Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/05/23
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Ben Holmes wrote:
>Donal, Ted, and Harrison, clearly you guys are at or near the peak of
>your craft. I have been recently hooked (like a tuna) by the prospect
>of earning my living, full time, permanently, exposing film. What can I
>do - just some basics - to promote myself and find work. What I have
>found so far has been >very gratifying. I WANT MORE!!!
>I am 100% committed to doing whatever it takes to capture my share of
>business here. Share some of your ideas, please!
Ted Grant replied:
>OK first bit if advice, "GET OUT OF PHOTOGRAPHY!" <VBG> :) that is
>unless you're prepared to work your butt off and take all kinds of
>stupid comments from visually challenged blind editors and art directors.
>not all of them, just most:)
AMEN to that!
The challenge of marketing: Getting assignments or just selling completed
work is why I am in the computer business, not the photography business.
In the end, it makes no difference how good a photographer (or artist or
writer or composer...) you are, if you can not (or do not or will not) sell
it. Maybe your grandchildren will discover your treasure trove and make
some money or get it displayed in a museum or something, but it won't be
of much benefit to you.
It seems the critical things in art marketing are persistence and faith
in your work in the face of rejection.
How many great novelists were published by the first publisher they
sent their work to? How many great painters had their work shown
at the first gallery they approached?
Any form of the art business is not for one who is easily discouraged
or takes rejection to heart.
Jim Krause, a friend of mine who is a musician & songwriter, says that
he would have never pursued the life of a musician if he could have
seen living any other. And that is the way you need to be. If you can
imagine being happy doing anything outside of the realm of art, do it.
It will probably be a lot more reliable at providing the money for
mortgage payments &c. too.
Likewise, remember that art is a business. You need to keep records of
expenses and sales. The IRS would just LOVE to tax you on your gross
sales...
Sorry to go on...
- John Lowther