Photography is a fun hobby and it can also be a lucrative career move, but if you want to get your name out there, you will need to reach out to galleries. Gallery exhibits give you the opportunity to sell your work, and if your pieces are being shown, people will be more likely to check you out via other mediums.

The challenge lies in how to get your work into galleries. Here are a few ways you can make it happen.

Pay for It

You may be able to rent a booth so you can display your work at a local art fair. You may make up for the money you spend in sales and you will also get some publicity out of the deal.

Network

Networking is very important in the world of art. You can network directly with gallery owners or build relationships with other artists and people in the industry. The more connections you make, the more people you will have to vouch for your character and the more likely it will be for your name to get dropped during discussions about who will be featured in the next gallery show.

Create a Strong Social Media Presence

A strong social media presence works on several levels. For one, it may be that the organizer of a gallery exhibit is looking for photographers on social media platforms. Artists with a strong presence are more likely to come up in searches and get noticed.

If your account is well organized and has a lot of followers, it will also look impressive to anyone that views your work.

Have a Printed Portfolio Available

The internet is a great resource when it comes to showcasing your photos, but some people in the industry may want to see tangible prints as well. When organizers want to see your portfolio, it will look unprofessional if you tell them you don’t have one available. Therefore, you should always have one ready to go.

Have a Resume Available

Organizers may ask for a resume that lists your achievements and the places your work has been shown in the past. A resume should be immediately available in digital and online formats.

Do Your Research

There are some galleries that may be a better fit for you than others. Don’t waste time dealing with galleries that don’t work with artists on your level and/or don’t feature your style. Aim instead for those that are best suited to your aesthetic.

Think Outside the Gallery

The more places you show your work the better. A strong social media presence is helpful, but you can increase your exposure by getting your work featured at coffee shops, retail stores and local exhibits. This will get your name out there and increase your chances of getting noticed.

Be Great

No matter how much you market yourself, you may not get a bite unless your work looks terrific. Aim to create images that are well composed and visually appealing and that feature unusual elements and images that make them stand out from the competition. This will make them more likely to get the attention of gallery organizers or anyone else that’s looking for fine art.

Getting your work into a gallery isn’t easy. Making the right connections, marketing yourself properly, creating a professional image and boosting your skills will increase your chances of success. What do you do to get your work noticed?

Read more of a Conversation about Art or Shop Now at Schmidt Fine Art Gallery