Many of you have asked for more about how I sell my photography prints. So here it is - just in time for the peak art-buying season! If there's enough interest, I'll do a series of more in-depth videos on this topic. Let me know!
I am interested. As a photographer who is trying to start selling my work, your video was the inspiration I needed. Content and production value of your video is first class. I do not do videos but I have been around video guys and film makers a lot and I know the good stuff when I see it. I am surprised you don't have a lot more subscribers. I subscribed and I am sending the link to your video to a few of my photographer friends to inspire them as well.
@@boristahmasian9604 Thanks so much, Boris! Glad you enjoy my videos. I appreciate the support. I have a couple of other print marketing videos in the works :)
Thanks for being one of those individuals who share really vital information and not just create a click-bait video to just gain followers and provide vague information. Thanks for sharing, I hope you have more ideas like this and that you share more with us who have no clue about what to do in circumstances like this! The best to you on your career!
Scott this is a great channel, I subscribed straight away, thanks for sharing your thoughts and efforts. I think the key takeaway here is consistency… keep marketing and building your mailing list. Top advice.
Hi Scott, I appreciate this video. I just wanted to share that I have been selling my art as prints online since 2000. I found it was much better to outsource the printing because it takes a long time to perfectly pack and ship your prints. I found my printer by experimenting and testing out companies. The one I finally chose I've stayed with for all these years because that's all he does is print art, then packs it and ships it. And he does it well. When the customer receives their print the return address is mine so it looks like it came from me which is blind shipping.
Scott, that was great! I’ve been a full-time professional photographer since 2005, shot international magazine covers, six-figure ad campaigns and have been sponsored by major photo industry companies and yet, I’ve never been able to sell a print. Thanks for the inspiration. Liked and subbed!
Why do you feel your photography prints do not sell? Obviously, you are acclaimed and well-respected. I feel you do not need to promote so have not the drive to promote. Maybe if all was taken away and you only had your creative skill to feed the family, your direction would change and you would sell prints. My You Tube channel investigated art like this.
I really like your calm delivery. This is a good video. Thank you for all the tips. Starting out with prices in the $100 range makes sense for new people.
That is not correct. I have seen amazing photographers who sell nothing. The real difference is subject matter. If you pick the wrong subjects, you won’t gain any followers. I had a Instagram that got up to 650ish followers but was not making any sales from it. I just got the point where I got fed up. There are people on instagram doing selfies and getting millions of followers. And the selfies are not even that good in some cases. If he got sales it was because he captured subjects people liked. That is all. Not saying his images are bad. Just saying I have seen better images not sell.
@@Oncewasgolden I guess you didn’t see the words “most photographers” in my statement ? Scott is a great photographer. Every image stands on its own at the same time all images complimenting each other as a set and would look fantastic as a series on someone’s wall
@@Oncewasgolden most photographers on Instagram are terrible and they are clones of other terrible photographers and they have 90k followers and sell books. It’s crazy.
I've only sold 1 print through my website, everything else was during solo exhibitions or mouth to ear. It's frustrating because I know people love what i show, on average I sold 50%-60% of everything hanging on exhibit walls each time i did a show, so if people see in real they like, take time to appreciate it. But damn I agree with you all, online is tough, drown within the millions of other photography websites selling prints too.
Thanks for sharing this Maxime. You should be proud of the success you've had when exhibiting your work. I'd be interested in seeing your website and knowing a little about what kind of email marketing you've done (you can email or dm me if you like). There are ways to boost online sales.
This guy seems so genuine and light hearted. I just subscribed and I would almost like to think he smiled when he saw it. The same feeling I get when I get an Etsy notification that someone so much as favorited my work. Thank you for this video, Scott.
@@scottfrenchart I'm late to the party, but hopefully you'll see this or someone else that can answer this question. Some photos just work being cropped to a non-standard size. In that case, can one just put it on a mat board to bring it up to a standard frame size?
@@Anon54387 You can definitely do that. The matte board will have to be cut to the non-standard size. If the customer is framing the piece themselves, it's just a little easier (and cheaper) to buy off-the-shelf/ready-made frames and mattes.)
Scott! Man! 10/10 video! The mentioning of the "Peak" art sales months was fantastic information. Gonna save this video to watch back when I feel discouraged or just need to hear it again!
Scott, you made my day! I have been looking for a video like yours for sometime and have had no luck. This is by far the best crash course on selling photography I have ever seen. I have not had a chance to explore your site yet but I love the images you are showing in your video. Thanks a million.
This helped a lot...just finished my website,and about to start this adventure of selling ,printing my self,packing and shipping.....Im loving the process....thank you for your video...specially the pricing part....👏👏👏👏
I appreciate this video so much. I've been a photographer for so long and haven't tried to sell any of my stuff because it's overwhelming and I'm not business minded. Your video broke it down in a really nice way and has inspired me
Whichever company you choose to host your store and website, I'd recommend sending them an email with some questions before you sign up. It's not so much the questions but how quickly they respond that matters. If they take days or even weeks to get back to you, will they take that long when you need support? Test them!
Hi Scott, you have made my day. Thank you for this crash course on selling prints, it's the best and most honest I've seen. In the meantime I've watched all you other videos as well, very inspiring. Looking forward to you next video.
Turning passion into a remarkable feat is not just about talent-it's strategy, vision, and drive. The power of creating a sense of urgency, as showcased in the video, can lead to results beyond our wildest dreams. For every visionary reading this, this is your beacon. With unwavering belief and the right tactics, aspirations become reality. Rise, shine, and seize the moment! ✨📸
Saw the thumbnail and thought wow just more clickbait, but was pleasantly surprised. Thanks for the amazing and insightful break down. I want to sell merch to my followers and some of my photos on a print or canvas are what I had in mind. I see your site just mainly ships the print only? Are people happy with that kind of option. I assume then they just buy or have extra frames at home?
Thanks. When starting out I recommend selling prints only. It solves a lot of logistical problems. If you crop your photos so that they fit standard frame sizes, people can just buy a ready made frame rather than having to get something custom made. Eventually if you get to the point where you are selling at a much higher price point and can offer high end frames (so you don't get complaints about the quality), you can consider it then.
Years ago, I bought a book (Two Hearted Oak) by photographer Roma Loranc who did very good B&W work with Efke film. Part of his strategy would be periodic announcements that he was 'retiring' particular negative sets and so prints would not be available after such date. This allowed him to devote his limited time to start new material and provide fans with fresh work, as he put it. Although it seems plausible, you will note the sense of urgency he quietly suggested with the 'hurry, sale ends today' retirement theme. Sales pressure with kindness, and baited with future mystery.
So so good to find you again. Found you back some time ago and subscribed. This latest idea I got hooked up again. Absolutely❤ love your training teaching info etc. Truly wise advice and not a hyper loud pushy obnoxious mouth time compressed giving us a headache to beat the band! Oh and Too love your dry sense of humor as in instagrams identity crisis. You offer a calm quiet relaxed enjoyable conversation with excellent advice. Thank you!! Looking forward to more and going to put together a plan for selling. I’ve tried several different approaches but now have a logical path to approach! Thanks again Scott Sincerely Scott
Yeah totally agree, people like Scott are what I prefer watching on UA-cam because they are genuine and come across as truthful without the forced hype.
MUCH appreciated, Scott! I just can't get myself to participate in Instagram for all the same reasons that many photographers have been steadily jumping off. Ugh! I think a much better tool may be just around the corner. Hopefully! :)
Yeah, I avoided all social media as long as I could but it's kind of necessary if you want to do print sales. It would be great to have something like instagram used to be. Thanks for watching!
@@HartponderJr I just used Mail Chimp (they have a free version) to create a landing page. I put the link to that landing page in my Instagram bio and encouraged anyone interested to go there and subscribe. Mail Chimp then records the subscribers in your contact list and you can email them. Hope that helps!
You did a really nice job of this video, with especially good use of stock footage. Good information about something that interests me. Subbed and liked.
This was very helpful. I have been thinking about doing this very thing but lack the knowledge. I look forward to more videos from you regarding this topic.
Thanks for the video, great insights on how you sell your prints! I’m an illustrator and started a travel illustration project a few months ago. I started a new instagram account and am struggling a bit to gain followers there even though I’m posting regularly, I’m growing super slowly and seem stuck at 150 followers right now, I even have the feeling that instagram doesn’t show my posts to my followers! A month ago I opened a shop selling prints and calendars and while I sold a few things it hasn’t been a great success so far - I’m not too surprised since I have so few followers but it is frustrating. It’s very inspiring to see you got such good results with a small instagram account and that having people sign up for your newsletter with the freebie and discount and creating this urgency through the launch and using limited edition prints can really make a huge difference! Definitely going to try this when I have a new series of artwork ready to sell in my shop! Will check out your other videos to see if I can get some more inspiration that is also applicable to illustrators like me!
Thanks so much for watching and sharing your thoughts! My videos are aimed at photographers but the marketing stuff definitely applies to all artists selling their work. As far as instagram goes, I think on average only about 15% of your followers see your posts. So it is challenging. Reels do better plus any post that gets more likes and comments will be shown to a wider audience of your followers. If they like it, the post will start showing up in the feeds of people who don't follow you.
Very interesting. A few things stood out but two of them were, avoid a race to the bottom when pricing and don't be afraid to set a decent price. This helps to add value in the eyes of the buyer.
This is a great help, just about to test the waters this winter - a side move alongside the steady work of property photography. Zero followers, zero online presence - going to go for building a mailing list, shopify, print on demand, craft events. A strategy, as you say its not a 'passive income' it will take work, but will continue to follow your progress with interest.
Thanks Derek, glad it was helpful! We all have to start somewhere. If you're doing any art shows/craft events, I'd suggest offering a print giveaway at the event and collecting names and emails of those who sign up for the giveaway. Good luck with everything!
Hi Scott as a potential customer, what I’d like to know is what crop size or shape each piece of your art should be? I get to choose the actual overall size but you tell me the shape. You decide the paper grade and texture but I decide on the frame and where in my home it will go. Also how do you dispatch to overseas clients? It must be simpler to choose a print company in the customers country and then forward the photo data to that print company? There’s loads of photos from artists that I’d like to buy but I have no idea how to go about it!
As far as the shape (or aspect ratio) of each piece, it's really the artist's personal decision. I just recommend that it fits standard frame sizes. For example common aspect ratios such as 1x1, 2x3, 3x4, etc. make framing easier for the customer to purchase a ready made fram. When it comes to international shipping, the logistics can get complicated but yes it is easier to choose a print company in the customer's country.
Your content is outstanding! Im also a photographer, but I only do portraits. I moved couple years ago to a new country and it’s been an uphill! But I’m not discouraged. I love the work! Thank you for your insights.
Great content and delivery! I’ve struggled with wondering if my photos are good enough to sell and breakout beyond putting them on a website. This has really been a great push knowing there is a process to follow when (if) I decide to take the plunge. Thank you so much!
Excellent video! Do you offer different print types, like pearl, matte, canvas, gloss, high gloss, etc? Or do you have a preference for how you want your photos to look, e.g., always matte? If you offer multiple styles, did you get a sample of each print style to see how your photo looked with that style? I've found some of my photos look good glossy, but not matte. Personally, I hate pearl, but my friend won't print hers any other way. If you have the answers in a previous video or an upcoming one, let me know! Thank you for sharing this great info!
Thanks Jasmine! Good question...I don't offer different paper options. After an almost obsessive amount of testing, I settled on Canson Infinity Baryta II for all my work. It works really well for all my daylight and night time images without too much of a reflection when displayed. I also liked some matte papers but they didn't dsiplay enough dynamic range for the night shots. Plus images printed on matte looked too different than the way they appeared on my website, at least until they were framed and behind glass. All in all the Canson paper just seemed to check all the boxes. Hope that helps!
Really helpful. Just discovered you. Thanks for the helpful info.. A quick question though as a photographer … can our photos be stolen by others? That’s why I never posted .. can someone just even do a screen shot and print it? Sorry maybe these are silly questions as I’m still new. Your I take would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
Glad you found it helpful! Someone can take a screenshot of your work or for that matter a photo with their phone if your prints are displayed publicly. If you have an e-commerce store there’s usually a magnifying option that shows detail on an image without displaying a larger version of it. So it would be a pretty small screenshot. But ultimately if you want to build an audience for your work, or sell it, you need to show it somehow. So it’s a risk you have to take.
This was very helpful and insightful Scott. I especially like the part about building own website and partnering up with a POD to sell own artwork. Thank you!
I grew up in Miami, I have sold artwork, but your stuff is so damn beautiful that I would even partake! So it’s not just a niche, you are sort of extra special!
Nice video! Thanks for sharing the details it was really helpful. I have everything set up to sell prints but I haven’t yet executed the “deadline driven event marketing push yet”
I enjoyed your video and you made a great presentation of the steps you went through to sell your art. I downloaded the Artplacer App to my iPhone. What should be intuitive for whatever reason is not. Not only has it crashed (read reviews that it does that), I couldn’t get thru to seeing my photo on my wall. I was hoping to see my photo on a ready made background but this “free” app didn’t show that option. Surely, there’s much more to using this app. Can you make a video step by step how you utilize this app via phone and desktop? I realize you’re not sponsored but if it’s a major component for you in presenting and selling your work, a video would be helpful. Thank you. New subscriber, Vickie
Thanks Vicki...glad you like the video. I don't use artplacer's free iphone app. I tried it more than 2 years ago and had issues as well. I only use the paid desktop app which works well as is fairly intuitive. I think they have a free trial period plus short training videos on their site. Hope that helps!
Thanks for the reply. Desktop is better anyway. How are you doing in recent sales from the site? Do you have to pay to have your photos listed? Vickie “e”
Artplacer doesn't quite work like that...I use it for doing mockups of what my work will look like in a variety different rooms and use those mockups on instagram and on product pages on my website. I also use their "widget" on my site so potential collectors can upload a picture of their space to see what my images would look like on their wall. So you don't pay to have photos listed, just a monthly fee to use artplacer. They have different price points depending on what you need...there may be an option to have your work made public throughout the platform. Maybe that's what you were talking about. I've never used it. I doubt it would result in many sales.
Outstanding Scott - again! Learned loads and having just had people ask to buy my prints, your video came at exactly the right time. Off to make a fortune
I notice, as you said in your video, that you don't offer your prints mounted or framed. I'm appreciate if you would expand on the reason(s) for that..
Thanks for the question...it's a good one. But kind of a long answer. The main reason for not offering Framing when starting out is simplicity and less hassle. Even offering a couple framing options creates many more choices when it come to colour, matte border or no border (the print size implications). The production and shipping cost increases dramatically. You have to change some sort of markup on that. I'd prefer having most of the purchase value going to the print where my markups can be much higher. Added to that, most print-on-demand companies don't really offer what I'd consider high-end framing so some collectors may think it looks cheap and not be happy. Your chance of damage while shipping is also much higher. In my opinion offering framed pieces is best when charging high prices (with low edition numbers), printing-in house and working with a high-end framer. Hope that helps!
Hi Scott, thank you for not speaking at 1000 miles per hour and editing out the times when you have to take in oxygen. You have a super calming voice. Is that a linen shirt? I love linen. Who do you use for the transactions (how do you collect $)? Thanks!
Haha...thanks! Yes I think it is linen:) I use Shopify which I think is the best for maximizing sales. One of the print-on-demand services I use says that their clients who use Shopify sell 5 times more art than those who don't.
Hey, thanks Scott. Something I've been thinking about for ages. I have thousands of images (and a web site), at least some of which (if I say so myself) are quite good and I'd prefer a fulfiller...but I'd also like to sign prints. I know I can probably get a printer to add a signature but it's not the same. I also have another, well-paying full time job so that kind of gets in the way of devoting time to print sales. I've got to do it though....if there's a few quid to be made.
Great to hear...you should go for it! There's a few different ways to make this work. Offering signed prints with lower edition numbers and possibly framing is one way to go. But you'll have to spend more time dealing with production/quality control/shipping/customer service issues. You'll also need to charge higher prices to make it financially feasible. At higher price points, you'll need much more interaction with potential collectors to make the sale...which take more time and effort on your part. I'm actually moving more in that direction myself. For me (and others) it made more sense to start out more along the lines of how I described in the video...although I'd do a few things differently if I were to start over. That's the subject of an upcoming video and newsletter.
Hi,thank you for your video,it helped me and motivated me. Could you give tips about the printing process? dimensions, aspect ratios, ppi, photo qualities needed to print...Thank a million
Glad you found the video helpful. I'm not really sure how to provide the info you requested. Dimensions and aspect ratios will really depend on your own personal choice of how you crop your images and what size prints you choose to offer which in turn will determine the other two things. My suggestion would be to crop your final images to fit standard frame sizes common in whichever region of the world you will be selling your work.
I like how you respond to people in the comments and take care to answer the questions people have. Do you sell much outside the US and can you track the orders once shipped? Thanks
I'm based in Canada and I mostly sell to North America. I do have tracking numbers for all the orders, no matter where they ship. If you're shipping internationally it is a little more complicated with duties & taxes.
Amazing work Scott and a very motivational journey. When you photograph the building did you have to work on getting property releases ? Or is that not required in this particular type of work. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
Thanks so much! I appreciate it. I've had a lot of comments and DM's about that. Please keep in mind that I'm not a lawyer and not qualified to give legal advice but here are 2 links to articles which discuss the law governing photographing buildings for commercial use. 1) wahaviblog.com/en/photographing-copyrighted-property#:~:text=As%20a%20general%20rule%2C%20you,the%20owner%20to%20sign%20it. 2) www.justia.com/intellectual-property/copyright/photos-of-buildings-and-architecture/ While the law may vary from country to country, in general you can photograph a building from a public area (street, sidewalk, etc) for commercial use. However, if you are on private property, you will need to complete a property release with the owner details, and also get the owner to sign it. If in doubt you should seek legal advice in your particular country.
Thanks for a great and intuitive video on selling prints I was starting to think about it since I was getting a couple of followers on my youtube account. I am planning on doing limited prints. I initially thought of printing it at home but realized its not cost effective in terms of time so bc I live in Tokyo I can let Fujifilm do the printing for me and package it from there. but one of the problematic things bc I live in Japan is the print size in the US/North America the print size as u mentioned the standard is like 3:57 but in Japan its like A4, A3/ A3 extended I realized that 100$ cant agree more on that...and work my way up from there...
Thanks so much! I've used a number of different POD companies throughout the world. Choosing which one is best for you depends on your price point, type of products you offer, which countries you'll be shipping to, your sales volume, etc. I'd suggest you using one that specialize in fine art printing. You can get a list of my recommended POD companies as well as other print selling recommendations here: mailchi.mp/scottfrench/print-sales-launchpad
Thank you kindly for your great efforts putting this together Scott. May I respectfully ask you which POD company you use to print, as I really want to ensure my customers aren't getting substandard results. Thanks heaps!
I appreciate you watching. I recommend The Print Space Uk if you're shipping to the UK or EU. I actually use a local printer where I live in Vancouver for everything else (not exactly POD-they're more of hybrid service).
Thanks heaps for taking the time to reply Scott. Funny, I'm from Vancouver, but now live in the US. I appreciate the info about the printers, but won't be shipping to the EU because don't want to deal with VAT. But still love the video and the app for doing home and gallery mockups. Fantastic, thank you!@@scottfrenchart
Thanks for sharing! There's a lot of things that go into making sales. Your following definitely helps. Mine was less than a 1000 people at the time which most wouldn't consider that big. It's more important that they really like your work and have bought in to what you're doing.
I am thinking of starting my own online photo business and this was great info. Also, what's the thought about adding watermarks on your online photos? Pros conc?
Glad it helped! I’m not a fan of watermarks. It’s not a great look. Plus if someone who has access to image editing software wants to use your photo they can take a screenshot and remove the watermark fairly quickly.
Many of you have asked for more about how I sell my photography prints. So here it is - just in time for the peak art-buying season! If there's enough interest, I'll do a series of more in-depth videos on this topic. Let me know!
I am interested. As a photographer who is trying to start selling my work, your video was the inspiration I needed. Content and production value of your video is first class. I do not do videos but I have been around video guys and film makers a lot and I know the good stuff when I see it. I am surprised you don't have a lot more subscribers.
I subscribed and I am sending the link to your video to a few of my photographer friends to inspire them as well.
@@boristahmasian9604 Thanks so much, Boris! Glad you enjoy my videos. I appreciate the support. I have a couple of other print marketing videos in the works :)
@@scottfrenchart Looking forward to your videos. Thanks a bunch.
There is definitely interest!! Great video!!
Thanks so much!
Thanks for being one of those individuals who share really vital information and not just create a click-bait video to just gain followers and provide vague information. Thanks for sharing, I hope you have more ideas like this and that you share more with us who have no clue about what to do in circumstances like this!
The best to you on your career!
Glad it was helpful! Lots more coming, both on the channel and even more in the newsletter!
Scott this is a great channel, I subscribed straight away, thanks for sharing your thoughts and efforts. I think the key takeaway here is consistency… keep marketing and building your mailing list. Top advice.
Hi Scott, I appreciate this video. I just wanted to share that I have been selling my art as prints online since 2000. I found it was much better to outsource the printing because it takes a long time to perfectly pack and ship your prints. I found my printer by experimenting and testing out companies. The one I finally chose I've stayed with for all these years because that's all he does is print art, then packs it and ships it. And he does it well. When the customer receives their print the return address is mine so it looks like it came from me which is blind shipping.
Thanks for sharing that Sylvia! Yes, I've tested a lot of POD companies myself. Not always easy to find a good one.
Which one do you use if you don't mind me asking? I've been doing research trying to decide on one.🤍
Which print company do you use?
@sylviapimental - who do you use to print?
With print on demand, is your signature digitally written on the print? Or, does your client receive an unsigned print?
Scott, that was great! I’ve been a full-time professional photographer since 2005, shot international magazine covers, six-figure ad campaigns and have been sponsored by major photo industry companies and yet, I’ve never been able to sell a print. Thanks for the inspiration. Liked and subbed!
Thanks so much! I appreciate the support. Never too late to start finding an audience for your prints.
Why do you feel your photography prints do not sell? Obviously, you are acclaimed and well-respected. I feel you do not need to promote so have not the drive to promote. Maybe if all was taken away and you only had your creative skill to feed the family, your direction would change and you would sell prints. My You Tube channel investigated art like this.
@@journeyofaconfusedartist Maybe he is more of a creator than a business person?
I really like your calm delivery. This is a good video. Thank you for all the tips. Starting out with prices in the $100 range makes sense for new people.
You are so welcome! Thanks for watching.
The difference between you selling prints and most other photographers is that your images are exceptional.
Thanks so much :) I appreciate the kind words.
That is not correct. I have seen amazing photographers who sell nothing. The real difference is subject matter. If you pick the wrong subjects, you won’t gain any followers. I had a Instagram that got up to 650ish followers but was not making any sales from it. I just got the point where I got fed up. There are people on instagram doing selfies and getting millions of followers. And the selfies are not even that good in some cases. If he got sales it was because he captured subjects people liked. That is all. Not saying his images are bad. Just saying I have seen better images not sell.
@@OncewasgoldenDon't forget luck. It's extremely important. Simple luck is huge factor.
@@Oncewasgolden I guess you didn’t see the words “most photographers” in my statement ? Scott is a great photographer. Every image stands on its own at the same time all images complimenting each other as a set and would look fantastic as a series on someone’s wall
@@Oncewasgolden most photographers on Instagram are terrible and they are clones of other terrible photographers and they have 90k followers and sell books. It’s crazy.
I've only sold 1 print through my website, everything else was during solo exhibitions or mouth to ear. It's frustrating because I know people love what i show, on average I sold 50%-60% of everything hanging on exhibit walls each time i did a show, so if people see in real they like, take time to appreciate it. But damn I agree with you all, online is tough, drown within the millions of other photography websites selling prints too.
Thanks for sharing this Maxime. You should be proud of the success you've had when exhibiting your work. I'd be interested in seeing your website and knowing a little about what kind of email marketing you've done (you can email or dm me if you like). There are ways to boost online sales.
This guy seems so genuine and light hearted. I just subscribed and I would almost like to think he smiled when he saw it. The same feeling I get when I get an Etsy notification that someone so much as favorited my work. Thank you for this video, Scott.
Thanks for the sub and the kind words! Yes, I did smile when I saw this :)
@@scottfrenchart I'm late to the party, but hopefully you'll see this or someone else that can answer this question. Some photos just work being cropped to a non-standard size. In that case, can one just put it on a mat board to bring it up to a standard frame size?
@@Anon54387 You can definitely do that. The matte board will have to be cut to the non-standard size. If the customer is framing the piece themselves, it's just a little easier (and cheaper) to buy off-the-shelf/ready-made frames and mattes.)
This is the best video I’ve seen recommending an online selling plan for artwork/photography. Many thanks 😊
Thanks so much!
Thank you for posting this inspirational video with great ideas!!
You are so welcome! Glad you enjoyed it :)
One thing you should definitely be proud of is this video. Outstanding content.
Thanks so much!
I concur, it’s excellent
Scott! Man! 10/10 video! The mentioning of the "Peak" art sales months was fantastic information. Gonna save this video to watch back when I feel discouraged or just need to hear it again!
Thanks so much! Glad it helped.
Scott, you made my day! I have been looking for a video like yours for sometime and have had no luck. This is by far the best crash course on selling photography I have ever seen. I have not had a chance to explore your site yet but I love the images you are showing in your video. Thanks a million.
Thanks so much...Glad you found me :)
So much usable information - thank you so much for sharing!
Great information! Photo Organizing services are another way that many photographers have added a new income stream to their work.
Thanks…I’m not exactly sure what photo organizing services are
This helped a lot...just finished my website,and about to start this adventure of selling ,printing my self,packing and shipping.....Im loving the process....thank you for your video...specially the pricing part....👏👏👏👏
Glad it was helpful! Good luck with everything!
I appreciate this video so much. I've been a photographer for so long and haven't tried to sell any of my stuff because it's overwhelming and I'm not business minded. Your video broke it down in a really nice way and has inspired me
You're so welcome! I'm glad it was helpful. Good luck!
Whichever company you choose to host your store and website, I'd recommend sending them an email with some questions before you sign up. It's not so much the questions but how quickly they respond that matters. If they take days or even weeks to get back to you, will they take that long when you need support? Test them!
Good points. Sounds like you've run into some problems. I've been lucky so far. No issues.
First time I've seen your videos, great video, very honest and straight to the point
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.
Hi Scott, you have made my day. Thank you for this crash course on selling prints, it's the best and most honest I've seen. In the meantime I've watched all you other videos as well, very inspiring. Looking forward to you next video.
Hey Gunther, glad you found it helpful! Next one coming soon.
Richard Prince may be on the hunt for your great photography to make a profit. Watch out my friend. I report on him in my art You Tube channel
Art Placer was exactly what Ive been looking for. Thank you for your "ramblings" very helpful! LOL
You are so welcome! Glad it was helpful.
Scott I just love this channel. So clear and balanced. Cant wait for more content.
Awesome! Thank you! I've been working on some other things but will have some new content coming in the near future.
Very gracious of you to offer all of your very helpful and concise information. 🙏🏻
Glad it was helpful!
I just subscribed. You’re honest with no hype. I want to learn more. Thanks for making these types of videos.
Thanks so much!
This is a great video with so much realistic and actionable information. Thanks Scott!
Thanks! Glad you think so.
You nailed this video hands down. Straight to the point and very informative. 👊🏽👏👏
Turning passion into a remarkable feat is not just about talent-it's strategy, vision, and drive. The power of creating a sense of urgency, as showcased in the video, can lead to results beyond our wildest dreams.
For every visionary reading this, this is your beacon. With unwavering belief and the right tactics, aspirations become reality. Rise, shine, and seize the moment! ✨📸
Thanks for sharing!
Saw the thumbnail and thought wow just more clickbait, but was pleasantly surprised.
Thanks for the amazing and insightful break down. I want to sell merch to my followers and some of my photos on a print or canvas are what I had in mind. I see your site just mainly ships the print only? Are people happy with that kind of option. I assume then they just buy or have extra frames at home?
Thanks. When starting out I recommend selling prints only. It solves a lot of logistical problems. If you crop your photos so that they fit standard frame sizes, people can just buy a ready made frame rather than having to get something custom made. Eventually if you get to the point where you are selling at a much higher price point and can offer high end frames (so you don't get complaints about the quality), you can consider it then.
Years ago, I bought a book (Two Hearted Oak) by photographer Roma Loranc who did very good B&W work with Efke film. Part of his strategy would be periodic announcements that he was 'retiring' particular negative sets and so prints would not be available after such date. This allowed him to devote his limited time to start new material and provide fans with fresh work, as he put it. Although it seems plausible, you will note the sense of urgency he quietly suggested with the 'hurry, sale ends today' retirement theme. Sales pressure with kindness, and baited with future mystery.
So so good to find you again. Found you back some time ago and subscribed. This latest idea I got hooked up again.
Absolutely❤ love your training teaching info etc. Truly wise advice and not a hyper loud pushy obnoxious mouth time compressed giving us a headache to beat the band! Oh and
Too love your dry sense of humor as in instagrams identity crisis.
You offer a calm quiet relaxed enjoyable conversation with excellent advice.
Thank you!!
Looking forward to more and going to put together a plan for selling. I’ve tried several different approaches but now have a logical path to approach!
Thanks again Scott
Sincerely
Scott
I appreciate the kind works :) Really glad to hear this video helped. Good luck with your prints!
Yeah totally agree, people like Scott are what I prefer watching on UA-cam because they are genuine and come across as truthful without the forced hype.
@@phildalton5352 Thanks, Phil!
Excellent work Scott! I’ll be checking out more of your videos!
Thanks so much, Robert! I appreciate the support!
Seriously - I visited your website. Very beautiful photography. Much success to you.
Thank you very much! I appreciate it. You too.
MUCH appreciated, Scott! I just can't get myself to participate in Instagram for all the same reasons that many photographers have been steadily jumping off. Ugh! I think a much better tool may be just around the corner. Hopefully! :)
Yeah, I avoided all social media as long as I could but it's kind of necessary if you want to do print sales. It would be great to have something like instagram used to be. Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much. What software did you use to gather the emails from instagram. How does that work?
@@HartponderJr I just used Mail Chimp (they have a free version) to create a landing page. I put the link to that landing page in my Instagram bio and encouraged anyone interested to go there and subscribe. Mail Chimp then records the subscribers in your contact list and you can email them. Hope that helps!
Such a good video and nice to hear and watch someone on UA-cam who is really genuine. Some first rate advice ;-)
Thanks so much! Glad it helped.
You did a really nice job of this video, with especially good use of stock footage. Good information about something that interests me. Subbed and liked.
Glad you enjoyed it! I appreciate the support :)
This was very helpful. I have been thinking about doing this very thing but lack the knowledge. I look forward to more videos from you regarding this topic.
Glad it was helpful! More to come.
Thanks for the video, great insights on how you sell your prints! I’m an illustrator and started a travel illustration project a few months ago. I started a new instagram account and am struggling a bit to gain followers there even though I’m posting regularly, I’m growing super slowly and seem stuck at 150 followers right now, I even have the feeling that instagram doesn’t show my posts to my followers! A month ago I opened a shop selling prints and calendars and while I sold a few things it hasn’t been a great success so far - I’m not too surprised since I have so few followers but it is frustrating. It’s very inspiring to see you got such good results with a small instagram account and that having people sign up for your newsletter with the freebie and discount and creating this urgency through the launch and using limited edition prints can really make a huge difference! Definitely going to try this when I have a new series of artwork ready to sell in my shop! Will check out your other videos to see if I can get some more inspiration that is also applicable to illustrators like me!
Thanks so much for watching and sharing your thoughts! My videos are aimed at photographers but the marketing stuff definitely applies to all artists selling their work. As far as instagram goes, I think on average only about 15% of your followers see your posts. So it is challenging. Reels do better plus any post that gets more likes and comments will be shown to a wider audience of your followers. If they like it, the post will start showing up in the feeds of people who don't follow you.
Very interesting. A few things stood out but two of them were, avoid a race to the bottom when pricing and don't be afraid to set a decent price. This helps to add value in the eyes of the buyer.
Thanks…glad it helped.
insightful and helpful and you have a very pleasing/comforting voice, thank you for your time and effort
You're very welcome! I appreciate the kind words.
I totally agree. Scott, your countenance separates you from the hoards of the shrill disingenuous.
This is a great help, just about to test the waters this winter - a side move alongside the steady work of property photography. Zero followers, zero online presence - going to go for building a mailing list, shopify, print on demand, craft events. A strategy, as you say its not a 'passive income' it will take work, but will continue to follow your progress with interest.
Thanks Derek, glad it was helpful! We all have to start somewhere. If you're doing any art shows/craft events, I'd suggest offering a print giveaway at the event and collecting names and emails of those who sign up for the giveaway. Good luck with everything!
This was very helpful. Given me lots of ideas Scott. Thanks, Geo from Scotland.
Glad it was helpful!
You are so amazing! Thank you for making these videos.
I appreciate the support. You are so welcome! Thanks for watching :)
Thank you for sharing your insights. I've gotten most of these checked off my list, now it's time to just SEND IT! Happy holidays 🎄
Happy holidays to you! Good luck!
I like your down to earth candor. I’ll keep watching!
Thanks! I appreciate you watching.
Hi Scott as a potential customer, what I’d like to know is what crop size or shape each piece of your art should be? I get to choose the actual overall size but you tell me the shape. You decide the paper grade and texture but I decide on the frame and where in my home it will go. Also how do you dispatch to overseas clients? It must be simpler to choose a print company in the customers country and then forward the photo data to that print company? There’s loads of photos from artists that I’d like to buy but I have no idea how to go about it!
As far as the shape (or aspect ratio) of each piece, it's really the artist's personal decision. I just recommend that it fits standard frame sizes. For example common aspect ratios such as 1x1, 2x3, 3x4, etc. make framing easier for the customer to purchase a ready made fram. When it comes to international shipping, the logistics can get complicated but yes it is easier to choose a print company in the customer's country.
Your content is outstanding! Im also a photographer, but I only do portraits. I moved couple years ago to a new country and it’s been an uphill! But I’m not discouraged. I love the work! Thank you for your insights.
Thanks for sharing! Glad you like the content. Good luck with everythng.
This was great...
I have been thinking about this for a long time.
But had no idea how to do it.
Thank's for the start...
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching.
Fantastic Prespective...Really great content. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Love the explanation of your process. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Great content and delivery! I’ve struggled with wondering if my photos are good enough to sell and breakout beyond putting them on a website. This has really been a great push knowing there is a process to follow when (if) I decide to take the plunge. Thank you so much!
Thanks! Really glad it was helpful...you should take the plunge.
Amazing images. Can’t wait for your next video.
Thanks so much! I appreciate it :)
Excellent video! Do you offer different print types, like pearl, matte, canvas, gloss, high gloss, etc? Or do you have a preference for how you want your photos to look, e.g., always matte? If you offer multiple styles, did you get a sample of each print style to see how your photo looked with that style? I've found some of my photos look good glossy, but not matte. Personally, I hate pearl, but my friend won't print hers any other way. If you have the answers in a previous video or an upcoming one, let me know! Thank you for sharing this great info!
Thanks Jasmine! Good question...I don't offer different paper options. After an almost obsessive amount of testing, I settled on Canson Infinity Baryta II for all my work. It works really well for all my daylight and night time images without too much of a reflection when displayed. I also liked some matte papers but they didn't dsiplay enough dynamic range for the night shots. Plus images printed on matte looked too different than the way they appeared on my website, at least until they were framed and behind glass. All in all the Canson paper just seemed to check all the boxes. Hope that helps!
@@scottfrenchart thank you! Yes, that is very helpful.
Cool video, thanks for sharing how you started out and congratulations on your success so far :-)
Thanks so much! Glad you found it helpful.
Great information my friend. I’m getting motivated. Thank you.
Glad to hear it! Thanks for watching.
Love this! Truly the video I needed!
Glad it was helpful!
Really helpful. Just discovered you. Thanks for the helpful info.. A quick question though as a photographer … can our photos be stolen by others? That’s why I never posted .. can someone just even do a screen shot and print it? Sorry maybe these are silly questions as I’m still new. Your I take would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
Glad you found it helpful! Someone can take a screenshot of your work or for that matter a photo with their phone if your prints are displayed publicly. If you have an e-commerce store there’s usually a magnifying option that shows detail on an image without displaying a larger version of it. So it would be a pretty small screenshot. But ultimately if you want to build an audience for your work, or sell it, you need to show it somehow. So it’s a risk you have to take.
Thank you for your response❤
This was very helpful and insightful Scott. I especially like the part about building own website and partnering up with a POD to sell own artwork. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
THANKS FOR THE MOTIVATION
You are so welcome!
Great video; well made, informative and motivating!
Thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed it!
Nice work. I found your video informative. keep up the good work.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the guidance. Your photos are awesome
So nice of you to say! I appreciate it.
Such a good video Scott. Also, very important sidenote ... your photos are spectacular!
Glad you like the video, Rich! I appreciate the kind words about my photography :)
I grew up in Miami, I have sold artwork, but your stuff is so damn beautiful that I would even partake! So it’s not just a niche, you are sort of extra special!
Thanks so much, Shawn! You’re making we blush here. Really appreciate the kind words.
These are the type of videos that I love! Thank you!
Glad you like them! Thanks
Thank you so much for sharing!👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
You are so welcome!
Awesome story and tutorial.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I like to start myself so thank you so much for your wonderful video 🥰
Thanks so much for watching! Good luck with it!
Great advice 👍thx for sharing your experience, good model to follow
Thanks for watching!
Dude congrats on that experiment! And thanks for sharing it
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for not yelling. You have just won a roll of 120 Velvia dated October 2007. But it's been in the fridge, so we're all good. Probably.
Haha..thanks. I'm sure it's still good :)
Your art business videos are so helpful. Thanks.
Glad you like them!
Thank you for this!! I know I’ll be successful with my prints 🖤🔥
Good luck with it!
Nice video! Thanks for sharing the details it was really helpful. I have everything set up to sell prints but I haven’t yet executed the “deadline driven event marketing push yet”
Thanks for watching. Glad you found it helpful. Some sort of 'push' helps a lot whenever you launch or introduce new work. Good luck with it!
I enjoyed your video and you made a great presentation of the steps you went through to sell your art. I downloaded the Artplacer App to my iPhone. What should be intuitive for whatever reason is not. Not only has it crashed (read reviews that it does that), I couldn’t get thru to seeing my photo on my wall. I was hoping to see my photo on a ready made background but this “free” app didn’t show that option. Surely, there’s much more to using this app. Can you make a video step by step how you utilize this app via phone and desktop? I realize you’re not sponsored but if it’s a major component for you in presenting and selling your work, a video would be helpful. Thank you. New subscriber, Vickie
Thanks Vicki...glad you like the video. I don't use artplacer's free iphone app. I tried it more than 2 years ago and had issues as well. I only use the paid desktop app which works well as is fairly intuitive. I think they have a free trial period plus short training videos on their site. Hope that helps!
Thanks for the reply. Desktop is better anyway. How are you doing in recent sales from the site? Do you have to pay to have your photos listed? Vickie “e”
Artplacer doesn't quite work like that...I use it for doing mockups of what my work will look like in a variety different rooms and use those mockups on instagram and on product pages on my website. I also use their "widget" on my site so potential collectors can upload a picture of their space to see what my images would look like on their wall. So you don't pay to have photos listed, just a monthly fee to use artplacer. They have different price points depending on what you need...there may be an option to have your work made public throughout the platform. Maybe that's what you were talking about. I've never used it. I doubt it would result in many sales.
Scott, I see that Artplacer has three different paid options. Which option do you use? Basic, Advanced, or Premium?
Outstanding Scott - again! Learned loads and having just had people ask to buy my prints, your video came at exactly the right time. Off to make a fortune
Thanks so much Callum! Glad it helped...good luck with your print sales!
Been very interested in print editions and also potentially coffee table books. Great video mate!
Awesome, thank you!
I notice, as you said in your video, that you don't offer your prints mounted or framed. I'm appreciate if you would expand on the reason(s) for that..
Thanks for the question...it's a good one. But kind of a long answer. The main reason for not offering Framing when starting out is simplicity and less hassle. Even offering a couple framing options creates many more choices when it come to colour, matte border or no border (the print size implications). The production and shipping cost increases dramatically. You have to change some sort of markup on that. I'd prefer having most of the purchase value going to the print where my markups can be much higher. Added to that, most print-on-demand companies don't really offer what I'd consider high-end framing so some collectors may think it looks cheap and not be happy. Your chance of damage while shipping is also much higher. In my opinion offering framed pieces is best when charging high prices (with low edition numbers), printing-in house and working with a high-end framer. Hope that helps!
@@scottfrenchart Thanks so much for that complete answer.
Excellent. Nice tempo god info. Thank you😊
Thanks for watching. Glad you like it!
Very well done. Thanks
Thank you too! Glad you liked it.
Inspiring video! Simple, straightforward and transparent. I just became your 8,000th Instagram follower!
Haha…thanks so much Matt! Glad you like the video.
Hi Scott, thank you for not speaking at 1000 miles per hour and editing out the times when you have to take in oxygen. You have a super calming voice. Is that a linen shirt? I love linen. Who do you use for the transactions (how do you collect $)? Thanks!
Haha...thanks! Yes I think it is linen:) I use Shopify which I think is the best for maximizing sales. One of the print-on-demand services I use says that their clients who use Shopify sell 5 times more art than those who don't.
Hey, thanks Scott. Something I've been thinking about for ages. I have thousands of images (and a web site), at least some of which (if I say so myself) are quite good and I'd prefer a fulfiller...but I'd also like to sign prints. I know I can probably get a printer to add a signature but it's not the same. I also have another, well-paying full time job so that kind of gets in the way of devoting time to print sales. I've got to do it though....if there's a few quid to be made.
Great to hear...you should go for it! There's a few different ways to make this work. Offering signed prints with lower edition numbers and possibly framing is one way to go. But you'll have to spend more time dealing with production/quality control/shipping/customer service issues. You'll also need to charge higher prices to make it financially feasible. At higher price points, you'll need much more interaction with potential collectors to make the sale...which take more time and effort on your part. I'm actually moving more in that direction myself. For me (and others) it made more sense to start out more along the lines of how I described in the video...although I'd do a few things differently if I were to start over. That's the subject of an upcoming video and newsletter.
Insightful Ramblings. Subscribed!!
Thanks so much!
Super informative video, thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Great video, great photos. Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
Hi,thank you for your video,it helped me and motivated me. Could you give tips about the printing process? dimensions, aspect ratios, ppi, photo qualities needed to print...Thank a million
Glad you found the video helpful. I'm not really sure how to provide the info you requested. Dimensions and aspect ratios will really depend on your own personal choice of how you crop your images and what size prints you choose to offer which in turn will determine the other two things. My suggestion would be to crop your final images to fit standard frame sizes common in whichever region of the world you will be selling your work.
I like how you respond to people in the comments and take care to answer the questions people have.
Do you sell much outside the US and can you track the orders once shipped? Thanks
I'm based in Canada and I mostly sell to North America. I do have tracking numbers for all the orders, no matter where they ship. If you're shipping internationally it is a little more complicated with duties & taxes.
Amazing work Scott and a very motivational journey. When you photograph the building did you have to work on getting property releases ? Or is that not required in this particular type of work. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.
Thanks so much! I appreciate it.
I've had a lot of comments and DM's about that. Please keep in mind that I'm not a lawyer and not qualified to give legal advice but here are 2 links to articles which discuss the law governing photographing buildings for commercial use.
1) wahaviblog.com/en/photographing-copyrighted-property#:~:text=As%20a%20general%20rule%2C%20you,the%20owner%20to%20sign%20it.
2) www.justia.com/intellectual-property/copyright/photos-of-buildings-and-architecture/
While the law may vary from country to country, in general you can photograph a building from a public area (street, sidewalk, etc) for commercial use. However, if you are on private property, you will need to complete a property release with the owner details, and also get the owner to sign it.
If in doubt you should seek legal advice in your particular country.
Thanks for a great and intuitive video on selling prints I was starting to think about it since I was getting a couple of followers on my youtube account. I am planning on doing limited prints. I initially thought of printing it at home but realized its not cost effective in terms of time so bc I live in Tokyo I can let Fujifilm do the printing for me and package it from there.
but one of the problematic things bc I live in Japan is the print size in the US/North America the print size as u mentioned the standard is like 3:57
but in Japan its like A4, A3/ A3 extended
I realized that 100$ cant agree more on that...and work my way up from there...
Sounds like a good plan...Good luck with it!
Fantastic video, thank you!
Glad you liked it! Thanks so watching!
Great video and photos, amazing colors! What web solution looks great.
Glad you like it! If you're asking about a website provider/store, wix, squarespace, and shopify are all great options.
@@scottfrenchart thanks! I meant your homepage
@@andersphansson I'm using WIX. Squarespace is good too.
Hi Scott, fantastic video! Curious what print on demand companies you went with or would recommend? Thanks!
Thanks so much! I've used a number of different POD companies throughout the world. Choosing which one is best for you depends on your price point, type of products you offer, which countries you'll be shipping to, your sales volume, etc. I'd suggest you using one that specialize in fine art printing. You can get a list of my recommended POD companies as well as other print selling recommendations here: mailchi.mp/scottfrench/print-sales-launchpad
Super helpful! 😯Wow🤩Thank you🙏🏻
Thanks for watching...Glad it was helpful!
I really like your ideas. Thanks
You are so welcome! Thanks for watching.
I'm not sure how i got here but damn your voice is so smooth and so easy to listen to.
Haha...thanks. I appreciate you watching!
Thank you for filming such an informative video, i really appriciated. One question how can u exactly "test" print on demand shops?
You're welcome. To test I just meant that you'd have to order some prints of your work to check for their quality, packaging, delivery, etc
Thank you kindly for your great efforts putting this together Scott. May I respectfully ask you which POD company you use to print, as I really want to ensure my customers aren't getting substandard results. Thanks heaps!
I appreciate you watching. I recommend The Print Space Uk if you're shipping to the UK or EU. I actually use a local printer where I live in Vancouver for everything else (not exactly POD-they're more of hybrid service).
Thanks heaps for taking the time to reply Scott. Funny, I'm from Vancouver, but now live in the US. I appreciate the info about the printers, but won't be shipping to the EU because don't want to deal with VAT. But still love the video and the app for doing home and gallery mockups. Fantastic, thank you!@@scottfrenchart
Very interesting video with solid advice. I have tried selling before and it is almost impossible with out a big online following.
Thanks for sharing! There's a lot of things that go into making sales. Your following definitely helps. Mine was less than a 1000 people at the time which most wouldn't consider that big. It's more important that they really like your work and have bought in to what you're doing.
Scott thanks for the video. Any suggestions for domain and certain websites?
If you mean recommendations for e-commerce plaforms, Shopify, Squarespace and Wix are all good options.
I am thinking of starting my own online photo business and this was great info. Also, what's the thought about adding watermarks on your online photos? Pros conc?
Glad it helped! I’m not a fan of watermarks. It’s not a great look. Plus if someone who has access to image editing software wants to use your photo they can take a screenshot and remove the watermark fairly quickly.