Hundreds of photographers today sell photos online as it helps them make money and also build their career. However, not all photographers are equally successful in making money by selling photos online. Why are some photographers more successful than the others? What makes the successful ones so successful and while others struggle? Let us look at some of the most common mistakes made in this field that prove to be expensive mistakes.
Not using professional grade equipment to shoot photos is a mistake. If you want to sell photography online you should use the right equipment for the trade. You cannot just use point and shoot cameras to take your pictures and hope your customers like them. This does not mean that you should use exorbitantly priced cameras and other photography equipment but you should have at least the basic equipment required for professional photography. Today most people own a DSLR camera and they have become very affordable. If you already do not own a DSLR camera, it is best to invest in one.
Trying to take random shots without keeping in mind how the photos could possibly be used by the end users while composing the shots. One may not be able to conceive of all possible situations in which a photo could be used but trying to identify as many possible uses as possible will certainly help.
Selecting one’s marketing channels carelessly is yet another mistake. If you are thinking of building an online store to promote your work then you are very likely to be spending all your time in marketing your store instead of taking creative photos. So this would be a wrong strategy. Try to identify the best online platforms to sell your work. You will be able to find number of online networks that allow you to sell your photos.
If you are going to select expensive platforms then all your profit will be drained on the monthly subscriptions for the photos selling platform. So careful review and screening are important before selecting your platforms. Try to read reviews posted by the customers and look for websites with good ratings. This will help in protecting yourself from risky platforms.
Copyright is an important area and you need to make sure that your copyrights are fully protected when you share your photos in these networks. Take time to review the copyright policies, terms and conditions before blindly sharing your work.
Each website sets its own scheme and you need to be clear on what you are getting into when you select your platform. Will you be giving away a major chunk of your sale value to the platform that sells your photos? What are the other expenses involved? You are required to pay attention to all these basics when you are trying to establish your online profile and portfolio to sell your photos online. All these are just the initial concerns. Adequate groundwork is essential to successfully sell your photos on the web.
