Why sell fine art photography? In a nutshell, I wanted to be able to travel, have flexible hours, and be as creative as I liked.
With fine art photography, I can take photos of whatever pleases me during my travels, set my own work schedule, and edit my images to my heart’s content.
Here are three of my current pieces for sale:
I also love talking about my work and meeting new people. Showing my work at fine art shows meets not only a need to make sales and market my work, but also satisfies my desire to socialize with people who love art, photography, and creativity in general.
In my booth at Sugarloaf Crafts Festival in Oaks, PA
For anyone like me who loves new projects and detests being bored, this is a profession that won’t let you down.
I won’t sugarcoat it and say it’s all easy and carefree, but at least for me, the journey is exciting, full of learning, and never a dull moment… except maybe for the bookkeeping part!
There’s no end to learning in the fine art photography industry and owning a small business means understanding business licensing requirements, accounting, marketing, branding, liability and property insurance, as well as everything that goes into selling at art shows, opening and operating a studio/gallery, and the continuing education of your craft.
While this may sound like a lot to think about, let alone accomplish, it is doable and well worth the ride.
My advice?
1. Make friends with others who share your passion. Networking and having a support system is a key to success, and Great Escape workshops are a great place to start.
2. Enjoy learning your craft. Take time to play and experiment. Before you know it, your confidence will grow and your own style will begin to emerge.
3. Don’t try to do everything at once. Break it down into reasonable tasks and work on something every day. This is not an overnight success story—it will take time, so enjoy the journey.
4. Do what makes you happy. If you try to pigeonhole yourself into something that’s not for you, your work will reflect that. For example, if art shows scare or don’t excite you, try selling your work online or in stores or galleries, instead.
5. You don’t HAVE to do it all by yourself. I’m a bit of a control addict, so I want to do it all myself but that doesn’t mean you have to. If any part of this business is not for you, outsource it. Find a friend who likes accounting or send your images to a lab for printing if you don’t like to do those things. Spend more time learning or practicing your craft if that’s what moves you.
The journey to becoming a fine art photographer is vast and no two people will share the exact same experiences.
My hope for you is that you make this a job that works for you and that you always enjoy the process.
[Editor’s Note: Learn more about how you can fund your travels and make an extra income with photography, travel writing, blogging, and more in our free online newsletter The Right Way to Travel. Sign up here today and we’ll send you a new report, Five Fun Ways To Get Paid To Travel: A Quick-Start Guide, completely FREE.]