sell photos online: Guide to success

Introduction

Are you passionate about photography and eager to turn your creativity into a lucrative source of income?

Selling images and photographs can be a fulfilling way to express yourself and earn money.

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the world of earning through the sale of images, providing you with valuable insights, tips, and strategies to help you succeed in the competitive art market.

Choosing Your Photography Style

Every photographer has a distinctive style that sets them apart.

Whether you prefer landscapes, portraits, street photography, or any other style, finding your niche is crucial.

Hone your skills and develop a recognizable style to establish yourself as a photographer with a unique selling proposition.

Tips for Successful Photography

When photographing to sell your photos, pay attention to several key aspects.

Here are a few tips to help you capture appealing images that will attract buyers:

1. Choose the Right Equipment – Invest in quality photo gear, including a camera, lenses, and lighting. Properly selected equipment can significantly enhance your photo quality.
2. Understanding Light – Light is a crucial factor in photography. Learn to use natural light or set up artificial lighting to achieve the desired effects and illumination in your photos.
3. Composition and Presentation – Pay attention to the composition of your photos. Explore the rule of thirds, perspective, lines, and shapes to create visually appealing compositions.
4. Emotional Connection – Try to convey emotions and stories through your photos. Connect with your subject and capture moments that will touch viewers.
5. Photo Editing – After finishing your photography, spend time editing and enhancing your photos. Use image editing software like Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom to improve the colors, contrast, and sharpness of your images. Keep in mind that some platforms prohibit the upload of images that have been edited or manipulated in any way.

Build Your Portfolio

Creating an impressive portfolio is essential for attracting customers and gaining trust.

Continuously add new images to showcase your diversity and progress. Use different themes, colors, and styles to appeal to various target audiences.

If you don’t have other options, consider using Google Sites.

In just an hour, you can create a free website.

Related: How to Create a Website on Google Sites?

There, you can find a ready-made template that you can edit as you prefer.

How to Improve Your Visibility on Search Engines?

Use relevant keywords in image titles, descriptions, and tags.

Additionally, regularly publish new content and promote your images and photographs through social media and blogs.

Related: How to Choose the Right Keywords?

The Largest Services for Sell Photos Online

When it comes to selling photos, numerous online platforms and services offer you the opportunity to showcase and sell your work.

Here, we will list the biggest ones.

We will provide detailed descriptions of the ones that are particularly interesting on the blog.

iStock

iStock, also known as iStockphoto, it provides the opportunity to sell photos, illustrations, and videos through their platform.

Due to the wide range of formats they accept, even your mobile photos are considered.

When you access their website, you must find the ‘Sell Stock‘ option at the bottom of the page.

When you open it, you’ll be prompted to download a program named Getty Images -directly to your mobile device.

Before being accepted, you must send 3-6 images for approval.

Shutterstock

Shutterstock is one of the largest and most popular services for selling photos.

It offers artists the opportunity to earn by selling their photos through their platform.

1. Registration: Visit the Shutterstock website and sign up as a seller. Provide your personal information and necessary payment details to receive earnings.
2. Uploading Images: After registration, you can start uploading your images. Shutterstock requires each image to meet its technical and aesthetic standards. Images should be of high quality, well-composed, and relevant to the market.
3. Keywords and Description: For each image you upload, you’ll need to enter keywords and a description that describes the image’s content. This helps customers find your images through searches.
4. Choosing Licenses: Shutterstock offers various types of image licenses. You can choose between single-use or multiple-use licenses. Make sure to clearly label and select the right license for each image you’re selling.
5. Review and Approval: After uploading the image, Shutterstock will review it to ensure it complies with their guidelines. If the image is accepted, it will be available for purchase on the platform.
6. Earnings: When someone purchases your image, you’ll earn a commission. The commission depends on various factors, including your membership level and the selling price of the image.
7. Tracking Results: Shutterstock provides tools to track the sales and performance of your images. You can monitor which images are popular, how much you earn, and how to improve your results.

Adobe Stock

Adobe Stock is integrated with the Adobe Creative Cloud platform, allowing photographers to easily upload and sell their photos.

The registration is straightforward, and everything we mentioned for the previous two platforms applies here as well.

Fotolia, which was previously a standalone service, is now part of the Adobe Stock platform, providing the opportunity to sell photos, vector graphics, and videos.

Pexels

Pexels is an online platform that offers high-quality free photos and videos.

At Pexels, you can find a wide selection of images that can be used for various purposes, such as websites, blogs, printed materials, and social media.

However, Pexels is primarily a platform for sharing photos and videos for free, not for selling.

Photographers and content creators can share their work on Pexels for others to use for free, with the appropriate permission and attribution.

This allows new photographers to gain exposure and have their work seen by millions of people from all over the world.

Photographers can use Pexels not only to share their work but also to find creative inspiration.

EyeEm

EyeEm is a global online community for freelance photographers. 

It was founded in 2011 in Berlin, Germany. The platform allows creators to interact, share ideas, gain exposure, and find a market for their works of art and imagery. 

Essentially, EyeEm acts as a marketplace where photographers can sell their best videos and imagery.

EyeEm focuses on high-end content and retains part of the fees from the sale of pictures through its platform.

You can find its complete description on the blog: EyeEm How to Sell Pictures?

It’s important to note that this service, with higher earnings per image, frequently hosts contests related to specific themes, and the winners receive substantial rewards.

Canva

On this website, you can read many articles about Canva.

But on Canva, you can sign up as a contributor and sell almost all types of graphic elements, whether you use the free or pro version.

This includes photos, illustrations, icons, frames, backgrounds, textures, fonts, and other graphic elements that can be used in various projects.

Related: Canva: 6 Ways To Earn Extra Income

Over time, you can also sign up as a creator and design various templates.

Photo Attachment Formats

When selling photos, it’s important to understand the different formats in which you can submit your work.

Here are a few basic photo attachment formats:

JPEG – The most common format for attaching photos to websites and online selling platforms. JPEG compresses the image with minimal quality loss.

TIFF – A format that supports high resolution and image quality. Often used for professional photography and printing.

RAW – A format that retains all image data without any processing or compression. Provides flexibility for post-processing and editing.

PNG – A format that supports transparency and high image quality. Often used for photos with transparent backgrounds or graphics.

When attaching photos, it’s important to check the specific requirements of the platform or the buyer. Some may prefer a particular format or image resolution.

Value Your Work

Setting the right price for your images and photographs can be a challenge. Research the market and find out how much other sellers charge for similar visuals.

Be realistic with your prices and always value your work.

If you offer additional options such as licensing or selling printed copies, consider them to further boost your income.

Other Opportunities

If you can’t break through on major platforms, you can try smaller ones.

Related: ClickASnap Gallery and Image Sales

Related: Earning from Selling Images and Movies from Your Mobile?

You can create and print framed images and sell them on some of the services described here.

You can offer them in the wall art and decor category.

You can create them at the already described Print on Demand places.

One of the options could also be to get in touch with us, and we can create a mini gallery for you to use for your presentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Earning from selling photos provides an excellent opportunity to turn your passion for photography into a lucrative business.

Follow the steps in this guide, tailor your photos to market demands, and use online selling platforms to reach a wider audience.

Enjoy your creative journey and build a successful career in the world of image sales.

You might be interested

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You can also create your own web store where you can sell images:

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