Need help selecting photos for a show

[david.elliott]

I need to select two (and only two) of my photos for an upcoming show that I will likely participate in. This will be my first time trying to sell any of my work. The selection needs to be made in the next day or two. I'm having trouble picking just two photos.

If any of you have a bit of free time on your hands, I would greatly appreciate your recommendations....

My website is www.renderedinsilver.com

If you want to see all of my photos, go to the portfolio categories in the site to see everything. Maybe there is one I overlooked there that maybe I should reconsider.

That said, I've narrowed my choices down to the following:

From the landscape section:

From the wildlife section:

From the macro section:

My girlfriend thinks the two that are most likely to sell well are the squirrel and the pointy flower.

Thanks in advance.

-David

 

[furbs]

If I were to put two on my wall, they would be the black and white water shot and the bluish-purple flower. The ones suggested by your girlfriend are nice, though a bit too "stock photography" for me.

 

[lynnb]

Hi David,

I can't speak from experience, so these are just unqualified thoughts.

Who are the potential buyers? If it's the public looking for home decoration, then your girlfriend might be right. The public seems to like saturated colour, and an unsophisticated look - quite different to what art lovers and enthusiast photographers look for. But then, your show might be one that's attended by more sophisticated tastes?

I think there's going to be a difference between what I like and what I think might sell - the Rose, Maryland might make very good interior decor, even though I like A Lateral Move (of the ladybug) much better. And I like A Dash of Yellow, of the small bird in winter, better than the squirrel - but then I prefer birds to squirrels!

Good luck!

kind regards,

 

[DamenS]

I agree with your girlfriend - though I personally like the first photo, the squirrel and flower are more "safe".

 

[Chris101]

If I were entering a contest with these pictures, well first I'd be very proud and confident, and second I would choose these:

...

...

and

...

...

 

[Richard G]

I like the Black Sand beach, and the black and white landscape above, and the ladybug and the Waterfall. Not fond of the title of that one by the way. Just two: Black sand beach and the ladybug.

 

[johannielscom]

What Chris101 says, and I'd include the grasshopper too.

Question isn't so much 'what is safe', or 'what will sell', but rather 'what do you want to present your photography with'?

A quote (on being a writer, but still) comes to mind: It's better to write for yourself and have no audience, than to write for your audience and lose yourself.

If those photographs arent't meant to pay bills, I'd chose the ones I myself would like. And if they were going to pay bills, I'd probably still do that!

 

[Photo_Smith]

To my eye the black sand beach and the jellyfish were the ones, they'll compliment each other side by side.
The black sand beach is a great shot.

The B&W sea scape was nice too, possibly a little esoteric as a photographer I like it– though it depends on the audience more...

 

[skibeerr]

Definitively the Black Sand Beach and the black and white jellyfish.

 

[sailor]

The Black Sand Beach and the blue and white jellyfish would be my choices. Both simple graphic images which would look good on the wall.

 

[dogbunny]

If I were entering a contest with these pictures, well first I'd be very proud and confident, and second I would choose these:



and

I would vote for those two as well.

 

[helen.HH]

Hmmm, for Me as a 'Buyer'
I would want the beautiful b&w austere Lighthouse
And the ever so colourful psychedelic flying thru Space Mushroom

Congrats & Best of Luck !

 

[podcat]

To my eye the black sand beach and the jellyfish were the ones, they'll compliment each other side by side.
The black sand beach is a great shot.

The B&W sea scape was nice too, possibly a little esoteric as a photographer I like it– though it depends on the audience more...

Agree with this. Those two stood out the most to me. I'd hang the beach one on my wall

 

[david.elliott]

If I were to put two on my wall, they would be the black and white water shot and the bluish-purple flower. The ones suggested by your girlfriend are nice, though a bit too "stock photography" for me.

They are pretty safe bets I think. You may very well be right.

 

[david.elliott]

Hi David,

I can't speak from experience, so these are just unqualified thoughts.

Who are the potential buyers? If it's the public looking for home decoration, then your girlfriend might be right. The public seems to like saturated colour, and an unsophisticated look - quite different to what art lovers and enthusiast photographers look for. But then, your show might be one that's attended by more sophisticated tastes?

I think there's going to be a difference between what I like and what I think might sell - the Rose, Maryland might make very good interior decor, even though I like A Lateral Move (of the ladybug) much better. And I like A Dash of Yellow, of the small bird in winter, better than the squirrel - but then I prefer birds to squirrels!

Good luck!

kind regards,

Hello,

The potential buyers is just the public looking for home decoration. There will almost certainly be people with more sophisticated tastes present, but this is not a boutique gallery event in which people will wear expensive suits and dresses with checkbooks to match. At least, I don't think it is. I may very well be wrong. Nevertheless, I expect there will be some very nice artwork at the show. This is the show: http://www.glenechopark.org/labor-day-art-show-2013

Thank you for your kind words and insight.

 

[david.elliott]

I agree with your girlfriend - though I personally like the first photo, the squirrel and flower are more "safe".

The first photo is one of my all time favorites. 🙂

 

[david.elliott]

If I were entering a contest with these pictures, well first I'd be very proud and confident, and second I would choose these:



and

I may very well go with these two photos. Thank you for the confidence boost!

 

[david.elliott]

I like the Black Sand beach, and the black and white landscape above, and the ladybug and the Waterfall. Not fond of the title of that one by the way. Just two: Black sand beach and the ladybug.

Thanks! Black sand beach seems to be a forum favorite.

 

[david.elliott]

Definitively the Black Sand Beach and the black and white jellyfish.

I think this pair goes well together. Beaches and jellyfish... good memories. In delaware there are little jellyfish (tea saucer sized) without tentacles that can be freely and safely tossed around and examined. Lots of kids play with them -- I did when I was younger.

 

[david.elliott]

I would vote for those two as well.

The black and white jellyfish seems to be developing a following. 🙂