Where and How to Sell your Photographs

In all honesty the unique slightly random shots usually sell the best for me! I have a photo of a tiled floor that sells really well along with random things such as tyre tracks, doors, pipes, blades of grass, architecture. It would seem the less "pretty" the better it sells although shots featuring tourist attractions also sell - I guess those go on the holiday sites and in the brochures although I've yet to find one of my photos that's been used!

Below are my latest acceped photos and my best sellers... Think you can take shots like that or better? I'm sure you can!

My latest images for sale at Shutterstock:






My most popular images for sale at Shutterstock:






View my whole gallery of accepted photos to get an idea of what I have taken - Everything from animals to tiled floors, architecture and flowers. I don't take people shots because you need a model release and well, I'm just more comfortable taking scenic shots. But other photographers make mega-bucks with the people shots whether kids, families or business people at work or in the studio so it's a matter of subject preference really.

You can view the most popular selling images on the entire shutterstock site to see over all what sells. Vectors and illustrations are also accepted if you are a graphic designer.

So what is a microstock photo site I hear you ask...

Basically these are websites where people wanting royalty-free images go and they either purchase a subscription so that they can buy x amount of photos from the site over a month/year or buy on-demand for micro prices! You still keep the copyright, and you can sell your photos wherever else you want aslong as you don't sign or join up under an exclusive agreement.

There is a lot of competiton so your normal shots such as sunsets, pets and kid shots will have to be outstanding to get accepted - No snapshots allowed.

In return you get a small fee everytime someone downloads one of your photos. It might be used on a website or in print. Once you have the photo accepted it's possible to keep on earning with it over and over without doing anything.

The sites below are the microstock photo sites I submit to and make money from. Shutterstock is my best money earner although I know others have more success with Dreamstime or Istock - Join as many as want and see how you do!

Shutterstock Pays $0.25 per download

Dreamstime Pays 50% per download - Usually $0.30 - $1.30+

Istock Pays 20% per download 40% for exclusive shots.

Bigstock Pays $0.50-$3.00 per download.

Canstock Photo - Pays 50% or $0.25 per download.

Fotolia - Pays 47% or more equal to $1.00-$8.00+ per download

Seems like a small amount right? It soon adds up, Promise!

Take a look at this Microstock Photography lense by fellow squid JaZilla for more help and info.

A complete list of microstock photo sites from another squid with links to software and resources.

Tons more info on stockphoto sites at Selling your Photography or Illustrations by JRTmedia.