Setting Up Your Booth at a Market: A Photographer's Guide
I had no idea where to begin when I started selling at markets and art fairs. I studied Pinterest boards and read every blog I could find before I finally decided to sell my photography prints at a market. Here's one more guide I hope provides some helpful information for you.
If you're curious about how I got into selling fine art work more broadly, you might also enjoy reading about how I landed my first artist residency and how I exhibited at Red Dot Miami during Art Basel.
Cost of Entry
First and foremost, most fairs, if not all, have a fee to sell your work. That's the case when you're using their space to sell. This fee covers marketing, advertising, and street closures (if the event is held in public spaces). Fees can range from $25 to upward of $500, and even more if the event is especially lucrative or runs multiple days.
Some require an application with photos showcasing your setup. Organizers want to see your booth and products before you're approved, so it's worth having a few clean setup shots ready to send, coincidentally it works as a great trial set-up run!
Know Your Audience
Not all markets and fairs are equal. Some are craft fairs; some are high-end art shows. Some require walls, others just a table. Some are held at breweries, some at art galleries, and some are family-focused events on a farm. You can never know for certain who's showing up or whether anyone will spend money, but if the event is art-centric, you're more likely to find customers who came specifically to purchase art.
Family-focused events with food trucks can work, but often it's families just looking to get out of the house. Also note whether there's an admittance fee for attendees. If the event itself charges at the door, shoppers are less likely to spend once they're inside.
Offer a Variety of Products
It's crucial to offer a variety of items with different prices, sizes, and types. Throw in a bargain! I add unsold prints to a discount bin and offer mix-and-match pricing. People love a deal.
Offer an assortment of colors, shapes, and sizes. That can feel tricky with photography, but the world is your oyster when it comes to your own images. I put mine on greeting cards; the cost is significantly lower than a large print, and cards are almost guaranteed to sell at a market. Offer something people actually need: celebrations, sympathy, just-because. People still send notes.
Finished works are complete works. Matte-frame your prints and encase them in a clear plastic sleeve. It's more cost-effective than framing and far less labor-intensive than lugging multiple framed prints to a show. Flat pieces are easier to carry and easier to sell. Make sure you have enough inventory, but don't overproduce. If it's your first show or your first time at a new market, you have no baseline yet for the demographics and customer base.
How to Price Your Work
Include every cost in your price. That means shipping, framing, production, show fees, the time you spent taking the photograph, and editing. Once you have your total cost, factor in your gross margin percentage, and the market itself will give you a sense, after a couple of shows, of what your customer is willing to spend.
If you live in a state that collects sales tax, make sure you charge the correct rate (found on your state's government site) after items have been rung up or added to the cart.
Know your forms of payment. If customers pay cash, do you have petty cash to make change? Think about where you'll keep cash throughout the day whether that’s on you in a bag, or in a secure box at your table. Venmo, Square, Cash App, and Zelle are all useful tools, but without reliable Wi-Fi, transactions won't go through. Square offers Tap to Pay on the back of your phone, so a separate point-of-sale device isn't strictly necessary. Be mindful of transaction fees, too!
Prep Work Before the Show
Here are the items typically needed at outdoor markets.
Tent. If it's outdoors, you'll definitely need one. No matter what the product description says, I've yet to find a pop-up tent I can assemble on my own. Befriend your market neighbor, if you help with theirs, they'll help with yours.
Weights, weights, and more weights. Even the slightest breeze can send your tent soaring. Water gallons, stakes (if permitted), zip ties, and good old-fashioned 25-pound weights will secure your tent. This is the most crucial part of the entire show aside from your display itself. Zip-tie your work down and use table weights to keep pieces from blowing away.
Table. A six-foot table is the standard for markets. Ask beforehand, though as some markets provide tables. The less you have to bring, the better.
Tablecloth and signage. Let customers know who you are and what you're selling as they approach. Clear signage with prices displayed puts shoppers at ease.
Stands and display racks. Varying heights help merchandise your table and appeal to browsing customers. Don't crowd the table with too many products. Overwhelmed shoppers tend to walk away before even beginning to browse. Visible price tags, too help put customers at ease. Sometimes the thought of asking the price is a deterrent for some shopping.
Business cards and flyers. Print a modest quantity to start about 100 to 300 is plenty, so you're not overspending on marketing but have enough for future events.
An email sign-up sheet. This is one of the best investments you can make. Even if someone doesn't purchase at the market, capturing their email means they may buy from you later or book you for a shoot. If you're thinking about the bigger picture of visibility, I've written about how to stay visible online with strategic brand photography — and the same principles apply to building your market audience.
Selling at markets is a learning curve, but every show teaches you something new about your work, your pricing, and your customers. If you have questions about getting started, or you'd like to get in touch about photography work, I'd love to hear from you.
Want more behind-the-scenes posts like this? Browse the full blog for more on photography, art shows, and the business side of creative work.