Worldwide, fine art photography is a 100 billion dollar business. Despite the overwhelming glut of photographs now digitally available (over 14 billion images are posted every day), the compelling singularity of one photographer’s work – their talent and story and truth – still resonates in a privileged way with an audience..Not just as imagery someone quickly reacts to and admires – but, more critically, as a work of substance and special awareness that people need to have and purchase and involve themselves with. 

In aiming to build a fine art photography career, it’s essential to pay attention to both strategic business planning but also how your identity, individuality, curiosity and stories differentiate and give value to your photographs. In the photography business – just as in every business now in our social media age – marketing must involve narratives and storytelling and the intriguing truths in backstories and bios.   

As for my credentials, I’ve been fortunate to work closely with a wide range of talented fine art photographers at all stages of their careers. Including artists who’ve been awarded the top Fine Art Photographer of the Year Award at New York’s annual International Photography Awards six individual times. But also many photographers early in their careers as they puzzle out their focus. It’s an insightful privilege to hear photographers talk about their work and listen to how they approach their careers – what they struggle with, what they think about, what moves them. I’ve gained from those insights. As a writer and ghostwriter, I’ve written books and essays and biographical material for photographers of all sorts and also been down in the trenches with them as a former gallerist and agent, building real world connections and sales for their work. And I certainly believe, as Berenice Abbot said, “Photography helps people to see.”  It remains a powerful cultural medium.

So wherever you’re at in building your sales and career as a fine art photographer, here are 5 insights and notes that I think deserve careful attention – 

1. Understand the Business of Fine Art Photography

Many of my photography clients did not immediately consider a career as a fine art photographer – but once they realised the opportunity in this field, they approached the effort with a clear business intent. Professionalism pays off. Even for the most dreamy creatives, considering the need to get right the fundamentals of making fine art photography sales sharpens their thinking about all other aspects of what they do. This includes figuring out basics like edition sizes, paper standards and how to present your work in a professional manner. But it also, necessarily, focuses on how to create a meaningful connection with an audience to enhance their marketing opportunities. Your photography has to significantly matter to others in order for it to sell. Make sure you know what works best for marketing yourself and your artistry rather than simply trying to sell a product.  

2. Define Your Artistic Voice

The foundation of any fine art photography career lies in your unique vision which involves more than just your choice of subject matter or way of using a camera. As a photographer, your vision is the core of your creative truth and it’s what some photographers struggle to define. Not simply what to photograph but why and how to make that point of view exceptional and meaningful to others. Consider how universal themes – nature, portraiture, still life, urbanism – can be individualized to align with a personal viewpoint. Figure out not just how to make the most out of your photography skills but also out of your personal perspective.  

3. Define Your Narrative and Personal Story

By elevating the meaning, context and personal connection to your work, you pull people into a story that enhances their view of you and your photographs. This is essential for building an audience. A great photograph can be spell-binding but a meaningful story and well-crafted messages deepen the force of that spell. People are curious and want to know more about art, and photographers must spark their thinking and emotional sensors. Storytelling and compelling narratives are at the heart of marketing these days, the most vital way to build a sustained emotional connection with an audience. Your anchor stories – a relatable personal bio; a non-jargony artist statement; contextual material about a photographic series; a rich, descriptive piece of writing that lends insight and prestige to your artistic vision –  all these are key to elevating your brand identity as a photographer. 

4. Leverage Digital Platforms and Social Media

Everyone knows the importance of having a distinct artist website as well as the ins and outs of social media platforms, but it’s critical to approach each with intent and a plan for building an engaged community of followers and collectors. Fine art photographers should be particularly careful with social media since there is such an endless stream of “ordinary” photography, some quite good as a one-off. If you sell, or want to sell your photographs, and have them register with an audience as “fine art”, then extra care needs to be taken in how you present the work. Share behind-the-scenes content, intriguing details of your creative process, and snippets of personal insight that will sink in with an audience. Speak to their curiosity and emotions.  And make your personal site a platform for your full artistic vision and story.  Websites should present a holistic appreciation of your creative, intellectual and emotional underpinnings. Feed that fuller story as you feature your work in the best light. 

5. Look, Learn and Evolve

Creativity is not a quick hit but something innately personal that you wrestle with and express your whole life. In growing a fine art photography practice, it’s essential to keep stoking your curiosity and challenging your perspective. Every successful photographer I’ve worked with has spent time looking carefully at the artistry of others. With fine art photography, don’t simply consider the technical aspects – what camera was used, which lens – but how the lighting, composition and context of a piece fuses together and gives it an aura, a special power to connect emotionally with a viewer. As you grow and evolve your portfolio, keep considering how your truth and story feeds into how you see and what you want to share as your artistic vision. Your truth matters as much as technical skill for creating exceptional work.

Barry Dumka

BCreative Consulting