Do you sell your photographs online?

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   Amanda Buckposted 5 years ago

   Forgive me if this has been discussed already. I can't figure out how to search the forum specifically.  The Maven search turned up a bunch of hubs on the topic, many of which are out of date and did not answer my questions.
   
   I am interested in putting some of my photos on istock or a similar site, but I need some basic info first, such as:
   
   -If I have already used one of my photos in a hub, can I still put it on a stock photo site?
   -Can I put the same image on more than one stock photo site?
   -Can I continue to use my images in hubs or on websites once they are listed on a stock photo site?
   
   I want to learn all I can about this process, so if you have experience, please share!

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      CYong74posted 5 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Amanda. To answer your questions:
      
      1) You can list a photo onto a stock library site even if you have already used it in a hub, provided you are the photographer of the image. However, doing so might lessen the chance of someone buying the image later.
      
      2) Whether you can list a photo on multiple sites depends on whether you have an exclusive agreement with any. For example, I have one such agreement with Dreamstime, thus, I can only sell my photos through them . In exchange, I get an uploading fee with each approved image.
      
      3) You can use your own images in hubs and articles even if they are listed for sale.But again, you have to be the photographer. Doing so might lessen the sales potential too.
      
      To add, I've been selling images since 2009. Quite honestly, the revenue declined significantly over the last four years. That said, I still make enough sales each year to have revenue of a few hundreds.
      
      Also, in order to be profitable, you must take the effort to understand what stock photos are. This was very easy for me since I used to be a graphic designer i.e. I know what people look for. For newcomers, I'd suggest understanding the needs of designers, writers, and layout artists. Usually, we look for images that are technically superior, without any personal references or endorsements, and easy to work with in graphic software such as PhotoShop.

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         Amanda Buckposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks Scribbling Geek, that is great info.  How would using the image myself lessen my chances of someone buying it later?  Do you have to disclose that you have used the image?  How would they know?  Thank you!

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   Beth Eaglescliffeposted 5 years ago

   Most stock photo sites want images that are exclusive to them, but you would need to closely read the terms and conditions of each site to be sure.
   
   My experience with Pixabay and Freerangesotck was that they are very picky about what they will accept. Then, once your photos are listed, the amount of money you earn will be virtually nothing at all. There are so many good quality images available free on the internet that few people are willing to pay anything. I've written a hub about my experience which you can find on my profile.

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      Amanda Buckposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Beth.  I read your article as well.  I did not know that Pixabay and Freerangestock paid photographers. I figured that since the images were free, they didn't pay.

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3. 61

   CYong74posted 5 years ago

   Few would know, or even bother to check whether an image has been used before. In fact, I believe most users assume the image has already been used elsewhere.
   
   However, if your own post/hub with the image is widely shared, then a potential buyer might find it unattractive to buy/use that image. As in, there's little freshness?
   
   Am I making sense?
   
   PS: You don't need to declare anything. The only important thing is that the image is your own.

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      Amanda Buckposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      Okay, that helps, thanks.

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