My Photography Is Not Selling!

i'm not sure exactly what it is you want. you have a total of 60 images, all kind of snap shot like.


you have to ask yourself - is this as good as others seen on this site? then look at the keywords - boating - there are not boats.

a lot of your images are either small, noisy, blocky or unprintable. none of them seem to have descriptions.
and they have very few views which tells me your not advertising any of these.


one has to ask, what rooms would these fit into?


selling is hard to do, you don't sell just because your here. you sell because you create art that the buyer can't make themselves. you make art that would look good in a house. random images aren't going to sell easily. you have to do your own advertising, more than just a website. and do it constantly. a total of 60 images, 1600 views since 2012... you need a lot more. i get over 3000 views a day. it takes a lot of work.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

your website itself doesn't really suggest what you do. the images there are random, some are not identifiable, just a link to cart. when i click an image it doesn't come here, it stays on that site. google won't find it because its nearly all images. websites can help you if you make it help you. everything will be at your cost.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

You have to step up your game to compete with professionals.

When you see terrible stuff sell on the "recently sold page" its most likely people buying their own stuff. Or their mother buying their stuff.

I'm seeing a lot of out of focus and over exposed stuff. Mostly nothing someone would buy for their living room.

I haven't looked at the recently sold page since some time last year. Artist purchases shouldn't be included.

Michel
✈ Daily Travel Photos.

i'm wondering what an art spy is.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

$315 for a duvet of this?



C'mon, time to get serious.

MEMBER SINCE:December 7th, 2012
FOLLOWERS:0
VIEWS:1,653

Step one is to work on your craft.

Step two - upload your best

Step three - market your work.

they are harsh, but honest... and you asked.

I'm going to be a bit brutally honest.

Your website is a wreck. You have a video that starts automatically and smack in the middle of your page. Did you shoot the video? Why is it there? Your margins are all over the place and you have two sets of menus that are stacking strangely and dividers that don't serve any purpose. There are a couple of clip art images at the bottom with a quote, but that doesn't relate to photography or your work in any way that I can tell. Your contact page is completely unusable. The text is all overlapping. You have links that don't go anywhere.

You really need to clean it up and simplify it, or take it down altogether until you can create something that is functional. Or just use the pixels/artist website site you get from being a member here.

You have some nice photographs, images I can see in people's homes. Many of them are too small to sell and prints and some (Shade, for example) has been enlarged too far and is blurry and noisy. I would guess even if you did sell something it would be rejected because of low print quality.

You may be putting the cart before the horse in some areas. First, shoot, edit and upload high quality, high resolution photos that work as wall art and home decor. Then, polish your website so that it's an attractive, functional and effective marketing tool for you. Finally, market your work on social media and in real life and drive traffic to your images here. That's really oversimplifying the whole process, but it's a reasonable roadmap to get you re-started in the right direction if you want to sell.

Best of luck to you, I hope to see you upload some more work.

Okay well I completely agree but what now. If I I had any idea to look for blockyness I would have a better knowledge I guess of what would sale. I guess I settled to think that a buyer is never predictable or their circumstances for purchase are not mine to choose. But I'm first and most important here about my work. Well the unfocusing of images mentioned to me were in reality the ones I believed the sharper for desireable. So I see you all have something I can't touch but I don't want to rely on you I'd like to break out of that. So I would guess I'd ask if I should hang my hat with all of this. I hate to know I deplete an area of art I respect. Uhh..

I would send out email to all your friends and family members, tell them how important for you to make some sales, you have no needs for birthday and Christmas gift just buy your prints instead. if that doesn't work disown them.

Thanks again for all your time I feel I received some great criticism and appreciate that.

Time to start over.

Get a decent camera. Take some classes. Get some books out of the library. Go to art exhibits. Look at what sells here. Look at what sells in stores. Shoot 10,000 images, edit them down to a few winners.

That's what I would do.

i'd suggest starting over. take some lessons how to use a camera and how to shoot photos in general. take a lot more images. be aware of mistakes and issues. would you buy these yourself?

seconded, get a better camera, invest in that. get critiques on your work, usually selling is not your first step. waiting years before asking why your not selling is not your first step.

it takes a long time to get good, its a lot of work.



what was the motive behind this piece? what room would this go into? its just some mugs in yellow sepia


you'll see this same flower on this site. this is too small to print and its not sharp, and the flower isn't mentioned. so how would people find this? you can see its too small and not in focus.


i don't know what this is or why this is, and who you thought would want it on a wall.

these are things you have to ask yourself as you shoot them.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Greetings Robin a belated welcome to FineArtAmerica, after reviewing your gallery which does contain some remarkable images from your vantage views a few tweaks here and there can make a huge difference.

Hello also from a fellow Louisianan and on behalf of the Group Louisiana From A New Orleans perspective we would like you to join our group. Our group might be beneficial to you concerning potential sales from our diverse region. As a suggestion joining the group may help you to achieve sales!!! The group consist of some of the most remarkable, masterful artist and photographers from the south, across the nation and world wide. Members who may have visited the state yet live elsewhere. We are all available to offer a fellow member assistance if needed.

What you vision thru the viewfinder is your perspective of the world which you vision as others see their own visions. . I would have to suggest do not make any radical changes unless you are comfortable with them. It is in my belief any goal is within reach while achieving success, it seems you are achieving yours. What I see through your eyes is a raw untouched vision, can improvements be made without altering your particular way of taking photos yes you can achieve technical success with titles and keywords.

I have personally been taking photos over 56 years, do I consider myself successful, yes I do. Do the images sell off the wall, no they do not, I continue to improve on keywords and images of interest. No single image is perceived identically and that due to aesthetics and originality of the image, its composition and technical applications a personal taste preference by the individual who views the image.

Its okay to ask yourself is this a good photo or a snap shot what does matter is you took the photo and not your fellow photographer or artist its your creation. By asking yourself there is a distinctive voice within your head which tells you if you have captured the one and only masterpiece or a snap shot.

As far as starting over, I would have to suggest do not start over but pick up where you left off. As far as going out to purchase new equipment this is not necessarily an issue. It does not matter what type of equipment you have a throw away or the most expensive a quality image can be achieved with either or. I do have to say in my own opinion do what is comfortable to you and not others, as a reference, the imperfect photo with todays advanced applications can be transformed into a near perfect marketable image to sell on a POD site or fine art gallery.

Robin what type of camera do you use, I did notice an abnormality in the same area with different images. It seems to be a blur or smudge or light leak....

Best of success with your future sales here at FineArtAmerica!!! Cheers and Happy New Year, Michael Hoard

Michael is correct -- new hardware is the least of reasons for unsaleable photographs. It's not what you use, but how you use it; and, in the case of art, how you market it.

Every piece you show should be the best it can be (to your own eyes, at least). Build on that.

Good luck to you!

Robin,

Why are we looking at your son on the toilet in the OP?

You asking why you dont sell?

I also see you do not socialize by your stats.

Your milage is based on what you do. Or do not get done right.

Dave

it is partly the hardware, size of the image, handling of light and so on - is the camera.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

I thought some of your photography vaguely looked familiar

http://fineartamerica.com/showmessages.php?messageid=965716&targetid=966284

here's a phrase from that:

"I I do not sell prints are we supposed to? Yes, there are things I need done but there is no need for me to do them right now. Do we need prints available? Well I can take my critic how I choose and do. It's the sugar coating thing but no."


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

going over that thread again, it doesn't look like anything was learned from it. other than the paintings were removed. near as i can tell, you asked for critiques, got them, didn't like them, didn't listen to them, then i guess ran from the site for a few years and your now scratching your head wondering why they didn't sell. my advice still is - get critiques then learn from them, then correct things.

many people are under the impression that if they know how to make cookies and cupcakes, they are ready to open a bakery. its not enough.

my advice is still to learn photography again, and when people are offering to buy things, then try selling again. your competing against people with years of experience, 100,000's of images taken, full frame slr's with expensive glass, people willing to travel at terrible hours in terrible weather just to get the shot. my advice is to look at everyone in this thread and look at their work, then look over your work and compare and take notes. it might sound condescending, but it is what it is.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Mike -- the camera is the least of artistry. There are successful photographers out there using phones, pinhole cameras, vintage Polaroids, toy cameras, etc..

'Buy a better/newer camera' is, to me, facile and potentially destructive advice. YMMV.

yes you can do a lot of things artistic wise with a cheap camera. but there is a lot of issues as well. look at that bird i posted above with the blown out feathers. that's a range thing, not all cameras can do it. if you know how to use your equipment anything will do, but it makes it a lot easier to have better equipment, especially since many of those images are very small to print. its not destructive advice...

older gear:
more noise
less exposure range
smaller sizes
less clarity
etc

new does and can make a big difference.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

For one thing, don't base success or failure on sales. I've been here four months and haven't sold a thing. That's OK. I'm not in it for the short term, I'm in it for the long haul.

Everyone has to start somewhere. Just because you took a picture doesn't mean it's great. The same applies to me. I have to work at it, and I do that every day.

Find out what makes a picture sing. Study the work of not only great photographers, but great artists in general. Get feedback from those you trust, which is not always on the internet.

Somewhere inside you is a style, a viewpoint, that no one else has. You have to coax that out, and it probably won't come immediately. If you become impatient, it'll never come out.

But if you start to coax it, something wonderful will eventually happen. You will come to realize that you have as much work ahead of you as you do behind you, but it'll be well worth the effort. Not necessarily at what you're showing the world, but what you're revealing to yourself. And then it becomes imperative to get that out, to show yourself what you can do, and how your viewpoint matters. That's what we're all looking for.

"Shoot 10,000 images, edit them down to a few winners. " - I would disagree with that statement. That seems to be the trend with a lot of new photographers - Spray and pray. Get it right the first time. Learn to compose properly and learn to get the exposure correct in the camera. Take your time when creating an image. Ask yourself "would this be a great wall print" and "would someone be willing to pay for this image".

Learn and enjoy the craft. Study great images and always continue to evolve.

Do you possibly think this is a put on? I do.

What was your first clue, Robert? The sideways kid on the crapper?

Sharp does make a difference.
As does a camera that can handle higher ISO
Make
NIKON CORPORATION
Model
NIKON D4S
Shutter Speed
1/400 second
Aperture
F/8.0
Focal Length
400 mm
ISO Speed
1400
Not saying you need a 400mm f2.8 and a D4S but you do need to know the basics so you can optimize the camera you have..
When you blow out highlights it does not print well at all...

.

The problem with simple equipment is that it is great for those who want to learn, bad for those who want to produce.

You go out to shoot with a simple camera and then you learn a lot, but produces little (I mean, the really good pictures).

You go out to shoot with more sophisticated equipment and then you can make the most of your time, not counting the extra vital tools for certain styles of photography.

This is one of my best pictures (difficult even with good equipment), and was produced with a Canon PowerShot A490 (for 80 bucks at that time!).



And I have more with this camera, including some award-winning ones.

The problem with simple equipment is that it is great for those who want to learn, bad for those who want to produce.

You go out to shoot with a simple camera and then you learn a lot, but produces little (I mean, the really good pictures).

You go out to shoot with more sophisticated equipment and then you can make the most of your time, not counting the extra vital tools for certain styles of photography.

This is one of my best pictures (difficult even with good equipment), and was produced with a Canon PowerShot A490 (for 80 bucks at that time!).



And I have more with this camera, including some award-winning ones.

We should thank everyone here for everything, Robin. A true lesson that I also take to me. And I agree. Restart everything calmly, step by step, methodically. There is nothing that a little technique can not solve.

(It seems that my last post was doubled. If someone can delete it for me...)

I clicked off your personal website the second I heard the first note of music. Others will too. It's been discussed endlessly here and elsewhere. No need to discuss it again.

X2 what Edward Fielding said above.

Sometimes, things in the Universe just line up. I finished reading through this thread, moved on and almost immediately came across this insightful video portrait of a photographer:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/what-makes-a-photographer-when-everyone-is-taking-pictures/

"When photographer Ken Van Sickle was 23 and living in Paris, he could barely afford rolls of film. One night, hearing that jazz great Chet Baker was playing, he went and took only two pictures, and one was blurry. So what's happened to photography now that everyone has the technology to take as many pictures as they like? Van Sickle offers his Brief But Spectacular take."

Jason, thank you very much for sharing that. Inspiring!

Yes, thank you Jason for sharing that wonderful video!

Thanks for that, Jason. Mr. Van Sickle said (and illustrated the point) better than I could have.

The greatest images of all time were created with cameras far more primitive than Robin's. It is the eye. Not the glass, ISO or capture media.

digital camera age. they have a limit of what you can shoot. things i could not shoot with an older camera, i can today. it has a limit. the camera lets you have the right exposures and clarity. from there its the eye. however knowing the limits of a camera and working around them. that takes talent. and that's what the people used before digital. knowing how to use light, and taking advantage of the film you have in there. its harder in some ways with digital. there are limits


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

It is the eye, the expertise with settings and the glass! Crappy glass produces crappy images. Crappy sensors produce REALLY crappy images. Post-editing can help some but garbage in, garbage out is especially true with images.

My first DSLR was a T3i with cheap lenses. I shot exclusively in Manual so I could learn the correct settings for different situations so it was useful for that purpose. Lots of otherwise great shots couldn't be salvaged in post-edit because of that camera's cruddy sensor. Moved on to the T4i with slightly better lenses. Higher ratio of keepers, but continued issues with that bad sensor. Stepped up to the 6d, the 5dMk3 and the 7dMk2, bought better glass (still not super high-end) and the improvement has been well worth the investment. Yes, people have made sales with crappy captures, often doctored to turn them into digital art, but those images do not compare to images shot with good glass and a body with a good sensor. Not even close.

Your avatar - "Lady by the seashore" - I'm still trying to figure out what makes the person a "lady" or even feminine? could be a real skinny boy. Sexy sells and I don't see anything sexy about this one.

kind of wondering where the OP is... seems MIA


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

I fail to see where I said "Spray and Pray". One would hope in the process of taking 10,000 images, one would learn how to focus along the way. Maybe even composition and the ability to select good from bad.

Only in photography does it seem that people expect to produce sales worthy images from the moment they purchase a camera. Does every person taking a pottery class immediately post their ashtrays on Ebay?

Does every person taking a pottery class immediately post their ashtrays on Ebay?
Yup. Most people aren't what you'd call self-aware. If they made it, it must be amazing.

.

i learned by getting a digital camera, and shooting a lot of images. i think i shot like 120,000 images, and while many called that the shotgun approach, i learned that way. trying out different exposures, figuring out what i liked and so on. i took so many shots i wore the button so it didn't work any more. i used a canon powershot pro90, internal 10x it was a big thing then then. a sweet 2.8mp.


usually what happens with any art is, people take some images. they show their friends. the friends are like --- hey girrrrllll you should sell that stuff, you would make a fortune! Like i was in a gallery the other day and you should see those prices girl. its like printing money, you should so sell it! (this is how girls talk btw). :) so then they do. the friend never makes an offer, being so poor themselves, they are there to encourage the others to sell the stuff. and what we end up with is - a lot of beginner shots. and if all they get is praise around their friends and family, they never grow at all.

if they ask for a critique its usually received as a jealous plot to prevent one artist from selling. i've read these things in facebook and other places, where bad work is often band-aided up saying, there, there, the professionals on that site are just jealous of your talent... and then they get no where.

its hard to take the truth, selling is the last place anyone should be, they should master the craft and then give it a go.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Its not a shotgun approach, its learning about your camera, equipment, how camera's see and developing your eye. It takes time. And when you learn to delete crummy images (or at least not to show them to anyone -- let alone try to sell them) - then you know that you are getting better.

Please help, I have no idea why this photograph is not selling...

@Kathleen Bishop -
A relative point Kathleen. Just look at the auditions on "American Idol". Personally, I can't stand that segment of the program, and eventually I stopped watching altogether. Now it's cancelled. Go figure! Well, they had a good run and there were a few major successes that came out of it, but mostly the revolving judges that used the platform to temporarily jump-kick their sagging careers.

@Robin Lewis -
There's a lot of competition out there! You have to do your best... then improve on that. It takes a LOT of work. Never stop finding ways to improve. We can always do better. You're competing for your work to be better than others. When you become skillful at what you do, then be innovative and imaginative. Make your work stand out from others, but in a good way. After all that, then there's marketing your "art". You can have the greatest art in the world, but it won't be purchased if no one knows it's available. If they do know, it better be damn good!