Intro to Stock Photography

Janet JohnsonForest Photo ClubNovember 2012

Why Stock Photography?Does it sound appealing to turn your interest in photography into an ongoing, passive stream of income?Online stock photo agencies are quite possibly the easiest, most fun way to start making money from your photos. You take the photos. Upload them. And then they start earning money for you.Even while you sleep.

What is Stock Photography?Online Sites – for buyers and sellers

Photographers apply to online sites to be contributors.They upload photos to the site and enter keywords to try to be accepted.Advertisers and Graphic Designers look for photos to use – and pay a small fee for use.May be used in magazine ads, to sell frames, as book covers, on web sites, or in the junk mail that shows up in your mailbox, etc.

Stock Photography GuidelinesWhat’s special about it?

Must be CLEAN – clear focus, no noise, good exposure, good compositionReview your shot at 100%!Must be DESIRED – someone has to need it, usually for selling something.Must not contain LOGOS or brand namesIf it contains people, must have a MODEL RELEASE.

Where are Stock Photography Sites?Some Online Sites

iStockphoto.comHardest to get into; RGB JPG only; >=1600x1200 (2 MB)

Shutterstock.comRequires 10 photos accepted in first upload; >= 4 MB

BigStockPhoto.comTrickier to navigate; <= 25 MB

Dreamstime.comEasier to get into; >= 3 MB

Fotolia.comEasier; < 30 MB

My First Downloaded Stock Photo!Shutterstock.com

My Latest Downloaded Stock Photo!Shutterstock.com

My Latest and Most PopularShutterstock.com

Where in the World?Shutterstock.com

Stats from DreamstimeViews, No Sales (Downloads)

iStockPhoto.comSearch for Mill in Autumn, sort by Downloads

iStockPhoto.comSearch for Blue Ridge Mountains, sort by Downloads

iStockPhoto.comSearch for Youth Baseball, sort by Downloads

For PhotosSearch You Take!