How to Make $60,000 in One Year Selling Fine Art Photographs

How to Make $60,000 in One Year Selling Fine Art Photographs

The world of fine art photography exists in the lofty shadows of the photography industry, it’s secrets hidden behind an air of elite mystery. While endless tutorials on how to make a living as a portrait photographer can be found with a quick google search, how to make a living as a fine art photographer remains a more nebulous subject. Last year, award-winning Fine Art Photographer Jason Matias made $60,000 selling fine art prints, and he’s taking away some of the mystery by sharing part of his journey — and solid advice — for budding fine art photographers who want to do the same thing.

Matias graduated college with a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership; he’s also a veteran. So, it came as a surprise to him that finding a job in the area of his major was such a difficult prospect. Like many young people in the workforce, he was overqualified, under-experienced, and too young to be taken seriously in his chosen career field. To make a living, Matias fell back on photography, a hobby that had earned him money in the past.

With the mindset that he would only use gear that would pay for itself, he began selling prints for $200-$300, realizing before long that this audience and price point were not going support him. Putting his degree to good use, Matias began treating his fine art venture like a proper business, and the lessons he learned while graduating from selling $200 prints to selling $5,000-plus prints that hang in hotel lobbies and upscale restaurants apply not only to business practice and marketing but to mindset and goal setting, as well.

Photograph shared with permission of Jason Matias

According to Matias, the first thing a fine artist must do is cultivate the right mindset. He said, “I’ve stopped calling myself a photographer… and I’ve stopped using the word picture altogether because anyone can take a picture.” Rather than calling himself a photographer, he is an artist, and rather than selling pictures, he is selling artwork.  

Matias recognized that what his clients buy is not paper and ink, but the experience the viewer has while enjoying the image, and the perceived status that comes with owning a piece of fine art. Once he’d recognized the inherent value of his artwork, he had to create the right mindset about his clientele. A phrase that Matias used of his own approach is, “I’m selling a luxury product to an affluent audience.” He came to the conclusion that his friends and family weren't part of his audience, and places like coffee shops and restaurants that hang the work of local artists on the wall with a little hand-written price tag dangling from the corner were not a good place to display his art. Affluent clients are not likely to look for fine art pieces in the diner on the corner, and work that is hanging in a diner on the corner is not likely to be considered "fine art," even by the patrons. 

Once an artist has recognized the value of their work, cultivated the proper mindset, and made the decision to sell it, the next step is getting to know their potential clients. According to Matias, social media is a great tool for this, but not in the way most photographers have come to view it. Rather than using social media as a means of exposure and networking, Matias finds social media a great place to conduct market research. Who buys and owns fine art? Where do they spend their time and money? What events do they attend, what jobs do they have, and where do they vacation? The more an artist understand the market and his clients, the better chance he has of fulfilling their desires.

Photograph shared with the permission of Jason Matias

Knowing his clients means knowing what they expect when buying a fine art piece and, for a high-end market, this means ditching metal prints, canvas prints, and any materials that are commonplace, low quality, or easy to find. A high-end market desires a high-end product, which means expensive production methods such as boutique printing and handmade artisan frames. Steps like this elevate the experience of the artwork, making it more unique and scarce, which is something his clients value.

Having become knowledgeable about what the ideal client looks like and what they want, the next step is marketing to them. Matias uses a three-pronged approach to marketing, and listed these tactics in order of their effectiveness:

  1. In-person networking
  2. Big-business style marketing
  3. Social media

Matias approaches social media the way a corporation would: with an eye for the data. He finds potential clients that fit within a defined market segment, such as career fields that earn enough to have a disposable income, and looks for signifiers that these people would be a good fit for an investment in a fine art piece. Using social media for the data, rather than the exposure, means that Matias can use a platform like Instagram to search for qualities his target market possesses or subjects they are interested in as pre-qualifiers of their suitability as clients. Rather than advertise his art on social media, it has become a fertile stalking ground for potential buyers.

Big business style marketing extends far beyond a particular use of social media and into the realm of email marketing and top-of-mind advertising. Matias makes sure to keep in touch with people, always following up on emails and cultivating potential relationships. Efficiency is a key component in big business style marketing, and spending hours on social media learning about clients isn’t always efficient, so Matias mentioned the efficiency of looking to big data companies as a way to gather information.

The catch with social media and big business-style marketing is that the artist must pay careful attention to what is working, and make adjustments based on ROI. If sales from one area don’t earn enough to justify the time and effort spent, that’s a bad return on investment. From Matias’ experience, nothing beats in-person networking. He mentioned a restaurateur who has become a client, spending over $30,000 on art to decorate his restaurants, because Matias walked in and told the owner that his décor could use an update.

Photograph shared with the permission of Jason Matias

To grow sales, Matias says that setting clear, quantifiable goals is crucial. Rather than saying something vague such as, “I want to sell more prints this year,” artists should make goals that sound more like this: “I want to make a $20,000 sale this year.” Having goals that are clear naturally leads to finding pathways to reach them, whereas vague goals mean vague actions. 

A Note on Galleries 

Nothing says “I’ve made it,” quite like having one’s work displayed in a gallery. There are things to look for, according to Matias, if gallery showings are on the goal list. If a photographer is serious about making good money as a fine artist, artist co-ops and kitschy galleries that sell trinkets to tourists should be avoided because they rely on foot traffic, rather than a dedicated sales teams and client lists, to sell art.

There are three things Matias notes as “must haves” when considering approaching a gallery:

  1. A great sales team
  2. Location
  3. Black book

A gallery with a great reputation should also have a stellar sales team that is knowledgeable about art, the trends of the market, the artists they represent, and the tastes of their clients. Such a gallery should also be in a desirable location and have a list of clients — a “black book” — with the contact information of clients they serve. This list is used to inform potential clients when work comes on the market that fits their tastes, to notify them of showings, and bring in regular clients who collect certain types of work before they’re forced to compete with other buyers. If an artist is considering approaching a gallery, these three things should be considered.

Photograph shared with the permission of Jason Matias

Finally, and possibly most relevant to the artists themselves, is this question: how do I know when my work is good enough? While answers to this question are always a bit vague, Matias says that chances are, when the artist has developed a recognizable visual signature — a voice — that permeates their work, they’re probably ready to begin shopping their work to potential clients. Be prepared to make sacrifices for the long haul, though. One thing Matias was very clear about was that making a living as a fine artist requires hard work, dedication to creating art, and commitment to your career as a business, so hours spent mindlessly in front of the TV or playing a game on the smartphone have to be removed in order for the artist to be productive and efficient.

Making $60,000 a year by selling fine art also requires an investment of time before it becomes a reality, so don’t give up your day job… at least, not right away.

If you'd like more professional tips on the business side of photography, Fstoppers produced a full course with Monte Isom, Making Real Money-The Business of Commercial Photography that includes lessons from the highest paid photography gigs out there along with free contracts, invoicing times, and other documents. If you purchase it now, you can save a 15% by using "ARTICLE" at checkout. Save even more with the purchase of any other tutorial in our store.

Nicole York's picture

Nicole York is a professional photographer and educator based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico. When she's not shooting extraordinary people or mentoring growing photographers, she's out climbing in the New Mexico back country or writing and reading novels.

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52 Comments

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why delete? I didn't think there was anything wrong with your comment (if I remember it correctly)

Yeah, I thought it was a fairly benign comment. When it was down voted, I thought I might have inadvertently had an unintended tone. I've had trouble with that in the past.

free speech my friend. you should feel fine with whatever comments you make as long as they're polite. cheers.

You might want to check with the admin if you are allowed to spam the comments advertising your facebook group. I wouldn't want you to get in hot water. (even though you are the subject of the article) FYI: I know you are trying to build followers, but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth to see this type of advertisement where you plaster the same comment over and over inviting different people. I don't mean to be negative. I just thought you would like some honest feedback to your approach to gain followers. I wouldn't be surprised if others felt the same.

Great article. Would love to see a follow-up article that breaks down how he uses social media for mining data about his target market.

Not a bad idea if Nicole wants listen to me ramble and put my thoughts in order again!

NICOLE!!! This would be awesome. An article about how to leverage social media to do market research would be so much more useful than all those articles about how to build a following, get more likes, blah blah blah. Except for precious few people on the planet, followers and likes do not equal revenue, despite the dream that everyone sells about social media marketing.

But an article about how to leverage social media to do good old fashioned market research would be extremely helpful to the audience that focuses on getting better at the business aspects of running a photography business.

+1

I agree with Lenzy, having info on what was done is nice but how to do it would be great.

These tips are fantastic Nicole!! I need to dedicate more time to selling prints, I move so much that I have few clients so this would help a lot!

Be careful! It sucks ALL your time and you have to figure out ways to re-stoke your creative side.

Very interesting. One of the difficulties I've found in selling prints is finding a printer who is of the calibre necessary to create high-end artwork. Great article — really enjoyed it.

In London? I'm intrigued! Who have you tried? And who has disappointed you? I felt a bit spoilt for choice when I was living there! :)

Andy, could you suggest one/two/ a few names (in London)? Thank you

I've used ThePrintSpace, Metro, and Bayeux, all with great results. Each requires varying levels of time/money/expertise.

So far I've been using smaller independent craftsmen as I tend to prefer a more direct interaction but will give the big centres a go. Thanks for your tips

+1 for the printspace

http://genesisimaging.co.uk/ really know their onions when it comes to fine art prints in London. First class prints, highly recommended...

Thank you very much Paul. The variety of options on offer is great and frankly, I wasn't even aware of some of these printing processes. Cheers

My work is produced in Vegas and shipped worldwide. Nevada Art Printers. Let Rob know I sent you. Really though, it's the presentation, not the substrate. Most frames are available world wide. I use Tabacchino and Fotiou the most. They are Italian made brands. When I show work, I show it framed and I show it Big. I just brought a 60" Avendasora to Sotheby's to introduce to their realtors. With the frame it's 76" (5" linen liner).
Big artwork makes small spaces seem larger. That's my biggest hurdle.

That's a personal question, don't you think?

Not entirely, if you're going to talk numbers I'd be prepared to back them up when questioned. It is certainly a great article and good to see another photographer having success and their methods behind that success - but saying $60k could mean a thousand things. $60k gross? But what if you had $50k in expenses? $60k net after $500k gross? Etc. I think these are all important things to talk about.

Okay- sure. I grossed 63K in edition sales alone. I also license my non-portfolio pieces and teach at Bellevue College as well as workshops and limited portraits. Last tax year production of the work was around $15K, this year is probably a bit more. I'm guessing 19-ish. Add to that business overhead (marketing, fees, logistics, etc) and I walk away with something in the mid-thirties. I'm in the process of clearing up all the numbers for taxes.

There is a high operating cost.

To tell you the truth, if you told the younger me that I'd be grossing over 50K a year in art sales and it still wouldn't feel like enough I'd have probably have quit.

My aim is to gross 100K yoy- then I think I'll feel safe and maybe even a little secure.... on my third year. Maybe.

Jason - Thanks for your candor. You may want keep in mind the economy as part of your plans. The next time a recession hits plan around how many current And past clients may evaporate. Good luck with your career, you’re rocking it!

Hi Mike! I don't think they are important at all! What's in there so useful? Everyone is going to earn different because everyone is different artist, different business person, different personality and different ways.
He is successful doing that, that's the important thing. And he tells us some of his methods which I think are gold. Everyone can learn from his experience now.

There's an old saying: "When the wise man points out the moon the fool looks at his finger"

Great write up Nicole, always refreshing to see something a little different tackled on here...

She is great!

Here are a few examples of works in homes and a gallery.

Thank you so much for sharing all of this! Btw, that one above the mantle is gorgeous.

Thanks Allen. It's my new baby, Tree of Fire.

This is exactly what I'm looking to do, but with family photos rather than fine art. Should be a much easier sell getting people to buy wall art of their family. I just started marketing this product, though. I'll definitely be incorporating tips from this article in my strategy. It makes sense logically that people who buy fine art will also buy wall art of their family.

I'm not sure if selling anything art related is "easy" but there are studies that show the impact knowing one's history creates on family and legacy. Build the value and you will sell it.

I didn't write "easy", I wrote "easier". Selling a mother a great candid image of her and her child has gotta be less difficult sledding than what you're doing. My hat goes off to anybody who can make good money selling landscapes, fine art, etc. Pulling that off is a serious accomplishment.

Very interesting article. I've been struggling with this idea for years now.
What I'm mostly afraid is to invest on a print (or more) without selling it first.

Such is the struggle. Can't sell it if you can't show it. I always have five or six large pieces to show. You have to invest to earn. Universal principle.

Hi Jason. Thank you for sharing the knowledge - great article!
You mention framing your work. Would you mind commenting on glass? The photos you posted in the comments don't seem to have it (or maybe it's very high quality anti-reflective glass)? Thank you!

I use museum grade acrylic and face mount my image to it.

Thank you Jason. Will do my research now :)

This was a fun read, really informative. All the remaining questions that linger have been answered thanks to a smart community and to Jason himself!

Jason, thanks for being an open book here and helping us all out with providing details and direction. I learned from watching my brother, who is a very successful fine art Artist, his medium is oil painting and I seen him go from hanging his work in local venues and art shows to now being a Master Artist in the art world.

Your advice on giving up the time robbers and distractions such as TV and games is so spot on. I recently gave up playing games and spending a lot of time on watching TV, only to see my photography improve thanks to dedicating time to studying how to take a better photo.

I am excited about applying the tools you provided here!

All the Best to You!

Thanks, bother! Wishing the best for you!

A B I would like to read more about your experience in fine art sales if you don't mind. Especially the beginnings, sale and marketing strategy.

A B do you have a website? I'd love to see your work.

Superb article! But I am amused again. The starting price 200-300$ is really funny :) Here in Czech Republic is price for better standard :)

That was a great article!

What do you mean by "any materials that are commonplace ... expensive production methods such as boutique printing"? I print all of my images using papers from specialist suppliers to this market, my own profiles, etc using a large format inkjet printer. I am very fussy, and I bet that few could discern any differences with boutique printers. Why should I spend a boatload of money on the printing by someone else, when I can do my own for a fraction of the cost?

Great article. I'm left feeling though that it's an awful lot of work for $60,000. Is this net profit after all costs or top line revenue?

What is so common place with metal prints and canvas prints?

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