Selling photos on Ebay, is it a good idea?

Hi I have been toying with the idea of selling some of my photos on Ebay, can you advise me on this and whether it's a good idea?

Many thanks.

If people will buy them, why not? It will only cost a very small amount in listing fees to find out, so I would go for it.

I never have sold my own images on eBay, but I guess people will do.

I think that's the most paranoid approach to photography I've ever seen in my life.

How do you plan to sell them? As digital downloads or posted prints?

I completely agree with Smeggypants; sold a few myself and had a few nicked including a front cover shot sold to a British Country sports magazine which turned up in an advert from a prestigious British artist run in an Italian Gunmakers magazine;.

However, I considered that as an advert and reference for my photos too and embedded copyright and the archived original helped me successfully win a very handy compensation claim; but that was pure luck as firstly the "stolen image" needs be seen before you can take any action.

Taking action can be horrendously expensive compared to the value of the photo or what you might get back, so that doesn't really help if the image has not had high profile exposure and publication by a well known user who could be discredited by such an action; even then they might ignore your protestations; and a copyright lawyer will cost a couple of hundred quid just to get a letter out to them.

if you put an image on the net it will get used by someone; if you only sell hard copy prints the image can still be scanned and can end up being circulated on social media, the internet etc.

So if you don't want photos to be "poached" don't get into selling photos, you practically can't control it.

Systematic digital defacing will not guarantee they are not knicked but definately guarantee they are not sold

Regards

As prints at diffrent sizes, but I don't want them stolen. I was going to compress the image's so that they would be too small to use, then send the larger versions if anyone wanted to buy one. Do you think this is a good idea?

I too have a horror of them being pinced without my permission.

I don't think anyone gives permission to have their photos pinched to they?
Yes, definitely don't post anything of a size which can make a useful print.

Sounds like you are thinking the right way

Where is the best place to sell photo's please?

I thought you were planning on eBay and asking advise about this?

To be honest, the 'best place' is what is best for you, not someone else.
Be brave

Never heard of shoot proof, are they very good. have dscovered a website called fine art america link which seems to be ok. Anyone else heard of that please?

I've had some images on Fine Art America for a few months. I did it for fun and haven't sold anything so not too bothered. I've had some positive comments from other photographers on my images though. They have over 8 million for sale so the chance of even being seen is small. Add to that the mark up is relatively low. Try it if you like but don't expect too much. You can only store 25 images for free, after that a paid account is necessary.

If you want to sell images online, at some point they are going to get nicked. If you plaster them with ugly watermarks, you probably won't sell any. More subtle ones can be removed easily. All you can do is not post them at sizes that can make decent sized prints, though it doesn't stop websites using them. I would rather make some money and accept the fact that I will probably have some of my images used without my consent, than make my images not worth stealing and make nothing.

I haven't been successful in getting compensation from anyone (I have tried), and don't even bother trying anymore. If I lived in the UK I might. I do issue a lot of take-down notices, which are nearly always complied with. You have to take risks to succeed, and in photography, that risk is that someone somewhere is going to use an image without permission.

Selling on eBay doesn't sound a good idea to me, certainly not as a sole outlet. Ebay is not a place I imagine people go shopping for photographic prints. However, I've never tried it. Until your post I didn't actually know that you could buy prints there., though I shouldn't be surprised I guess.

I tried Fine Art America a while ago, and never sold anything. For me the most success I have had with prints has been through my website and Flickr, in about equal measure. Tagging images works. My most lucrative (in terms of price for a single print) print sales have come a non-profit website I allow to use my images for free, though this is in the niche market of aerial photographs of mountains. I also get some sales from Facebook, and some through word of mouth.

What I am trying to say is that I think before selling images online you need to both identify the market you are aiming at, and at the same time make your images easy to find online. The scatter-gun approach. It's a very competitive market; putting all your eggs in one basket is not going to work unless your work is already known.