Photographs are easy to accumulate, and more often than not they risk sitting in a folder on your computer never to be looked at again. However, every photograph has a value and it’s surprisingly easy to make passive money over time.
Stock photography is an excellent, and surprisingly easy way of making some money from old photographs, whether they be from holidays or walks, or of miscellaneous objects and items.
There are a number of websites out there, though many vary in how much they pay, how easy it is to submit images in bulk, and the quality criteria by which they accept images. Shutterstock has been the one I’ve found to be the most profitable, and I have used it for a number of years as a way of further using the photographs to generate an income.
To begin making money from our images and photographs, click here to register with Shutterstock for free.
How to maximise the photograph’s potential
It is easy to upload images, but descriptions and tags will help to maximise their visibility and selling potential. Be creative, but accurate. If you have a photograph of the outside of a building, consider words such as ‘exterior’, ‘architecture’, ‘stone’ or ‘brick’.
The images themselves can be surprisingly diverse as well. It might be a picturesque coastline, a park bench in the snow, a colourful garden, or a wild deer, but chances are there will be an audience for them.
Things to consider
Of course, there are rules and limitations to consider. Without providing specific evidence, photographs of people and inside of buildings or property are unlikely to be accepted. Also, photographs that have language visible, particularly if it isn’t in English or the name of a brand or company, will likely be declined.
The pictures must be of a certain quality as well. If they are out of focus or too poor a megapixel they won’t make the cut, though most modern smartphones seem to meet the limit. I haven’t always agreed with Shutterstock’s assessment of these images, but I find them to be more consistent and agreeable than other sites.
There are no costs for trying, with Shutterstock instead taking a percentage of the money from each image sale, and whilst it is unlikely to bring in a salary to enable you to retire to a mansion at 35, it is a productive and simple way of making some extra pocket money each month.
Unfiltered Adventures 