Announcement! I Started an Etsy Shop.

Announcement! I Started an Etsy Shop!

So it took me a while to work up the courage to do this, but here it is! My very own Etsy Shop.

It’s still a work-in-progress getting all the little details figured out on the shop, but it’s up and running and was much simpler than I expected.

Selling prints is the dream and goal for most photographers. To see your work printed in a final product is so rewarding, and to then see it in a frame on someone’s wall is beyond expression. The realization that someone appreciated YOUR art enough to hang it on the walls of their home is a pretty good feeling.

A hot topic from famous photographers on YouTube, podcasts and elsewhere is that you should “print your work”. This is absolutely the truth. I’ve had several photos that I thought were really cool, but when it was printed it looked awful! And the reverse has also been the case.

When an image on your phone is then manifested as a physical object, it takes on a new life – sometimes good, sometimes…. not so good. So it’s important to see your work in the real world to see how it REALLY looks.

Etsy is a great way to dip your toe into the realm of printing and selling your work. There are many platforms out there that will take your file, print it, then send it off for you, but I’ve never liked the “hands off” feel of that – it feels very detached from your art.

With Etsy, it’s very hands on. I feel more personally involved and when someone buys a photo, it’s ME that processes the order and has it printed. I can see the print in person before it’s shipped and even sign it. Having your signature on your art is PRETTY cool…

Paper

Printing can be as expensive as you want it. It’s great using fine art paper, seeing your photo beautifully printed on nice materials. No doubt about it, quality of the material increases the quality of the product itself. But this can be pricey. And if you’re simply wanting to see how an image feels in the flesh, it can be a tough pill to swallow at $25 a print.

However, you can simply go with a cheap luster paper at $3 a print. Then there, your photo is existing in the natural world rather than a file in cyberspace. This is what I’ve done for many of my photos to hold them in hand and put them in sleeves to file them away – excellent for archiving.

But the first time I printed on fine art paper, I was blown away. I just want to keep holding it and looking at it. It added such deep and feeling to the image and felt like a real piece of art in my hands.

On my Etsy shop, most of the prints with be on Epson Hot Press Bright 330gsm. There are so many amazing paper brands out there and I intend to try as many as I can! This is just the paper my lab is using and I found it a significant upgrade from Kodak Endura luster.

Get It Framed

Having your photos printed is one thing, but the end goal is to get them framed and on a wall – especially someone else’s. What better way to do this, than to be able to sell your art to someone who loves it, and wants it hanging in their home. While we all want to make a little money from our art to help monetize all our hard work, the real reward it to see it being appreciated.

So I started this little endeavour in pursuit of just that! While it can feel a bit odd asking people to spend their hard earned money for a picture you took, the truth is that’s exactly what people are looking to do! There is a real appreciation for art and people want it on their walls. Your photography is your art. You can’t give it away for free.

The Shop

So my plans for the shop is basically to see how well it does, and go from there! I would love to one day get some art in a Gallery, and eventually have a dedicated website for selling my work (maybe a future book?). Etsy is great for making that first step, having everything laid out and the e-commerce all hosted for you.

The negative with Etsy is it can be a bit “brand-removing”. If some one asks you where you got something, usually you say “I ordered it from Etsy” as if it were Etsy who made the product. Ultimately, we want to be recognized on our own rather than someone referring to Etsy – we want our names attached to the art and not some faceless corporation. But that will come.

For now, I’m excited to have my work out there available for people to buy and enjoy! I plan to list photos as a series and change them out periodically. Currently is a very contrasty, black and white theme and I’m trying to keep each piece make sense with one another.

If you’re interested in checking it out, click HERE! Or you can go through the main menu tab on my home screen.

Go check it out and let me know what you think! And buy a photo while you’re at it.