If you want to buy landscape photography for yourself, you’re probably wondering where to go.  It’s a reasonable question after all.  Landscape photography is rather ubiquitous but not everyone knows where to go if they want to buy some.  So, where do you go to buy landscape photography?  Today, that’s the exact topic which we’re discussing.

If you’re looking for where to buy more generic fine art photography, then check out this article on where to buy fine art photography. It approaches shopping for more broad fine art photography than this article focused on landscape photography does.

To start with, there are generally about two different uses for landscape photography currently on the market.  These are prints, which can be used for private or commercial use, and digital copies, which are pretty much for commercial use only.  Not every sales channel here will offer both options (digital and prints).  However, there should always be at least a couple options for you no matter what kind of landscape photo product you are looking to buy or license.

If you’re searching for the right kind of fine art for your office, then you might check out this article for some clues.  Although, you’re probably already in the right place with this article.

1. Calendars

Perhaps the best known place to buy landscape photography is to buy a calendar full of landscape photos.  Calendars are print-exclusive products.  Every year, those go out on sale in mass.  There’s plenty to choose from.  You can go generic or even get scenes of your favorite kinds of landscapes to look at all year long.  Calendars featuring landscape photography are available in all kinds of stores and online market hubs.  It won’t take much effort on your part to locate someplace which sells these kinds of calendars.

The problem with buying a calendar for your landscape photography is that the image on the calendar is rather small.  If you want something bigger and more grand to look at, then a calendar isn’t the best way to go.  People don’t often require larger-sized calendars for anything so there really isn’t much on the market for a larger format calendar.  If you want something larger than a letter-sized print, then you’ll need to look elsewhere for landscape photography.

2. Art/Photo Galleries

One of the next places to buy landscape photography, which might come to mind, is an art gallery.  There’s good reason for this.  Art galleries pride themselves on having a selection of different kinds of art available for many different discerning tastes in art.  This will, of course, include landscape photography.  If you want a print which has already been made and may already be matted and framed, an art gallery is a good choice to shop for landscape photography at.  Photo and art galleries are print-exclusive distributors.

Something to consider about art galleries is that you will probably be limited to what stock they have on-hand.  This means that if you want a different size than what is available, you might be out of luck.  Also, art galleries might have a significant markup from what you might find other places.  This is because they need to make money on the art sale and so does the artist.  They both must split the proceeds.  There may be some flexibility in the price of landscape photography on sale in an art gallery and there may not.  It depends.  Check out this article on negotiable art gallery prices for more.

3. Online Fine Art Sites

Another location which might come to mind for buying landscape photography is the internet.  This is with good reason.  These days, you can buy a heck of a lot online and have it delivered to you.  Landscape photography is no exception.  While they have the ability to offer digital copies, fine art websites tend to offer prints exclusively.

There are lots of websites out there which specialize in selling fine art of some kind (of which landscape photography is a branch).  Fine Art America is one such website but there are plenty of others out there.  With these kinds of websites, you can often do all sorts of customization.  Want a particular color of mat?  You’ve got it.  Want a metal or a wooden frame?  Absolutely.  Want a double mat and a plaque/name plate?  For an extra charge, it’s yours.

While these websites do offer a ton of options to the discerning consumer looking to buy landscape photography, they do have their downsides.  They don’t always have the best search functions.  This means that you could be searching for rainbows and end up with a rainy day instead.  Also, these kinds of websites also tend to cater to all kinds of artists.  If you’re looking specifically for landscape photography, you might be out of luck using one of these kinds of sites unless a landscape photographer has joined and made their photography available for purchase.

4. Stock Photo Sites

Another location to buy landscape photography (licenses) which might not be so obvious is stock photography websites.  Stock photography websites tend to be digital copy exclusive distributors.  Many landscape photographers will upload their landscape photos to stock websites in order to make commercial use sales on their photos.  If you’re in the market for landscape photography for commercial purposes, then a stock photo website might just be one of the best options for you to use.  You should have plenty of options which with to choose from on such a site.

If you’re looking to order yourself a print of a beautiful landscape scene for your wall, then stock photography probably won’t be the route for you.  If you’re not looking to use landscape photography commercially, then you’ll have problems with using stock photos for your needs.  Most print companies (yes even Walmart) are onto the problem of copyright infringement on the internet.  They know that you can have digital photos and not have permission to print them.  They can and will refuse to turn over prints you’ve ordered if you don’t have proper permissions and licensing.

5. From the Photographer

Your final option is to buy landscape photography directly from the landscape photographer.  While this might not occur to many people, it is still a viable option.  The photographer is the original source of all these other shopping options.  Many serious and professional landscape photographers will sell digital or print versions of their photos from their own websites.  They might not have as many options as an online hub such as Fine Art America would, but they should still offer a decent range of options.  If you need or want something custom, then purchasing from the landscape photographer is about your only option.

Landscape photographers who sell their photos directly have a greater degree of control over their products.  They can set any price they wish.  They can charge way below or way above standard market rates.  This could result in you paying more than average for your landscape photo(s).  There is also the chance that you will end up dealing with a landscape photographer with an attitude.  While that’s a very slim percentage of the population, artist temperament being delicate is a stereotype for a reason.  Landscape photographers are no exception.

Conclusion

There are a few different avenues available to you if you’re in the market for landscape photography.  These options range from buying calendars on the cheap end to commissioning something custom from a landscape photographer directly which is probably your most expensive overall option.  You do need to consider whether you need a print or a digital copy of a landscape photo before you choose where to shop.

If you need any help, you might check out my article on a beginner’s guide to buying fine art.  Don’t forget the most important consideration when buying fine art.  If you’re looking to buy fine art photography as an investment, you should check out this article.  Given the wide variety of fine art photography on the market today, you should be able to find something you like.  However, if you don’t, you might check out this article on commissioning a photo project.

No matter what you’re needs are, there’s several good options for you when shopping for landscape photography.  If you happen to be in the market right now, then you might drop by my online store where you can order prints today.  I also have a few stock photos up for license sales too.