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How To Make Money Selling Photos of Yourself (2023)

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Did you know that there are ways to take pictures of yourself and make money online?

You may be wondering, “Well, I’m a nobody, why would anyone want my picture?”

I know, I would think the same, but hear me out.

Many times, people are looking for certain stock photos, and if you’re able to provide a pose of sorts, they don’t care who the person is.  For example, someone may be looking for someone standing next to a fire hydrant while another person needs someone walking a dog near a river.  This list could go on forever, and this is where you can come into the picture, as long as you don’t mind putting your face out there.

Oftentimes, companies picture stock photos, which 99.9% of the time, feature no-name people like you and me.

Of course, you will need talents, so don’t just throw any photo on the platform.  This is just asking for trouble.  Instead, I would research the many ways to take a professional selfie.

In today’s post, I want to show you how you can make money selling photos of yourself, no matter what the pose may be.

Let’s begin!

How To Make Money Selling Photos of Yourself

Shutterstock

Shutterstock is one of the biggest platforms to sell your images, and it’s a great passive income source for any photographer.  If you want to upload pictures of yourself, you can do so.  Just keep in mind that these photos will need to be in demand, so I would recommend looking around the site to see what’s selling.  The neat thing about Shutterstock is that the more photos you sell, the more commission you can get.  Expect to make 15% to 40% of the sales.



iStock

iStock is part of the powerhouse, GettyImages, and I would have to say it’s one of the largest stock photo marketplaces I mention on this list.  If you want to start selling photos of yourself, you can do so as an iStock contributor.  You will just need to fill out an application to do so.  This will require you to upload a few samples of your work, so be prepared.  Once approved, you can then earn about 15% to 45%~, depending on your licenses.  You can view more about the rates here.  If approved, this is one that’s sure to bring a lot of traffic to your personal photos.

Adobe Stock

Out of the most I mention on this list, I would say that Adobe Stock is one of the largest on the list.  To become a contributor, you will need to create a free account and then upload the photos you want to sell.  Before you start selling, however, Adobe will want to review your photos to ensure they meet guidelines.  Every time you make a sale, you will get a 33% cut, which seems to be the industry average.

Fiverr

I have mentioned Fiverr so many times and it’s one I feel fits here.  What you may want to consider is posting a listing, saying that you will take a photo in any pose necessary.  You can even choose a niche if need be.  You name the price, you set the rules and you are your boss, essentially.  The only downfall is that you will have to market yourself and wait for a few customers.  However, once your business takes off and you gather some ratings, you will be busier than ever.  To be successful on Fiverr can take some work, but there are countless guides online to help you with the process.  I would recommend you search for “how to succeed on Fiverr” and go from there.

Foap

Foap is one I have reviewed before.  In short, you can make money taking pictures for very popular brands.  While you may be limited as to what kind of pictures you take, it’s a way to make money taking pictures of yourself if you want to work with brands.  Simply upload your pictures and earn a 50% commission.

BigStock

BigStock is another big photo marketplace, and it works a lot like Shutterstock mentioned prior.  You just need to sign up, upload your pictures and then wait to be approved.  Once your photos are approved, you can earn per download, starting at $0.50 each.  You can learn more about the earnings structure as well as how the platform works in its entirety via the link below.

Alamy

Alamy pays out more than one million dollars a month to its contributors.  If you want to sell photos of yourself, it can be done, as the company gives you freedom in what you want to list.  Upload your pictures today and you can be selling in as little as 24 hours.  Students earn 100% commission for two years.



500px

Get paid for licensing your photos with 500px.  You get to sell your photos, keep your copyright, and get paid up to 60% of the royalties once your photos are approved.  It’s one of the highest paying websites on the list, and as long as you know how to market yourself well, you can make some decent cash on the side.

123RF

123RF is another stock photo site, where you’re allowed to post your photos for some cold-hard cash.  To sell, it’s as easy as signing up, uploading your images and then waiting for a sale.  It’s no different than the most mentioned here.  Commissions range from 30 to 60%.

SmugMug

SmugMug is a pinch different than the many mentioned here as they charge a monthly fee if you’re looking to sell your photos, however, on the bright side, they do let you keep 85% of your earnings.  This is quite high in comparison to their competitors.  You get to keep your copyright, and it only takes 15 minutes to start selling your photos on SmugMug.  Check it out, as they do have a variety of tools to make selling photos of yourself, or any for that matter, easy.

Stylinity

Stylinity is different in that you won’t make money taking pictures of yourself, but you can make an affiliate commission for whatever you may wearing.  I just wanted to include it here because I liked the idea of it.  The goal here is to take a picture of something you like wearing and then uploading it to the platform.  Then, if someone purchases any products you’re wearing, you get a cut.  It’s 100% free to join.

Scoopshot

Scoopshot is an app that will pay you for your selfies.  With this app, you are asked to post photos on the app and then people can purchase them off the platform.  It’s another marketplace like the many I have mentioned, only that it’s not as popular.  There’ no guaranteed pay, but it’s yet another one to consider.

Final Thoughts

If you want to take pictures of yourself, it can be done.  You just have to remember that you will have to market yourself and use the right platforms.  I tried to list as many as I can, but there are even more out there.  The ones I listed usually bring in the most eyeballs, however.

As long as your photos are in demand and you’re a good photographer, then you may make a nice side income.  I wouldn’t count on a full-time income, of course, but it’s not unheard of to make a few hundred dollars a month.  Your results will vary.

That’s going to wrap it up.

As always, if you want to add to my list or comment on the companies I already mentioned, then you’re more than welcome to add your thoughts in the comments below.

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Tom Nathaniel

Hi! My name is Tom Nathaniel, and I created LushDollar to help share my honest thoughts on everything money. You won't find gimmicks here. It's the Internet's most honest money site after all. I graduated from Arizona State University, and I have worked in the finance industry since 2006, consulting with multiple Fortune 5000 companies.

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