With the stock photography industry booming, taking photographs and selling them to a stock photo website is a great way to earn some passive income. However, becoming successful at selling photos requires a strategy and this is where this guide comes in. 

Here, we will tell you all about stock photography and help you click photos that sell. So without further ado, let’s dive into this guide in detail.

Choose a Well Defined Niche

I have 4 main genres that I offer and specialise in for my own photography company, see below.

When it comes to photography, we suggest you don’t become the jack of all trades and instead - become a master of one well-defined niche.

Do keyword research to find the phrases most searched. Think about the categories marketers will have trouble finding unique stock images for. Narrow down on these niches to find sub-categories that have both - revenue potential and demand. 

However, make sure the niche or the genre of photography you choose is not too broad or too narrow. Or else you will have trouble competing with the growing demands and the competition.

Quality Matters

This should go without saying, but we are going to tell it anyways - Quality Matters! If you want people to buy stock photographs from you, make sure to emphasize the quality. 

When taking pictures, use a good DSLR camera and lens that give you sharp, high-quality results. Use more light around the area to give your subject more clarity. And always take as many pictures as you can to have ample choices in the end.

Remember the ‘rule of thirds

A basic rule of photographic composition is the ‘rule of thirds.’ with this protocol, you divide the image into thirds - both horizontally and vertically, so you have nine parts.

Take a read of this blog entry by Matic Broz on the ‘Rules of Third - https://www.photutorial.com/rule-of-thirds/

The image’s subject is placed at the intersection of those dividing lines or along with one of the lines itself. 

Using the ‘rule of thirds works well as studies have shown people to naturally look at one of the intersecting points rather than the centre itself. Most new cameras have a built-in grid feature that makes applying this rule easier. Yours might too!

Create Visual Interest

Make your pictures enjoyable by clicking from different angles and distances. If you shoot one picture up close, take the next one from a lower point. Go high. Tilt the camera a little. 

In short, put variations in your shot. After all, you don’t want all your photographs to appear similar by taking them from the same angle. 

Go Candid

High-quality stock photographs don’t appear staged and neither should yours! Observe the people around you and get a natural feel of their interactions with each other and surrounding objects. Take advantage of the setting and take candid photos. 

If it’s not possible to take a spontaneous shot of your preferred setting, then set up similar scenes with models. But again, make sure the models appear authentic and not posing unnaturally.

Take Model Releases

While the photos are your property, the models that appear in these photos are not. This is why you need to take signed permission from your photos’ subjects before selling the same to stock photography users. 

And this does not only apply to identifiable human beings. But you need to obtain model releases before using pictures of:

• Pets

• Private properties

• Landmarks

• Trademarks and logos

Go for Trending Topics

Emerging trending topics such as drones and virtual reality will have fewer stock photographs than spring and romance that have existed since humanity’s birth. Carry out thorough research on the web and shortlist topics that are the current talk of the town and as the trend changes, keep evolving and updating your content to keep up with the newer trends.

Update Content

Stock photo buyers look for updated content. For example, you uploaded a photo of a girl holding a smartphone about a year ago. During that time, the picture became an instant hit and received an unlimited number of downloads. However, the downloads have dropped now, and you are wondering what the reason can be. 

The mobile is probably outdated, and using the photo of an old smartphone will make the user’s website appear expired or it can be that the clothing has evolved and now will appear out of fashion. 

Take a cynical look at the photo and see what feels old. Try taking a revamped picture and see the effect.

Don’t Overedit

Generally, you shouldn’t be over-editing your pictures as that will make them appear over-processed. Instead, try to aim for clean images that are well-lit and in sharp focus. If the users want to edit or crop, they will do it themselves, as most stock agencies give licenses to modify images. But selling a ‘photoshopped to death’ photo is something you should avoid altogether.

Share Your Photos

Last but not least, share your photos, so they are accessible to creators. While creating your own database is an ideal choice, you can sell your stock photographs to stock photo agencies that will host your work and pay you a commission for the sold properties.

Final Words

These were just some tips to get you started. Clicking photos is an easy skill, and with a little practice and guidance, you too can master the art. Good luck!

If You Would Like To Have More Information And Learn More, Then Please Give Me Some Blog Suggestions In The Comments Below Or Arrange A 1:1 Photography Session With Myself.

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