Stock photo how to sell your photos. How I was selling photographs. Profitable hobby. Is it possible to sell images of people

Zwork with the help of the world wide web continues to rapidly gain popularity. The main advantage of this form of income generation is the ability to independently plan time and combine work and personal affairs.

Selling Photos Online

ABOUTthe bottom of the directions for earning is the implementation of professional and amateur photos on special stocks and photo banks. Each resource has its own requirements and characteristics. Based on the opinions of users, we have compiled a rating of the most convenient and profitable resources for selling photos.

1. iStockphoto - one of the largest resources for the implementation of photos, as well as video, audio files, hand-drawn illustrations. The site contains a huge collection of images on various topics. For Russian-speaking photographers, there is an option to choose their native language.

Din order to start cooperating with the stock, you just need to follow a few simple steps:

    ✔ Submit an application;

    ✔ Confirm the age of majority;

    ✔ Download examples of work.

IN flow 30 days the project team examines the application and, subject to the quality compliance with the flow requirement, approves it. Then you can download examples.

2. Vectorstock - an international website for the sale of artwork in the vector graphics style. Images are divided into categories, among which the most popular are:

    ✔ Science;

    ✔ Art;

    ✔ Health care;

    ✔ Education;

    ✔ Religion.

TOin addition, backgrounds and ornaments are in demand on the portal. For cooperation, a minimum knowledge of English is required: the site does not have a choice of language groups.

3. Glstock is another English-language photo stock that positions itself as a space where premium-level photographs and graphics are collected. The following conditions are offered to sellers:

    ✔ Sale without exclusive rights at a price from $ 1 to $ 30;

    ✔ Obtaining one of 3 types of licenses;

    ✔ If a picture is bought once with the transfer of rights to the product, the cost rises and is discussed individually.

4. Crestock - the portal assumes a collection in which there are more 2 million images ... The site allows one seller to sell a photo an unlimited number of times, but the income from one photo will be lower than on similar resources.

Hto start selling photos, you need to register and write a brief description for each product. The photo bank is suitable for photographers with a large baggage of photographic products.

5. Shutterstock is a Russian-language portal for the sale of not only photos, but also videos, music recordings and vector graphics. At the moment, the total number of products presented is more than 200 million.

Hcollaboration is easy. Need:

    ✔ Upload works;

    ✔ Wait for the purchase;

    ✔ Replenish your collection regularly.

6. Bigstockphoto is an international bank with support for over a dozen languages. Domestic photographers got the opportunity to use the stock in their native language.

Dto get started with the site you will need:

    ✔ Complete a free registration;

    ✔ Upload works. They will become available to buyers after review by reviewers;

    ✔ Replenish your portfolio.

Portal guarantees photographers copyright protection. Information about possible income and conditions for their increase is presented in detail on a separate page.

7. Fotolia - to sell photos on this portal you will also need knowledge of English. Like most of its analogues, stock is focused on working with photographers, designers and video creators.

Dfor work, registration is required and further implementation of the actions specified for the sellers.

8. Dreamstime - stock for the implementation of photos, videos and graphics. It specializes in the sale of the first category. Supports several languages, including Russian. Among the clients of the photo bank are large brands operating in various production segments.

Dfree registration is provided for sellers and buyers. It is possible to display photos in the following categories:

    ✔ Business;

    ✔ Animals;

    ✔ Travel;

    ✔ Nature;

    ✔ Items.

Mminimum price for one picture - about 15 rubles.

9. Photobank Lori is a domestic stock focused on the sale of photographs. In the section for authors, there are clear requirements for products. Frames with a plot are especially in demand. The portal offers an opportunity to get acquainted with the most popular topics.

Dan agreement is concluded on the beginning of cooperation. Earnings depend on:

    ✔ Type of license;

    ✔ Exclusivity.

10. Depositphotos is a photobank supporting more than a dozen languages. There is a Russian-language translation of the pages. Main categories:

    ✔ Flora and fauna;

    ✔ Drinks and food;

    ✔ Cities;

    ✔ Interiors;

    ✔ Transport.

INthis is represented by about 30 thematic sections. To sell, you must register and pass the exam online. Successful delivery allows you to start selling images on the portal. The size of the commission depends on the number of downloads of photo products. The seller is assigned levels, the highest of which is the fifth, called platinum.

11. Lookmytrips is a highly specialized resource focused on photographs taken while traveling and on walks. Login is possible through social networks. There are no serious requirements for the authors. The reward is given to the creators of the most popular images among users.

I wish you good luck in everything!

With respect!

Make money selling photos on the Internet

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Attention! The data on this page is current for 2017.

How can you make money selling photos on the Internet?

There are many opportunities to make money on the internet. We will talk about completely legal earnings by selling your photos in photo banks. "Own" means that you are the author of the photos sold, and that you, as a photographer, own the rights to these photos.

What is a photo bank and how does it work?

Photobank (photo stock, microstock or just stock) is a huge online repository of photos, illustrations and other useful content. Photographers and artists upload their works to this repository, which are put up for sale by the photobank. Designers and all other people who need high-quality legal photographs go to the website of the photobank and buy the images they need. Part of the profit from the sale of the image is transferred to the author, and part is left to the photo bank.

How much do photos in a photo bank cost?

Depending on the chosen tariff and a number of other conditions, one download of a photo from a photo bank under a non-exclusive license can cost from 20 cents to 80 dollars. A "non-exclusive" license means that you are not selling the photograph itself, but permission to use it. Moreover, this permission can be sold an unlimited number of times to different people. Thus, in each photo, you can end up making a very decent amount of money if it is sold many times.

How much can you earn from selling photos in photobanks?

Unfortunately or fortunately, there is no exact answer to this question. Everything is individual here. Someone makes millions of dollars selling photographs and illustrations! And someone is nothing! Why does it depend? From the quality of work and their quantity. Wondering who makes millions? For example, Yuri Arcurs. If we talk about a professional photo stocker with a portfolio of about 10,000 photos, then it is about $ 2,000-3,000 per month. In 2013 it was about 60,000 - 90,000 rubles, and in 2016 it was already 140,000 - 210,000 rubles, which for most people is a very tempting amount! :)

What are the main advantages and difficulties of making money in photo banks?

Advantages:

  1. You work when you want and how much you want. You can do nothing for a month or more, and your photos will continue to sell and bring you stable profits.
  2. Working with photo banks does not require binding to any specific place. All you need is high-quality Internet access, which is available in almost all countries of the world.
  3. Creativity and creativity. The variety of directions for photography and vector images is huge. You can create and sell whatever you like!

Difficulties:

  1. In a number of photo banks you need to pass an exam before you can sell your work. On Depositphotos and 123rf, the exam is more of a formality, but on Shutterstock, even experienced photographers don't always pass it the first time.
  2. Leading photo banks are very demanding on the quality of photos. Your works will deviate one by one until they meet a certain bar set by the photo bank.
  3. To start earning at least $ 100 a month, you need to stock up on a serious dose of patience and perseverance. Even if you are a professional and established photographer, there are many nuances in working with photobanks that you will have to deal with before working with photobanks becomes a familiar and comfortable thing for you.Here are the main ones:
  • For each photo, you need to write keywords and a short description, and in English.
  • If there are recognizable people in the photo, you need to sign for each person (model release), scan it and upload it to the photobank.
  • You must fill out so that you are not withheld US income tax.
  • To withdraw the earned money, you need to create and set up an account in the PayPal payment system.

Thus, working with photobanks selling photographs and illustrations is a responsible and scrupulous job. But if you take it seriously, chances are the game will be worth the candle!

For clarity, watch a video interview with several successful Russian-speaking photo stockers:

Who can sell their photos in photobanks?

Anyone who is 18 years old and has documents confirming his identity can sell his photos in photo banks. It doesn't matter at all whether you work as a photographer or not and what kind of camera you use. It is important that your photos meet a number of technical requirements of photobanks and are needed by potential buyers.

Where to start if you want to make money selling your photos or illustrations?

The general scheme of work is simple: The page provides a brief overview of the most popular and profitable photobanks. You open the page of each photobank, study briefly its features, follow the link to the photobank itself and go through the registration procedure as a seller. Then you upload your photos or illustrations to the photo bank, they start selling, you start making money.

Do you want to make money on what you love? Easy! Let's talk about how to make money selling photos on the Internet.

This article is for people over 18 years old

Have you already turned 18?

Anyone can sell photos on the Internet, just some of the existence of such a business is unaware. If you put in the effort and perseverance, you can make an excellent source of income. It will be profitable even when the owner is looking for new locations for filming.

How to start selling photos online?

In order to sell your photos at a high price, you must first register with one or several photobanks at once. It is through them that the largest stream of photos goes. Designers and editors from all over the world often look into these photo banks in search of the right pictures and inspiration.

It is also important to decide on the material that will be uploaded to the site. As practice shows, those photos that differ in the originality of the plot are in great demand. Landscapes are popular. There is also a demand for food. It can be both ready-made meals and products. If you decide to capture the sky, then it should be processed with high quality so that it can be bought on a photo stock.

If you do not know how to make captions for images in English, then you can use special translators. Still, for the successful promotion of photos, it is recommended to speak English at least at an intermediate level. If you make the description correctly, you can increase the sales of the photo.

To take beautiful photos, you need to have a professional camera. The 4 MP camera will allow you to take high quality images. In addition, they will need to be processed in Photoshop to make them even better.

Many people wonder if they can sell their photos multiple times. It is possible. As evidenced by the practice of successful photo stockers, some images are sold dozens of times, while half or even more of those uploaded to the portfolio have never been purchased.

There are several sites that offer this type of income. The most famous:

  • Shutterstock;
  • iStockphoto;
  • Fotolia;
  • Dreamstime;
  • Bigstock.

If you are interested in stock images in Russia, then it is recommended to go to Lori. The largest earnings will be on the global American site Shutterstock. It is slightly behind the French Fotolia and Canadian iStockphoto.

To make money selling photographs, you have to be very diligent. This job takes a lot of patience. Most novice photo stockers abandon this lesson even during the registration period on the resource or after their images have not passed the exam. The exam is an optional procedure, but most resources have it. For each resource, you need to make a resume with a specific set of images. The inspector checks them.

To start making money in this business on your own, you don't have to travel the world and take pictures. You can start by filming the environment. It is not recommended to photograph people at the initial stage of their professional development. In order for such images to be placed in a portfolio on a resource, there must be a written permission from those people who are captured.

The stock photos that are popular are the photo sections:

  • people;
  • animals;
  • plants;
  • sport;
  • health;
  • nature.

Where can I sell my photos online?

The photographs taken can be sold online. This is the fastest way to get money. Most of the resources offer to withdraw money to e-wallets, and then transfer to bank cards.

The whole world needs photos. The problem of video clips is even more acute. They are often accepted without exams. Photos are needed in magazines, newspapers, on Internet resources. Pictures for screensavers are very popular. A beginner photo stocker can start by filming the texture of the walls, a fallen yellow leaf or dew on the grass. The imprinted surface of a lake or river will also generate income. These pictures are in demand, they are used for screensavers.

If you do not know the answer to the question of where pictures are needed, then there is only one answer - pictures are needed everywhere. They complement the printed material, allowing a broader disclosure of the topic and supplement it.

How to sell photos on a photo bank

On the Shutterstock photo stock, you need to pass a special exam, which we wrote about above. How it happens: you need to add 10 photos to the photo stock, if less than 7 images are selected from them, then the exam is not passed. You can try again only after a month, but the plus is that there can be an unlimited number of such attempts.

Designers, editors and photographers come to Shutterstock to find new images, as it is the most popular and most profitable resource worldwide.

If you are not interested in selling, but buying images, then you will need to buy a subscription here. It allows you to download 25 photos daily. The fee for this is just under $ 200. Here you can sell video clips. The system on this resource is built in such a way as to stimulate buyers and bring even more income.

The stocks sell original photographs that cannot be found anywhere else. Everyone who is interested in art is recommended to visit there.

An exam is also required at Creativemarketcom. This is a website that sells vector animation. On this platform, you need to create a shop where you can place products. When registering, be sure to write why you want to sell here.

There are 3 photos to be taken with IStockphoto, but they must be of a very high quality and accurately correspond to the stated category. You can retake the exam as much as you like at any time interval.

For Depositphoto you need to prepare 5 test photos. It is a high growth platform, so it is recommended to register here for future earnings.

If you're interested in artistic photography, you can sell it at 500px. This exchange is not like the previous ones: there is no exam here. It is important that the name of the photographer is known, and his work has already appeared on Internet resources. You can start promoting your work through Instagram, LJ, VKontakte page or on Facebook.

How to sell a photo for money?

If you do not know how much you can sell photos for, then the symbolic price in photo stocks is 1-6 dollars. At first glance, this seems like a very small amount, but profit is achieved through multiple sales of one product.

If you own old family photos, they will also help generate income. All that is required is to make copies of old images and send them to the resource. They are in demand, so they will become a profitable business.

Pre-revolutionary family photos must be in good condition. Collectors need them and can be bought for a lot of money. In order not to be too cheap, it is imperative to consult with professionals to evaluate the image, and then make a deal.

How to Sell Photos to a Newbie Online?

The best selling photos on photo stocks

The most expensive photographs sold at auction were worth several million dollars per copy. There is something to strive for a novice photographer. Andreas Gursky captured a rainy day of the River Rhine that sold for $ 4,338,500. Staged Cindy Sherman has taken some very expensive photographs in human history. Among them is "Untitled # 96" (1981), which sold for $ 3,890,500.

You can take pictures of everything that comes in head and will fall on eyes:

  • nature;
  • celebrities;
  • parts of the body;
  • objects.

But, probably, one of the more profitable and popular are nude photos. Street art is gaining popularity in photography. Such images will also be profitable. If you are interested in how much a wedding photo can be sold for, it is recommended to look at the prices for them on the Web. You can sell pictures from a corporate party. If you don't have professional equipment, you can take pictures using your phone. The Photolia application allows you to sell pictures from your phone by downloading and installing it.

Selling photos as a method of making money on the Internet has existed for a very long time, but it was especially popular in 2005-2010, when the first digital SLR cameras became affordable. Decent professional photographers began to be replaced by people who bought some used Canon 300d for $ 300. They began to imagine themselves, if not wedding photographers, then at least semi-professional artists.

Until that black day, when high-quality photo matrices began to be built into phones, tablets, irons, in the world of photography and art, you could really make good money. Having learned about this, crowds of photographers rushed to look for ways sell photos on the internet, and get income from your hobby.

But time put everything in its place. Most of the random people dropped out, only those who know and are able remained. However, entry into this business is available to anyone with a camera and patience.

In addition, since the popularity of making money in photographs has subsided, there was a good time to try yourself as a beginner. The cost of good cameras with interchangeable lenses is not high, the lenses themselves and related equipment can also be purchased without problems. Even modern photo cameras are capable of taking very high quality pictures.

Below I will share my personal experience of selling photographs and how profitable it is.

The basic principle

Any article should be beautifully illustrated, and the product should be presented from the advantageous side.

So that people looking for photographs could find them, and those who have them could sell them, into the light of God, there were photobanks - specialized sites for the sale of photo and video materials.

Right after the first cheap digital cameras appeared, these sites were overloaded with a huge amount of photo junk. In the end, even a monkey is able to make one good out of a thousand random frames, but only a person who has spent more than one hour studying photography can consistently take high-quality pictures. And there were also many such people among the newcomers.

Thus, along with the garbage in photo banks, there were many high quality photographs, and the value of each individual photograph began to decline.

How to make money

You can't just take and upload a photo to a photo bank. The photo must meet a lot of requirements. First of all, technical.

Do you take pictures with your phone or a cheap compact camera? Goodbye (though there are exceptions, but these are exceptions)!

If you have an old digital camera with a damaged sensor or debris on it, then most likely you will not be able to sell anything photographed on it.

Do you have the cheapest lens, the one that came with the kit? I will disappoint you, but most likely, making the “correct” frame shines for you only if you have certain skills.

"But why?!" - you ask - “This photo really likes my grandmother and my friends ?! Why might inspectors reject my photo? " Here's why:

  • Technical disadvantages - cheap lenses give a lot of distortion in photographs - distortion, aberration. From dirty and low-quality matrices, “garbage” and “noise” appear on the frames. This may not seem like a serious drawback to you, but those who work with photographs professionally - buyers, have a different opinion on this matter. And the buyer is always right;
  • Beware of the plot - perhaps your cat is the cutest in the world for you, but think for yourself - who needs a photo of a cat? Only to manufacturers of cat food, and now fill in the word in the search engine of the photobank. As you can see, there are a lot of results;
  • Copyright - you might be surprised, but almost everything that surrounds us or is protected by copyright or requires permission to shoot. Buildings, bridges, etc. may be protected by law. If such an object is the center of your photo composition, then you may have questions - do you have a permission to shoot or a document confirming your ownership? By the way, cultural monuments cannot be such objects - so, just they can be photographed without fear;
  • Bottles, cars, even candy of unusual shapes - protected by rights and if, for example, they don’t find fault with a photo of a car (provided that the label is neatly retouched), then a bottle of Coca-Cola will definitely not pass the test (unless you have a separate permission to photograph it). But, again, there are exceptions - a creatively “processed” product is already your object;
  • If you get into the frame human face - you need model release (a special document in which there is a scan of a document certifying that the photographed is over 18 years old, as well as his written consent that his photo can be used by you). And if this person is a “star”, then such a document is strictly required. A separate column is the so-called reportage shooting. In this case, you can photograph people without a model release, but this topic is not popular on photo banks due to the limited use of photographs of reportage topics;
  • Children - this is another story altogether. Photos of children are in great demand in photobanks (especially those who eat all sorts of things), because they have the highest resolution requirements. On the one hand, there is a very vague criterion of "decency", on the other hand, you will be required to release two model releases - from each of the child's parents and documents on relationship. Moreover, if earlier documents were required only if the child's face could be seen in the photograph, now they are needed in any case. And the requirements for this category are getting tougher all the time;
  • Art photography - it is certainly very beautiful, but in business they are rarely needed. You'd rather sell a couple dozen photos of paper clips and nails than a breathtakingly beautiful sunset. Beauty is a relative thing. Although there is a separate resource for selling art photographs, but I am not familiar with it, and this is not an assistant for you.

What you need to know, what you are preparing for

Let's say nothing scares you, you have a camera, you are willing to spend your time improving your skills, and you are determined to make money from your hobby. Or you are a traveler and you are sure that you can take absolutely unique photos that can be used anywhere. How to make money on it? How to make money on photos?

Training

So what does it take to make money from photography?

  • Camera
  • "Straight arms"

What do you need to make GOOD money on photos?

  • Good camera
  • Lens set
  • A set of technical means for photography (backdrops, flashes, lighting, etc.)
  • Software and ability to work with it (Photoshop, gimp, etc.)
  • Understanding what the market needs at the moment , this is the main factor providing earnings
  • Access to shooting objects
  • The ability and knowledge (perhaps even a gift) to photograph beautifully and process photographs

Do you have all of this, or at least part of it? OK, you can move on.

Always remember - the more knowledge and skills you have, the more you will realize the need for expensive equipment. But at the same time, even with cheap equipment, you can achieve impressive results. Knowledge is most important!

Exam

The next stage is registration for photobanks (stock photos). Is the largest photobank in the world by volume of photos, which accounts for 60% of all photo sales.

Some "money" photobanks require passing an exam for successful registration. For example, a site requires you to send 10 photos, 7 of them must be checked by an inspector. In order to exclude the possibility of establishing multiple accounts and make sure that you are of age, the photo bank will ask you to send documents with your full name in English.

The criteria for passing the exam are as follows:

  • photos must be technically flawless - no "noise", distortion and "garbage" in the frame. If this is a subject shooting, then the objects should be separated from the background, so that in Photoshop they can be easily distinguished;
  • photographs must be framed - keywords in English are selected;
  • all 10 photos should be different (you cannot send several photos of the same object from different angles), ideally, the frames should be taken in the styles in which you plan to sell the photos;
  • no logos or easily recognizable brands (a bottle of Coca-Cola, a Volkswagen beetle - these are easily recognizable brands);
  • if there are people in the frame, you must attach their model releases, it is better not to send a photo of the crowd;
  • no violence or pornography (it is better to refrain from eroticism);
  • you can only send photos of which you are the author (an attempt to deceive the system will lead to a "ban")

Ideally, before submitting photos, you should register with some less fashionable photo bank. Try to upload your photos there, those that you plan to send for the exam. , Are not the worst options.

If you cannot pass the exam, re-examination is available only some time later.

The hardest part

If you thought that the exam was the most difficult, I hasten to upset you, ahead is still more difficult.

Now you need to study the demand. Using search photobank study what is being bought the most at the moment, can you take photos in a similar subject and technique?

Look at the calendar - pictures of colored eggs are popular for Easter, for Christmas and New Year, respectively, New Year's theme, in summer - tanned girls, the sea, the beach, etc.

Keep in mind that the demand for thematic photos appears 4-5 months before the event, when the preparation of advertising materials begins. And the interesting, to a greater extent, is the new photos, which were not previously on the stock.

Simply put, you should always have a stock of photographs on any topic and you should upload them as demand arises.

Domestic photo banks

In addition to foreign photobanks, which is natural, there are also domestic ones, for example:,.

A feature of the work of domestic photo banks is the increased demand for photographs of the architecture of Russian cities and landscapes. These sites are more willing to accept reportage photography. In general, the level of requirements for photographs on Russian photobanks is slightly lower than on foreign ones, and beginners should not bypass them.

Running-in

In addition to the main income, there are also referral programs in photo banks. In particular, there are two types of them:

  • Actually, attracting photographers and deducting you for their successful sales;
  • Banal advertising of the site and deduction to you just for selling photos.

Alas, on this path, I could not earn a cent.

Seems difficult?

Yes, it is really difficult. You have to put in a lot of effort to achieve noticeable success. Additionally, in order to cut off “losers”, photobanks impose minimal restrictions on withdrawing funds from an account. You can't make $ 20 and spend it right there. The exact minimum depends on the photo bank, but as a rule, it is about $ 80-100.

But not everything is so sad, history knows a lot of success stories, people who were able to earn tens of thousands of dollars monthly from photo banks. Nowadays it's hard to make money on art, but photobanks, in this regard, give a unique chance. Do you believe in yourself? Be sure to try it, you will not lose it.

My experience

Back in 2005, I purchased my first digital camera, Minolta Z10. Then I naively assumed that I had enough talent to successfully sell my pictures. Alas for me! It turned out that the matrix of my camera (as much as 3.2 megapixels!) Cannot take pictures in a resolution sufficient for photobanks. And my skills are at a fairly mediocre level. So I spent the next two years perfecting my skills and saving money for a decent camera.

Later I was able to afford an "advanced" DSLR camera - Sony A100, a small set of lenses and a flash. From a technical point of view, nothing separated me from success. I easily passed the exam for ... but that's about it.

Despite my skills and a huge amount of material, in the first year, out of a thousand photos sent out, just over a hundred passed the upload process. Only a small amount was sold. The cost of each individual frame depends on the purpose for which it is purchased. In my case, the cost of each individual sale was $ 0.25 - $ 0.5, the maximum that was paid for my single photo was $ 28.

As a result, in the first year I managed to earn about $ 90. Earnings for subsequent years did not exceed this amount.

As for other photo banks, on most of them I was able to collect the minimum amount for withdrawal only for a period of more than 3 years.

My experience has shown me that my photography skills are not enough to make a living, and the earnings are disproportionate to the labor costs. The logical course was to either start spending more effort on improving your skills, or abandon the idea of \u200b\u200bseeing photography as a source of income.

Over time, photos from your portfolio are removed, for good reason - the requirements for the size and quality of photos change, unpopular images of the same type also disappear into oblivion.

In 2010, I finally gave up this hobby, and without uploading new photos, about 20 dollars "dripped" in 5 years. And from the entire portfolio, about 40 photos have survived.

Taxation

Taxation is a very important issue. The fact is that foreign citizens receiving dividends or royalties in the United States are required to pay tax - 30% on the amount of income. This is more than a solid part. But fortunately for us, international law regulates such a concept as “double taxation”, which means that if you pay taxes in your country, then you are not obliged to pay them in another. To do this, you must fill out a form on photo banks, after which the US tax authorities will no longer have any claims against you. But information about your income will be transferred to the tax authorities of your country.

From the income received, you are required to pay tax in my country. In Russia, if you are not registered as an individual entrepreneur, 13% of the income is payable. But, according to Russian law, photography is a work of art and you can get and get paid tax back. You can read more about tax deductions here.

Is it worth it?

Photography is such a hobby when you please yourself. You can capture emotions, stop time. Everything around you is decay, and you, like an ancient deity, are able to preserve and revive the world, and even if only one fraction of a second…. Why not make money on it?

As you can see, earning money from a hobby is not easy. Can you make money from photographs? Of course, yes. But you will need a lot of effort and skill. A passive source of money from a photo hobby will not work - you will need to constantly monitor trends and replenish your portfolio.

On the other hand, nothing stops you from trying. At least if you already have a digital camera, you will not incur additional expenses.

Photo banks, in addition to photographs themselves, accept vector graphics, videos, soundtracks for sale. In general, any creative, creative hobby can bring you money, but that's a completely different story.

Now, allow me to take my leave. If you decide to try yourself in this way of making money online, I recommend that you visit the sites and where you can get information on this topic in more detail.

About Dmitry

Dmitry does not like to throw money away and is looking for the best ways to save money in everyday life. Life gives us a lot of honest ways to make money, just brainwash.

It is simply impossible to imagine the Internet without graphic content, photographs and pictures. This means that there is a demand for quality graphic materials.

Let's take advantage of this and try to make money by selling high-quality photos. It is quite understandable that if there is a demand for interesting, unusual and high-quality photographs, if every day there are more and more web resources that require graphic design of pages and illustration of text content, then there are such special services on the World Wide Web where you can buy and sell graphic content. Such services are called photo stocks and photobanks. They are the intermediaries between a huge army of photographers and webmasters who strive to surprise visitors to their sites with unique, previously unpublished photographs.

Photo stocks and photo banks provide an opportunity for beginner and experienced professional photographers and amateurs not only to realize their artistic abilities, but also make good money selling illustrations and photographs. Most of these services have the ability to sell the same photo multiple times. As a result, the low price set for one sale grows into a decent amount when hundreds or even thousands of webmasters download a photo or illustration.

Organization of earnings by selling photos via the Internet from A to Z

Newbies may have a question: what is needed to do what they love, that is, take pictures, and at the same time be able to receive money for their work? We will answer right away: nothing complicated is required from you in the first stages. The minimum list of everything you need looks like this:

  • first of all you need a good digital camera. Its resolution must be more than four megapixels. Also, make sure you have a macro lens. This will greatly expand your possibilities;
  • since you will be selling photographs over the Internet, you will need good access to ensure that "heavy" photographs are uploaded to the pages of photo stocks and photo banks;
  • the contemporary artist and photographer cannot do without programs that allow editing and correcting photographs and images. Well-known Adobe Photoshop is very suitable for this;
  • also, minimal knowledge of the English language will not hurt. This will allow you to work with Western photo banks, which, unlike domestic ones, can provide you with a significant part of your sales.

To start earning from the first posted image, you need to know which topics are in demand and which ones are completely uninteresting to microstock clients. There is a high demand for photography, the subject of which covers the spheres of business, society, health, sports. Also popular is the so-called subject photography. Still unclaimed are pictures of dogs and cats, flowers and a forest, a view from the window.

Don't be discouraged if no one bought your first photo. Everything comes with experience: the more photos you take and post on photo stocks, the faster you get both first buyers and regular customers, the faster earnings will start to grow.

Catalog of domestic and foreign photobanks

Conventionally, all photobanks and microstocks can be divided into four groups:

  • services with a high level of sales and high earnings,
  • services for beginners,
  • services are still little known, but with potential,
  • services with exams, but not taking leading positions among similar resources.

First group. Photobanks with high sales and high earnings

It is very difficult to be among the photographers of such resources. To do this, you will need to pass a serious exam, during which your level of skill is assessed. Photos for the exam should be varied in subject matter, with a minimum size of four megapixels. To successfully pass the exam, you need to post the best pictures. The advantage of such resources is that the number of attempts to pass the exam is not limited, and if successful, photographers have good prospects for high earnings.

To successfully pass the exam, you need to set a clear goal and, having passed the exam, be able to sell photos in at least one of the following photo stocks, since these resources have a high level of sales.

Shutterstock

Shutterstock is the leader in terms of sales revenue (registration description). Ten photographs are provided for the exam. Of these, only seven must be approved. You can retake the exam only after a month, but the number of attempts is not limited.

You can also sell video clips on this service. They can be downloaded without taking an exam, but this is temporary. Naturally, video clips are more expensive than photos. One clip costs up to $ 200, and royalty is 30%. To capture a quality video clip, it is best to use a tripod. This increases the chances of the clip being approved.

Istockphoto

Istockphoto entrance exam (registration description) only three photos. However, the requirements for their quality and subject matter are higher. Photos are reviewed by beginners for several days. If a retake is required, the waiting period will be reduced to one day. A retry is possible immediately and can be repeated many times.

Second group. Photobanks for beginners

Of course, this is a conventional name. These stock photo sites are easier to get started with than the ones listed above, so they are just perfect for beginners.

There is no entrance exam in these photobanks, but you can also make money from photographs here, as this will increase the level of sales. The pictures that will be created for these photobanks can then be submitted as an entrance exam to higher level photobanks.

Dreamstime

There is no exam on this service, but the requirements for the quality of the posted photos are high, which ultimately allows you to make money. The disadvantage of the resource is that notifications about the sale of a photo do not come to e-mail.

Fotolia

A fairly popular resource, which also does not have an exam, but you need to pass a simple test, the main topic of which is copyright. Photo requirements are loyal. A sales notification is sent to your email. You can earn money, as photos are periodically sold.

Third group. Photobanks with low sales, but with great prospects

These services are easier to get started with than those listed above. In these photo stocks, either there is no exam at all, or it is easily passed the first time. It makes sense to place several dozen images in the photo banks of this group, since with the growth of their popularity both sales and requirements for the entrance exam will grow.

Lori.ru

Domestic photo bank, which recently turned six years old. To register, each author signs an agreement, which must be printed in two copies and sent by mail, attaching a photocopy of the sender's identity document. After that, it becomes possible to upload 20 photos, which will be reviewed by the administration of the photo bank.

Canstockphoto

This photo bank offers a simple exam and only requires three photos to be uploaded.

123rf

Fourth group. Photo stocks with exams, but have not yet taken the leading positions in sales among similar resources

You may not pass entrance exams in such photobanks the first time. If this happens, then it is better not to waste time on all subsequent attempts, because the level of sales on such resources is not yet so great. Better to focus on retaking exams in the first group photo stocks.

Luckyoliver

You need to upload three photographs, which will be the exam.

Galastock

Ten images are uploaded as examinations.

After registering with these photo banks, you need to confirm your email address. Most often, such letters come to the "Spam" folder, so you need to be careful and go through the registration procedure to the end.

The principle of operation of photo banks and photo stocks

There is no point in hoping that all the money for your photos will go only to your e-accounts. Photobanks for their services take part of the funds that will be received by you for the sale of photographs. You can increase your share by transferring exclusive rights to sell your photos to the photo bank.

When uploading a photo to the service, be sure to specify the meta tags that will characterize your photo and appear in search results. This is where the minimum knowledge of English comes in handy. If you don't know English, you can use an online translator.

For each photo you need to write a title or Title, not exceeding 30 characters, and a description of the photo called Description. The description must contain at least seven words.

Another important characteristic of a photo is keywords, in English Keywords. There should be 40-50 of them. These parameters directly affect the number of sales, since it is by them that buyers will find images in the search engine.

To choose the right keywords, you need to describe the action, the time of the year, the color of the object, the material from which it is made, list the objects in the frame, indicate the country, and so on. For each of the words, you can pick up a few more synonyms.

You also need to accurately determine the category in which the photo will be posted.

When you complete all of the above steps, the photo will be sent to the inspector or site administrator for review. In case of refusal of placement, most often a letter is sent to your mail, which explains its reason. In some cases, the uniqueness of the image plays an important role. Then the examiner may not pay attention to some of the shortcomings of the photograph. If the photo is rejected, you should not despair, because the inspector's assessment is most often subjective, which means that it makes sense to send the same photo to another photo stock.

You don't have to stop halfway to achieve good results and earnings. Update the uploaded photo albums, add new photos on a regular basis, shape your image by posting only high-quality pictures and you are guaranteed a new job with decent earnings.

If you post photographs of famous people, recognizable in the photographs, then you need to accompany the image with Model Release - the written consent of the person depicted in the photograph. A sample of such a document is in the reference materials of each photobank.

Photos should not contain logos and trademarks that are registered by companies.

All photographs must be sharp and correctly exposed. There should not be any extraneous artifacts in the form of repeated contours, squares, sampling of halftones that appear due to poor-quality compression of the file in JPG format. To ensure a decent image quality, you need to shoot and save your photo in the highest quality possible. If processed in Adobe Photoshop, the quality level must be at least 12.

  • Also, there should be no noise in the photo. This can be achieved by taking photographs with minimal light sensitivity.
  • If you are photographing individual objects, it is best to place them on a white background - dark objects, on a black background - light objects. The colored background must be discarded.
  • On photo stocks, it is forbidden to upload one photo twice, changing the monochrome or colors in it.

Withdrawal method

Usually money earned on the Internet goes to payment systems. Western photo stocks work with services such as Moneybookers and PayPal. You can also receive your earnings by bank check, but this is the most difficult way, since you will have to use the services of regular mail. As a result, the receipt of cash will stretch indefinitely. Therefore, it is better to master the payment systems.

International payment system Moneybookers () is adapted for Russians. It will not be difficult to register in it, since the system interface is Russified. Money can be withdrawn to a plastic card and cashed out at an ATM.