Have you got a passion for photography?
Then turn your hobby into cash by selling your photos online through
a stock image database agent.
What is a Stock
Image Agent?
A stock image agent holds an online database
of numerous images provided by photographers and artists for the purpose
of selling. The majority of images are sold repeatedly on a royalty
free basis at a low price but in some cases when the buyer requires
exclusivity, the image can be sold with a licensing agreement and this
will of course be set at a higher price. However the royalty free programme
is by far the most popular and although you sell your image at a one
off low payment because the same image is sold time and time again you
can accumulate a good sum for each shot. These pictures can be used
for corporate and non-corporate purposes and can be on absolutely any
subject or topic. By submitting your work to these online stock image
agents you can start earning revenue from pictures that are lying dormant
on your hard drive or picture cards.
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What qualifications
are required to sell photos online?
None! All you need to be is handy with a digital
camera. If you can take a good photograph then somebody might want to
buy it! You don't need any special qualifications to be accepted by
a stock image agent and your photos can be on any subject but agencies
do stipulate that material must be your own original work and you must
own the sole copyright to them.
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Who will my buyers be?
Magazine editors, web designers, businesses,
advertising agents and a host of graphic artists are constantly on the
lookout for new, fresh images to use on their websites, billboards,
publications or other material. Many of these buyers subscribe to online
stock image agents and buy on an ongoing basis instead of hiring professional
photographers for shots. So your market is wide which increases your
chances of sales.
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How can I make money
from this?
Online stock image agents work on commission
basis and you get paid a percentage each and every time someone downloads
one of your pictures from their database. Buyers can also request to
buy your photograph outright for sole use at an agreed price.
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How much can I make?
The sale of each image can be anything from
20p to £2.00 per download on a royalty free programme and hundreds
of pounds if on exclusive rights. The potential earnings overall on
this type of work from home opportunity depends largely on your input.
The bigger your gallery is and the more agents you join the higher your
earnings.
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What do Stock
Image Agents require?
Setting up an account is easy and free of charge.
To begin with, most agents will ask to see a sample of your work of
say about ten shots. Once your work has passed the approval process
your images will go live on their website and up for grabs! Please read
each company's terms and conditions carefully before selling your work.
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How will I be paid?
Payment is straightforward and although the
majority pay in USD, conversion is processed efficiently and the final
payment will arrive into your bank or Paypal
account in your local currency.
If you like the sound of online stock photo selling
but still have some unanswered questions then visit a few of the agents
we have listed below. Most of them have a forum and a 'frequently asked
questions' section.
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Setting up a free Paypal
account
If
you haven't already got a account, . Registering for a Premier
account is fast and easy and will enable you to send and receive money
in any currency as well as accept all forms of payment.
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Stock Image Agents:
Constant
Content differs slightly from Stock Image
Agents in that it is a 'content sales' based site that offers a Multimedia
section that includes Photography, Illustrations and Videos. Your images
are displayed on their website under set categories for buyers to view
and purchase for use on their websites, newsletters and magazines for
illustrative purposes. Photographs must be your original work and presented
in JPEG or TIFF format and be at least 1000 pixels in size. Images submitted
must be of good quality or they will most certainly be rejected. They
require professional shots so be sure not to submit casual household
photographs. Constant Content will take a percentage of your earnings
so please bear this in mind when setting your price. Sales are based
on three levels:
1. Usage: This means that the image can be used and
sold over and over again.
2. Full Rights: The image is bought outright and the buyer acquires
complete ownership of it. Once sold on this licence it is removed from
Constant Content's website. Please note that selling your image on Full
Rights means that you relinquish all rights to it.
3. Best Offer: Your image is published on the site and buyers are invited
to bid for it. You may accept or decline each offer.
You are paid via
at the beginning of each month providing your
account reaches the $50.00 (£25.00) threshold and customer's payment
has cleared.
Important: Please read all listed sites
terms and conditions and FAQ section carefully before entering into
a contract with them as they may have made changes to their policy statements
since this article's publication.
And finally....
Realistically speaking, you are unlikely to become
rich from selling your photo's online, but it is an excellent podium
for exposure and once your photos start selling, who knows where it
might lead?
Please read the stock agents terms and conditions
carefully before engaging in any kind of contract.
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