If you are a good photographer and your photos are original and high quality, you have the opportunity to sell them in one of the many online photobanks. With the right organization of work, you will be able to receive a high stable income.
What is a photo bank? This is an online resource where authors can upload their photos and set a certain price for them. There are a lot of such resources on the Internet; they are very popular among photographers. Users visiting the sites of photobanks (photo stocks) can select the photos they are interested in and buy them.
An attractive feature of working with photobanks is that the author can post his photos on a variety of resources at once. A high-quality actual photo can be downloaded thousands of times! And for each download, the author receives a reward set by him.
How much can you earn working with photo banks
Working with photo stocks requires the ability to find relevant topics. By offering in-demand photography, a photographer can make thousands of dollars a month. But this is a high level, which is very difficult to reach. To earn such amounts, you need to post hundreds or even thousands of photos.
Therefore, the first task is to learn how to find the topics that are in demand. To do this, look at the rating of sold photos on the same photo stocks and focus on those genres that are in greatest demand. For example, business-related photographs are very popular. But a photo of your beloved dog or a picturesque landscape may not find a single buyer. The more relevant your photos are, the higher the earnings.
Working with photo banks
The first stage is registration in the chosen photo bank, it takes a few minutes. As a rule, photographers register on several popular resources at once. Also, immediately think about how you will receive royalties for photographs. This can be very difficult - in particular, you may need a dollar bank account and a passport to verify your identity.
All posted photos must be of high quality, so the work of a household "soap box" is immediately excluded - you need a professional camera. The photo is uploaded to the maximum size, and the photobank itself will automatically offer users several versions of the photo of different sizes. Moreover, the price of such versions will be different. As a rule, authors rarely put the price of a photo above $ 1 - earnings are achieved not due to the high price, but due to the large number of downloads.
Each photo should be accompanied by a list of keywords that will help buyers find them. Words can be entered directly on the photo stock site, but it is better to use special software for working with photos. There are several programs similar in functionality, they are easy to find on the net. Competent selection of keywords is one of the keys to successful photo sales.
If there is a person in your photo, you must attach a document to the photo in which this person gives permission to shoot. Ready-made forms of such documents can be found on the websites of photo banks. The photos you uploaded will be checked - if they are of high quality and their plot does not fall under any prohibitions, they will become available to potential buyers.
Is it worth doing this
Working with photo stocks requires a lot of effort, the ability to always be on top of demand. Don't expect quick earnings - it may take months before you receive your first royalties. But if you master this market niche, you will have a great opportunity to do interesting creative work.
It is worth mentioning that the photos do not have to be uploaded in their original form. Photos modified in one way or another are in great demand. For example, the background can be removed with the help of Photoshop - photos on a white background are perfectly bought by site owners. Various collages, vector graphics - everything that is beautiful and original is in demand.
The most difficult thing when working with photo stocks is to take the first steps. A few months later, when the experience appears and the first fees go, it will already be much more fun to work. But the most important thing is that you will be absolutely free and independent - this is what attracts you most in this work.