Ten Top Tips for Winning Photo Contests

Title: Angel Awakening
caption: If one looks closely enough, one can see angels in every piece of art. ~Adeline Cullen Ray


The above photographic montage will be entered in a contest in July. I have based my decision on this entry on the ten tips below. I am already thinking this will be a winner.

Can you win photo contests? I would think so. I have had winning entries in over 50 percent of the contests that I have entered, both locally and internationally. So are there secret keys to success? Yes, so please don't share these tips it is our secret.

This is what I do with every contest.

1. Read all the rules carefully: Be sure what you are getting yourself into. Some contest are just a sham to have your copyright. So be careful. Once you have read the rules comply. And, make sure you use the exact format the contest requires.

2. Look at the past winners: Here you can find exactly what the contest is interested in. Do you have photos of similar quality? Study the past winners for compositional elements, color, subject, and representation. Then study again. These people were not winners of a lottery. They fulfilled the expectations of the judges. And, if a contest put out by a company, or organization: How does your photo play thematically into the message or mission of the contest sponsor?

3. Look at the judges: Not always but often the judges are listed. Now, you need to search and seek out their photographs. Study their photographs carefully. Find in their photographs salient traits and style. Study carefully and you will unearth their taste. Study their bio and their writings. The more you know about who is judging you the better you will be in choosing the photograph to enter. If they write about light, composition or other photo attributes: Then these are the secret keys in unlocking their interest your submission. I would not say mimic their style, but I would say try to present what they would appreciate in a photograph.

4. Go through your photographs carefully: Set up folders of candidate photos based on you would think the judge would pick. Pick perhaps a hundred. Put all your candidates in a folder called "winners." Yes, you need to think positively. Pick out the top ten and put in another folder called "the winners."

5. Get appraisals from others: Now this is the real test. Invite some friends over for evening of photo appraisal. Go over everything you learned in researching tips two and three. Ask them to play the role of judge and show them the folder called "winners." Ask them to pick out the top ten that makes the grade. Once done, compare with your own top ten picks. How many choices were the same? Now, you should have a good idea of which photos to use in the competition.

6. Decide if you should start from scratch: Now decide if your photos really have the mustard to compete. Be honest. If the photos are not competitive you have a camera and editing tools. Armed with what you know it is time for a photo outing and get what you need.

7. Examine your selections: Put your selected photographs back into your editing program. Enlarge you photograph and check every small detail of the photograph. Decide if it can be improved. Attention to detail is an important key. You should offer the most technically correct photograph that you can. Perhaps you have learned a new technique of improvement since you last edited your photograph that you can now apply.

8. Title and caption: Taking the knowledge you have learned in tips two and three, carefully decide on a title and caption. Sometimes the decision of a title and caption for me can take longer than actually editing the photo itself. Do not take the importance of this lightly.

9. The unavoidable bell curve: Realize you are trying to push you photograph to the very best end of the bell curve. If you have followed these tips you are getting to the good end. Ninety percent of the photos submitted will be rejected quickly. You should now have a photo in the top ten percent. One little tip, is to submit early. It may be okay to submit your taxes at the last moment, but photo contests are a very different matter.

10. Be a winner: You are a winner if you followed these steps. You have improved your chances of winning the photo contest dramatically. So sit back and wait for the notification. Don't be disappointed if you lose. Look at the winner and his photos. Congratulate them in your mind. My experience is being a winner 50 percent of the time. Try again and know you are going to succeed.

Ten Top Reasons Photographs Sell

As a photographer you can have some of the most beautiful and dramatic photographs. Yet, sales may be slim or not at all. So you may ask yourself, why am I not making sales?

Here are some answers that I have learned through experience.

1. Emotion, emotive, and sentiment: Ask yourself, do your photographs inspire the viewer to connect? The above photograph is named memory lane and has been a good seller for me.

I captioned this photo with a Saul Bellow quote: "Everybody needs his memories. They keep the wolf of insignificance from the door. "


While the title and the quote help set the scene for viewer connection, the photo itself has evoked childhood memories from many.

I have had some viewers and buyers ask where this photograph was taken. They have been sure they have been there, sitting on the wall drinking a soda as a child.

Oddly, they have only visited this place in their memories. I have a color version of this photograph. Although, I think it is a great photo and perhaps better, it does not inspire the same sentiment.
The quotation I used with the color version:

"She glances at the photo, and the pilot light of memory flickers in her eyes." ~Frank Deford

So I wonder, why the sepia version sells and the color version does not? My only guess is that memories are in black and white and people can connect with the sepia version better.


2. Photographs that relate directly to the viewer: Some photographers specialize. If it is Wedding photography, pet photography, or even event photography you have a ready market.

This can be the bread and butter for your craft. One sideline I do is dirt track racing photography. And, because the drivers, sponsors, and fans can directly and emotive connect, I make sales. Plus, there are tons of other perks that I enjoy.




3. Location, Location, Location: The three prime words in Real Estate Sales also applies to photography. Can take good local photographs? If so, you can develop a local market. I do this with the Blue Ridge Parkway and the city where I live, Lynchburg Virginia.

When you take photographs at your location imagine how they would look in a business. Visualizing your photographs hanging on walls is a mental exercise that I do all the time.



4. Is it worthy: Do a self appraisal of your photographs. Would you hang a large version behind your sofa?

And for that matter is one of your photographs being displayed above your sofa?

Your taste may be different from others, but these are pertinent question to ask. Can you compete in the art market place? And if not, decide how you can.

This picture is one of my best sellers and has appeared in National Magazines, such as National Geographic. And it is behind sofas of a select clientele worldwide.

5. Exposure: We are not talking about film exposure here, we are talking about your exposure. Do you do shows, do you exhibit? The more you expose you photographs the more sales you make. You can show your pictures on the Internet, but there is nothing like people seeing your photographs in person. Get out there and expose.

6. Tell your friends: People that have a connection with you are very likely to buy your photographs. There is nothing like a photograph at a friends house. They can tell their friends I know this photographer and he is great. You might even consider gifts to your friends to increase your exposure.

7. Donate your work: Promote your photography by donating your work to institutions and charities. This both lends to reputation and increases your exposure. And, besides this is a good thing to do.

8. Have a beautiful online gallery: I have opted for SmugMug for some very important reasons. I highly recommend SmugMug and I suggest you read why.

9. Show your attributions: Attributions are in essence testimonials about your photographs. I had someone else write mine, because I am shy. Attributions add meaning to your photographs, and suggest other reasons to develop interest in your photographs.

10. Be personable: As a photographer not only do you need to connect with your photographs, but as a person. Many people want a sense of who you are. Let them know you and they will be more apt to buy your photographs. Photographs are visual emotions and the more you can connect the better you will sell.

Top Ten Things to Monetize your Photos

1. Remember the idea emotion not emulsion. “Kodak sells film, but they don't advertise film. They advertise memories.” This thought from Theodore Parker is a good reminder of how you should approach photo sales. The more a photograph means to someone the more it is likely to sell. People connect sentiment with photos and this should not be lost to the photographer. A personal approach with all of your clients should be one of your highest priorities. Wedding and event photographers have captured this idea intently.

2. Do what ever it takes to make sure your site is personable and friendly. Some gallery sites I have seen show the pictures, but do they show your character. Let people develop a sense of you by being as sincere and honest as you can.

3. Use Twitter. If you do not have a Twitter account you should have one. Networking with potential customers can add a positive impact on your sales. Follow me if you like. Besides photographers, I try to network with possible clients and users of photography.

4. Make people aware of your reputation. This can be accomplished with an about page. It is your resume be honest and do tell them about your accomplishments. Attribution is an important factor in making sales.

5. Once you have a client continue to follow up with them. You should not do this to the point of being obnoxious but to a degree to show them you care. Sometimes I will send them a gift out of the blue, just to let them know I am still thinking about them.

6. Make cards and postcards. I find these are big sellers when you exhibit your work. It can make the difference between a flop and a success. You can capitalize on the impulse buyer who may not want to spend on a signed limited edition print. I make mine at Zazzle were sales from online offset my costs for what I offer at exhibits.


7. Folding cards and stamps. These could be particularly useful for Wedding photographers. You can make customized Wedding invitations with stamps at Zazzle.

8. Make calendars. I make calendars for both promotion and for sales. I like QOOP for their nice large linen calendars, and Zazzle for the smaller calendars I offer.

9. Tell people about the promotions that your third party sellers are offering. For the next two days Zazzle will be offering a half off promotion on posters, if you enter this coupon on check out ZAZZLEPOSTER. Zazzle offers frequent coupons that can really cut your costs. And, they are also great for your customers.

10. Enter contests. When you win contests it reflects positively on your ability as a photographer. If you do not win, look at the winners what did differently. Not only does this improve your photography it helps you to be known in wider circles.

Top Ten Ways to Sell Your Art and Photography

1. Flickr: I am amazed by the number of publishers and other users of photography that find my site and go to the trouble to send me a Flickr mail. Through Flickr my images have found their way on magazine covers, book covers, wine labels and in movie productions.

2. Zazzle: Zazzle provides countless ways to earn money through photo and art products. The best part Zazzle is free. I sell art in my own store. I also use Zazzle to make products that I market at galleries and events. I also love their associates program in which you can offer products sold by others. Major pluses are fast shipping, superior quality and a pleasing gallery.

3. Blurb: I use Blurb for on demand printing. I really enjoy the quality of their books. Not only do I sell in their market place, I have found it useful to sell at events and personalized books for individuals and organizations.

4. RedBubble: An Australian Company that specializes in quality. I have used RedBubble to make special framed pictures for others who may live thousands of miles away. They also offer contests for their limited edition publications. And, the prizes offered are superb. Take it from a winner, I have had one of my photos placed in the In The Moment publication and received a 100 dollar gift certificate. Its free.

5. Imagekind: Imagekind offers a smooth interface with the Flickr API to put your photography up for sale and they offer excellent quality. You can do a limited number free.

6. Your Custom Gallery: The advantages of having a custom gallery are too great to list. You can offer prints cheaper and have a greater return for your investment than through third party sellers. My gallery was designed by Violetphorg web designers and is based on the Flickr API.

7. QOOP: I use mainly for their superior quality linen calendars. These large quality calendars offer a great presentation for your art and photography. I sell out every December and generally get requests for more.

8. Local Galleries: It is important to get your art before the public and local galleries. I reduce my time consumption for this by hiring an agent who makes all the arrangements. After all, I would rather be doing my art and photography.

9. Magazines and Advertisements: This has generally been one of my best sources for income from photography. Generally publishers contact me after seeing my photos on Flickr. Since this has been a good source of income, I am looking for ways to expand my exposure outiside of the Flickr framework.

10. Events: I know many photographers that develop certain niches. Wedding photography has been a staple for many photographers. Yet, there are countless ways to reach the personal interests of potential clients. I photograph at Dirt Track Racing events, and it has been a valuable resource for earning income and having fun.