent Print-On-Demand site where in the end you just upload a high quality large JPG and they printing and shipping is handled by the site (and they take some sort of cut). I use Fine Art America aka Pixels aka DesignerPrints. I've heard of Printumo, FinerWorks, and of course - Printify, Printful, and Redbubble - but I have no direct experience.

Then, based on the information/success you get back you can decide if its worth it to get more control of the process.

What I've noticed is that, of sales to complete online strangers, 50% came to me by surfing my sites marketplace and the other half via the link I leave anywhere I leave a link, which has usually been nisah-cheatham.pixels.com. Another thing to note - I've only sold 1 plain print with all of my other sales have been wall art (or that time a friend bought my photo on a shower curtain 🤷)

Ken Deckinger

@[Kimberly Thomas](527d0c7c-deb6-4623-9873-ac02f877c4f2) thanks for sharing! Do you have a personal website to display your photos?

Ken Deckinger

@[Jenn Howard](bcc9659d-70a7-42bf-a39d-3008ee61cd3b) hi! Curious... Have you looked into platforms like Squarespace or WIX or anything? If so, what held you back? Just too overwhelming or not sure how to use them?

Ken Deckinger

@[Ian Hops](666e3da0-95aa-4f55-bb2d-eeec3ca4bec0) thanks for the thoughtful response. Super interesting to hear... So sounds like it's been about being active on those social platforms to generate sales. And without being active things can slow down, eh?

Cool calendars btw. Those are terrific!

Ken Deckinger

@[Ralph Berrett](ed0d35cf-31b3-4406-ab3b-5087b32c2f89) thanks for sharing this. I haven't used SmugMug but will take a look. BTW - A < 1 week turnaround for a wedding = your clients must love you! :-)

Jenn Howard

@[Ken Deckinger](c3048578-7544-410e-a042-d00e6ec6333e) yes, I’ve looked at/played around with both. I got overwhelmed and felt like I really didn’t understand what I was doing. I think imposter syndrome kicked in and I talked myself out of pursuing it any further.

Ken Deckinger

@[Jenn Howard](bcc9659d-70a7-42bf-a39d-3008ee61cd3b) roger that. Imposter syndrome - we all have it! :-)

Ken Deckinger

@[Toby Blades](97d5f9da-2024-43ab-b391-94a32211988b) thanks so much for sharing this. Super frustrating when we have a synergistic partnership that ends, for whatever reason. Been in the same boat.

Question regarding marketing... Do you seem to struggle more with identifying potential shoot opportunities and reaching out or closing opportunities that are in front of you?

Thanks again for sharing. Look fwd to hearing your thoughts.