thoughts on not having a website

[emzlouise]

Good Evening all,

I have always thought that in order to get yourself out there as a photographer that a part of this is by having a website. I am currently thinking about putting some images together and attempt to sell at some local markets as calendars, bookmarks and cards. I want to have a sticker made up for the back of these with my name and details, but I am thinking that people are more likely to view a website than ring me if they like my photography. So I am getting a website made at the moment, should be up and running in about 6 weeks or so...

I am just curious on other people's views on the importance of having a website if you are a photographer? For example, is there anyone here that is successful without having a website?

Talk to you all soon! :-)
-em-

[I @ M]

I have always thought that in order to get yourself out there as a photographer that a part of this is by having a website.

Best way to do it is to take stunning photographs.

I am currently thinking about putting some images together and attempt to sell at some local markets as calendars, bookmarks and cards.

A good way to start.

but I am thinking that people are more likely to view a website than ring me if they like my photography. So I am getting a website made at the moment, should be up and running in about 6 weeks or so...

If they like your photography either "in the flesh" or through a website they will ring or email.
After 12 months, see how many sales you make through the markets vs the website and balance the marketing costs.

You were going to do both weren't you?

Or were you just going to produce stunning photographs that sold themselves no matter where they were displayed?

I sincerely hope that my reply doesn't sound too harsh but in this day and age one must face reality.
Currently reality is that one must be either a stunningly different photographer or an obsessed 24/7 marketing dept.

Which one are you?

[0Z320]

Hi Em,

I'm not too familiar with websites, but welcome to AP and I can't wait for you to post up some of your shots!

(Who knows, I might end up buying some )

Cheers,
Steve

[Kym]

The BIG question is ... Is a website your primary or secondary marketing/sales channel?
Most people that use the web as their secondary channel do very well.

[emzlouise]

I @ M,

I'm in it for the art, not the money. I was getting a website up not to sell my photography, but to have somewhere where I can show my portfolio that isn't facebook. I'm looking at the market stuff just for pure curiosity to see what other people will think of my photographs and to get myself out there. I've had friends on facebook say they love some of my photographs and want to buy them from me, which is cause of some motivation towards my thinking about markets.

Your post isn't too harsh, I know this is a hard industry to get started in, there are so many fantastic photographers out there and I am just a little speck in a big photography world, I'm just interested in seeing how far I can get :-)

0Z320,
Thanks for the welcome! I will post some photographs as soon as I work it out! :-)

Kym,
Looking at a portfolio website more than a sales channel at this time... We shall see though! :-)

-em-

[Erin]

To be honest, I think in this day and age, a website is a good thing to have. Even if it's just a small portfolio of your most spectacular work and your contact details. Consider it your digital business card.

When I was planning my wedding a couple years back, everything I did I sourced online. I simply didn't have the luxury of time to go to markets and such.

[emzlouise]

That's what I was thinking, thanks Erin :-)

[bigdazzler]

Some kind of online portfolio is imperative IMO. A simple web site is very very cheap and easy to establish.

I created mine (below in my signature if youre interested) in Apple iWeb in about an hour. Seriously.

Youll need a domain name (ie .. www.xxxxxx.com) which costs about 10 bucks a year, and a web hosting plan, mone cost $50 a year. There are several web host companies that are AP sponsors that can help you out with this stuff if you want to check them out.

Thats not a lot of money to outlay to get your work, and name, out there to potentially millions of viewers.

At this stage I really hope youre not paying some web development company heaps of money to build you one .. Money better spent on lenses I reckon

[Tricky]

A website as a secondary marketing tool is pretty important, I think, and given that a basic website can be run for less than $100 pa... its pretty much a no-brainer.

Good luck with the new venture, hope it works out for you!

[emzlouise]

Thanks guys :-)

My boyfriend is making my site for free and he'll look after the site costs and things (probably out of our joint account... but still), he knows what he is doing and has made sites in the past as a programmer and web designer.
lucky me!!

Em

[Roof]

Not sure if you have Lightroom ? But if you do it is very easy to create a website. But then again if your boyfriend used to be a webdesigner it shouldn't be a problem at all

[Wayne]

I think in this digital age anyone looking for exposure, particularly for video or photo must have a web presence. So many people use the web for their shopping and leisure time nowdays that without a web site, you are missing millions. It really opens the door to a global marketplace.

Some may recall a lightning photo I posted here a while back, I ended up selling a 20x30 copy to a customer in Denmark, who without the web would never have seen it. The funds from that sale paid for my Smugmug pro account for 2 years.

[emzlouise]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone! I was just interested to see if anyone didn't have a website. But I'm understanding that really there is a need to have a digital portfolio and "business card" out there in order to get out to the masses in the WWW.

[CapnBloodbeard]

If all you ever want to do is sell some prints at the local art fair, then you probably don't need a website.

However, even most artisans at these markets have a website - I don't know if they sell prints through the site, or how many.

If you have any hopes of expansion eventually, or greater recognition, then I'd say a website is a necessity. It doesn't have to be anything overly flash, and you can even create a nice enough gallery in lightroom.