How to Sell Photos Online (5 Inspirational Examples)

Selling your photos online is a great way to make money without any extra work. When you have beautiful and high-quality photos, then you will have a lot of customers coming knocking on your door.

In this article, I want to share with you 5 inspirational ways how to sell photos online.

Few Things To Consider Before You Start Selling Your Photos

In the digital age, it is easier than ever to start a photography business. With that said, there are some things to consider before you start selling your photos.

The first thing is to decide if you want to sell your photos for money or not. If you do want to sell them for money, make sure that you have a clear understanding of what your photos will be used for and how they will be used.

You should also understand whether or not are your photos suitable for the market. This can be determined by researching the market in which you want to sell them and understanding what people are looking for.

You also want to make sure that you are selling your photos in a way that will get you the best possible price.

This means making sure that the photography is good and interesting enough for the buyer.

You also need to make sure that your image files are in great condition so the buyer does not have any quality issues when they receive them.

Stock Photography Websites

Stock photography websites are the first and most common place where you can sell your photos.

Shutterstock, Pond5, and iStock Photo are just examples of the most popular stock photography sites on the web. With these sites, you can sell your photos for anywhere from $10 to $200 and make more money than with a photography blog.

All you have to do is find a website you want to use, sign up, get accepted, upload your photos, and wait for someone will buy your pics.

However, it’s not as easy as it sounds. Selling stock photography means finding a topic that is selling well on these sites. Then you have to analyze the competition and make a photo with a fresh twist to stand out from the crowd.

Etsy

If you’re looking to showcase your photography online in a professional way, then Etsy is an interesting place for you to start.

Opening an Etsy shop allows you to reach a much wider audience without breaking the bank. It’s a great way for photographers to sell their work without having to invest in a storefront themselves.

A great thing about Etsy is that you have full control over your shop, so you can customize it, promote your listings, and offer fast and excellent customer service.

However, it’s important to remember that there is no quick fix to becoming successful on Etsy. It takes time and effort to learn how to get a sale, but not losing hope can help you stay motivated.

Fiverr

Did you know you can sell photos on Fiverr? Not only on Fiverr, but you should also use other freelance platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, or Guru to sell photography.

However, you should understand, that on these platforms, you are acting as a freelancer. And that is different compared to Etsy or Stock websites.

Through freelance sites, you are not selling photos you have already taken, but rather connecting with clients who are in demand for specific photographs.

These websites have plentiful jobs, and there is plenty of room for photographers to grow their portfolios by taking on these types of projects.

As a photographer, you can accept a job from clients on these freelance websites, and if you meet their needs and both sides agree on a price, you will start shooting the photos for them.

Create Your Photography Site

Selling photos online doesn’t mean you have to be using third-party websites or platforms. You can easily create your blog or website where you can showcase the portfolio of your photos.

We are living in an age where creating a website doesn’t require a web developer. There are platforms like WordPress, Wix, or even free Google Sites, where you can use a simple drag-and-drop page builder to create a website. It’s easy enough even for complete beginners.

As a person, who owns a portfolio of websites that are on the WordPress eco-system, I highly recommend building your website on this platform.

WordPress is the most popular content management system in the world. With its vast array of plugins and free themes, anyone can create a stunning store to showcase and sell stock photos and even build a brand.

Print On Demand

Did you know you can upload your photo and let it print on various products like t-shirts, mugs, pillows, posters, or even blankets?

This business model is called print-on-demand and it can be an interesting additional way to sell your photography online.

Honestly, you will be surprised how many people are selling their pics on marketplaces like Redbubble, Spreadshirt, Zazzle, Society6, or Merch by Amazon.

The print-on-demand model is incredibly low-maintenance for photographers. Sign up to any POD platform, create a store, upload your photo, enable your photo on different products, and publish it.

That’s all. You don’t need to care about inventory, shipping, or customer service. This is work for the POD platform. If somebody buys a product with your photography, the POD platform will print it and then ship it to the customer.

It’s really that simple. You are just uploading your photos to the marketplace.

While you’re getting royalties from each sold product, the margin is low, around 20% for every single product. So to make lots of money, you have to sell lots of products and upload lots of photos.

Final Thoughts

Photography is a growing industry that is constantly changing. As the industry changes, so does the way people buy and sell photographs.

To stand out from the crowd, photographers need to make sure their images are of high quality and interesting enough for potential buyers.

Selling your photographs online is about being resourceful, persistent, and creative. There are many ways to sell your photographs online but not all of them are as time-consuming as you may think.

In this article, I have mentioned a few interesting ways to earn some extra cash from your photos, but there are a few disadvantages. You should understand that each of these methods comes with its drawbacks.

In my opinion, to get more exposure, and to earn more money, you should combine these methods. With this approach, you can reach a larger audience, and build your brand more effectively.

How to Sell Photos Online – FAQs

Selling photos online is not difficult, but it takes time and a larger portfolio to make a decent living. In this section, I want to answer a few frequently asked questions about this topic.

How much money can you make selling photos online?

If you are selling your photos on stock photo websites, you should expect $0.03 to $0.30 per image per month. If you upload more photos to stock photo websites, you are more likely to receive more money per month.

Where can I upload my photographs to earn money?

Perhaps the best places to upload your photographs and make some money are iStock, Alamy, Shutterstock, Getty Images, and Etsy. You can also sell your photos on various products like t-shirts, posters, or pillows. In this case, the best places are Redbubble, Zazzle, Society6, or Spreadshirt.

What type of photos sells best?

While you can focus on trends, there are still other photo styles that are always in demand. The best way to stay ahead of the trend is to build a high-quality, consistent photo catalog with images for every budget. And what type of photos sell best? Here are a few examples:

• Vector artwork
• People doing everyday things
• Nature
• Animals
• Seasons
• Transport