Posted by Glenn Randall on November 1, 2012 at 11:51 PM
I'm curious what the sages of the forum think of this image. Will it sell as a print? For the record: this was processed in Lightroom from a single raw file -- none of that "software which cannot be named." Thanks in advance to everyone who comments!
Posted by Howard Cihak on November 2, 2012 at 12:32 AM
Glenn, I don't consider myself a "sage," or any kind of expert on the marketability of photographic images. But I do believe that, as a photographer whose primary, and nearly exclusive, love is landscape images, I would be more "forgiving" of a landscape scene's shortcomings than someone who wasn't similarly inclined.
I regret to say I don't see a primary point of interest in the scene you've presented. As a composition, it isn't a very compelling image. My immediate reaction was, "What was it about this scene you felt warranted the viewer's attention?" I suppose it's the color of the leaves and the evening light, but the very fact I had to ask myself that question is why the image isn't likely to sell. A compelling image answers the question instantly in the viewer's mind before it's even asked. The most compelling image, I suspect, might have more than one point of interest, but one alone will capture every viewer's attention before all others.
Forgive me if my assessment was presented too harshly, because that certainly wasn't my intention.
First, the colors are stunning. That low last second lighting is exquisite. You must have been at a nice high elevation to snag that kind of light in the aspens.
Overall I think it’s a cool image. I think I see what you refer to as potential. Along with the above mentioned freaky awesome light, freaky awesome color and maybe your wonderful Zen experience shooting forest scenes that night, the looping tree branch filling in the negative space of a clear blue sky makes a lot of sense.
I think the comp might throw the masses into a tizzy but not me. It’s a wide shot that comes out feeling sort of weird. On the left you have trees that lean to the right. On the right you have trees that lean to the left. With all these trees, you have one…that sticks up straight where the leaning trees merge together. For me, this is where I come up with “distortion.” Regardless if its distortion or not, it just doesn’t sit right with my eye. Lastly, double check the reds channel for lack of detail in the tops of the trees on the left. Could be the web compression.
In my experience, asking a group of landscape photographers whether a landscape photograph will sell is exactly the wrong audience. Like it or not, we have specific things we look for in an image that are not the same as the general public. I'm in a gallery now (on a minor level) and was more active in gallery sales in the past, and I found that I couldn't predict what sold or didn't sell. My gallery owner was better than me at those predictions, but still not that good. The only vague general rules that I could even start with would be [1] local images sell, [2] images with touches of red sell, and [3] big sunsets and storms sell.
Depressing, isn't it? Perhaps I need to work on getting into better galleries. Harshly, I would suggest that it's unlikely that this image would sell many prints. That doesn't mean it's not a good image.
If you're serious about asking the question "will it sell", ask ten or twenty random people. That will give you an opinion. You won't truly know until you print it, mount it, frame it, and try to sell it.
That said, as an amateur, I don't think it's the right question to ask. For us non-professionals, it's much more important to ask whether the image satisfies what we set out to do, whether it makes a personal connection or inspires an emotion, and whether it's part of an arc or trend of images that moves us in the artistic direction that we want to go. As a non-professional, asking whether an image will sell or not leads you down the road of repetitive compositions and "gotcha" images, and I would be suspicious of either.
Just my $0.02; I think it's a good image, but (again, only in my experience) that's not the same thing as saying that it will sell.
Posted by Bob Maynard on November 2, 2012 at 1:03 PM
Are the trees really leaning like that or is that "35mm perspective" that needs to be adjusted?
Posted by Pam Colander on November 2, 2012 at 2:15 PM
Will it sell to landscape photographers, maybe not. Will it sell to the general public, more likely because the trees, colors and light are exquisite...plus your good name would probably factor in as well. The public is a far different animal than pro landscape photographers and from my experience tend to buy images that we might not.
Posted by Joe Rogers on November 2, 2012 at 2:45 PM
I agree with Mark about asking other photographers..wrong audience with different perscpectives. Many of my sales come from people who have been to the area or grew up where the image was taken. The more recently they visited the area, the better...there is at least some sort of emotional pull. Along with being excellent photographers, this is what helps people like Bret Edge and Eric be successful.Both live in towns with high tourist traffic and concentrate on images from that area. Of course, both of these guys also are excellent marketers as well. I live in Texas and just sold a really good order of Moab and Page images...the key.....the guy grew up in Blanding.
Posted by Bill Bean on November 2, 2012 at 2:49 PM
I think we're seeing a trend here. In and of itself the image will probably have a lot of appeal to the general public...colorful aspen trees, sweet light, good stuff. Asking landscape shooters if it will sell brings mixed response. That's like asking "do these jeans make my butt look fat?" Landscape photogs will most likely answer "no, your butt makes your butt look fat."
I love the light and subtle colors in this image but the keystone effect really kills it for me.
Posted by George Hager on November 2, 2012 at 4:22 PM
Based on my experience I would have to say no, un-uh, no way. Now, taking into account my track racord, I would suggest you print up about a dozen 40x60's. If I say say it won't sell, it will probably be your best selling image.
Posted by Glenn Randall on November 2, 2012 at 4:55 PM
Wow! Thanks to all of you for the detailed and thoughtful responses. I should have mentioned when I posted the image that it was shot with a 24mm tilt-shift lens, used with sufficient rise so that all the parallel lines stayed parallel. In other words, the trees really were leaning like that. Obviously, that's not typical of aspen groves, nor what the average tourist would expect, but I know everyone who commented has seen plenty of aspen trees that actually weren't growing straight up and down. I have to agree that the leaning trees look odd, and that may be a deal-breaker for most potential buyers. Still, I'd never been so fortunate as to photograph a scene like that in that kind of moment-of-sunset light, with the red sunset light filtering through the trees and lighting up the trunks. I'll show it around to some non-photographers and see what they say. If I do end up printing it, I'll give you a report in a year or so on how it sold. Thanks again!
Posted by Stan Rose on November 2, 2012 at 8:22 PM
Yeah, i agree with Mark...and im terrible at gauging public sales. I just know what i like/dont like. Here, it's a pretty shot, but that branch up top just gets in the way of my enjoyment. I think something that incorporated more of the fg to lead me in might have worked better.
Posted by Grant Collier on November 3, 2012 at 12:58 AM
I recently had a couple photo-buyers come to my house and they purchased two images from my Lightroom catalog that I never would have thought to post on the web. One was a close-up of an aspen leaf and another was of aspen trees. The lady claimed aspen trees are "in vogue" right now, whatever that means (apparently they surplanted bamboo trees as being in vogue :) I like your shot at least as much as the ones they bought so I'm sure it could sell depending on the buyers. But really, I never know what will sell until people actually buy it. The one exception is a really boring shot of the Maroon Bells...that will always sell! :)
Posted by Ron Bailey on November 4, 2012 at 12:03 AM
I have no idea. I wish I knew, I would be rich beyond all measure.
Grant...bamboo trees are out!!! I move over 4,000 miles to bamboo forests and now they are out!?!?!?!? Oh well, I never knew they were in anyway.
Yeah, I'm not the one to ask about the sales side of any image.
I do like the image, especially the light breaking through on the aspen boles on the left. Great light and nice color throughout, and the branch at the top doesn't bother me at all. It's a beautiful shot and I'm sure someone would like to buy it.
Discussion
13 repliesI regret to say I don't see a primary point of interest in the scene you've presented. As a composition, it isn't a very compelling image. My immediate reaction was, "What was it about this scene you felt warranted the viewer's attention?" I suppose it's the color of the leaves and the evening light, but the very fact I had to ask myself that question is why the image isn't likely to sell. A compelling image answers the question instantly in the viewer's mind before it's even asked. The most compelling image, I suspect, might have more than one point of interest, but one alone will capture every viewer's attention before all others.
Forgive me if my assessment was presented too harshly, because that certainly wasn't my intention.
Best wishes.
First, the colors are stunning. That low last second lighting is exquisite. You must have been at a nice high elevation to snag that kind of light in the aspens.
Overall I think it’s a cool image. I think I see what you refer to as potential. Along with the above mentioned freaky awesome light, freaky awesome color and maybe your wonderful Zen experience shooting forest scenes that night, the looping tree branch filling in the negative space of a clear blue sky makes a lot of sense.
I think the comp might throw the masses into a tizzy but not me. It’s a wide shot that comes out feeling sort of weird. On the left you have trees that lean to the right. On the right you have trees that lean to the left. With all these trees, you have one…that sticks up straight where the leaning trees merge together. For me, this is where I come up with “distortion.” Regardless if its distortion or not, it just doesn’t sit right with my eye. Lastly, double check the reds channel for lack of detail in the tops of the trees on the left. Could be the web compression.
In my experience, asking a group of landscape photographers whether a landscape photograph will sell is exactly the wrong audience. Like it or not, we have specific things we look for in an image that are not the same as the general public. I'm in a gallery now (on a minor level) and was more active in gallery sales in the past, and I found that I couldn't predict what sold or didn't sell. My gallery owner was better than me at those predictions, but still not that good. The only vague general rules that I could even start with would be [1] local images sell, [2] images with touches of red sell, and [3] big sunsets and storms sell.
Depressing, isn't it? Perhaps I need to work on getting into better galleries. Harshly, I would suggest that it's unlikely that this image would sell many prints. That doesn't mean it's not a good image.
If you're serious about asking the question "will it sell", ask ten or twenty random people. That will give you an opinion. You won't truly know until you print it, mount it, frame it, and try to sell it.
That said, as an amateur, I don't think it's the right question to ask. For us non-professionals, it's much more important to ask whether the image satisfies what we set out to do, whether it makes a personal connection or inspires an emotion, and whether it's part of an arc or trend of images that moves us in the artistic direction that we want to go. As a non-professional, asking whether an image will sell or not leads you down the road of repetitive compositions and "gotcha" images, and I would be suspicious of either.
Just my $0.02; I think it's a good image, but (again, only in my experience) that's not the same thing as saying that it will sell.
I love the light and subtle colors in this image but the keystone effect really kills it for me.
Grant...bamboo trees are out!!! I move over 4,000 miles to bamboo forests and now they are out!?!?!?!? Oh well, I never knew they were in anyway.
Yeah, I'm not the one to ask about the sales side of any image.
I do like the image, especially the light breaking through on the aspen boles on the left. Great light and nice color throughout, and the branch at the top doesn't bother me at all. It's a beautiful shot and I'm sure someone would like to buy it.