Sell Your Photos - Choosing a Stock Library

Many new stock photographers often wonder if they should join just one online stock photography website, or many. Some sites actually offer an incentive to be exclusive with them. In other words, they'll offer you more money per download, more promotion of your pictures, and other benefits if you agree to sell your pictures to their site only.

The problem with this is that you lock yourself into working with just one company. It can also be a problem when you're new, because you don't have enough high-quality pictures to make a steady income from just one site.

My recommendation is to sell your photos through as many stock photography agencies as you can. This maximizes the exposure of your pictures and increases the chances of the pictures selling more regularly. In fact, you can sell the same picture on multiple sites almost simultaneously.

So you don't normally have to worry about each site having the same customers.

In fact, many stock photography sites have different customer bases. One, for instance, seems to have primarily customers from the United States.

Another sells mostly to European countries. While yet a third seems to sell mostly to web-based clients, and others may sell just to print-based clients.

So you can maximize your earnings and profits from your stock photo portfolio simply by adding your pictures to as many stock photo sites as you can.

1. Shutterstock - For many photographers, this site is the best earner for them. You are paid a set amount each time one of your photos is downloaded. As you earn more money, your payment per download increases. http://submit.shutterstock.com

2. Dreamstime - This is an excellent photography site that is growing fast. It offers customers the ability to pay per download, or buy a subscription. You are paid varying amounts based on the type of download and how large the photo resolution is. www.dreamstime.com/sell

3. iStockphoto - One of the largest and most popular stock photo agencies online. They sell stock photos on a per download basis, and recently added a subscription option. You earn a base royalty rate of 20% for each file downloaded. If you are an Exclusive contributor you can earn up to 40%.www.istockphoto.com/sell-stock-photos.php

4. 123RoyaltyFree - Another excellent site that is growing fast. You receive 50% of the net proceeds from each photo downloaded. www.123rf.com/sellimages.php

5. Fotolia - Photographers receive up 64% of the image sales price, and you may set your own price for web, print and exclusive buyout licenses. The site has a strong European buyer base. www.fotolia.com/Info/HowToSell

6. BigStockPhoto - In 2009 was acquired by Shutterstock, and adopted a fresh new look and a shorter name - Bigstock. You earn 50 cents for every 1 credit a customer spends on your images - up to $3 per download. Sign up for their Special Licensing program and you can earn even more - from $2.50 to $60 per download. www.bigstockphoto.com/sell-your-images.html

Two of the better earners for a lot of micro stock photographers are Shutterstock, and iStockphoto, but it can be difficult to have your work excepted. They will review your initial submission and only let you on board if your photos are technically perfect. So if you’re new to stock photography I recommend you start with one of the others.

1. Robert Harding World Imagery - Are always looking for fresh photographic talent and outstanding images that capture vivid world places, peoples, celebrations and customs, faiths, nature and the “being there” experiences that bring travel alive. www.robertharding.com/contributors-club.php

2. Red Cover - Is one of the world's leading picture libraries specializing in interiors + lifestyle, gardens and food. www.redcover.com/submissions.php

3. GAP Photos - The leading supplier of Garden and Plant Photography. www.gapphotos.com/ContributorInfo.asp

4. World Religions Photo Library - Specializes in the major faiths of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and Sikhism - places of worship, rites of passage and sacred sites. www.worldreligions.co.uk/submission.html

5. The Natural History Photographic Agency - Represents a group of more than 100 specialist photographers, with worldwide coverage of wildlife and nature. www.nhpa.co.uk

6. SurfPix - The specialist professional online photo library completely dedicated to surfing. www.surfpix.co.uk/info/?category=12&id=327

To search for more specialist picture libraries check out the BAPLA (British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies) website at www.bapla.org.uk

Two of the biggest picture agencies in the world that you might be interested in are Alamy (www.alamy.com/contributors/default.asp) and Getty Images (http://corporate.gettyimages.com/source/contributors/).

They both sell rights managed and royalty free images, and are worth a look for the more experienced photographers reading this.

1. The Trevillion Picture Library. www.trevillion.com

2. Monsoon Images. www.monsoonimages.com

3. Trigger Image. http://trigger.photoshelter.com

These sites are not looking for commercial pictures but seek creative and fine art images. The primary target markets are creative agencies and book and magazine publishers.

What you choose to do with your own stock photography business is completely up to you of course. So be sure to read the terms and agreements at each agency, and then make your own decision as to which ones you'd like to use to sell your photos.