Welcome to my Stock Photography Information website. You can find lots of stock photography information here about stock agencies, tips & tricks, photography help, my stock images, and my stock photography statistics.
What is stock photography?
The short answer: You shoot a photo without a request from a
buyer, and then you add it to the stock of images of one or more
companies for future sale.
Commercial stock images:
These give buyers broad usage rights, including the right to
advertise products and services. Pornographic and defamatory usage
are prohibited. For an additional charge, extended rights are often
available, if a buyer wants to use an image on items for sale.
Commercial images that include one or more recognizable people
require a model release.
Also, they cannot contain any recognizable brands or trademarks.
Editorial stock images: These may include recognizable people
without model releases,
and trademarked places and items without property releases. However,
their use is strictly
limited to editorial use - news and educational purposes.
What is microstock photography?
The biggest difference to traditional stock photography is the price. Microstock usually has prices that start less then one dollar. Microstock is mostly sold through the internet, and anyone can appy to be a contributor. You do not have to be a professional photographer to contribute you images to the agencies.
What is RM (Right Managed)?
The use and price of the image is controlled by duration, time, quantity and region.
What is RF (Royalty Free)?
Images sold with a RF license are conditioned by the Terms of Use from the Vendor. There is no need for the buyers to report how or where they are using the images nor do they have to print a credit line.
How much can you make selling images online with microstock?
There are a few factors that will determine how much you will make. Most important are quality, quantity, and diversity. It depends on the time and effort you are investing in shooting, creating and editing images. The income from microstock can range from very little to making a descent living to extremely well, thought only a small percent of dedicated, talented stock photographer achieve that.
How can it be worth my time to sell an image for so little money?
Don't focus on the single sale. In traditional stock photography you sell an image maybe only on or two times, but with microstock you might sell it 100 times. So you have to look at all the sells of an image over a longer period of time.
Which are the agencies I should start with?
This list constantly changes, in small or large ways. Take a look at my stock agency list, which I sort based on the revenue agencies generate for me.
My suggestion for the moment would be to start with Shutterstock, Dreamstime, Fotolia, StockXpert, iStockphoto, Big Stock Photo, 123RF, Can Stock Photo, and The 3D Studio..
You have to go through an approval process with some of the agencies, such as Shutterstock and iStockphoto. For some it will take several tries to pass this process. Don't be discouraged if you receive a rejection the first time around. Just keep trying.
Do I keep the copy right to my images?
Yes! Because you only sell a license to use your images. But some agencies give you also the option to sell the copy right to an image.
Do you need feedback or help with the images you are considering using for approval?
Post them in the forum The Looney Bin - Critique Request or Talkmicro - Critique. The other photographers and/or I will be happy to offer constructive comments and critiques of these images.
The photographer Ann Parry and Patricia Philips helped me with the FAQ page.
