Selling Stock Photography Online the Easy Way! With Microstock.

If you have any doubts about the earning potential of stock photography and microstock...

ABC News recently featured microstock giant istockphoto as a good way to earn yourself some extra money, - or even a six figure income.

They go on to show us how a (fairly unremarkable) photo of a senior couple has made $10,000 for the photographer.

You will notice that it has been downloaded (at time of writing) about 3330 times, which suggests (average) of;

*Almost $3.00 per download.

*And about $3,000 a year income from one photo.

To view both of these simply
Copy/paste in browser to view

To View ABC report: and video;
"Make Money in May": Selling Stock Photos... Click here

istockphoto link: actual results page... Click here

More and more businesses are becoming aware of the significant benefits available from sourcing quality digital images from Microstock subscription-based image libraries. And Microstock is one of the fastest growing industries online.

Imagine you are a publisher, or running a website or blog, (millions are) and doing a feature on healthy cooking or canal boats.. You obviously need images (Right now) to furnish your articles with interesting and apt photographs. Answer, Subscribe to Microstock galleries. A few clicks and done.

There are many different potential markets and uses for these pictures, including magazine and booklets, or brochure publishers, etc. Also, might be used for business card design, leaflets, and a thousand other possible commercial uses, online or offline.

The internet is used by many millions of such businesses and websites every day.

To learn how to capitalize on your photography, Click Here!

First of all, "stock photography" - in a nutshell, - is about supplying publishers, websites and other businesses with the images they constantly require.

Stock photo's are essentially "photo illustrations" employed to illustrate a point, or a concept, or a place or a particular thing. (From a plate of chinese food to a jumbo jet or a child playing baseball)

In years gone by freelance photographers would offer their pictures speculatively to Photo Agencies and Magazines etc, (Many still do) in hope of making a lucrative sale. But without a solid reputation in the industry chances of success would be pretty limited, especially for the amateur or aspiring freelance.

In those days Stock Agencies existed to supply demand, but would have been working with filing cabinets full of 35mm slides, -and 10 x 8 inch glossy black & white prints! And all largely distributed by POST!

If wanted, buyers / Publishers would normally pay quite well,
but would only typically buy and use ONCE. (Usually with limited
royalty agreement attached.) This also involved keeping a large
collecton of your photos, and posting them to potential buyers.
A rather labour intensive situation, requiring a lot of
time and effort, not to mention PERSISTANCE!!!.

MICROSTOCK:
Microstock Companies on the other hand, specialise in selling "Royalty Free" (RF) images, where the buyer has much less limitations, and can use the images downloaded in almost unrestricted fashion, and for many different projects. (Subject to various Terms and Conditions.),

Once subscribed, the buyer has access to literally
millions of images of every variety, instantly and easily
sourced at the click of a mouse!

As to content, microstock images are usually "generic" and therefor very saleable as ideal discriptive images that can demonstrate or illustrate related text or articles, for instance.

Earnings: Each sale made is at an almost alarmingly low price, depending on the quality (file size) chosen by the purchaser for download. Typically perhaps a couple of dollars or so for the smaller size files. You may get just 50% (or less) of this money. Higher definition pictures command more, and so you earn more on a sliding scale. Note: All Microstock site payment scales have significant differences. The point is, it aint much per picture sold.

However,

The big advantage to you, the photographer, is the possibiity
that instead of making the RARE one-off sale, the images you submit may
be sold HUNDREDS of times. (And all with zero further
work on your part.) Suddenly the figures start to get very exciting!

Ditto the dozens of other images you submit.

Note: I am not describing a 'Get Rich Quick' scheme here. You will need enthusiasm for photography and some creative thinking and planning to ensure you begin earning a worthwhile income. And obviously it's ultimately your talant with a camera and your ideas that will determine your monthly earnings.

Could you have taken a photo like this? --->>

Your stock photos don't need to be sensational to sell, just very useable.

To learn how to capitalize on your photography, Click Here!

What about this? ------>>

Stock pictures related to popular sports and pastimes obviously have excellent earning potential.

To learn more, Click Here!

My aim in this lens is not to mislead, or suggest this is a fast track to getting rich beyond your wildest dreams.

This lens is meant to inform people as to a good way to make some useful extra money, or lucrative sideline, or hobby that turns a good profit. And obviously some may eventually make this a lucrative full time income.

Examples abound where some people are making amazing money from this, but this is far from the "norm" in most cases. Some will inevitably hit the jackpot, and rake in great returns.

So how much microstock money can you earn with your digital camera?

I recently checked one microstock site for a particular type of transport images, and found that several had sold hundreds of times. The TOP seller almost 1000 downloads!

The exact same image may be selling on other microstock sites too!

(This is by no means one of the best sellers on the site, just in its catagory under the specific term looked for.)

Do the math:
Its quite likely that this image will easily pass the 1000 downloads post soon, and probably has likely earned around $1,000 or more in its lifetime so far.

Just one image!

However, (feet firmly on the ground), it will depend on your commitment, drive and determination, aswell as your ability and flair for photography. Nevertheless, it's easy to see how income can multiply if you submit plenty of highly saleble photos.

Yes it would be great to earn big from your hobby, but on the other hand it's also fun to see your images online and selling, and also using your wits and skill to devise saleable photos for this market.

Apart from the need for a decent digital camera, (which many may already own)there is no capital needed to get started in this business.

Study the subject, learn all you can about the subject of stock photography and what's wanted and in demand, and you should be able to eventually build a signifacant income, that continues to grow into the future.

To learn how to cash-in on your photography, Click Here!

In Microstock, it's generally acknowledged that the "rule of thumb" on earning potential is (reasonably) estimated at $1.00 per month per image submitted., and generally holds true to most successful contributors.

This obviously leaves a nice easy to calculate earnings formula.

100 images = $100 per month.

1000 images = $1000 per month.

2000 images = $2000 per month.

So, although only a rule of thumb, you can see how earnings are generally related to volume. The more images you have, the more you are likely to earn. Note: This calculation takes into account the fact that some images sell very well, while some will do poorly. The formula is obviously based on a mean average. Quality of images also has a significant effect.
So get the camera out, and start clicking!!!!

1. You can shoot saleable photo's from anywhere happen you go.

2. You get to work from home and work when you feel like it.

3. No experience necessary - if you can take good photos, you can make money.

4. You don't need a website or any technical skills!

5. You don't need any sales skills, and you won't even need
to sell to anyone.

6. If you choose to sell microstock you don't need to
store or ship inventory.

7. If you already have a camera, computer and an Internet
connection, then you won't need to spend anything to get
started!

8. You may already have a number of saleable photos
sitting on your hard drive - that means you can start making
money immediately!

9. Demand is growing daily, meaning now is the perfect time
to get started!

10. Simply put, you won't find an easier way to make money
with your camera...and you can get started instantly!

Microstock Photography:
How to Make Money from Your Digital Images
By Dauglas Freer.

I was delighted when I received this book from Amazon. This NEW book is excellent, and very comprehensive, covering all the main questions most will want answered about producing and selling microstock.

Covers all main topics, including equipment. Another chapter provides 20 tips and tricks to win with microstocks. Also includes a number of case studies, which even includes graphs relating to yearly income of several Microstock contributors. Highly recommended. Fully illustrated in colour.

Note: I have found that a good many books on the subject of selling photographs are somewhat out of date, and still largely about selling 35mm film based images. Useful, but far from ideal for todays market. But I'm sure this will soon change.

Personal recommendation: "Microstock Photography" (below) is the most up to date and comprehensive guide to this subject I have found.

www.istockphoto.com
www.shutterstock.com
www.dreamstime.com
www.fotolia.com
www.stockxpert.com
www.bigstockphoto.com

A Major BRITISH Stock Photography site is Picture Nation, where images of UK and beyond are available, with particular emphasis on Britain being a speciality. So you know where to go for some of the best images of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland etc. It also tends to have less "staged" artificial images and designed imagery, and more "organic" real material appears evident.

Is this the most exciting, fun way to make extra income??? - Doing something you love doing.)

Whether you want to become a pro, or just earn a part-time residual income from your camera, you need a business strategy that grabs it by the throat and gets your business off the ground quickly.

Digital Camera Cash
Digital Camera Cash is a very affordable (illustrated) ebook that I found very enlightening. It reveals how people are making hundreds of dollars per month from a single photo, and how you can earn thousands per month with the right business approach and market knowledge.

This book illuminates this exciting opportunity in easy to understand language, that is available to anyone with a digital camera - thanks to the latest advances in digital technology and web based innovations regarding the stock photography market.

One thing is for sure; There's a lot of money just waiting to be earned if you can supply images currently in demand.

Microstock: How to make $300pw with your digital camera

If you want to sell photos online and make proper money, then you'll obviously need a decent quality camera. The good news is that almost all (recent) digital cameras are capable of producing decent stock images of the required quality. And good enough to get started in this exciting field.

TIP: INVEST IN QUALITY EQUIPMENT: IT WON'T
LET YOU DOWN, AND THE RESULTS WILL BE FANTASTIC.

Never before in history has it been easier to earn money from your camera, even as an amateur. The latest generation digital cameras have features that make it almost impossible to take a bad photo! (Unless taken in very difficult lighting conditions perhaps.) And prices are coming down to very affordable levels, even for top makes.

Obviously if required for producing highly saleable photo's it's a big advantage to own a decent quality digital camera. So the advice is use the best quality equipment you can afford. Buying cheap could be a big waste of your money, and render many of your shots unsuitable for stock photography.

It will also depend on the seriousness of your involvement.

But which TYPE is better? The basic choice boils down to:

1/ A Compact digital.
2/ A Bridge camera/ or Superzoom/
3/ A Digital SLR (DSLR)

Frankly, a Digital SLR is considered the most compatable camera for obtaining highest quality clean images beloved by the Stock Photography Industry. DSLR's have bigger sensors, and so generally speaking deliver higher quality results. Anyone taking this up as a career will probably invest in a good DSLR eventually.

Downside; Expensive, especially when the camera and all required extra lenses are taken into account. Wait until you have proven income, and are sure it can make money to pay for itself, and provide a good return on investment

However, both Compact and Superzooms can be used, and I suspect most microstock contributors will carry a slim compact about much of the time, to avoid missing a big unexpected photo opportunity.

*Note: Dauglas Freer, in his new book "Microstock Photography" (Listed above) reveals that one of his microstock "all time best seller's" was taken using a 6mp compact!

A Superzoom is something of a compromise between a compact and a DSLR. Typically smaller than any SLR, they are quite compact and sport a powerful zoom lens, (from wide-angle - to X10 or more) and often have significant and useful extra features. But different makes and models vary quite widely.

Advantages? No need to carrying extra lenses about, as with a digital SLR. system, (not to mention shots missed while changing lenses!) In short, these are small, light, and very portable cameras, and usually much less expensive than a DSLR + all lenses required.

Most Microstock sites stipulate a minimum jpg size of 4mp (Mega pixels) So it seems wise to own something with at least 6mp or 8mp to allow for any cropping etc. Also they may conceivably raise the bar at a future date.

Tip: Choose a top trusted maker with major reputation. And read reviews prior to getting your credit card out. (Not afterwards!)

But remember, just ONE popular seller could easily pay for the camera you buy many times over.

Microstock: How to make $300pw with your digital camera

As you already know, you can save a fortune buying online. But obviously be careful WHERE you buy.

There are fantastic bargains to be had on the internet. And one site that has huge buying power and a great online reputation, is Amazon.com. They offer some amazing bargains, and even better, you can check out the Customer Feedback relating to the product you plan to buy. You can then compare features and buyers comments, to make an intellegent investment, and avoid buying something unsuitable.

eBay is also a good choice, but check the seller feedback for good service and reliablity. You can often buy brand new, -at cut-throat prices, or obtain an "UNWATED GIFT " type bargain.

TIP: YOU CAN USE AMAZON CUSTOMER FEEDBACK TO ESTABLISH YOUR FAVOURITE CHOICE, BUT THEN BUY ON EBAY OR ELSEWHERE.CONFIDENT OF MAKING A GOOD PURCHASE.

Whatever you seek to learn or master, there is a wealth of valuable information awaiting. Knowledge that could take you years to discover by trial and error, yet can be obtained in minutes, right here.

Hundreds of ebooks on dozens of topics. Vital useful and valuable information right here.
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