Make Money From Photography Through Microstock

How would you like to make some extra money from your photography? If you answered yes to this question, then microstock sales might be for you. The term microstock generally refers to stock photography sales with a smaller per download commission rate; ranging from $0.20 up to $10 or $20. microstock sales sites differ from traditional stock photography in that amateurs and hobbyists can get their photos sold right alongside professional photographers. Most sites will require you to upload a certain number of photos to show you have the skills they are looking for before you are approved as a contributing photographer. Make sure you send your best work and vary the subject matter (don’t send 10 pictures of a single subject).

You get out of microstock photography what you put into it. The more effort put forth, the greater the income potential. At some sites you will find your sales trailing off as soon as you quit uploading new material to them. The commission paid varies from site to site. Some give you a fixed per download commission, such as $.025 or $0.50. Others give you a commission based on the size of the photo downloaded (small, medium, large, etc.) or even the number of previous downloads it has (the more downloads the higher the commission).

The subject matter that tends to sell well on microstock sites are of people in different situations, business and lifestyle related topics, isolated objects (objects shot against plain backgrounds) and shots that say something or tell a story. Think about the type of images you see on the web, in advertising and in magazines. Look around one of the microstock sites and see what the best selling images are. I’m not suggesting you copy these images or illustrations, but use them to inspire your creative juices and give you ideas. The main buyers of microstock are graphic designers, web site developers and advertisers. Things they look for; good exposure, composition, sharp focus and not over working in post processing. Also, photos that catch the eye in thumbnail size are important, as this is the form people see them in when they look for photos to buy.

Photos you upload to stock photo sites can’t contain any copyrighted or trademarked material (remove any logos or company names). Also, any photos with people’s faces in them require a signed model release form, which you upload with the photograph.

Microstock sites also sell vector illustrations, video clips and audio. So if you are proficient in one of these disciplines you can sell in those mediums too.

What do you need to get started? You can use any type of camera, but most people tend to use DSLR’s. You may also wish to use photo editing software to improve your photos, just be sure not to over process. View your photos at 100% and 200% magnification and look for any issues; such as artifacts from over sharpening, excessive noise in the shadows or blown highlights. I usually shoot with a DSLR, however, one of my best selling photos was taken with an advanced 3.2MP compact camera. So don’t feel you need to run out and purchase fancy equipment.

In conclusion, if your photos are well exposed and have the subject matter buyers are looking for, you can make money in microstock. So go out there and work on your skills and start creating photos worthy of microstock sales.

For more basic photography information, tips to get better photos and reviews. Please visit my site at http://learnbasicphotography.com