We all love taking pictures, don’t we? But did you know that anyone can sell their photos directly online? Your photo catalog could earn you big if you know the right websites to place it on. Many people need images every day to illustrate their websites, magazines, brochures, posters and more, and they are willing to pay for the right to use your photos. Selling photographs online can be a great way to make some extra cash with minimal effort.
There are different ways to make money online from your photos. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Some people make money by building a hugely popular online catalog and selling ad space on the same website. Another method is to sell your photos by printing them on merchandise, such as t-shirts, mugs, or calendars.
Other photographers build a gallery and sell their photographs directly to private clients or make money by organizing photo shoots, once they become famous. The downside of these methods is that they require extensive photography experience, as well as a large portfolio of images to display. The alternative is to exhibit your photographs on stock photography sites.
Once you sign up, you simply upload some of your photos and submit them for approval. If they are accepted and a person wants to buy them or pay for the right to use them, the site will pay you the amount of the transaction after taking a commission.
A very wide variety of photo sales sites exist. Among the most popular we have: Dreamstime, Shutterstock, Fotolia and iStockphoto.com. These sites all have the particularity of accepting amateur photos. Registration is also free.
Each site has slightly different rules and guidelines on what photographs they seek and are willing to accept. For example, there are strict rules on ownership and copyrights. If there are recognizable people in your photos, then you will need to ask them to sign an agreement to use their image for commercial purposes.
Likewise, there are rules that prohibit you from using photographs that contain certain buildings, logos and brands. Also, all stock photography sites have their own commissions and payment methods. Thus, it is worth taking some time to read the different charters to determine which one best meets your expectations.
Sometimes earnings for photo uploads through a subscription can just fetch you pennies. But, those gains can add up quickly if you manage to post a substantial amount of quality photography. Some sites pay more when downloads reach a certain level.
Also, the sale price may be higher, if the buyer requests a high resolution version rather than a low resolution version. Some of these online photography sites will pay you a lot more if you agree to give them exclusivity on your photos. For example, iStockphoto pays up to three times more commission to exclusive photographers.
In addition to paying more per exclusive photograph, Dreamstime also pays a bonus each time an exclusive photo is uploaded. One of the great things about online stock photography sites is that your portfolio can grow and earn you residual income while you’re not even active on the site anymore.
The first photo you successfully uploaded could earn you money for 10 years or more. Usually, you will need to reach a minimum threshold such as €100 before you can withdraw your winnings. Most sites pay by Paypal, bank transfer or check.
You will probably have to learn to deal with a few rejections at the start of your career as an internet photography seller. All stock photography sites have a pretty good idea of what types of images their customers are looking for. Thus, they only accept images that meet well-defined criteria. Most buyers are looking for photos that they can easily repost elsewhere.
The most searched photos are usually very simple images on a white background. For example, images of dogs or cats that they can work on in Photoshop. Very often, the simpler the photography, the more successful it will be. Over time you will know which of your images are selling the best so that you can build your portfolio in a more targeted way. photography professionals should think twice before committing to it because the income is relatively very low compared to that obtained directly from organized structures such as advertising agencies, press houses and large communication companies .