Wanting to sell my Astrophotagraphy any suggestions?

[Darien]

Hello all,

I'll be heading to Texas Tech University where Ill be majoring in Astrophysics.. But as I do astrophotography as a hobby ill be bringing my equipment up there to continue it. In the mits of this I'm considering selling my photos.. Any suggestions on where to start?

Thanks for your help,

Darien

[Astrosurf]

Adverse online. Poss create a Website and advertise your existence on Facebook, LinkedIn etc. You will have to use a very good printing company. Astroimages go darker in print so you would need to lighten the black background before submitting the file (preferably a TIFF. There's EPS but I've never tried that.). It's a case of trial and error. Don't use your own printer unless you know it's excellent (laser for example) and if an inkjet, that the inks won't fade in the light over time. I hope I'm not talking out my rear end as this is still new to me!

Don't stint on the frames but don't have them elaborate or they will detract from the image. Maybe have a framing mount for the smaller prints.

Also put up posters where you're allowed. Maybe get your local paper to do an article on you. And anything else you can think of!

Keep the price reasonable, depending on your outlay.

Good luck!

Alexxx

[Uranium235]

You have to be sure your images are up to standard as well. Zero noise, high pixel count/resolution, perfect field (no dodgy stars) - check out the competition so you know what you need to achieve. I've been doing AP for years, and I still dont consider my images good enough for commercial sales.... not that I would want to as I'm not in this for the money. Having said that, I have been commissioned a few times by academic colleages for canvas prints - but that was at cost price only (no profit made).

If you can win a competiton, get an APOD etc... then you might be good enough to sell, but you have to be consistent and have a good portfolio. Other routes are to grab the attention of manufacturers by consistently producing top drawer images with modest equipment, that way you may get discounted equipment or freebies.... but that is very rare indeed.

Also, as a final note - please refrain from advertising links to sales on SGL, as that would be a breach of the CoC

 

[Alien 13]

There are a few options.

Get lucky, capture an unusual event like a large fireball or a comet hitting the moon etc that everyone else missed. 

Write a book containing your images.

Seascapes and landscapes with the milky way are popular if done well and the lighting is just right..

Alan

[Uranium235]

lol.... a comet hitting the Moon if that happened we'd be done for!

[Alien 13]

5 minutes ago, Uranium235 said:

lol.... a comet hitting the Moon if that happened we'de be done for!

Well maybe a small one enough to put on a good show and create a 20 km crater. 

Alan

[Darien]

Ok Good to know! Its start to know what I'm going into. I'm currently working Fireworks Galaxy still have about six hours of images to do yet before DSS and post...

Cheers,

Darien