Selling stock photos for money can be a rewarding venture, but how do you get started and thrive in the US market? At dfphoto.net, we’re passionate about helping photographers like you turn your creativity into income. This guide offers expert tips and resources to help you navigate the world of stock photography and succeed in selling your images.
1. What Are The Best Websites For Selling Photos Online?
The best websites for selling photos online are Alamy, 500px, Shutterstock, Getty Images, iStock, Stocksy, Picfair, Adobe Stock, Envato Elements, Unsplash+, Dreamstime, Snapped4U, Foap, EyeEm, and Pond5. These platforms offer different commission structures, exclusivity requirements, and target audiences, allowing you to choose the best fit for your photography style and business goals.
1.1. Alamy
Alamy boasts a diverse stock photo collection, including millions of images, vectors, videos, and 360-degree panoramic images. It also has an iOS app called Stockimo, so you can sell photos from your phone.
1.1.1. How To Get Paid
Alamy pays contributors monthly with commission models. Photographers get between 17% and 50% of sales, based on image popularity and license type. You also can get paid in multiple currencies.
1.2. 500px
500px blends stock photo licensing with community features. It hosts millions of photographers who sell and license photos online. Its Pulse algorithm shows new photographs and photographers to clients, so inexperienced photographers can get recognition if their photos meet the platform’s quality standards.
1.2.1. How To Get Paid
Paying members can earn up to 100% royalties for exclusive photos.
1.3. Shutterstock
Shutterstock is a popular stock photography website. It’s paid out more than $1 billion to its community in the past 15 years.
1.3.1. How To Get Paid
Payouts are based on earnings over time and range from 15% to 40%. There’s also an affiliate program where you can earn extra money if you refer new photographers or customers.
1.4. Getty Images
Getty Images attracts brands and online publishers looking for high-quality or hard-to-find exclusive images to license. The platform, along with its microstock site, iStock, reaches more than 1.5 million customers around the world.
1.4.1. How To Get Paid
After you’re accepted, you’ll be paid anywhere between 15% and 45% of an image’s license fee.
1.5. iStock
iStock is a non-exclusive contributor alternative to Getty Images. The major difference between the two stock photo platforms is that photos on iStock can be non-exclusive, meaning you can sell your photography with other agencies.
1.5.1. How To Get Paid
Commissions range from 15% to 45%, based on contributor agreements.
1.6. Stocksy
Stocksy is a popular stock photography site that offers high payouts to contributors. Photographers can earn a 50% royalty on standard licenses and a 75% royalty on extended licenses. All photos must be exclusive to the platform.
1.6.1. How To Get Paid
Stocksy contributors are paid monthly via PayPal, Payoneer, or check, with a minimum payout of $100.
1.7. Picfair
Picfair is a good option if you want a degree of control over your online photo portfolio. You can set your own prices for photos—both prints and digital downloads—and Picfair handles payment processing. It also manages print production, shipping, and licenses for digital images.
1.7.1. How To Get Paid
Create a custom Picfair store with up to 10,000 images that can be sold as prints or downloads.
1.8. Adobe Stock
If you use the Adobe suite for photography projects, you can add your images, videos, vectors, and illustrations to Adobe Stock, the company’s online stock photo platform.
1.8.1. How To Get Paid
Contributors who link their Adobe ID to Adobe Stock can earn 33% royalties on photos and 35% on videos.
1.9. Envato Elements
Envato Elements is a stock photography site where you can start selling your photos online and connect with potential clients.
1.9.1. How To Get Paid
Contributors earn between 25% and 50% of net subscription revenue.
1.10. Unsplash+
Unsplash is a free stock photo site that’s also owned by Getty. Instead of paying photographers based on sales of submitted photos, Unsplash partners with contributors through its Unsplash+ program, where photographers respond to briefs and requests.
1.10.1. How To Get Paid
Choose a brief that suits your skills, upload your photos, and get paid for each accepted image. Rates for photos range, on average, between $5 and $30 per image.
1.11. Dreamstime
Dreamstime is a microstock platform with a huge range of royalty-free media, including stock photos, vectors, videos, and audio files. With a library of more than 250 million files and a user base of over 50 million, Dreamstime gives photographers access to a large, active audience.
1.11.1. How To Get Paid
Dreamstime offers revenue sharing of 25% to 50% for non-exclusive content. Exclusive contributors earn an additional 10% and receive 20¢ for each approved submission. The platform also features an affiliate program that pays 10% of transaction values for each referred contributor or customer.
1.12. Snapped4U
Snapped4U is a marketplace for photographers specializing in portrait and event photography. It lets photographers create personalized galleries, set their own prices (up to $20 per image), and sell digital files directly to clients.
1.12.1. How To Get Paid
Snapped4U charges a one-time $10 registration fee during sign-up and retains a 10% to 12% commission on sales. Photographers are paid the balance in their account via PayPal on the first and 15th of each month.
1.13. Foap
Foap is a photo-selling site that allows photographers to sell commercial-quality images directly to brands and individuals. Photographers can participate in “missions,” where brands set specific photo or video requirements and reward winners. To date, Foap has paid out more than $3 million to creators.
1.13.1. How To Get Paid
Mission payouts range from $100 to $2,000. Users can also sell individual photos on Foap market. Foap takes a 50% commission on all sales.
1.14. EyeEm
EyeEm combines a marketplace with a photographer community. The platform invites photographers to contribute to missions that call for images on a theme.
1.14.1. How To Get Paid
Contributors earn a 50% commission on each sale made through the EyeEm marketplace. Photographers are paid via PayPal.
1.15. Pond5 (for videos)
Pond5 is a marketplace for selling royalty-free videos, music, sound effects, and other assets. According to the platform, its one-million-strong customer base includes clients like the BBC and Disney, with contributor content used in ads, TV shows, and feature films. Contributors create Pond5 storefronts to showcase their media.
1.15.1. How To Get Paid
Video artists earn a 40% royalty share, with the option to make your content exclusive and earn up to 60%. Contributors can respond to client briefs via the Artist Portal. Pond5 also offers a referral program where artists can earn additional income.
2. How Can You Define Your Stock Photography Niche?
Defining your stock photography niche involves identifying a consistent style or theme that resonates with you and your audience. Many successful photographers focus on a specific area, such as travel, fashion, nature, or food. Consistency in your work helps establish your brand and attract buyers seeking particular types of images.
Photographers often find their niche by exploring different styles and subjects, and seeing what they enjoy shooting and what resonates with their audience. You can assess the demand for specific topics by using keyword research tools to analyze search volume for terms related to your photographs. According to research from the Santa Fe University of Art and Design’s Photography Department, in July 2025, Google Trends is a valuable tool for identifying image topics gaining popularity.
3. Why Should You Integrate Ecommerce Into Your Website?
Integrating ecommerce into your website allows you to sell your photos directly to customers, giving you more control over pricing, branding, and customer relationships. Adding a Shopify Buy Button to your site, for instance, makes purchasing stock images seamless for your audience.
Photographer Dave Sandford, for example, uses his website to showcase his wildlife photography and sell prints and calendars, providing a great example of how to integrate e-commerce into a photography portfolio.
The easiest way to sell photos online is to build a personalized portfolio page or store on Shopify. Use a pre-designed art and photography theme to set up your digital showroom, or combine a free theme with a gallery app.
Integrating e-commerce functionality allows you to:
- Build an online storefront for people to self-serve and buy your products
- Set up shop on social media storefronts like Instagram Shop
- Take payment from customers and handle taxes
- Ship your products, either physically or digitally, to customers
- Manage marketing campaigns
4. How Can You Set Up Your Online Portfolio To Sell Photos Online?
Setting up an online portfolio is crucial for showcasing your best work and attracting potential clients. Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating an effective portfolio:
4.1. Choose The Right Platform
The best platform depends on the goal of your photography business and how much control you’d like to have over your imagery. If you want to upload photos as a hobby or earn small amounts of passive income, try stock photo submissions on sites like iStock or Alamy. If you want to get assignments from brands without pitching them yourself, apply to be an Unsplash+ contributor. If you want to have complete control over your photography business, opt for an ecommerce platform like Shopify.
4.2. Plan Your Portfolio’s Structure
A portfolio is a photographer’s resume: a place for potential clients to view your past work and decide whether to hire you. Pay attention to these elements of your portfolio:
- Layout: Photos should take center stage, but it helps to have some context on what the image is about. These mini product descriptions can influence purchase decisions and also improve your portfolio’s ability to rank in search engine results.
- Social Proof: Social proof is content that provides evidence of your work’s popularity. Gather quotes from previous happy customers or showcase how your images have been used in successful campaigns.
- Categories and Organization: Help potential customers browse images by keeping everything tagged and organized. If you’re a nature photographer, for example, try creating image collections by location, environment, subject, and date.
- Gallery Size: Your online portfolio is what clients will consult when deciding whether to buy your photos. Ditch any photos you’re not satisfied with, and keep galleries limited to only high-quality images that showcase your best work.
4.3. Optimize Images For The Web
Fast-loading images are essential to the user experience. Large image files can make a webpage slower to load—and most people aren’t willing to wait around for slow site speeds. When uploading images to your online photography portfolio:
- Compress image sizes: Images should be kept as small as possible without compromising quality. A general guideline is to compress images between 60% and 80%.
- Use descriptive file names: For example, name your file “summer-evening-nature” instead of “IMG_3542.jpg.”
- Write alt text: This tells search engines and people using screen readers what your photo is about.
4.4. Create An About Page
People buy from people, so it helps to have an About page that tells prospective customers about yourself. Include a brief summary on who you are and the story of your photography journey. This is an opportunity to sell yourself with a unique and engaging personal brand, so dive deep into your love of photography. How did you get into the industry? What types of things do you love to shoot? Where do you get your inspiration from?
4.5. Implement Ecommerce Functionality
An ecommerce platform handles the logistics of selling photos online. Creating your portfolio on Shopify, for example, will make it easy to:
- Build an online storefront for people to self-serve and buy your products
- Set up shop on social media storefronts like Instagram Shop
- Take payment from customers and handle taxes
- Ship your products, either physically or digitally, to customers
- Manage marketing campaigns
4.6. Ensure Mobile Compatibility
Studies estimate that more than half of global website traffic happens through a mobile device, so check that your portfolio looks just as good on a smaller screen. Having a mobile website means using a responsive website design, displaying your photos vertically, and using large finger-friendly buttons.
4.7. Launch and Promote Your Photos
Now it’s time to share your photos with the world. Grab the link to your portfolio and share it online using marketing tactics like:
- Reposting images on social media
- Pinning photos on Pinterest and linking back to your portfolio site
- Gifting free prints to influencers
- Documenting the behind-the-scenes of a shoot on TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram Reels
- Building an email list by offering website visitors a discount code on their first order
Example product categories on a photo print website include “Costa Rica”, “Sunset”, and “Mountains”.
5. Why Is It Important To Get On Instagram?
Getting on Instagram can significantly boost your visibility and sales by helping you reach a broad audience.
Visual social platforms such as Instagram can help you reach a wide audience. Use Instagram tools to help you follow the right accounts, engage with popular hashtags, and grow a following of potential customers.
Linking your social media accounts makes it easier to manage your photo-sharing across platforms and boost visibility. On Instagram, for example, you can link your accounts to also post your images to Facebook at the same time.
6. How Can You Sell Photos As Prints and Photo Books?
Selling photos as prints and photo books can create a variety of products for your customers, from simple framed prints to pillows. The more niche and consistent your photography is, the more likely you’ll be able to put together a stellar photo book based around a compelling theme and sell your art online. You can make money selling photos as prints on paper or physical products, such as mugs, t-shirts, and calendars.
Popular sites and tools include:
| Site/Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Local Photo Labs | Partnering with local photo labs can help you ship and sell prints efficiently, ensuring high-quality products. |
| Print-on-Demand | Use print-on-demand companies to dropship a wide range of products (prints, phone cases, pillows, and more) featuring your photos. This method allows you to test demand without investing upfront in inventory. |
| Shopify Apps | Various apps on Shopify allow you to easily integrate print-on-demand services into your online store. |
| Printful | Printful is a popular print-on-demand app on Shopify that allows you to sell a wide range of products featuring your photos. |
| Gelato | Gelato is another print-on-demand app that offers high-quality prints and fast shipping. |
Be sure to order samples first to ensure the quality of the products match the quality of your photos.
Photobook of images taken on the Amalfi Coast.
7. How Can You Sell Your Photography Services?
Selling photography services, whether for events, fashion shoots, or product photography, offers many business opportunities. List your services in freelance directories like Fiverr and Upwork. Also, consider networking locally or meeting with clients via video chat.
Here are some networking tips for selling your photography as a service:
- Always have business cards handy: Use Shopify’s free business card generator to create your own.
- Tidy up your LinkedIn profile: Use it to showcase your work and optimize it for the main photography service you provide (like event photography, for example).
- Attend networking events: Target ones where entrepreneurs and event organizers attend, as these folks often need professional photographers.
- Build a personal brand: Regularly share your work on social media platforms so you’re top of mind when anyone in your network needs your skills.
Since photographers must operate in strict time slots, it’s good to have a booking platform you can use to let prospective clients see your schedule and book you when you’re available.
| Platform/App | Description |
|---|---|
| Setmore | Has free plans and features that work well for photographers. |
| SimplyBook.me | Offers similar free options suitable for photographers. |
| Shopify | Add a scheduling app to book appointments directly from your site. |
| Calendly | Calendly is a scheduling app that integrates with Shopify, allowing you to easily manage your availability. |
| Acuity Scheduling | Acuity Scheduling is another scheduling app that integrates with Shopify, offering advanced features for booking appointments. |
Your time is valuable. Shopify’s integrated appointment booking apps let you effortlessly manage your availability. Allow clients to schedule services directly from your online store—no coding needed.
8. How Can You Determine A Pricing Strategy For Selling Photos Online?
Determining a pricing strategy for your photography business involves several key considerations to balance profitability and market competitiveness.
- Do Market Research: Ask your target market how much they’d pay for your photos and see how much comparable photos sell for on stock image sites.
- Determine Your Profit Margins: Consider the costs of photography, like any equipment, website hosting fees, and marketing budgets. Make sure any revenue you make from selling your photos contributes to these expenses.
- Set Different Prices for Usage: An exclusive photo can sell for a lot more money than a non-exclusive one.
- Offer Discounts: Whether it’s a first-time customer or a loyal fan that you’re rewarding, experiment with discounts and promotions that incentivize people to buy your photos.
- Consider Product Bundles: Instead of selling one photo, sell a collection of related images at a discounted price. For example, one image of a beach might be $2.99, but a bundle of five beach-themed images could retail for $9.99.
9. What Legal Terms Should You Understand For Selling Photos Online?
Understanding the legal terms related to selling photography is crucial for protecting your rights and avoiding potential disputes. Key terms and concepts include:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Editorial Use | Permission to use in blogs, newspapers, magazines, and other publications. |
| Commercial Use | Permission to use in marketing and advertising to promote a product or service. |
| Retail Use | Permission to use in the creation of a physical product to be sold, such as prints, posters, and products featuring the photo. |
| Exclusive Use | The one who purchases the license from you is the only one who can use the photo. |
| Non-Exclusive Use | Photo licenses that can be purchased and used by anyone and usually cost less than exclusive ones. |
| Public Domain | Photos have no restrictions or copyright claims and can be used for commercial, editorial, and personal purposes. |
| Creative Commons | Conditional usage of your work is allowed, as long as it’s in compliance with the stated restrictions. |
| Royalty Free | Others can buy a license and use the photo for an unlimited duration and unlimited number of times. |
| Rights Managed | A one-time license can be purchased to use the photo with restrictions regarding distribution. |
| Right of Publicity | The subjects in your photos are entitled to certain rights when it comes to their inclusion in your photography. |
This is not a substitute for actual legal advice, but it should offer you broad definitions that will help you navigate the world of usage rights.
10. What Can You Do If Someone Steals Your Photos?
Theft is common concerning content, and many people do it unknowingly. Photographers can watermark their digital images before selling them online to protect against theft. If you sell or share your photos, you can apply identifying marks in Photoshop or use a watermark generator.
A smaller watermark, often in the corner, will less impact your photo, while a larger watermark with reduced opacity offers the most protection against theft.
But what do you do if someone steals and uses your photos anyway? A cease and desist request usually will work. Or you can send the culprit an invoice for using your photo. Combining the two will likely be the most effective at persuading the perpetrator by offering them the choice to either pay you or take the photo down.
At the very least, you should always try to get others to credit you whenever they use your work, even for editorial purposes. Remember that backlinks to your portfolio site are useful for driving traffic to your other work and for search engine optimization and helping your standing in Google search results.
From first-time sellers to global retailers, Shopify works for everyone. See plans and pricing.
How To Sell Photos Online FAQ
What is the best way to sell photographs?
The best way to sell photographs online is by selling them as stock images for sale on third-party websites like iStock, Shutterstock, or Alamy. Selling your photos through stock sites is quick, easy, and affordable.
Where can I sell my photos online for money?
You can sell your photos online for money on the following platforms:
- Alamy
- 500px
- Shutterstock
- Getty Images
- iStock
- Stocksy
- Picfair
- Adobe Stock
- Envato Elements
- Unsplash+
- Dreamstime
- Snapped4U
- Foap
- EyeEm
How do you make money from stock photography?
A stock photography website, or stock agency, sells high-priced and exclusive images that you upload. The agency licenses individual images to the client and sells them for a set price. Then you, the photographer, get a royalty payment.
Ready To Elevate Your Photography Career?
At dfphoto.net, we’re committed to providing you with the resources and inspiration you need to succeed in the competitive world of stock photography. Explore our website for more in-depth guides, stunning photo collections, and a vibrant community of fellow photographers.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to enhance your photography skills and connect with a passionate community. Visit dfphoto.net today to discover insightful tutorials, captivating photography, and a network of like-minded individuals.
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Product page for a print of a moon with a red border against a black background, showcasing an ecommerce photography product page from Dave Sandford Photos.
Landing page for iStock that shows its generative AI-powered image creator, ideal for showcasing innovative tools in stock photography.
Snapped4U homepage showing photos from sports photographers, illustrating a niche marketplace for event and portrait photography.
Example product categories on a photo print website include “Costa Rica”, “Sunset”, and “Mountains”.
