Putting Canstock on hold for now...here's why : / - Page 2

louoates · #11 (**permalink**) 06-23-2008, 06:45 PM

I thank God I don't need to rely on micro for a living, being retired and all. And I'd hate to jump into the regular commercial photography market such as weddings.

But I have found a very enjoyable side business where I have learned a lot about working with color -- photographing artist's paintings, 3d, etc. and making them prints for resale at art shows, galleries, and art exhibit events. Many of my 32 artist clients started shooting their own work with their little point-and-shoot digital cameras with the usual results of dreadful color prints with plenty of lens distortion and uneven lighting. I got into it by accident after an artist friend complained that she couldn't get good prints from her local camera shop. Like any new assignment there was a bit of a learning curve regarding proper lighting, color management, and establishing a fee schedule.

Here is the page on my website where I show some of my work: Lou Oates -- I print for Artists

Just wondering if anyone else here has tried photography for artists.

thesupe87 · #12 (**permalink**) 06-23-2008, 09:27 PM

I can go the graphic design freelance route, and make a lot more money than I'm making with micro - but first I want to see how far I can get my sales up, within the next full months. I've been full time for about month, and have increased my earnings by 200%. If I can keep this trend up, then why would I want to deal with clients, with printers, and with people in general? I sit home and work in my boxer shorts, after I roll out of bed whenever I feel like it - usually between 7am and 9am. This is a dream job. It's a lot of work, but I honestly think that I can get it to the point where I am making more money than I could at any corporate dayjob in my field.

thesupe87 · #13 (**permalink**) 08-19-2008, 09:10 PM

After a few months of NOT uploading anything new, I came back to Canstock to check my sales. It looks like it has picked up a bit, so I might start uploading more images at my leisure. The sales I'm seeing are beating, Canstock and Fotomind, at least. Those two are at the bottom of the totem pole lately.

All of these sites with such easy upload processes - why is it that we are such suckers for uploading, just to make $50 once every 3 or 4 months?

louoates · #14 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 12:36 AM

Sort of like picking up a penny you see laying on the parking lot.

thesupe87 · #15 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 12:57 PM

Exactly

I once had a high school teacher tell me that if you pick up pennies you're making $36/hr. It only takes a second. He's right, but too bad there aren't that many pennies laying around.