Earn from Stock Photography – A Beginner’s Guide

You probably have heard about stock photography and you have landed on this page as you are interested in making some extra cash from your photos, but you do not know where to start. You are on the right page as we will help you get started and earn from your photography skills.

One of the ways to advertise and sell your photos online is through microstock websites. This model is fairly new in the field of business photography. In the past, only a select few, mostly the elites, were allowed to join stock photography.

This is because of the many requirements it used to have such as specialized training, costly photography equipment, etc. However, due to the advent of technology, specifically digital photography, the business photography has been opened to various photographers, including amateurs. Digital photography has totally changed the landscape of microstock photography business.

Currently, as long as you have a good digital camera and talent in photography, you will have an opportunity to make a business out of your skills, even if you are just a beginner in this business.

As a beginner, you have every opportunity to make it big in stock photography. Below are some tips to get you and your photos going.

Understand the basics of photography

While stock photography is open to all, posting of quality photos is still very important. Otherwise, your photos will not even get noticed. Aside from having a really good camera, what is more important is knowing how to operate it. Most individuals who own a great camera such as a DSLR do not even know how it works.

They use it like a regular or point and shoot camera. They put it on the auto feature and start taking photos. Although this may give you some really nice photos, it could just be based on luck. Hence, it is still best to know how to maximize the features of a DSLR to get really great photos consistently.

If you are really serious about engaging in stock photography, then spend some time in getting formal photography training. You can also take some photography training sessions online and take it upon yourself to improve your craft. Knowing the fundamentals of photography is a good start if you want to earn money from your photography skills.

Check and edit your photos carefully

Before posting your photos online, either through your own website or some microstock websites, make sure to review your photos carefully. The buyer of your photo or the admin from the microstock site will surely do the same before buying or allowing your photo to get posted online. Most of the time, photos may look okay and free of noise when they are viewed at its normal size.

However, if zoomed in, imperfections may start to come out such as poor resolution or high pixilation. There are steps to reduce or prevent these problems from happening, such as lowering the ISO level in the camera settings. 100 ISO level is the recommended. Also, use a tripod when capturing still objects to prevent blurry problems.

Lastly, make sure that your camera has proper shutter and aperture settings to ensure that your photos are in focus all the time. Keep these tips in mind to make great photos and be big in the world of stock photography.

Use appropriate keywords and descriptions for your photos

Remember that if you decide to sell your photos on microstock sites, millions of photos will be there for viewing. People find photos they need by searching for a keyword or certain photo description.

Hence, make sure that your photos are properly labeled so they can get the views that they deserve. Do not use incorrect or totally unrelated keyword with the hope to increase its views. It is not allowed and you will be caught sooner or later.

This can lead to your suspension or permanent disqualification from posting and selling photos on their site.

Post photos that will sell more

There are various photography subjects or themes. A certain subject will more likely sell than the other photo subject. To earn more or increase the possibility of your photos getting noticed and purchased, focus on subjects or categories that are in demand.