The opportunities to earn money as a photographer are endless. There are many ways to make a living through Photography, including freelance work, contract work, and photography services.
Whichever route you choose, there is always room for
improvement. Keep your eyes open for new opportunities, and never be afraid to
ask for recommendations from other photographers. With hard work and a bit of
luck, you too can become a successful photographer!
A WORLD WITHOUT PHOTOGRAPHY
Take a step back with me two hundred years ago when photography was yet to
be discovered. How was the world like back then? What constituted their media?
What was the best way to capture a moment?
Well, step back into Today only without the invention of
cameras and photography; absurd huh? Imagine our world today without photography?
Billions and billions of images are non-existent; even scarier huh?
Photography, from the minute it was invented, has had an
immense impact on the world we live in. Not only has it made it possible for us
to record and document images forever but it has also changed our perception of
the world, the creatures in it, and the events that come and go with life. When
it was invented in the 1830s, it made capturing the moment possible. Before,
this time the only way to see an event after it had happened was by looking at
a painting or drawing.
Although the first photograph took 8 hours to take,
progress and developments in this field took the world by storm. Now it is
uncommon for anyone not to own a mobile phone with an in-built camera or a
digital camera. I bet everyone in this century has taken a picture or two. The
internet today is flooded with innumerable amount of images; of people,
objects, animals and nature itself.
The most noticeable difference if photography had not been
invented on the world today if you ask me, would be the lack of immediacy that modern technology gives us. We simply pull out our cameras or phones and
can snap away, meaning that the images we record could be on the internet in
a matter of seconds. Without this, many communication networks would not
exist. The craze of ‘selfies’ by our generation has taken the internet by
storm. Social Media platforms owe their success to the millions of pictures and
videos people post online every day. From parties to weddings, events to riots, and special moments to simple ones, photography has made it possible to capture
all.
Today, photography is the largest growing hobby in the world with the hardware alone creating a multi-billion dollar industry. Thanks to this invention the TV and filmmaking industries are blooming, and with new tech coming up every day, we haven’t seen anything yet. Think of all the great movies and informative documentaries that have impacted your life one way or the other and helped shape your childhood. For every major moment in modern history, photographs have illustrated and astounded news that we could not possibly believe. When man walked on the moon, a camera was there. These photos can speak a million words and hit home, both emotionally and physically more so than any other form of communication. Photographs have a way of taking our breaths away, an ability to play tricks with our senses, and the power to change our beliefs. Photography allows people to see things that are indescribable. Telling someone that a war is devastating does not get that person to understand exactly how it is devastating.
“Photographs cannot lie,” this phrase was coined when
photography was first invented because photographs were seen as honest
representations of a scene, unlike paintings which were subjective to memory
and attitude to a situation. Painters could lie, a camera, they said, could
not. They were wrong. Photographs at the very beginning were infallible records
of the happenings that the camera was pointing at. This quickly changed, of
course. Photography had given people a way to lie through imagery, something that
before was so unrealistic and unbelievable. Today, finding a photograph in the
media that has not been altered with software such as Photoshop is like finding
a needle in a haystack. In a matter of minutes, people can easily alter images
to suit the story they want to tell. Photography has aided people to manipulate
public opinion by lying through the photographs they use. But, had photography
not been invented, the media as we know it now, our high streets, and our social
make-up would be drastically different. On television, we have 20 minutes of
advertising commercials in every one-hour length programme. Without photography, neither of these would exist.
It’s hard to think of any activity in our lives that does
not in some way benefit or capitalize from the use of photography. This is
especially true in the arts. If photography had not been invented today we
would be lacking a beautiful form of art and creativity. In the click of a
button, a masterpiece can be created. For many artists, photography has become
central to their art. It allows for experimentation without destroying the
beauty you had spent hours creating. You can alter a photo while still keeping
the original. Photography creates jobs, broadcasts culture and events and more
importantly it has aided us in almost every aspect of our lives either directly
or indirectly.
Photographs have the power to create, condemn, celebrate, or reveal and to catalyze. How that power has been used and abused is
subject to many debates but no one can disagree that the world would be a
dramatically different place had photography never been invented.
Now, back to the topic. Why Would Someone Want to Make
Money as a Photographer?
There are many reasons, but perhaps the most fundamental
reason is that people love Photography. It's a craft that can be used to
capture memories and moments, and it can also be used to tell stories.
Top 10 Places to Sell Photos Online and Make Money
Are you looking to make money online by selling your photos? Are you
curious about which sites allow stock photos to be sold?
You can make a lot of money as a photographer or even start
your own business! If you are familiar with the best places to sell photos
online, it is possible to make a lot of money as a photographer. There is a
high demand for photographers of all skill levels. Everybody, from big
corporations to small and medium-sized businesses to bloggers, graphic artists,
marketers, and publishers, buys and uses photos online regularly.
This guide will show you the 10 best places online to sell
your photos and make money doing what is most important to you.
Who buys stock photos? What type of photos sells best?
Bloggers and owners of small- to medium-sized websites are
the largest buyers of stock photos.
Which images do they buy the most?
- People
from all cultures and countries, including children and adults!
- Businesses
love these images of people working. People work on their laptops,
writing, or speaking in a meeting. You shouldn’t make them too generic
that they become a common meme.
- Food —
There are many delicious food options, even if you don’t have any plates.
- Tools
— Potential buyers may be interested in tools such as hammers, nuts bolts,
and wrenches.
- Cities
— Cityscapes, buildings, people commuting.
- Nature
— This is an easy one to remember and never gets old to sell or shoot.
- Travel
— Photos from all over the globe are in great demand
Pro-tip: Take a look at some of the image marketplaces that
we will discuss to see more popular images.
The Best Places to Sell Photos Online
1. Create Your Own Website
Your website is the best place to sell your photos online.
That’s because:
- You
can determine your prices.
- Nobody
else takes a cut.
- You
can choose how you want to display your photos.
- You
are free to set your terms and conditions.
- You
are in complete control.
Are you not yet a webmaster? It’s easy to get started. This
is a quick guide to creating a WordPress website for photography. WordPress is
the most popular platform for professional photography websites.
To attract people to your site and convince them to purchase
your photos, it is important to show off your photos after you have created
them. To create photo galleries, we recommend Envira Gallery, a highly-rated
WordPress plugin.
Envira Gallery
Photo albums can be created with customizable Lightboxes
that allow you to display and categorize images in a way that is unique from
others.
The Envira
Gallery plugin includes a WooCommerce extension that lets you sell
photos quickly. If you decide to sell images on your site, you should learn how
to sell photos in WordPress.
If you don’t want to use WordPress, this guide will show you
how to make a Squarespace or Wix website.
2. Adobe Stock
Adobe Stock, formerly
Fotolia, is a stock photography marketplace from the maker of popular photo
editing software such as Lightroom and Photoshop. This online marketplace has
been in existence for more than 10 years. It is well-known as the first to
allow you to sell photos.
Adobe Stock’s royalty share is what you will love most. It
is much higher than other online shops.
Fotolia photos become part of Adobe Stock Library, meaning
they can be used in other Adobe applications. This means that millions of Adobe
users and potential buyers have access to them.
Adobe Stock offers a range of 20% to 60% for contributors.
Adobe Stock is not like other marketplaces that require you to grant them
exclusive rights to your images. You can also sell on Adobe Stock and other
platforms simultaneously.
Adobe Stock is a giant in stock photography and will likely
continue to be a top destination for both buyers and sellers.
3. Shutterstock
Shutterstock is a well-known site that allows you to
purchase stock photos online for more than 15 years. You can purchase
royalty-free images, videos, and music tracks from Shutterstock. This also
means that they have millions of customers.
This marketplace can make you a lot of money as a
photographer. Shutterstock claims that sellers have earned over $500 million
globally.
Shutterstock lets you keep copyrights protected. You can set
the rights to your photos through Shutterstock. Shutterstock gives credit to
the owners of the images, which is an important plus for protecting your
ownership rights and marketing your brand.
You can start earning money when someone downloads or purchases
your content once you have become a contributor to the site. Contributors can
earn anywhere from 20% to 30% depending on the price your image sells, which
Shutterstock pays monthly.
Shutterstock, like Adobe Stock, doesn’t require you to use
their marketplace exclusively. It is possible to sell on both Adobe Stock and
Shutterstock simultaneously!
4. Alamy
Alamy is another great platform for selling stock photos. It
doesn’t have any rigid rules.
Although it doesn’t have the same number of buyers as Adobe
Stock and Shutterstock, it is still a strong contender and another source of
revenue. Alamy allows photographers to upload photos without any licensing fees
or other copyright issues. Alamy has paid $180 million to photographers so far.
Alamy’s rates can be competitive too. Alamy pays 50% to
photographers if they exceed $25,000 per year. 40% for those with annual sales
less than $25,000, but greater than $250. 20% for contributors whose annual
revenues are below $250. This is more than other platforms.
5. Etsy
Etsy is best known for being a place to purchase and sell
handmade goods. This makes it a great choice when you are looking to sell stock
photos. Etsy has over 30 million registered users, and many different ways you
can sell your photos through the platform.
Etsy has a wider audience than other stock photo sites and
is ready to buy your images. You can sell digital images on Etsy but you can
also sell printed images. Etsy is a great way to grow your photography
business!
Remember to include shipping costs when selling prints.
Etsy allows you to price photos and gives you complete
control over how your photos are displayed to buyers. Etsy may be the right
choice for you if you are looking to have complete control over your photo
sales but do not want to create your own website.
6. Fotomoto
Fotomoto isn’t an online marketplace. It is a widget that
you can integrate with your site to sell photos online. Fotomoto will manage
all your photo selling processes after you have added them to your website.
Fotomoto is similar to Etsy. You can offer digital photos,
photo prints, and even canvases to your visitors. Fotomoto takes care of the
packaging for your material photos so that you don’t have to. If you want to
sell photo prints or canvas, it’s even easier!
Fotomoto’s widget is completely customizable. To display
your branding information and logo, you can modify the widget’s settings.
Customers will learn about your brand and associate it with your images.
Fotomoto is a great tool for professional photographers, hobbyists,
and graphic designers. It integrates seamlessly with any WordPress site. To
learn more about the monthly plans, tiered pricing, and transaction fees, visit
the widget website.
7. Crestock
Crestock is a passive way to make money with your
photography. Create a Crestock account and upload your photos. After evaluating
your photos, the Crestock team will add them to your Crestock portfolio for
customers to purchase.
Crestock editors will approve images that have keywords and
descriptions. These keywords and descriptions can help you find your photos
amongst the sea of stock images available on this site.
8. 500px
500px allows you to create a portfolio and make money
online. This is the best place to sell your photos online.
This site is free and features a Pulse algorithm that allows
you to increase your exposure by uploading your new uploads on a Discovery
page. The Discovery page is viewed daily by thousands.
You can also track your images and see analytics on the
site. Have you ever wondered how many clicks each image gets? How do you
compare to your peers? 500px can help answer your most pressing questions.
It is easy to get started with 500px. You can create a free
account to upload your images. Wait and watch what you find! You should also be
on the lookout for contests that can help you get more exposure and earn more
money.
9. Snapped4u
Snapped4u makes it easy to sell your event photos. Snapped4u
is the perfect tool for photographers who shoot weddings, parties, and
engagements.
Snapped4u allows you to create a gallery and upload images
you have taken from the gallery. You can then set the price for the photos, and
that’s it!
Snapped4u then converts your images to jpeg and sends them
directly to the buyers. Snapped4u then sends you the funds via PayPal each
month.
Each Snapped4u seller can have her own gallery page so that
customers who book you for multiple events will always be able to find your
images at the same location. You can also give your personal URL to anyone who
might be interested in purchasing your photos.
Snapped4u offers the highest profit share for each sale.
Snapped4u may charge a commission if the photos are purchased at good prices.
10. PhotoShelter
PhotoShelter allows you to sell and ship prints online to
your clients. You can create your own template to share the photos.
To upload photos, however, you will need to purchase the
space on their platform. You can choose from a variety of plans with different
features, including monthly or yearly.
Conclusion
We hope you found this guide helpful in finding the best online places to sell your photos and make money. Comment below to let us know which stock photo strategy or site you are most excited about.