How to earn money with photography? Well is a question I still ask but seems that there is room for everyone. Of course I am not rich and I don’t earn money out of my photography because I was quite ignorant and I am not really enjoying making photos that businessman will love … all that corporate bullshit we all see in bank, real estate, big companies, insurance, legal advice or other leaflet / flyer / promo material … all those fake smiles, business look, business related objects and so on.
BUT … because there is a big but (and maybe a big butt that will make big money on your back) … fortunately there is stock photography. Like its name suggests if you have a big stock (pile) of pictures you can make some money with no effort.
Why?!? Thanks god that are lazy people who prefer to buy than to make.
Who? Usually small businesses because is cheaper to buy stock photos than to pay a photographer (1$ for a photo versus more $)
Where? Internet, low budget printouts, local ads and the list can go on.
How much you can earn? Well, it depends can be almost near 0 or some internet sources like to brag that they earn 3 to 4 figures per month. May be, I’m not making their financial reports to see if it is true or not.
My own experience …. Using several stock photography providers and a shitty (yeah, it is crap) photo I manage in 5 years to gain the impressive amount of …. $1.98. If I think that if only one picture in the big ocean of pictures can perform like this ... Ok you can do the math ... 1 picture in 5 years results 1.98 … think now how many pictures having the same “success” like this one you should have in order to buy a meal. On the other hand I have done nothing and I have earned $1.98.
What is the catch? It is one big catch … because you receive around 25% of the real amount. If you think about it … it is outrageous … they earn 75% just for displaying your picture. At a second look you can think at the costs of maintaining a website as a beginner in this branch are quite high and maybe nobody will land on your page and even if they will and they will buy your photo it is quite hard to get that money out of one photo after 5 years. I don’t say that I like them very much but I still think that for a beginner it is a good start.
I really think about going to research more this opportunity as my camera is really old and I cannot afford to buy a new one so … I must try the sea with my toe in order to see if it is as advertised or not.
Below you can find two good websites for starters.
I will keep you posted with my research.
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