Do you have a passion for photography? If so, you may be wondering how to make money selling photos online. It’s actually not as difficult as you might think! In this guide, we will walk you through the steps necessary to start making money from your photos.
We’ll cover everything from setting up a portfolio to marketing your work. So whether you’re a beginner or an experienced photographer, this guide has something for you!
How to sell photos online with stock websites:
If you’re looking to make money from your photos without a lot of hassle, selling them through stock websites is a great option. This is a popular option for many photographers, as it’s an easy way to get started and can be quite profitable.
There are many stock websites out there, but some of the most popular include Shutterstock, iStock, and Getty Images.
To get started, simply create an account with one of these websites and upload some of your best photos. Once your images are approved, they will be available for purchase by clients from all over the world!
One thing to keep in mind is that stock websites typically take a commission from each sale, so you will need to factor this into your pricing.
For example, if you price a photo for $100 and the stock website takes a 20% commission, you will actually only receive $80 for the sale.
Despite this commission, selling through stock websites is still a great way to make money from your photos with little effort on your part!
Following is the list of stock websites which you can consider building and selling your portfolio of photos online;
Also read, Best Way to add Instagram hashtags for likes and followers in 2022
Adobe Stock
Selling photos on Adobe Stock is a great way to make money from your photos with little effort on your part. Adobe is a well-known name in the world of photography, and its stock website draws millions of visitors each year.
With so many potential buyers browsing through the vast library of images on Adobe Stock, it’s no surprise that this platform is an excellent place to market and sell your work.
What’s more, Adobe does all the heavy lifting when it comes to promoting and marketing your photos – all you need to do is upload them and let them take care of the rest!
Whether you’re just starting out as a photographer or have years of experience behind you, Adobe Stock offers an easy, hassle-free way to make money from your talent.
So if you’re looking for an exciting new side gig or just want to make some extra cash selling your best shots, Adobe Stock is definitely worth checking out!
To get started, simply create an account with Adobe Stock and upload some of your best photos. Once your images are approved, they will be available for purchase by clients from all over the world!
Adobe Stock typically takes a commission from each sale, so you will need to factor this into your pricing.
Pricing
For example, if you price a photo for $100 and Adobe Stock Pays 33% of royalty rights on the platform that means you will earn 33$ for a photo.
Shutterstock
Shutterstock is one of the most popular stock websites out there, and for good reason! With over 300 million royalty-free images in its library, Shutterstock offers buyers an impressive selection to choose from.
Shutterstock also offers a variety of plans to suit every budget, making it a great option for both small businesses and individuals. And if you’re not sure what you’re looking for, Shutterstock’s search engine makes it easy to find the perfect image for your needs.
Whether you’re looking for photos, illustrations, or even video footage, Shutterstock is sure to have what you need.
Selling your photos on Shutterstock is a great way to make money from your passion with little effort on your part. Simply create an account, upload your best images, and watch the sales come rolling in!
Pricing
Shutterstock pays 40% of the earnings generated by your stock Images on their platform which is among the best rates out there for websites of this size.
Foap
Foap is a unique stock photo website that allows photographers to sell their work to a wide audience. With over two million users, Foap is a popular platform for those looking to turn their passion for photography into a money-making opportunity.
Thanks to Foap’s easy-to-use interface and the ability to sell photos not only as prints but also as digital downloads, making money with Foap is simple and straightforward.
Whether you’re an experienced professional or simply someone who enjoys taking photos for fun, Foap has something for everyone, making it one of the most well-rounded stock photo websites on the market today.
So if you’re ready to start earning some extra cash from your photography skills, Foap is a perfect choice!
To get started, download their app on android or IOS and simply create an account and upload your best photos and videos. Once your content is approved, it will be available for sale to Foap’s vast community of users.
Pricing
Foap pays 50% per photo that is sold and gives you the full rights to your image which means that you can sell the same photo an infinite number of times and keep all of the earnings!
Alamy
Alamy is a stock photo website with over 200 million images in its library, making it one of the largest on the market today.
With such a wide selection of images to choose from, Alamy is sure to have what you need, no matter what your project may be.
But what really sets Alamy apart from other stock photo websites is its payment structure. Rather than paying a commission on each sale, Alamy pays photographers a royalty based on the size of the image that is sold.
This means that you can earn more money per sale on Alamy than on other stock photo websites!
If you’re looking for an easy way to make money from your passion for photography, Alamy is a great choice. Simply create an account and upload your best images, and you’ll start earning royalties on every sale!
Pricing
Alamy pays 50% of the royalties for every image sold on its website making it one of the most lucrative stock photo websites out there. They also offer photographers the option to set their own prices for their photos which means that you have the potential to earn even more money per sale!
Getty Images
Getty Images is one of the leading stock photo websites on the market today. Boasting an impressive library of over 80 million royalty-free images, Getty Images offers an array of choices to buyers who are searching for just the right photo for their project.
But what really sets Getty Images apart is its payment structure. Rather than paying a commission on each sale, Getty Images pays photographers a royalty based on the size of the image that is sold.
This means that you can earn more money per sale on Getty Images than on other stock photo websites!
To apply for the contributor’s program, Getty Images accepts invites through their app only which is available on both Android and IOS platforms. You need to upload up to 6 samples of your photographs, Getty Images will manually review them and send you an invite upon approval.
Pricing
Getty Images pays photographers 15-45% of the sale price for their photos depending on the license that is purchased. They also offer photographers the option to set their own prices for their photos which means that you have the potential to earn even more money per sale!
Stocksy
Stocksy is a unique stock photo website that focuses on high-quality, hand-picked photos. With over 60,000 images in its collection, Stocksy has one of the widest selections of beautiful photos to choose from.
The company was founded in 2013 by Bruce Livingstone, a former iStockphoto executive, and has since become a go-to source for amazing stock photos.
Stocksy’s success lies in its commitment to quality over quantity; all of the photos on the site are carefully selected by a team of curators to ensure that they meet Stocksy’s high standards. This dedication to quality has paid off; Stocksy’s photos are regularly featured in major publications like The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Forbes.
Uploading and sharing on Stocksy is so simple and content management is also very intuitive. You can also give them non-exclusive rights as it gives you the freedom to sell your digital assets somewhere else also.
Simply create an account and upload your best images, and you’ll start earning royalties on every sale.
Pricing
Stocksy pays 50-75% of the royalties for every image sold on its website making it one of the most lucrative stock photo websites out there.
500px
500px is a popular online stock photo website that offers over 15 million high-quality images for anyone looking for the perfect image for their project. With such a comprehensive selection of photos to choose from, 500px makes it easy to find the perfect image for any occasion.
500px also offers a variety of licensing options to choose from, so you can be sure that you’re getting the perfect photo for your needs.
500px offers two different ways to make money from your photos: through the Prime collection or by selling photos individually.
Pricing
500px pays photographers up to 60% of the royalties for every image sold on its website.
SmugMug
SmugMug is a popular online stock photo website that offers over 15 million high-quality images for anyone looking for the perfect image for their project. With such a comprehensive selection of photos to choose from, SmugMug makes it easy to find the perfect image for any occasion.
SmugMug also offers a variety of licensing options to choose from, so you can be sure that you’re getting the perfect photo for your needs.
SmugMug offers two different ways to make money from your photos: through the Prime collection or by selling photos individually.
Pricing
With Smugmug, You have the freedom of selling your entire portfolio at your own price, commissions of Smugmug will be calculated on the basis of your submission.
Twenty20 (Envato Elements)
Twenty20, by Envato Elements, is a popular stock photo website that allows anyone with a smartphone to sell their photos online.
With over five million users and over 50 million photos in its collection, Twenty20 is a great choice for finding high-quality stock photos.
Plus, as a contributor, you’ll receive a commission for every photo that’s sold.
If you’re interested in making money by selling your photos online, then read on for our complete guide.
Contributing to Twenty20 is easy: simply download the app and start uploading your photos.
Once your photos are uploaded, they’ll be reviewed by the Twenty20 team.
If your photos are approved, they’ll be added to the Twenty20 collection and made available for purchase.
Pricing
Twenty20 pays photographers 50% of the royalties for every image sold on its website.
Depositphotos
Depositphotos is a stock photography website that offers over 80 million high-quality images for anyone looking for the perfect image for their project.
With such a comprehensive selection of photos to choose from, Depositphotos makes it easy to find the perfect image for any occasion.
As a contributor, you’ll earn a commission of up to 38% for every image that’s sold.
If you’re interested in making money by selling your photos online, then read on for our complete guide.
Contributing to Depositphotos is easy: simply create an account and start uploading your photos. Its as easy as it sounds.
Pricing
Depositphotos pays photographers up to 38% of the royalties for every image sold on its website.
Dreamstime
Dreamstime is an online stock photography website that has quickly become one of the leading sources of high-quality images for individuals and businesses around the world.
With over 35 million images in its library, Dreamstime offers something for everyone, no matter what kind of project you are working on.
And with industry-leading search tools and a generous royalty policy, Dreamstime makes it easy to find exactly what you need and get back to work without having to worry about endless search results or complicated pricing schemes.
As a contributor, you’ll earn a commission of up to 60% for every image that’s sold.
And with prices starting at just $0.25 per download, it’s easy to see how you can start making some serious money by selling your photos on Dreamstime.
To get started, all you need to do is create a free account and upload your images. Once your images are approved, they’ll be available for sale on the site.
Pricing
Dreamstime pays photographers up to 60% of the royalties for every image sold on its website.
EyeEm
EyeEm is a great platform for amateur photographers to start selling their photos online. With over 22 million users, it’s easy to find an audience for your photos.
To start selling your photos on EyeEm, simply create an account and upload your photos. Once your photos are uploaded, you can set a price for each photo and start selling!
EyeEm has a huge client base with the likes of Airbnb, GettyImages, Spotify etc which gives you more opportunities to sell your stock footage and earn more money out of it.
This is a great platform for anyone who wants to get started in the industry, or even for those who are already established and just want to expand their reach. With over 22 million users, it’s easy to find an audience for your photos.
Pricing
EyeEm Offers different licensing options and commissions which depends on various factors, therefore, you can opt for dynamic commission model from EyeEm. Signup as a Contributor and start collecting money.
123RF
123RF is a global leader in digital content with over 17 million files for customers to choose from.
It’s easy to get started selling your photos on 123RF. Simply create an account and upload your photos. Once your photos are uploaded, you can set a price for each photo and start selling!
123RF has a huge client base which offers Coorporate+ membership and also allows them to resell their digital assets which give boom and more exposure for Photographer to earn extra cash out of it.
123RF has many success stories and around 100k Contributors are already working with them and they have an inbuilt system where they look for the stolen images and infringe on those copyrighted images on your behalf which is actually a brilliant service.
Pricing
123RF offers a commission from 30-60% from each license sold from their or partner’s platform. The more you upload, the more images get sold and the more cash you earn.
How to Sell Your Photos As Prints
If you’re a professional photographer, chances are you’ve already thought about selling your photos as prints. But what if you’re just starting out? How do you go about selling your photos as prints?
The first thing you need to do is find a printer that can print your photos. Once you’ve found a printer, simply upload your photos and set a price for each print. Then, start selling your prints!
There are a number of ways to sell your prints. You can sell them online, through a gallery, or at art fairs and markets. There are also a number of companies that specialize in selling prints, such as Zenfolio and Etsy.
Zenfolio
Zenfolio is a great option for selling your prints online. They offer a variety of print sizes and finishes, and they have a simple ordering process. With Zenfolio, you can create a professional-looking website to showcase your work, and customers can easily purchase prints directly from your site.
They offer a wide range of print sizes and finishes, and they also have a number of other products that you can sell, such as calendars and greeting cards.
Etsy
Etsy is an online marketplace that allows people to sell handmade, vintage, and unique items.
If you’re a photographer with a knack for taking beautiful photos, Etsy is the perfect place to sell your prints and digital downloads.
With Etsy, you can create your own online shop and start selling your photos to customers all over the world.
Etsy is a great choice for photographers who are looking for an easy way to sell their photos online.
Plus, Etsy provides excellent customer support and is always available to help you with any questions you may have. If you’re looking for an easy and effective way to sell your photos online, Etsy is the perfect solution.
Pricing
On Etsy, you set your own prices for your prints and digital downloads. Etsy takes a small fee for each transaction, and you’ll also be responsible for paying shipping costs.
How to sell photography services on freelance jobs websites
If you want to make money by selling your photography services, there are a number of ways to do it. One option is to sell your services on freelance jobs websites, such as Fiverr or Upwork.
On these sites, you can create a profile and list your photography services. Potential clients will then contact you if they’re interested in hiring you for a job.
Another option is to sell your services on your own website. You can create a portfolio of your work and list your prices and contact information.
Then, simply wait for potential clients to get in touch with you. If you’re looking for a more passive way to make money from your photography, this is a great option.
Fiverr
Fiverr is a popular freelance jobs website where you can sell your services for $five. Services can be anything from writing, to design, to marketing.
If you’re a photographer, you can list your services on Fiverr and start selling your photos today. All you need is a PayPal account and an email address, and you’re ready to go!
As you can see above, there are tons of photographers who provide their services of products to lifestyle photography on Fiverr and people are actually buying them
Upwork
Upwork is a popular freelancing platform that allows you to sell your services to clients all over the world.
If you have photography skills, you can sign up for an Upwork account and start offering your services to clients who need them.
To get started, create a profile on Upwork and list your photography services. Be sure to include samples of your work in your portfolio so that potential clients can see what you’re capable of. Once you’ve built up a client base, you can start charging for your services.
As you can see from the snapshot above, there are many photography gigs available on Upwork. You can sign up and start bidding on jobs that interest you.
Selling your photos online As Digital Asset
If you don’t want to sell your photos through a stock image site or freelancing platform, you can also sell them as digital assets.
This means that you can sell your photos as files that people can download and use for their own purposes.
To do this, you’ll need to set up a website where people can purchase your photos.
You can use a platform like WordPress or Shopify to create your website. Once your site is up and running, you’ll need to add a shopping cart so that people can purchase your photos.
Once you’ve set up your website and added a shopping cart, you can start promoting your photos online.
We have shortlisted three platforms that you can use to sell your photos as digital downloads and showcase your work as follows;
Pixieset
Pixieset creates simple, lovely digital items for contemporary photographers.You have 4 option to deliver or showcase your work as follows;
Client Gallery
In this option, you can create gallery of your photos to showcase your work as you can see in example below;
Here you see Jose Villa showcasing wedding Photography with beautiful black and white pictures with a bit of colors truly bliss to our eyes.
Here a viewer open a image, they have a buy option as you can see below;
Buyer can buy it as print or license it.
Website
Second option on Pixieset is to create a website. You can create custom homepage using their drag and drop online website editor. As you can see in example below;
With Pixieset, You can create custom pages, portfolio, beautiful landing pages and blog where you can update your clients or visitors about your current or future endeavours.
Studio Manager
Pixieset offers studio manager option for photographers who own studio and wants to take digital payment and send invoices for the same. With studio manager you can create custom Invoice pages with details as you provide.
Not only this, you can create a part-payment schedule for your clients to pay before, during or after your services.
As you can see in example above a sample studio manager features in which you can create contracts, send quotes, send questionnaires and track responses, and create and send invoices. It’s indeed complete package for professional studio owners.
Store
You can also create photography online store to let visitors buys it for the print just like client gallery. Here you can set the prices of each photo or sell as bundle.
as you can see above example store of wedding photography of Nicholas and Amanda, each photos are available for print downloads for a price. Its a great opportunity for a freelance photographer to setup online store and sell your photos.
Other platforms
Apart from Pixieset, you can use other platforms to create a custom store and sell your services and products online like below;
- Easy Digital Downloads with WordPress
- Shopify Store
- E-commerce Platforms like Magento
You can read 8 eCommerce Plugins for WordPress for Your Next Big Store to get your store started in no time.
How to Make Money Selling Photos on Social Media
If you’re not interested in setting up a website or selling your photos as digital downloads, you can also make money by selling your photos on social media.
Following are the best social media platforms for photographers;
- Behance
- Tumblr
- Flickr
- Vero
First, Create account on these profiles using your email or phone number.
Pro Tip: Create same username on all of these platforms as it would be easier to remember and vital part of branding strategy. You can use tool like checkusername tool to check if username is available on all of your platform.
Second, Start compiling your photo content and keep on updating on all of these platforms daily.
Tips To Promote your Portfolio On Social Media
If you’re trying to make money selling photos online, promoting your portfolio on social media is a great way to get started. Here are a few tips:
- Use hashtags to reach a larger audience.
- Share behind-the-scenes photos and stories.
- Offer discounts and promotions.
- Collaborate with other photographers.
- Be active and responsive to comments and messages.
By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to making money selling photos online! Good luck!
Also read 20+ Must-have apps for Instagram marketing for your success.
and, How to Use Instagram to share on other Social Networks in 2 Easy Steps.
The Bottom Line
If you’re a photographer, there’s never been a better time to start making money selling photos online. With so many platforms and options available, it’s easier than ever to get started. Just remember to promote your work, be active and responsive, and offer discounts and promotions to attract buyers. With a little effort, you can start making money in no time!
Do you have any tips for selling photos online? Share them in the comments below!
Frequently Asked Questions
We Hope we have answered all your queries in the step-by-step guide above, We have also shortlisted some frequently asked questions below to answer your general queries.
How much money can you make selling photos online?
This depends on a number of factors, including the platform you’re using, the quality of your photos, and how much effort you put into promoting your work. Generally speaking, though, it is possible to make good money selling photos online.
What type of photos sell best online?
This also depends on the platform you’re using and the buyer’s preferences, but in general, photos that are high-quality and visually appealing tend to sell well. Landscape shots, close-ups, seasonal trends and action shots are usually popular choices.
Which website is best for selling photos?
There are a number of different websites that allow you to sell photos online, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Some of the more popular options include Shutterstock, iStockPhoto and Adobe Stock.
Are my photos good enough to sell?
This is a difficult question to answer, as what one person considers to be a “good” photo may not be the same as another person. However, in general, photos that are high-quality and visually appealing tend to sell well.
If you’re unsure about whether or not your photos are good enough to sell, it’s always worth giving it a try! worst case scenario, you’ll get some valuable feedback that you can use to improve your work.
How do I sell my photos on Google?
Google does not currently offer a direct platform for selling photos. However, there are a number of websites that allow you to sell photos and that also integrated with Google, such as Adobe Stock.
Also you can setup google places account and register your physical address, share your work on google places, get reviews from customer and update your profile regularly to get more leads.
