Want to make money from your digital images?

As photographers we each believe we know and understand art and creativity. We desperately want to be individual and to create beautiful images.

Surely then if we go to the time, effort, and trouble to apply ourselves to this task then these awesome images (and we know they are awesome because so many people tell us so) our images ought to literally "fly off the shelves" and translate into instant sales.

Unfortunately not!

The images we create are for ourselves. We create what we think is beautiful and creative. But it may not be what the buying audience wants at this point in time - certainly not in volume!

So when we are taking our photos we have to ask ourselves the reason for creating the images we do. Is it for our own pleasure? Is it because we want the buying public to recognize beauty and pay a premium to own it. Or is it to make a steady income?

If it is to make money then there we need to face up to some harsh realities.

First of all, nowadays, with the advent of digital technology and the poficiency of its use, many people create beautiful images. In fact the web is littered with gorgeous, creative images. With so many around the biggest challenge would be choosing which one to purchase.

So what does that mean to me as a photographer? What that means is that if you find exactly the right buyer at the right time who is looking just for just the sort of images you produce you'll probably make a "one off" sale one in a while.

However if you want to make real and regular money, your "one off" (unless a buyer is prepared to pay thousands of dollars for an image - which is still not a lot if you only sell only one or two images a year) won't cut it. You need to sell volume.

Selling volume is a whole new ballpark. Because now the focus shifts away from you (what you want to create) and to the buyer (what he is looking for).

Sales is always about giving the buyer what he wants. A professional salesperson with only one product will sell that product differently to different buyers based on what benefits each individual buyer is seeking from the salesperson's product.

The same reasoning applies to digital images. Putting up for sale what YOU think is saleable because YOU like it will not make you money. Putting up for sale what you know the BUYER is looking for will make you money.

So the trick is to get back to the basics of selling - research your customer. Spend time on the Internet (Flickr, Microsites, Stock Agencies, Twitter, MySpace, etc) and learn as much as you can about what sort of images buyers are looking for. Get in touch with financially successful photographers and find out what they are selling, to whom, and how.

So other than some homework what is the downside? Well, the downside  is that if you want to make money, and not focus on creating your interpretation of art, you need to shoot what the buyer wants you to shoot (his or her interpreattion of art).

Sales is about the buyer and not the seller. The seller needs to identify the buyers needs and direct his efforts at fulfilling those needs. This translates into sales which translate into dollars.