Make money online by selling photo

Do you know you can get paid by selling your photo. http://www.123rf.com is one website that you can earn by selling your photo.Basically you can earn with them in 3 simple steps:
1. You can SELL your photos
The Deal: 50% of the nett proceeds from each photo downloaded
2. Also REFER customers for money
The Deal: 15% of the purchase or subscription (everything depends on quality of your referrals )
3. And REFER photographers

Some other website:

http://www.Istockphoto.com

http://www.zoomandgo.com

http://www.shareapic.net

http://www.spymac.com

 

hhmm i wonder if anyone want my photo

 

I have thought about doing that but I am not much of a photograper and I am sure it would probably show - lol

 

I have researched this extensively in the past (before life got too busy to devote serious time to my photography hobby), and found this to be the best resource for information and inspiration:
http://www.dphotojournal.com/sell-photos-online
The site is run by a semi-pro photographer who makes $2500-3000 a month selling photos online. He has monthly earnings posted, stats on the various microstock photo sites, and tons of great advice for getting started. The "comments" section is extremely informative, but quite a long read.

 

I'd love to do this!
I doubt my pictures would raise much attention, though...
It looks OK for those who are more than a bit serious about photography.
Am I wrong?

 

I would love to look into this! I have been wanting to get into photography, which is one of the reasons I started a home based business. I want more time to wander around and take pictures in different places. You can't do that when you're tied to a desk.

Thanks for starting this thread!

 

Very Interesting, will have to look into it.

 

There are much better sites than http://www.123rf.com
Also http://www.istockphoto.com is considered good and top site (because it was pioneer in microstock and people are used to it) but these days it pays only small commission from the sales to the contributors, so it is not so worth as it was before.

I suggest you to try these top micro stock sites:
http://www.shutterstock.com
http://www.fotolia.com
http://www.dreamstime.com

 

Another great idea for making money that has been made readily available to people because of the internet.

There are great ways to make money online. Getting to the big monthly income is the goal. The kind of income that can give you some true financial flexibility and freedom.

Make a nice 4 figure income selling photos is great. Good to see such success.

 

The trick is to have LOTS of photos uploaded in demand categories.
A few bucks per picture adds up if you have hundreds, or more.
I use iStockPhoto.com, Fotolia.com, and DreamsTime.com
I find DreamsTime to be the easiest to work with.
iStockPhoto is the biggie if you are pro level.
Most of us are not ready for prime time.
But that doesn't mean give up!
I got plenty of rejections before being accepted.
They usually tell you why so you can get better.

 

this is interesting, i should look into that. thanks.

 

I left out ShutterStock.com, probably because I gave up trying to please them.
Just got a notice from DreamsTime they are giving an iPad for the 10,000,000 th photo submitted.
Any day now.

Submit to as many reputable sites as possible for the best sales.
They all have different requirements, percentages, and customer bases.
It takes time and effort in the beginning but builds to a nice income.
The more pictures the better your chances are of selling some.
Don't even bother if you can't handle a little rejection.

 

Yes, Dreamtime is definitely must try site if you are serious about selling through micro stock. Maybe it sounds like promotion, but the site is really great!
It is traditionally very popular amongst of whole spectrum of users because of its unique and very friendly attitude towards users. For example, as Just2EZ said. They will celebrate their 10 millionth image in the database with iPod price. As another reward to the contributors, at that day when 10 millionth image will be submitted - all nonexclusive contributors will get 100% of royalties from images they will sell that day. Exclusive contributors will even get 110% (agency will pay that 10% from their pocket), and all buyers -20% off from all purchases.
Things like these are what makes Dreamstime different from other agencies. Or, for example, each month they create new contest for contributors, with some interesting photographic theme. Valuable prices are tradition, iPod, first place image 300$ instant account bonus, 2nd place 200$, 3rd place 100$, also company T-shirts, etc. All images that attend contest (needs to be approved by editors) have choice to be rewarded by leveling to level 5 ??“ it is like they were downloaded 100 times, in level 5 even lowest image dimension cost 9$ (in contrast to standard level 1 pricing at lowest image dimension which is 1$), and images like these are usually sorted on first page(s) of search engine results (depending of what sorting customer selected). Or they can be rewarded by instant 25$ bonus - and then they will be "sold" to agency's custom collection. Its up to you when you submit image for assignment, I recommend first choice.
Each user can have there also blogs, where users can talk about what they want.

So, to make it short. They are really one of best places to try, if you want to submit to micro stock. I am just hobbyist photographer (I shoot what I want, not images primary for micro stock) but I am very satisfied with them.

 

Wow! Jareso, I'm jealous of your portfolio on DreamsTime!
Keep up the great work and encouraging others.
Anyone who wants proof just take a look at Jareso's portfolios.
Thanks for sharing. Motivates me to get busy and practice more.

 

If you want to learn the tricks of the trade you might want subscribe to the newsletter put out by
http://www.thephotographerslife.com/
Of course they want to sell you their courses in every email but in over 2 years I have yet to spend a dime or unsubscribe. You will get an email every day with tips on how to take better photos plus how and where to sell them. Real advice from real people who make a living selling photos.
I give them a thumbs up for sharing real, helpful advice for free.

 

I read somewhere that you need to have at least a thousand photos uploaded before you see any kind of return? I could believe that on the basis that you will be up against a lot of really good competition.

In that case, I would have thought at least few thousand pics would be required to make any sort of decent income. I suppose it's all down to quality and relevance. Like most things really

 

Just2EZ
Thank you very much for your nice words regarding my hobby stock portfolio ...

markdudek
The answer is yes and no. It really depends on many factors. Yes, when you have thousands of most wanted photos you are on the good way to make stock your full time income.

But I also know people that don't have so many images, but are successful in terms of sales and income. It also depends on what your financial needs are ... Money that someone may consider big, might just be not enough for someone else and vice-versa.

But as I understand it (and I am just hobby photographer as I said ??“ I do it mostly for fun, and I am faaaaaar from the top seller ), by watching this scene around microstock ... The key seems to be in, shooting things that are:
1.) Wanted shots: such as shoots with people in various poses, in office, working with computers, shaking hands, medicine shoots, food, etc. there are tons of shoots like these on stock photo websites, but they still seem to sell very well.
2.) Another way to go is to shoot something that none else can (easily) shoot. Really inaccessible mountains (Mount Everest anyone? ), astrophotography, real underwater (deep in sea or ocean) photography, etc. Or also really exotic travel destinations, both landscape shots, but also lets say for example shots of happy woman/man on the beach, in the water, on the palm tree could be selling well. Regional shoots of cultural heritage (castles, ruins, historical towns), can sell also ??“ if someone actually needs them for their current project.

Another advice could be to try to think the way the buyers think. What would you buy if you where going to illustrate some website, etc. Watch things around you, in shops, billboards, advertisements, TV spots, just explore ??“ what photos are used on product covers, try to think how would you shoot it. I don't mean to copy ??“ just seek for inspiration and try to do it your self in the better way.

This is as I understand it, after the years of watching this stock photo scene as hobbiyst photographer, exploring stock agencies, reading articles, forums, discussing with other people involved in stock.

Maybe it will help a little ... have a nice day.

 

How much can one earn from selling photo onine?
What is the commission rate?

ctx

 

The price you get depends on several factors, but basically .25 - $5.00

#1 being the size of the photo in megapixels and usage restrictions
#2 the agency and exclusivity - only selling it on one site (or not)
#3 your rank as a desired photographer - top ones set their own prices

The way around all that is VOLUME, some make more .25 at a time than an exclusive would at $200.
Most sites have 2 tiers, one for exclusive and one with no restrictions on outside sales.
There are over 2 dozen profitable agencies so don't give up if Getty doesn't accept you.
Again, VOLUME is the key to making a living with micro-stock, even for pros.
That is, having 10,000 photos for sale, not selling one 10,000 times.

 

Very nice summary Just2EZ!

And really ??“ as Just2EZ already noted - the most important is: DON'T GIVE UP!!!

Most of the new photographers give it up waaaaaaay toooooo early.

1. Common mistake:
They just try to submit few (>10) photos / graphics for inspection and when they have most of them rejected they quit! - No! This is not a way to go in stock. Try it again! Got again refused? Don't care about it! ??“ Try it again! And again, and ... do I need to continue???

2. Common mistake:
After submitting xy photos / graphics, they finally have some (10+) approved. And then they quit, sit back and wait for full bag of $$$$$ to come! No! This is not a way how it goes in stock. Expecting that you will make full bag of $$$$$ with some few (10+) photos is ...

Again as Just2EZ mentioned ??“ VOLUME (Unless you are taking some really specific shoots ??“ like real underwater photography, Mount Everest, or some really high demand / outstanding photos that everyone will want to download, etc.) the way to go is really VOLUME.

I know, ... not everyone can produce thousands of top stock photos in a month.
Me including! I am just a hobby photographer and I have also relatively small stock portfolios (about 300+ photos) at stock agencies. But every time I can / when I have a mood ??“ I try to upload some more.
(Even when I upload just 1, 2 or 3 images.)

So again! Keep uploading more and more. No matter if you will upload just a few photos in a day, week, or even in a month.
But, just upload something! Have a fresh portfolio.
New, and new photos again.
Follow your own schedule and quantity but ... just upload some new photos every time you can!

No sales for weeks, or even months at the beginning?
Don't care! Just upload, they will come (hopefully) later.

Hope this helps.