Finding stock photos is a fun way to make some extra money! There are many ways to use stock photography in business, from creating freebies for websites or making custom photobooks about your life or what you do career-wise, to buying expensive photoshoots and putting them into other content as illustrations or decorations.
Most of these professional looking pictures were designed and selected by someone else who had to pay their photographer for the work. These photographers have libraries that they access to find new images or get permission to reuse existing ones. It’s an ever changing process that requires careful planning and management.
That’s why it’s so important to pick a genre and style of photo that you can add value to by reusing or translating into something different. Pick a field that you’re familiar with so that you can give it context and create content people will want to see.
History of stock photography
Before there was Photoshop, there were people who took pictures for a living. Some made it their career while some used it as a way to supplement their income. The best photographers make their money fast, however!
Stock photos are a valuable tool that every photographer should have in his or her arsenal. They are not only cost-effective, but they also provide an additional source of revenue. Almost anyone can take a good photo, but being able to articulate your creative vision and producing solid, quality images is what sets the professional level shots apart.
There are many ways to get free stock photos, but most don’t offer rich media such as videos and illustrations. And even if they do, you will probably be asked to pay per use or require permission which limits the effectiveness of the content You produce. This article will talk about some easy ways to pick up extra stock photos without having to invest too much time or money.
Licensing stock photography
Finding stock photos is probably one of the most popular ways to start creating your YouTube channel or website. People use creative commons, royalty free, and/or paid pictures to promote their products or websites.
There are many sites that offer high quality stock photo images for very affordable prices! The key thing to know about stock photos is they are not yours. You can’t take credit for them.
That being said, it is okay to use these pictures in a non-commercial setting as long as you give credits for where you got the image from. It is important to note that no legal clearances are needed unless you want to make more money off the picture.
Consistently using good quality pictures will help create an attractive look for your videos or site. Make sure to do some research and test out different types of stock photos before investing in any.
Reputation of stock photographers
As mentioned before, stock photo agencies have professional stock photographers that capture beautiful images for their products. These photos are not under their own brand, however!
Most major stock photography sites use photographer’s work that is licensed to them by other stock agency partners or sold directly to them by the photographer.
Stock photos that aren’t copyrighted material are easy to copy and distribute, which is why it’s important to buy from companies that guarantee quality photographs and exclusivity.
Some sources say that most professional stock photo agencies steal their pictures shamelessly, but this isn’t true at all — some get permission, while others don’t. It really depends on who you talk to and what kind of tone they give off.
Examples of stock photography
Stock photos are taken or produced by companies that then sell them to other businesses and websites for use as illustrations, decorations, or to create an article or slideshow.
Mostly people buy stock photographs using stock photo sites where you can search through their library or browse through their featured artists.
These sites have you pick your price (usually between free and low cost per photograph) and either print or digital copies which is usually better than buying a copy online who may not quality check it.
Stock photo agencies also tend to offer additional services like editing new photographs or writing short captions for you. These things are mostly done in-house so they’re more expensive but worth it!
Selling your own stock photos
If you love taking good pictures and want to start making some extra money from those lovely photos you take every day, selling your own stock photos could be for you.
But first, you will need to make sure your copyright is clear and you retain rights to your work. This goes even deeper if you plan to edit, rebrand, or adapt the picture beyond just uses as decoration.
Many creative professionals find themselves with very little reward after investing time into a piece only to see it used to promote something else. It is important to know what your rights are before letting others put your hard work to use.
Find a stock photographer for your business
Finding a source of quality, royalty free photography is not easy. There are many websites that offer pictures for sale, but very few have high-quality, copyright clear photos.
Most photographers purchase photo packs from software or website vendors to fill in the gaps in their library. These collections are usually made up of copyrighted images with no special licensing needed.
Stock photo sites don’t cost much money, either — often less than $100 per year! And they can provide you with a large amount of eye-catching material quickly. You get back what you pay for however, as you would need to be sure to give credit where it is due.
The best way to use stock photography effectively is to create your own collection. Take some time every week to search online and add new photographs to your archive. Many free resources exist too, such as Flickr and Google Image Search.
Know your customer
As mentioned before, stock photographers are typically very familiar with their clients and what they like. This is an important part of being a successful photographer! Being aware of your client’s needs and desires will boost your business tremendously.
As a professional photographer, you should be conscious of other people’s emotions and how to use that information in your photography. Your clients look to us for emotional comfort, so making eye contact and responding to them directly can help achieve this.
Another way to make friends as a photographer is by offering your services for free or at a discounted rate. By sacrificing some money, you will find yourself surrounded by friendly faces who want your expertise.
And don’t forget about social media – while it may seem annoying at times to have to promote your business, all of those followers can work in your favor. If someone comments or shares pictures of something interesting, spread word about your service and get some new customers.
Plan your photo shoot
As with any form of creative expression, stock photography is influenced by the environment it is used in. The setting makes a difference in what type of photos you get!
Stock photographers have different shooting styles that influence the types of pictures they take. For example, nature scenes are typically tranquil and soft focused images that emphasize beauty over action. Product shots require more emphasis on the product than anything else, making them very detail oriented.
A still life can focus on individual items instead of defining space, creating unique shapes and features. All of these settings help to create aesthetically pleasing photographs that appeal to other people.
“I find white backgrounds work best for most natural environments as they add some balance to the picture,” says Jennifer O’Brien, visualist at RedBrick Communications. “And I always try to use neutral colors for natural landscapes because they go well with many shades of brown or gray.”
Your final choice will depend on the context of the photograph and how it would look in the media where it will be placed.
