Selling Stock Photos In 2021?

In this internet age that we live in, we’ve learned to consume content online as we go, from videos, images, news, sports, etc.
In 2018, a Forbes article was written on how much data we create and consume daily. The study found that about 2.5 quintillion bytes of data were created each day at our current place. Over the last 4 years alone, 90 percent of the data in the world was generated and some people have been fortunate enough to turn their passions into profit.

One of the few professions that have existed pre-internet and have been able to transition to this new era is photography.
Photography was only for professionals and the very rich until George Eastman started a company called Kodak in the 1880s. He was the one who helped to bring the photographic use of roll film into the mainstream and photography has only been evolving ever since. Thanks to science and the millions of hours researchers have put into this field, photography has now been made affordable and accessible to everybody. From cellphones, point-and-shoots, DSLR’s and more. We’ve had talented photographers over the years, people who made careers out of it and went on to make millions of dollars.
Although money is not necessarily a driving factor in this field, it is rather important to recognize that money definitely a vector that allows one to follow their dream or passion.

Cindy Sherman, for example, comes to mind. An accomplished photographer, whose work consists primarily of photographic self-portraits, has been able to exploit her passion while consistently working hard in the effort of achieving greatness. She is a world-renown photographer who has been able to push the boundaries while also making some huge profits along the way. Back in May 2011, Cindy Sherman sold a photo for $3,890,500. Though, that price has since been surpassed.

Compared to how we process photographs or prints today, it is definitely night and day. Considering how easier it has been made to either pick up photography as a hobby or a career. We’ve noticed such an increase in the production of these artworks to the point where it‘s’ almost impossible to keep up. This process has given birth to a new model for art distribution. We now have several repository websites for images, allowing artists to share their work, either for free or for a small profit.

Is selling stock photos worth it today?

Websites like Unsplash, offer a platform that allows the user to share their work with millions of people around the globe. The artist then gets some exposure when credited for the photo. We also have websites willing to compensate the artist for their work when they upload to their platforms. This model is considered Stock Photography. In general, stock photos earn approximately $1 to $15 per image, per month. This obviously depends on many factors, including how many agencies you upload to, your skill in keywording, and the uniqueness of the images. In some cases, the photograph can be sold at a higher price on the website resulting in more profits for them and not the artist.

We do have to acknowledge, however, how royalty-free images have made the web a better place. They are either free or cheap and fast to use, you do not have to find photographers to create the exact image you need while they also save money and time.

The actual question revolves around Quality and Quantity. Working hard on a photograph and presenting it to the right people at the right time, could appear more rewarding, whether it is for monetary gain or the simple sake of appreciation and respect for the art. Implementing a little bit of marketing could also help, pitching your photograph to the local news magazine, the local bar, or restaurant, etc.
Whereas, stock photography often requires multiple photos and more work for less recognition or reward. Ideally, you’ll want at least 500–1000 photos on the site before you can expect to see sales or even make a solid profit. One can only assume that producing that number of photographs in a month is definitely mind-boggling and the quality would definitely take a hit, for less profit.

In conclusion, it is safe to say that we’ve all been able to move forward and adjust to the technology and the changes around us despite our differences. Some artists, for example, appreciate a long escape in the wild just snapping away and capturing a moment and being able to move to the next one as quickly as possible. While others cherish these moments and take longer to produce their masterpiece.
As long as we keep working together despite our different styles, together we can keep pushing the boundaries and take this art to the next level.

This article was originally published on medium.com and it can be found here. You can also check more stories here.