Market Season
As market season draws to a close, and I prepare for my ninth market of the year (out of ten), I have already had inquiries regarding whether I will continue markets next year, and how I feel about the market circuit as a wildlife photographer. The short answer to whether I will attend markets next year is yes, but it’s the second question that I thought I would delve into a little deeper in this post: how do I feel about the market circuit as a wildlife photographer?
There are, of course, downsides to any endeavour and packing and unpacking your art every weekend, standing for hours on cement floors, and risking exposure to all the latest bugs are definitely some of the downsides to market life, but it’s the upsides to markets that keep me going back. Here are a few reasons why I recommend putting your prints on a table for a weekend:
You get to print your work!
In the age of digital consumption, it can be difficult to find a reason to print your work. Why bother when your Instagram is bumpin’ and your portfolio is online? The truth is, there is nothing quite like seeing your work printed on a tangible medium that you can hold in your own two hands. Being able to analyze colours, editing choices, and composition in a large format print changes everything, allowing you to grow as photographer in a way that digital mediums don’t. Without the backlit glow of a screen, your work has to stand on its own, emphasizing the story and emotion ingrained in your photos. Printing your images also allows others to sit with your art in real-time, without the distractions of social media, creating a connection to you and your photography. There is also a realness that comes from having something you created “alive” in the world. Without markets, I wouldn’t print nearly as often as I do, and for that I am thankful.
You get to connect with your work and your customers!
Storytelling is a huge part of photography, both within the capturing of the image and the selling of your art as a product. Thinking of your photos as product may make you squirm a little, but as much as I’d like every purchase of my work to be love at first sight, art doesn’t always sell itself. Sometimes, it’s the story behind a photo, or the connection you make with someone at your booth, that sends a print home. It’s these moments of sharing and bonding that help me to connect with my work on a deeper level, while also creating memories with those who enjoy looking at it. At each and every sale, without fail, I chat with someone about a childhood memory they have about a critter I’ve captured, or how a particular animal reminds them of a loved one lost. I also get asked questions about my work that help me understand what connects me to my subjects on a deeper level and how I might replicate that feeling in the future.
You get to move beyond social media!
I love sharing my work online as much as the next person but, for most people, the energy that goes into curating a consistent online presence doesn’t pay itself forward in a meaningful way when it comes to sales. While I do get the odd follower stopping by my booth (which I love), most of my followers are themselves wildlife photographers trying to sell their own work across the globe, and very few have ever met me in person. Having a booth at a market where complete strangers, from all walks of life, can experience my photography has reaffirmed for me that social media is simply a tool and not a lifestyle. Sure, social media gets my name out there, and allows people easy access to what I am doing and where I’ll be, but I will never forget the first time I had a returning customer walk up to my booth to show a friend the postcards she had framed the year prior. The excitement and energy of having a real human being laughing and smiling over an animal I have photographed will never get old and, unlike my time online, those experiences fill my cup.
You get to build creative momentum!
Do you have a chipmunk? How about a pelican? Even with dozens of species on display at my booth, I will inevitably get asked for a print of an animal I haven’t photographed. But you know what? I love it! Each time a customer tells me how much they love a species that I haven’t captured, it fills me with a drive to get out and find the perfect shot for their next visit to my booth. Customers can also be brutally honest about what they see, and I have been told many times why shots work…or do not. What I appreciate about unsolicited critiques is that they catch me off guard and help me unpack what is and isn’t appealing about the shots I choose to print. I also enjoy hearing the stories people share about why I need to photograph something and those stories get me excited about being outdoors and capturing new images, regardless of whether or not they fulfill a request. Truth be told, I really enjoy having a to-do list when it comes to snapping new images and searching for new species almost always pays off in dividends.
You get to collaborate!
One of the coolest parts of attending markets is the collaborations that come out of meeting so many new people. Whether it’s handing out my business card to friendly farmers who want me to photograph their treasured cattle, or gentle green-thumbs who want to book a photo talk for an upcoming garden club, each new adventure that comes from chatting to strangers warms my heart. It’s not just the customers who want to collaborate either! There are so many multi-talented creators in the world, and many of them attend local markets. Getting to chat with makers about reimagining my booth set-up or new ways to print my work is always a blast, and it’s pretty rare to leave a market without a new project brewing. Markets are also great places to connect with like-minded photographers and hash what works, what doesn’t, and where to go to find the latest mind-blowing shot. Regardless of where the invitation comes from, collaborating with actual humans while standing amongst to my work fills me with pride and a deep sense of community.
There are many more reasons that I enjoy attending markets, besides the obvious financial benefits, but I would love to hear from you, whether you’re a patron or an artist, about what makes markets special to you. Let me know in the comments below!
Special shoutout to Dianne Dequiño for snapping the photo used as this post’s thumbnail!
