Clueless but hopeful

I recently opened an account on Clickasnap, which is a site similar to Shutterstock; where you can post your images and people can purchase them. Clickasnap also pays its premium users per 5 second original view. The site isn't limited to just photography. You can also upload original digital art. Being a fairly creative person, I was excited about the prospect of being able to upload the PNG images I create and post a fee for anyone who wanted to buy them. It was an idea inspired by my recent purchase of a Cricut machine and the ability to create my own images with my Huion digital art pad; then transfer those into the design space program in order to create completely original designs, which was something I did for personalizing gifts over the holidays.

I figured other people might like to have more options than what was available in the design space library, being that I found myself in that very situation. Coupled with the assumption that not everyone with a Cricut also would have access to a digital art design pad, like I did. Of course, I also post my JPEG regular digital art as well as the photographs I take from time to time. It hasn't even been a full month over there, so I can't really expect for things to be taking off like wild-fire. I post links to my new images on my social media platform, only most of my "friends" don't even see my posts; and the ones that do aren't in the market for the images I offer.

Working a full time job (outside of the house), parenting, and dedicating time to my art doesn't leave much time left to become a marketing expert. I suppose I will simply have to enjoy the creative process without expectation that an interested audience will find my images. Perhaps things will fall into place on their own. Stranger things have happened.

The question is, which type of expression will yield the desired results? Should I focus more on my digital art, my PNG images, or on my photography? The goal of which, being, to produce a residual income from a combination of views and sales of my submitted pieces; much like here on Vocal. I can't help wonder if the quality of the work goes down when the goal is monetarily based, rather than simply to share my artistic expression for the sake of doing so.

When I focus on "What will others like" instead of "What has meaning to me", I believe something gets lost. Is it possible that the best way to build my audience and my business is to stop treating it like a business? Would I see greater interest in my work by not caring what others think of it?

Do I even need to figure out marketing if I decide to take that rout? Wouldn't the "right" people see my work and things effortlessly fall into place? For example: Say I take my camera with me on a nature walk and happen to find a particular spot I, personally, find beautiful or magical. I snap the picture and I am pleased with it. Then, I upload that photograph to Clickasnap, not because I am expecting to make money from it, purely because I am proud of it. Going about my days without focusing on whether or not anyone else has viewed it or finds it to be as beautiful as I do. Then, the next time I visit the site to upload more pictures or images I've created, I happen to check on my analytics (out of habit) to find that picture, somehow, caught the eye of others and went viral.

So, removing the expectation of making money coupled with removing the desire to take pictures that "might" interest others, I successfully accomplished my goal while focusing on what I, myself, found to be interesting and picture worthy. That's the idea anyway.

Or do I have to research marketing and direct my focus on my perception of what others want? Do I remove the passion, the enjoyment, and the personal interest in order to achieve that residual income from my work? I have a habit of telling people "If it isn't fun, you're doing it wrong." Maybe it is time I start taking my own advice. Marketing isn't fun for me, nor is twisting myself into knots trying to figure out what everyone else might want to see.

Whether or not any of my images "go viral" or bring in a residual income; I've answered my own question. My photography, my digital art, and my writing here on Vocal; all forms of my creativity must be genuine to myself. I trust, and believe, that when I share my passion filled expression, those who want, wish, or need to find it, will; without effort on my part in attempting to find ways to thrust it in front of as many eyes as possible. I trust and believe that being genuine and sincere, regardless of the yield, is the only way I can be happy with my expression and myself.