how to take stock photos

Stock Photography Tips: Major Dos and Don’ts

• Have a Concept. Make sure you know why you are shooting and what you are trying to capture. ...
• Make That Thumbnail Look Good. A designer will see your stock image as a thumbnail on a stock photography site. ...
• Carry Your Camera (or Camera Phone) with You Always. ...
• Show Any Logos. ...
• Keep Taking the Same Stock Photos. ...
• Upload Just Because. ...

Full Answer

How to take your own stock photos?

Place a couple of lights around the tent and you be able to capture well-lit, clean photos. These types of photos are perfect for generic stock shots. Because you can control the light and environment, once you have set up, you can photograph a vast array of subjects very quickly.

How to make money with stock photography?

If you are looking to start a stock photography business, there are five key steps that you should take first: Write a Business Plan Be clear about your costs. Get some good photography gear and learn how to take stock photos. Build an online presence shooting stock photos Create an Online ...

How to take unique travel photos that sell on stock?

Sep 15, 2009 · Taking Photos 1. The purpose of stock photography is to help sell or promote a product, service, or idea - it isn't enough to take a... 2. Spend time browsing through other successful images in Shutterstock's collection to learn the characteristics of a... 3. Avoid rushing out and capturing anything ...

What stock photos sell best?

Jul 05, 2017 · Know What Sells. One way to stay ahead of the curve is to take a look at trends in the usual places that use stock images: magazines, books, online articles, and …

How do I start stock photography?

If you are looking to start a stock photography business, there are five key steps that you should take first:Write a Business Plan.Be clear about your costs.Get some good photography gear and learn how to take stock photos.Build an online presence shooting stock photos.Create an Online Portfolio.Jul 16, 2021

What kind of stock photos sell best?

Probably the best way to get a good idea of what kind of stock images sell is simply to look for images that have been used around you. Images in magazines and brochures, images in displays and advertisements, images in text books and on websites. Many of those images will have been purchased from stock libraries.

How much can you make from stock photography?

In general, stock photos earn approximately 25-45 cents per image, per month. This obviously depends on many factors, including how many agencies you upload to, your skill in keywording, and the uniqueness of the images.

What stock photos are in demand?

Images that have strong leading lines will continue to be in demand for stock photography. Photos that capture relaxing scenes like beaches, snow-capped trees and fields of flowers will be the most popular.

How do stock photos make money?

Macrostock photography, also known as “traditional stock photography” refers to agencies that sell high-priced and exclusive images. These agencies license the individual images directly to the client and sell the images for between $30-$3000 a year. The photographer then gets royalties.

How do you get paid on Shutterstock?

The payment cycle for Shutterstock contributors is set up on a monthly basis. Payments are calculated at the end of every month for contributors who meet their minimum payout amount and are eligible to receive payment....Shutterstock currently offers the following payment methods:Payoneer.Paypal.Skrill.

Is it worth selling photos on Shutterstock?

For most stock photographers and illustrators, Shutterstock consistently outperforms all other agencies. If you are thinking of getting started as a microstock photographer, make sure Shutterstock is at the top of your list to join. For many contributors, Shutterstock represents around 40% of their monthly earnings.

Is stock photography profitable?

Earning money by selling stock photos is still possible, despite high competition. By regularly uploading high-quality stock images (and videos), you can gradually build an impressive portfolio that will earn you up to hundreds of dollars per month.

Where can I sell stock photos?

Let's look at the top places to sell photos online:Alamy. Alamy sports the world's most diverse stock photo collection, with over 215 million stock images, vectors, videos, and 360-degree panoramic images. ... 500px. ... SmugMug Pro. ... Shutterstock. ... iStock Photo. ... Etsy. ... Getty Images. ... Stocksy.More items...•Sep 14, 2020

How many photos will be taken in 2021?

1.4 trillion photosAs the pandemic's impact eases, Rise Above Research predicts the global number will rebound to 1.4 trillion photos in 2021.

Which stock photo site pays the most?

Alamy1. Alamy. With over 60 million images, Alamy is the largest stock photo website, but they also pay well too. Photographers earn 50% of every sale, and aren't restricted to selling exclusively with Alamy.

What sells best on Shutterstock?

Stock Photo Secrets Shop Most Downloaded Photos in 2018#1 – Business Meeting in Open Plan Office. ... #2 – Office Table with Four People Hands Working. ... #3 – Happy Mother and Baby Laying on a Meadow. ... #4 – Businesswoman Holding a Plant Crop. ... #5 – Wood Board Texture. ... #6 – Businesspeople Smiling in Open Plan Office.More items...

How to stage stock photos?

It’s hard to stage high-quality stock photos! Begin by observing people in natural settings, such as at a party or in a coffee shop. Plan your moment by observing how people interact with each other and objects, such as their phone or a drink. You can take candid photos or stage a similar scene with models.

When is stock photography in high demand?

Time of Year. When it comes to selling stock photos, seasonal events, especially less mainstream ones in your area, are in high demand. Even if certain seasons, such as Thanksgiving or summer, have a lot of stock photography, you can still find a niche.

What is the best way to capture authentic energy?

Attending a business conference or a Halloween parade is a great way to capture authentic energy. Event photography requires a shot list and a mix of candid and staged shots. Your photos will stand out immediately if you use people in unusual costumes or bright, stylish outfits.

Can you show logos in stock photos?

Show Any Logos. Stock photography is commercial photography—so that means no logos. There are some exceptions, like if you are photographing a person using an iPhone, but even so, you want to make sure the logo isn’t the focus of the image.

Is it important to plan a photo walk?

Yes, it’s important to plan, but amazing, authentic moments can happen around you at any time, so make sure you are ready to capture them—it could be your next great best-selling stock photo! This is a great way to explore subjects or niche topics you may not have realized were accessible for you. Here are some tips for how to do a good photo walk and some excellent street photography tricks.

How to make a black background in Photoshop?

In the Photoshop menu, go to: Image > Adjustments > Selective Color. Select White from the dropdown menu, and move the slider for Black all the way to the left, -100%. Press OK, then do the same thing again, but this time select ‘Neutrals’ instead of White, and drop that one down about half way.

What does "high key" mean in photography?

What we’re going to cover today is how to create a simple high-key photograph. High key, means a photography of a subject on a predominantly white background. Why do we want the subject on a predominantly white background?

Why do people use stock photography?

There are a number of reasons getting into stock photography is quite alluring: 1 Anyone with high-quality photos to upload can get in 2 You don’t need to have a strong portfolio (see: how many photos should you have in a Portfolio) 3 You can decide how much time you want to devote to it – whether you want to make it a part time gig or a full-time enterprise 4 You have full creative control over what you do 5 While you can never ride forever on the images you upload, it can provide a largely passive income once you get to a certain point 6 The portfolio you build making stock photography can later be used to secure more traditional freelance photography jobs

What are the different types of stock photography?

Types of Stock Photography. There are three types of stock photography, but most people focus on macrostock and microstock. Macrostock. Macrostock photography, also known as “traditional stock photography” refers to agencies that sell high-priced and exclusive images.

What is keywording in photography?

Keywording. Keywords are the primary way prospective buyers find your images, and as such they’re extremely important. That means it’s important to get it right. Here are a few tips on keywording for stock photography for beginners: Make your keywords as descriptive as possible.

What is Getty Images?

Getty Images is one of the most longstanding traditional macrostock companies. Stock photography is simply a term for generic imagery that buyers use for the visual content in everything from news stories, blogs and websites, to design materials for ads or promotional materials.

How long does it take to get 100 images a month?

At 100 images a month it would take you five years to reach Rotenberg’s 6000 images mark (which he goes on to state is a minimum). If you increase the value of your images by including models with model releases and/or really push your niche, you could probably do it in just under three years.

What does it mean to produce stock images?

In other words, you need to operate as a business. Producing marketable stock images means researching the markets and current trends. It means taking the time to see what’s currently selling or what holidays are coming up and making/capturing images accordingly.

Is microstock a good investment?

Overall, microstock is a great investment if you’re a serious amateur looking to make some extra money. Like anything, you’ll need a lot of patience, hard work, and perseverance to make it pay off, but once it does, the passive income is quite nice.

What is stock photography?

Stock photography is a grouping of images that companies, bloggers and individuals can use. These images can be of anything. With a quick search, you will find stock images of everything. We have compiled a complete guide for all you need to know about stock photography. [ Note: ExpertPhotography is supported by readers.

Why do companies use stock images?

For companies, choosing stock images means they don’t need to pay a photographer to capture an image. They can search and download what they need within minutes.

What is the rule for photographing people?

One rule for photographing people is to get a release. This is a contract between both parties, allowing the use of the building’s image. Most stock photography requires this if you wish to sell or use the images online. Read here for the other nine tips on what your photography contract needs to have.

What is a photography contract?

A photography contract for stock photography is to ensure both parties retain their rights. It makes sure that neither side can do anything with the images that were not pre-discussed and agreed upon. Risk of prosecution from either side can be enforced if consent was not given.

Do you need a big budget for stock photography?

Many people think that to create a successful stock photography shoot, you need to have a big budget. This is not the case. You will need to trade time with money, as more research, organization, and favours will be in order. Nonetheless, with the right attitude, you can accomplish almost anything.

Is Alamy a stock photography website?

Alamy is one of the biggest stock photography websites, and in my opinion, one of the best. You get to keep 60% of the sales you make and it is non-exclusive. This means that you are free to share the same images on this site and others.

2. Is Your Target Market Over Saturated?

An oversaturated market is easy to find within the stock photography world. These are usually the easiest photographs to capture such as clouds, flowers, animals, and so on.

3. Be Unique

Now, after all of your research, you should know what subject your photographs should focus on. Now it is time to go take some photos.

4. Image Size

Make sure your images meet the guidelines of Shutterstock or iStockPhoto. The bigger the resolution your image is, the better. That way your photo can be offered for as many possible sizes for your potential buyers.

5. Editing

This goes a long with what is trending. As you are researching about what you should take a photo of, you should also be studying the trending styles to mimic.

6. Tagging

Your stock photos need to be found amongst all of the other millions of photographs uploaded. Using the proper tags will help your photos be found by potential customers.

7. Be Honest With Yourself

This one can be tough on people but is something that needs to be asked. Is your photo really worth paying money for? Do you really think that your photograph is good enough that someone would use for a marketing piece?

Why are product photos important?

Product photos give your website visitors the first impression of what their interaction and transactions with you will be like.

How to make DSLR camera better?

DSLR cameras can produce higher quality images, make it easier to manipulate depth of field, and feature presets to do all of the hard work for you. 2. Make life easier on yourself by getting a tripod. There’s nothing worse than a blurry image, and tripods will help you avoid this.

What is stellar photo?

A stellar photo can be the difference between you making a sale or it going to your competitor instead. Consider the fact that whenever you’re shopping for goods online, you’re probably paying close attention to the images you’re seeing — often without even realizing it.

How to avoid blurry pictures?

There’s nothing worse than a blurry image, and tripods will help you avoid this. Let’s say you need a longer exposure time. Using a tripod will help you to do just that without blurring the shot. You need to make sure you each image is crisp, and in focus. 3. Take more shots than you think you need.

Why use white background for product photos?

Sure, in some cases it might seem like a good idea to put your product against a colorful or wild background, but for the most part you’re better off with a solid color to leave the focus on one thing — the item you’re trying to get someone to purchase.