Selling Photos Online

this site is cool!….i like it, and i want to try to make money from my photo too.

Great site. I was wondering if you upload the same picture or can you upload the same picture to more then one online stock agency.

Thanks Darcy

You can upload the same pictures to more than one site..Unless if you’re exclusive with Istockphoto..then, you can only upload to them.

Good Luck!

so appx how many pictures have you uploaded at one of those websites? im a struggling designer/photographer, just did my first wedding actually, but this seems like a great way to have some money on the side. you have a great website btw, keep up the good work
(:

Very interesting, this article has open up my mind. I really want to make money online beside the add stuff. Just wonder, is paypal the only payment form they used? I’d love to have payment by check

Will, as u can see above..I have around 500-700 photos at each stock site. The more photos you’ve got the more earnings you’ll get each month.

Veedee..I’m sure that they also have payment option by check..

Is there any way to see some samples of the images you sent in so we can get an idea of what they are looking for to get returns like you are?

You can go to photoblogku.com, most of photos there are also available at those stock sites..

Can you recommend any interpolation software to upsize images to suit the image library requirements? I know of Genuine Fractals but not really any others.

I only use GF and it works like a charm..The software is also recommended by Alamy.

Hi, I was just wondering what some of your most popular photos are because i’m interested in selling some of my photos but most are nature/scenery related.

While other photographers have good sales on people & lifestyle photographs, my best sellers have been travel related photographs such as tropical beaches, mountains, the outback, etc..

hi,
just checking, you may have already mentioned - how do you receive payment from each online agency?
cheers

I am running a technology related blog and spend a bit of time taking pictures and making illustrations. From time to time people ask for permission to use my pictures commercially.

I am looking for a site that would allow me to upload a couple of pictures and handle the transactions if people want to buy non exclusive rights.

For me it seems like most of the sites you mention here is based on volume. If you have a couple of hundred pictures out there you can make some money.

Do you know any sites that could let me set a better price because people have contacted me specifically to buy one particular picture?

I found this one:shutterpoint[.]com

…but they want payment for the storage of my pictures…

Giles..I always receive my payment thorough paypal from all agencies mentioned above, accept for alamy, where they have bank transfer payment option to australia…

Hi eirikso, you might want to buy one of those sofwares where you can make your own photo site then upload your own pictures and sell it on your site. With this, you can set your own price..and don’t have to bother to pay any commisions..

Thank you for your reply. I have Gallery running on my site. I will look into the possibilities that exist for that software. My host also let me install Zen Cart.

Until then I’ll do an experiment with shutterpoint.com just to have a possibility to sell my pictures and accept all kinds of payment when people ask.

The price of Shutterpoint might pay itself compared to the time I need to set up my own shop…

Hi eirikso, You might want to try photographersdirect.com. They have the best deal of all.Check them out and you will see what I mean.

Nuff regards
Olugbenga

Hello, very very nice web site. Thanks for being so open and helpful to the rest of us.

I have two questions if I may:

1) You have 250-600 photos on these web sites. Do you have to keep adding more photos at certain intervals to maintain the income, or did you just post all your good photos once and now you are raking the benefits?

2) Are all of these 250-600 photos taken with 6+ MP cameras, or are you able to make any money with as low as 2 MP cameras also?

Thanks for your response.

Mike

Hi eirikso!
You can try http:/www.featurepics.com
No payment for the storage + your own price for images

(sorry for the wrong address in the previous post)

Hi Mike, I haven’t added any photos for the last 3 months..and, yup..I took most of my photos with canon eos 300d and sigma lenses, until recently i upgraded my camera to EOS 5D..and added some Canon ‘L’ lenses.. I don’t know anyone shooting with 2MP camera though..

I have just started submitting to Alamy. Do you find it better to sell your images through the royalty free or Licenced options? I guess they are both Non exclusive. Using either of these options still allows me to sell images elsewhere, right?
Thanks

Hi Martin, I sell my images through both royalty free & licenced depending on what the images are likely to be used for. There have been many discussions about this on Alamy mailing list at yahoogroups. You might want to join and check out their old message archive. Here’s the link: http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=alamy

Many Thanks for that I have just joined.

Hi, Reading down your lists above how many photographs have you actually uploaded. I see that you have 700+ at Fotolia and only 500+ at shutterstock is that 1200 unique images or actually 200 unique with 500 being hosted on both sites or somewhere between the two.

Also do you know if the make and model of the camera effects the number of downloads… ie images taken with a Nikon or Canon would out sell that of say a Fuji.

Great info by the way.

Thanks

Great website, I wanted to ask you, do any of the sites you mentioned above place some pictures before others? In other words when someone does a search how can I get my pictures to come to the front of the line?

Thanks and keep up the great work,

John

Nigel… Those are the same photos hosted on both sites. It’s just there’re about 200 photos were accepted at fotolia and rejected at shutterstock.

I don’t see that camera brand will influence your selling. As long as you can take great photos and do your keywording properly, you can earn some good extra money..

John, Keep uploading..they have the search result based on the latest photos being uploaded to their sites..

Can any company trasnfer the amount that I get by the selling pics to my bank account rather than in check or paypal form cause in my country the chek less to 10000 USD is not cashed. And if not than can I get the facility of money order etc doesn’t matter even if they are going to deduct the cost from the money I earned. Please do help me in this connection I shall be very thankful to you.

GREAT STORY! I’ve been on Istock for awhile, but it’s taken me awhile to get any decent downloads going. I mainly like sports, wildlife and landscape. I just passed the 100 mark for images accepted. Would my portfolio do better at another site?

Thanks for the great site! Very informative. I had a couple questions.

Are all these uploaded as RF ( royalty free )? I assume if you submit your photos RM ( Rights Managed ) that each photo can only be submitted to one agency.

Thanks,
Jim

Vahaj, I think it’s only alamy that’d transfer your payment to your bank account..Rob, you wouldn’t know if you don’t try it…Jim, yup..those are royalty free images.

Thanks a lot. I have a question. What’s the software to sell photos online? I’ve searched for it but can’t find the answer. Is there a free software or open source?
Thank you

How much time, effort and money did you spend to producing the hundreds and hundreds of images required to make a few grand every month?

And once you subtract your expenses and overheads do you actually make any profit at all?

I often make more from a single rights-managed image sale than you make in an entire month of RF micro-stock sales.

Don’t you think your time and resources would be far better spent creating quality imagery for rights-managed stock?

Kim

Jimmie, I did not use any software either..what I usually do is upload my photos with a FTP software to those agency. Except for Istock which has its own software…

Kim..Well, I’m not a pro photographer, and I don’t have any intention to be a pro…Photography is just my hobby, just like travelling. Most photos submitted are usually taken during our family’s holiday. I really think that it’s much better to get them work for me and give me an extra $1500-$2000/month rather than just sitting on my hard drive and do nothing.

It’s great story! It’s really cool that making money of your hobby.

Just want to confirm with you - is it ok to submit a photo to all of the sites you listed as Royalty-Free?

Thank you!

very nice site !! I am interested in selling photos online.
I really want to make a living doing this.If you could give some advice that would help me achieve my goals - what would it be?
Thanks,DJA

Great article, thank you so much! I’m just a tad confused with the comment about “exclusive” with istockphoto means you can’t upload to anyone else. Can you not be exclusive with istock? I’d love to get a group of images on all of these websites, except alamy, and I would have to exclude istock from the list if I could only post certain pics there. Thanks!

Amia,
It’s fine to be non-exclusive at Istock. You wouldn’t get any benefits by not uploading elsewhere until you reach 500 downloads anyway. They won’t even call you exclusive until you reach that number.
Rob

now listen this might sound rely stupid but i dont get how the buyer gets the photo do you send them a print or what

hello for some time now i am obsesed with photos, but i dont have a good cammera i only have a 4 megapixel. i now am thinking of getting a new cammera and start selling my photos also. whould a cammera like canon G7 be acceptable by these sites?

sorry for the double listing. but i have another question. if i photograph people do i need a special licence from them in order to sell the pictures? and if yes what is the format?

Tom, you send/upload your digital photo files to the agencies mentioned above, and buyers buy/donwload the files from those agencies.

Tassos, IMHO..it’d be much2 better if you use Digital SLR cameras such as canon 400D, Nikon D80 etc.. Yup, you’ll need a model release signed by your models to be able to sell their pictures. You can download the model release template from the agencies.

what do you think of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ 50?

Tassos.. whatever camera you’re going to get, make sure it’s not prone to digital noise as it’s very influence your photo acceptance rate at the agencies. Eg. I used EOS 300D before, my acceptance rate was around 65-75%..When I bought the EOS 5D a year ago, my acceptance rate was up to around 90%. So, read the reviews..see what editors say about the camera’s noise.. DMC-FZ 50 review roundup is available here: http://www.dphotojournal.com/panasonic-lumix-dmc-fz50-review-roundup-sample-photos/

ok so i just happened to stumble across this and it seems pretty interesting.

i JUST got a canon rebel xti. i’m assuming that will be good enough quality for photos to sell (hopefully my photos are as well).

are there any other websites that any of you would suggest for me to just find out more information?

i’m no pro photographer either, but i enjoy taking photos, i don’t think i’m terrible at it, and this would give me some motivation and challenge myself to take better photos.

so if anyone has any tips or more information (and have enough free time and courtesy) please e-mail me. calculuzz@gmail.com

i would greatly appreciate any input. thank you.

Hi…

Great site… fascinating.

I’m planning to interview a few photographers about some sell photo questions I had. Would you be interested in participating? It would be good to know your perspective…

Please let me know at your convenience.
I can be reached at hurleyboy AT gmail. com

Any other photographers who have had some success at selling their photos online or off are also most welcome to email me. The benefits to those who contribute will be greater exposure and more promotion for their websites and photography.

I’ve got a newletter on this subject and you can sign up free at my site:
http://hurleypixx.com

Thanks….

Martin H
Thailand

Hello! You have a great source of information here. My question: what software do you use to organize and keep track of your hundreds of photos, and where you have posted them.
Thanks very much

Martin, thank u for your interest.. To be honest, there are tons of microstock-photographers who earn a lot more than I do..Try to ask people in the online forum at the agencies mentioned above, they should give you some good insights regarding the business.

Joseph, I don’t use any softwares to keep track of my photos, I usually check on the online stats page at each agency to see which pictures sold and the total earning of the day.

This is a great resource, I’m very interested in selling stock online, as I have a social disorder, and find it hard to work a regular job.

Once I get myself a decent camera and a form of I.D… I’m coming back to this page and taking all of your advice.

If you have a person in a picture, but you can’t see who they are (they are a sillhouette, only partially in the picture, etc.) do you still need a model release?

Hello! As Kim mentioned before: “Don’t you think your time and resources would be far better spent creating quality imagery for rights-managed stock?”. I see your point in your answer and I agree with it. However, do you have any idea of anybody shooting rights-managed stock (which is not of that much higher quality) and of profits it would make? I mean is it better to supply many micro-stock agencies at the same time or maybe it would be better to contact a more “pro” agency? I see your calculations for micro-stocks. Any idea what capacity and quality I’d have to supply to pro stock agency to get the same money?

This “blog” was super informative and I really appreciate the actual list of stock sites with their traffic rankings… that really helps…

I noticed several people asking about selling their photos on their own website using purchased software. I recently found a software which takes all of about 30 mintues to implement, gives you a fully functioning store with full admin , and you don’t need to know anything about building a website. Runs on your own server/website etc. etc… great stuff. if anyone is interested here’s where I found it. http://www.bluegellmedia.com/software_ktools.htm

I tried it out this week and it’s working like a charm.

Kelly..All the best !!

Sair.. Nope, you don’t..

Paul.. It’d be interesting to see pro-photographers shooting for big right-managed stock agencies such as getty images sharing their opinion here..

Gene.. Thank you for sharing..

Thanks for your answer ! Yes, it’d be definitely intresting to see one of “the big guys” over here.

One more question though: so you have more less 600 photos on each site. Could you share what sells most? What subjects? What do you think of cityscapes, buildings, architecture?

Do you think that going exclusive at any RF agency pays more than having your images spread across several agencies? Also, does having a creative network and active forum postings help to sell and market your images? Thanks for all the great info…

Paul.. Please read the FAQs above..

Glen.. can’t answer both of your questions as I never try to become exclusive and I hardly post any messages in the forum.

Why waste your time on 123rf.com? Stockxpert.com has a lot more clout and a lot more traffic!

Take a look:

http://www.alexa.com/data/details/… [url is too long]

A couple of the websites mention that you should have copyright of the photos, e.g. “you must own the rights for each image you upload to our database.”

How do you go about doing this? All my photos are my own, but do I have to copyright them somewhere first?

Cheers

AnnA

David, It’s because I just had more than 100% increase in revenue at 123rf (and now it’s higher than my earning at stockxpert and a waaay higher than csp), so I thought they started doing the right thing to increase their traffic /sales…

Anna…nope you don’t…Once you take a picture with your camera, you’re automatically holding a copyright for that particular pict.

Eirikso, what is your strategy for labeling the pictures that you post? Let’s say you have a great yellow flower picture. Do you spend hours trying to find the latin name, or do you say yellow flower, or just flower? Same discussion goes for landscape shots. Do you label as forest for example, or do you say Impressionamus tree forest from the Tintoarna region of the country Pixelon? Thanks, and keep up the phenomal work!

When using FTP upload is there a way to upload to multiple servers at once or do you have to do it one-by-one?

Paul, I’ve been using CuteFTP from GlobalScape where I can schedule the file transfer. What I usually do is schedule all file transfers to multiple servers before go to sleep at nite, and let the FTP program does the rest..

Your earnings seem quite high especially for sites like Dreamstime and Fotolia. You must have an awesome portfolio full of popular downloads. Can you post a link to your portfolio for istock and others?

Sarah, you can visit my photoblog ( http://photoblog.dphotojournal.com ) to see samples of my portfolio

hi

is this your main job?

or is it something you do just to earn extra money?

Kim, nope.. I work as multimedia developer and used to do this just to avoid arguments with my wife when it comes of buying those expensive photography equipments … Now, that Ive bought all photo equips I ever wanted, I use the money to pay for my family vacation.

Hi,
I don’t know how to say. I find this website at internet. And I have some wonderful pictures of natural scenery, but I’m in China. I don’t know if I can sell my picutres on this website? And how to get payment? Thank you!

Hi Lynn…There are bunch of photographers from china who sell their pictures from the agencies mentioned above. You can get payment by cheque or paypal.

Congratulations !!!

So… let’s the shootin’ start .

do you sell you photo on featurepics.com ?

i have nearly 100 photos on there site, but none of my images have been sold!?

if i really put my time and effect to this, could i do this as my main job?

Kim..No, I dont sell my picts there… As I mentioned on the FAQs above that there are some photographers doing this full time with more than 4000 great images (and growing) with earnings around $7000 - $8000 /month…So, if you love taking pictures and happy with that kind of earning/month then u should go hard do it as your main job.. All the best!

Great article. I’ve been curious what a skilled photographer could make on those sites. I just started in February. Great info.

how many photos did you have up, when you first started making this kind of money (sept 05?)

Do you need a business license to sell your photos?

Shaitis..Thanks and good luck!

Kim, I actually started back in March 2005, with 10 photos only on Istock and SS..On Sept I had around 250-350 photos..

Elaine..Nope.

so only having 250 - 350 photos still makes abit of money?

is it best to upload your photos to loads of diffrent sites - as many as possible,
or just stick to the good ones, where my photos do well?

what would be your recamended min and max amounts of sites?

thanx for the informative website…

i have just one question on my mind right now, that is… to all the stockagencies that you have your pictures…do you upload all your pictures same size/resolution for all the agenies…or different stock agency needs different picture size or format? It`s complicating…if you have to do them in different size for each different agency…it`s lots of work resizing for different sites ???

so i can make quite good money with only 250 photos on sites?

Great site. Thanks for all the info. I just uploaded 8 pictures to fotolia, and have already sold 2. Im not really doing this for money, but I sure get a kick out of getting paid for doing something I love. I noticed you said you use L lens. I was considering a sigma lens, do you find the Cannon glass much better?

Thanks again, Burt

I love this article, thanks for the information!

I’ve got a question for you, though… Right now the two cameras I’ve got are a Fuji S1 Pro (3.2MP DSLR, though it says 6.4) and a Nikon FM10. I’ve got the same set of lenses available for both, and two of them are pretty good lenses.

So my question is, do you think it would be better to start off using the Fuji, even though it’s only 3.2 MP, or try using 35mm film and scanning it? I’ve got access to really good film scanners, though they’re not drum scanners. Ultimately, I’d like to get a Nikon D200 since I can keep my lenses, but I’d like to make sure that my photos can sell at least a little before I can justify the purchase to my better half.

Thanks again for the great site!
Andrew

Sorry for the late respond, just got back from a long vacation and also had some problems with my blog database..

Kym..It’s all coming back to the quality of your photos..

Zara…You can set up an action in photoshop so that resizing can be such an easy job to do..

Meg..I’d upload to sites that already have lots of traffic. You can check the traffic by using the graph provided by alexa.com.

Burt.. I used to have lots of sigma lenses..but now that I have some spare money from stock photography, I sold them all and buy only Canon L lenses. They’re just sharper and the AF is a waaayy faster. (IMHO)

Andorbal.. See how you go with your Fuji. Film is now part of the history(IMHO). Just start with your digital camera, find the best workflow from finding a concept, retouching, keywording, uploading etc…so that when you’re ready to buy your d200..you’re already familiar with your digital workflow and know how to work faster.

Hi!

Thank to you article, I finally encorage to sign up and send my pictures to sell.

Also I’m reading a couple of book about stock photography.

One question about the model release. I know the model and the witness need to sing the form, but you have to scan and send to each agency when you upload you images ?

Sorry for my basic question.

Thank you so much!

Juan Kis
kispix.com

Juan..Yup, you’ll need to upload the model release to each agency. Good luck!

Thank you! But today I saw an image of the Dalai Lama on ShutterStock

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-1984455.html

In this case, Dalai Lama signed the model release ? What about the paparazzis who take pictures of the celebrities and the images are publish on magazines ?

I love photograph people but I think I have to carry a lot of paper for this bussines right ? Once you scan the model relase, you have to store, or is enougj with a digital scan of it ?

I really apreciate your article and your support.
Buy the way, what your name ?

Thank you so much!

Juan Kis

Juan…That photo is one of the editorial stock photos. At Shutterstock, if you have an image that’s newsworthy, and it contains people, and it doesn’t have a release, then you can select ‘Editorial, does not need release’ at the keywording phase of the submit process.

hey

when will you update your earnings for December?

Thank you so much!

Now I understand!

Hi again - my previous post was not approved for some reason. I mentioned an ebook aimed at selling digital photos. I won’t list the URL again and please know that it is not my book and I am not an affiliate or anything. I was hoping you would take a peek at it and give me your honest opinion. If you need the link just email me.

Also, I really am seeking any recommendations for any other resources you might know of. I’m not a novice photographer but am fairly new to digital photography. I own a Fuji Finepix 3800.

An all-in-one guide claiming to cover all aspects of this business sounds appealing, but I don’t want to waste my money if it is just overhyped, rehashed info easily found on the web.

Thanks,
Russell

Hi what a great site - Do you shoot raw or jpeg - I’m shooting the highest resolution I can get on my canon 20D is this a sufficient resolution or should I start shooting RAW?

do you guys really want your photos to sell for under 30p?? all the time and effect you put in to taking great photos?

the best site is featurepics.com

you get to choose your own price for all your photos, and choose different liceinces and the site is getting more popular

Kim..Just updated my earning.. December was slow (as expected), but despite not uploading any photos in January, the revenue was really good.

Russel..I think the best resource is the community forum available at some agencies where you can ask anything to improve your photography & photo selling skills

Quentin… Once you start shooting RAW, you\’ll never go back to JPEG..

Kim..Thanks for your info.

hi

what is the max amount of photos you are allowed to upload?

is there a max amount?

kim

Kim.. I don’t think so, as long as you’re uploading good stock photos, they’ll be happy to accept all of your photos..

This site is great! Thank you so much for sharing this kind of information for us.

I do have a question that you may know the answer to (or at least point me in the right direction.) What kind of copyright exsist regarding animals? I shoot alot of wildlife photos as well as at zoo’s and places like cat and dog shows. Would I need a release from the zoo or from the individual pet owners if I wanted to sell the pictures? I found a mound of copyright information about people but have been struggling find more out about animal copyrights.

Thanks for any information.

Dawn

Hi Dawn, I think you won’t need a model release for your animal photographs. I have uploaded some animal pictures from a local zoo without any problems..

I was just wondering there have been many talks about different cameras. So I was just wondering how do you think the Canon 30d camera is. I am interested in buying one. Do you think they would take good enough pick to sell on these sites mentioned above.

Thank You,

Tami

Tami, around half of my photos submitted to the agencies above were taken using my first DLSR, the 6MP Canon EOS 300D (now discontinued). So, Yes.. The EOS 30D is good enough for you…

You might also want to read this buying advice article submitted by one of our readers..

http://www.dphotojournal.com/digital-photography-tips-buying-advice-save-or-splurge/

Thank You. I was also wondering if you could give me some advise about one of the subjects I love to take pictures of. My children! Of course I think the pics are wonderful but hey I’m thier mom. The thing is many people have told me they really are photogenic and the pics I have taken are really good. So what do you think I should do? And if I were to submit them should they be to places that give royalties if so do you know of any reputable places? Thank You For Your help anything you can give me would be great.

Thanks
Tami

Hi Tami, my fave model all this time has always been my wife.. now that we’re expecting a baby boy soon..Well, I guess he’s going to take her place soon.. Most stock photographers are submitting photos of their family, as long as your models are happy .. I don’t see any problems..

You can sell their photos to the agencies that give you more royalties..The thing is they don’t usually sell very often.. You can choose whether you want to sell a picture one time for $70 or sell it 70 times for $1 ..

Thank you for your help and congrats on your new baby!!

Tami

Hello to All, specially you Dphotojournal boss!
Your openness is brilliant and am thouroughly thankfull for it.
A week ago i was experiencing a daily headache due to the fact that someone (a friend) took apon herself to organise a photography show based on the web pictures i would send to her evry so often. I have peen taking pictures my head off in NA, Europe, Asia in the last 3 years but never thought about the comercial aspect of it. Now your article and the discussion/links it generated put most of my question to rest. Thank you again. I still have one problem though:

Any of you out there has some tips on making a picture seen on my screen (mac powerpc) look the same in print (color synch site/article?, printer?…) thanks a milion.

here is a site that some of you may find useful re copyrights: http://www.creativecommons.org
m

So, what is the percentage of your income that you get for your referrals that you don’t mention on this site? How many sales each of of your photographs generates as compared to the income from referrals. Thanks.

Hi, thanks for this great article..
I was just wondering whether I’d need a model release if I’d submit photo of myself (I am also the photographer)…since am having problem finding models.. thank you..

mateilama… I\’m a PC person, so i don\’t know much about Mac.. But I\’m sure you can calibrate your monitor and printer on budget using those calibration tools such as PrintFix Pro from colorvision and Eye-One from Pantone.. I\’m planning to get one myself since I\’ll be starting shooting wedding soon and will need to have a good printout photos.

George.. Not much at all.. I\’d say around 2-3% and I did not add them to my earnings published here. Most of the referred photographers only applied but did not submit any photos.

Timmy… Yup, If you\’re a both the model and the photographer you\’d still need to fill up the model releases and sign them… Good luck!

Thank you for your prompt reply.

Just one more question, I’m planning to get some lights (with softbox etc), but most of them are so damn expensive.. Do you know any place to buy those equipments online?

Timmy.. Have you tried Ebay? My friend just bought light equipments for his home studio on Ebay for around US1200 for 3 lights (600W), transmitter, 2 softboxes, barn door and other accesories. They are made in China and he says with that kind of price, the quality is quite good.

hi

are your earnings in us dollers?

what other stock sites are you with?

I have a question regarding receiveing payments. Earlier in these posts, you mentioned that you can choose to have payments made via PayPal or check. Does PayPal charge their fee on the received money? I’m curious because when I sell on eBay, any type of payment I receive gets the 2-3% PayPal payment processing fee pulled out. If you opt to select to receive payments by check, is there a charge for them to mail it to you? Thanks in advcance and keep up the good work & success!

Kim..yup, they are in US dollars and I also with alamy, but have no sales since last october

Steve.. I don’t think they will charge you for money withdrawal..But if you need to transfer your money to your bank outside US (like I do), they will apply a 2.5% exchange rates fees for international withdrawal (australia)

I have a site and several others that I publish my work to. I have not made the thousands that you cliam but I enjoy what I am doing and I feel it will be more lucrative in the future. My work mostly consists of nature and landscape photography since I live in West Virginia which is almost heaven!

Thanks for this great website. I’ve learned a lot and now think I’m ready to buy the camera. Shot film for years - made some covers and articles with dumb luck. Would I be better, with limited funds, to buy a 8+ megapixel and a super-duper lens than going whole hog with the 10 megapixel and a stock lens? Was considering the Canon xti but read lots of bad reviews about the lens they include with the camera. Thanks!

Donna

Forestwander…Just checked out your gallery and mate, you’re so lucky living in such beautiful place..

Donna… Here’s something you should remember; never buy an entry level DLSR camera with the kit lens included. Canon Xti is a great camera and it’s good enough for shooting stocks. Just buy the camera (body only), then get yourself some Canon L lenses. Which lenses you should buy is all depends on your budget. If you give me some ideas on what your budget is.. I can help you with lens recommendations.

I was looking a under 1k but….seems the body is 700+/- and the most likely lens is the 70-200mm f/4L for almost 600 (unless I can find better deals). My film Pentax was/is a work horse with the 70-210 and I rarely changed it out. Most of my photos are outdoors: horses, cows, birds, landscapes, wildlife, etc. I don’t use a tripod.

Am I on the right track or do you have a better suggestion? Thanks!

If I were you, with 1K to spend on I’d go with the Canon Digital Rebel XT 8MP DSLR and the Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS. They are both priced nicely at around 1K and the IS would be very useful since you don’t use a tripod. If anyone has any good suggestions, feel free to post it here..

Thanks for the information. I’ll pencil it all out and see where I end up…

Donna

can you put a link to your photos that actually works?

Kim.. http://photoblogku.com/index.php?showimage=206 - That image has been sold like more than 350 times on ss + is alone..

do you / would you sell your photos rights managed?

Hi,

I have a question regarding copyright. Whats to stop some enterprising type from downloading a bunch of images from various sources and setting up a site to resell them? it would be difficult to police.

Owen.. Maybe, Maybe not..

Andrew.. I think you better ask the agency where you want to submit your photos to.. They should be able to explain it to you..

g’day mate,

Great site and I appreciate your candor on so many issues. I was wondering if you have any tips on keywording you can divulge. Also, is there a reason why you don’t list Alamy payment receipts on your tally? I have just applied to them and am curious about what to expect.

Greg.. I use photoshop CS2/Adobe Bridge to embed keywords and other IPTC info to my photos, and I don’t have any luck with Alamy.. I’ve got around 400 photos online, but have no sales since October’06.

Very informative blog and thanks for sharing your success story with us!
How many keywords do you embed per image and how do you determine which keyword is the most suitable? Do you use any special software for choosing the right keywords?

What prevents people for downloading your photos without paying for them? Is it the on-the-fly watermarks some of these sites add to your photo?

Dusty… I usually embed maximum of 50 keywords and using the microsoft word to find synonyms.. There’s a great keywording tip at Dreamstime stock photography blog that you might want to check them out..

Leon… yup, you’re right.

Thanks for your prompt response. I will check out the keywording tips at dreamstime and see what I find.

Do you recommend sharpening photos before uploading to an online site for consideration?

Gary, I had couple of photos shot with my budget sigma lenses sharpened and got rejected in my early submissions sometime ago..Since then I just submit my images without any sharpening., and that’s good so I can spend my time more on keywording..

Great and very informative website! Thanks for sharing your experience and success with us.

I started upload photo to several websites you mentioned here about 4 months ago (total monthly about $400 currently), and the best site for me is SS (50%). Looking your income history, it seems you had a big jump in Jan 2006, and stayed around $2000 for almost a year afterward. Would you be willing to share your reason for the big jump and stay flat afterward? I am assuming you have been kept uploading every month which should lead to a constant income increase trend.

Thanks in advance!

Mike

MIke.. It looks like you’re on the right track, keep it up!

The sudden jump was caused by around 200 photos of my vacation to Indonesia uploaded on that month alone..and no, I haven’t been kept uploading every month, I normally upload tons of photos every time I get back from a long family vacation which usually happens in December/January… then I could stop uploading anything for the next 2-3 months or even longer..

Thanks for your quick reply. I really appreciate it.

I will send you an E-mail in your DT website.

Thanks for your review and comment on DT. I am glad to hear that without continous uploading you could keep a constant income. It seems to me more buyers like travel/landscape photos in SS. Do you have any experience on editiorial photos with SS?

Thanks,

Mike

I have two questions for you, please ~

1. Is there an easy way to reduce or get rid of digital noise? I have a 3.2 megapixel Olympus.

2. What do you think of photographersdirect.com and
featurepics.com ?

Thanks so much for some the information and fantastic pictures!!!!!

Sheri

Mike.. I don’t have any editorial photos with SS or any other agencies.. But I know people that have some good experience with editorial photos at alamy. So you might want to try both agencies.

Sheri… you can use noise reduction software such as Noiseware

I haven’t had any experience with both of them..but by looking at their alexa stats: here and here it looks like they don’t have much visitors (photo buyers) just yet..

Thanks! I will review those links.

sheri

I’m so pleased to have found your site, and thanks for the information you publish here. I’ve sent the link to this particular post to a couple of friends who would love to join the throngs of happy (and earning) photographers, as would I. I’ll be back!

Hi there,

Thanks for your very informative site. If we wish to submit pictures of buildings and landmarks, do we need formal permission from the building owners? For example, a picture of a famous landmark such as Edinburgh Castle or the Tower of London?

Cheers,
Lannie

Hi,

I just discovered the microstock industry recently and submitted 20 shots to Fotolia as a “test,” of which 10 were accepted. I listed the photos as being exclusively available only on Fotolia (not an exclusive buyout license) and am curious as to what the legalities are if I ever decided that I wanted to make any of those photos available on other sites. Can the original exclusive agreement with any of these companies ever be changed (in exchange for a lower commission) or once an exclusive availability is granted to them, is it etched in stone?

Thanks, and I appreciate your efforts in making this site available.

Curt

Lannie… I don’t think you’ll need a property release for a landmark. A property release must be obtained where identifiable property is included in an image that might sensibly lead to the identity of the owner of the property.

Curt… I think it’s much better if you ask your question to Fotolia… They should be able to explain it to you in detail.

Update to March 2-3 postings. I ended up with a Pentax K10D.
With the shake reduction in the camera, not the lens, I was able to afford the exact set-up I wanted (50-200 lens) - Plus I can use my old Pentax lenses…but not sure why I would. Fooled around with a few shots here at home, then yesterday went to a friends place with 2 new foals to entice me. HOLY COW - I got some great photos. Maybe I’m shell shocked because I’ve never used a 10+ megapixel camera but I’m thrilled. Signed up for a digital photography class at my local Community College to pick up some pointers. Thanks for this forum and web site, you fueled my interest into going forward into the digital age.

Donna…I’m glad that you have found the perfect camera for you.. All the best on your new endeavour!

We had some problems with our database from Thursday - Monday ( 26/4 - 30/4). Comments posted during that time may have been lost. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Hi,

Are you exclusive with any or all of these websites? Do you sell the same photos on different websites?

i’d like to thank you very sincerely for your very informative website, and very inspiring portfolio. i’ve recently decided to make a change of career and indulge my passion for photography. it is my ambition to be able to make a living selling my images online. it’s a real treat to find so much information in straightforward language. i’d like to know to what degree you use image editing software to finalise your images.

John.. please read the FAQs above.

Carin… That’s really good.. This actually reminds me of the old saying: “Choose a job you love and. you will never have to work. a day in your life”… Regarding the post processing, I always keep it to a minimum level. I believe that’s what the agencies/photo buyers like.

hey, me again. i wanted to ask a quick technical question. at the moment i’m shooting with a canon pro1 powershot 8mp, which i inherited from my mum (she bought it, but couldn’t figure out how it works!). it’s a nice little camera, but i’m way more interested in a slr camera where i can change the lens. this is on a wishlist - there’s no official budget set aside at the moment - but i want to know what you would recommend as my first slr camera. i see you use a canon eos 5d, i’ve been looking at the canon eos 400d (10mp). Would you say the difference is worth saving a bit longer to get the big daddy? I’d also be looking at getting a fantastic lens with great depth of field.

Carin… the EOS 400D should be good enough for shooting stocks. In fact, if you see my equipment list, I still have the old 6.3 MP Canon 300D (now discontinued) on the list.. More than 1/2 of my submitted photos were shot with this camera. For the lens, I’d start off with the Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS which is a pretty good lens. Then for outdoor portrait, you can’t go wrong with Canon 70-200mm f/2.8. This lens will give you beautiful bokeh and is very sharp too.

…thanks for the advice.

I just want to thank you for your effort and candor to explain to us your experience with the different Stock sites, I will defenetly try them.
Congratulations on your photos they are all great.

Hi,

Do you know any good free artifacts reduction software?

Rafael.. Thank you for your kind words, much appreciated.

John… I’m currently using this software. Hope that helps.

This may be a stupid question, but here goes anyway: Would a Kodak EasyShare C310 provide photo quality acceptable to get a start selling photos online? If not, what would be your recommendations? Thank you!

I have a question regarding model and building release forms. Do you need a model release form if cannot see the person’s face? For example, in your gallery over at photblog you have a person in the water with a sack on their head with their back towards you. I also came across something called a building release form. When would you need this and how would you get the form signed? For example, you have several pictures of the skyline of cities with a number of buildings in them.

Thanks.

BG… I’d recommend at least an entry level DSLR camera such as Canon EOS 400D or Nikon D40 to start off..

bh.. Nope you don’t, and here’s a note on property release: A property release must be obtained where identifiable property is included in an image that might sensibly lead to the identity of the owner of the property. Hope that helps.

The software that you stated above that you use did you do the free download or did you buy it? It stated that it was free but with some limitations so I was wondering what limitations. Thanks So Much

Hey there. I’ve been registered on bigstockphoto, dreamstime. 123rf and fotolia for about 2 months now, and i am constantly amazed at how seemingly randomly each website accepts and rejects my submissions. As a result, when I have new images ready for upload, I upload them all to all the websites, and then it’s pretty interesting to see who wants what, though I’m not quite seeing a trend yet. My question to you, as a seasoned uploader and profiteer, would be the following: do you submit images exclusively with any of the above agencies, and do you determine individual pricing on your images, or do you submit randomly and use recommended pricings? Your images are incredible, and I’m just wondering whether your generated revenue is mostly down to mass downloads, or clever pricing and exclusivity control on your part.

Tami.. Please visit this page to see the comparisons

Thanks for your detailed info. I checked into this last year but didn’t do anything. Your series of earnings and other info has prompted me to look at it again much more seriously this time.

I just wanted to mention for some people who are struggling with the cost of getting a good camera and lens. I bought my Canon 20D and L lenses second hand. I’d say it’s better to have a good second hand camera/lens then a lesser capable but shiny new one. Last year’s model goes for an incredible discount in price and works just as good. When Canon comes out with the successor to the 5D - then the 5D will be THE camera to get second hand for sure.

Cheers.

Hey, nice website and great tips

I see you have a lot of ads on the blog
Are you earning a lot from this blog?

great article and comments, keep it up

This is a very interesting site. I intend to follow up with some of the URLs you mention as well as other links. Although I have several, my favorite camera at this time is the Cannon D20.

Carin.. I just upload the photos to all the websites and not worry about submit images exclusively with any of the agencies. I also use the recommended pricing…

Chris.. That’s really a good advice, thank you for that.

Eugene.. It’s enough to pay for the hosting every month..

Robert.. Did you mean the 20D?

Great blog and website you have! A quick question, as I’m finally getting into selling stock - you mention that most of your shots are ‘landscapes’, but when I look at your photoblog the majority I see include people/faces/babies, etc…

So, I really wonder, do you know what the percentage is that you sell of Landscapes compared to shots with People in them?

It makes big difference for me, as I shoot mostly landscapes/nature, etc, Should I concentrate on getting people shots?

Keep up the excellent site and blogs… -Brett

Brett.. Most photos in my photoblog are personal works only. I don’t submit all of them to the agencies. The site is created as a visual playground for me for experimenting with new angle, photoshop techniques etc.

Like I said before, most photographers say that people photos always sell really good.. So, I guess you should start shooting people.. or, shoot everything and see which photos selling best. By doing that you’d know which subject you’re good at..

For the percentage, I think mine is around 60/40 for landscape..

I would like to ask if your sales were so good immediately or it took some time before starting to sell pictures. I mean did they buy your images immediately?

could you maybe tell me what your name is on dreamstime so i can check out your portfolio with them?

Ternis.. If you submit ‘OK’ photos to Shutterstock, you’ll see some sales right after your photos have been approved.

Carin..what’s your username on dt?..I’ll send you a sitemail..

my username is on dt is carix. i’m feeling a bit down on myself at the moment ’cause i’ve just had a look at the shutterstock website and all the pics on there are sooo good. they won’t have my pics (yet), and i can’t say i blame them. it seems just impossible to get anywhere near the clean, crisp, sharp images that are required by shutterstock and istockphoto, using my current camera (powershot). i’ve got constant problems with the focus, there’s constant noise, and by the time i’ve cleaned it up as much as i can with photoshop, any sharpness i had is gone. i’m really looking forward to getting my new camera and lenses, to give myself a real chance of making a go of this. i’ve decided to go for the canon eos 5d, and the lenses you recommended. a bit of money’s coming our way and i don’t want to have to upgrade again soon. anyway, hope you didn’t mind me having a bit of a sob on your blog… you could charge by the hour

Carin.. I just posted a comment on one of your beautiful photos. Feel free to reply it to my e-mail

Does anyone know the legal issues surrounding selling images of logos/company signs?

Kathryn.. your images will be rejected by the agencies if it contains company logos, trademarks, third-party images and brands.

I see you have updated your May earnings. It seems to be pretty consistently above $2000 nowadays - which is excellent. I am very curious about a rough average earning per download figure. I have been doing various calculations and it seems like some sites pay so little per download. If you take your total downloads and divide the gross income into that to get a income per download figure - can you estimate roughly what that would be? I’d like to get a reasonable figure to plug into a spreadsheet to estimate how many photos vs. downloads volume vs. earnings.

Cheers.

Wow, very informative article. I even read all the comments too to see if you addressed this question about model releases but it hasn’t come up, so my question is each agency seems to have their own personalized model release. Does this mean that you would have to know before you take the photo which agency you were going to submit the photo to and give the model the appropriate model release form? Would it not be possible to use a generic model release form in case you end up uploading the photo to several different agencies?

Thanks in advance for all your helfpul advice!

I like this review and discovered also the graph from Alexa.
I tried to understand how site site compute its ranking information and discovered it uses the data sent by a toolbar your install in your web browser. Unfortunately I can not participate to this information tracking as I use Firefox and do not want to use IE.
You saw how all sites listed here drops in the number of hits (not really in percentage). Is that because more and more people use Firefox?

hi i’d just like to say what a great site this is! i was just wondering if anyone could help me in finding software which helps to reduce noise on the picture that i take. anyone know of any?

thanks

sam

thank you for your help! just another quick one what ftp software would you recommend to upload photos?

Sam

wow! thank you all you’ve all been so helpful! just wondering if any1 else has found their pictures harder to get accepted by shutterstock than others such as fotolia? is their a reason for this???

~Sam~

I have a little bit different side of questions.
All those companies who buy and sell photos have Business Model Patent?
Photographers upload their photos and website companies sell and pay to photographers- this might be a good business model itself. Why nobody registered a patent?
I saw one business model patent exactly the way Shutterstock or other companies are doing in South Korea.
I am also thinking about opening a website for photo agency, that’s why I am interested.
Thank you.

Hello

Thanks for this site, it has helped me much.

I´d like to add my input to “BG” comment respecting to his camera the Easyshare C310.

I also hope that others that may not have DSRL cameras may find this post encouraging.

I have become a member at bigstockphoto, and have uploaded some photos there that were done with a Kodak Easyshare C300, and they were accepted thanks to God. However, I edited these photos in a image editor to improve color, saturation, warm, and noise reduction, basically.

I also wanted to give this link, http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/150-vs-5000-dollar-camera.htm, it´s a man that compares his 3000 dollar (though his equipment costs 5000) camera (Canon 5D) against a 150 dollar Canon A350. See the results for yourself.

Also, for beginners (like me) you may want to check out HDR photography, which stands for “High Dynamic Range” and you can learn more at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_dynamic_range_imaging, this can greatly improve your images no matter if you own a cheap camera or a high end one. I would earnestly recomend you to try it out, as it can make your pictures to stand out, specially landscapes. See more examples of this technique by going here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/valpopando/457816840/

Bye.

Hello,

I recently split the cost of a Sony Alpha A100 with my mom, and I’ve been looking into this a bit. However, I am under 18 so I dont know how these companies will handle that. SS didnt say anything about age at all. So, Im wondering what you recommend? Should I sign up with my info, or just use my moms? Thanks.

-Mike

I have 700 pic in 123rf and 600 in fotolia from May. I mean approved pictures. I haven’t seen such a good earnings as you but just some small money. Is it because your pictures are really stunning or it takes sometime before you see good results?

hello! do you have any time saving tips for uploading/keywording my files? I seem to spend ages and ages going through the various websites’ (I’m on 7 now) uploading pages. Does there exist a kind of connection or something whereby I can upload my files to the various agencies at a click of a button? thanks!

What is the best iso setting for landscapes, macro shots, & interiors of homes?
Thanks

Hi ya, just trying to click through to your blog. Am very interested to see some of your sample photos.

Am I doing something wrong?

Hi,
I was wondering if it is safe to enter all of the passport information and the credit card numbers. Why do they do that? What sites are safe?
Thanks.

Hi All, I’ve been taking photos of landscape for ages and now I want to expand my portfolio by taking people photos. The thing is that I’m having problem directing people to get the pose that I want. Has anyone got any tips on directing the models? Where do you get your posing ideas?

Many thanks…

Hi. I’m a photographer and photograph collector. I have a very large collection of B+W shots gong back to the early days of photography, mostly non-portrait or unusual, with a lot of newspaper shots from the 40’s and before. Firstly, is there any demand for B+W early photo’s? Secondly, I assume that agency shots taken for newspapers have lapsed from copyright after 50 years, is this the case?

Thanks for your help, great site,

IH

What a wonderful forum - it’s been fun to read through the posts over the past 2 years and see the development of an online community! Now for my questions - I’m very interested in aerial stock photography and I have two questions: 1. Any idea if there is much of a demand for this? 2. Any suggestions on DSLR’s (and/or lenses) that would work best in the ‘bumpy’ environment of an airplane cockpit? Thanks so much for any suggestions!

hi, one question! Say you have 700 images on one site, im assuming the site does not accept 700 images straight off, so how long does it take to get to that level of images available for sale?

thanks.

Hi I have a question, will a Rebel XT 8 MP be good enough for taking quality and acceptable stock photos?

I’d like some advice on a purchasing a lens. I’m planning on shooting aerial stock photos (air to ground or landscapes, not air to air) and will typically be flying about 1000 feet over my subject (in a rather bumpy environment). I’ve decided to purchase a Canon Rebel XTi, but I’m not sure what lens to purchase for it. What should I look for in a lens?

I believe that the advantage of a zoom lens is the convenience and utility of not having to switch lenses between wide angle and telephoto shots, while prime lenses tend to provide a sharper photo - is that true?. If I did decide to go with a prime lens, what should I look for if I’ll be 1000 ft from the ground? In general, is it better to go with a manufacturer’s lens (in this case, a Canon), or will any SLR lens do (I can get a Tamron 28-33mm Image stabilized lens for $599, though that’s about $200 more than I’d like to spend). Does anyone have any suggestions or advice about a good lens for my situation?

Thanks in advance!

Excellent article. I started uploading photos 2 weeks ago and now have 50 across 5 of the six sites mentioned above. So far three sales. Thanks for the inspiration

Hi, just wondering if you upload any photos since august’06, since it looks like your earning has been around 2K since that month and not moving up.. I remember reading this article for the first time around January 2006… and after 1.5 years in this business, I am now earning around 3k/month with approx 2000 photos for sale online. Well, it’s not that much compared to the other big guns in microstock industry..but, Hey! I’m really proud of it.. ..So thank you for the inspiration!!!

Regards,
Scott

Hi! I’m very curious about this business, and I’m wondering if there are good opportunities to earn quite money for newbies too(like myself) or mainly for the professionals who started one or two years ago.
Thanks…and sorry for my English (I’m Italian).
Ciao!
Ricky

Hi,

These are interesting stats - it unveils the mystery about how much you can realistically make on microstock sites. If anyone is interested, ShutterPoint.com is currently offering a free “Guide to Marketable Photography” which comprehensively explains how to achieve marketable images and also showcases hundreds of top-selling images.

Julie.

Hi, may I know, as for Paypal, is it necessary to use Paypal Premier or Business Account to receive the payments? Or you just the Paypal Personal Account will do?
Thanks

Wonderful information! Thank you sooooo much for being so open.

Just wondering, I have a Nikon E5000 and am wondering if it’s good for taking stock photos??? It seems to have noise sometimes, but I haven’t figured out yet if that’s some setting I’ve not yet found out about (it has lots and lots of settings). I’ve been wanting to get a D80 so can use the lenses I have already (for Nikon 35mm film).

The photos in your blog are wonderful to say the least. We all strive to be that good!

Thanks for your comment back
Keep up the good work!…

Hey, I still haven’t bought my new camera because i’m still hunting for the perfect option. At the moment my heart is set on the Nikon D200, which I want to get with the 70-200mm f2.8G ED-IF AF Zoom Nikkor lens. I am looking for a Nikkor lens which is compatible with your earlier suggestion of the 17-85mm f4-5.6 Canon lens. I’ve found a 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 version with Nikkor. I’m looking for a high performance lens which has no difficulty freezing motion. Do you know how these two compare? Bye!

Hi there

Great website

just wondering, some of the websites requires large size of photos to be accepted.For example in tiff format, and the size can be up to 50MB for each photo. My DSLR is only 8MP so what do you do? IS there a software when you can convert photos to tiff?

Thanks for your reply–I was thinking of a Nikon D40 before because of the price, but I already have two Promaster autofocus lenses plus filters and teleconverter for them. Someone told me they won’t work on the D40. Is this true or do I still need a D80??

Thanks again for your comments. I learned a lot from your site–hope you keep it up!

Hey love the site,
Im thinking about getting the Canon Rebel XTI, and i noticed earlyer you said that you upgraded from this camera i beleave and have had higher acceptance rates of your photos. Im pretty much getting the camera for school but figured hey why not make money with the photos i’ll be taking for class lol then again i love to take pictures. So do you recomend this paticular camera based on its Noise Factor?

I would appreciate if you could help me out here…
Firstly great article. When you start selling online, when someone licenses your photo, what if they start reproducing it and selling it? How can you prevent it? And won’t you be just giving it away for them to exploit?
Also, I am 17 and run India’s most popular photoblog at http://www.thedailysunrise.com, I have a very strong portfolio of over 100+ potential selling images (I have shot over a 1000 like you but I doubt all will sell), I am just about to apply to my universities for my BFA, so I can’t risk any of my photos getting into the wrong hands. I need to start earning to somehow fun a nice laptop for myself =D

Also (sorry, this is the 3rd also =D) so you sell prints? Like any luck with Imagekind?

Sorry to ask so many questions, but I hope you find the time to answer them.

Again, a great guiding article for all of us amateurs out there.
Thanks again!
Azhar

just had another look through your awesome portfolio on your photoblog. My especial favorites are ‘pray’ and ‘heaven on earth’. how do you achieve that dreamlike, softened quality, and keep the focus clear? i’ve been playing with different filters on photoshop, and blurs, diffuse glow etc., but i can’t quite seem to get that soft, even feel and keep it sharp. would appreciate a tip from the top.

hi all
after reading this article and others similar to it i decided to give selling photos online a go, I started a week ago and had my first sale today.

If anyone is interested im keeping a blog of how it goes

comments and suggestions welcome!

Is shutterstock still accepting photographers? I signed up for an account this morning and I can’t navigate around the website at all. I wanted to submit the initial 10 photos for approval. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Teresa

Hi,

I have recently started in the microstock game and was wondering about earnings consistency.
I notice you mentioned your last upload was Jan 07, and it looks ike your earnings have just started to drop off.
Have you found that your earnings usually drop off if you stop uploading for a while, or do they stay fairly consistent?

Thanks,
Courtney

Do you have to sign away copyright on all pics sold online??

Hi Paul,

What are the standard resolution and ASA recommended for selling online?

I used to photograph alot before the digital revolution and am interested to start again, since I am getting a camera tomorrow.

Please advice. thank you.

Emi

Thanks for your advice, much appreciated.

Courtney

I see you manage to sell with BigStock and the other agencies simultaneously. Do you offer any extended licenses that might require you to pull a photo for a client exclusively? If so, how do you manage it with the photo being listed somewhere like BigStock that says you have no rights to pull the photo for at least 90 days?

Hi dphotojournal,
Congratulations for your great earning. I’m very surprised reading that your 2k income boosted after your vacation to Indonesia. I live in a tropical country and getting crazy shooting pictures everyday. However, the images is not good enough I think to be uploaded. I’m using Canon PowerShot A460 5MP. Do you think it’s not the camera weakness, but the photographer, that’s me!

Hi,thanks for this important information…..EXIST SOME STOCK FOTO COMPANY THAT CAN ACCEPT MY 1600X 1200 size foto’s?
i shot this fotos with a powershot por1 canon,but i don’t use 8 mpx …i make all the foto with the size 1600×1200.
sorry for my english,….. thanks cristian

I just wonder : how many time did you spend entering the info for every picture ? Do you have a secret method ? I spent a few hours trying to enter every practical and useful info on every picture and it’s hard to manage !

Izo

yes i had a question what size photos should i take to start?

As for model release compensation, how much would you normally give to an indivdual? What about for photos taken overseas during maybe a crises or something (child poverty,etc.)?

thanks for the answers.

My photos are already 10mpixel, is it still neccesary to interpolate it?
I tried doing it on my photoshop, and my image did not expand to 48mb but still stayed at 1mb. what did i do wrong?

With a 10mpixel size image, i doubt interpolating is still necessary? i am confused.

thanks again!

Hi there! Thanks so much for your information, I actually spent a night reading it all and now it feels like I’ve been through a kind of a University course.:)))
I still have 3 questions though -
1) I live and work in Russia, paypall doesn’t exist here :(((( As for checks, they will take a long time to get here( in case they do get here). Have you ever heard of an alternative to paypall?
2)You said you try not to retouch your photoes. Do you mean you don’t change the “intense” of the colours as well( like making blue more blue and so on)?And if you do,how do the agencies react on that?
3)What about a digitally made b&w photo? Have you ever sold one or heard of those being sold?( the same about sepia)

Thanks in advance for any replies! And good luck and a kind “muse”:) to you all!

Great and Informative postings,
I was wondering how you format the IPTC tags? I’ve been playing around with them and cannot get the tags to register on any of the sites. IE, I’ve tried things like “keywords; cute, baby, etc” but have had no luck. Any help would be great.
Thanks

It is amazing how the internet has opened the doors of the photography marketplace for so many people. It is nice to see people being rewarded for their passions.

This article is great. Thank you for all of the useful information. I have one question though, what’s the difference between selling your photos royalty free and an exclusive buyout license? Does the exclusive buyout license refer to the fact that you’re tying yourself to that one stock photo company only?

This is an excellent article, but i wonder if you have some advices for a first-timer of sellng pictures? Is there a place that is better for an amateur?

Best regards Ole

Hiya

Looking at your photoblog, I think I know you from somewhere, photomalaysia forum perhaps?

Anyway, just like to congratulate you on your earnings. I’ve always dreamed of getting those kind of income every month, but so far not very impressive.

A quick question, how long does it take for you to start earning steadily from those microstock sites? I started a year ago but very rarely uploading until recently, hence my portfolio contains only 20 photos or so. I’m getting 1 or 2 downloads per week at the moment. What was the number like when you first started this microstock business?

Thanks a lot and keep up the good work!

My husband is a wonderful amateur photographer
(I am not so bad either) who is involved with several local camera clubs where he is winning recognition and awards. We recently put together a website to sell his photos (no one even knows it’s there yet); but would also like to get into stock phototgraphy sales as we plan to retire within the next 5 years and would love to do this full time. If we sign up with some of these stock agencies can we still sell the photos on our our website? Do our photos need to be officially copyrighted? What stock agencies do you recommend as the best for sales of landscapes, flowers, animals and lighthouses? These are his specialties. Thanks!!

SO is shutterstock free?

Hi there, thanks for the good info.
I have a question though,
When do you become bronze to diamond with istockphoto?

I was wondering how you get higher up. Lets say you have uploaded and sold some Royalty Free photos and there is one very good photo that just as well could be a Rights-Managed photo on gettyimages. How do you get there. Do you get invited or anything ? And the image you submitted, you can’t suddenly decide to go ask 300 dollars for it once its been Royalty free. am i right ?

Thanks

Hi,

Fantastic article - inspired me to buy a DSLR!

I`ve been looking at the 400D/40D but I read somewhere that the EF-S lenses (such as the 17-85mm IS lens you mentioned earlier), wont work with later models, such as the 5D (which you have). Is this the case? Did you have to sell the EF-S lens when you upgraded?
Thanks

There’s a site called PhotoFront (link here) that lets you sell unlimited photos and/or stock photos with no commissions. Sounds promising.

Hi i’m new at this but have a Megxon X33 camera how
do you download your photos from your camera to your computer?

Thanks!

You should have mentioned something about fair trade stock photography. Why would you let someone pay you a dollar for a photo that they are going to use to make thousands of dollars? Why would you spend thousands of dollars on equipment and transportation–to say nothing of the time and effort to gain the necessary skills–only to sell your photo at slave wages? These microstock sites are undercutting professional photography by enticing people who are so ignorant about the trade that they don’t even know or care what a good photo is worth.

Thanks for all the info! You mentioned that you used budget sigma lenses with your canon 350D in you “early” days. What sigma lens would you recommend with the 350D? What sigma’s did you use? Let me put it this way. What budget sigma’s would your recommend that will do the job. Do all sigma lenses fit the 350d? I would love to get cannon lenses, but I just don’t have the cash. What do you think about the Sony alpha? Thanks. Take care.

Hi,
thanks for the great site. Could you tell me what size each image should be in order to be accepted. Is tiff ok?
Thanks

Thanks for the great information! I check back frequently to see how you are doing and you always have informative posts. It’s great to see how fellow microstockers are doing!

Thank’s for the tips,

But I’v something else to say:
Be careful if you send to the subscription agenceis model, consider this:

1. subscription sales are much more destructive for the business as a whole, than microstock in general. Subscriptions enable customers to build large image archives that reduces the need to download photos in the future and thus our (photographer) profit potential.

2. average subscribers only use about 15 - 30% of the full potential of their membership. This means that most pictures in a subscription sell at a 5-6USD price-point in average, giving us about 25 cents in commission. A bottom-line commission of about 5 percent. Even if I was totally wrong and every subscriber actually downloaded the double of what I have heard, the commission would still only be 10%.

3. Same price at all size.

Downsize your image before send to the subscription model agencies.
this link is interesting
http://www.microstockgroup.com/index.php?topic=3278.0

for photographer future, there is pay per photo and 70% share agency out there…
FeaturePics.com is one of them

here is another reason why photographers hate subscription agencies (shutterstock, dreamstime, 123rf):

4. Deep Discounts
First, in the business world, deep discounts are normally given to the best customers. Giving a deep discount (up to 35% off or more from the normal price) is understandable. But subscriptions go much, much deeper than that.

The approximate cost and royalty for a maximum size image is as follows at the top sites:

IS: $20 ($4)
DT: $8 ($4)
SXP: $10 ($5)
FT: $5 ($1.50)

So an artist will receive between $1.50 and $5 for a maximum size image from the largest sites.

If a customer buys lots of images, then a discount should be given. Giving discounts to large customers is good business. But most sites already have discounts for purchasing large token packages. For example, on IS if you buy 1500 credits, then you will receive a 34% discount. On DT, if you buy over 150 credits, then you will receive a 25% discount. On SXP, if you buy 500 credits, then you will receive a 20% discount.

But subscriptions go above and beyond these deep discounts. Almost to the point of giving away our images.

For example, on DT, a submitter receives 0.30 for a subscription. That is a 93% discount from the normal royalty (of $8 for a maximum size image with over 100 sales). On SXP, a submitter receives 0.30 for a subscription. That is a 97% discount from the normal royalty (of $10 for an XXL image).

5. Macro Buyers
Second, the buyers that are purchasing subscription packages are normally the large agencies that need lots and lots of images. These are the agencies that used to purchase macrostock images for $100s (if not $1,000s) of dollars apiece. These are the customers that could actually afford to purchase images individually (if needed). According to the financial news, this is a multi-billion dollar industry. They have deep pockets. But yet, they now want to offer them even deeper discounts (over 95% off) on images that are already cheap. It makes no sense

we are free to choose which better for us…

Great site, thanks for all the info.
Are there any stock sites that accept editorial images?
I have several images of buildings and sports events that i cannot get release forms for and wonder if i can use them in this way.
thanks

I have three questions about selling photos online via micro stock photography sites such as Shutterstock, Fotolia, etc.

1) Do you have to pay sales tax on commissions earned from photo sales?

2)If a photo is sold to someone in another country do you have to declare the item and value on customs forms?

3)Do you recommend opening a business checking account for photo earnings in PayPal to be transferred to?

I just had my first three sample photos rejected by iStockphoto.com due to “artifacting when viewed at full size.” The photos were 4.9 MP, the quality setting on my camera was high and the HP Image Zone program I used was set on the lowest compression/highest quality setting for saving JPEG images.
1) Do you have any other recommendations to avoid compression artifacting?
2) I have a Panasonic DMC-FZ20 camera. Do I need a higher quality camera or different photo editing program?

hi..thanx a lot for yr info. since our earning is based on what people are searching for the pictures… so the question is..can i get the info on “the people demand” on the photo?

Sir,
I am from Tripura, which is a small state of INDIA. How can I get payment if I sell my photo in website. There are no international bank in this stae.
Arunesh

hi, i loved your article, but when thinking about it its not really for me, my photographs arnt ’stock’ photographs, as i am planning to sell them in gallerys for a lot more than .30c but i wanted to know if you know anywhere that i could put my images online for free and have a gallery or website of my work where i could sell it for a price i choose, or one thats a bit higher??

Hello, thanks for all the info- most useful. Your photoblog is great. As a 17 year old uni student I am only a budding photgrapher with tight finances. I am not the greatest photographer (though am learning) however I do know my way around photshop well. I was wondering how much editing is acceptable to the upload of stock sites or even if it is ok whether you would recommend it or that graphic artists prefer to do that themselves (if they buy the liscence appropriate to do so).
Thanks!

Wow! This is amazing. I have been thinking of selling my photos online for years, but now I am really trying to DO it… and this is a great idea. I am glad that I happened upon your site! Thanks

Misha

Hi,

I started in the stock game last year, and your article was a great help. Thankyou!

I am working on a mac and am now looking for a way to upload to multiple sites using one piece of software. Do you use one or have any recommendations?

Thanks for the info, great post I’ll be checking these companies out.

Hi! a friend recommended i do this and your page is the first one i came upon looking into the opportunity. great description! i’m looking forward in trying it myself for i’ve been offered and paid money before for some shots i took. I looked at your pictures on http://www.photoblogku.com/index.php?x=browse&category= and they look fantastic. if it’s ok with you, how can i make a similar photo collection page like yours? best regards!

Lovely positive vibes visiting your site/blog - congratulations and many thanks to you !

I was wondering: I took shots of random village kids and got lovely smiles….but now, how will I ever get a model contract for them, I could never go back and locate them/their parents! Does this mean I cannot sell these shots as stock?

Glad for any tips.

Thanks, Rusyanto! I hope that is your name?!

This is great..thanks..

Hi all,
Great blog, verry informative.

I have a legal question. I’ve just returned from mexico and have some great shots of children in a Myan village. I did have a model release form but the children and their parents were illiterate. Our tour guide did translate and the mother was happy to release images of her children but was unable to complete the form. I would prefer to use iStock for my images. Is there a work around for this situation?

Would really appreciate your help!

I have a Kodak z810. Is this camera capable of taking the 4 mp pictures required for submission?

It took me two days…but I finally read your entire post + comments.

While I was reading it I kept asking myself..”what’s the catch…why is he disclosing all this…what does he have to gain by doing so?”

In the end, I realize that your a fellow photographer looking to further enhance his craft, and sharing tips and tricks along the way.
Isn’t that what it’s all about?

I thank you very much.

Kevin

I have taken thousands of photos in the past of a child who lives with my wife and I. Do these photo’s require a release from the childs’ guardian even though they are my own personal work?

Its a brilliant article, niceone and all the best for sharing such information. I just wanted to ask, can we edit the images then submit it to the agent or does it need to be original untouched photos.

Many Thanks

My question refers to the Guild laws:
http://www.gag.org/contracts/glossary.html which states that:

“When artwork is rejected, the client has chosen NOT to obtain any rights to the use of the artwork.”

So I.S. has no legal right to keep me from posting a photo they reject onto another site unless they pay a “Kill Fee”?

I’m currently selling and doing well on I.S. but as exclusive. What I simply cannot understand is that the agreement says I cannot use rejected photos on any other site, but why?

If they reject them then why can’t I sell them on S.S.? I just recently opened an account on S.S. It’s a wonderful site.

Is this even legal for them (i.S.)to deny me the chance to sell i.s. REJECTED photos which I believe can do quite well on another site?

John,

Thank you for the quick response. I am considering termination of my exclusive with i.S. Although I make over $1200 per month on average with I.S., I assume S.S. has a more professional relationship with it’s artists. I am already with SAG, so I will now consider GAG as well.

Cheers,
Dr. Mike

I’m a newbie and really appreciate your insights and tips; thanks for your generosity of spirit. I have two questions: You recommend limiting editing of photos so should I avoid sharpening completely? Do you have any security/identity theft concerns re: giving stock agencies personal identifying info. such as social security #, passport, etc.

My questions are about the Model Release for non-US persons like whan you are out of the US. What happens in that case? Do you find other nationalities cooperative when you hand them the Model Release? Especially when the Release is in English and they may not be able to read English. Do they usually sign it? How do you handle that situation? Thank you for the article and thank you for taking questions.

Hi

I am completely new to this and quite new to digital photography. Would it be fair to say that an 8mb compact camera is not suitable for this and that I should buy an SLR?

Also, if I was to scan my negatives from my 35mm SLR into a digital format, would they be deemed suitable in terms of resolution?

With thanks

Stephen

Hi,

i just bought a kodak 7MP camera, please let me know if this quality is sufficient for me to post

Regards
Nagabhushan

Hi

I’m so glad I stumbled across your article, it’s fantastic.

How many photographs would you recomend as a minimum to a stock site? I haven’t uploaded to anyone yet and the thought of uploading 800+ pics to each site is a bit daunting.

Also, as well as photography work I really want to find somwhere to upload my digital artwork to. Can you recomend a stock site which would suit my work , maybe there are specialist sites that you know of or have come across?

Thankyou for your time

Blessings

Angie*

Hey,
I’ve been follow this blog since I started stock photography earlier this year. I am glad to have found this blog to use as a reference guide for what to expect from these sites. Your earnings and exceptance percentages are much higher than mine! Your quality of work is obviously better. Plus I am new to photography and have really only been messing with it for 2 or so years…. more seriously recently though. I was wondering if you could post a link to one of your portfolios….. like Dreamstime or which ever one you prefer so I can maybe see how you work your magic!

THANKS!

Great, great site!
Was looking to buy a camera,and it is hard to decide tho my budget is limited to about $1500
What do you think about
Canon EOS 400D KIT - EF 18-55 mm / EF 55-200 mm
Do you think I can get good acceptance rate of photos made with this camera?

Thanks,
Remmy

HI,

I have shot about 300 photos,can i upload all the 300 photos at above mentioned websites all at once.

glad for reply

Regards
Nagabhushan

An excellent read. I have been taking photos for many years now, and people keep telling me I should sell them, as you do on those websites.

By the way, your photos are great!
(hence your good sales)

I mainly do travel type photos like you do, and animals when I can find any here in Tokyo, or Japan.

Question: They don’t mind photos with Photoshop effects on them? Velvia color, saturation… etc etc. How about good HDR photos?

Hi ppl! Pls somebody tell me why it depends on what country I live? please! I enjoyed reading …

What a great blog!!! You have some outstanding content on making some money with quality photos!! Thanks for sharing your information, which has inspired me…I use to take pictures for Walmart and that is a far cry from the master pieces your producing.

My backround is in art and I took an excellent art course at a University back in the early 1990’s.

The internet has opened up some innovative jobs for people who want to work from home. This is refreshing information to find in an internet sea of false claims and never ending scams.

I fully realize this will take some work and there is going to be trial and error, but this is the best opportunity I’ve seen for a starving artist with talent!

Take care,

DeWayne

I want to upload to different site for sale. Which sites do I avoid i.e. those that require exclusivity. Thanks

Hi there,

Have you ever tried to sell your prints with Deviant Art?

I have been with them for a while. They are a great company.

Very informative!

thanks for all this information and the help you are giving us.

one question i love macro photos more than anything but you think macros is a good are for selling stock?

thanks againg

Hello… I cant believe the info at hand, very informative and very inspiring. Many thanks!

Now to my questions;

1. Like to the question above, are macro shots ideal?

2. Are we allowed to edit the pictures in a photo program first before we upload them? I mean, clean up any noise, change lighting, brighten/darken… etc. This leads into my next question

3. Can we upload artistic photos that have been edited in a photo program? Meaning ones with filter work and such?

Again, many thanks for your blog.

Hello,

Many thanks for sharing your valuable information!

Q.A very important thing as I learned here is adding key words to photos and this is not very easy to me.
Is there any software to make it easier?

I wish you a leap beyond the signs,

Kambiz

Dear Sir, I thought you are foreigner but later on I know you are Indonesian, live in Jakarta, same as me..:)). Thanx for a really helpful sharing; knowledge is really weird, the more we give away, the more we will receive..:)) Btw, I have one question: I like to shoot manufacturing plant (due to my job nature-I’m insurance surveyor), for example: warehouse, racking system in warehouse, boiler, generator set, excavator (heavy equipment), backhoe, etc. For post processing, I use HDR (you have said that HDR is less likely to be successful), so I will just use curve/gradient/saturation etc. Do you think my kind of image will be successful? Thank you very much. Herry.

hello, i love this site . packed full of lots of helpful surprises . its as good as an unexpected christmas present on a chill to the bone christmas morning . just awesome ,thank you . i had a question or two .is there a way to upload all your pics to all the sites yo u reccomend at the same time .i was hoping this way people couldnt buy your photo and post it to another site to sell before you upload the same pic threw out the different sites . there are so m any pictures on alot of these sites . how does the picture hosting site now if the picture your sending them is not already on there site ? i realize that some sites might only allow you to upload a certain amount of pics a day or week? what sites do you reccomend that allow you to upload as many as you want , no limit and how many pics are you allowed to upload to them at a time . is there a way people can left click and save your pic to there computer and resell your pic without paying for it .? what sites dont have there sites copyright image over top your pic downloaded to there site to prevent this ? thank you and happy selling

hello again. i thought id send an another question that might help others as well. i went to alexa and typed in names of sites that you mentioned and others as well to look at traffic to those sites . what in your opionion is the most important things to consider when looking at the picture hosting sites on alexa? is it the traffic ? or and the amount on the graph where the lines are at ? some sites i put in didnt even show a graph but they had alot of traffic . and some sites didint have alot of traffic but had high graph lines that ididint make much sense to me ? its confusing ? how does a newbe like me understand whats the important things to look at when doing research on alexa with different photo posting sites to sell my image , thank you .

hello. This website is great. I’ve been shooting with my 450D for few months and thinking of earning $$ from my photos. I’ve seen most of the stock photos from ShutterStock.com have completely plain backgrounds. How did they do it? Is that important in stock photography?

Can you recommend the websites that you think are good and worth uploading my photos to?

Thanks for any advice

hello thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. heres some more. do you upload your pics to the websites then make up your keywords or make up your keywords first ?how many keywords do you put with a pic nowadays? not to steal any of your ideas , but what method do you use to find keywords for your pictures,nowadays? i have anywhere from 10 to 50 keywords per image. i have like 200 [pictures to upload to all the sites. i only have keywords for 10 pictures so far . that is a long process. anymore help on keyword issue would be great . this site is awesome. so much help and info. i realize some of the questions i asked has been answered but that was a few yrs ago. maybe some things changed has you do this or that and maybe there is better ideas . im interested in seeing what methods people use to find there keywords nowadays.thank you everyone

I have numerous shots of wildlife and birds of prey. Is there a particular agency that you would recommend placing them with?

Great website and thanks for the support!

Thank you so much for such an informative blog! I have been a photographer for many years and am only just discovering the wonderful world of web based sales.

One question I have for you though, I am wondering about putting photos on these sites that have been taken for clients. One such instance would be some equine shots of a stallion that I took for a client. Would I need permission from the owner of the horse if there are no people in the shots?

Thank you for responding so quickly! I was kind of thinking that was the case but wasn’t sure. I am looking forward to this new venture! I sure hope that I have just a small amount of your success, it is a start anyway!

hello, thank you for never letting us down wit h answering back with answers to our questions. this is a question that im surprised no one else asked about . atleast i dont think they did.here it is .. i noticed on some sites they show you by clicking on the pictures that are being sold . how many people looked at that particular photo and also how many times it was downloaded. like say for instance snapvillage.com. in which they have these 2 features. my questions is what sites that you mentioned above or others that you know show how many of a particular image was sold and how many times it was looked at by clicking on it , or someother way ? this can also help a person with what pictures are selling and which ones arent. i realize that some sites alow you to look and see what is the most popular image but i m looking for more info on any particular one image( like snapvillage) , not a whole block of a certain field of images. thank you . i have been googling my questions as well

Hi
I have been taking photos in Raw for the last year or so but I have a lot of photos ranging from .7MB to 3.2MB taken before 2005. If I use software like Genuine Fractals can I improve the resolution so that some photos may be accepted by Micro Stock Photography agencies?

I only can say, thank you very much for all these information, fantastic!

I am thinking about it. A lot of people are telling me that I should sell my photos.

I will follow your tips.

Have a nice day and Merry Christmas!

Very inspiring,

Greetings from Holland,

Mariana

I’m on the opposite side of the fence as you all. I rarely ever take pictures and don’t even own a camera capable of the 4 megapixel minimum. I do buy stock photos for my web design work.

I’m thinking of buying a camera and taking a few pictures. As a web designer I know exactly what types of shots are useful to my work. My thought is that I can take some of the photos I need myself, and also offset the cost of stock images by having some of my own for sale. Do any of these companies give more in terms of credits if I use them to purchase other photos?

I’m no photographer so I don’t plan to make oodles of cash from my pictures. I also rarely ever use an image that that is more than 400×600 in my own design work. What level of camera should I be looking at? I doubt I can justify the cost of a DSLR.

Do all of your stock sites send you W9 forms so that they can file a 1099. I got a request from shutterstock, but, have not received any W9’s from the other sites that I’m with.

here is so much good information, thanks.
i joined fotolia, but i´m confused- i can sell my photos, put there is no information about how i get money. to they use paypal or something else?

I love taking pictures and idea to sell them on internet is super, but I only have Canon powershot A460. I understand that it´s not good enough, but still, can any of these micro-stock accept my fotos? So I could earn extra money to buy new and better camera.

Abdul Majid Alfaragany photographer from Libya, the Director-General of the Libyan imaging
Associated Press photographer, told the U.S.There are many pictures of the desert and beautiful pictures of the possible to sell these pictures
00218913201495

Great and informative site…thank you very much. The answer to my question may be somewhere in the comments (I tried to read most of the comments but there are soooo many!) but I would like to know do you shoot in RAW format and then convert to JPEG? I sent pics to IS after shooting with my Nikon D80 with a Nikon lens in JPEG and they all got rejected. I joined the other sites you mentioned but dont want to send photos yet until I get a better idea of how to send them. Any suggestions?

Great reed, fantastic job my friend.

I was wondering if you do Opt out or Opt in, in iStock. Whats the difference?

Thanks for the inspiration, just got my first 2 images approved at iS.

Please put a user name in the article so that people can give you credit when they sign up to sites like shutterstock. All I could give them was this site and the URL of your photoblog.

Hi I was just wondering if after you’ve up loaded your photos if your still given credit for your work. Are there some photos that get royalties? but really what I’m wondering is are you acknowledged for your work when its sold. Is your name on your photos? or do you loose all credit once youve sold them to the sites.

Hope to hear from ya soon. Thanks

hi, really enjoyed this blog but still find it confusing about being non-exclusive… i just applied to istockphoto with the three sample photos…. i am non-exclusive with them, so does this mean that i can upload THE SAME PHOTOS to other sites ????? what about same photos, different angles or different shots etc????? help please!!!
amy