Photographers, what do you consider the best platform to sell your stock photos, and why?

Interested in tapping into your experience with photo licensing plaforms. As a customer buying stock photos i came across many culprits, e.g. that larger platforms are buying smaller platforms and migrating/closing it. As a photographer building a tiny own library of stock photos I am wondering which platforms have a good balance with general success, traffic, and revenue. There are many platforms out there, and multiple licensing models, and it would be too time consuming to spread out to more than 2-3 platforms, especially if it's considered only one of many income streams. I am looking forward to read about your experiences and advice.

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All Answers (49)

Answers (31-40)

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Answered on Jul 30th, 2021

Hey Andy, like Linka I was shooting for GettyImages, since 2009. Back then you could make a living wage, most of the time anyway. The industry went through many changes and that too did change. Good luck!

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Answered on Jul 27th, 2021

I sell more by hanging my work in stores - one guy walked in and bought 3 right off the walls - and I do shows throughout Fairfield Country

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Answered on Apr 14th, 2021

My Getty contracted friends also say it's dead.

Andy Strohkirch from Shores Canada Ltd.

Thanks for sharing Debbie.

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Answered on Jun 10th, 2021

If interested in a platform to host your stock where you can set price print and sell direct to client check out PhotoShelter

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Answered on Jul 27th, 2021

Stock photography...not really worth your time anymore unless you have something extremely unique or a special niche.

Business from Kalispell, MT

Answered on Apr 14th, 2021

If you spend time in it you can make money. Best to pay someone else to do it for you. Very time consuming but eventually pays off.

Andy Strohkirch from Shores Canada Ltd.

Thanks Bryan, the amount of time needed for post production and SEO is what held me back so far.

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Answered on May 10th, 2021

Most of my work is portrait, does not qualify for stock.

Warren Rosenberg from New York Sports Photo Group

I've got small, general stock accounts with Adobe Stock (formerly Fotolia which they acquired) and with Dreamstime. Most sales net less than 50 cents but occasionally they'll yield from $10-20. Most of my stock sales in scientific stock come through a boutique firm, Fundamental Photographs, which mostly sells to textbook publishers. I have pictures that are going on 20+ years with them and net a couple of hundred $ a year. The nice thing about that is I get a royalty check with every new edition, every foreign language translation, every instructors manual, every instructors Powerpoint deck, etc.. Here's a link to my account on their site, https://fphoto.photoshelter.com/search?I_DSC_AN...

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Answered on Jun 10th, 2021

I am not doing stock for all of the reasons listed below. I spent several years on Etsy as well with about 250 images, that were a digital download. I sold one for $12 which is more than most stock photographers make. It's a shame. I have closed my Etsy shop and am going to try and do something on my own website. Ecwid seems like an affordable shopping cart solution. Someone mentioned Pixieset, which I have but never thought of it for stock.