Curious About Bird Photography

I don't photograph birds all that much. I have sold two of my bird images that were taken a few years ago (found in sold gallery) but they were sold to friends and people I knew. However, I am hoping that they will soon be high enough in the search ranking to be sold more than once each ;P

Hi Jan, looked at your pics and I like them, Love how you have your galleries laid out. I haven't had any luck with birds but yours are nice, but I think (and I am just guessing here) but in order to sell them you need to have some kind of WOW factor to them....

One of my friends is pretty good at bird photos, sadly he isn't very active on this site though he has sold a lot of them other places. the one I was looking for he hasn't uploaded here but this isn't bad.


Also where are you marketing them? Thats the hard part.....

Brian MacLean

I would have to agree with what Brian has said about a "wow" factor. In my opinion, it may not have to be a big thing, lighting can go a long way! If you have great light, that could be the "wow" factor. :) Just a thought...

Thank you for the input and that is true about the wow factor. I guess I am going to keep trying to figure out what wows people lol.

I do like your bird pics though.... like I said I have had zero luck on that front :)

I'm hoping that maybe those that have had luck might share their tip. I think that I have interesting pics and many of them with the birds with a good expression. Maybe I need to add some keywords too.

I love photographing the larger birds, but I've yet to sell any. I do have a friend that wants a shower curtain of the GBH but he hasn't ordered it yet. Yes, the birds should have a wow factor, or show some kind of action...preening, catching a fish, silhouettes, courting behavior, etc. This is why I like the larger birds, seems like they're more stationary at times and when they do move most are not as quick as the songbirds. I have no patience with the smaller birds, way too fast for me lol. Here are a few of my better shots. I also edit some in PS to add a more "artsy" look and get rid of any distracting background.

Forgot to say, you have a wonderful collection of the songbirds...have you thought of making a collage and seeing if that would gain some interest?

Hmm yeah I have many in flight. Some even carrying food. Even putting there head in the snow lol

I've sold this eagle shot, and a hawk with some text on it, but haven't had lots of sales of birds.

Have you ever submitted any of your images to the Birds and Blooms magazine? I'm sure you could get yours published and that might gain you some interest and lead to sales.

I sold this one. Even licensed it to a band for a CD cover.



In general I think birds are like flowers. Everyone likes to photograph them so there is a lot of competition.

I have one bird pic in my gallery, not that I expect to sell it but because I like it.... I don't have long enough lenses, or the patience, to be a serious enough bird photographer and sell them here. lol

Very cool photograph Edward and I agree. Some of me thinks that those that like birds a lot are photographing them themselves so why would they buy. I have had 3 sales with my birds so far but they all have been in greeting cards.

Yes you mush have a wow factor. I like hummingbirds the best, and know of several artists here that love them as well, the competition is really high, so your images have to be sharp and clear with minimal distraction, unless it adds to the image.

I think I have a couple nice ones. Maybe I just need to keep promoting more.

I was quite lucky capturing hummingbird mother feeding her babies, and how a blue jay got seed from a flower :D!

I've been selling Bird Photography for years. This one sells well large. Songbirds sell well small.

Background and sharpness are crucial

I`ve sold a few... seems to be the larger birds only...

I have a few bird photos in my galleries, this is one of my favorites, but I have not sold any of it, it has won me awards, and cash prizes, but no sales



This one I have sold but not here, it is a limited edition which are signed, and numbered so I have to pretty much get them, and well sign and number them.



TL Mair
tlmair.com

I've sold a few birds but they are definitely not big sellers.

.

Very pleased to have sold a pillow of White Collar Worker, a framed print of The Gentleman's Club and a greeting card of Shelter From the Cold

No bird sales yet, but I'm an eternal optimist!

Thanks for sharing everyone! That gives me a better idea of at least which ones have a better chance of selling. Guess I will see what happens.

I get many good comments but few sales. Do a search on any of the species you have and see what your competition is. Bird photography is too fun and not as hard as it once was. Places I had to myself years ago are now crowded with bird photographers, many carrying $50,000 dollars worth of gear. I do bird photography like others play golf. I am serious, but in the end it is an enjoyable hobby. There are a few people on FAA that do well, though.

These are the only two I sold.

These get comments but no sales.

Very nice Bradford and thanks for sharing!

It would be interesting to create a ratio of equipment cost to subject value. Bird photography has to be considered a hobby. No way you are going to recoup the cost of that mega expensive lens.

Do it for fun and a great way to get outside and enjoy wildlife.

Or figure out how to do it cheaper - get the birds to come to you, instead of trying to zoom in great distances.

What Edward said is absolutely true, equates back to the subject matter you have available, and the number of shots of the same birds available. Years ago, before sites like FFA, I could show my work and bird shots, insects, and such would sell like hotcakes, because the buyer that saw it hanging in the gallery, coffee shop or wherever I was showing did not have access to the mass volumes that buyers today have access to, and it was hanging right there in front of them and caught their eye.

Look at your competition-I look at the shots people have here and compare it to mine, and get depressed and envious of their ability-It is hard to compete on a global level with subject matter that is readily available to everyone with a decent camera.

Just my shilling :)

My bird equipment

Camera $800 Canon rebel eventually 7d
70-200 f2.8 l lens new it was $1500 (In film days glass was more important than camera body)
2x teleextender$300
set of expansion tubes $100
tripod $250
monopod $100

total=$3050

This is what I shot 98% of my bird photos with.
I have had a GREAT return on my investment with single images paying for my gear many times over.






This photo sells very well.
Canon A2e 70-200 f 2.8 film

Very nice John.... I'm hoping that I have an image that will sell very well. I think this one has that potential but hasn't sold yet.

Beautiful image, Jan! I think it has that "wow factor" and I agree that it has potential.

~Angela

I sold this as a card here over a year ago - my first sale, and I can't even guess at how the person found it


I love photographing birds and have some companion birds in the family and they are my best models - for example, I've sold this shot of Victoria at another site from cards to prints


There are many, many superb photos of birds on FAA - some truly breath taking and dramatic by photographers of various degrees of skill, some extremely and consistently skillfull and of amazing quality - so the WOW factor is definitely an element for any of us to aim for to be able to compete -
so, again, how my little turtledove was found and bought here on FAA is still a mystery to me

Jan - it's a joy to capture birds with a camera whether or not every shot is perfect and selling-worthy. I'm sure for all of us, the bonus is to just enjoy the process!

Thank you Angela and Andrea. I agree about just enjoying it. I know that my shots aren't the best or close to what others produce but I end up sharing a lot of them because I enjoy taking the pics and want to add to my gallery of birds lol. I still think some of them are worthy of a sale so I guess we will see what happens.

I am always surprised how many bird photographs and drawings I have because I really am not a huge fan of birds. lol Maybe it's just that I like them in the wild--I would never want one as a pet.

In any case, I enjoy working with them in image form, but have never sold any of them.

This is one of my favorites. I actually bought it myself and have it hanging in my family room.

Jan - you have some wonderful shots! Don't sell yourself short. Forgive me if I made it sound like a photo has to be superb to sell. My dove is an example that it is not the case!

I think the charm of our images and the love for or interest someone has in a bird in our photos often is more important than how super focused or clear our shots are.
So maybe event that WOW factor which may get attention - probably from other photographers - isn't what gets a sale. Oddly selling is certainly not a measure of quality or even the appeal of your work. Sometimes they are just looking for some kind of cute animal picture with blue and brown in it for a child's room, and your ducks fit the bill. Who knows?!
I think the only real rule is that there isn't one to gage just what people like enough to buy it.

But one thing for sure is, to sell something, someone has to find your work. You might look through this thread for the many discussions on what it takes to sell - marketing yourself and doing things outside of FAA and driving that business here seems to be the real answer.

And one of these days, I hope to have the time to do exactly that myself. Until then, I will just keep shooting and enjoying the time spent with every one of these beautiful little beings! It is a wonderful experience, isn't it?

Thank you andrea and yeah I think your right. I shall just keep sharing my work and hope that my images are liked by someone and if not it was fun taking them lol

I have a few and a couple that sell REALLY well for me, especially at art shows. These are my top 3 sellers

Very nice John, great shots! I know at the last vendor event I did with my photograph the Bluebird was one that they asked if I had.

Here is a great link for you!
http://www.digitalbirdphotography.com/construction.html

Thank you for the link!

My first real attempt at a publishable shot of a non-captive bird.

From about 5 feet away with a 300mm lens. I like the shot, but it taught me, for the type of bird shot I am looking for the chances of getting anything decent with a small lens is unrealistic if time is a concern for you. And I consider 300mm small for birds. I am amazed the humming bird even let me get that close. It was a juvenile, and sometimes they will let you do what a wiser adult wouldn't.

This one is heavily cropped. And if not for the original 25MP image, it would have been unusable.

45% of my total sales are birds, 28% are hummingbirds. My two best sellers are "Ruby Garden Jewel" and "Just Looking".



Christina Rollo
www.rollosphotos.com

@christna - your bird photography is amazing. I am hoping to get to the level you are shooting. I shall keep practicing :)

This guy (John Vose - Jericho Hills Photography) is one of the very best wildlife and bird photographers on this tiny blue marble we all share :)) And I'm proud to say we are good friends and often intertwine our business travels together to defray cost.. I'm not sure of his sales statistics however he has shared the market is saturated with participants and is competitive.

Here's a few of HIS... (not mine, I'm not a wildlife photog)

Thanks for sharing John's images Thomas those are very nice.

Thomas it appears we have some mutual friends, John, Scott and Susan..... lol Yes John is an amazing photographer

Hi Jan! Birds are my primary photographic subjects. Glad you enjoy the beauty of birds as well! Here are a few of my bird images that have sold here!

Thanks for sharing Fraida... it is nice to know that there are buyers out there for the birds :) I may need to find some more larger birds in the area to photograph. Seems like those are the sellers. I'll still photograph the small ones though cause they are available out her in the country while my kids nap :)

Thomas it appears we have some mutual friends, John, Scott and Susan..... lol Yes John is an amazing photographer.

Scott Snyder I'm assuming, and Susan Cole Kelly?? If so, very talented photographers and wonderful folks :)) I enjoy spraying John with counter assault :)) We do silly things, like begin hiking in total darkness for Alpenglow at some remote Glacier Park location saturated with Grizzlies. The key is: spray your partner and then run like he!! Of course I'm joking.....well, yea OK we'll go with that

Exactly who I meant... small world.... Glad to meet you

Christina Rollo's Hummingbirds are AWESOME! I looked at her shots one day when I was feeling down about mine, and she has really been an inspiration. My shots I think have gotten considerably better.

My landscape images outsell my wildlife images at least 20 to 1. If I was only interested in shooting what sells, I would stop with the wildlife (mostly birds). But, there's nothing quite like the thrill I get when I capture a wild bird in flight. So I will keep doing it, not for the sales, but for the rush. :-)

@Loree - Thank goodness for digital and not having to buy film and wait days to see the results of our efforts :) If I only shot what sells I would live in a box :) well if I did not have one of those mundane day jobs :)

I agree about the rush. I was just curious if the subjects that I love to shoot sell lol. I enjoy action shots. I know I have many that are just still but I have many in flight as well. About a month ago I was able to photograph an Eagle for the first time and I was beyond excited. Anything nature is what I enjoy. Most of my work is shot from home or in town by the water. Usually it's wherever I can photograph with my kids near me.

I have to give credit to my one year old for this one. Went out to see if I could find the eagle and by the time I did and could get a clear shot he started to fuss in the back seat causing the eagle to look right at us. This was my last snap before having to put my camera up. I would have stayed and tried for more shots but my times limited. Mom first.

@Alicia, I pretty much do live in a box. But, I love it!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=662753780425253&set=a.413461245354509.102387.100000719115150&type=1&theater

@Loree-If I could convince my husband that he should leave me I would get a late 80s Ford Bronco and a pull behind and call it done. Keep enough cash for car repairs (it is a ford, lolz) and food and I would be happy. When I think about my life and my choices I think of how happy I am when I am alone in some woods or forest chasing a shot, no one's schedule to worry about but mine, and no one else I have to feed.....I know sounds lonely, but apparently I attract succubuses for mates and they manage to suck the life and aspiration right from my body-which leaves me longing for a life of solitude.

One day I would like to buy a really good lens for taking close-ups of birds. I like taking portraits of big birds because I love their intense eyes, but right now I have to wait till I can see owls and raptors at fairs, which is, of course, not quite the right thing yet.

Birds and flowers are my two favorite subjects to photograph. Here are four of my bird images that have sold on FAA:




(This two hummingbird images sold as a pair)

Exactly who I meant... small world.... Glad to meet you.

Same here Brian MacLean :)) Apologies for delay I'm not much on forums, some call me a ghost :)

Yea Mr Vose, aka Sasquatch or the Bird Whisperer.... we're 48 solid hours into changing flight destinations from 3 weeks in Glacier Park to other destination without red hot embers falling from the sky. To borrow from LeBron, were taking our assets to RMNP :))

Following discussion as this is of interest to me. I started out photographing birds primarily, since they are my favorite subject, love birds, but haven't sold a single image. So have started branching into other types of photography, such as landscapes thinking birds don't sell. It sounds like folks here are generally doing well with birds, so not sure what I'm doing wrong? I promote my work on all of the social networks, and they get a good response, but as I said, not a single sale so far. A bit frustrating.

Ha ha, Good luck Thomas, I am following along on John's FB page.... look forward to seeing what you guys create.

These are the ones I have sold on here: