How To Sell Your Photos?

Introduction

How to sell your photos? If you enjoy taking pictures in your spare time, you can earn extra cash through websites such as Adobe Stock, Shutterstock, Alamy, Etsy, and 500px. These platforms allow you to sell your images, videos, vectors, illustrations, etc. Furthermore, if you do not want to share your royalties with these companies, you can sell your pictures exclusively on your website. 

Consequently, we will look at what each of these companies will pay you for and what you can do to sell your photos yourself on your website.

Adobe Stock

What are the earnings potentials with Adobe Stock?

Adobe Stock contributors earn 33% royalties on photos, vectors, illustrations, and 35% on videos.

You can request a payout via PayPal, Payoneer, or Skrill when you have accrued $25 or more in royalties.

How can I start selling my images and videos?

In other words, you can sign up to become an Adobe Stock artist if you own all the rights to high-quality photos, videos, and vector content. Use your Adobe ID to sign up at no cost to you. 

What are the requirements to become an Adobe Stock artist?

Uploading files for sale requires you to be at least 18 years old and the sole owner of every file you upload. It’s also necessary to obtain a signed release if your content includes recognizable persons or property.

What can I sell on Adobe Stock?

If you are a member of the Adobe Stock creator community, you can sell high-quality photographs, vectors, video clips, and illustrations online. Adobe Stock is always looking for creators with content in different formats and subjects such as videos, drone footage, technology, medical, food, portraiture, lifestyle, business, and more.

When I upload a work, do I keep the rights?

Your work remains in your control when you join Adobe Stock. Therefore, in exchange for uploading your work on their platform, you enter into a non-exclusive partnership that allows this company to publish, license, and promote your work. Consequently, the non-exclusive license lets you sell your work on other websites.

Shutterstock

What are the earnings potentials with Shutterstock?

Shutterstock offers a more complex royalty structure than, say, Adobe Stock. You earn a percentage of the licensing fees Shutterstock receives for the content you provide. Photos, illustrations, and vectors have six levels of earnings, ranging from 15 to 40%. The same applies to videos as well. Additionally, your progress through the different levels is dependent on how many images and videos customers download or purchase per year. Every year on January 1st, they reset all contributor’s levels to level 1. 

Therefore, with Shutterstock, the more customers buy your content, the more money you earn. You earn more as you license more content and move up the different levels.

PayPal, Payoneer, and Skrill+ are currently the only payment method. You can choose a minimum payout amount and a payment method. Shutterstock will pay you once a month. 

How can I start selling my images and videos?

Shutterstock requires you to be 18 years old to create an account. You may only have one account at a time. You can also turn your account into a business account.

Any commercial image of a person whose identity is identifiable must have a valid Minor or Adult release. You must also submit a property release when you submit photographs taken on private property for commercial purposes.

What are the requirements to become a Shutterstock contributor?

You can register to become a Shutterstock contributor by visiting submit.shutterstock.com. 

You will need to provide your name, display name, email address, and address to register.

Your first submission needs to be a few of your best photos, jpegs or eps illustrations, or a few video clips for you to become an active contributor. They will review your content. Following approval of your first piece of content, you will be able to submit any file. Make sure the work you upload is your own or fully controlled by you. 

Shutterstock requires that all content submitted by you be yours or under your control. As a result, you cannot submit already published work. Submission of public domain content is not permitted. It does not permit the use of copyrighted material, including artwork, other photos, sculptures, architecture, exhibits, or audio recordings. You must obtain permission from the copyright or trademark owners if your content contains copyrighted material or trademarks. 

What can I sell on Shutterstock?

Photos, footage clips, illustrations, and vectors

When I upload a work, do I keep the rights?

The content you contribute to Shutterstock remains yours, but you allow Shutterstock to license it on your behalf.

Alamy 

What are the earnings potentials with Alamy?

The prices vary by industry, country, license type, and use. However, the average image license fee is USD 30. Also, editorial licenses are paid lower than commercial uses. On average, an advert is USD 500, a book cover is USD 150, and online is USD 20.

How can I start selling my images and videos, and what are the requirements to become an Alamy artist?

Submit your stock (images, videos, etc.). You have the option to sell through Alamy network distributors.

You are responsible for the content you upload and must be the copyright holder or have their permission. If you earn less than $250 gross in a revenue year, you will receive a 20% commission on direct sales.

If you earn more than $250 gross in a revenue year, you will receive a 40% commission on direct sales.

If you earn more than $25,000 gross in a revenue year, you will receive a 50% commission on direct sales of images exclusive to Alamy. They’ll pay you every month if your balance is over $50. You can quit with just 45 days’ notice.

What can I sell on Alamy?

You can sell stock photos, vectors, footage, illustrations, reportage, and archival imagery. Including sports, entertainment, and live news. Whatever meets their technical criteria. They also offer a mobile app called Stockimo. With it, you can sell your iPhone photos. 

When I upload a work, do I keep the rights?

50% royalties and non-exclusive

Etsy

What can I sell, and what are the earnings potentials with Etsy?

Etsy is a selling marketplace with more than 30 million users. You can sell digital and print products. The earning potential is yours, and you determine the price. Be mindful not to be too expensive by comparing your fees with your competitors. 

How can I start selling my images and videos?

You can start your own Etsy shop by creating an account, naming your shop, setting your shop policies, including shipping and price, uploading your images, and starting your shop promotion. 

What are the requirements to become a seller on Etsy?

Etsy quotes: “Everything listed for sale on Etsy must be handmade, vintage, or a craft supply. Handmade items are products you made and, or designed.” You can read more about Etsy’s seller policy here.

Etsy fees

Being a marketplace, Etsy will charge you for selling on its platform. There are several fees, but the main ones are the listing fee of USD 0.20 for each item you list for sale and the transaction fee of 6.5% of the price you display for each listing plus the amount you charge for delivery and gift wrapping. For more information about these fees, please click here.

500px

What are the earnings potentials with 500px?

If you license your pictures with them, you can earn up to 60% royalties, and their non-exclusive royalties are at 30%

What are the requirements, and how can I start selling my images on the 500px platform?

You have to, first of all, agree to the Contributor Licensing Agreement terms of 500px. Also, your photos must be approved before they can be licensed. They only accept high-quality images.

What can I sell on 500px?

Photos

How to sell your photos on your website?

To sell your photos on your website, decide how you will deliver the images to your customer. Is it going to be physical prints, digital files, or something else?

Once you’ve decided on this, find an e-commerce platform such as Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, and Wix to list your photos online. Set up backend processes for payments, inventory, and orders. Start the promotion of your photos. You are ready to manage and fulfill orders as they come in.