Because we can’t guarantee a sale of photos, people often ask us what they need to do to sell a large number of photos on the Flashframe platform. Unfortunately, there’s no real secret recipe to success. We do our best to make sure that all photographers have a great chance to make money by spreading word of Flashframe to as many race participants as we can—which can be difficult at times. While all photographers have a good chance to sell photos at an event, there a number of things that can help a photographer maximize their chance at making money, and doing as well as our friend Colin. I’ll go through a few, which we have seen have lead to added success.
First, use a good camera. Sounds obvious, but with the convenience of the iPhone app its tempting to leave the DSLR at home. Instead use the best camera you have. The runner buying your photo will appreciate it too if they decide to frame it in their home. Using a real camera allows you to control shutter speed, which is very important in minimizing blur and capturing a great shot.
Second, make sure your photos have good contrast. Before you upload, or even starting taking photos, make sure the lighting is good. If not, this can lead to photos that are over or under-exposed, leading to poor contrast on bib numbers. This can drastically effect how well our algorithms detect letters and numbers on the bib. Additionally try a quick batch edit. While not everyone has access to software to do photo editing, if you can, do a bit, and lighten or darken your photos to get contrast just right.
Finally, get a good background! Colin took advantage of a park behind runners to ensure that the photo was good at every level. Look for bridges, skylines, or other identifying parts of a city to make the photo unique and memorable for the runner. Otherwise just find a cool place—like a park—and capture the great shot!
Best of luck this weekend and make sure to take as many photos as you can. More photos always means a better opportunity to make a sale. Last, make sure to checkout our article on Business Insider!