Getting Your Picture Made

I have only been living in the south for 4 1/2 years. The first time I heard someone talking about "getting their picture made" I had no idea what they meant. Obviously (now it's obvious :-)) they were talking about getting their picture taken. But as a photographer I think "getting your picture made" is right on. To be a successful fine art photographer, you have to understand a couple of things: Number 1 - You can be an awesome photographer and sell very little of your work Number 2 - People want to purchase photographs of their themselves and their children Number 3 - To sell fine art photographs for home decor you have to offer items that "speak" to your customers So let's consider that for a moment. Have any of you ever bought photographs from a photographer that didn't include yourself or your family? Did you ever purchase fine art for display in your home? Having a shop on Etsy opens the door to a large customer base that you wouldn't normally have if you were selling from a brick and mortar shop. So you have the audience how what? You want to offer items in your shop that will be appealing to the general public. That means "making pictures" specifically for home decor. For the most part I really consider if the photo that I'm taking would be something that someone would purchase for display in their home. You can take whimsical dreamy photos of a Ferris Wheel (most photographers have this photo) but who would buy it for display in their home? The answer is probably a parent buying for a nursery that has a carnival theme. That is a very limited audience. It doesn't mean that your photo isn't good, but the audience is limited and the business is saturated with Ferris Wheel photos. Here's mine: It's pretty good. Have I ever sold this photo? No. Will I ever? It's possible but unlikely since the market is saturated with photos just like this. To make my photo a little more marketable, I grouped together several carnival photos, show what they will look like matted and framed and then offer a discount for the group. We'll see. On the other hand, landscapes and are something that can be displayed in any room in your home. Your's just has to be more beautiful and more unique to stand out in a very large crowd. The point to this post is to remember who your customer is. Take photos that will appeal to the masses. Hone your craft to make sure that your quality and composition is just above what the "masses" are offering. You want to have a unique and fresh perspective. I'll leave you with one more photo that will demonstrate what I'm saying. This photo is rustic and shabby chic. It will appeal to people for the beauty and composition but also because of what it symbolizes. It can be hung in any room of the home or office which widens your customer base. Thanks for looking. Cheers! ~Lora