Several
millions homes nowadays have some kind of photography
equipment.
Some operators are strictly amateurs but others do a
professional
job shooting for fun, even with very inexpensive
equipment.
If
you own a camera and can take some reasonably good pictures,
you
definitely can make money with your hobby by selling
pictures.
The
market for pictures is tremendous. It has been estimated that
magazines
and newspapers buy over 60 millions photos a year,
although
most of the pictures are taken by professional
photographers,
there is a good deal of non professional hobbyists
making
a good extra income selling their pictures to specialized
markets,
little known by the majority of people.
This
information is intended to help you find a market for your
pictures,
assuming you already take pictures good enough to be
sold.
If you feel that your work could be improved, there are a
number
of courses available, and you can also develop
professional
touch and technical know-how by simply subscribing
to
specialized magazines.
There
is an incredible amount of markets for selling your
pictures,
and the number is growing every day.
The
beginners should avoid markets already overcrowded by
professional
competitors, like very well known magazines, which
obviously
deal only with professionals.
The
best markets for a non professionals are
*
Trade journals,
*
Special interest magazines,
*
Real Estate,
*
Small local papers.
By
consuming a great amount of pictures, maintaining a constant
demand
for new ones, and paying less than well known magazines,
they
avoid the competition of professional and industrial
photographers,
and buy mostly from non professionals like
yourself.
Special
interest magazines attract very special groups of
readers.
For example, magazines on hobbies, sports, gardening,
etc...They
are bought by subscriptions or on newstands.
Trade
journals are directed at very special professional and
Trades.
They generally sold only by subscription.
To
begin with, it would be advisable for you to get a book on
professional
photography from your local library. This step will
enable
you to get acquainted with copyright laws and special tips
for
selling your pictures.
The
starting photographer should concentrate on subject he is
familiar
with, for example a special hobby and what he enjoys
shooting
the most, whether it is sceneries, children, animals,
etc...
By
finding out what is your speciality, you will be able to
select
your market and determine what magazines could be
interested
in your work.
A
simple equipment should produce pictures good enough to sell,
but
of course, if you own special accessories, use them!
After
you have selected the field you want to specialize in and
found
several magazines related to your speciality, study what
kind
of pictures the editors are buying. A general description of
picture
requirements is often listed in the magazines. You can
also
find out by looking at the pictures used in previous issues.
Submit
only the pictures you consider as good or better than the
ones
being used.
Send
your pictures to the Picture Editor of the magazine by
finding
the address in the publication itself or in the Directory
of
Trade Journals at your local library, if the publication is
not
sold on newstands.
If
you are a beginner, start offering standard black and white
prints,
which are easier to sell because they actually are the
ones
having the greatest market.
Here
is how your prints should be prepared in order to sell them:
*
Glossy paper is preferred. Single weight paper via cheaper and
require
less postage when mailed. Pictures must be flat.
*
Most publication (But not all of them) Prefer 8"x10". Check the
specific
requirements of the publication before you prepare your
photos
for sell.
*
Number each negative, so each print you make will have a
number.
*
Order a rubber stamp with your name, address, telephone number
and
an extra line for the number of the picture and stamp these
informations
on the back of the print you want to offer.
*
Always use stiff cardboard between the prints you are mailing
to
protect them, and make a neat package.
*
Use kraft envelopes and always write "please don't bend" with a
red
felt on the envelope to avoid any improper handling of your
pictures.
*
As you cannot expect to sell all the pictures you submit,
include
a self-addressed return envelope with enough postage, so
the
ones rejected can be mailed back to you.
*
It is not necessary to send a letter with the pictures as it
will
not help to sell the pictures.
*
Make sure to obtain written consent from anyone whose picture
you
have taken and intend to sell. You can obtain the standard
forms
called "Model Release" in many photo shops, and when you
send
your picture to the editor, enclose a copy of the release
with
them.
Do
not offer the same picture to more than one publication at the
same
time, but if your pictures are rejected by one magazine send
them
to other publications.
Many
amateurs are making money in this little known field. You
will
be able to do the same by following the simple advices
outlined
in this report.
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