Out And About

Im sure time flies quicker in the summer, getting out and around and the holidays popping up. You realise how much when you log in to see a host of unfinished posts - oooops!

But i HAVE been busy and in a good way with lots of things coming into fruition. I will post some news on this once i've updated some pictures!

Growing Old Together

Dragging out my black and white beach photo's to be reminded of slightly less grey times!

Let The Sun Shine

I'm wondering what other miracles might occur on the few remaining hours of this bank holiday. Might seem a little optimistic but I can't remember a recent bank holiday that has been so lovely.

Very happy to say I made the most of it with a lovely (if not slightly tasking) walk - I like to describe my look after as glowing! I also finally got round to meeting the guys at Feather Perfect falconry and there are some super exciting developments which I'll talk more about once definite details are confirmed.

It also gave me chance to test my new Sigma zoom lens which was cool - pictures to follow in later posts.

Anyway in light of the lovely weather here are some very yellow shots.

Playing Del Boy...Where To Sell Your Stuff!

There comes a time in every photographers life where you consider selling your wares and it with a variety of sites to choose from it can be a bit of a faff!

So here is a snapshot of some of the easier sites out there that wont leave you tearing your hair out.

The first thing i would advise is stay away from Ebay! It's nothing personal but it's never really worked for me. Unless you have a great supplier of canvas or prints it is going to be pretty costly to produce any work and if you are looking for a decent margin then the only option is to price high. That sort of pricing doesn't really work with Ebay especially when you are starting out as an unknown.

A way to make some return from your shots is to look at sites where you can sell for commercial use. You will need to submit your work for review and some of the waiting lists can take up to three months so don't be surprised if it takes a while. The return is good though with earnings being as much as £500. A good example of this is Shutterstock.

If you are looking for sites that focus on canvas art and the like there are some good free options out there.

Two that are super easy to set up are Red bubble and Photo box Gallery. The commission structures are really straightforward and you can leverage greater prices for products where you want to make more margin.

The key is to be patient, it will take time to build before you see any sales but hold on in there!

Turning Point

I mentioned in one of my earlier posts about my first picture on canvas. It was a great moment for me in my journey and marked something really special. When i first thought about photography being something to take seriously as opposed to just taking the old holiday snaps i wasn't particularly confident in my ability. I joined some photo communities with really mixed results. Naturally i asked for really honest feedback but at times couldn't help think there was a good element of photo snobbery being thrown in for good measure.

There was one site however that i would truly recommend to anyone looking to get inspiration and honest feedback as well as the occasional pat on the back. What was great is there was a vast mix of truly exceptional photographers, amateurs and everything in between. Fotoblur allows you to upload a restricted selection of photo's but it's great for just getting inspiration and just a little motivation when needed.

http://www.fotoblur.com

One piece of advise i would give is stick with it! It's so easy to start comparing yourself to other people who may have been doing it a lot longer and may have a completely different style or perspective. But all it takes is practise and time. Before you know it you'll find your niche!

Oh I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside!

I feel lately that i've been a little black and white focused...it seems to bring out the key elements in some of my recent pictures. Indeed there are some pictures from the beach which are black and white but i tried to make sure there's a good splash of colour in there to lighten everything up!

Colour!!!

Happy Easter everyone! A time for reflection, new life and beginnings. At last the sun seems to be breaking through the snow and spring is fiiiinally starting to show some signs of life. I actually managed to sit outside for more than a minute today and bask in some sunshine! Below are some of the first spring signs :-).