The internet provides many ways of generating money online and these cover both active and passive methods. When it comes to the passive option, one of the best alternatives comes in the form of selling stock photos and pictures online. This is a way how many photographers, both professional and amateur ones are creating streams of passive income. These streams regularly earn hundreds and often even thousands of US dollars each month. It might sound like something that is too good to be true, but there are numerous individuals all over the globe who are doing the exact same thing. Many are so proficient at stock photography distribution that they made this their primary occupation. However, for most, this is a passive income source they work on only part-time and then leave it to generate money without any additional effort.
The process of putting up photos for sale is both simple and exceedingly effective as a passive income source. Once a person makes a photo, they simply upload it to a stock image website, define its metadata, set the price and begin earning royalties on each copy that the website sells. There is a big misconception that these photos have to include a professional setup, subject matter and everything else to be perfect. The truth is that thousands of photos are both each day to illustrate everything from printed material to obscure personal blogs. The subject matter of these photos is as diverse as their buyers, so practically any topic or subject can be sold.
The same goes for the level of photo quality and setup – as long as the photograph in question covers a baseline quality a stock website is looking for, it can be uploaded and sold. Naturally, it takes both time and effort to get to a point where the same passive income can start to rise and become relevant for a person, but the point is that anyone can do it. All that is needed is persistence and a willingness to put in a bit of initial work that will surely pay off as soon as the photos start to sell. For anyone who is interested in how to create passive income selling pictures, here is the top stock image website that can be used for showcasing and selling their photos.
Shutterstock
This website is perceived by most photographers of all types as the top contender in the field of stock photography. It provides free registration to its users and its commission rates being at 20 percent of the price of an image. However, being that it is one of the main focal points of photography selling industry, any newcomer on it will face stiff competition. The access to the site can be attained once a photographer submits 10 of their photos. Out of these, at least seven have to be approved for them to begin working on the website.
Getty Images
One of the original stock photo services that came online, Getty Images is still one of the most used resources, especially for big media companies. Its popularity is similar to the stock photographers and many aspire to begin selling their photos here. The website has one of the most stringent sets of requirements for new applicants and they only pay out a 20 percent commission to the photographers. This might sound low, but the amount of traffic it generates means that anyone who is into stock photo should try to get on Getty Images. For that, they need to have photos that clearly present a concept or emotion, while being exclusive, unexpected and engaging.
Fotolia
A great stock image photo by all criteria, it is free for anyone looking to join and features no limitation on the number of photos a person might want to upload. Royalties on the website start with 20 percent and go all the way to over 60 percent. This is determined according to the popularity of the photographer’s portfolio. This is a means of rewarding the more popular authors, while the website also allows for a donation of particular photos. This mechanism is a great way to finding a bit more additional exposure.
iStock Photos
This website is also at the very top of the stock photo industry and its sign-up process is very simple. A photographer opens a free account and provides the website with a set of three photos. If the photographer is accepted at iStock Photos, they will be able to get commissions ranging from 15 to 45 percent and also a website that generates more traffic than any other heavyweight stock photo website on the market.
With this entire website selection on offer, anyone can immediately start building their passive income source through selling their photos online.
