Make Money Photography
2008
How To Make Money Selling Photos To Stock Photo Agencies
By Stephen J. Kristof
© 2010, all rights reserved
This is another photography article Stephen Kristof. Stephen is a photographer and photo instructor who also writes for and contributes images to the popular photography learning site www.FreePhotoCourse.com.
A wise person once said, “One who finds a job one loves will never have to work another day.” Well, unfortunately, the reality is that, finding a job you love does not necessarily equate to the level of income you may require to maintain the lifestyle you wish to have. Having said that, there is something to be said for the idea that doing something about which you are passionate does not really seem like “work”; regardless of whether or not you’re getting paid to do it.
How might a photography enthusiast use this bit of wisdom? It would seem obvious that someone who is passionate about photography might want to explore its potential as a career option. This is a romantic thought, but is not necessarily the best move, depending on a lot of factors; not the least of which is where one is in his or her career at the present time. There’s just as much wisdom in the old refrain, “Don’t quit your day job.”
A young person exploring career pathways might well consider photography as his or her primary source of income and career focus, given that individual’s particular degree of ability, photographic “eye”, opportunities for formal post-secondary education, job market and other factors. One huge consideration many photo-curious joggers on the career track tend to ignore, though, is the degree to which personality and eagerness to know clientele will necessarily impact one’s eventual success as a photographer. (This is due, primarily, to the fact that the vast majority of full-time career photographers have traditionally and will always earn the lion’s share of their income doing portrait – ie. “people” – photography.)
Before you throw-in the towel and give-up on making money through photography because you can’t pursue it as a full-time occupation, why not consider the potential to generate a secondary stream of income by selling the byproduct of a hobby about which you are so passionate?
The internet isn’t just about bringing people together through Facebook and similar social networks. The internet and its capacity for online digital data management and interactivity has also made it possible for talented photographer-hobbyists to exploit the money-making side of their work. Best of all, it could be a fun and exciting way to make some extra cash without being stuck to a time clock or beholden to someone else’s schedule.
Here’s how it works. Numerous online stock photo agencies offer multiple millions of images for sale to web designers, ad agencies and graphic artists seeking quick, easy, legal and affordable solutions to their digital image needs. The price clients pay depends on many factors, including rates charged by the particular agency, the image resolution required for the job and how the image will be used.
For example, if a purchaser wants exclusive rights to an image, the price will be considerably higher. This makes sense, because when an artist sells exclusive rights, that artist may relinquish ownership of the image and its use. However, the vast majority of transactions are less restricted “royalty free” arrangements in which multiple users have limited rights to use the same image over time, while the photographer retains his or her copyright to the intellectual property. Photos purchased for “print” targets such as publications and brochures can fetch varied commissions depending on circulation.
How much money does the photographer make? Take a bite of this reality sandwich; there’s no way of predicting how much, IF ANY, money a particular individual may make in the stock photo game. (Again, don’t quit your day job!) IF your photos are selected (remember each agency boasts millions of images spanning seemingly countless categories), your own share of the transaction is based on that agency’s payment arrangement. Some agencies charge as little as a dollar per image and offer the photographer a cut of that cash. Others charge and share a great deal more, depending on the photographer’s quality and popularity with users.
Bottom Line… A very talented photographer with good equipment, relentless attention to technical detail, a superb photographic eye and a strong understanding of what sells CAN earn a stream of income by listing his or her best works with a reputable stock photo agency. Higher quality, images with content reflective of purchasers’ desires and high volume of listed works will obviously result in more sales and more money.
Realistically, if you make some cash from this activity it may not be enough to buy an extra lunch every few months. Then again, it could be much more than a vacation or kids’ college fund.
But, hey, if photography is a pastime about which you’re passionate, why not see if you can make a few extra bucks off of it? Even if you don’t make a cent, you’re really not out anything as there’s no extra investment and the work is fun, after all, isn’t it? And then, there’s always the chance that you could start getting paid for doing something you already love doing!
Explore Stephen’s 10 steps to list your photos with a stock photo agency if you want to increase your chances for success. Be sure to visit FreePhotoCourse.com for the specific “how-to’s”, along with more all-free lessons, advice and, photographer’s forum, contributor’s gallery and much more. It’s a MUST-VISIT for photo enthusiasts!
By Stephen J. Kristof
About the Author
Steve Kristof is a writer and a professional instructor in broadcast media production and photography. He also writes articles and contributes imgages for the popular free photography course website www.FreePhotoCourse.com,
How I made $5000 selling my art/photography how to online
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