How To Sell Photography Prints
Are you interested in seeing your photography work in stores, coffee shops or even hung on the walls of someone’s home?
Then, you should consider selling your own photography prints.
Allowing your work to be purchased can be a great way to gain exposure and make some extra income. And, if you produce quality, consistent images you can find valued clients to sell your work to for years to come.
If you want to see your work in print and share it with others, then you need to know how to sell photography prints.
Let’s talk about 7 ways you can start selling your work.
How To Sell Photography Prints
Find a Printer to Develop Your Work
The first step to selling your photography prints is to develop and print your images.
You can find a local printer in your area or one online that will produce your photos at the size, quality and quantity you prefer.
Choosing the right printer is an important decision. Many printers aren’t suited to print large scale photographs. And, if you are printing from a film negative – you should make sure that the printer has experienced in developing images shot on film.
One thing you can do to ensure the best quality is to ask for recommendations. If you have a photographer friend who sells their own prints, ask them who they used for their printing services.
Many photographers use the same producers, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find out the best place to have your images printed.
Once you have found the printer, you need to make some decisions about your prints. This includes:
- The type of paper it will be printed on – matte, glossy..
- The color of the paper
- The finish of the image
- The dimensions of the prints – will you offer large, medium, small or a mixture of the three?
- The quantity of prints – How many will you have printed? Do they offer bulk discount pricing?
After you decide every element about your prints, you can have them developed and be ready to sell to your interested clients.
Sell Your Prints on Your Personal Website
The second step to selling your photography prints is to set up a store component on your personal website.
With platforms like Squarespace, you can add an online store where interested buyers can go and buy your print. They can pick the image they want, add a size (if offered in various dimensions), add it their cart and checkout.
If you are going to sell your photography prints on your personal website without a store aspect, then you will need to add a call to action on your contact page. This can read:
“For photography print inquiries, contact ______.”
This way, people can send you an email asking about your print and you can set up the payment, delivery or local pick up of the photography print.
When selling on your personal site, you will be in complete charge of the sale, payment and shipping to your customer. Therefore, you will retain full commission on your print sale.
Sell Your Prints on a Platform For Photography
If you want to avoid having to be in charge of production of your images, you should sell you prints on a selling platform that is built for photography.
Some of our recommended services for selling your photography prints are:
These websites and online stores make it simple and easy to open up your own shop or gallery webpage.
All you need to do is, upload your images and share your marketplace page to start selling your photography prints.
Sell Your Prints in a Gallery
Another way to sell your photography prints is to go through a professional photo gallery.
This method is a bit more complex, but is definitely possible if you are dedicated to selling your work.
If you are a well known artist or willing to pay a fee to have your work displayed – then you can reach out to galleries in your city or all over the country. Inquire about any exhibits they may be curating and have a body of work that you can present to them.
Showing in galleries is for photographers who create cohesive bodies of work. This means that you may have a visual story you have composed or a personal project you have developed.
Gallery photography prints are usually not for travel images, still life photos or stock content. They are a more professional and serious outlet for selling your work. And, gallery owners will only be interested if they feel your work has selling potential.
Another way you can use a gallery to sell your images is through hosting your own show. This requires that you rent out a space for the evening. And, you will need to print and frame your images.
This is a great option if you can utilize marketing to promote the show to your followers, friends and interested clients. If the response is big enough, you could make sales on the spot and send your prints home that night with their new owner.
Reach Out To Local Businesses Looking For Artwork
Additionally, to sell your photography prints, you can reach out to local businesses looking for artwork.
Many small places such as coffee stores and clothing boutiques are always looking for work to decorate their shop.
Make a list of possible vendors in your area and pay them a visit.
You can bring a sample print with you to show what you have to offer. Plus, you could have them special order which size or image they want to display.
Another way to reach local businesses and people in your community – consider renting a space at the weekend farmer’s market.
There you can showcase all of your work in one central area with ample foot traffic. Before you know it, you’ll have interested customers at your booth wanting to purchase a print.
Donate Your Photography to a Charitable Cause
Our final idea for selling your photography prints is to donate one of your best prints to a charitable cause.
Now, you may ask – “How do I make money if I am giving my prints away for free?”
First, giving back to your community or a charity is a valued, personal experience. And, by showing your selfless investment in the work of others, you are inadvertently drawing attention and exposure for your photography.
For example, putting a print up at an auction where the proceeds benefit charity – allows your work to be displayed and seen by many. While nothing is guaranteed, this could potentially increase your chances that an interested individual sees your work and contacts you to purchase a print after the auction.
While it’s important to financially support yourself, giving back with good intentions is a great way to share your passion and love for creating art.
Promote Your Sales on Social Media
Now, with each of the methods of selling that we mentioned – it’s important to remember that you always need to be marketing your work.
The best way to turn your prints into tangible sales is to advertise and promote your photography through social media.
Use your relevant profiles to let your followers know that you have prints available for purchase. You can even offer the option for them to custom order any of your images for an exclusive print sale.
Whichever method works best for you, we believe that using social media to increase orders is an effective way to sell your photography prints.
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So, as you can see, selling your photography prints requires effort and dedication to your work. Once you have printed your images, you can set up your own online store, use a selling platform, showcase in a gallery, reach out to local businesses and donate your work to a charity.
And, always remember the importance of marketing and sharing your work through social media for maximum exposure. Before you know it, you’ll have interested buyers wanting your exclusive, one-of-a-kind photography prints!
