Connecting with buyers: How to successfully sell your art locally and online

My name is Bob Estrin, and I am a fine art photographer. I’ve been interested in photography since I was a kid using my dad's black and white Polaroid camera to document my families travels around the country. Even back then, I took photography seriously which led to taking photography courses in high school and the magical experience of watching images appear on print in the darkroom. 

I’m still amazed that people purchase my artwork. I sold my first piece of art for $1.50 to my school principal at age 14, and now I’m selling sets like my five-foot photographs in the lobby of a well-known luxury resort in Phoenix. At age 60, you’d think I would have outgrown this fascination by now, but I am still photographing and enjoying that part of my life.

My first degree was in professional photography, but I went back to school for another degree in computer programming which is what I did for a living. Having a steady career can give you the time to perfect your craft which can then lead to producing a higher quality product. I also find my past computer and design skills very helpful in this digital age. I recommend using those life experiences that you’ve accumulated over the years and infusing them into your products and business structure.

I’ve been doing many local outdoor art shows, museum exhibits, as well as solo and group art, exhibits over the last 20 years. No matter where I show, I try to display my best work at that time in my career and gain experiences that I can move forward with. When you see other online sellers who are successful, it’s usually not an accomplishment that came overnight, but came with some previous failures. If selling your art or craft is important to you, you need to be persistent. I didn’t start with 35-piece solo shows in nice venues. I started with 1 or 2 pieces in a camera club group show. 

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