Selling your images online can be a hassle, as companies are constantly changing their pricing and payout structures, making it difficult to know where to devote your time and efforts. This excellent video breakdown takes a look at a large number of stock services, how their pay structures and demand have evolved, and where the best place to devote your time and energy is in 2023.
Coming to you from Photerloo, this helpful video takes a look at the best-paying stock photography sites in 2023. One thing I think is especially important to consider is how easy it is to upload and place your images for sale. A lot of people use stock photography as a side income, and it might not be worth it if a site makes you jump through a lot of hoops for the same income another would give you for less effort. For example, one reason I love Fine Art America is that they make a high-quality embeddable storefront that I can just drag and drop onto my website, and they include a variety of photo products beyond just prints. Plus, they take care of all product manufacturing and shipping. It makes it very easy for me to make a nice side income from my work. Check out the video above for the full rundown.
The sales figures are now tragic. When I was doing stock from the 1970s-2015, I was bringing in 5 figures a year without too much effort. Is it even worth it now? Such a shame. :-(
No, it isn't. Most people I know spend more time on social media sites than they do taking pics.
I don't … and income from my stock library has dropped so much since I started in 2006 that it doesn't make financial sense to create new images. I'm just letting the current library ride and now focus my attention elsewhere.
Daniel, I don't think you are the norm. Everyone I know has a YouTube Channel, Shopify store, Instagram account, etc. It's all about developing an image and following and selling merchandise. Taking pics is an afterthought. It bores me to death. And it would rob me of all the fun I associate with photography.
I've looked at all those sights he mentioned, and when you look at how the commission rates are structured, they make all the money. You are lucky if you take home 25% of the selling price.
Mark I believe all the supporting methods of building a brand and generating revenue are valid, but I was only speaking to stock sales on micro-stock sites. (iStock, ShutterStock, etc.). Of the three sites where I have content only Pond5 has remained strong and their percentage is 50%.
Both iStock and Shutterstock continue to build their business on the backs of contributors, have adjusted their royalty structure and I believe both of them are owned by private equity firms. After adjusting for cost of capture, editing, keywording and managing, the amount of sales doesn't make financial sense.
The Gold rush days of stock are over. I personally have moved my focus to fine art sales.