How to Sell Photos

Co-authored by Adam Kealing and Megaera Lorenz, PhD

Last Updated: May 25, 2021 References

If you love taking photographs, you have probably considered finding ways to make money with your craft. Selling some of your best snaps can be a great way to get your work out there and bring in a little income. Once you’ve built a strong portfolio and put some thought into pricing, look into good venues for selling your photos. You can sell digital photos or prints online, or find local art shows, galleries, or businesses where you can sell prints.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Advertising and Pricing Your Work

1
Create a digital portfolio of your work. Pull together a few of your very best shots for your portfolio. Make sure to select images that you’re happy with and that you feel are representative of the work you do. Whether you’re offering your services as a professional photographer or just trying to sell photos you’ve snapped on your own, a portfolio is a great way to show off your work. ^{[1]
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- If you’re not comfortable making your own website, use a portfolio website like PhotoShelter, Squarespace, or SmugMug. You may need to pay a monthly fee to use these services.
- Building a portfolio is also a good way to define your niche as a photographer. For example, you might focus on beefing up your reputation as someone who takes breathtaking nature photos or mouthwatering food pictures. ^{[2]
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2
Advertise your work on social media. You can use a service like Facebook or start a dedicated blog to post pictures and talk about your photography. Once you start building a following, you can use your social media platform to let people know where they can purchase your photos.
- Many social media sites will promote your content for a fee. For example, you can use the “Sponsored Posts” feature on LinkedIn or click “Boost Post” on Facebook to advertise your work to a larger audience.
- Reach out to friends and family and ask them to spread the word about your work through their own social media accounts.
- Try making chatty posts that give your followers an idea of who you are as a person as well as an artist. For example, “I had a wonderful time connecting with the ancient past—and with myself—during my recent trip to Egypt! Check out these images I captured of Hatshepsut’s temple at Deir el-Bahri, available for sale on my website now.”
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3
Research pricing on photos like yours. Take a look at the prices other vendors are setting (and that buyers are offering) for photos similar yours. Setting an appropriate price for your photos depends on a lot of factors, including the quality of the photo, the uniqueness of the composition and subject matter, and who is buying the picture. ^{[3]
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- Consider the audience for your photos. If you’re selling to individuals, you’ll probably make a lot less than you would selling your photos to a big-budget magazine or website.
- You can use online tools like Getty Image’s price calculator to help you find a reasonable price range for your image based on factors like how the photo will be used and the nature of your target market. ^{[4]
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- Apps like price-a-photo by Pixel Cents can also simplify the pricing process.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Selling Photographs Online

1
Create your own online store for full control over sales and licensing. If you don’t want to design a site from scratch, look for a web hosting service that offers templates specifically designed for artists or small businesses. Making your own store will give you complete control over how you price, license, and deliver your photos to customers.
- Services like Shopify and Yahoo! Stores offer easy ways to set up your own storefront with lots of convenient built-in features (such as customer mailing lists and secure payment systems).
- If you build your own website from scratch, you will need to select a payment system that works for you and your customers, such as PayPal or Google Pay.
- Try to select a domain name that reflects your personal brand and the kind of work you do.
2
Use an online stock photo agency for greater convenience. Stock photo vendors like Shutterstock, SmugMug, and 500px offer an easy way to sell your photos to an established audience. Each vendor has different pricing and licensing policies, so shop around to find the one that fits your needs. ^{[5]
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- Many of these services require a monthly subscription fee for hosting and selling your photos, so you will probably need to post a lot of photos in order to make a profit.
- Most stock photo agencies offer either a percentage or a flat fee for the sale of each photo. Fees may vary depending on the size or resolution of the photo and how the buyer plans to use it.
- While smaller agencies may let you start submitting photos right away, some of the larger ones (like Getty) have a more selective and complicated review process.
3
Try online art and design stores to sell prints or other merchandise. In addition to selling digital copies of your photos, you might want to offer more tangible merchandise, such as prints. You can sell high-quality prints through websites like Fine Art America, or put your designs on merchandise like shirts and buttons using custom vendors like CafePress or Zazzle.
- If you make your own prints or other products featuring your photographs, Etsy is a good option that allows you to keep a generous percentage of the profits. ^{[6]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Marketing Photo Prints

1
Get a stall at a local art fair. Arts and crafts fairs are great places to sell your photos and network with other photographers and artists. Do a search for an upcoming art fair or market near you, or use an online directory like Art Fair Calendar or Fairs and Festivals. Start looking for potential shows at least 4 to 6 months in advance of when you plan to display your photos. ^{[7]
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- Contact the organizers of the event as early as possible so that you can get your application in and select the tent or booth of your choice.
- You’ll also need to consider budgetary factors, such as the cost of reserving a booth, making prints, and creating an attractive display.
- Put some thought into how you want to display and curate your photos for the show. You may find it helpful to select photos that fit a specific theme or have a particular tone.
- Be sure to offer a variety of sizes and formats, including larger, more expensive framed prints and smaller, more affordable matted photos.
2
Approach local art and photo galleries about selling your work. If you’re not already familiar with the galleries in your area, do an online search or ask around in the photography community. Visit some galleries in person to see what kind of artwork and photos they display and sell, and ask about the possibility of selling some of your work.
- You may also be able to get your work displayed and sold at local cafes and coffee shops.
- Some galleries or shops may charge a monthly fee for featuring your work on their walls. Others may simply ask for a percentage of the profits if they sell any of your work.
3
Try selling your prints to local businesses. Businesses like doctors’ offices, banks, and real estate stagers are often in need of photographs and art prints to decorate their walls. ^{[8]
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- Some businesses feature rotating art displays that can act as a form of advertising for your work. ^{[9]
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Question

Do I need a permit to sell photos?

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Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

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That depends on the nature of the photo. If you get a picture of a person, you will need to ask them to sign a release before you sell their image, unless you somehow obscure their identity (e.g., blur out their face). You'll also need permission to sell photos featuring items with brands or logos. You may also need permission if you take pictures of businesses, private property, or certain public areas. When in doubt, look up local laws where you will be shooting or and/or ask for permission.

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Where do I sell the photos?

Community Answer

Fotolia, Shutterstock and DreamsTime are three good sites for beginners to sell their photos. Also Google. The book A Beginner's Guide to Selling Your Photos Online, is a good place to start. Also you can find out from new papers, magazines (National Geographic, Readers' Digest, animal/wildlife magazines, etc.).

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How much does one photo cost?

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It depends on what the photograph is of, what size it is, and how much experience you have. Photographs range in cost depending on these factors, and your geographic location.

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Tips

If you’re serious about making money from your photos, consider investing in a nice camera and some other equipment, like lights, tripods, and stabilizers.

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Signing up for photography classes can be a great way to improve your skills and network with other photographers. If you’re not in school, do a search for private lessons or classes in your area.

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Warnings

When you sell your photos or put them online, there’s always a chance someone might use your work in ways you don’t like. Get to know your legal rights as a photographer so that you can protect your work from theft and misuse.

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How to Sell Photos

Steps

Advertising and Pricing Your Work

Selling Photographs Online

Marketing Photo Prints

Community Q&A

Tips

Warnings

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References

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