Enjoying Life As A Fine Art Photographer

This past weekend was a busy one for us. From a movie, to a concert, to a baseball game, and finally to one of our favorites, the Cherry Creek Arts Festival.

The Cherry Creek Arts Festival is one of the premier arts festivals here in America, with 230 exhibitors selected from over 2000 applications. With 13 artistic categories, you’ll see everything from jewelry, to photography. Not only do we enjoy strolling through the booths, but it’s also fun to talk with the artists and hear their stories. I thought I’d share some with you today, and give you some ideas on how to turn your own ideas into a fine art venture.

Sharon Westbrook Fine Art
Sharon works in a variety of mediums, but for this weekend she was showcasing her photography. We enjoyed looking at her view of abandoned buildings, and seeing things from a completely different perspective.

Shawn Ray Harris Photography
One of the busiest booths we came across yesterday belonged to Shawn Ray Harris Photography. As you entered the booth, he provided you with a pair of 3D glasses to view his imagery – and they literally popped into view. Even his business cards were 3D – great use of marketing.

Art By Nemo
I first met @artbynemo via Twitter, and have chatted with him a few times there. So when I saw he made it into the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, I had to meet him in person. Amazing drawings – how do you draw those circles by hand?

A E London
Our daughter has always had two passions: animals and art. So when we met A E London, we knew she could be a great mentor for her. She’s dedicated her life to animals and art, and her work was simply amazing, as well as her story.

Grin and Bark Studio
You can’t walk by a photograph of a baby or a pet and not go “ohhhh”. So this booth was filled with admirers and “ohhhh”s. Ginger DeLater not only is a pet photographer, but she also turns her portraits into fine art. From books and gift products, to fun wall hangings, she has a business that has allowed her to cross over into the portrait and fine art world.

Ever thought about heading into the fine art photography niche yourself? If so, here are a few tips for you.

Find an art festival in your area. Head out and talk to the artists – that’s what they are there for. Ask them questions and find out more about how they got their starts. They don’t have to be photographers – just chat for a few minutes and find out a little bit about their process.

What’s your passion? For Ginger DeLater with Grin and Bark Studio, it was pets. She doesn’t stop with fine art, she also takes portraits along the way. She had a sign up in her booth, and was commissioning portraits for this coming week in our area. What a great way to travel, and combine it with everything you love.

Start working towards your first festival. Find a small one in your area, and work towards being accepted – check out Zapplication for a variety of shows.