How to Make Money with a Digital Camera - Stock Photos

If you do, then you are joining the ranks of thousands who are making the switch from film to digital. The advantages of digital cameras for the average family photographer are numerous, but you probably already know them or you wouldn't be reading this.

If you already have a camera, enjoy photography, and have always wanted to make some extra money taking pictures, then read on to learn about one of the ways to make money with photography. Micro Stock Photography. Before we get into selling pictures with Micro Stock though, let's answer this. Can you use just any camera?

No. Most micro stock agencies require a megapixel rating of at least 6. I use a camera with a megapixel rating of 8.2. Any camera with a megapixel rating much lower also isn't going to have the other features you need to take a quality stock photo. What is the best kind? Well, I have heard that you can't take quality pictures unless you have a Digital SLR camera of some type. Due to the high cost of these cameras, you probably don't have one unless you are already a professional photographer. (In which case you don't need to be reading this.) I still don't have one though, and I have been able to sell my photos. I get a lot of photos rejected because of my camera, but we will talk about a few ways to lower your rejection rate later on. So don't be afraid to try even if you don't have a "professional" quality camera.

The one word answer to that question is: Anything. However, certain things are going to sell better than others. The best thing to do is to check out the best selling photos on your favorite micro stock agency site.

However, just because photos of young business people, for instance, might be the highest in demand for a certain agency, doesn't mean you shouldn't take a picture of something else. For example, here you can see a photo of a basketball on a black background. This is actually my best selling photo at the time I am writting this. I never would have thought of even taking a photo of a basketball. I was shooting some still lifes with a black velvet background (I like artistic photography as well) and my three year old daughter said "Here Mommy, take a picture of my basketball." So I did, and as irony would have it, it is my best seller.

So, you never know what will be a great selling photo for you. Just shoot any and all photos and objects that catch your eye, and as long as the photo has decent technical quality, it might end up catching the eye of the buyer as well.

First of all, take your camera with you everywhere. You are going to need at least 10-20 good quality stock photos to even apply to all of the micro stock agencies. If stock photography is a new concept for you, I can guarantee that you don't have any yet. Maybe one. (Unless you are a pro, but again, if you are a pro then you don't need to read this.)

If you don't already have one, get a tripod. It's almost impossible to get a great quality shot without one. Take that with you everywhere too. Take photos of interesting things that you see. Take photos of not so interesting things that you see. Take photos of boring objects from a new view point. Even boring photos can sell if there is a need for it. See for example this handicapped parking sign. Believe it or not, that photo sells.

Remember a professional photo isn't necessarliy a top seller. Look at ordinary things from a unique angle. Tell a story with a picture. Zoom up close and show details most people miss.

Where do you find agencies to represent you? Everywhere. They are all over the internet. I have included links on this page for the agencies that represent me and that actually sell photos for me. You can also do an internet search and find a million more.

Be careful of the ones that charge you money. I have only included ONE link on this page for an agency that charges money for you to upload your photos. It is for Shutterpoint. The reason I have included it is because it makes me the most money. It's also cool because you can upload any photo that adheres to their guidelines. No waiting for approval. So if you have a photo that gets rejected from the other agencies, but you really like it, go ahead and submit it to them and maybe someone else will like it enough to pay you for it. The pay on this site is amazingly higher than the others, but the rest are free to join.

All of the preceding inforamtion is all well and good, but what if photo after photo gets rejected by the agencies? (And they will, be prepared.)

First of all, submit your photos to EACH agency. What one will like, the other won't and vice versa. Try anyway even if the first site rejects your photo. Each agency has different clients. What might be a best seller on one site might never even be seen on another.

What can you do to improve your ratings? Buy a new camera. Well, ok, that can wait til you've made some money.

Invest in Photoshop Elements or Noise Ninja or both. Seriously, I love Elements. Get a book at the library on how to use it, practise a little and you will be pumping out photos that will not get rejected at such a high rate.

Use a tripod. I know I already said that, but I bet you didn't pay attention.

Get a book about how to take photos with a digital camera.

That's it. Learn, learn, learn and your rejections will get fewer and further between.

Not much at first. It's called Micro Stock because sometimes you get only pennies for each sale. However, some sites do pay more than others. It's not uncommon for me to make $25 or more for each photo I sell on Shutter Point. However, at first expect to not make much and you won't be dissapointed.

Why should I do it then? Well, think about this. At first you have a tiny portfolio so you won't make much money. But the photo you submit today can be sold over and over again for years. So as your portfolio grows, so will your income. Micro Stock Photography is not something that is going to replace your income today, but it will grow steadily and can end up being a nice cash flow tool for you.

You can also take as much time off as you want or need. No boss, no deadlines. It's the perfect side "job" for a stay at home mom, or a full time professional. It's really cool to be able to tell people I am a free lance photographer. (It's a much nicer conversation starter than homemaker.) Plus, if you enjoy taking pictures, you might as well do it so you can earn some money to pay for that new camera you're going to want soon!