Photography Print Shops. Are They Profitable?

Hi,

I've been photographing for over 5 years now and underwater over 4 years. It was few years ago when I put up my print store to sell underwater prints but in the beginning I didn't have a big following but a year ago I took some pink manta images that went viral and my following grew and website traffic increased but there wasn't much difference to my print store.

Maybe it was purely just the fact that covid hit around that time but I have also noticed a huge amount of new underwater and photographers in general. And there seems to be a trend of everyone having a print store these days. If you look at almost any decent insta page these days everyone sells prints.

So I am just wondering if there's anyone else who has print stores or noticed these kind of trends and is it profitable to sell prints now anymore?

Cheers

Unfortunately, not really. While I do get more total sales from selling prints, I see more activity from my stock photos. 

Yep agreed. Lots of stock photo activity. But starvation would be on the horizon if that was a sole source of income.

Total hobbyist, but at the prodding of a photographer friend put about 30-40 pics on Shutter Stock and Getty.  Last year I made....US$27.08 and $31.20!  Most downloaded were this great white and a hawksbill.  Not one of my beloved reef shots sold, lol.   

Probably not - most of the great photographers I know are mostly keen enthusiast, only know a couple of professionals that make a living from photography.

But having an online store footprint and an ABN does allow you to claim your diving and photography equipment on tax, sooo...