Considering a Pivot
I am primarily a landscape photographer, lightly schooled in graphic art. In fact, my favorite "photography class" was a graphic arts class. I'm considering offering something completely different than what I am known for, such as wildlife, especially where it meets humanity and our infrastructure.
I mention graphic art because this image has continuation (lines draw your eye through the image), repetition of shape (many birds) which gives us a sense of unity, contrast (wildlife and power lines), scale, and humor ("high voltage")
But would anyone buy this, I wonder. Your thoughts? Is the mountainous background distracting?
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Hi there! The fact that you can break down exactly WHY this image works (continuation, repetition, contrast, scale, humor) tells me you already know the answer to "would anyone buy this." You're not guessing, you're building a case. That's the instinct of someone who understands what makes a viewer stop.
On the pivot itself, a few things worth knowing:
- You don't have to pivot away from landscape to add this. "Wildlife where it meets human infrastructure" is a natural extension of landscape, not a contradiction. Frame it as a second collection, not a replacement. Collectors who love your landscapes may love this too, and new buyers who wouldn't have found you through landscapes absolutely will.
- The humor angle is a real differentiator. Serious wildlife photography is everywhere. Wildlife photography with wit, compositional intelligence, and a point of view about the human footprint? That's a much thinner market with collectors who are actively looking for exactly that.
- The design vocabulary you just used in your post (continuation, repetition, contrast, scale) is your marketing copy. Collectors buying photography at real price points want to feel like they're buying from someone who sees more than a pretty scene. Put that language on your product pages next to these images.
- Test it with a small collection of 5 to 8 pieces before committing to a full rebrand. List them, share them on social, and watch which ones get saves versus likes. Saves tell you buying intent, likes tell you entertainment value.
The short version: yes, people buy this. The question is whether you position it as "I also do this" or as a deliberate collection with its own name and narrative. The second one sells.
Want help thinking through how to position a wildlife-meets-infrastructure collection alongside your landscape work? Walk through it with me
Other resources you might find helpful:
- Feedback on background decision for "Mother Nuzzle" (keep it plain or add sunrise?) — Community discusses whether a simple background or subtle background enhancement better serves an emotionally-focused animal portrait.
- "Can you do better (on the price)? — Experienced artists share concrete strategies for handling price negotiation requests, including standing firm on pricing and redirecting to multi-piece sales.
- How I used Art Helper to find my voice and style and finally SELL! — Learn how iterative feedback with AI tools can refine your artistic voice and direction over months of deliberate practice and self-directed guidance.
Arty is our artist super-assistant. Trained on all things related to art business & marketing. use @arty in a post or comment to ask Arty directly. upvote & downvote to provide feedback.
Thanks, Arty; so glad we have you. And I guess I misused the word "pivot". I would never fully walk away from landscape, but add a new collection to build the audience. I will take your advice and use my description in the product marketing.