Selling photos to shutterstock
Beginner's Guide to Earning Money in Stock Photography
The starving artist life isn’t all that glamorous in reality. Explore this essential guide to earning money in stock photography and find paying customers for your creative work.
Earning money in stock photography starts with knowing the basic ins-and-outs of the stock photography industry. At Shutterstock, our contributors come from all corners of the world, with a wide variety of photography experience. From professional photographers to stock photography agencies, amateur enthusiasts to smartphone-slinging hobbyists, artists on Shutterstock do it all.
But the question is, how do you get started on Shutterstock once you sign up? And most importantly, how do you start earning money in stock photography?
Image by singh_lens
Whether you’re interested in earning an income off your creativity or simply want a way to earn money from wherever you are in the world, contributing to stock is a great place to start. In the following article, we’re sharing a list of professional tips on how you can be successful at contributing to stock and start earning money by contributing images and illustrations to our network.
As beginners starting your journey into stock photography, this is a great article to reference before you start uploading images to Shutterstock.
Getting Started: Earning Money in Stock Photography
Start with the Basics. What Are You Uploading?
On Shutterstock, we accept photographs, illustrations, and footage clips. Photographs are images taken with either a professional DSLR camera or a high-quality smartphone that matches our required image specs. Vectors are digitized artwork that features graphic design, type, or scanned illustrations. Footage clips are motion clips that tell a moving story.
When you upload, ensure that the image or clip you submit matches the correct description of the type of content that you are uploading.
Image by ShotPrime Studio
All Images Must Meet Shutterstock Standards
Let’s get straight to the point- we are not looking for the selfies on your phone. We’re looking for content that customers around the world want to download and use for a wide variety of purposes. Before you upload an image, ask yourself “Can I see this being used by a company?” and “Where would this image be most likely to be used?” Every image that you submit should have a clear purpose and obvious use-case.
For more information on how to shoot great content, check out this article.
Photographing People? You Need Model Releases
If you have any people in your images, you will need a model release. Don’t have a model release? You cannot sell that image. If you are going to be shooting any street photography or images when you travel, we suggest printing off some model releases and bringing them on location. That way you never miss the opportunity to shoot!
Image by Mooshny
If you are on location and may be shooting people unknowingly, check your shots before you leave.
Make sure that if there is anyone visible, you have a release. If there is and you don’t have a release, make sure you grab another shot once they’ve moved out of the way!
For more information on model releases, check out our Model Release Guidelines.
Accurate Keywords Can Make or Break Your Success
Keywording is how customers find your images on Shutterstock. Without accurate and clear keywords, you will not be able to earn money from your submitted content. All keywords that you add to your image should be relevant to the image, and specific to the content that is showcased. We recently launched a new Keyword Suggestion Tool that can be found in your Shutterstock profile to support you in keywording your images.
Negroni Image by Maurese
Avoid adding any irrelevant keywords to your images. Keywording incorrectly brings the wrong customers to your images and does not allow you to potentially earn money in stock photography.
For more tips on keywording your images, check out this article.
Avoid Logos and Understand Copyright Regulations
Always be aware of logos or trademarks when you shoot. If you don’t have the rights to use them, you cannot show them in your images. That means directing your models to wear logoless clothing whenever you are shooting people. In addition, avoid any intellectual property of others, such as artwork in the background that you have not secured the rights to.
Image by Photographee.eu
Don’t fret if you do catch a logo in your shot. A quick edit can sometimes be enough to fix your problem. However, post-production does take time, so it’s best to plan ahead and avoid any commercially trademarked logos when shooting photographs for stock.
Before Any Stock Photoshoot, Reference the Shot List
The Shot List is a monthly list of image ideas that our customers are searching for to purchase. If earning money in stock photography is your goal, this is a key resource to reference. Every month, we analyze the keywords that are customers are searching for most often.
Then, we create four genres that you should shoot images of in the upcoming month. This is the best way to ensure the content that you shoot is being searched for, and purchased by our customers. Click here to access the Shot List.
Find an Area to Focus on in Your Photography
The most successful photographers find an area or genre of photography that they do well in, and stick with it. For example, if you like shooting images of people, you may be a portrait photographer. If you like shooting images of epic destinations, you may be a landscape photographer. Like shooting top-downs of food and products? You may want to invest in studio equipment.
By having a clean and clear portfolio that demonstrates your style, customers who come across your profile will automatically recognize your work. That helps them remember your style, and keeps them coming back for more.
Image by Phuong D. Nguyen
That Being Said, Experiment until you Find What You Love
Stock is a great place to experiment with your photography.
You can upload any content you like, and see what sells. Take a look at what some professional stock photographers are doing, and see what you like. Then try to create the opportunity to shoot similar content. On stock, you can upload any content that you feel resonates with a customer that would want to buy that image. So experiment a little, and have fun with it.
Want to learn from professional stock photographers? Check out the Artist Series, a video series on Shutterstock contributors around the world.
How to Plan Stock Photography Photoshoots
While stock can be a great place to sell archive images from past shoots, planning a photoshoot for stock is a surefire way to earn money. Planning a stock photoshoot means sourcing models, finding locations, and ensuring that there are no commercial logos in any part of the image. Planning a stock photoshoot is a great way to create diversity in your portfolio, and really focus on content gaps that need filling in Shutterstock’s marketplace.
For more tips on planning a photoshoot for stock, check out this article.
Image by Igeshiva Maria
Diversity and Variety are Key for All Images on Shutterstock
If you are a photographer who shoots people, diversity should be a top priority on every image you upload. We are looking for images of people that represents a global world. That means diversity of age, gender, ethnicity, abilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals. To learn the importance of diversity in stock photography, check out this article.
Shooting While Traveling? Make Sure You Know What Landmarks You Can Shoot
Property releases are just as important as model releases. So, if you’re shooting on private property, make sure you have a property release. The rules for shooting property vary based on the location and use. Reference Shutterstock’s list of Known Image Restrictions before you shoot or upload an image from a recognizable property, landmark, or building.
Image by Vladimir Melnik
Educate Yourself with More Tips and Tricks
The Shutterstock Blog is a fantastic resource for beginners looking to earn an income in stock photography.
The blog is full of educational how-to articles for contributors looking to develop their skill set. In addition, there are contributor features where you can get a behind-the-scenes sneak peek into the mind of successful contributors on Shutterstock. This is the ultimate way to learn what works and doesn’t work in stock photography, and how to improve your art.
Shoot as Often as Possible to Learn New Photography Techniques
Being an active photographer is the best education that you can get to improve your craft. When you’re starting out, carry your camera with you everywhere. Shoot everything and anything that you find. Learn how you like to edit, and develop a style that’s uniquely yours. Then, upload to Shutterstock. Once you upload, monitor your activity through your contributor profile and see what sells over the next few months. Take notes for future shoots, and continue to hone your craft until you develop a portfolio you can be proud of.
Image by AmyMeiPhotography
Submit Images That Have a Wide Variety of Use Cases
While having a photographic style that’s unique to your work is great, you should also try to ensure that the images you submit have a wide variety of uses.
That means, they should be generic when possible. Try to refrain from submitting overly artistic or experimental photos as stock photography. Save those for framed artwork, galleries, and exhibitions. Instead, try to shoot and upload images that you can see being used for a wider variety of purposes, such as ad campaigns or social media content.
Follow Shutterstock on Social Media
If you aren’t already, you should definitely follow Shutterstock on social. This is a great way to get a look into other creatives on our network and see what kind of imagery is considered social-shareable content. On our Instagram, you’ll find content that our network has shared on Shutterstock, Offset, and Shutterstock Custom. We love sharing on social. Tag us at #MyCustomView to be the next feature on our social channels, and click here to follow us on Instagram.
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A post shared by Contributors at Shutterstock (@shutterstockcontributors)
Don’t Be Discouraged by Rejections
Chances are, the first batch of content that you submit to Shutterstock may get rejected.
Whether it simply didn’t meet our standards or had incorrect releases, stock image rejection is more common than you’d think. Don’t be discouraged by rejections. Understand why they occurred and learn from them. All artists have to grow before they master their craft. And for more tips on avoiding stock image rejections, check out this article.
We can’t wait to see what you create and upload to Shutterstock next.
Featured Image by Sasin Tipchai
Looking for more tips on earning money in stock? Check out these articles:
- Submit Your Story as a Contributor With Shutterstock to Get Featured
- The Ultimate Guide to Composition in Photography
- July Fresh: New Content We Love
- 9 Photoshop Tricks for Editing Photos Quickly
- Why You Should Get a Model Release For Every Shoot You Complete
Contributor Contributor Support Creative Tips Inspiration Tips & Tutorials
How much can you make?
- Definition
- Earnings
- How to Start
- How to Increase Earnings
If you want to become a stock photographer, the Shutterstock Contributor program is the best place to start.
First, it accounts for half of all revenue for most stock photographers. Second, it’s a simple dashboard that even newbies can use quickly. Third, it’s relatively easy to get accepted, so even beginners have a chance.
What is Shutterstock Contributor?
The Shutterstock Contributor Program is the leading platform for photographers and illustrators to sell their work and make money every time a customer buys a license for their work on Shutterstock. It’s the largest contributor program and accounts for up to 50% of all revenue for some photographers.
In other words:
You upload your images (photos, illustrations, and icons), and if someone buys them through Shutterstock, you get a commission.
Become a Shutterstock Contributor
Shutterstock Contributor Earnings
You earn between 15% and 40% commission when one of your images or videos is downloaded at Shutterstock. This means you get paid $0.10 to $5.80 for images, $10.20 to $39.80 for extended licenses, and $1.
25 to $47.92 for each video.
In other words, Shutterstock pays you based on your current image and video levels. These levels change based on how many photos or videos you sell in a given calendar year. The higher your level, the higher your commission, ranging from 15% at level 1 to 40% at level 6.
So, you get 1 download every time a customer downloads your photo. To earn more as a Contributor to Shutterstock, you need to upload more content that gets downloaded more often.
Image Earnings
| Image levels | Photos sold | You earn |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Up to 100 | 15% |
| Level 2 | 101 to 250 | 20% |
| Level 3 | 251 to 500 | 25% |
| Level 4 | 501 to 2,500 | 30% |
| Level 5 | 2,501 to 25,000 | 35% |
| Level 6 | 25,000+ | 40% |
Video Earnings
| Videos levels | Videos sold | You earn |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Up to 10 | 15% |
| Level 2 | 11 to 50 | 20% |
| Level 3 | 51 to 250 | 25% |
| Level 4 | 251 to 5,000 | 30% |
| Level 5 | 5,001 to 25,000 | 35% |
| Level 6 | 25,000+ | 40% |
How do you get paid?
You will be paid at the end of each month when you reach the minimum payout amount of $35.
You can get paid through Payoneer, Paypal, or Skrill.
Changes to the earnings structure
Shutterstock introduced a new earnings structure on June 1, 2020, that rewards selling more content. The update dropped contributors’ earnings by 50% or more. The payout for the Enhanced licenses changed from a fixed amount of $28 per sale to a percentage of the license cost (20%, 25%, 28%, and 30%). However, some photographers still earn thousands of dollars from a single photo on Shutterstock.
How to become a Shutterstock contributor?
Any photographer who has a few good photos can become a Shutterstock contributor. Here’s a quick summary of the four steps necessary to join the Shutterstock Contributor program:
- Sign up.
- Upload photos.
- Add keywords & a description.
- Submit.
Follow this step-by-step guide to becoming a Shutterstock contributor:
Step 1: Go to submit.shutterstock.com.
You can click here for a redirect to the contributor signup page.
Click the “Sign up” button in the top right corner, which will redirect you to the account creation page. If you already have an account, click the “Log in” button instead.
Step 2: Create a free account.
Enter your name, nickname, email, and a secure to create a new account. Creating a new account is completely free and you’ll never have to pay anything.
Step 3: Add keywords & a description.
Keywords are how potential customers find you, so there’s no point in misleading them by using popular yet unrelated keywords.
Step 4: Submit.
Submit your images and wait for the quality-check team to evaluate them for technical quality and value. Once they’re accepted, your images will be automatically added to Shutterstock’s library, where they will be one sale.
How to increase Shutterstock earnings?
In theory, it’s easy to sell stock photos. But many photographers give up too soon because they don’t see immediate results. Like any other business, stock photography takes time to establish.
That means you’ll have to work for a few weeks or months before you start making money. But mindlessly uploading photos isn’t a sure path to success. And that’s exactly where many photographers fail.
It happened to a buddy of mine. He was uploading dozens of photos every week, but he just wasn’t getting anywhere. So I took a close look at his photos and his strategy to identify the critical problems.
When he implemented the following tips, his sales increased 4% in the first week, 20% in the first month, and 310% by the end of the year. His investment paid for itself within 6 weeks.
Want To Increase Shutterstock Earnings?
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1. Be the first to spot trends.
In addition to knowing how to take decent photos, recognizing new trends is key to success. As you may know, there are already billions of photos on the Internet. So it’s very unlikely that your photo will stand out from the crowd, even if you’re a professional.
Since every known subject is already saturated with stock photos, you should try to find new subjects. Although you may have some success in finding untapped niches, the real success lies in the trends.
For example, when the epidemic started in 2020, there were very few photos on the subject. The demand for photos of doctors, patients, scientists, and viruses skyrocketed practically overnight. For some quick-thinking photographers, it was a goldmine.
So, how do you find emerging trends?
- Read the news.
- Regularly check popular forums like Reddit.
- Use the freemium app Exploding Topics.
2. Edit photos with professional tools.
With professional photo editing software, you’ll not only get better results, but you’ll also speed up your workflow. The result: you can take more photos that look better.
I use and recommend Lightroom or Luminar AI. First, I import my raw files into Lightroom, where I sort and cull them. Then I apply basic edits and larger masks.
When I’m happy with the results, I import them into Luminar AI to do some creative editing, such as softening them, creating a golden hour effect, or adding textures. Finally, I return to Lightroom to make minor edits.
Learning how to edit photos like a pro takes time, but once you learn, you’ll be surprised at what you can do.
3. Use Lightroom presets
There are two distinct advantages to using Lightroom presets. First, professional presets let you edit your photos the way the pros do. Second, preset packages let you try dozens of edits in less than a minute. So you’ll find the best edit very quickly.
4. Contribute to other sites
Why would you set for only one source of income? By uploading good photos to several stock photo sites, you can multiply your earnings very easily.
Currently, I recommend YAY Images because they’re running a special promotion. For every 1000 photos you upload, you get a $10 bonus. And by uploading upload tens of thousands of photos, you’ll quickly earn a lot.
Image Requirements
To maintain the exceptional quality of the content, Shutterstock established strict terms regarding image quality. These are Shutterstock’s uploaded image requirements:
- Image formats: JPEG and TIFF, accepted are also EPS files if they’re compatible with Adobe Illustrator 8 or 10,
- Color profile: sRGB,
- Resolution: at least 4 MP (megapixels),
- File size: max 50 MB for photos, 100 MB for EPS.
Multi-Select tool
As your Shutterstock Contributor profile grows, you’ll have to manage more and more images.
To help you manage an overwhelming amount of content, Shutterstock Contributor introduced the Multi-Select tool, enabling you to add information to multiple items at once.
What Type Of Photos Sells Best On Shutterstock?
What sells the best on Shutterstock is governed by worldwide trends, which change rapidly in the 21st century.
Therefore, I regularly update this section to keep it up-to-date.
1. Mediterranean diets
Mediterranean diets – Greek salad example (Photo: Dreamstime)The Mediterranean diet continues to be popular. For the highest chance of success, capture people preparing and enjoying the dishes at home or on their porch. Prepare beautiful plates, such as salads, and give them a simple background. Additionally, photographing just the ingredients can go a long way, too.
2. Graduation 2022
It’s been a rough year, yet many students managed to graduate anyway. This is an excellent opportunity for you to photograph.
Try capturing the students attending the graduation ceremonies, whether they’re online or in person. Try to find the moments when they celebrate at home with their loved ones, and for bonus points: capture the proud smiles of their parents.
3. Everything yellow
Everything yellow is the current trend. This color is full of positivity and hopefulness as it resembles the sun.
Get creative with your photographs. You can capture yellow objects or color them yellow – it’s up to you. Also, don’t forget about footage and vectors.
4. Black people
Several companies have taken up their own “Black lives matter” campaigns in the light of recent events. Consequently, high-quality photographs of black people are in high demand. Some ideas suggested by Shutterstock:
- Examples of Black hair and skincare routines.
- Black models showing off traditional Black hairstyles, like afros, box braids, cornrows, and dreadlocks.
- Black models washing their hair, shopping for beauty supplies, patronizing Black barbershops, or wearing silk scarves, durags, and bonnets at night.
- Represent subjects using African soaps, shea butter, or oils and beard moisturizers.
- Show Black models applying makeup in varying shades.
Shutterstock Contributor App
Shutterstock Contributor App allows you to upload and submit images, monitor your sales and performance, and discover current trends directly from your phone.
Using this app, you can take photos with your phone, edit them (in Lightroom <- I highly recommend it), and upload them to Shutterstock without first moving them to your computer.
Shutterstock contributor appThe app is well-polished and works reasonably quickly. For me, it’s an excellent addition to the whole Shutterstock setup. I’ve always disliked doing everything from my computer. Arguably the best feature is being updated about your earnings 24/7.
Get free Lightroom presets to sell more stock photos.
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Shutterstock Contributor FAQs
I tried answering as many questions as possible, but feel free to ask more in the comments below.
Can you make money on Shutterstock?
Shutterstock is, for many contributors, the most profitable stock photo agency, with earnings exceeding 40% of their total revenue.
How much do you earn on Shutterstock?
Once you’ve crossed the $500, $3,000, and $10,000 earnings threshold, your royalty rate will increase.
For example, new Shutterstock contributors earn $1.88 for every On-Demand Image download, but once they make $500, that rate goes up to $2.48.
What types of photos sell best on Shutterstock?
Generally, images that include people, popular sites, business offices, and abstract patterns bring the most sales.
Can you actually make money on Shutterstock?
Shutterstock has paid over 1 billion dollars to its contributors over the years, making it the profitable contributor program at the moment. For the majority of stock photographers, Shutterstock is the primary source of income.
How much can you make as a Shutterstock contributor?
Shutterstock pays based on your success level. You start with 15% earnings but get as high as 40% for a royalty-free license. For selling an enhanced license, you can earn up to 30%.
Is selling on Shutterstock worth it?
For most stock photographers, illustrators, and videographers, Shutterstock represents the primary income source, ranging between 50%-70%.
Therefore, Shutterstock is probably your best choice for selling your photos.
How do I sell my photos on Shutterstock?
1. Create content. Take beautiful and high-quality photos or videos.
2. Submit it to Shutterstock. Next, you need to upload your content to the Shutterstock platform.
3. Add description and keywords. Adding as much relevant detail as possible will maximize your earnings.
4. Get paid. You make money every time your content is downloaded.
What percentage does Shutterstock take?
Shutterstock takes a big chunk of the earnings, ranging from 85% to as low as 60%. The more content you sell, the higher your earnings will get, and the lower Shutterstock’s earnings will become.
How much does it cost to be a Shutterstock Contributor?
Being Shutterstock Contributor is entirely free; you will never pay anything. You can sign up for free and share your photos to make money.
How to delete the Shutterstock Contributor account?
You can delete your Shutterstock Contributor account by going to Account Settings in the top right corner, and under Account status, choose Delete Account. You will be asked to confirm this action with your password.
How to upload a video to Shutterstock Contributor?
You can upload videos the same way you upload your photos. From the homepage, Shutterstock Contributor, choose Upload content and then upload your video. Alternatively, Shutterstock encourages uploading via an FTPS.
How to sell photographs on Shutterstock?
The best way to sell photography on Shutterstock is via the Shutterstock Contributor program. It allows you to upload your best photos and get paid every time someone downloads them.
Does it cost anything to sell on Shutterstock?
No, selling on Shutterstock is completely free and very profitable. All you have to do is create a free account and upload your photos, which will be reviewed and approved by the Shutterstock quality team for free.
Summary
Contributor programs are nowhere as profitable as they used to be ten years ago or more. But the Shutterstock contributor program persists as the most profitable for most photographers. There are several reasons for that:
- Stock photo agencies have slashed their earnings to the bare minimum.
- There’s A LOT of content already uploaded.
Therefore, you have to upload consistently and stay up to date to make a living from stock photography.
Overall, if you’re looking to start with stock photography, Shutterstock is the best place to do so. Or you can find even more methods to sell photos online.
Photo Stocks to Make Money: Top 5 for Passive Income
Bubble
Making money from your photos is pretty easy, whether you're a professional or an amateur. Bubble has compiled the top 5 photo stocks where you can sell your work and earn passive income.
Photo stock is a bank of virtual images that acts as an intermediary between the author of a photo and those users who want to buy it. Requirements for photographers and their work, terms of cooperation, fees, as well as the terms of use of the platform differ from stock to stock.
Contents
Shutterstock
To sell your photos and make money on Shutterstock, you need to create a contributor account. When registering, indicate your real name and surname (as in your passport), email and residential address.
You will not be able to sell your photos immediately after registration. Shutterstock will ask you to submit some of your best work, which must be reviewed by the stock editors. Photos are accepted only in jpeg, the resolution is four megapixels minimum. You will also need to add the metadata of the photos: their description and keywords, by which users can then find the work they need. Detailed instructions on how to fill in metadata can be found on the photo stock website.
Verification can take up to seven business days. If the photos do not pass verification, an email will be sent to your email explaining the reasons. Having eliminated the shortcomings, you can try again - the number of attempts is unlimited. If the verification is passed, your account will be activated and you will be able to post photos to Shutterstock for sale.
Photostock changed the rules for calculating royalties on June 1, 2020. The amount depends on two things:
- the number of downloads of your photos during the calendar year;
is the rate purchased by the user who downloaded your photo.
The more photos you sell during a calendar year, the higher your account level will be and the more you can earn. For example, the first level (from 1 to 100 sold photos per year) gives a fee of 15% of the cost of the photo, and the sixth level (from 25,000 photos) - 40%.
| Level | Number of licenses | Income |
| First | to 100 | 15% |
| Second | 101–250 | 20% |
| Third | 251–500 | 25% |
| Fourth | 501-2 500 | 30% |
| Fifth | 2,501–25,000 | 35% |
| Sixth | over 25,000 | 40% |
If the user purchased the photo using the free trial version, you will receive a fixed ten cents for downloading.
How to withdraw money
The minimum payment to a Shutterstock contributor is $35 and the maximum is $2,000. Moreover, the platform allows you to change the minimum amount that will be transferred to you. You can do this in your account settings in the "Payment Information" section.
Pays for photo stock through PayPal, Skrill and Payoneer electronic payment providers - choose the one that suits you best. Payments are calculated on the first day of each month. Payments are sent during the second week of the month.
Depositphotos
The requirements for getting started with Depositphotos are the same as with Shutterstock. You sign up, upload your best photos, get verified and start earning. Photos are accepted in jpeg/jpg format, with a minimum resolution of 3.8 megapixels (2400×1600 pixels).
Depositphotos has five author account levels. It is set depending on the number of photos downloaded by users. First level — up to 499 downloads, second — 500-4 999 downloads, third for 5,000-24,999, fourth for 25,000-149,999, and fifth for 150,000 downloads.
If your photo was bought under the "Download Packages" tariff, the amount of royalties for selling a photo depends on your level.
| Level | Percentage of value |
| First | 30% |
| Second | 32% |
| Third | 34% |
| Fourth | 36% |
| Fifth | 38% |
If the user bought the photo by subscription, the fee will also vary depending on your level, but it is no longer determined by percentages, but by a fixed amount for the sale.
| Level | $ | fee
| First | 0.25 |
| Second | 0.27 |
| Third | 0.29 |
| Fourth | 0.31 |
| Spotted | 0.33 |
Moreover, downloading one photo under the "Download Packages" tariff is considered as one sale.
The work that the user has downloaded by subscription is considered one third of the sale - downloading three files by subscription equals one sale.
How to withdraw money
The minimum payment amount is $50. A request to withdraw money is sent in the author's personal account - Vendor menu -> Withdraw money.
Photostock has no fixed terms for withdrawing money. The amount earned by the author remains in the account until he / she decides to take it.
Getty Images
You can sell your photos on Getty Images only through the Contributor application (App Store, Google Store). Works are accepted only in jpeg, the minimum size is 720×960 pixels, the maximum size is 9000×9000 pixels.
After registering for verification, you need to send from three to six photos. The platform will then enter into a non-exclusive agreement with you. This means that the photos that you post on Getty Images will be inexpensive, but they can be published (and made money on them) on other photo stocks.
Some time after the start of cooperation with the platform, you will be able to conclude an exclusive agreement. It will not be possible to sell photos with such a license on other stocks, but they will cost more than
All photos, regardless of the type of agreement, will be available to users of the iStock stock. With the gettyimages.com website, everything is a little different: with a non-exclusive agreement, your works are available only to site subscribers, and photos of the owner of an exclusive agreement are shown, among other things, to those who have not bought a subscription.
Depending on the type of agreement, the royalty varies from 15% to 45% of the license cost. All prices are published on the photo stock website.
How to withdraw money
The minimum amount is $100. To set up automatic withdrawal of money, you need to select a payment system (Paypal or Payoneer) in the author's personal account. If the minimum threshold is not reached, this money is added to your income in the next month.
Photostock pays a fee one month after the user has purchased a license for your photo.
Adobe Stock
Any Adobe Stock contributor must register on the platform. To complete your account creation, click "Download My First Resource" even if you don't plan to download anything yet. After that, in the “Author Account” tab, you will need to upload your tax form. Detailed tax information and related FAQs are posted on the Adobe website.
Stock only allows you to upload photos in jpeg format. The minimum resolution is four megapixels, the maximum resolution is 100 megapixels. Photo captions should contain a short description of the content (ideally up to 70 characters) in the form of a sentence: “Children are walking in the park.” The photo must also contain keywords. Detailed instructions for writing these words can be found here.
All photos are reviewed by the Adobe Stock team. On average, verification takes five working days.
Fee for the sale of the license - 33% of the cost of the photo.
For example, if it is purchased by a user with a $29.99 plan that includes the purchase of ten licenses per month, then the fee will be 99 cents ($29.99/10 photos x 33%). The minimum fee is 33 cents.
How to withdraw money
The minimum amount you can request is $25. You can get it via PayPal, Payoneer or Skrill, provided that at least 45 days have passed since the first sale on Adobe Stock.
Dreamstime
Dreamstime is a photo stock with simple registration, where you do not need to provide your real name, address, and other personal information.
After registration, you need to upload a few photos for verification, which will appear in your account if approved. If the work does not pass the test, a letter with a description of the problem will be sent to the mail. Photo requirements: jpeg format, minimum resolution of three megapixels.
Initially, each photo is assigned a zero level. It grows depending on the number of downloads. The higher the level of the photo, the higher the price for it.
From each sale, the author receives 25-50% of the cost of the photo. The amount also depends on the size of the photo. For example, an exclusive photo of the third level of the extra small size costs 99 cents, of which the author will receive 33%. An exclusive photo of the fifth level of the extra large size is valued at $8.75, of which the author will receive 49.5%.
All prices are published on the photo stock website.
How to withdraw money
The author can request a withdrawal as soon as the balance reaches $100. The request is sent in the author's personal account. Money is withdrawn via PayPal, Skrill, Payoneer or checks.
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how to make money on photo and microstocks
Photography is a fairly common hobby.
If you know how to take pictures and are looking for additional sources of income, then you probably thought about selling pictures or creating illustrations.
A logical question arises: where to look for clients? Yes, and those that they consistently needed new images ...
What is a photo stock
Like any other "exchanges" of content, such sites simplify the search for unique material for their projects. In our case, these are pictures, as well as illustrations and even vector images or videos.
Services where buyers and visual content creators find each other can be roughly divided into two groups:
- public sites with a simplified license form: “massmarket”, where you can buy inexpensive amateur-level images;
- sites of companies selling high quality photographs taken by famous and experienced photographers.
In other words, photo stocks are one of the main "suppliers" of content used everywhere: from primitive articles about cooking to school textbooks.
The company itself, which is part-time owner of the site, receives a certain percentage from each photo sold.
Of course, most of the photobanks are aimed at specific buyers: manufacturers of advertising printing or journalists and authors of articles in periodicals.
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Target audience for selling photos
The main feature of images purchased from freelance photographers is their realism and "liveness". Unlike a professional, an amateur can capture everyday life "in the moment". And who needs emotions and naturalness? Of course, brands and advertising companies.
And on almost every stock you are guaranteed to meet with:
- Internet art lovers who collect unusual pictures “for the soul”;
- design professionals;
- advertisers interested in a “beautiful picture” that can captivate the target audience and motivate them to buy;
- by publishers, book authors and media professionals (considered the most demanding and "difficult" clients, as they are particularly interested in the quality and uniqueness of images).
Not only the type of license for copyright transfer will depend on the type of buyer, but also the content itself: each of the listed clients needs different photos or illustrations.
For example, an author of a children's book is looking for images with animalistic themes, and an employee of a city newspaper is looking for photos of the city or its inhabitants. Very often, summaries, interviews and media reports use pictures taken not by the journalists themselves, but by freelance microstockers.
Brands that use illustrations for commercial purposes also frequently scour photobanks for attractive and colorful photos that are suitable for advertising products and services.
How to start selling photos
Our "starting point" is to find a platform to post our work.
When choosing a photo bank, special attention should be paid to the requirements for pictures and images. After registration, you will be able to start uploading photos - the stock will automatically check whether your photos meet the quality requirements.
Microstocks for beginners offer transparent conditions and a guarantee that the buyer will receive a picture only after full payment. On the other hand, the price of your work will be determined by the platform itself - usually one image costs several dollars. The final cost set by the stock depends on:
- license type;
- photo sizes;
- difficulties and themes.
Again, do not be too lazy to read the user agreement and check the reviews on the selected resource in advance - each photo bank has its own rules, conditions and evaluation criteria.
Copyright and license
The main requirement of any stock is that the author must have the rights to sell the files.
You will only need to obtain filming permits if you plan to sell images for commercial use. And for photos that will end up in a popular science magazine or news, it is not necessary to “mess around” with documents.
The two most common types are:
- Property Release.
This is the name of the form filled out by the owner of the territory where the pictures were taken (if it is private). For example, if you want to take a picture in a museum and post an image with a recognizable statue, you need to enter information about its owner, address, and a description of the property itself into the document. - Model Release. On most photo stocks, you won't be able to post other people's photos without this important agreement. Even if the picture shows a group of several people, the consent of each of those present is required. Enough information about the model, the author and the signature of the witness. For candid shots, a copy of the passport of a naked person is additionally provided - this is the only way the stock can make sure that he has reached the age of majority.
There are also several types of licenses, and you can choose the one that suits you. For example:
- Editorial is actively used on Shutterstock and is used for editorial photos: photos from events, photos of politicians or actors.
This type of license does not require additional consent from the model itself. - Extended Royalty-Free is a good choice for commercial images, and the buyer can share (print) the image countless times. At the same time, the author does not receive royalties from each sale of clothes, a magazine or a book, but he can continue to publish an already sold picture and receive more profit.
- Royalty-Free is a standard license that doesn't cost you a huge fee, but you can easily offer your work to several people at the same time. They, in turn, do not receive rights to the image, but they can also use it in several projects at once, except for commercial ones. For a logo or trademark, such an illustration will not work.
- Rights-Ready - Less common. This type of license allows you to post photos only on a specific site / print only in a specific publication and immediately provide information about this to the seller.
Reuse is acceptable, but only when the purpose and the project itself do not change. - Rights-Managed - not found on microstocks, the cost of such images is much higher than the market. The author himself can set restrictions: for example, that the image cannot be used in England or that he does not want the photo to appear in a PepsiCo advertisement. What then is the benefit to the buyer? First, it is highly likely that the picture will be exclusive. Secondly, he always knows where the image has already been placed before. For us, as for microstockers, an obvious plus will be an increased fee and attribution.
Some photobanks may slightly change the conditions, which is why we always carefully read all agreements.
The average salary of an author
The ability to sell one's work takes years to develop, so this type of freelancing cannot be called "easy". The more you put in the effort, the harder you try on the final result and increase the volumes, the higher the chance to reach a stable income in foreign currency.
Microstocks for illustrators can bring in up to 3-4 thousand dollars a month if you work "on a stream". Simple math: the average cost of one picture is about a dollar, post 4000 high-quality works - you can get 2000-4000 dollars per month.
Earnings will be affected by:
- your photography skills and experience;
- the ability to adapt to the tastes of the target audience;
- continuous improvement of the quality of work and analysis.
Again, no one will refuse to receive 500-1000 dollars in addition to income from their main job. This amount can be earned in a "semi-passive form", if you take a lot of pictures on popular topics, publish them, and then from time to time just replenish your portfolio.
Earnings are directly proportional to your desire to earn. The only true way is to try, study and improve yourself.
Easy start
So, you have a camera in your hands (or an already assembled portfolio of several tens or hundreds of works), and you are completely ready to start developing a new niche.
Then feel free to start: choose the stock you like and register on it. If you still have not decided on a platform, then I will help you and consider 10 popular sites from which you can start the “path” of a microstocker.
During registration, you will be asked to agree to the terms of use of the service and the rules for posting photos - they are different for all platforms, but there are common features.
Photo Requirements
Photographs posted for sale must meet 8 minimum requirements. They are:
- Commercial value. The most important point: we create stock images for advertising campaigns and commercial use. That is why photobanks often skip exactly those pictures that are suitable for illustrating online publications, magazines and advertising.
- "Hygienic cleanliness". All items in the frame (whether dishes, fruits or clothing in front of people) must be neat and clean. No scratches, dust, stains or other damage is allowed.
- Don't go overboard with processing. You can slightly correct the color or tone, but the result of the processing must remain natural and natural, so that later the image can be easily used as a source.
- Chromatic aberration. A popular technical error that is easily fixed using standard software from Adobe. Optics tend to slightly distort the image, and it is better to get rid of aberrations before selling.
- Correct accent. With the help of depth of field and focus, you can achieve the effect of "highlighting" important objects in a photo. The depth of field, in turn, will depend on the purpose of the image - whether you create a collage from it or leave it as a background for text or other images.
- Correct exposure. Underexposure and overexposure are a sign of incorrectly configured equipment. Although the stocks themselves “love” pictures in white, pastel and light shades, this effect should be achieved through the right exposure level and “studio” background.
- Digital noise. An important parameter that must be checked when publishing. To avoid noise, set the correct ISO (up to 400-800) and refrain from shooting indoors with difficult lighting conditions. You can use a flash or additional light sources. And don't "play" with sharpness when converting photos from RAW format if you use a camera.
- The right size. The image must have a size of 1200-1600 pixels on its smaller side. Usually this requirement is easily met even in the case of working with the most budget cameras, but when cropping the resulting photos, you should be especially careful.
I'll mention artifacts separately: they appear when photos are repeatedly saved in the same JPEG format. Another common reason is that the author of the pictures tried to artificially increase their size by stretching them in a photo editor.
The recommended settings are quite simple, and even a novice photographer can handle them - choose the RAW format for the source files, then export them to PSD or TIFF formats.
Optimal resolution: 240-300 dpi. And already finished works should have the maximum quality available for JPEG - 12.
So that the pictures do not "stale" publish series after series and do not deny yourself anything.
Wait a minute! Despite the fact that the photos have successfully passed moderation, there are no views, and new customers are in no hurry to transfer money to you. Why so?
Aesthetic sense in the art of working with wastewater is practically useless, and sometimes even gets in the way. To reach a stable income, you will have to neglect your “sense of beauty”, focusing on demand.
But that doesn't mean that art shots don't sell at all! It's just that the interest of customers in them is much lower. Therefore, even with the stable publication of a large number of albums with "aesthetic" photos, many of the works will be looking for their client for weeks, months and even years.
Above, we have already talked about our audience and made a portrait of it.
Now you need to understand what queries potential buyers most often enter into the stock search bar.
As you can see, images related to everyday life sell best - they illustrate articles, books and magazines. Everyday scenes, recently released gadget models, sporting events and beautiful food shots will definitely not go unnoticed. Consider seasonality: take a series of pictures for Christmas or Black Friday.
The task of any content maker is to be able to make "live" works that inspire confidence and positive emotions.
Professional equipment is not a prerequisite
But what if you don't have a good SLR or even an ordinary soap dish at hand? After all, the quality of images will suffer greatly, you will have to make more efforts to process them, and constantly renting equipment at first can be too expensive.
Again, don't worry about it. A novice microstocker is not obliged to immediately buy expensive cameras - the activity in mobile photobanks is much higher now.
Moreover, modern gadgets are capable of producing a picture that is as close as possible to a “professional” one. To get high quality original shots from a simple smartphone, try:
- Notice something unusual in the frame. Long details or sharp lines (such as a road) make a nice accent to almost any landscape photo. If you shoot architecture or still life - "listen" to the symmetry. Perhaps it is precisely the symmetrically arranged elements that will successfully complete the composition.
- Take multiple photos at once. Especially when shooting moving subjects: for example, a cyclist, animals, children. A good shot spoiled by a blurred face or figure will be unsellable. Try to change the shooting point, angles, angles, approach the object and move away from it. You can delete extra pictures with a clear conscience when you start watching the material.
- Correctly configure the device itself. Such a basic thing as a "camera grid" can help in the work - this way you will definitely make sure that you do not fill up the horizon and correctly center the frame.
Set the optimal ISO and exposure settings depending on the place where you are working (life hack: the more light and movement in the frame, the lower the ISO). If you are not at all familiar with the settings, just select the HDR mode - it will independently determine the optimal exposure level.
We have prepared the images, there is one more important part left: their processing. I have already said above that you should not impose a bunch of effects on pictures. But this does not mean that you need to abandon the use of Photoshop and similar programs once and for all - improve your pictures, crop them and “paint” so that the finished work looks organic.
The main advantage of using a smartphone is the mobility of its owner. A photographer can quickly capture an interesting breed of dog on the way to the store, or an unusual natural phenomenon. Perhaps you will notice an old building, a beautiful girl or a cozy green square and you can immediately capture them without worrying about the heavy camera left at home.
Promoting our works
Everything seems to be going well: the topic is up-to-date and the quality is high. But there's another barrier between you and your (still potential) clients: Users simply can't find jobs.
Tags! Here are the "helpers" that make it easier to search for images on a specific topic. And an incorrectly compiled tag cloud will only lead to one thing - users who are not interested in such pictures will stumble upon you. And the target audience, driving in the requests they are interested in, will not see your photos, which they would most likely like.
There are only two solutions:
- Improve English. Search and memorize more synonyms, adjectives and names that are used on sites. For example, you took a photo of a model in a Halloween costume and added only "evil" to your list of tags. But this word has many more synonyms - the same "inferior", "tainted", "immoral" or "nefarious".
- Use helper applications.
There are several sites that collect the tag cloud for you - just enter the main keywords, and artificial intelligence will automatically form a larger database of words.
Usually users don't search for key phrases of more than 2-3 words: break long phrases into components. Instead of "little kitten playing with a ball", it's better to say "little kitten, kitten playing, ball, kitten with a ball" or any other variations. It is not necessary to indicate articles for words: instead of “a ball”, it is enough to leave a concise “ball”.
Most photo stocks allow you to specify 50-70 tags: use this feature in moderation. It is better to choose fewer words, but suitable for your work, than to indicate tags that are absolutely not associated with it. For example, when at the next photo stock I meet some kind of “rush” (in direct translation: hurrying, haste) under the picture where the character is basking on a sun lounger in the rays of the setting sun, it looks strange and pointless.
10 applications for selling photos
Microstock photobanks increase the chance of finding regular customers who will purchase your photos for their websites once a week, a month, or several months. Thanks to a smart pricing policy, there is always an audience there - who came to the site with different goals and wishes.
It has become even more convenient to use drains since the widespread use of smartphones. Hundreds of apps are available 24/7: on the road, in the office, or even while travelling. Additional features that appear every now and then on different platforms help you quickly build a personal brand and gain experience.
Publishing photos on the go
- One of the most popular iOS and Android apps is Agora . Pleasant, minimalistic design and the absence of a commission for the withdrawal of earned funds allowed him to quickly "become famous" in the circles of microstockers. For additional promotion, you can share your profile on social networks and level up within the site.
To do this, you should upload a lot of high-quality images, share your experience with others, and participate in contests (they are also called “requests” - contests resemble a tender system for choosing an artist). - Another place where, in addition to additional income, you can get new knowledge on photography is EyeEm . The application has a great community of authors who share useful contacts, life hacks and the latest news. As with the previous platform, the number of sales of the same photo is not limited. But here you will receive less - exactly half of what you earn. After registration, you will have to wait a little while the moderators carefully review your work. The service offers three types of licenses - $250 for full commercial, $50 for virtual, and $20 for social. Funds are withdrawn to PayPal.
- Another free app, Snapwire, is aimed at large companies and bloggers. After registration, pictures can be uploaded not only from a smartphone, but also through the desktop version.
Here there is a ranking system - in proportion to the level, earnings grow. An interesting feature of the service: there is a category of “challenge”, each of which has a specific prize pool (if successful, you will receive 70% from it) and conditions. Any authors can try to complete a task from a large firm or an opinion leader: thereby not only get money, but also get a couple of new clients. - And if you own an iPhone and want your creativity to "go to the masses" - be sure to check out miPic . The application gives an interesting opportunity: to sell finished products with your photographs. miPic visitors are looking for quality images to put on T-shirts, wallpapers, cases, and even flip flops! After viewing your image, they can instantly pay for it and use it for commercial purposes.
"Combat classics" - the most popular photobanks
Now let's get back to the photobanks, the advertisements of which are guaranteed to come across to you while surfing the Internet.
- The first place that comes to mind when you hear the word stock is Shutterstock . The photo bank allows you to sell vector illustrations, 3D renderings, and regular photographs. He also promotes the work of novice authors - if you successfully passed the exam, then for some time you will “hang” in the top. Even if the photos are far from perfect, a loyal website audience is likely to increase your sales. Microstock photobank has its regular customers - at least because it is considered one of the largest and oldest services of this kind. On the other hand, residents of the CIS without a passport will face difficulties during registration: the site requires a scan of an international passport.
- Speaking of "classic" microstocks, one cannot ignore Getty Images. iStock is a marketplace created by the founders of Getty. By the way, this is the first microstock that appeared on the Internet. iStock invites new users to take a theory test and upload three different types of photos.
It is possible to modify and improve their quality in case of deviation several times. On the other hand, this particular platform is considered one of the most difficult to work with - the requirements are too high.
Exchange of experience and a fresh interface
Many freelancers are already tired of the monotonous design "a la zero". And I also want to communicate with colleagues, become part of a real community and gain new knowledge.
- Ultra stylish photo hosting 500px is aimed at professional photographers - here they get feedback and improve their skills. By the way, on 500px you will not find caricature staged images: the service is focused on art and aesthetics. The format of the "social network" does not bother, being on the site (or in the application) and working with it is as comfortable as possible. But the free features are very limited: you won't be able to upload more than 10 photos per week if you don't activate a paid subscription.
- Another Instagram-like stock is Twenty20 . But it has a slightly different direction: if 500px is a "haven" for professionals, then authentic and "real" shots are valued at Twenty20. Users posting their work on the service are required to use a minimum of filters and refuse staged photos - it is better not to post pictures where the model is posing or looking at the camera. Most of the published images are portraits. Also, there is no entrance exam on the platform and you can participate in contests.
Time-tested
- Let's turn again to the overly popular photobanks that were "pioneers" in the field of microstocks. You probably know the Depositphotos service that has been operating for more than 10 years, the level of sales is consistently high, and registering and successfully passing exams is much easier here than on the same Shutterstock. In addition to vector illustrations and raster images, the site accepts videos for sale.
Here, too, a system of "levels" is provided - the status is assigned depending on the number of sales. - Does the word "exam" scare you? Take a look at Dreamstime - you don't need a passport or portfolio to create an account. The only requirement: the uniqueness of each of your work. The more downloads, the higher the rating of a particular picture. But the image rating already affects the royalties for its sale: if your image becomes popular, you will receive up to 80% of its original cost. But with large series, you will have to slow down - firstly, the site zealously cleans even similar photos, and secondly, there is a limit on the number of downloads per week.
Ways to withdraw funds from photobanks
Finally! You've received your first payout: it's time to cash it out.
Photo banks always provide several ways to earn money. I have collected the three most common ones - you are guaranteed to meet one of them on the site with which you will cooperate.
