Sell Microstock
Microstock isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. The low prices and high volumes have led to accusations that sites like iStock are lowering the value of photography (although not everyone agrees). But it does offer a couple of benefits to enthusiasts hoping to earn a little cash: it’s open to anyone who wants to submit; and it can deliver sales instantly.
The second of those advantages is particularly important. Even if a sale only brings in a few bucks for an image that’s going to be used as the background for a website, the feeling that someone is willing to pay for one of your photos can deliver a huge boost in confidence. It tells you that you’re on the right track and that with more practice, better market awareness and more creative photography, you can continue to sell images and for higher prices.
Microstock is unlikely to make you rich. The highest-earning microstock photographers like Andres Rodriguez and Yuri Arcurs treat their shoots as a full-time job. They look for images that sell, analyze the markets and keep their portfolios fresh with hundreds of weekly uploads. Shoot occasionally, and you’ll struggle to build the critical mass needed to produce regular, high-volume sales.
There are alternatives though. FotoLibra is also open source but charges for storage. It also hands over 50–60 percent of the sales fee to the photographer, and allows anyone to sell rights managed images. PhotographersDirect gives as much as 80 percent but doesn’t accept microstock sellers.
You can regard microstock as a useful confidence boost and an easy way to earn occasional income — or at least have the opportunity to earn occasional income. You can treat it as a full-time job if you have the time and the dedication. Or you can just skip it altogether and focus on one of the stock alternatives.
Info Coutesy: blogs.photopreneur.comAlso look for: Making-money-with-photography-part-3
And Making-money-with-photography-part-1
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