the practice of capturing images that anyone can license for a fee, can be a lucrative side hustle or even a full-time job. For photographers, it can be a steady source of income using both previous works and new shoots in which they call the shots from the subject to the post-processing treatment. For clients, it can be faster and more affordable than organizing their own shoots for commercial, editorial, or personal purposes. In short, it’s a win-win situation for both parties.
Working for the $$$
By anticipating clients’ needs and putting in the hard work, who contributes travel and fashion photos to Canva and other websites, earns about USD 5 to USD 365 per photo.
The sales vary depending on different website rates, number of downloads, and a host of other factors. But what she has learned from her past five years in the industry is that you have to invest time, effort, and capital to make your stock photos stand out.
I studied the market for a long time. You have to know what would make a photo sell, from the light to the background to the people to the retouching. My favorite photos to shoot are travel and fashion, and when you put them together, they create an incredible memory,”
“I usually allocate about USD 1,000 per month for shooting. This covers equipment rentals, payment for the makeup artist, stylist, and models, and so on. There are a lot of things to think about, but if you want your photos to sell, you have to give it your best shot. Hire good models and even photo retouchers if you have to—go the extra mile whenever possible, with your budget and resources permitting, of course.
Strategizing based on unique learnings
Each photographer has his or her own strategy, and you will develop your own as you go along. JJ Robinson, who has been selling stock photos to Canva and other websites since 2011, specializes in travel, food, and still life. Her all-time bestseller is a photo of gadgets (over 6,000 downloads), followed by a photo of everlasting flowers (over 3,000 downloads) and a photo of Santorini, Greece (over 2,000 downloads).
“I don’t count earnings per photo; instead, I calculate how profitable each photo session is, considering the money and time invested to shoot and post-process.”
exact sales information is covered by confidentiality agreements with some stock photography websites and that statistics for her approximately 20,000-photo collection are estimates at best.
To give you an idea of exactly what goes into different types of shoots, “Travel photo shoots need more time to be paid off, say, one to two years. Normally, one photo tour per location costs about USD 2,000, including flights, accommodations, transportation, food for the crew, etc. Travel shoots are more expensive, but you can make more money from them than studio shoots.”
Aside from working on the photos, there are many other factors like “brainstorming, buying props, submitting to stock agencies, conversing with clients, analyzing expenses and profits, and self-learning. Of course, equipment costs are part of the expenses: cameras (I renew every five years), lenses (expensive but I don’t use a wide range; normally just one universal lens, one wide-angle lens for travel, and macro for food and stationery). Plus a set of flashes for food and stationery, which are simple and inexpensive.”
Here’s how to make $ from writing articles, selling origial photo and waste
Want to start earning on your social media photos and videos? Join Doing Good Ambassadors Apply NOW www.wixad.net
Comments