If you make fine art photos, it’s time to share them with the world! Here’s how one photographer sells his fine art prints online—without paying commissions!
Sell your fine art photography online
Along with weddings and portraits, U.K. photographer Joshua Wyborn has also developed an extensive fine art portfolio. His handcrafted prints adorn the walls of corporate execs and art appreciators throughout England and the world—and he sells them all online.
Here’s how:
Joshua Wyborn Photographic
Color blind, schmolor blind. This guy can CREATE.
ANNE: How would you describe your work?
JOSHUA: I would probably call it classical, classic monotone? I adore photography in its simplest forms. My editing, while I enjoy it, is very minimal, and typically I only edit what can be done in a darkroom. I don’t remove buildings from backgrounds or drastically change what I see before my camera.
I prefer monotone because… well, I’m actually colour blind. This doesn’t mean I cant see colour; just that sometimes I don’t see what most people do. What I can see is a greater spectrum of tones. So going to monotone helps express my viewpoint of the world to others.
Joshua Wyborn Photographic
Using fine art and personal projects for mental wellness
ANNE: What drives you to make these personal images?
JOSHUA: In short: my mental health. I struggled at school, and art was what I was best at, with photography being what I was best at within the arts.
I’m on the autistic/dyslexic spectrum, so life can get frustrating. Art always helped me through this—to express myself and how I was feeling.
It was pivotal throughout my teenage years and still is to this day. While over time I have fallen in love with wedding photography, my ambition was to be a landscape photographer and have galleries across the globe showcasing my work. Maybe one day!
Thankfully, weddings still bring me the mental aid that I need. My landscape work is even more personal now.
Joshua Wyborn Photographic
Getting your art into people’s hands and homes
ANNE: How do you show, share, and sell your fine art photographs?
JOSHUA: I adore ShootProof and how it’s growing. Being a part of the BETA groups is also fantastic—to be able to ask for features and help build them into reality (not only for me but for other users) is fab.
And the new abilities of email campaigns and sending mass emails on specific dates is incredible!
Some days I just wake up and decide to do a sale! I make a template, make a discount in my price sheet, and schedule the email to go later that day or the next day. It’s sooo simple and easy to use.
I also use the ShootProof feature that shows me the visitors with items in carts. I’ll email them separately at random dates with small promos to see if they want a print.
#ShootProofPRO Tip: ShootProof galleries are ALWAYS commission-free!
Joshua Wyborn Photographic
Creating products that people will pay for
ANNE: What products do you offer through your fine art gallery?
JOSHUA: Again, using ShootProof’s great pricing sheets, I offer a mixture of lab prints that are:
- Epson Fine Art Cotton 215gsm
- a white-based, subtly textured fine art paper
- standard gloss prints
- canvases
Joshua Wyborn Photographic
I also give the option for self-fulfillment, where I print the photos from my Canon 10S. This was huge for me during lockdown, when the labs shut and printing times went through the roof.
Originally I bought the printer for myself in a winter sale. It was just to print my own landscapes and to have them on my wall. Little did I know that in 2020 it would save my business!
Joshua Wyborn Photographic
Differentiate your personal fine art from your paid projects
ANNE: What are 3 pieces of advice you’d give to a photographer who wants to sell their art photography?
JOSHUA: First, don’t be afraid NOT to publish everything you shoot.
I have loads of photos of landscapes that have never seen the light of day. Maybe one day I’ll go back and they will click, but right now they don’t seem to work for me—and that’s okay. Try not to get pressured into becoming a “photo machine” who has to deliver every time you shoot.
Joshua Wyborn Photographic
Second, look at quality and keep it simple. Print using the best-quality companies and suppliers you can find for your prints, and limit your offerings.
For example, I do not include framing services. After all, every client will want to show the photograph in a different way according to where they are displaying it. Too many options can be overwhelming.
Lastly, take photos you want to take. Do it for you. If you take photos others ask for, you’ll burn out quickly. Enjoy it. That’s what art is for! Let people see your passion, not a commission.
Joshua Wyborn Photographic
Ready to start selling your own fine art prints?
- Create a public gallery (or more!) in your ShootProof workspace
- Embed either your homepage link or gallery link behind a button on your website
- Start marketing!
And show us your own phenomenal fine art by tagging your images with #FocusOnWhatMattersMost on Instagram!
Written by ANNE SIMONE | Featuring JOSHUA WYBORN
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