I should sell my work

I have been doing a lot more posting of my images on social media, Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, 500px and here mostly. I consider myself an average photographer, I am still learning. I hear from my friends and family on a regular basis that I should sell my work.

Maybe I should, but for now I’m not.

I love photography, but making money with photography is hard work. The photo at the top of the page is me at my day job. It might not look like it but it is also hard work. My job has frequent high stress moments, deadlines and people expecting me to be able to perform when needed.

When I take a photo like the one above I am not thinking about the marketing of the image, who my target buyer is, pricing or anythings else. I know pro photographers and I know making a go of selling your photography is a lot of work.

What I am doing is allowing a moment in time to happen, capture it and reproduce it in my own style. I will never capture that photo again. I may be at the same spot at the same time of day but it is done.

The increase in the quantity and quality of my work of late has to do with me putting for an effort to stop and capture those moments I was driving past. So far all the photos I have been posting have been on a road that I drive frequently, whether it is to and from work or my cabin. This has increased the call that I should sell my work.

The last photo was taken on my drive to my cabin. I had already stopped once and missed sunrise but got some interesting photos along the Buffalo waterfront. In the past I would have driven by that barn and thought to myself that would make an interesting photo. Yesterday I stopped and that made the difference.

But turning that photo into something marketable is something I’m not willing to take the time to do. I do not know how to and do not have the time.

Submitting my work to publications is beyond my skills at this time. I’m not even sure where to start.

As for selling prints that is also more work then I am willing to do. It’s not that I do not like hard work. My day job is hard work but it pays the bills. Outside of work I’m a Fire Fighter, also hard work but I love doing it. Figuring out how to go from taking photos to selling my work would stretch me to far to be able to do quality work for the things that I am already committed to and still have time with my family.

Anytime I told my dad I was too busy he’d tell me you have exactly enough time to get done what is important to you.

Right now the list of things important to me is full. But I will continue to take and post photos, and give out prints to anyone who asks.

When selling my work becomes important enough I can revisit my list.

All photos above where shot with my Fujifilm X100s and Sony A77.