HELP! please. I am new to photography and need to know...

Question

i have always loved taking pictures and took some good shots on my mum's digital camera but my dad just bought me a canon 400d and i worship it! -not literally- i need to make some money and my dad says my shots are good but need improvement -he knows photography- If i take some perfect shots can i sell them on like ebay or somewhere?

also, what are the laws of copyright and stuff on selling your pictures?

If i call them prints can i re-sell them and use them in my portfolio?

What if i don't call them prints?

HELP!!!!!!!.X

much appreciated

love Jangles!.X

Answer 1

The answers above say it all.  Very good advice.  I can only add that your local library will point you to a local photographic club where it is usually found they will help newcomers.  They often show off a bit but you can use their attitude to learn.  (Don't be shy!)

Also go to the National Geographic website where they take pictures to display and get readers to pick those for the magazine.  I have one on there now showing colourful fishing nets hanging on the stern of a boat in Harwich.  Fingers crossed.

Keep experimenting.  I started at 11 and still enjoy it.  And I'm an 'old geezer'!!!

Answer 2

Good on you and get your dad to give you tips to improve. I don't see a problem selling them if you wish as they are your own creations and can do with them as you see fit. You could perhaps start with a website with a selection of prints with the word "sample written across them to stop people downloading them if you wish.

Answer 3

There are a few websites out there that are set up for amateur photographers to sell their shots on. (just type in where can i sell my photos in a search engine) They often take a commission from each sale, but would be a good way to start as it's all set up already.

You wont have the expense of marketing your work and you will be able to guage which type of your shots are the most popular so you may want to specialise in that side of things.

Good luck with it all.

Answer 4

depending on where you live, you could go  to any local cafes and ask if you can display you photos in their place and be able to sell them ( of course offering a percentage of the price etc.) talk to your dad, get some good shots and build a portfolio. it would help if any family or friends owned places where you could display your photos with a price on them.

Answer 5

Congrats on your new Canon 40D!  check the local community colleges for some courses in photography.

Answer 6

The foremost important component is your skill set. In other words, you can not be a photographer if you don't know how to take, compose and make photos.

Here is my item list based on my own personal experience:

a) Get a Digital SLR. I recommend the Canon 40D sold at Costco for about $1300 with a single lens. Once you become familiar with the Camera you will begin making a list of the lenses to add later on depending on your style

b) Get a set of external light modifiers. I recommend the Sigma 500 series flash at about $210 is cheaper than Canon's, the Adorama Budget Studio Monolight Flash with a snoot and soft box for about $100, Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson for about $20

c) Print a nice photoalbum of the best pictures you have taken to show you work

d) If you have taken pictures of other people print their best pictures in 5x7 or 8x10 and give them away so they see how good photographer you are. They might hang them on their walls and their friends ask who took the picture

e) Get a domain name of your own (not a free one from yahoo or else) something like www.kntmendoza.net to showcase your photography and for people to see their proofs and place their orders

f) Make it a point to take one picture a day that would be a 'money-shot': a picture someone might be willing to pay for it

g) Become so good that people will come to you and work around your personal schedule. That works for me

h) Become familiar with Photoshop at least to be able to offer the same shot in Color, B/W, Sephia and learn to crop the pictures or create collages

Got any questions?

Answer 7

Hi-

There are many ways you can sell your photographs.

Internet:

Deviantart.com - Free

iStockphoto.com

Ebay.com - Close To Free

Shutterstock.com

Alamy.com

SmugSmug.com

Imagekind.com - Free

Redbubble.com - Free (I Suggest This One If You Really Are Good)

To sell online you need to market yourself.

1. Link to your site(s) that you are selling on whenever it is possible.

2. Make some business cards - tutorials available online - and put the site you use for selling on the card. Pass these cards out whenever possible. Ask local stores if you can put some cards there, or better yet, if you can display a framed picture or two on their walls

3. Give the cards you made to friends and family and make sure they pass them out, as well.

Ex Card:

(One of you best pictures as background)

1.Name

2.Number

3.What type of photographer you are - short and to the point. I.E. Nature photographer

4.Your website that you sell on

--You can also put your E-Mail instead of the website or with the website

Also, you can sell images to friends and family. Another thing I've seen some artists do to sell their work is to go to a local flee market.

Check out local cafe's and restaurants. Many are willing to put an image or two up. They may not pay you to hang your picture, but you can put your card in the corner of the frame, and this will also expose your name to people. If they like it enough, they will go to your site.

Dana

Answer 8

hiya. first of all i have been taking photos for over 30 years and in all that time i have only sold 2 photos.

the thing with photography is that there are some seriously good photographers out there and i thought i was one of them.

as each photo you take you have the copyright to it and as for selling them on ebay, you won't be making big money, might just get a few pounds if your lucky.

so how do you know that you can take perfect shots? who is gonna be your judge apart from you old dad.

take a look at my website  

Answer 9

I've had good luck selling ACEOs on Ebay. Did it more for grins & giggles than anything, but made more than enough to pay for my Nobex mitre saw.

As far as copyright goes, copyright is assumed at time of creation. I don't fret about it much, as I retain the original images (with EXIF info) in case any question of ownership arises. Google "copyright laws" for more info. You can sell as many prints as you wish (although I'd number them and sell them as a series or editions, but I don't...one print only, ever), and include them in your portfolio. If it's a hard copy, it's called a print. Some folks sell the digital image online (like for wallpaper)...I reckon it'd be called "digital image" or some such.