At 07:25 PM 1/28/2003 +0000, Chris wrote:
I know I've said this before, but for most photographers, the web is a great marketing tool but not really a salesroom.The web is just another way of publishing and it cost me money to put them there....
I've sold prints off my website, without posting prices or even the availability of prints, just to people who inquire, and at my price (not cheap.) However, they can see every image there for free, and they probably would never have seen them if I charged.
I've gotten several shows (and I'm sitting on one now) from my website, simply by emailing it to people who could give me shows.
I've found models by showing them my website, it helps to convince people I'm not a pervert (regardless of the truth), since they can see what I do. If I handed out cards with my web address, they got there and had to pay to see what I do, how many would agree to model?
I've gotten published because people have seen something on my website. Just a few weeks ago, I shot a band without knowing what I would do with them. Shot on Saturday night, processed and on the website by Monday morning, and got a publishing offer by Tuesday. (It's here - http://www.powerslave.com/slaves_quarters/article.php?article_id=42).
What I haven't done is expected to make money directly from people looking at the photos. It's more like something in-between business cards and brochures. As far as I know, the only place to pay for photo viewing is porn sites, and that's not something I want as an association for my images.
I would recommend looking at creative marketing using your website rather than any direct revenue from it.
Jeff Spirer
Photos: http://www.spirer.com
