Photography is a skill that not everyone can hone to a professional level. Photographers see the world from a completely different angle and capture it in their photos to mesmerize the public. If you are one, then you must be looking to share your creativity as well. Better yet, you might like to get paid for your handy work.
Fortunately, there are many online websites that will let you upload pictures to share them and also get paid if the photos are sold. However, websites offer different rates and tools to sell your photos. You also need to pay attention to the popularity of the website, maximize your exposure.
To help you find the best website to sell your photos, we have compiled a list. All you need to do is pick the one that fits your needs best.
Note: Just uploading your photos on these sites is not the best way to start making money from your photos. Although, the website viewers will see your photos, it can still be a bit hard to reach potential buyers. Try using social media sources and other marketing tools to spread the word.
Shutterstock
Shutterstock is the best place to start with for any photographer who want to sell their photos. It is simple to use and offers reasonable rates. You can earn anywhere from $0.25 to $2.85 per picture downloaded. A picture can be downloaded multiple times (more earning) while the author of the picture retains all the copyrights. This means, that people who will buy your picture cannot distribute the picture like they own it. You will still stay the original author and can distribute the picture as you may please. You can also refer contributors and customers to earn a percentage amount from each picture they buy or sell. Its popularity also makes it a good place to get noticed. However, they have high standard, so the pictures must be really good to be accepted for publishing.
Can Stock Photo
This website accommodates photographers the most and makes sure they are comfortable selling their photos. There are no complex calculations or hidden charges or deductions. At Can Stock Photo, you get paid 50% of the amount your photo is sold for (that’s a lot).
With this structure, you can earn anywhere from $1.50 to $6 per photo download. The price depends on the photo format type and size, so you don’t need to be a regular contributor to get high rates.
Alamy
Alamy has the world’s biggest library with over 60 million photos and 50,000+ photos added everyday. You will have complete rights over the picture and you can even share the same photos on other websites to earn from there as well. They also offer 50% of the total sold price as your profit. You can also sell photos using the Alamy distributors to give them even more reach. The profit percentage is same for both distributors and Alamy.
Smugmug
If you are very serious about your photo selling career, then Smugmug is a good place. It is a paid service that offers different packages to choose from. You can create your own domain where all your photos will be presented (completely customizable).
You will receive huge traffic and get to decide the price of the picture you want to sell. You will receive 85% as profit from the total sold amount. However, you will have to pay up $40, $60 or $150 on yearly basis to get the packages you need.
Fotolia
Fotolia is another good website with reliable goals and high profits. You can earn anywhere between 20% to 63% of the picture’s selling price. They have a quick system for accepting photos and in most cases, they are published in the same day.
They have reach over 5 million buyers from around the world. Although, they do have quite strict quality check procedure, but it is for the best.
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