Photography Business Opportunities – Microstock Websites
While photography is certainly a fun hobby and can lead to great personal fulfillment, it is also a high-skill profession that thousands of people use to pay their bills every single day. Not everyone can shoot for Sports Illustrated or Cosmo, but that doesn't mean there isn't a good living to be made working in other mediums. One example is microstock photography which is a relatively new concept and a great way to make some extra income.
What is Microstock Photography?
You may be familiar with the term "stock" photography - it refers to photographs that are licensed for a wide variety of uses. Some examples of stock photos are universal images like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco that could be used in magazines, calendars or any other published material.
Microstock photography is similar, only the images sell for less and can be uploaded by anyone with high-quality material. With microstock, you sell more images at a lower cost so you have to be willing to upload a lot of images to make it work. Some examples of microstock sites are Fotalia, Shutterstock and IStockphoto.
How Do I Get Started?
Getting started with microstock is easier than you think. You'll need a basic shooting and editing setup, but nothing that would break the bank. A digital SLR will be suitable for most of the photos, and you can use a free photo editing program like Paint.net until you feel ready to invest in one of the paid ones.
Once you have the gear in order, all you need to do is shoot a bunch of photographs to prepare for the initial application process. Make sure that you focus on subjects that are marketable; lifestyle, business, home decor and other themes work well. You should focus on creating and uploading images that someone buying photographs wants, but won't find anywhere else. It is important to remember that your images cannot contain copyrighted or trademarked subjects, and if they feature a person's face you'll need a signed release from the model.
Before you upload any images, check out the site and see what types of photographs they offer as this will give you a good idea of the types of images that will likely sell. Think about how the image will be used. Will it be in a magazine or ad or displayed in a picture frame? Once you have a solid portfolio, choose a site (or sites) you like and start submitting your photos for review. When applying, read the training materials and site requirements beforehand so you'll make sure that your portfolio fits within their guidelines otherwise your application may be denied.
How Do I Profit?
Unlike regular stock photography, microstock is all about quantity. Just remember that the more pictures you upload, the better your chance at making money. There are people who make thousands of dollars a month doing microstock photos, however, they do it full time and upload hundreds of photos a month. If you can commit this sort of time to the job, the potential for income is really limitless.
Always start small so you "test the waters" before investing a lot of time and effort into uploading images before you know if it will be a good fit. If microstock seems to be your thing and you can see yourself making a healthy profit doing it, focus more time and energy on it and upload as many photos as you possibly can. If microstock photography doesn't seem like a good fit, keep looking for other photo opportunities that are better suited for you. You should always have fun and enjoy taking pictures so find something that works best for you and you'll end up shooting images that everyone will admire!
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