Does anyone sell their photos online?

Just wondering if they make any decent money?

Im thinking of signing up to http://en.fotolia.com/

As it seems like a fair system and for some of the photos Ive got I could put 2 photos that are similar - one into one photo catagory and another into another catagory.

I finally got onto shutterstock some months back and of about 30 images got maybe 12 approved >< Ive since made a whopping $2 :|

Im better off I think doing what I do, making the photos I take free for non-commercial use, and hoping that someone will want to use an image commercially. If I charge £5 for it, Ive already made more moolar than I would on a stock photo site in a year ><

I might just try and get my next project underway... I want to create a website for my photography so people can buy my photos and hopefully one day request photo shoots.

I think to make any money out of Stock sites you have to put a LOT of pics on them, were talking hundreds.

Quote from: MongooseI think to make any money out of Stock sites you have to put a LOT of pics on them, were talking hundreds.

Thats what Ive been reading too.

If I were to get an idea of photos, maybe several month before the date then I could create a set of photos for say Valentines day or Easter in Jan and put them up on there. Theyre there and they can be used next year too.


Id probably have 50 or so I could look to put up on to a site right now.

On the plus side theyre something that once theyre up, it costs nothing and you can only get money from them.

I found the hoops you have to jump through pretty annoying though. Im not exactly that great a photographer so it was expected that lots would get rejected. But when photos get accepted that were previously rejected, it makes you wonder whats going on.

How much do you get per photograph ?

peanuts. $0.25 as a base rate though this varies between sites. The larger ones I think have exclusive deals where if you only submit to their site you get a bit more moolar. Its also been noted that such people tend to get more of their photos accepted.

One more reason im bitter about the whole process...

I make several hundred dollars every few months on iStockphoto.  Havent added any new ones for years, either!  :mutley:

Interesting.

My $2 is now $4.

But what is more interesting is that I submitted a shot of an object I took with the 40D, which I previously did on the 400D yonks back (and was rejected). It wasnt much different at all, Id say roughly the same amount of post processing etc, but its been accepted.

I really do think that their "review" processes tends to be along the lines of the number of photos youve already got on the site, whether youre "exclusive" and finally the exif data, I think if they see youve taken it with a rebel etc theyll scrutinise it more than if you took it with something a little more expensive. I might give istockphoto a go later.

Im tempted to try, I take it you dont have to pay as they take a cut from the photos bought?

Massive cut. you get ~ 20% of what they make. For it to work you need to be realllllly good as well as have a lot of photos, and a lot of photos that are more unique, as there are millions of photos on these sites already.

Yeah, just been trying to set up an account to upload, man theres loads of bits to get through.

Hopefully i can get a few of my shots bought, not looking to make a fortune lol

Quote from: zpyderMassive cut. you get ~ 20% of what they make. For it to work you need to be realllllly good as well as have a lot of photos, and a lot of photos that are more unique, as there are millions of photos on these sites already.

Having read the thread i was going to say there must be millions of photos, so you need to even out your chances by either uploading 100s or 1000s of images or choosing categories with less images and working on those.