Portrait Photography
Likely the most popular freelance photography type is portrait photography! Much like commercial photography, the portrait world varies greatly and has so many subcategories that it can be hard to keep track of each niche.
Most Downloaded Images FAQ
The best-selling style of images varies from one year to the next, but overall, images of people (or lifestyle photography) are an all-time best-selling genre in stock photography. Other concepts like landscapes, flowers, and beaches are also consistently popular.
When you sell more, you earn more. Your earnings rate increases as more of your content is licensed. Earn $0.04 on images and 10% on videos when an artist signs up with your link and their work is downloaded. Earn 20%, up to $200.00, on a customer's first payment when they use your link to sign up.
Topping the list with 31,003 reverse search image results is Nasa's photograph of man's first steps on the moon in 1969. To this day, conspiracy theorists question whether the picture was faked, which could explain its high search numbers.
The best place to sell photos online is your own site. This method gives you full control over your online photography business, including its pricing, display, and terms and conditions. Most importantly, you get 100% of the profit from your sales.
Selling images through stock photo sites is relatively easy, but there are still important aspects to know, consider, and always keep in mind: Royalty Rates – All serious and reliable agencies set up a royalty rate for the artist (thus cutting a commission for themselves).
Whether you're a pro photographer or just like taking pictures in your spare time, you could make a decent amount of money by selling your photos online – even without a top-of-the-range camera. In fact, if you've got a decent phone camera and a steady hand, you're already in with a shot.
Selling photos in local galleries is a great way to make some money. But it is important to figure out what sells. Photos that remind people of the local areas, like nice views or local landmarks, will sell. International landmarks, famous people's portraits, and landscapes may sell well to a large audience.
On average, stock photographers make $0.02 per image per month with stock photos, while professionals make $0.05–$0.25 per image per month. Royalty-free sales earn between $0.10 and $99.50, while extended licenses bring up to $500. Stock photo agencies pay $0.32 per sale of a royalty-free license on average.
Yes, you can make $100,000 per year as a photographer.
While possible, it is unlikely to earn over $100k as a photographer because even higher-paid positions do not typically earn more than $61,000 per year. The average annual salary for a photographer is $36,237.
Know your market
Instead, consider what potential buyers are looking for. At the most basic level, your photos need to look technically sharp and polished. Take them with a professional camera (or at least a very good smartphone camera), and make sure the shots are in focus, correctly exposed, and properly framed.
If you're passionate about photography and are willing to put in the time and effort, starting a photography side hustle could be a great way to make some extra money. You never know, it could even turn into a full-time business.
Sell or License Your Photos on Stock Photography Sites
It's a good way to earn a stream of passive income! Become a contributor for sites like iStock, BigStock, and ShutterStock, or upload your photos to your own personal Flickr account and license them through Getty Images.
As long as the images are of good quality, you can sell phone photos on stock photography sites such as Shutterstock, EyeEm, and Wirestock. In fact, more and more stock photo buyers are looking for content taken with ordinary people on their phones, as it's often more authentic and natural.
What is the most searched thing on Google? As of June 2023, the most searched things on Google are “YouTube” and "Amazon". The next most popular keywords are “Facebook”, "Google", and “Wordle”.
Nasa's “Man on the Moon” photo was named the most famous image of all time, followed by “Lunch atop a Skyscraper,” which showed eleven ironworkers sitting on a steel beam 260 meters above the ground in Manhattan, New York City in 1932.
Does Shutterstock actually pay? Yes, Shutterstock does pay. The company pays contributors for each image or video download from the site. Contributors earn a base rate of $0.25 per download and can earn up to $120 per image depending on the image price, portfolio size, and performance level.
As a Shutterstock contributor, you will earn a percentage of the price Shutterstock receives for licensing your content. There are 6 separate earnings levels for images and for videos, ranging from 15% up to 40%. You can graduate through them independently based on your download count in each category.
Once you have accrued at least $35 from licensing your work on Shutterstock, you are ready to collect your earnings! In order to receive payment, you must have a completed tax form on file and select an electronic payment provider--chose from PayPal, Skrill or Payoneer.