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DPChallenge Forums >> Business of Photography >> It's starting to happen for me!
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01/10/2008 04:40:56 PM · #1
I've been sort of dinking around the outskirts of going pro......my sense of artistry, insecurity, and ignorance being the major stumbling blocks.

It's hard for me to believe that people will spend money for doing what I love, and yet the couple of pieces that sold this week actually went for some fairly serious money.
I've had large images, i.e. 24X8 of this on display:[thumb]630351[/thumb]

And an image similar to this of this place in a 20X24: [thumb]510980[/thumb]

And both of them sold this week!

The one couple that bought the river scene asked if I would be willing to place some of my work in their day spa on consignment so that they would have some nice images to display......I think I can handle that, so they picked three more.

A local law firm sought me out to do some images of their facility & staff through a friend of mine who does web design, and I sort of happened into doing some portfolio work for a man and his wife who restored a beautiful old house and they do restoration and design.....just by knocking on their door in town and asking if I could photograph their beautiful house!

I have no illusions about being able to make a living from this, but I am hoping that just maybe I'll be able to afford some equipment and whatnot if this keeps up.

I'm thrilled!!!!
01/10/2008 04:43:04 PM · #2
that's awesome, Jeb! congrats! :)
01/10/2008 04:43:34 PM · #3
wowzers! congrats!!

those are some awesome images by the way!
01/10/2008 04:45:15 PM · #4
nice job! and hey, are you feeling better nowadays?
01/10/2008 05:01:29 PM · #5
Way to go, Jeb! And don't completely discount the idea of doing it for a living - if it is what you want and/or dream of, just do it. You've probably already received plenty of validation, this being just the most recent. :D
01/10/2008 05:04:23 PM · #6
That's great! I hope it all works out well for you. One thing's for sure, this is not a cheap hobby!
01/10/2008 05:10:01 PM · #7
Originally posted by NikonJeb:

I've been sort of dinking around the outskirts of going pro......my sense of artistry, insecurity, and ignorance being the major stumbling blocks.

It's hard for me to believe that people will spend money for doing what I love, and yet the couple of pieces that sold this week actually went for some fairly serious money.

....

I'm thrilled!!!!

Way to Go! :-) It's always great to see another photog (myself excluded) get a great start like that. Congrats.
01/10/2008 05:10:48 PM · #8
Congrats man!
01/10/2008 05:18:51 PM · #9
Dear Jeb - this is AWESOME!

You are very talented and a nice man to boot! Don't let those niggly negative voices take any space in your joy my friend.

They will be there less and less if you forget to 'feed' them - GRIN!

Those images are super and it's wonderful about the spa opportunity. Keep putting one foot in front of the other - GRIN!

01/10/2008 05:29:48 PM · #10
Congratulations, Jeb! That's so exciting - and you really do deserve it! You have SUCH beautiful images!
01/10/2008 05:36:25 PM · #11
Grats Jeb, thats awesome to say the least :)
01/10/2008 05:41:49 PM · #12
Wow - very cool! Congrats!!
01/10/2008 06:10:40 PM · #13
Very good news. Always good to make money to be able to spend it on more equipment I always say.

Message edited by author 2008-01-10 18:10:47.
01/10/2008 06:17:52 PM · #14
Congrats!

I dream of being able to shoot what I want and sell it as 'fine art' but so far, that hasn't remotely happened.

A local pizza shop expanded earlier this year with a large dining room and game and pool parloe and would love photos on his walls...aerials, local landscapes and landmarks. Things I don't shoot or have shots of anyway. Oh well, an opportunity waiting for a photographer!
01/10/2008 06:34:41 PM · #15
Grats! Is it rude to ask how much you sold those prints for? If not, how much? :)

N
01/10/2008 06:42:17 PM · #16
HAHA!! I always say... just keep going!! Be like Nike!

It will happen....

And it is!!! Congratulations Jeb!!
01/10/2008 06:49:39 PM · #17
Originally posted by TCGuru:

HAHA!! I always say... just keep going!! Be like Nike!

You mean "Just Do It," right?
01/10/2008 06:54:50 PM · #18
Originally posted by _eug:

Originally posted by TCGuru:

HAHA!! I always say... just keep going!! Be like Nike!

You mean "Just Do It," right?


Yup :P
01/10/2008 07:02:17 PM · #19
Wonderful news Jeb! Congrats on the sales!
01/10/2008 07:04:36 PM · #20
congrats, continued good luck!
01/10/2008 07:06:10 PM · #21
Thanks everyone for the kind words and encouragement! I don't mean to say that if this went nuts that I wouldn't do it full time, but it's got a long way to go before I'd take that leap.

I am actually one of those people who has already been blessed in life to have been able to make a living from a passion. For roughly twelve years, I enjoyed the benefit of people of my generation (I'm 52) and slightly older who were finally able to reap the rewards of years of hard work and saving who got the chance to drag those old British roadsters out of storage and have me refurbish them as needed for their weeekend pleasure. It was something I would almost have done for free as I love those cars dearly, and they supported me for the hard work that I did to make them a part of my life as well as a job. This means that I would receive much pleasure and gratitude upon people coming back from journeys through the countryside in their newly rejuvenated roadsters with those big stupid happy grins plastered to their faces!

And all of a sudden, I am getting that same thing all over again from people ranging in interest from their work, to their family, or just a little slice of life here in the area that I happened to capture.

I don't need to make it a career because of the aesthetic fulfillment I get from this, but it would be an amazing dream come true twice, and it already has to a certain extent, just having the exposure I've gotten already.

I would also like to tell you that it's AWESOME to be able to have y'all here to share in this, and PLEASE........know that you, my friends here at DPC, have played a major part in my being able to pursue this because of what I've learned here, the encouragement I've gotten, and just the little things like sharing the triumphs that we've had, small and large as this love of ours blossoms and we recieve some recognition.

For that I owe many here no small measure of thanks......consider this part of your success, too, simply by helping me to grow and pressing on me to keep trying whenever I've felt down.

Whenever any of us here succeeds, we all win!
01/10/2008 09:04:51 PM · #22
Originally posted by fastforward:

Grats! Is it rude to ask how much you sold those prints for? If not, how much? :)

N

Sorry I haven't gotten back to you before this, but I've been mulling over how I wanted to answer.

No, it's not rude at all, because this is one thing I have not been able to get a feel for at all. I've cranked a few images out of my printer, matted and framed them, and sold them here and there for $25-$50, but this is my first real venture into the real world of the photography as art and an aesthetic addition to someone's decor by them having been moved to want one of my images as such.

This is the actual shot that I sold.....the other one was a different crop and perspective......I didn't realize that I hadn't uploaded the actual image that I enlarged.

[thumb]631368[/thumb]

It's a larger size, 24X20, and it has a really nice, ornate frame of the customer's choosing.....it sold for the package for $650.

Now here's the part where I don't know what to think. Granted, the frame is the lion's share of the cost, and it was custom made to the customer's specs, but.....this means it was worth that much to him to have this image on his wall! That's tremendously flattering!

And that night skyline at a 36X18 with a simple metal frame went for $195.

So I'm thrilled, but the realities of the expenses involved, not to mention the time and legwork don't make the scenery images tremendously lucrative.

I sure like the idea of someone spending a sh*tpot of money to have one of my images hanging in his home, though!
01/10/2008 09:16:59 PM · #23
Originally posted by NikonJeb:

I sure like the idea of someone spending a sh*tpot of money to have one of my images hanging in his home, though!


Don't we all! Congrats; you deserve the recognition (and the money don't hurt) :-)
01/10/2008 09:35:51 PM · #24
Congrats man. That is awesome to here. Keep up the good work.
01/10/2008 10:25:52 PM · #25
Originally posted by NikonJeb:

I've been sort of dinking around the outskirts of going pro......my sense of artistry, insecurity, and ignorance being the major stumbling blocks.

It's hard for me to believe that people will spend money for doing what I love, and yet the couple of pieces that sold this week actually went for some fairly serious money.
I've had large images, i.e. 24X8 of this on display:[thumb]630351[/thumb]

And an image similar to this of this place in a 20X24: [thumb]510980[/thumb]

And both of them sold this week!

The one couple that bought the river scene asked if I would be willing to place some of my work in their day spa on consignment so that they would have some nice images to display......I think I can handle that, so they picked three more.

A local law firm sought me out to do some images of their facility & staff through a friend of mine who does web design, and I sort of happened into doing some portfolio work for a man and his wife who restored a beautiful old house and they do restoration and design.....just by knocking on their door in town and asking if I could photograph their beautiful house!

I have no illusions about being able to make a living from this, but I am hoping that just maybe I'll be able to afford some equipment and whatnot if this keeps up.

I'm thrilled!!!!


Jeb, that is so cool!! I am inspired! Congrats!!!! I too wish to someday actually sell something!!! instead of just spend something on equipment!! LOL. Great shots btw!! Way to go!!
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