Stock Photo Tips: How to Take Stock Photos That Sell

1. Get an Idea of What Currently Sells

Taking stock photos that have the potential to attract buyers involves a lot of planning ahead. Knowledge of the kinds of images that actually sell well is highly important. Without this knowledge, you can easily invest inordinate amounts of time and money in creating stock photos and still fail to get any notable returns.

You can get a good idea of what sells by checking out the various stock image platforms. Many of them will list photos that receive large numbers of views and downloads. Our own research has unearthed that the following types of photos tend to be among the bestsellers:

• People: Photos of people are constantly among the bestselling images online. The main reason for this is that we like to observe our own species and how they interact in different environments. Whether it is an image showing workers in an office setting or candid shots of frolickers at the beach, stock photos of people are readily consumed digitally and in print. Accordingly, being able to capture people well in the various ways they express themselves may help you take photos that become popular with buyers. Bear in mind, however, that stock photos of people tend to require appropriate model releases.
• Events: Probably because they often involve people, photos of events are another type of image that tend to do well. Capturing the vibe at an office party, club scene, or summer festival can make for highly-viewed stock photos.
• Landscapes: A quick overview of Shutterstock’s most downloaded photos will show that images of vast landscapes, including mountains and forests are heavily represented. A great part of the demand for such images is the deep-seated longing that many have of exploring vast outdoor spaces. In addition, these kinds of images can have calming effects on people and are commonly used in content promoting wellness, inspiration, contentment, and travel.
• Architecture and homes: Shots of unique houses, high-rise buildings, churches, etc. are also top sellers on many stock photo platforms. The more high-quality and staged these photos are, the better your chances of garnering attention. As with people, these kinds of photos require you to get signed property releases before you can sell them online.

2. Stay Up to Date with Trends

Top selling content aside, photography is an example of art mimicking life, so it is heavily influenced by trends in society. The world is also constantly changing, so your eyes should always be open to capturing images that reflect current beliefs and views.

In 2020 when the COVID pandemic struck, for example, some of the most downloaded and shared stock photos were images depicting healthcare workers in PPE, as well as people participating in work from home activities.

In recent times, there has been backlash against heavily edited images of models in fashion magazines. This has resulted in a trend of more people sharing photos that have a more “natural” aesthetic. Another trend that has come to the fore is photos showing people from diverse backgrounds, especially where race, body types, age, and sexual orientation are concerned.

There is also the case of stock photos being created for the NFT (non-fungible tokens) market. If you are into the idea of trading cryptocurrencies and have the time to research how to use stock photos as NFTs, this is another trend that may be worth looking into.

As a photographer, you can improve your chances of taking photos that sell by simply capturing relevant photos that coincide with what’s happening around you.

3. Decide on a Niche

A common reason why many photographers fail to earn any substantial income from their efforts is their inability to decide on a particular subject matter. They try to take pictures of anything that crosses their lens instead of specializing in a specific area of photography. But by focusing (no pun intended) on too many different subjects, they never really master any of them.

Do you like taking pictures of inanimate objects around the home or do you prefer capturing images of people having fun? How about still shots of trees and flowers? Whatever the case, it is best to pick a single category or niche and associate your brand with those types of photos.

The more you practice taking pictures of a specific subject, the better you will get at it. In the world of photography, it is better to be an expert in one discipline. That way, buyers who are interested in your work will associate your brand with the kind of content they are looking for and will keep coming back.

4. Invest in the Right Equiptment

When thinking of how to take stock photos that sell, it is reasonable to think about investing in a suitable professional camera. But before you grab the most advanced DSLR or mirrorless option, you should think about whether it is the right camera for you.

Getting your hands on suitable photo-capturing equipment is partly about the quality and list of features, but it is also about the intended purpose as it relates to the category of photography you decide to specialize in.

The type of camera needed for product photography, for example, would likely not be recommended if you specialize in landscape shots (at least not without changing the lens). Nor would you want to use a wide angle camera lens if you are into snapping macro images of tiny insects.

Spend some time researching the camera market and see which one best matches your need while being within your budget. Otherwise, you may end up wasting money on a camera and accessories that don’t work well for your intended purpose.

5. Shoot with the Customer in Mind

Before pressing that shutter release button, it is a good idea to first think about the kind of photos you want to take in relation to how you anticipate they will be used by customers. Your photos should tell a story but allow users to weave them into their own unique goals.

Let’s say you want to take pictures of a dog lying on a mat, for example. You should think about how a marketer would use that image to promote their dog food brand, show strong canine intelligence on a book cover, or carry off a blog post article about pet care.

Depending on what you are trying to achieve, it would be helpful to plan your shoot in advance, instead of taking random photos. Write down how you want the subject to be situated, the amount of negative space that should be shown (and where in the photo), the shooting angle, kind of lighting, etc. Starting out with a plan allows you to have more control over the mood, setting, and arrangement of the photo in relation to the story you are trying to tell.

6. Be willing to Use Appropriate Props

Coming up with interesting concepts for your stock photos is great, but some of the most successful photographers are those who show off their creativity using various props. Likewise, executing some of your ideas will require more than just your camera and the subject. Sometimes you will need to create a particular kind of background, mimic movement, capture subjects at odd angles, or even stage a scene.

Whether it is a white sheet for a plain background, a colorful bowl to place fruits in, or a stream of water to generate a splash, you should be willing to try different props to give life to your ideas. At the same time, you will increase your chances of taking eye-catching stock photos that sell.

7. Do Multiple Takes

Coming up with interesting concepts for your stock photos is great, but some of the most successful photographers are those who show off their creativity using various props. Likewise, executing some of your ideas will require more than just your camera and the subject. Sometimes you will need to create a particular kind of background, mimic movement, capture subjects at odd angles, or even stage a scene.

A picture might paint a thousand words, but the same photo taken several times can tell vastly different stories by just changing the angle or shifting the focus. In the same breath, different users may have different needs for the same image, shot in a slightly different way.

If, for instance, you capture photos of a laptop and a mouse on an oak desk, a particular shot could be appealing to a blogger who is writing an article about remote work.

At the same time, a different angle showing bright light coming from the screen of the laptop could appeal to a company that wants to promote laptop screen protectors. Yet another shot could put the focus on the rich oak finish of the desk, and cause the photo to become appealing to a brand that deals in office furniture.

When doing multiple takes, it is often helpful to create a shot list. This is a list of different shots of the same subject or scene that you want to take. For example, your shot list could include front view, side view, overhead shot, together, apart, grouped, etc.

Most photographers come up with their shot lists when working out the main concept of the shoot. Sometimes the list is the entirety of the concept. Whatever the case, doing several takes of the same image might allow you to meet the needs of multiple buyers instead of just one.

8. Always Have Your Camera on Hand

How many times have you come across a perfect sunset, but did not have a camera to capture the moment? Or how about a bird getting up close and personal but you had no way of recording the moment?

The photo op that you missed might just have been the image that could have made you a fortune. In addition, being prepared means you can keep taking photos all the time, and the more stock photos you upload, the higher your earning potential.

With that said…

9. Take Plenty of Photos

When it comes down to really earning from your stock photos, it is mostly a numbers game. The more photos you have published, the higher your capacity to earn.

To begin with, stock photography takes a while to start paying off, and if you only have a few images uploaded, you may get very little, if any, attention from buyers. Most successful photographers have to upload hundreds or even thousands of stock photos before they can start to see meaningful revenues.

There is also the fact that the sheer volume of stock images being published means most photos lose their appeal in a short time. You need to always be adding to your stock in order to keep up.

Finally, the more pictures you take, the better you get at your craft. Buyers can see the difference in photos that have experience written all over them compared to amateur-looking shots.  

10. Build Your Own Portfolio

Stock photo platforms are helpful in getting your work noticed and finding buyers. But on the flip side, stock photo platforms tend to reward themselves with a substantial amount of your earnings. Many claim as much as 40% – 80% of revenues for every sale. One way to maximize your earnings is to set up your own portfolio website to showcase your images.

Stock photo sales from your own online portfolio would mean that you are able to claim 100% of revenues, as well as have more control over the licensing terms. In addition, buyers could hire you directly for other photography projects.

Once you have set up your own portfolio website, make it easy for customers to find by placing a link in your bio on the stock image platforms you use. You can also share this link elsewhere such as on your social media pages or blog.

11. Don’t Forget to Polish Your Stock Photos

Raw image files are rarely perfect as they are, even with expert photography skills. Taking stock photos that sell means applying final touches that will make them stand out visually. This includes editing your images to ensure the colors are well-balanced, removing distracting elements, fixing exposure, contrast, white balance, etc.

Post production work can be time-consuming, but photo-editing software such as Photoshop and Lightroom allow you to set up various presets that can simplify the task. If you have the relevant skills, you can look into how you can edit with presets to save time. If not, hiring a graphic designer to re-touch your photos is your next best bet.

12. Pay Attention to Image SEO

When you upload your photos to most of the stock image websites, you are often prompted to add keywords and tags to your creations. This step might seem as not too big of a deal, but adding suitable keywords is actually one of the most important if you want to sell more stock photos. Keywords determine whether people will find your photos (or not).

Stock photos need good keywords to make them discoverable in search. An ideal set of keywords can land your photo on the first page of search engines, while poor keyword use will ensure they don’t show at all.

How do you find the right keywords to use? By being as descriptive as possible about the most relevant attributes of your photo. According to Shutterstock, it might be best to research trending keywords relating to your subject area before you even take a picture.

But if you already have some stock photos you want to upload, you can derive the best keywords by asking yourself a few questions. Who or what is the main subject in the photo? Where was the photo taken? What is the specific time of day, and what exactly is happening in the photo?

The more detailed you are with your keywords, the higher the likelihood that they will match up with unique search terms used by people looking for photos similar to yours. But be careful not to stuff too many keywords in your description, as this can appear spammy and work against your SEO instead of helping it. A maximum of 10 – 25 keywords are recommended – it all depends on what is showing in the image. Also, you want to ensure that your keywords are spelled correctly, as misspellings can throw off your image SEO.