How To Get Paid To Take Pictures? (9 Sites that Pay Up to $100 per Image)

August 26, 2022

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9 Sites to Get Paid for Pictures

Shutterstock

(Get 25 to 38 cents every time your image is downloaded)

With over 1.9 million active customers and 650,000 contributors, Shutterstock is arguably the largest stock photo where you can get paid to take pictures. More than $1 billion paid out to date!

Over 100,000 photography professionals actively contribute to the library, so you’ll face a decent amount of competition.

Asides from that, Shutterstock offers free registration, and commission rates average 25%, a haven for contributors.

Also, your earning depends on your level as a contributor, and there are six of them, ranging from 15% to 40% RF.

Image levels	Number of image licenses this calendar year	You earn
Level 1	Up to 100	15%
Level 2	101 to 250	20%
Level 3	251 to 500	25%
Level 4	501 to 2,500	30%
Level 5	2,501 to 25,000	35%
Level 6	Over 25,000	40%

How to apply as a Shutterstock contributor:

Follow these few steps:

To get accepted into Shutterstock, you have to submit 10 photographs, 7 of which must be approved.

Getty Images

(1.5 million customers)

Getty Images pay up to 20% royalty fee for photos and 25% for videos.

Royalty fees start from $50 to up to $499.

Founded in 1995 by Mark Getty, the stock photo giant has become a billion-dollar internet company and one of the most prominent.

Due to its large client base of 1.5 million customers, Getty Images is a go-to for photographers.

How to apply as a Getty Image contributor:

To apply as a Getty Image contributor, follow these few steps:

Download Contributor by Getty Images from the App Store or Google Play
Upload 3 to 6 sample images
Then wait for review to know if you’re accepted

iStock Photo

(Get up to $12 per image)

Another good place to sell your stock photos is on iStock photo.

As a contributor with quality images to sell on the platform, you can earn up to 15% for non-exclusive photos.

Photos sell for about $12 per image, which makes you about $1.80 per license.

How To Apply As an iStock Photo Contributor:

Getty Images own iStock photo, and the application process is the same:

Download Contributor by Getty Images from the App Store or Google Play
Upload 3 to 6 sample images
Then wait for review to know if you’re accepted

Dreamstime

($0.35 per download commission)

Dreamstime pays out up to 25% license price to contributors.

And their photos usually sell between $0.88 and $22.50, depending on the size. But if a customer buys on subscription, you’ll earn about $0.35 per download commission.

Dreamstime is less competitive than Shutterstock, Getty Images, and iStock Photo, so it’s a good start.

How to apply as a Dreamstime contributor

Follow these steps to apply to Dreamstime:

Signup at Dreamstime contributors page
Submit JPEG format, saved at the highest quality (300 DPI print resolution and sRGB or AdobeRGB color profile. Minimum accepted resolution is 3 megapixels.)

Can Stock Photo

(earn $0.25 per downloaded image file)

Can Stock Photo pay image contributors about 20% to 50% of the licensing fees for photos. And you can earn about $0.25 per image file.

Usually, contributors can request payment via PayPal, Skrill, or bank check. For PayPal pay-outs, image contributors have to accumulate up to $50 before they can get paid.

Can Stock Photo have up to 50,000 contributors and up to 31 million digital contents.

Buyers pay from $2.50 for downloads, and you earn a commission from that.

How to apply as a Can Stock Photo contributor

Follow these steps to apply to Can Stock Photo:

Create an account with Can Stock Photos
Then fill out the application form and submit three of your best images
The Can Stock team will get back to you usually within 24 hours
If your application is approved, then you can start uploading your photos and earning commissions

Fotolia

($0.33 to up to $3.30 per sale)

Fotolia has up to 271 million royalty-free photographs in stock for users globally. Users can also gain access to illustrations of art as well as video footage in HD.

Fotolia pays contributors about $0.33 to up to $3.30 per sale of their digital files or content. And earning estimate is for standard image licensing on the platform. For extended licensing, contributors can earn up to $26 per image sale.

How to apply as a Fotolia contributor

Follow these steps to apply to Fotolia:

Fotolia is now Adobe Stock, so you will need an Adobe ID to sign up.
Create an account by filling the form asking for your details.
There are no unique screening processes. Just create an account and start uploading your photos.
If you already have an Adobe ID, link it to create your account.

Stocksy

(50% revenue share from images sales costing – $15 – $125)

Stocksy pays its contributors up to 50% as a royalty fee for each standard licensed image and up to 75% of Extended Licenses’ costs.

As a buyer, image prices can range from $15 to up to $125, depending on the image size. Stocksy does not have any subscription packages for its users, nor does Stocksy have image discounts when you buy in volume.

How to apply as a Stocksy contributor

Follow these steps to apply to Stocksy:

Firstly, go to their Call To Artists page
Fill the application form with your Stocksy account first
You’ll receive an email with a link to you to upload 10 images for review
You’ll receive a confirmation email if your application is approved. It will contain all the details you need to create a complete contributor profile and start earning.

Photocase

(20-50% commission depending on image size sold)

Photocase pays up to 20-50% of the licensing price for every sale.

You can sell three different sizes: Small images for $14, medium-sized for $28, and large for $42. And you’ll earn a fixed percentage for any size sell.

How to apply as a Photocase contributor

Follow these steps to apply to Photocase:

Firstly, your photographs have to meet specific requirements.
Technical requirements include: images must be in JPG or TIF format, there must be a minimum of 2.500 pixels on the image’s short side, the image must be of very high JPG quality, the image must have RGB with sRGB color profile.
Image must also meet legal requirements like Model Release and Property Release.

500px

(Earn up to 60% royalties)

500px lets contributors earn up to 60% of the sales made from the licensing of your photos. Also, it is free to join.

You have to upload high-resolution images only and meet the terms and requirements. But once your image is licensed exclusively, you get up to 60% royalties.

How to apply as a 500px contributor

Follow these steps to apply to 500px:

Firstly, you need to visit the Photo Manager or the Licensing Manager page to submit your photos.
After selecting the images, you want to upload, click the Licensing option on the screen.
Model releases high-quality, relevant keywords are compulsory for images submitted for licensing.

Sell Stock Photos On Apps

Another fantastic way to get paid to take photos as a photographer is to sell your stock photos on Apps. I’ve curated a good list of apps where you can make that earning dream of yours come true.

Etsy

(5% commission)

Etsy Summary

Easy to set up & maintain your store
Market to a large audience – 45+ million active Etsy buyers
Built-in analytics to analyze your performance & make data-driven decisions
No shop fees

You can make decent passive income selling images and prints on Etsy. You only need to develop a unique strategy for your products.

To get started, firstly create a shop on Etsy.

Then you have to give the shop a name, set up payment methods. After that, you can upload your images and start selling.

There’s no limit to what you can earn on Etsy, and you determine the price you charge for your images.

Etsy has a built-in customer base you can leverage and unlike other platforms, you fix the price and only pay a 5% commission.

EyeEm

(55% licence share)

Eyem was founded in 2011 to help photographers make money as they share talent with the world.

EyeEm prides itself as a source of very high-quality photos, and of course, you can get paid just to put your amazing photographs up on EyeEm.

You will need to upload your photos on the platform and put them up for sale to make money. You’ll earn a 55% licence share on their maximum level.

Foap

(Earn $5 for each sale)

Foap Summary

Earn $5 for every photo that you sell
Earn up to $200 from Foap Missions
No need to be a professional photographer
Low minimum withdrawal threshold of $5

If you want to get paid to take pictures, Foap is excellent. You can sell your photo for any price and share the 50/50 with the platform. All you need is just a smartphone and a PayPal account to withdraw your earnings.

Pricing starts at $10 per photo, so you earn $5 for each sale.

To earn money on Foap, just create a collection on the app, and brands from around the globe might be interested in buying.

Foap is available to Android users, iPhone users, and contributors to upload images right from their mobile phones.

Snapwire

(Get 70% revenue share from every sale)

Snapwire is slightly different from other stock marketing platforms we have mentioned.

Brands, small businesses, and creative entrepreneurs will request images with specified requirements. Then photographers submit photos and for approval.

Clients pay $50 on average for each photo, and you get 70% of every sale, a generous margin compared to a generic stock marketing platform. Aside from that, Snapwire is free to use.

Become A Freelance Photographer

Flexjobs

(Over 25,000 jobs available)

FlexJobs Summary

Jobs in over 50 categories available
Members get exclusive deals and discounts
All jobs are guaranteed to be legit
Get access to 4 job search resources

Flexjobs allows freelance photographers to get paid to take pictures while doing what they love.

And you can work with several clients at cost; full access starts at $6.95/week. And you get:

Unlimited access to over 25,000 jobs.
A personalized portfolio
Skill testing to establish and market your skill
Expert tips and job alerts

To get started, visit their sign-up page .

Fotomoto

(22% transaction fee)

Fotomoto is a print-on-demand widget that integrates seamlessly into your website. So, you’re turning a personal website into a mini e-commerce store.

With Fotomoto you’ll get:

Quality image prints
Professional product packaging
Full product access and a custom shop

A free subscription is available with a 22% transaction fee.

Society6

(10% revenue share from retail prices)

On Society6, you can sell any of your artworks, and that includes your photographs.

You may not earn a full-time income on Society6, but it’s a great way to earn passively. From everything you sell, you earn 10% of the retail prices, and you set your own price for art prints, framed art, and canvas.

Lots of independent artists are on Society6, and you can be a part of them too.

Get Paid to Take Pictures FAQ

How much you can earn taking Pictures?

Yes, you can earn up to over $19k annually, taking stock pictures. Several platforms like the ones we recommended in this article allow you to get paid to take pictures. Also, you can earn up to $76k if you niche down, refine your photography skill, and partner with medium brands.

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