How to sell fine art prints like an award-winning photographer 

Starting an online art photography business is a huge milestone in your career. As photographers, it’s all too easy to collect hundreds, if not thousands, of beautiful photographs on our hard drives, never to see the light of day. You may have dreamt about selling these photos as fine art prints but not really know how to start, let alone actually make a decent living from it.

Over the years, I’ve turned my passion for photography into a solid business, and you can, too. In this article, I will explain what I’ve learned, and I hope this helps you succeed.

Just begin

My first piece of advice is just to start. You might feel you don’t have enough products to build a website, but all it takes is one. Once you share that artwork online, momentum will build, and your energy will head in the right direction. Energy flows where attention goes.

Poll social media

Next, don’t flood your site with everything you’ve ever created. Instead, choose your top pieces. Use social media to poll your followers or analyze which posts have performed the best; this is a great way to gauge interest. Choosing only your best work highlights your talent and keeps visitors engaged.

Print-on-demand

When you’re ready to take orders, consider options like print-on-demand or pre-orders. These prevent you from having to hold large amounts of inventory and help reduce upfront costs.

Pricing

Now, let’s talk about pricing. Price your work appropriately and make sure to cover all your costs. When I first started selling my photography, I was so excited people wanted to buy my work that I underpriced my art. Trust me, people are willing to pay premium prices for art. You need to cover all your expenses; otherwise, you won’t succeed.

To determine the value of my work, I researched what other artists we’re charging for similar work. I selected ten of my favourite photographers and averaged their prices to help find my prices.

Offer multiple price points

I offer multiple price points. Not everyone can afford your most expensive pieces, so having more affordable options can attract a wider audience. I even turned some of my work into coasters—it’s a great gift, and people feel like they are supporting your business without buying a huge print.

Outsourcing

Once orders start coming in, decide how you will handle printing. Will you print the work yourself, use a local printer, or partner with a major company that can print, package, and ship your art for you? Outsourcing means you’ll have additional fees and lower profit margins, but it also saves time on packaging and shipping. Personally, I prefer to have control over my work and make sure it meets my expectations before it’s shipped out, so that’s also something to consider.

Personal touches

Lastly, add personal touches to create a quality customer experience. I always include a handwritten thank-you card with each order. This shows customers that you care, and they will appreciate it. I also include branding elements like stickers with my logo on the packaging and discount coupons inside every order.

Once you’ve established yourself and started making sales, reinvest in your business to help save time. Keep researching and always think of ways to better your brand.

I wish you all the best, and remember: just start!

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