A stock photographer is one who takes photos with the objective of selling them to others. In stock photography, you take photos on different topics or themes. You then sell them as stock photographs. You can upload the photos to a stock photography website and sell them. There is also an option for you to sell the photos by yourself.
If your photos are good, then you can make money. If the idea of becoming a stock photographer interests you then, go through this guide. We tell you eight tips that will help you be a great stock photographer.
Tips to excel at stock photography
1. Focus on keywords
People search for information online using search text that is known as keywords. Even images are searched using keywords. A logical way of getting into stock photography is to research keywords. Find out which are the popular keywords. Understand which keywords do not have many images.
Once you understand this information, you will know which photos are in demand. You can then start to take photos related to the keyword. These photos are salable, and you are likely to earn money from them.
2. Think of the end user
Before you do anything, think of the end user. Who is the person who will use your photos? You may sell your photos to a stock photography website, but they are not the end users. The end user is someone who needs the photo and is ready to buy it. You need to find the answer to these questions:
- Who will buy your photos?
- Why will they buy it or for what purpose will they use it?
- How can you make an end user buy your photo?
Even while shooting the photographs, keep the end user in mind. You may find the photo looks good. But that does not matter. What is important is whether the end user will like it. Think from the POV of an end user, and you will become a successful stock photographer.
3. Keep customer requests in mind
Register on multiple stock photography websites. Understand what photos they need and in what categories. Most stock photography websites would list our customer requests. These are photos customers want but are not able to find. It could also be that there are photos, but they don’t meet the needs of customers.
This is a great situation for stock photographers. You can quickly work on these topics and try to get the photos that customers are looking for. Focus more on using innovative photography techniques, so you create top-quality photos. Also, use your editing skills to make your photo stand out.
4. Keep uploading photos
The formula for becoming a successful stock photographer is actually quite simple. Keep uploading photos regularly. Don’t wait for an opportunity, create the opportunity. Find out keywords and topics that are trending and take photos. Upload them and move to the next set. Keep doing this until you have a sizable collection.
The more photos you have, the higher will be your earnings. Photographers with more photos will get noticed on stock photography websites. Any user wanting photos will then prefer your photos. This is a great way to earn money. The biggest benefit is that you can earn passive money.
Once your photos are uploaded, users may download them at any time. You may find your photos selling even years after you took them. The passive income you get will be useful. Most websites feature new photos separately. So, if you keep uploading photos you will be regularly featured in the new photos section.
5. Try to find a niche
There are two approaches to stock photography. One is to take any and all kinds of photos. You can see which photos are in demand and shoot them. While this sounds easy, it is not so. Remember that the objective is not just to take photos, but to create stock photos. A stock photo is one that has something unique to offer and is of the best quality.
Doing this for all photography categories is difficult. Try to find a couple of photography niches and focus on them. Look for niches you are comfortable in. Also, consider a niche where there are not many photos and where there is a demand. It is always better to focus on a few categories than trying to be a generalist.
6. Know the trends
Trends keep changing frequently. It is very important that you remain up to date with trends in stock photography. Know the latest trends, so you can work on those trends. To know the trends, you can make use of keyword research. You can also be a part of stock photography forums online. It will help you get useful information. You can also get to interact with others and even learn from them.
7. Consider seasonal photos
There are many seasons when photos are in demand, and we are not talking about spring and summer. It includes the Christmas season, the world cup season, etc. During these seasons, there is a lot of content produced both online and offline. This is when there would be a demand for stock photography. You can take advantage of this.
Before such seasons start, create your collection of top-quality photos and upload them. When you do this in advance, you will have a good collection for people to choose from. You can expect to boost your sales this way. If your photos are good, organizations may approach you directly and sign you up as their exclusive photographer.
8. Enjoy the entire process
Stock photography is an enjoyable profession. You get to take different kinds of photos. After finishing with the photos, you can edit the photos to make them look better. Most importantly, there are no deadlines. You keep taking photos and uploading them on stock photography sites. The absence of deadlines allows you to do it at leisure focusing on quality. Enjoy the process, and you will find that your photos will become popular.
Image via Megapixl Premium Stock Photos
