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Flower photos - good enough to sell?

Utopia Poppy
Posted 14/09/2010 - 22:43 Link
Hi,

Wow, it's been a while since I posted on here! I've decided to bite the bullet and try to sell my photos. I have emailed low-res versions of the ones below (plus others) to a company who specialises in providing artworks for corporate buildings, hotels etc. I am waiting to hear back from them so in the meantime, let me know what you think...

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3. (also sent as a square crop)
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All C&C welcome - good and bad.

Thanks.

Fiona
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep". ~Scott Adams

Q | Various Q lenses & filters | KP | 35mm 2.8 Macro
fatspider
Posted 14/09/2010 - 22:54 Link
To be brutally honest Fiona I cant see them wanting any of these, saleable flower shots need to be of 100% perfect blooms and these are not, the idea is there, especially with the desaturated one with the ladybird, but I dont think you've quite hit the nail on the head with these, find some perfect specimens and have another go, try and keep the backgrounds uncluttered too.

Hope this helps
My Names Alan, and I'm a lensaholic.
My PPG link
My Flckr link
Utopia Poppy
Posted 14/09/2010 - 23:07 Link
Hi fatspider,

Thanks for your take on the photos. I definitely take your comments on board. I'm always on the lookout for perfect specimens - shame there aren't too many around!! I'm still hopeful that the company in question may appreciate them (I saw far worse examples on their website of photos that they already have on their books), but I know that is no excuse to submit sub-standard images.

I am constantly on a learning curve and will take your advise to hopefully produce better results in the future.

Thanks,

Fiona
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep". ~Scott Adams

Q | Various Q lenses & filters | KP | 35mm 2.8 Macro
Don
Posted 14/09/2010 - 23:17 Link
the ladybug and the last two look good to me..
salable....
that is tough, there are soooooo many flowershots...
I'd think you might have some luck, but don't expect it to be easy....

here's what I'd try:
any gardening or niche publication might get you published, maybe even a few bucks.

making cards and selling at church or other bake/flea market sales.

making cards or calenders and selling at local arts or craft stores.

Make prints and try to get them sold on consignment at florist shoppes (remember all brides like to have flowers sooooo a referal fro a florists can't hurt).

Get a restauranteur friend to sell them consignment at his restaurant (bugs might be tough).
good luck.
Fired many shots. Didn't kill anything.
fatspider
Posted 14/09/2010 - 23:27 Link
These look like they were shot outdoors, in the wild so to speak, try looking at the supermarket or local flower seller and buy some.

Set yourself up at home in front of a window get hold of various plain cloths or card for use as backgrounds, also some white card to use as a reflector. you can then play about till your hearts content (or until the flowers die off) Use a tripod too.

One other idea for you, if you want to get creative and throw things out of focus you could try using artificial or dried flowers, although these would probably be more expensive than the real thing
My Names Alan, and I'm a lensaholic.
My PPG link
My Flckr link
Utopia Poppy
Posted 14/09/2010 - 23:45 Link
Thanks Don and fatspider.

Yes these were shot "in the wild". Danny and I like going out on Sundays to satisfy our photography urges and we usually end up at a stately home (we're National Trust members) or somewhere out in the countryside. I always try to photograph flowers at these places, and have only recently started photographing series of the same plant with a view to selling them. I am still learning new techniques so all your comments will come in handy on the next trip out.

I just might give the buying flowers and experimenting at home a go. I already have different coloured card to use as a backdrop and I have a small reflector too - why didn't I think about that before?! I will take all the comments on board and hopefully the next series I post will be much better!

Fiona
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep". ~Scott Adams

Q | Various Q lenses & filters | KP | 35mm 2.8 Macro
thoughton
Posted 15/09/2010 - 02:39 - Helpful Comment Link
Hi Fiona, on many occasions I've whiled away an hour in a big garden centre in my area taking photos, so I don't know if you even have to buy the plants The staff don't seem to mind and usually no one even says anything. I once had a member of staff start a friendly chat about it but it was along the lines of 'getting any good shots?'. I just said I was taking pics so my absent wife could make the choice and I'd come back and buy them!
Tim
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
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Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
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Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!
Utopia Poppy
Posted 15/09/2010 - 07:20 Link
Very sneaky Tim! But I like the idea! Will have to give that a go. I've often thought about it but never had the nerve to just start taking photos at a garden centre. But why not? I guess it's not hurting anyone!
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep". ~Scott Adams

Q | Various Q lenses & filters | KP | 35mm 2.8 Macro
gartmore
Posted 15/09/2010 - 08:40 - Helpful Comment Link
I'm sorry to say I too think the blooms just aren't good enough, neither are the pictures sharp enough and will look much worse as large prints than they do here.

Take a look at gardening books and greetings cards.

The hothouses in botanical gardens are a good hunting ground, warm and still usually with nicely diffused light. Take a bit of neutral card to slip behind as a background as Alan says.

For shooting at home get some florist's wire and push it up inside the stems if possible, easier to pose the flowers that way.
Ken
“We must avoid however, snapping away, shooting quickly and without thought, overloading ourselves with unnecessary images that clutter our memory and diminish the clarity of the whole.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson -
davex
Posted 15/09/2010 - 09:40 Link
Quote:
For shooting at home get some florist's wire and push it up inside the stems if possible, easier to pose the flowers that way.

Excellent tip.
K5 + 8mm-500mm zooms and primes
Please feel free to play with any images I post.
My flickr: link
Utopia Poppy
Posted 15/09/2010 - 12:45 Link
gartmore wrote:
I'm sorry to say I too think the blooms just aren't good enough, neither are the pictures sharp enough and will look much worse as large prints than they do here.

Take a look at gardening books and greetings cards.

The hothouses in botanical gardens are a good hunting ground, warm and still usually with nicely diffused light. Take a bit of neutral card to slip behind as a background as Alan says.

For shooting at home get some florist's wire and push it up inside the stems if possible, easier to pose the flowers that way.

Thank you for the tips Ken. I'll definitely try out the florist's wire trick.

Fiona
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep". ~Scott Adams

Q | Various Q lenses & filters | KP | 35mm 2.8 Macro
polchraine
Posted 15/09/2010 - 12:57 Link
To be honest - NO.

Have a look at Andy Small's website.

http://www.andysmall.co.uk/

He makes his living from those pictures ...
.
K20D, *istD, MZ-S, Super-A, ME Super, MX
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, DA* 300,
DA 50-200, FA 24-90, FA 20-35,
M 400-600, A 50 f1.4, A 28 f2.8, A 70-210, M 35-80, M 50 f1.7
A x2S teleconverter and a few others ...
Pentaxophile
Posted 15/09/2010 - 18:49 Link
No. 2 & 6 are really very nice! I concur with the others that as a whole the set shows room for improvement though. Looking at Andy Small's gallery shows how it is done. Lovely stuff.
[link=https://500px.com/will_brealey/[/link]
Utopia Poppy
Posted 15/09/2010 - 18:50 Link
Hi polchraine,

Thanks for your honesty, and the link... it's given me absolutely loads to think about and makes an amazing read as well as the images being fantastic. It's something to aspire to!

Fiona
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep". ~Scott Adams

Q | Various Q lenses & filters | KP | 35mm 2.8 Macro
polchraine
Posted 15/09/2010 - 18:58 Link
You missed the chance to meet Andy Small recently.

He was at the Craft Fair at Stonor (near Henley) over the August bank holiday.
.
K20D, *istD, MZ-S, Super-A, ME Super, MX
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, DA* 300,
DA 50-200, FA 24-90, FA 20-35,
M 400-600, A 50 f1.4, A 28 f2.8, A 70-210, M 35-80, M 50 f1.7
A x2S teleconverter and a few others ...

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