Can You Make Money From Photos?

If you are a photographer looking to supplement your income, stock photography has certainly crossed your mind at some point. Having hundreds of brand-new photos on several hard discs certainly raised your hopes that you could finally put them to good use. Or perhaps the idea of having someone else market your photos appealed to you. If you've ever looked at stock photographs and thought, "I could do better than that!" you're not alone.

Planning your dream wedding and don’t want to miss out on the special moments on your big day? Worry no more, Wild Romantic Photography has you covered.

In spite of what certain websites and veteran stock photographers may have you believe, it's not an insurmountable challenge, but neither is it a picnic in the park (at least for most people).

How realistic is it to rely on stock photography sales for financial support? Possibly.

Is there any way to monetize the countless images collecting digital dust on your hard drives? Unless the images in question are exceptionally magnificent and meet the needs that stock photography buyers currently have, this is exceedingly improbable.

What is Stock Photography?

The phrase "stock photography" is used to describe pictures that are available for purchase and can be used in a range of contexts, from online media like blogs and websites to printed items like brochures and posters. Stock photography is widely used by consumers for all kinds of visual material. In most cases, this type of product is offered for sale via a website devoted to maintaining a large database of similar photographs, giving potential customers a wide range of possibilities. The cost of hiring a photographer far outweighs the cost of buying one of these stock photos.

Stock photography is the antithesis of commissioned photography, which is licenced to a customer directly and features unique artwork generated for that client. A wide variety of stock images can be found on the web. For instance, it would be quite costly for me to engage a photographer to find all of the models, prepare the food, props, and lighting, and then photograph the scenario if I desired a high-quality image of a joyful family eating together.

One might easily find one on a stock photography website and spend anything from a few cents to a few dollars for it, making this a much more convenient and economical option. There is a plethora of options when browsing stock images online.

Check out our range of wedding photography for your wedding day.

Types of Stock Photography

Most consumers only care about the two smallest types of stock photography: macrostock and microstock.

Macro stock

Companies that sell rare and expensive images are sometimes referred to as "macro stock photography," which is identical with "classic stock photography." These companies charge between $30 to $3,000 annually for a licence to use an image, which they then sell to the client directly. After that point, the photographer receives a royalty payment. Although Getty Photos is the most well-known macrostock agency at the moment, the term can be applied to any company that provides "rights-managed" (RM) images.

Microstock

In contrast, microstock photos can be acquired for much less money (usually between 20 cents and ten dollars) and without any associated royalties. Photographers are paid a flat rate per download rather than royalties, usually at the end of the month. Shutterstock, iStock, Depositphotos, and Dreamstime are just a few of the many microstock firms that have been operating for a long.

Just what are your personal benefits?

Many amazing things can come from taking part in stock photography:

• If you have photos that are high enough quality, you can submit them.
• One need not maintain a sizable portfolio to achieve financial success (see: how many photographs should you have in a portfolio). Depending on your availability, you can treat it like a hobby or dive headfirst into it as a profession.
• When you're working on something, it's up to you to determine how imaginatively you want to approach it.
• While you won't be able to live off of the money you make from submitting images alone, you can earn a nice side income from them.
• Taking stock photos can help you build a portfolio that can be used to apply for freelance photography jobs in the traditional sense.

Selling stock photos is a great side hustle for photographers who want to make art their living. Continue reading if you're interested in learning more about this subject.

Is There a Way to Earn Money From Stock Photography?

Yes, but with some effort on your part. Even if some stock photographers make enough money to live off of, the vast majority do not.

The microstock market has changed drastically since it originally opened at least 15 years ago. Making ends meet was a lot less of a struggle when we were just getting started. It was easier to break into the photography industry and there weren't nearly as many photographers competing for jobs.

There is a huge surplus of available images compared to the demand at the moment. Shutterstock's overall number of impressions has increased by over a million in the past week, reaching over 225 million. This means that nowadays, more than 15 years after the inception of microstock, contributors need to work harder and smarter than ever before.

If you need advice on your wedding photography, check out our photography packages and services at Wild Romantic Photography.

Even if you can't make enough money to live on on your own, it's not too hard to get to a point where you're making several hundred dollars a month. You can make between $200 and $500 monthly selling your photographs online if you have the time (unless you are extremely lucky) and the dedication.

Best Places to Sell Your Photos Online

It is feasible to make a career from stock photography, despite the high level of competition and the substantial amount of effort required. But it's definitely an art form in its own right. Of course you want to sell your images online and make some money! If you think you have images that people would pay for, you should research the internet markets that provide the best returns on investment.

Selling your photos online may be a great way to supplement your income or even make a living on your own terms, and there are reputable services that can help you do just that. Below are some of the greatest internet markets to sell your photographs if you think others would be interested in purchasing them.

Looking for a Yarra Valley wedding photographer? Look no further! Wild Romantic Photography has you covered.

WordPress or Your Website

If you're a photographer who plans to publish your work online and wants to keep full creative and legal control over your photographs and your brand, WordPress is a great option. The official WordPress repository contains around 55,500 plugins, making it easier than ever to set up an online store to sell stock photographs. Because of this, you won't have to risk your brand's reputation by selling on other platforms.

While some may complain that WordPress's setup process is excessively lengthy, the vast majority of users will find that it's simple and quick to get going, and even those who struggle with it will discover that it's worth it in the long run. Selling images online through your website can be difficult if you are not already somewhat well-known and have not developed a community around your work. Most organisations and consumers will only buy stock photos from websites they know they can trust to provide them with a secure and risk-free transaction.

However, the following are some of the advantages of selling your work on your website:

• You're free to charge whatever you think is fair.
• No one else gets a cut of the money you make from selling your work.
• In terms of how your work is presented on your website, you have complete creative freedom.
• Your terms and conditions are up to you to determine.
• Once again, you have total control over the situation.

Adobe Stock

Adobe Stock is now the most popular photo-editing programme on the market, cementing the company's position as a leader in the field. Additionally, any images you post on the market can be accessed from other Adobe applications with a simple click.

This will increase the number of people who encounter your work. They can get to it instantly from within Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, or Illustrator. You gain an enormous degree of independence as an artist once you begin selling stock images on Adobe Stock.

When uploading photos to Adobe Stock, you can choose whether or not to provide Adobe Stock exclusive selling rights. Most notably, the average profit margin is 33%. If you think you have what it takes to be a famous photographer, then you shouldn't be shy about saying so. Time to turn your passions into a source of income.

Contributing to Adobe Stock is as simple as logging in with an existing Adobe ID or creating a new one. It's even simpler than that, in fact.

The only negative of contributing to the Adobe Stock network is that you will be competing with some of the most creative photographers in the world. In other words, if you want people to notice the creative work you've made, you'll have to put in a lot of effort.

Adobe Stock Advantages

• You may trust in Adobe's abilities as a media company due to their excellent reputation.
• If you ever need help, you can count on receiving excellent service from their crew.
• The plugin is well trusted and used by professionals in the field.

Adobe Stock Disadvantages

• Competing for people's attention is challenging in situations where there is a lot going on.
• Submissions that consist just of sound will not be accepted.

Shutterstock

Over the course of its more than 15 years in business, Shutterstock has become the go-to place for high-quality stock photography online. They have not only amassed millions of images, but also thousands of videos, hundreds of songs, and, most importantly, millions of customers.

According to the data presented on their site, they have distributed over $500 million to donors. If you're a photographer, this means that selling your work on the Shutterstock marketplace could bring in a substantial income for you down the road.

Shutterstock allows you to keep the rights to your images so you still have some creative control over them. They give credit where credit is due, which is a major matter if you're trying to build a name for yourself as an artist.

As a contributor, you can earn 15%-40% of the revenue generated each month from the number of times your content was downloaded by paying consumers.

Shutterstock could really suffer from widespread recognition in its field. It's common knowledge that it's nearly impossible for amateur and aspiring photographers to make a life on stock photography websites. You should give the Shutterstock marketplace a try because you can publish and sell your work there without being limited to sales through the Shutterstock network.

Shutterstock Advantages

• If your work is of a high enough quality, there is a considerable probability that people will locate it on this site, the most popular paid stock photography site.
• It's easy to start selling your photos online.
• It is relied on and used by professionals.

Shutterstock Disadvantages

• No one will ever "find" you as a photographer if you don't manage your own brand and the dissemination of your images.

500px

It doesn't matter if you use a professional-grade DSLR or the latest and greatest smartphone, you should look into 500px.

Their network of more than 13 million users is always expanding, and even if you merely sign up for the free subscription, you'll be able to licence and sell your images within it. Among the benefits of upgrading to a paid membership is the ability to promote your services and learn about new money-making options, as well as access to an Adobe CC subscription.

500px gives its users the option of using either an Android or an iPhone app to snap and share photos on the go. The process of using 500px is as simple as accessing one's inbox in Gmail. Once you create an account with them, you can immediately begin uploading and sharing your work in order to begin making money!

At Wild Romantic, we have the best wedding photographer in Mornington Peninsula to capture every single moment on your wedding day.

500px Advantages

• 500px is not just popular among the general public, but also has a stellar reputation among professionals in the media industry.
• The quality of your job will determine the reputation you earn.
• It's easy to get started selling your images online.
• It is relied on and used by professionals.

500px Disadvantages

• The free account only allows you to upload 20 photographs per week, which may not be sufficient for certain people.

Foap

Royalties from Foap sales are split 50/50 with the original photographer. A recent article on ABC News praised Foap for its potential as a money-making image-selling platform. Even when huge firms like Sony and MasterCard acquire users' photographs, users still keep 50% of the earnings.

When compared to the more common stock photo websites discussed later in this article, its mechanism of operation is fascinating. Powered by creatives and designed specifically for creatives, this website bills itself as a specialised visual-content platform. The question is, what does that entail then?

This is not your typical stock photo site, despite what you may have heard. Any business in need of an appropriate stock photo, for instance, would do well to start their search on Foap. A brief defining the company's prefered tone, visual aesthetic, and intended audience would then be provided to Foap. The next step is for photographers to enter contests organised by Foap and dubbed "Missions."

The greatest way to increase your earnings from selling creative work is to submit a photo or video in response to a task posted on Foap. Taking a picture that responds to the company's mission brief is all that's needed to fulfil the requirements and get the intended results. A Mission's payout might be several hundred dollars, and you only need one attempt to earn it. Foap has a customer service team that is available 24/7/365, so whether you're a photographer or a business looking to licence an image for marketing purposes, you can always get in touch with someone.

Advantages

• Unique in its operation, the platform affords photographers more participation options than competing services.
  Several prominent companies, such as Nivea, Volvo, and Heineken, are said to use and trust it.

Disadvantages

• Success on the Foap platform is more challenging because it is not as well-known or as popular as alternative stock picture services.

Alamy

Alamy is another fantastic source for immediately beginning to sell stock images online, with no cumbersome rules to worry about. It's true that Alamy may not be as well-known as its competitors, Shutterstock and Adobe Stock, and so may not draw as many customers.

At the time this was published, Alamy had paid out up to $180 million to its contributing photographers. It is a popular marketplace for selling photographs because to the shockingly high percentage of profits you keep from each sale.

Alamy also allows users to buy individual photographs without needing to subscribe or use credits. They only accept U.S. dollars, Euros, or British pounds as payment since they think users can buy stock photos from Alamy instead of earning credits. Therefore, both the upfront cost of direct purchases and the ongoing licencing fee are completely transparent, and clients can make purchases whenever they're needed.

Alamy Advantages

• As a result of the reduced commision, photographers stand to make an incredible fifty percent of the sale price.
• As far as stock photography sites go, it isn't quite as popular as others. Instead, it has paid out over $100,000,000 to photographers who have shared their work.

Alamy Disadvantages

• While Alamy may be useful for finding stock photos, it lacks a sense of community.
• After completing your profile, you cannot share it with others.
• Photographers on Alamy don't see much of a return on their efforts.

iStock Photo (by Getty Images)

iStock Photo is another fantastic choice if you want to make money off of your photography online. In addition, they provide photographers with resources that facilitate their entry into the industry. Getty Images owns and manages the service.

The percentage you make from each download of your photo could rise to 45% if it becomes wildly popular. But it depends totally on how well-known you are among the site's users. You'll only make 15% of the sale if a subscriber buys one of your photographs every month (or every year).

iStock Photo Advantages

• Because of its stellar reputation and extensive appeal, iStock Photo is a popular stop for businesses and people in search of high-quality stock photography.
• Since Getty Images owns it, you know you'll get the support you need to grow as a photographer if your work is featured there. You'll be in capable hands as well.

iStock Photo Disadvantages

• Due to Getty Images' ownership and operation of the business, creating an account is more complicated than it is on some of the other stock photography websites mentioned above.
• iStockPhoto's standards on things like using model releases and photographing private property without permission are strict, as they should be.

Getty Images

When people think about stock photography, Getty Images is often mentioned as a top contender. Their 1.5 million users in over 200 countries ensures that your photos will be seen by many people across the world.

Download the Getty Images app on your mobile device and complete the membership application there to become a member. You'll also need to submit three to six photographs as examples of your work. You will be notified after an application evaluation has been completed. Getty Images will take a 15-20% commision on the sale of any photos that do not require a licence.

To participate as a contributor, you must be 18 or older, and you may only upload original content such as photos, videos, charts, or graphics. After your work has been reviewed and accepted, it can be licenced or contributed. Those who manage to get their hands on rare images can make a tidy sum by selling them. In addition, you will be able to track the earnings you've made from clients who have paid to use your work. If a client chooses your work, Getty Images will pay you a fee.

If Getty chooses to use your application, you can usually count on receiving $300-$500. The actual amount you owe Getty each month will depend on the total value of your sales, but you may expect to pay anything from $20 to $30. No data is provided on the regularity of image sales. Customers must pay a variety of fees depending on the licences and content usage they require.

If you’d like to work with professional photographers for your wedding, book with us at Wild Romantic Photography.

Getty Images Advantages

• Its brand name is hip and widely recognised within its industry.
• Since there is a sizable target demographic, you can expect significant exposure.

Getty Images Disadvantages

• Compared to some of the other sites on this list, you may expect payout rates to be lower.

Sell Photos Online to Earn Some Extra Cash

Photography as a pastime is enjoyable, and the ability to generate money while doing so is even better. Thanks to online photo sharing and selling platforms, you can finally get the recognition your photography deserves. Making money by selling photographs online is straightforward and simple. To keep complete control over your earnings, selling images on your own website is the most practical and cost-effective option.

CONCLUSION

If you are a photographer looking to supplement your income, stock photography has certainly crossed your mind. Stock photography is used to describe pictures that are available for purchase and can be used in a range of contexts. The antithesis of commissioned photography, which is licenced to a customer directly and features unique artwork generated for that client. Taking stock photos can help you build a portfolio that can be used to apply for freelance photography jobs. Photographers are paid a flat rate per download rather than royalties, usually at the end of the month.

Some companies charge between $30 to $3,000 annually for a licence to use an image. Selling your photos online may be a great way to supplement your income or even make a living on your own terms. Below are some of the greatest internet markets to sell your photographs if you think others would be interested in purchasing them. It is feasible to make a career from stock photography despite the high level of competition and the substantial amount of effort required.

CONTENT SUMMARY

• If you are a photographer looking to supplement your income, stock photography has certainly crossed your mind at some point.
• Or perhaps the idea of having someone else market your photos appealed to you.
• If you've ever looked at stock photographs and thought, "I could do better than that!" you're not alone.
• In spite of what certain websites and veteran stock photographers may have you believe, it's not an insurmountable challenge, but neither is it a picnic in the park (at least for most people).
• Unless the images in question are exceptionally magnificent and meet the needs that stock photography buyers currently have, this is exceedingly improbable.
• The phrase "stock photography" is used to describe pictures that are available for purchase and can be used in a range of contexts, from online media like blogs and websites to printed items like brochures and posters.
• Stock photography is widely used by consumers for all kinds of visual material.
• The cost of hiring a photographer far outweighs the cost of buying one of these stock photos.
• A wide variety of stock images can be found on the web.
• One might easily find one on a stock photography website and spend anything from a few cents to a few dollars for it, making this a much more convenient and economical option.
• Most consumers only care about the two smallest types of stock photography: macrostock and microstock.
• Companies that sell rare and expensive images are sometimes referred to as "macro stock photography," which is identical with "classic stock photography."
• Although Getty Photos is the most well-known macrostock agency at the moment, the term can be applied to any company that provides "rights-managed" (RM) images.
• Microstock photos can be acquired for much less money (usually between 20 cents and ten dollars) and without any associated royalties.
• Shutterstock, iStock, Depositphotos, and Dreamstime are just a few of the many microstock firms that have been operating for a long.
• Many amazing things can come from taking part in stock photography:If you have photos that are high enough quality, you can submit them.
• One need not maintain a sizable portfolio to achieve financial success (see: how many photographs should you have in a portfolio).
• Depending on your availability, you can treat it like a hobby or dive headfirst into it as a profession.
• Taking stock photos can help you build a portfolio that can be used to apply for freelance photography jobs in the traditional sense.
• Selling stock photos is a great side hustle for photographers who want to make art their living.
• Even if some stock photographers make enough money to live off of, the vast majority do not.
• Even if you can't make enough money to live on on your own, it's not too hard to get to a point where you're making several hundred dollars a month.
• You can make between $200 and $500 monthly selling your photographs online if you have the time (unless you are extremely lucky) and the dedication.
• It is feasible to make a career from stock photography, despite the high level of competition and the substantial amount of effort required.
• But it's definitely an art form in its own right.
• Of course you want to sell your images online and make some money!
• Selling your photos online may be a great way to supplement your income or even make a living on your own terms, and there are reputable services that can help you do just that.