Hello everyone!
I was wondering what the best way to sell your pictures is. I've been told several times that my pictures would be perfect for postcards and things like that, and that I really could make some money from my pictures. Since I've been told this so many times, I'm starting to belive there could be some truth in it. So I started to think about what the best way could be to get your pictures sold. I couldn't really think of any way to sell them, so I decided to ask here to get advice from some more experienced photographers.

Some of the pictures I had in mind are:

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1412195&member
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=945867&member
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=863147&member
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1413317&member

Any advice is appreciated!

Hello parasite..

That is a very good question here tho...

I was told the same thing to long a go.. And back then i tried, tried and tried, till i reached the point of: Aaaaaaaaaaah, screw it..

One of my friends told me, start to print your own post cards, like the one you can buy from the store to attach it a present or a birthday gift.

And i did that about 4 years ago! Its very funny tho, because it worked! I started to print my own cards and i do have people who work for me as a marketers and salesmen. They do supply a lot of different type of businesses in North Africa, Middle East and some parts of Europe like Russia for example.

I also started to get some connections in the well known brands factories, like Samsung, Minolta, and such.. I was shooting some of their newer products [Try Out Products], then post work it, call them or email them a small samples. It works a lot tho..

You know what i am talking about here?

So if you have the chance to print from your own pockets that is the best way tho, which means its gonna be your new business, because you will need marketers as well salesmen! Also before trying to do anything like this you will need a business plan tho!

Prints are very expensive in Europe and Canada/USA and thats why i print all my posters, cards, photos or any printable materials way to far in the east or Egypt! I save about 75% even tho with 110% better quality...

Now here is an advice/idea to start with...

Goto to the nearest store to you, pick one of those cards and look at the back of it. You will find the publisher's name and the print company...

Contact one of their buyers and send him/her a small resolution sample of your work, discuss how it can work, because many times they can buy your work directly, or they can sign a contract with you which will be saying that you will gain this much %'s for example of the total prints and sales! Sigh!

Hope that will help you tho, and wish you all the best luck ever

JOE

You could try a local upmarket pub/bar for starters, if you get talking with the owner they might let you put up an exhibition with the option to sell some prints.  As for the postcard route, it really depends on who and where - i think it might be difficult to sell them, just because i think it would be difficult - not a comment on your photos which are very cool btw.  The subject matter lends itself to artistic photo's which means selling them in art shops or museums which means you are up against established photographers and their back catalogue of internationally recognised photos.   Even so i assume you can get things printed fairly professionally as postcards with some of the online print shops, but that means putting down some cash to get some stock in.  And i think the profit margin from postcards would be rather small on the scale you would be able to do it at, and thus not worth the effort.

The other method of getting some cash from the photos is to upload them to stock sites... but that requires you taking shots you know people who purchase stock photos want, if you catch my drift.

I went with the local bar route - and managed to produce an A4 print for just under £3 framed in a clip frame.  I have only sold 2 of them to people other than friends and family at £15 each.  I am currently down about £60 on that venture, but i can now say i have had an exhibition and i do have a load of clip frames and random prints of some of my earlier shots - and they make good pressies

Anyway - that is only one person's take on it and i am far from experienced in making money from my photos

Wow, thanks for the long replies! I will try some of that stuff out, and I also came to think of another way to sell pictures, while reading your replies.

Damn, that doesn't sound too good. I'll consider doing that, even though it'll be a lot of work.

@parasite3;

Please accept my apologies for my response to your thread on "Selling Photos".  I, in no way meant to suggest that you delete your gallery here at Renderosity.  My response was intended to alert you that it would be wise to watermark any of your images posted on the web, especially those that you plan to sell.

Again, my apologies if my words came across the wrong way.

regards;

gradient

Well, no, they didn't actually. I got what you meant. But thanks for making sure I didn't get the wrong impression.

do not delete your gallery at all. I looked into the book store and saw a book on copyright stuff and how to get your work  printed too and how to do it. They list tons of companys. Like you would be in postcards look that up and sent them your images. Do not sent your image to a sci-fi magizine you waste your time and their time too. 
You can get all your images copyright at one time for the same cost of money for one image You just turn it in to the copyright office to do this. Then you really would have a case against someone who steals your image and you have proof for sure. 
I looking for the book now . My daughter in law cleaned up and I can not find it. lol 
The book was in pushinction[misspelled means to print in large amonths like in magizines]
I keep looking and when I find it i let you know. 
They put this book out every year and it have every thing. 
Oh start you proforio of your work and if you show it in a art show state the dates and the art show too. even if it just the local fair.
i working on my now. I join the local art assi. just to get my art show in some shows.