Want to make money from stock photography? I’ll tell you how I got into this business and what experience I’ve gained over the years!
My personal story
I have been surrounded by photography since I was a child, my father and brother regularly carried their Praktica cameras and lenses on our vacations and trips.
In 2006, I posted my digitized photos on my first website. At the time, I was just using my camera instinctively, and I wasn't particularly interested in what others had to say.
Cut: The era of digital photography had begun. Because of the environmental benefits, it was clear to me to switch.
In 2017, I decided to apply for a photography course and learn to take photos consciously. This was the turning point when I had already seen the flaws in my previous photos, and the importance of post-processing, that is, developing my photos, became clear to me.
Although, I had a problem. I loved taking photos, I was consciously taking photos already, but is it enough for me to expose my images to social media, gather all the likes and shares, and then disappear? Well, not enough. Since I’m not a professional photographer, I don’t wait for hours in the woods for special moments to capture, I don’t have a studio for custom portraits - I was looking for something else.
An idea: how about stock photography that can even make money?
I talked to a good friend and he mentioned that an acquaintance of him was making good extra money from stock photography. Just upload your pictures and your monthly income will come. He put an idea into my head - then it was 2018 - and I started looking into the possibilities of stock photography. I never thought that virtually anyone can start it! Previously, I thought only professional photographers would upload their amazing pictures. But no!
I have finally found a channel through which my images can reach anywhere in the world, in newspapers and on book covers. That is, I no longer photograph for myself, but for the world!
I tried several stock photography agencies, starting with Dreamstime, through Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, iStock / Getty Images, EyeEm, and finally Alamy. I wrote about my mixed experiences in this article.
After a lot of trying, I finally decided on Alamy. It’s easier for me to focus on just one company, but as carefully and deeply as I can. Here is my detailed guide about Alamy.
How can I help you?
I looked through the Internet to see if I could find detailed articles, real experiences and advice on stock photography. I was surprised that there are only few websites that deal with this topic in detail, rather they only deal with the mysteries of stock photography in only a single article.
After going through the calvary for beginners, I left the agencies that weren’t right for me, then studied all the sources I found online. I had developed a plan for this blog where I am posting detailed descriptions based on all the experiences of myself and, above all, of the more experienced photographers who are willing to reveal their opinions in forum posts.
It’s true that I’ve had most of my experience with Alamy over the years, but the basic methods on my blog can be applied to any other stock photography company nonetheless. It is up to you to choose which one will be your favorite or whether you choose more than one at a time.
Mastering the basics is still essential to succeed.
I wish you perseverance and conscious development on your journey as a stock photographer!
Viktor Wallon-Hars
Author of wahaviBlog
