How to Sell Your Photos Online: Selling Royalty Free Stock Photography for Everyone

Selling stock photos may pay off in the end, but it will require effort. I have been shooting stock photography for over a year now, and I now have the ability to look back at the results of the first year, revamp my strategies, and plan ahead for the next. With this article, I hope to share a few of the insights I've gained over the last year.

The Money
Well, the money does come, but it does take time. You can earn anywhere from $0.20 to $2.00 and up per download, dependent upon the site and the type of contract you have signed. I averaged 89 cents per image uploaded over the course of the first year, ranging from $0.33 to $2.50/per image depending on the site. My most downloaded single image was purchased about 50 times. Obviously, a site that generates more per image is worth more of your time. Quantity also matters. The more photos you have in your online portfolio, the more money you will make. At least as long as you pay attention to:

The Content
No one wants generic flowers. Almost every reputable stock site will tell you what they do want and what they don't want. Give them what they want. Most common high sellers seem to be photos that fill the following categories: business, business people, money, food (with people eating the food), lifestyle shots, and concept photos. There are others as well. It is good practice to get to know the type of photo the agency you are working with is looking for.

Which Stock Agency to Choose?
This is a tough question, but there are lots of good blogs and forums about the pros and cons of each. MicroStockForum.com is a good one that I have used many times. I currently work with a number of stock agencies, and I can tell you that the wants and needs of each are different. Look around their sites and get a feel for what they are like. And please compare the pay scales, none are the same.

Exclusive or Non-Exclusive?
Most stock imagery sites allow for both types of contracts. I would advise you consider your options before choosing one road to follow. Exclusive contracts generally pay a higher dividend per download, and also get your images posted higher in search rankings, while non-exclusive contracts allow you the ability to sell all of your images on multiple sites at once.

Typically, I have not signed an exclusive agreement, which means I am able to upload and sell any of my images on any site i want to at any time, even if I have already uploaded the same photo to another site. Many of the newer stock sites are now allowing you to sell a single image exclusively with them (meaning you cannot sell that specific image anywhere else, i.e. Fotolia.com), as opposed to a more traditional exclusive agreement that requires you to sell all of your photos through ONE site only (iStockphoto.com is one that requires this form of contract).

This is nice because it allows you to mix exclusive and non-exclusive images on a single site, which allows you greater flexibility to target a specific audience.
Although older sites like iStock do have a larger user base currently than some of the newer sites, others are growing quickly and seem to be providing a great alternative to being "exclusive" with a more established one. Some sites like ShutterStock.com do not even deal with exclusive agreements.

Nothing compares to doing a little research. Try uploading a few images to a few different sites and see what happens. Some are much more picky than others. Some sell a lot more images than others. Don't give up if your first beautiful image gets rejected at the first site you try. If it's a decent photo, there will probably be another site that would love to have you on board.