Sell Your Photography Online

Prior to microstock, stock photography agencies provided images for businesses and industries. Stock photographs were the alternative to hiring a photographer or agency to shoot a specific subject. Even so this was a market still dominated by professional photographers who would receive residual income by providing pictures for large image catalogs that would then be licensed to a client for use. Eventually, the agencies providing these images went online.

Microstock evolved as a less expensive alternative to larger agencies. Another difference from traditional stock photography sites, was that microstock accepted the work of amateur photographers.

Sites like iStockphoto, Shutterstock, and Fotolia make it easy for you to upload your images, and then display them for all kinds of users: advertisers, web designers, businesses, etc. When one of these users purchases your image, you receive a small royalty. Given the prices (from a few cents to several dollars) the royalties are quite small - but since that same image can be viewed an purchased by thousands of people, and since you can provide multiple images to multiple agencies, your royalties can grow, and become a substantial and regular income.

To get a quick start, and learn how best to succeed, consider getting a good book or guide that can show you:

- how to sell your pictures both online and off
- how to take quality photographs
- how to select the best subjects
- where to sell your pictures
- how copyrights and licensing works