How to Make Money Online by Selling Your Photography

One of the most popular questions by amateur and professional photographers alike focuses on the question of how to make money online selling your photography. It is actually relatively simple. You can quickly and easily generate a steady residual income with a just a few simple steps.

In this tutorial you will learn where to sell your photos as well as what kinds provide the best opportunity to generate income. You will also learn how to use tags to properly market your photos to searchers in many online marketplaces, like Dreamstime and others.

Online Marketplaces for Photographers

There are literally dozens of places to sell your stock photos online, including the previously mentioned Dreamstime. They aren’t all created equally, though. The more reputable sites are easy to identify by their large collection of stock photos and users. They include Dreamstime, SXC.HU, and iStockPhoto.com. Of the three Dreamstime provides the best opportunity as well as higher payouts.

SXC.HU and sites like deviantart.com may serve as a gateway to finding clients willing to purchase your premium stock photographers but it really is hit or miss. Relegate these sites to displaying your “leftovers” – images that aren’t likely to make the cut for paying customers. Utilize these sources and you’ll learn how to make money online selling your photography in no time.

These Photos Are in Demand

• Clear, crisp, high resolution images of still objects are used regularly. Those who know how to make money online selling your photography realize that objects we interact with on a daily basis are best.
• You also need to collect well shot portraits if you’re going to figure out how to make money online selling your photography. Focus on gathering a collection of images that represent individuals of both genders. Shoot as many subjects from varying ethnicities as possible. Dreamstime users, in particular, are constantly searching for portraits to use in their projects.
• It is also pertinent that you photograph your subjects interacting in a variety of situations and environments. A good plan is working with two or three models for a full day. Be prepared to take thousands of photos by bringing several memory cards along for the day’s work. Travel to various planned locations and ask your models to act in a natural fashion. You will accumulate dozens of high quality, usable stock photos to sell, and that’s really how to make money online selling your photography.
• Other photos that are frequently searched for include highline and budget vehicles, luxury and basic homes, cats, dogs, birds, and many other animals. Those who really understand how to make money online selling your photography are constantly on the lookout for anything that might result in a paying sale.
  How to Market Your Photos with Proper Tags

Your potential customers aren’t likely to stumble across your photos as they wade through the thousands of options on stock photo sites. Instead they are going to perform searches and choose from the relevant images (so long as they meet their expectations of quality).

• It is imperative that you tag your photos creatively. Some sites only allow a minimum number of tags, while others allow you to add an unlimited amount. Understanding how customers will search for your photos will help you tag them more efficiently.

For instance, if your photo shows a business woman shaking hands you should tag it “business woman shaking hands.” If she’s blonde, you should tag it “blonde woman,” but also “blonde female.” Some searches may specify a desired ethnicity, such as “Caucasian business woman.” Think about all of the possible ways prospective customers will search for your photos and you will learn how to make money online selling your photography.

It might take a huge commitment of time to add all of the tags you can think of to each of your photos. It gets easier as you grow accustomed to it, though. In the long run you will sell more photos by doing this, so it is a wise investment of your time.

With properly tagged photos and memberships at several online stock photography portals you will quickly find yourself profiting from your photography. Ignore these tips only if you really aren’t interested in the chance to make money online selling your photography.

Also read: Top 3 Online Moneymakers While At Home

(c) Image source (homepage screenshots) @ Flickr