If you’re looking for an easy way to make extra money, why not consider selling your photos on online marketsplaces like Fotolia, Shutterstock, or iStockPhoto? You can make a decent living selling your photos without any special training. All you need are a good camera, a computer or a mobile device with a connection to the internet, and the motivation to actually sell a few photos. You’ll also need the patience to learn a little bit about photography so that you can understand what your customers are looking for. If you can deliver the goods and satisfy your customers, then this is a profitable venture for you.
The Best Places to Sell Your Photos Online
There are several options for selling your photos online, but perhaps the most popular places are the three sites mentioned above. Fotolia is the largest of the three sites, with 100 million monthly active users and a library of 20 million images. It is also one of the most popular online stock photo agencies. If you’re looking to make money from your photography, then Fotolia is a must-try site. As a seller, you’ll need to have a profile with a decent amount of stock available for purchase. A good place to start is their free membership which gives you access to a limited number of stock photos. You can’t go wrong for free, right?
Shutterstock is a bit different from the other two sites because it provides a platform for content creators to sell their media (movies, TV shows, games, and more). In other words, if you’re a business owner or a creative professional, you can use the site to sell your products or services. Your customers can then purchase the products or services you’re promoting with your media. This is a popular choice with video makers who want to monetize their content. For example, CNN uses the site to monetize their videos. Many video creators opt for the low-priced but high-volume Shutterstock Affiliate Program. You’ll need to have a premium membership to start, but even then you’ll need to have some stock photos available for purchase. This is a great choice for those who want to make money from their photos but don’t have a lot of experience shooting photography. The key to success is to simply test the waters with low-cost digital goods and then see how the sales go.
iStockPhoto is the newest kid on the block, having launched just last year. Like the other two photography-focused sites, iStockPhoto is also a place for photographers to make money. Unlike the other two sites, iStockPhoto is a bit more hands-on. As a seller, you’ll need to have a basic account with the site. After verifying your account, you’ll be able to browse their library of 12 million images and choose the photos you want to sell. You can use their on-site tools to modify images before you hit the ‘Publish’ button. When a customer buys your photo, you’ll be paid a small royalty. The best part is you don’t need to have a lot of experience to get started. Simply choose a few photos you think will sell and then learn from your mistakes. This is a great choice for those who want to try their hand at online marketing and don’t have the time to devote to building a successful Instagram account.
How to Make Money As An Independent Contractor
You might be wondering if there’s a way you can make extra money without having your own product to sell. You can! One of the best gigs for photographers is providing photographic services for businesses and organizations. While a freelancer, you’ll be provided with jobs that need to be done. You’re not actually going to sell the product; you’re just providing the service. The best part of this gig is that you get to choose when and how you work. You can sign up for a freelancing platform like Fiverr or Upwork and then, when a job comes in, you can decide whether or not you want to take it. If you do, then great! You’ll be provided with the necessary resources to get the job done. If you don’t want to take the job, then that’s perfectly okay too. You’re not obligated to provide any service that you don’t want to provide. Essentially, this is a win-win situation because you get to choose how you’re going to make your money.
While photography is a hobby that many people enjoy, it’s also a lucrative profession. If you have a good eye for photography and know what you’re doing, then all you need are the resources to take your skills to the next level and the confidence to land that next big contract. To get started, check out the resources below: