Careers in Stock Photography

Stock photography careers involve taking photos and licensing the usage of them on stock photography sites. There are different types of licensing you can use. There are also many stock agencies to choose from, so it’s important to read everything each one requires.

There are different ways to sell stock photography. These include rights managed and protected rights photography, regular royalty-free stock photography and microstock or micro-payment, royalty-free stock photography. Rights managed licensing means the person or buyer can license an image for a specific use and a certain amount of time. Royalty-free stock photography includes images that are licensed only once and for an unlimited time. Microstock is royalty-free images are licensed almost in the same way as regular royalty-free stock.

When beginning a career in stock photography, it’s important to choose the agencies that benefit you the most. Research different stock agencies and find the ones with the lowest competition. Look for agencies with an easy submission process, good pricing and a good reputation. Make sure the first photo you submit to these agencies is very good. It should be new and taken outside or in a studio with excellent lighting. This increases the chances that your photo will be accepted.  

A stock photography career also involves learning to use Photoshop. Photoshop is convenient for enhancing the color, sharpness and contract of some photos. Another important part of a stock photography career is choosing your subjects. Some subjects sell better than others. Some subject ideas are education, family, business and home and garden.