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Are you interested in making extra cash from home? Do you love photography? If you answered yes to both of these questions, then you’ll be happy to know that you can combine them both and start selling your stock photos online.
Stock photos are in high demand by social media managers, bloggers, website developers, and businesses globally. Selling your pictures online can be a lucrative way to earn extra income.
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How Does Selling Photos Online Work?
There are several ways to sell your stock photos online, either through a stock photo website, your own website, or by contacting clients directly.
However, the easiest and most common way is through a stock photo website. These websites allow anyone to upload and sell their photos for a royalty fee or a percentage of the sale price.
How to Get Started
Here’s how to get started selling stock photos.
Research the Market
Stock photo websites sell millions of images per day, and the competition is fierce. Therefore, it’s essential to research what types of images are selling and what themes are popular.
Researching will help you identify gaps in the market and fill them with your unique images. For instance, if you have a passion for food photography, you can research the types of images that sell and create similar but unique photos to put up for sale.
Take Quality Images
The quality of your images will make a massive difference in the number of sales. Clients are looking for professional, well-composed, and adequately lit images.
The most in-demand images are sharp and clear, show high contrast, and have a natural feel.
Be sure to keep in mind the requirements of the stock photo websites because they typically have specific conditions for submissions. You can use a regular camera or your smartphone to take pictures. Just be sure they are of excellent quality.
Learn the Art of Keywording
Keywords are phrases or tags that help clients discover your images among the thousands or millions of photos available.
Using relevant and specific keywords will improve the chances of your photos appearing in search results on the website.
However, it is essential to strike a balance between being specific and being natural; avoid overuse of keywords. So, be sure to do extensive keyword research before uploading your images.
Sell Your Photos on Multiple Websites
You should sell your images on multiple stock photo websites to make as much money as possible. Besides, this strategy spreads your risk and increases your chances of a sale.
However, it is important to check the websites’ conditions, like their payment rates and exclusivity clauses. You don’t want to sell your photos exclusively on one website and later find out that they’re not making you any sales or selling at a lower rate than other websites.
Online Platforms for Selling Photos
Adobe Stock
Adobe Stock is a popular platform for buying and selling stock photos. The platform integrates with Adobe Creative Cloud, which makes it easy for designers and creatives to access images directly from their design software.
Photographers can also upload their images to the Adobe Stock marketplace and earn a royalty fee when their photos are sold.
Alamy
Alamy is a stock photo agency and online marketplace that allows photographers and image creators to license and sell their photos to individuals and businesses for various purposes, like advertising, editorial use, and more.
Buyers can browse and purchase images from the Alamy website, and photographers can contribute their work to the platform to reach a global audience.
Depositphotos
Depositphotos offers a wide range of stock photos, illustrations, and videos for individuals and businesses to use in their projects.
Photographers can join the platform as contributors and earn a commission on each sale.
Depositphotos also has a referral program where users can earn money by referring people to the platform.
Dreamstime
Dreamstime is an online platform that allows photographers and videographers to sell their photos and videos to businesses, media professionals, and individuals for various purposes, such as marketing, advertising, and creative projects.
It provides a wide variety of stock photography and stock footage options.
Etsy
Etsy is a popular e-commerce platform allowing creatives to sell their handmade or unique items, including digital products like stock photos.
You can sell your stock images on Etsy by creating your own shop and setting your prices.
EyeEm
EyeEm is a photography community and marketplace that connects photographers with buyers.
It allows photographers to upload their images for sale and participate in photo challenges and contests to showcase their work and gain exposure.
Foap
Foap is a mobile application that enables users to upload and sell their photos directly from their smartphones.
Foap differs from other stock photo websites because it focuses on authentic and real-life images instead of staged or professional shots. Users can also participate in challenges and competitions to earn more money.
Getty Images
Getty Images is one of the largest stock photography agencies, with a vast collection of high-quality images available for purchase.
Photographers can submit their work to Getty Images and earn a commission when their photos are licensed. Getty also offers various tools and resources for photographers to improve their skills and increase their earnings.
Pond5
Pond5 is a marketplace for stock photos, music, sound effects, and video footage.
Photographers can upload their work to the platform and set their own prices for each sale.
Pond5 offers a higher royalty fee than other stock photo websites, making it an attractive option for photographers looking to earn more money from their images.
Shutterstock
Shutterstock is a widely used online marketplace where people can buy and sell stock photos, illustrations, vectors, and videos.
It provides a platform for photographers, videographers, and artists to upload and license their visual content to businesses, designers, and individuals for various purposes, including marketing, advertising, and creative projects.
Stocksy
Stocksy is an artist-owned cooperative specializing in high-quality, authentic, and unique stock photography.
Unlike other stock photo websites, Stocksy has a more rigorous application process for photographers wishing to contribute their work. However, photographers earn 50-75% commission on each sale if accepted.
Final Thoughts
Selling stock photos can be a lucrative side hustle or a full-time career for photographers.
Each platform has its own unique features and audience, so it’s important to research and choose the best fit for your images.
With dedication, quality work, and strategic keywording, you can easily earn a steady income from selling your photos online.
