SUPERCHARGE SALES

Rethink how you craft your images and ensure that your creative intent matches client needs

Ensure your photos meet the client’s needs

WHEN IT COMES TO SELLING YOUR IMAGES, ONE OF THE MAIN CHALLENGES IS HOW VERY SUBJECTIVE PHOTOGRAPHY IS.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD PICTURE? APART FROM TECHNICAL ASPECTS LIKE RESOLUTION, SHARPNESS AND SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO, WHICH ARE NUMERICAL CHARACTERISTICS, THE PERCEPTION OF HOW SUCCESSFUL A SHOT IS WILL OBVIOUSLY VARY DEPENDING ON THE TASTES OF THE VIEWER.

THIS CAN BE TRICKY WHEN YOU WANT TO SELL YOUR WORK TO PUBLISHERS OR STOCK AGENCIES, WHERE YOUR FILES WILL ENCOUNTER THE SCRUTINY OF PICTURE EDITORS BASED ON PREDETERMINED QUALITY GUIDELINES, BUT ALSO BE SUBJECT TO INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN THE TASTES OF THE PEOPLE IN THE SCREENING PROCESS.

WHEN CREATING IMAGES FOR STOCK OR COMMERCIAL USE, THERE IS ALMOST ALWAYS A DISPARITY BETWEEN THE ARTISTIC INTENT OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE END USER. AND WHILE YOU AS THE PERSON BEHIND THE CAMERA HAVE YOUR OWN SET OF IDEAS AND PREFERENCES, YOU CAN’T BE ALWAYS BE CERTAIN THAT THE IMAGES YOU SHOOT WILL THEN MEET A PUBLISHER’S NEEDS.

WHEN SELLING IMAGES TO AN AGENCY, REMEMBER THAT YOU NEED TO MEET THEIR STANDARDS AS A THIRD PARTY, BUT YOU ALSO NEED TO THINK AHEAD TO HOW SOMEONE BUYING YOUR STOCK MIGHT WISH TO USE THE FILES IN THE FUTURE.

SO WHAT’S THE SOLUTION? HOW CAN YOU ENSURE THAT YOUR WORK IS GENERAL ENOUGH TO CATER FOR AN UNLIMITED NUMBER OF POTENTIAL FUNCTIONS, BUT ALSO SPECIFIC ENOUGH TO STAND OUT FROM THE COMPETITION AND APPEAL TO PEOPLE SEEKING IMAGERY FOR NICHE PRODUCTS?

A KEY SKILL IS BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHETHER YOUR SHOTS HAVE ALL OF THE ASPECTS REQUIRED BY PEOPLE OTHER THAN YOURSELF, AND THIS MIGHT MEAN CONTRADICTING YOUR OWN CREATIVE ASPIRATIONS FROM TIME TO TIME.

WE’VE DONE SOME DIGGING, AND HERE

WE’VE GATHERED SOME REVEALING INSIGHT FROM THREE PROFESSIONALS – ALL WITH DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON THE PROCESS OF SELLING

YOUR IMAGES. TURN OVER TO LEARN FROM PHOTOGRAPHERS AND PICTURE EDITORS ON A RANGE OF PUBLICATIONS.