Where to Sell Your Photos
iStockPhoto– iStockPhoto can be a bit of a challenge to join. You have to join their site, read their manual, and take a quiz. Then you have to submit samples of your best work, and if accepted, you can start selling your photos. If you sell to multiple sites, you can earn 15% through iStockPhoto, but if you decide to become exclusive to their site, then you can earn anywhere between a 22-45% royalty rate on your photos. If you fulfill certain requirements, you can sell your images to the entire Getty Images Family. ShutterStock– It is free to contribute. All you have to do is sign up, and you can earn anywhere from $0.25 all the way up to $28.00 per image download. This can be very lucrative if your images are common or very general in subject, while being professional at the same time. Fotolia– Fotolia has a huge library of images available for professionals. You can sign up for a free account. Then, you just upload your images and give them relevant tags. Fotolia breaks down your ability to earn into 2 categories. The first one is for single image downloads and you can earn anywhere from 20%- 63% for each image, but this rate depends on if you are exclusive to Fotolia, and what your ranking is. The second rate is for when your image is sold via subscription download. You can earn 0.25 credits to 0.40 credits. Shutterfly– Shutterfly does things a little differently. Instead of selling your photos directly on their site, you pay an annual fee and they allow you to set up a gallery to market and sell your photos. The nice part about this is that you pay a reasonable annual fee to set up your gallery. $99 gets you 5GB of hosting space for your images, and $199 per year gives you unlimited hosting space, so if you have a very large collection of photography that you would like to sell, that package is for you. Another great aspect is that you set your own prices for your photos, which means that you make what you want to make from your work. People can order prints of your work and you get paid, or they can buy your work via digital download. ShutterPoint – Shutterpoint makes it easy to join and start selling your photos immediately. All you have to do is sign up. They also accept all types of photos, so there isn’t a test or acceptance process before you can start selling. They also mention a bulk upload tool, so you can upload many photos quickly. They have a payout rate of 85% for Full Royalty Free images, and 70% for Standard Royalty Free images. BigStockPhoto– This site allows you to sign up, but you have to complete a tutorial before you can begin uploading your images. Before you start selling your images on BigStockPhoto, their review team must approve them. Pay As You Go purchases will pay you 30% of the US dollar price when someone downloads a single image. This can equal up to $29.70. When someone buys your image using BigStock credits, you will receive $0.50 for every credit spent. 123RF– 123RF is another good site where you can sell your photos. Simply sign up, upload your images, and you get paid depending on how they downloaded your photo. If someone pays for your photo with credits, then you receive 50% of the selling price. If they download your photo when they are on a subscription plan, then you will receive $0.36 per download. Dreamstime– Dreamstime allows anyone to become a member, but to sell your photos, your work has to be reviewed and you have to be accepted. The pay that you receive depends on the level that you photos are on when they sell. Every image starts at level 0 and the more times the image is downloaded, the higher its level will increase. Each level has a percentage, based on certain criteria. The whole process is rather complicated, and to understand, it would be best to view the chart on their website. There are 5 levels, and different pay scales depending on size. Corbis– Corbis is a professional stock photography site that also allows for photography submissions. The difference here is that they are very vague on the details of being a contributor. You have to fill out an application, but it doesn’t say anywhere on the site what your compensation will be, the rates, how it works, or any details. Corbis is not as user-friendly and straightforward about compensation as the other sites listed here are. CanStockPhoto – CanStockPhoto makes it easy to sell your photos online. Sign up for an account, fill out an application, and once you are accepted, you can begin uploading your photos quickly. You also receive money for referring other photographers. Exclusive rights photos earn 50% commission, and different sized images and assets earn different amounts of commission. To see a detailed list, click here. DepositPhotos– DepositPhotos makes it quick and easy to get started with selling you images. Sign up for an account, pass a quick exam (they assure you that it is easy), and then you can start uploading images. The only snag is that each image has to be approved before it is officially displayed on the site to be sold. Their pay scale is similar to that of Dreamstime, where your images increase in level when they sell a certain amount. The higher the level is, the more money you make from each sale. They have a chart with examples available on their site. One stand out feature that they have is that you can sell vector images as well, but you have to upload them in the format specified. If you enjoyed reading this post, you’ll love Learnable; the place to learn fresh skills and techniques from the masters. Members get instant access to all of SitePoint’s ebooks and interactive online courses, like Beyond Snapshots. Comments on this article are closed. Have a question about Photography? Why not ask it on our forums? Photography Image via ShutterstockFrequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Selling Your Photos Online
What are the best platforms to sell my photos online?
There are numerous platforms where you can sell your photos online. Some of the most popular ones include Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, Alamy, Etsy, and Fotomoto. Each platform has its own unique features and benefits. For instance, Shutterstock offers a large customer base and competitive royalties, while Adobe Stock integrates seamlessly with Adobe’s software suite. It’s important to research each platform to determine which one best suits your needs and preferences.
How much can I earn from selling my photos online?
The amount you can earn from selling your photos online varies greatly depending on several factors. These include the platform you choose, the quality and uniqueness of your photos, and the demand for the type of photos you offer. Some platforms offer a flat rate per photo, while others offer a percentage of each sale. On average, you can expect to earn anywhere from a few cents to several dollars per photo.
How can I increase my earnings from selling photos online?
There are several strategies you can use to increase your earnings from selling photos online. These include improving your photography skills, specializing in a niche, regularly uploading new photos, and promoting your photos on social media and other platforms. Additionally, some platforms offer bonuses or higher royalties for exclusive photos or for reaching certain sales milestones.
Do I retain the copyright to my photos when I sell them online?
In most cases, yes, you retain the copyright to your photos when you sell them online. However, the specific terms can vary depending on the platform. Some platforms offer “rights managed” licenses, which give the buyer exclusive use of the photo for a specified period of time. Others offer “royalty-free” licenses, which allow the buyer to use the photo multiple times for multiple purposes without paying additional royalties.
What types of photos sell best online?
The types of photos that sell best online can vary depending on current trends and the specific platform. However, in general, photos that are high-quality, unique, and cater to a specific niche tend to sell well. Popular categories include travel, food, people, nature, and cityscapes. It’s also important to keep in mind that different platforms may cater to different markets, so what sells well on one platform may not sell as well on another.
How do I price my photos for online sale?
Pricing your photos for online sale can be challenging, as you need to balance making a profit with staying competitive. Some factors to consider include the quality and uniqueness of your photo, the pricing on the platform you’re using, and the prices of similar photos. Some platforms set the prices for you, while others allow you to set your own prices.
Can I sell the same photo on multiple platforms?
Whether or not you can sell the same photo on multiple platforms depends on the terms of the platform. Some platforms require exclusivity, meaning you can only sell your photo on that platform. Others allow non-exclusivity, meaning you can sell your photo on multiple platforms. It’s important to read the terms and conditions of each platform before uploading your photos.
Do I need to edit my photos before selling them online?
While it’s not always necessary to edit your photos before selling them online, doing so can often improve their quality and appeal. Basic editing such as cropping, adjusting brightness and contrast, and removing any unwanted elements can make your photos more attractive to buyers. Some platforms also have specific technical requirements for photos, such as minimum resolution or file size, which may require editing.
How can I protect my photos from being used without my permission?
There are several ways to protect your photos from being used without your permission. These include watermarking your photos, using low-resolution previews, and registering your photos with the U.S. Copyright Office. Additionally, most platforms have measures in place to protect your photos, such as tracking downloads and offering legal support in case of copyright infringement.
Can I sell photos that include people or private property?
Yes, you can sell photos that include people or private property, but you may need to obtain a model or property release. A model release is a legal document signed by the person in the photo, giving you permission to sell the photo. A property release is similar, but it’s signed by the owner of the property. Some platforms require these releases for certain types of photos, so it’s important to check the requirements before uploading your photos.
James George is a professional web developer and graphic designer. James is an expert in design, and a professional web developer, with a special interest in WordPress. Founder of Design Crawl, James has been a professional designer since 2005.