How do you set-up a website to sell your photos?

If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

Member's gallery
James C. said:
I am THINKING about selling my bird photos, and I was looking for some advice regarding what things do I need to address to do this.

I was wondering what platform might be best for setting up a website where I could create a gallery of the photos that I am selling (Squarespace, EverWeb, etc.).

Also, what is the most efficient & hassle-free method of accepting payment (Venmo Business, PayPal Business, etc.)?

I've found a print shop that I like and can work with (i.e., they get the color renditions right the first time, they correct any flaws in the pricing process quickly, they have a variety of materials that they print on, offer a wide variety of print sizes and frame choices, and their shipping prices are reasonable).

I'm retired and I have the ability to do this. I'm not planning on doing this as a "major" source of income, it's more a matter of "legacy."

Thanks for any helpful advice you can offer.
Click to expand...
James, It depends on where you stay in the world. I tried Smugmug originally, but they didn't have a printing lab connected to their website here in Aus. I've been using Zenfolio for the last 8 years and they've been very good.
1. The % commission they take on each sale is less than other websites that have a built in ecommerce engine.
2. For a similar level of membership, I have multiple price lists that I can apply to different galleries.
3. I can place a hold on orders for me to approve them before they go to printing - this saves so much time as besides basic editing and cropping, I only spend time on actual images ordered.
4. Having a website linked to a lab/s, is a huge hassle saver - for a % commission they handle all the printing, packing and posting of orders. In USA there are excellent labs that'll also do that for you.
5. Most importantly, their on line support was has been amazing - whereas some providers merely send you a link to read and you still have to figure out how to do it, Zenfolio would try to understand the issue and give direct steps to solve it.
6. Payments can be done via CCs or Paypal

Highly recommended.
 
Member's gallery
James C. said:
I am THINKING about selling my bird photos, and I was looking for some advice regarding what things do I need to address to do this.

I was wondering what platform might be best for setting up a website where I could create a gallery of the photos that I am selling (Squarespace, EverWeb, etc.).

Also, what is the most efficient & hassle-free method of accepting payment (Venmo Business, PayPal Business, etc.)?

I've found a print shop that I like and can work with (i.e., they get the color renditions right the first time, they correct any flaws in the pricing process quickly, they have a variety of materials that they print on, offer a wide variety of print sizes and frame choices, and their shipping prices are reasonable).

I'm retired and I have the ability to do this. I'm not planning on doing this as a "major" source of income, it's more a matter of "legacy."

Thanks for any helpful advice you can offer.
Click to expand...
I started a website but actually never sold my pics that way. Too complicated. I sold more pics at showings in coffee shops. I send people to my website to view my birds, etc. and I tell them, “ if they’re interested in anything, I’ll print it, get a frame and border at Michael’s and have them pay cash. I’ve sold about a dozen that way.

I use godaddy for my site. Not bad, not great. The site just ends up being a place to put my best.

I make 5x7 greeting cards now. Easier to sell And , they’re frameable. Not as much money but more fun. Dual function card/art. I even got the plastic sleeves for the cards. Very professional.

Good luck
 
Member's gallery
James C. said:
I am THINKING about selling my bird photos, and I was looking for some advice regarding what things do I need to address to do this.

I was wondering what platform might be best for setting up a website where I could create a gallery of the photos that I am selling (Squarespace, EverWeb, etc.).

Also, what is the most efficient & hassle-free method of accepting payment (Venmo Business, PayPal Business, etc.)?

I've found a print shop that I like and can work with (i.e., they get the color renditions right the first time, they correct any flaws in the pricing process quickly, they have a variety of materials that they print on, offer a wide variety of print sizes and frame choices, and their shipping prices are reasonable).

I'm retired and I have the ability to do this. I'm not planning on doing this as a "major" source of income, it's more a matter of "legacy."

Thanks for any helpful advice you can offer.
Click to expand...
I would probably take the options of selling your prints at art fairs & shows & finding a venue to hang a few pieces, that seems to be less grief & you did say you were retired & it wasn’t going to be your main source of income, plus I’m sure you would like to enjoy the whole experience. I think it might be more fun meeting the buyer of one of my prints & having a chat about how I got the shot, just seems to make it a bit more personal IMHO.
There is some great advice here, but I think a lot of it may be aimed at someone wanting to make a bit more money at selling their prints, again IMHO.
Then, who knows once you get established & want to take it further, start to look at the many options given by everyone.
Good luck whichever direction you decide on.
 
Member's gallery
Thanks for all of the useful comments and suggestions to my post.

A couple of other questions:

1) what things should I do if I want to discourage "unauthorized use" of my photos that appear on any of these platforms (i.e., ClickASnap, SmugMug, or Zenfolio.)
2) how good is the photo color rendition/reproduction from any of these platforms, and how good are they at resolving any quality issues with the print discovered by the buyer?
(For example, when I was looking for a printer awhile back, I found one that did an excellent job of reproducing my photos (on metal), and they made good quickly on correcting
any problems that I had with the quality of the print.)
3) which of these platforms would allow me to use a third party to print and ship my photos to buyers?

Thanks again for your insights.
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
James C. said:
Thanks for all of the useful comments and suggestions to my post.

A couple of other questions:

1) what things should I do if I want to discourage "unauthorized use" of my photos that appear on any of these platforms (i.e., ClackASnap, SmugMug, or Zenfolio.)
2) how good is the photo color rendition/reproduction from any of these platforms, and how good are they at resolving any quality issues with the print discovered by the buyer?
(For example, when I was looking for a printer awhile back, I found one that did an excellent job of reproducing my photos (on metal), and they made good quickly on correcting
any problems that I had with the quality of the print.)
3) which of these platforms would allow me to use a third party to print and ship my photos to buyers?

Thanks again for your insights.
Click to expand...

As well as what Seve has said, ClickASnap, in its top account also has WIPT Watermarkless Image Protection Technology.

Account options here: https://www.clickasnap.com/myaccount/settings

There is a free account to get started and monthly renewable options. Annual accounts carry a discount but are not refunable unlike the monthly plans.

This is how it works: https://www.clickasnap.com/getpaid/
 
Member's gallery
James C. said:
Thanks for all of the useful comments and suggestions to my post.

A couple of other questions:

1) what things should I do if I want to discourage "unauthorized use" of my photos that appear on any of these platforms (i.e., ClackASnap, SmugMug, or Zenfolio.) On SmugMug you can restrict downloads and restrict the size of the images, and/or add a watermark to images depending on the plan level you choose to purchase . However, there is always a risk of image theft on ANY site when one posts to the internet.
2) how good is the photo color rendition/reproduction from any of these platforms, and how good are they at resolving any quality issues with the print discovered by the buyer?
(For example, when I was looking for a printer awhile back, I found one that did an excellent job of reproducing my photos (on metal), and they made good quickly on correcting
any problems that I had with the quality of the print.) SmugMug uses quality print firms, the color is accurate ( it is up to you to make sure the colors and color space are accurate before uploading), and on the rare occasion I've had a print problem, it was resolved quickly to my satisfaction.
3) which of these platforms would allow me to use a third party to print and ship my photos to buyers? SmugMug uses a third party printer and takes care of printing the order and shipping it. You could always choose to do it yourself.

Thanks again for your insights.
Click to expand...
See responses in the post above.................
 
At the bottom here is a list of the sites Bay Photo partners with. They are a reliable quality printer.

Order

The quality and service is exceptional across all of our FREE software options. <br />You choose your favorite workflow.
bayphoto.com bayphoto.com
 
Member's gallery
James C. said:
Thanks for all of the useful comments and suggestions to my post.

A couple of other questions:

1) what things should I do if I want to discourage "unauthorized use" of my photos that appear on any of these platforms (i.e., ClickASnap, SmugMug, or Zenfolio.)
2) how good is the photo color rendition/reproduction from any of these platforms, and how good are they at resolving any quality issues with the print discovered by the buyer?
(For example, when I was looking for a printer awhile back, I found one that did an excellent job of reproducing my photos (on metal), and they made good quickly on correcting
any problems that I had with the quality of the print.)
3) which of these platforms would allow me to use a third party to print and ship my photos to buyers?

Thanks again for your insights.
Click to expand...
Speaking about Zenfolio:
Zenfolio let's you control the size of the image being viewed on your web page. The options are essentially small or very small - web sized. You can choose to use a watermark with the opacity you want. For event work, I use a watermark because those are the events being stolen most often. With low transparency the images still look good on the screen. It's not for pixel peepers as detailed viewing can give up protection. The assumption is the image is sharp - but the reality is that is up to the photographer.

Zenfolio - like MPix, WHCC, BayPhoto, and others - offers an upgrade from economy prints such as Shutterfly. But it's not the same as high quality prints on art paper from a specialty shop. The prices are set accordingly. Zenfolio let's the site owner decide whether premium prints or standard prints are provided - and the papers used. They also allow photos to be optimized or produced as submitted. Everything is your call, but there are defaults for most people. I think I have only had one or two prints reprinted by Zenfolio/MPix in the 10 years I have used them. Keep in mind that one of the biggest problems with printing is the photographer has produced an image that is too dark. I also use the approach suggested above - for 11x14 prints and larger, I make a final edit if needed after I have an order for a print. I upload JPEG files that are good enough for 12x18 but not much larger (4000 pixels on the long edge). If you need Zenfolio/MPix to print again, they are very quick. Keep in mind you may be charged for re-printing an order if the problem is your image. I'd rate service as excellent.

Zenfolio let's you choose between their two partner printers. Both are fully capable. But you also have the option of printing yourself or using an alternative third party. If you go this route, you can set prices accordingly but you have to coordinate printing. I sell "Custom Art Prints" on fine art papers that I print myself and charge 6-10 times the price of production prints through MPix. Specialty items like mouse pads, books, coasters, acrylic prints, etc. are fulfilled through Zenfolio partners on a fully automated basis.
 
Member's gallery
EricBowles said:
Speaking about Zenfolio:
Zenfolio let's you control the size of the image being viewed on your web page. The options are essentially small or very small - web sized. You can choose to use a watermark with the opacity you want. For event work, I use a watermark because those are the events being stolen most often. With low transparency the images still look good on the screen. It's not for pixel peepers as detailed viewing can give up protection. The assumption is the image is sharp - but the reality is that is up to the photographer.

Zenfolio - like MPix, WHCC, BayPhoto, and others - offers an upgrade from economy prints such as Shutterfly. But it's not the same as high quality prints on art paper from a specialty shop. The prices are set accordingly. Zenfolio let's the site owner decide whether premium prints or standard prints are provided - and the papers used. They also allow photos to be optimized or produced as submitted. Everything is your call, but there are defaults for most people. I think I have only had one or two prints reprinted by Zenfolio/MPix in the 10 years I have used them. Keep in mind that one of the biggest problems with printing is the photographer has produced an image that is too dark. I also use the approach suggested above - for 11x14 prints and larger, I make a final edit if needed after I have an order for a print. I upload JPEG files that are good enough for 12x18 but not much larger (4000 pixels on the long edge). If you need Zenfolio/MPix to print again, they are very quick. Keep in mind you may be charged for re-printing an order if the problem is your image. I'd rate service as excellent.

Zenfolio let's you choose between their two partner printers. Both are fully capable. But you also have the option of printing yourself or using an alternative third party. If you go this route, you can set prices accordingly but you have to coordinate printing. I sell "Custom Art Prints" on fine art papers that I print myself and charge 6-10 times the price of production prints through MPix. Specialty items like mouse pads, books, coasters, acrylic prints, etc. are fulfilled through Zenfolio partners on a fully automated basis.
Click to expand...
Great summary. Pretty much the same as SmugMug......both Zenfolio and SmugMug leave a lot of the controls up to the photographer.
 
Member's gallery
Late to this thread :( Do either Smugmug or Zenfolio have links to print labs in Canada? Or, can you add in local labs through a custom link? Printing in the US for delivery in Canada incurs high shipping and custom costs.
 
Member's gallery
I once had people telling me I should sell my prints. "People would pay for these pictures" was a common paraphrase. So I started putting price lists with the prints and asking the ones who said this if they would like to order one of my prints. I never sold a single print.

The business of photography is a tough one, and a cutthroat one. I used to belong to a guild of local professional photographers, as I used to assist "real" professionals on some of their sessions. What I saw some people, especially some of those just starting out, do to try to get into the market astounded me. The modern marketplace has driven many really good photographers out of the market early.
 
Member's gallery
James C. said:
I am THINKING about selling my bird photos, and I was looking for some advice regarding what things do I need to address to do this.

I was wondering what platform might be best for setting up a website where I could create a gallery of the photos that I am selling (Squarespace, EverWeb, etc.).

Also, what is the most efficient & hassle-free method of accepting payment (Venmo Business, PayPal Business, etc.)?

I've found a print shop that I like and can work with (i.e., they get the color renditions right the first time, they correct any flaws in the pricing process quickly, they have a variety of materials that they print on, offer a wide variety of print sizes and frame choices, and their shipping prices are reasonable).

I'm retired and I have the ability to do this. I'm not planning on doing this as a "major" source of income, it's more a matter of "legacy."

Thanks for any helpful advice you can offer.
Click to expand...
You need a site that will display your images well and have an e-commerce engine, and a partnership with a pro lab/s.
I use Zenfolio - for Australia, I found it better than SmugMug
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top