Make Money with iStockPhoto

Contributing photographers apply (via a short quiz regarding policies, requirements, basic photographic knowledge, and legal issues) before they are eligible to upload their images. The applicant's sample images are screened for quality and suitability before being approved. Photographers must be over 18 years of age to join (or have a parental consent form).

Once approved, photographers can begin uploading their work through the website. They supply keywords, categorize the images, and submit them to the "inspection queue", where each image is examined to ensure that it meets the standards of quality, usefulness and copyright and trademark laws.

iStockphoto also sells vector graphics made in programs like Adobe Illustrator or Macromedia Freehand; Macromedia Flash elements and raster illustrations created in 3d graphics programs or bitmap editors like Adobe Photoshop.

Contributors receive a commission of between 15% and 40% of each sale, depending on whether or not they are "exclusive", and on their current "canister level." New canisters are awarded for various milestones such as 250 sales, 2,500 sales, 10,000 sales, 25,000 sales, and 200,000 sales. Only five photographers have passed the 200,000 point, while 209 members have passed the 25,000 level as of 2008-03-13 and received the coveted "diamond canister. Canister values will reset at the beginning of each year in 2012."

Contributing photographers who reach a minimum of 250 sales (and have a submission acceptance rate of at least 50%) are offered the option of becoming exclusive to the company. If they do so, a bonus is added to their commission and they must not sell royalty-free stock images anywhere else. Rights managed sales are allowed off site even under the exclusivity contract.

In an address to its community entitled "2008: A Year in Review and a Look Ahead%u2033,[5] iStockphoto's COO laid out price increases for 2009 while also mentioning that the company was paying out 'almost' $1.1 million dollars per week in royalty payments to contributors.
In September 2010 iStock announced plans to change it's royalty structure.

1. Join iStockPhoto
You must be an iStock member before you can begin to contribute. Don't worry, it's free.

Sign up

2. Apply to Be a Contributor
Click the "Apply" button for the file type you want to contribute and start reading the manual. Once you've learned the ropes, you just have to take a quick quiz.

3. Submit 3 Samples of Your Work
After you pass the quiz, you will be asked to submit three original samples of art. Keep that manual bookmarked - we want to see your very best work.

Selling Stock Has Never Been Easier
Stock pays a base royalty rate of 15% for each file download and up to 45% for exclusive contributors. Files are licensed two ways:

Pay-As-You-Go
You earn your royalty based on the net value of the credits used to download your image.

Subscriptions
We pay your royalty level based on how much of the subscriber's daily limit was used to download your file, with a minimum value of $0.65.

How Much Does a Non-Exclusive Contributor Make?
iStock pays royalty rates of between 15%-20% to its non-exclusive contributors. For more information please see the royalty schedule

How Do I Get Paid?
iStock pays in U.S. dollars. You can convert your earnings to iStock credits at any time at a 1-1 ratio. When your account balance reaches $100 USD, you can submit a payment request which is payable in one of the following three payment methods:

Cheque
Mailed every two weeks. Please allow 1 week within the US and 4-6 weeks for all other locations.

PayPal/Moneybookers
Processed on business days. Payments are processed once a week, although in some instances transactions can take up to five days.

Direct Deposit or Pre-Paid iStockphoto MasterCard® Payoneer
Under Request Earnings, sign up for either direct deposit or our iStockphoto Payoneer card which can be used worldwide and at ATMs or as a regular MasterCard.

Exclusive Contributors Make Up to 45%
If you're eligible for exclusivity, your royalty rate can reach up to 45%. To become an exclusive photographer or illustrator, you must have 250 downloads and a minimum 50% approval rating, or 500 downloads. Audio contributors can become exclusive after they reach 10 downloads. Video contributors are eligible for exclusivity immediately. Once eligible, contributors must apply to join the exclusivity program.

Build Your Reputation
Every time one of your files is downloaded your Canister icon gets a little closer to the next level. The number of files you can upload to iStock each week increases as your Canister level moves up.