With billions of photos online, the internet is filled with almost all sorts of images people would ask for. And following the demand, a new era of income stream has been introduced. Anyone can access stock photos. But how to make money from stock photos and be part of this monetization system?
Like other businesses, stock photo selling also solves supply and demand problems. Small to giant ventures frequently look for different types of photos for commercial uses.
On the flip side, many platforms, like Shutterstock, iStock, Envato Elements, etc., allow you to list your creative art and photos to sell, making the opportunity for millions of people to make passive earnings.
Follow this guide if you also want to make money out of your smartphone or DSLR photos,
What Are Stock Photos?
Stock photos are image files licensed by the creators and published digitally on their own platform or marketplace.
On the flip side, companies and marketers who find these contents necessary for their use purchase these photos. In general, buyers use these images to illustrate articles and advertisements.
“Stock photos are a popular way to use images to represent ideas and concepts of personal or commercial content without having to create them yourself.”
Here are some common characteristics of stock images:
- Owners offer free or discounted licenses for use with a Creative Commons attribution statement. Anyone can purchase and download these pictures from the owners’ granted platform.
- Most online available stock photos have a standard distribution license. Hence, owners can always claim copyright rights for unauthorized personal or commercial uses.
- As mentioned, creators can sell them online through a marketplace. These platforms usually have buyers interested in purchasing or licensing the photos.
- In addition, these platforms work as a medium to accomplish sales securely. Therefore, they charge the sellers (the creators or owners of the photos). The charge for selling content may vary depending on the platform’s policies.
- Some stock photo-selling websites charge for generated sales through their platform. And some platform charges for membership. There are also some businesses that buy the image from the creators for a one-time payment and don’t offer royalties.
- Usually, these platforms don’t sell your photos directly but offer the purchased photos complimentary with their primary solution. You can consider Canva as an example.
Microstock vs. Macrostock Photos – What’s the Difference?
Depending on the medium you choose to sell your images, they can be divided into two segments – microstock and macro stock.
The core differences between both types of stock photographs are shared below.
| Microstock Photos | Macro stock Photos | |
| Deal Management | Sales are accomplished by a marketplace | Deals managed by stock photo agencies |
| Market Opportunity | Allows accessing a big interesting market to sell photos | The target market size is comparably smaller |
| Pricing Type | Price of the saleable photos are comparably low | Agencies sell stock photos for a high price |
| Average Price Range | 10 cents to $100, decided by the platform | $5 to anything decided by the seller agencies |
| Royalty | Creators get paid for every sold image, excluding the platform and payment gateway charge. | Varies depending on the agency’s policies |
| Volume | Sales volume is comparable high if taken proper marketing initiatives | Sales volume is lower than microstock. |
| Platform Examples | Shutterstock, Pexels, iStock, Wirestock | Getty Images, Photocase, Offset by Shutterstock, etc. |
How Much Money Can You Make From Selling Stock Photos?
Making money from selling stock photos is a passive income. Therefore, you can get a limitless amount of earnings if you’ve got a proper plan and dedication to your job.
If considering the current industry trend, an average stock photo seller earns $.02 for each image. On the other hand, for professionals (full-timers with the necessary experience and expertise), it can be anywhere between $.05 to $.25 per image.
Some royalty-free stock image sellers make around $.10 to $99 per photo. In addition, considering the extended license model, some earn up to $500.
If you make a deal with a stock photo agency, you can get up to $.32 for images with a royalty-free license.
However, the amount you would earn also depends on the platform where you’re gonna sell your creativity. It’s because different platforms charge different levels of commission for successful sales.
Comparing all the stock photo marketplace rates, I’ve found Stocksy pays the most to the creators. For an extended license, the platform pays you up to $8000. And for royalty-free photos, it offers up to $200.
The most popular stock photo platform, Shutterstock, has a comparatively good pricing model for creators offering royalty-free images.
On Shutterstock, you can earn an average of $.10 to $5.80 for each sold photo. In terms of the extended license, you can expect anything from $10 to $40.
“The sales volume on Shutterstock is comparably higher as they’ve a high rate of monthly active buyers. However, because of the platform commission, which is around 60%-85% in some cases, your expected earnings would be less for each sold photo.”
6 Common Beginner Mistakes in Stock Photo Business
If you’re just starting out in the world of the stock photo business, there’s a good chance you’re making some common beginner mistakes. Here are the most common ones:
1. Over-Diversifying Your Portfolio
As a beginner, you need to form your seller identity as an expert. For example, if you’re a vector artist, focus on the niche instead of stepping into other segments like lifestyle, DIY foods, etc. It’s the best way to protect yourself from falling out of the wish list of your future clients.
However, you can always diversify your portfolio after getting proper experience with the market and initial success.
2. Unexpected Pricing
Overprice and underpricing are both bad for your stock photography business as a beginner. When pricing your stock photos, be sure to take into account how much time and effort it’ll take to produce them.
Set a price that reflects this, but doesn’t try to charge too much. Otherwise, your potential buyers will lose interest and find another photographer who might be willing to provide them with stock photos for a cheaper price.
To decide the right pricing for your photos, study your competitors’ prices first. Keep your price the same or less than others.
3. Not Taking Care of Your Copyright
Ignoring copyrighting your creative properties like photos will eventually ruin your business. Without this, anyone can purchase and distribute them to others for cheaper or even for free.
Always include proper copyright information in all your images to protect them if they’re used without your permission.
In addition, always make sure that any derivatives created from your images (such as vector illustrations or logos) also include proper licensing information.
4. Missing an Online Presence
Having a website or blog where you can showcase your work and connect with potential clients is important. This way, they’ll be able to learn more about you.
A client might like your photos on a stock marketplace and want you to create bulk photos. A self-own website is proven to help many stock photo sellers with this sort of sales growth.
Also, building a strong social media following is one of the most important aspects of any stock photo business. New photo sellers should start by creating accounts on all the major networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.).
By engaging with their followers on a regular basis, they’ll not only build trustworthiness, but they’ll also attract new clients.
5. Not Setting Realistic Goals
It can be tempting to start off with lofty dreams of becoming a stock photo millionaire, but realistically setting goals will help you stay on track. Start by thinking about what you want to achieve within the next 6-12 months, and then work backward.
6. Unplanned Workflow
Many new photographers make the mistake of just uploading their photos to various stock photo sites without a plan or strategy.
However, different platforms may require different marketing strategies. You may sell 5000 copies on Shutterstock but may fail to achieve even 50 sales on Graphic River.
So, study all marketplaces, including their trending niche, monthly active customers, etc., metrics. Then according to the insights, think about how you can make your presence among the flood of creators.
Top 10 Stock Photo Type People Buy the Most
There are lots of niches that seem to be booming because of increasing demand. However, listing them all here would make you confused. So, I filtered the list with only 10 trending categories of stock photos.
- Healthy Food Stock Photos
Choosing a healthy food niche to sell your stock photos would be a wise decision now. The demand is rising.
After the 2020 pandemic, people have become more conscious about their diet charts. And pharmaceutical to health businesses is observing this trend as well.
So, they are putting more effort into marketing their product and services. And for their promotional activities, they regularly require photos related to the niche. Besides, their payment chart is also higher than other common niches.
Another reason to pick this niche is you can capture this sort of image easily as they are low cost, and you consume them regularly in your intake.
- Lifestyle Stock Photos
Alongside the food niche, the lifestyle stock photo trend is also on the rise due to the increasing demand for images.
Brands always look for images that reflect real life and highlight authentic emotions, experiences, and relationships. They seek visuals that better connect with their target audience.
Without social media marketing, a huge chunk of businesses uses lifestyle stock photos in videos, billboards, landing pages, etc.
“Additionally, the niche has been amplified by the rise of influencer marketing, which has made lifestyle images more demanding.”
- Modern Aging Stock Photos
Another unexpected yet significantly popular stock photography niche is older gen photos. The modern aging stock photo trend is snowballing due to the increasing focus on diversity, representation, and inclusivity in online media.
Usually, these images contain photos of models ages above 50 years. Many companies target this segment of people, even if their product or service is intended for youth groups. As an experienced digital marketer,
I believe the key reason behind the genre’s popularity is solely its demographic acceptance in society. Older people have the buying power.
“Cosmetics brands mostly use old people stock photos to promote their anti-aging related photos. Similarly, the demand for these photos is common in real estate, medical and health-related businesses, and marketing. And it’s needless to mention they would pay you the most.”
- Business Stock Photos
Corporate houses sometimes have their own marketing agencies who take care of their marketing, product design, etc. and related images.
However, small entrepreneurs and early-stage startups often don’t have their in-house photography setup. Neither can they afford to hire an agency.
But they all rely on social media marketing, which requires stock photos in these cases. Even if you look at the 500 Fortune startup companies, you can get an idea about the demand. Moreover, there are expected to be 24 million retail eCommerce businesses by 2023.
These stats show great possibilities waiting for newcomers in stock photos.
- Nature Stock Photos
Organizations and influencers who work in the climate and environmental sectors are the potential buyers of natural or going green images. They use the images for different purposes, like creating slide decks, awareness content, etc.
Due to global warming issues in recent years, the related institutional people are becoming active in niche activities. It’s creating hope for both nature and stock photographers who are planning to enter this genre.
- Sports Stock Photos
Stock photos of different sports are in infinite demand. They provide a great opportunity for businesses and individuals to create visual content tailored to their brand.
Athletes, teams, and events can use your stock photos to create dynamic visuals for their social media campaigns, website, and advertising campaigns. Additionally, sports photos can be used to create visuals for print media, such as magazines, newspapers, and brochures.
“You can use your friends or siblings as the model for this kind of photoshoot. Another wise way is to shoot and sportspeople photos while they do athletic activities. These approaches will cut down the cost of hiring models.”
- DIY Stock Photos
Do It Yourself or DIY industry has its steps in almost all media and marketing categories. Hundreds of thousands of blogs and influencers regularly use this stock photo segment. This sort of photo helps them create tutorials or related content.
Even companies in many sectors like hardware tools, foods, automobile industries, and so on have DIY image demands. And the best part is you can start creating these images from home.
- Travel Stock Photos
Although travel and natural stock photos are nearly the same sometimes, they tell different stories and use for different commercial purposes. The frequent buyers of travel photos are tourism and hospitality businesses and startups.
If you’re a hobbyist in photography and love to travel a lot, you can capture your adventure moments and sell them on the internet.
I’ve seen many travel vloggers create videos of their journey for their YouTube channel. After getting a measurable number of subscribers, they can ask for sponsorship from travel agencies and hotels.
You can do the same trick as well. So, at a certain point, you can travel free of cost. Besides, selling your captured moments on stock image platforms.
- Vector Stock Photos
The vector graphics stock images are quite diversified and require a bit of creativity. But the need for these graphical elements in the market would blow your mind.
After the inception of drag-and-drop video editing software, entrepreneurs and content creators started to develop their own content. And alongside the popularity of these easy editing tools, the use of vector graphics is also rising.
With hands-on experience in Photoshop and Illustrators, you can create vector graphics such as icons, logos, shapes, etc. These materials are comparably easier to create from scratch; however, they can be sold for a lot of prices.
- Cartoon Stock Photos
Just like vector graphics, cartoon stock images are also quite popular. These are complex, and animation studios charge a high price for each material. Hence, small marketers can’t afford them.
You could solve this problem if you got skills in advanced image editing. Consider selling your cartoon graphics for a competitive price, targeting the potential market. You would hopefully get success in this niche.
How to Turn Your Stock Photos into a Money-Making Machine?
Selling stock photographs seems easy. However, just like any business, it also requires a proper plan, business model, and marketing structure. Check the below guide to become an undefeatable stock photo seller.
Choose a Stock Photo Niche
If you’re looking to start selling stock photos, your first step is to find out why people will buy your photos.
Instead of rumbling around in different fields, focusing on a specific niche is always better. It’ll help create your identity as a specialist in the segment.
Don’t let the initial low number of buyers demotivate your excitement. This will also help you stand out from the competition and attract buyers who are specifically looking for your type of photo.
Manage Your Equipment: Camera, Computer, Image Editing Software
There’s no doubt that technology has changed the way we shoot and edit photos. Today, many people use their phones as their main photography tools. However, there are still times when you might need to take a picture with a traditional camera.
For both mobile and DSLR photos, editing is a must. This enhances the raw photo quality and brings the best out of them. You can manage your images using software such as Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Lightroom.
“Photoshop CS6 or above also allows you to sell the edited photos on their own platform called Adobe Stock.”
Choose Stock Photo Media to Sell Images
As mentioned in the beginning, you can sell your stock images on microstock or macro stock platforms. Firstly, you’ll need to create an account on the platform.
Then complete the profile and list your photos on the store page. Once you’ve set up these things, it’s time to start selling your photos.
“I’m gonna share more about these platforms in the later sections to help you find the right stock photo selling platform.”
You can also try your luck with different stock photo agencies. If you’re a first-timer, make sure to understand the copyright authority an agency mentions in the intellectual property deed.
Also, Sell Photos on Your Own Website
You don’t need to limit your creativity to a single stock photo platform or agency if you’re the sole creator. Instead, get yourself a digital marketplace website. This will allow you to:
- Build branding of yourself or the team
- Have direct interactions with the buyers
- Get the full price of your digital assets since there’s no intermediary
If you’re in shortage of budget to hire web developers, create a website using platforms like WordPress or Wix. Millions of users use these platforms, and easy to build a site on them.
Make a Marketing Blueprint
These days, it’s easy to start your online business. However, it’s not possible to succeed without a concrete marketing plan. It’s also applicable for stock photo businesses.
The first step is determining the target market that would buy or need your image.
Then you need to showcase your photos in front of the market using different digital marketing techniques. Some of them are:
- Social media ad campaigns: For targeting potentially interested buyers.
- SEO or search engine optimizations: To target highly interested organic people searching for your images.
- Copywriting: For helping in SEO, demonstrating, and professionally organizing your assets.
- Backlinking: To bring in interested website traffic from 3rd party blogs.
- Influencer marketing: To increase sales, brand authority, and web visitors.
5 Websites Pay You for Stock Photos
After the immense popularity of stock photo demands, many entrepreneurs come up with marketplaces for selling digital assets online. Below I’ve shared some of the best ones among them.
With more than 1 million creators and 330 million images, Shutterstock remains one of the top stock photo marketplace options. The buyers of the platform are mainly small and mid-businesses. However, their platform charges are high enough to terrify any contributors.
Earning type: Commission sharing
Estimated earnings: 15% to 40%
After starting with only vector graphics, the platform gradually expanded its categories to common stock photos and videos. Most of their buyer personas are small entrepreneurs (93%).
Vecteezy follows a unique business model for creators. You can generate up to USD 5 per 1000 photo downloads, which are created by you.
The platform was founded in 2007. However, it’s not too crowdy like Shutterstock. You can still feel bearable competition.
- Earning type: Per 1000 download
- Estimated earning: $5/1000 downloads
It’s another small and mid-level business-focused asset marketplace. Freepik has 75 million+ monthly active users without 40 million+ digital assets.
The stock photo marketplace offers you a per-download revenue-sharing model. It shares 50% of the downloaded image price (only net revenue.)
- Earning type: Per download commission sharing
- Estimated earnings: 50%
After launching in 2016, Envato Elements got exponential exposure among its users. They charge the buyers a monthly subscription, allowing them to get all creative library access.
On the other hand, authors (asset creators) can get 50% of the subscription revenue based on the points and value. Read their “Subscriber Share” model for more understanding.
- Earning type: Subscription sharing
- Estimated earnings: 50%
You can get royalty earnings from 500px. The platform offers earning options for their two types of users – paid and free.
Free users can get up to 60%, and the paid ones can get 100% of the royalty income accomplished through the platform.
- Earning type: Royalty
- Estimated earnings: 60% to 100%
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make money selling stock photos?
Yes, you can make money by selling stock photos. There are both marketplaces and agencies that pay you for your images.
How do stock images make money?
Stock images can make money if bought by anyone. There are different ways you can make money with stock images:
- Getting paid per image download or purchase
- Earn for per 1000 image download
- For royalty percentage determined by marketplace or agency
What kind of stock photos sell most?
The kind of photos that sell the most can be different depending on the platform you’re listing them on. However, lifestyle, healthy foods, DIY, vectors, etc. photos are some of the top-selling categories on many platforms.
Is it worth it to sell stock photos?
Selling photos are great for a side income. However, it shouldn’t be considered the only source of earning.
How Can Agent Writing Help Boosting Your Stock Photo Sales?
For selling stock photos, you need a personal website, as mentioned before. Like many professional stock photographers, you can write blog content on your website. It’ll help you get potential stock image buyers by ranking at the top of google when searched.
We at Agent Writing have a team of experts in this niche. You can also get our copywriting and ad copy services. To discuss more, reach out to our customer care team here.
Wrapping Up
That’s the conclusion of the guide on how to make money from stock photos. In brief, as a passive income, the revenue stream source is getting popular daily.
Besides, now there are lots of platforms that allow photographers and artists to sell their images. You can earn royalties and commissions if sold on those platforms or by any agency.
