You’re reading this because you have two passions in life. First, you love taking photos. You probably carry your camera everywhere with you, just waiting for a chance to snap a candid shot that tells a little story. That’s the art of photography and, if you’re reading this, you have a passion for that art.
Photographs Everywhere You Look You would have to live in a shack out in the woods like the Unabomber to not be exposed to literally hundreds of photographs per day. Think about your daily life. If you ate breakfast this morning, there was probably a picture of someone on the cereal box. If you made coffee, there might be a picture on the can, and that’s just in your kitchen. There are photos on the billboards as you drive to work.
Do You Have What it Takes?
If you think it’s easy to sell digital photos online, you’re mistaken. Show me one person who’s made it big selling photos, and I’ll show you ten more just like him/her that don’t make squat. They could even be taking pictures of the same things. The difference between them is that the person who made it put time and effort into his/her photo business. So ask yourself, do you have what it takes to sell your digital photos online? If you said yes, then you must commit yourself if you hope to make it. Go back and read that sentence again. That’s the most important aspect of making money through digital photography.
ready to deal with rejection - because that can be the most difficult part of this whole business. Rejection You may find that you’re in love with your photos, but that you’re the only one who feels that way. It’s kind of like when someone brings along their dog and they go on and on about how cute and loveable their dog is, but everyone else doesn’t feel that way. Some people may be allergic to dogs. The dog may be lovable but that doesn’t mean they want to risk touching it so they’ll blow up like a balloon. The point is, you can’t please everybody.
Choosing a Camera
If you don’t already have a camera, you know you need one. But you’re likely going to find a lot of choices out there. There are so many different types of cameras, brands and accessories that it can seem almost overwhelming. However, picking out a good camera isn’t that difficult at all. Simply get online and start researching the cameras you come across based on a few criteria. You’ll want to be focused on the amount of megapixels the camera has, as well as the quality of the sensor.
‘Get Rich Quick’ Out of Your Head
It doesn’t matter what the subject is, someone’s figured out a way for you to get rich quick. They explain it to you in detail and they may even sell you an eBook or a report, or even a video, and you buy it, only to find out that the tactics don’t work. Do you know how many people have actually gotten rich quick from all of the get rich quick programs out there? Less than 2%! And the ones that do make it have a lot of free time and a lot of luck. Now don’t get me wrong. You can make money selling your digital photos online.
Microstock Photography
You may have heard of stock photography. This is where an image is licensed to be used by a specific person for a specific reason. For instance, a webmaster may need a certain type of photo for a website. Instead of risking taking one off the Internet and getting into copyright issues once the site becomes successful, the webmaster decides to buy the image so that he can use it legally. Stock agencies are typically very picky about who they accept as photographers.
Sites that Pay for Your Photos
Now that you have a camera and you’re ready to publish them online so that you can make some money, it’s time to find some microstock sites to add your photos to. You’ll find that some sites pay more than others, and you’ll also find a variation in the pay terms as well as methods of payment. Hopefully, this guide will help you choose one that’s right for your needs.
For the Truly Ambitious
If you are really confident in your photography skills, and you know that you can produce the kind of work that people will be willing to pay top dollar for, there are quite a few avenues you can pursue. For instance, you could become a wedding photographer, which gets paid very handsomely I might add. Magazines pay very well, and so do newspapers.
So, to recap, get a good camera, get out there and take some of the most beautiful, breathtaking photos you’ve ever taken and then find one of the many microstock sites out there. Or, if your photos are good enough, submit them to the stock photo sites. You never know what can happen. Once your photos are up, price them accordingly and keep taking more photos. Keep adding photos to your profile. Even if you’re not selling, keep shooting and posting anyway. Pay attention to those photos that are really selling and learn from them. Find out how to create those photos that have people demanding them. The knowledge is out there and people are using it to make lots of money doing what they love. So get out there and do what you love. Be patient and be vigilant and soon you’ll be able to live off your art. Hurry, your audience is waiting.
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