How To Make Money Online Stock Photography

In this article we will look at How To Make Money Online Stock Photography. Prepare to read one of the most comprehensive online tips on how to sell stock photographs and make money in 2022. Learn how to sell, where to sell, what to sell, and how much money you can make from your stock photographs.

If you know where to sell your images online, you can simply earn some additional money (or even start a new profession!) as a photographer. Photographers of all skill levels are in greater demand for their work than ever before. Large enterprises, small and medium-sized organisations, bloggers, graphic designers, marketers, and publishers all buy and use photographs on a regular basis online.

What kinds of photographs do they buy the most?

People from every country and culture – children, adults, and everyone in between!
People at work – These photos are quite popular among businesses. People working on laptops, writing, speaking at a meeting, and so forth. Just don’t make them so generic that they turn become a meme.
Food — Various varieties of delectable delicacies, including empty unclean dishes.
Tools – Gears, hammers, nuts, bolts, and screws can communicate a lot to potential purchasers.
Cities – cityscapes, buildings, and commuters
Nature – This is a no-brainer that never goes out of style to shoot or sell.
Travel – Photographs from all around the world are always in demand.

1 – Shutterstock
Shutterstock is one of the largest microstock sites, with Getty Images reigning supreme.

Though Getty (iStock) has a considerably larger presence outside of microstock, Shutterstock was, until recently, one of the most popular venues for contributors worldwide.

With top contributors removing their photographs from the platform, sales and popularity have decreased. However, it is certainly one of the largest in the industry and needs to be included.

To get into Shutterstock, you must first register and then post no more than ten of your best photographs.

The initial assessment of these ten photographs could take 7-10 business days. If even one of your shots is accepted, you are free to submit more.

2  – Alamy 

Although it does not have as many purchasers as Shutterstock and Adobe Stock, it is nevertheless a strong challenger and a viable cash source. Photographers can upload their images to Alamy without worrying about licencing or other copyright issues. Alamy has paid out $180 million to photographers to date.

Alamy’s charges are also competitive. The marketplace pays photographers 50% of each transaction if your annual sales surpass $25,000, 40% if your annual sales are less than $25,000 but greater than $250, and 20% for contributors whose annual sales are less than $250, which is higher than some of the other competing platforms.

3 – Etsy
Because Etsy is better recognised as a marketplace for buying and selling one-of-a-kind handcrafted things, you might not think of it when looking for venues to sell stock photographs. However, Etsy has over 30 million users and a variety of options to sell your images on their platform.

Etsy has a wider audience than most stock picture sites, and a population that is ready to buy your images. On Etsy, you can, of course, sell digital photographs, but you can also sell prints. So, if you want to grow your photography business even further, Etsy is a terrific place to start!

Remember to include the cost of printing, packing, and shipping when selling prints.

4 – Fotolia (owned by Adobe)
Fotolia has remained an autonomous firm following the merger with Adobe, although benefiting substantially from Adobe’s enormous coffers.

In terms of promotion, Fotolia is well publicised, sometimes excessively so, which is always a good thing for contributors. However, this does not always equate to increased profitability.

Fotolia’s commision prices are reasonable. You begin with a 20% commision rate for non-exclusive photographs and intend to increase it to 46%.

Exclusive sales begin with a 35 percent commision and progress to a 63 percent commision.

5 – iStock
iStock is one of the most popular and largest microstock channels where you can sell your photographs.

Getty Images purchased iStock, which resulted in many of Getty’s software advances being integrated with iStock.

To apply to iStock, you must first pass a test. It’s a test of your knowledge of the legal and quality considerations that go into creating stock photographs. If you have done your homework, passing the test is not difficult.

After passing the test, you will be required to upload your government-issued photo ID as well as three photographs for inspection.

Before deciding to accept you as a contributor, iStock inspectors will review your first three photographs.

6 – Pond5
Pond5 became the top video footage seller by providing exceptional benefits to both contributors and sellers, such as the ability for contributors to select their own pricing and the payout is always 50% (a pretty good split).

Pond5 is a fantastic way to start making money with your images (and videos). The earnings are reasonable, and the image submission conditions are clear:

7 – Fotomoto
Fotomoto is not a marketplace, but rather a widget that links with your website to allow you to sell images online. After you’ve added it to your site, Fotomoto will handle all of the photo selling operations for you.

Fotomoto, like Etsy, allows you to sell digital images, photo prints, and even canvases to visitors to your website. Fotomoto also takes care of the packing of your material images so you don’t have to. If you want to sell actual photo prints or canvases, it doesn’t get much easier!

What’s particularly appealing about Fotomoto is that the widget itself is fully configurable. You can change the settings of the widget to display your own branding information, including your logo! Customers will learn your brand and identify it with your photos this way.

Fotomoto has some amazing features that will work smoothly with your existing WordPress site, whether you are a hobbyist photographer, professional photographer, or graphic designer. Learn more about the widget’s monthly, tiered pricing, and transaction costs by visiting its website.

8 – Crestock
Crestock is a more passive approach to monetize your pictures. Simply create a free Crestock account and upload your photographs. After the Crestock team has reviewed your photographs, they will be added to your Crestock portfolio for customers to purchase.

You can add keywords and descriptions to each image, increasing your chances of being approved by Crestock editors. Those same keywords and descriptions can help your photos stand out among the sea of stock images on this and other sites.

9 – 500px
500px is an online marketplace where you can sell your photographs and earn money. It is one of the top online photo stores.

This free site features a “Pulse algorithm,” which boosts your exposure by adding new uploads to a Discovery page, which is viewed by thousands of people every day.

The website also offers statistics and tracking services, allowing you to examine how your photographs compare to those of your competitors. Have you ever wondered how many people click on your images? What about your standing in relation to your peers? 500px can assist you in locating answers to your burning questions.

Getting started on 500px is a breeze. Simply create a free account and upload your photographs. Then wait to see what you find! Also, keep an eye out for contests that will help you make more money and obtain more recognition.

10 – Snapped4u
Snapped4u makes it simple to sell your event images. Snapped4u was created to make your life easier and your pocket fatter if you shoot weddings, parties, engagements, or other events.

Snapped4u allows you to create a gallery and upload photographs from an event you captured to that gallery. Then you set the price for the images and… that’s all there is to it!

Snapped4u then sells your photographs as jpeg files and emails them to your buyers right away. The money you earned is then sent to you via PayPal on the first of each month by Snapped4u.

Customers who book you for multiple events may always locate your photographs in the same location because each Snapped4u vendor has her own gallery website. You may also share your personalised URL with anyone you believe would be interested in purchasing your images.

Snapped4u gives you the highest profit percentage on every transaction. Snapped4u will charge a commision if the images are sold at a high price.

11 – PhotoShelter
PhotoShelter is an online store that sells and delivers prints to customers. They enable you to create a template for sharing photos.

However, you must purchase storage space on their website in order to post images. There are several monthly and yearly plans available, each with its own set of features.

12 – TourPhotos
TourPhotos is a global forum for visitors and travel photographers. Indeed, many travel agencies and tour businesses use it to publish images of their adventure excursions for sale to attendees and the general public.

It is an excellent platform for trip photographers to sell their images online to a similar audience. And you’ll most certainly be inspired by all of the stunning photography that appears on TourPhotos!

What Images Sell: Research, Ideas, and Insight

The market research data that the stock exchanges will offer you on a regular basis will surely be your most valuable source of ideas.

These are quite beneficial. Of course, you are free to conduct your own study and generate your own ideas.

Relying on market research conducted by stock companies is prudent because these companies invest significant time and effort in developing these.

These researchers frequently provide insight into what the market will desire in six months or over a longer duration.

As a result, they will be able to inform you ahead of time what to photograph and plan for. The stock photo industry is increasingly competitive, and microstock companies strive to stay ahead of the curve with relevant and innovative submissions from their contributors.