Creating a landscape photography calendar may be easier than you think, but it does require some planning. In other words, if building your own calendar is something you’ve always dreamed of, it’s time to get started right now for 2018. The good news is that you don’t need to have previous calendar experience. Instead, all it takes is a good eye, the desire to learn and some free time.
Before you do anything else, you’ll need to decide on the exact theme of your calendar. For example, perhaps all of your images will feature local mountains or lakes. Either way, as soon as the theme is locked in, you can start gathering the necessary photographs.
A major mistake hobbyists make is waiting until the last couple of months of the year to begin working on a calendar. This doesn’t give you enough time to capture different seasons, and rushing will prevent you from producing your best work. Begin going out monthly a year in advance so that you can capture your theme in the current seasonal setting. Make sure that you’re shooting raw image files to give yourself the best opportunity for greatness during the editing and processing stages.
After you narrow down your 12-13 best applicable images, choose one that is a good representation of what the rest of the calendar will look like. This will become your cover image. In selecting a cover shot, always keep in mind the concept of “shelf appeal.” That is, does the image read well from a distance? To determine if it does, look at the image from 5-6 feet away. If it reads well and is bright and perky, then go with it. From there, go through each month and keep the specific seasons in mind as you select images. Be sure that the photos are clear, have a strong focal point and that your theme is always well-represented. Steer clear of a lot of colors or other graphics in the dates section so that your photos stand out and the calendar remains fully functional.
You can create your own calendar through a simple program such as MS Publisher. Alternatively, there are numerous print-on-demand services that have easy to use templates. Be sure to mention the calendar to your family, friends and coworkers. You should also advertise it on your social media pages using your cover shot to draw appeal from buyers.
Do you still need a 2017 calendar? It’s not too late to get a great example of a landscape photography calendar from professional photographer Jim Steinberg!
Steinberg Photography enables photographers of all skill levels to learn from a professional during workshops and photo tours. Want to sell your own landscape photography calendar? Get more details from our homepage!
