| The search for the holy grail is nothing in comparison | | | | basic economics. How do you find which images are |
| to the people searching for the perfect formula to | | | | the ones to shoot? Go to the stock and microstock |
| making cash from your digital camera on the | | | | stock sites and search under the most popular |
| microstock websites. Everyone is looking to make a | | | | sections, or images that have the highest downloads. |
| quick buck and the charlatans are all offering them | | | | These are what the buyers are looking for as you |
| what they want, an easy way to make money from | | | | will see from the high numbers of sales. Most sites |
| your digital camera without any photography skills or | | | | will give you recommendations as to what types of |
| technique. There is no easy way to make the kind of | | | | images they are looking for and what they don't |
| money promised. If there were, everyone would be | | | | want. This point is a no brainer. Most give a whole |
| doing it and we'd all be rich. | | | | section of guidelines and ways to help you take |
| There is a way however, but it takes time effort | | | | better images that will sell. |
| and good photography skills. If you're wanting to do | | | | 4. Shoot quality |
| this and don't have a love for photography, don't | | | | Sit down and think about what the charlatans are |
| bother trying. It's not for you. It will take reasonable | | | | trying to get you to do. Sell your everyday ordinary |
| skills, dedication and time. It is possible and if you feel | | | | images that are okay; the ones your friends and |
| you have what it takes are some to get you started | | | | family like. Compare your images to those quality |
| on the road to success. | | | | photos on the stock sites. Do yours measure up? If |
| 1. Learn photography | | | | they don't, who do you think you are fooling? No |
| The only way to ever make money from | | | | matter what the cash from your camera ebooks and |
| photography is to learn the fundamentals of | | | | courses promise, if yours aren't equal to or even |
| photography and start thinking outside the box with | | | | better in quality than those on the stock sites you |
| your creativity. Find a good basic course that will | | | | don't stand a chance. You need to use theirs as a |
| bring you up to speed and get you shooting plenty | | | | standard and shoot the type of quality the buyers |
| of images. Practise is key to any profession, hobby | | | | are looking for. Some books say school children and |
| or task. Don't let anybody fool you that people want | | | | college students aren't looking for top images. But |
| to buy your images if they don't show the minimum | | | | face the facts, when they can buy your average |
| quality of someone who can take photos. No skill | | | | image or an amazing photo both for a dollar, which |
| required adverts need the contempt they deserve. If | | | | would you choose. |
| you want instant success enter the lottery as you | | | | 5. Shoot quantity |
| have just as much chance as selling your photos. | | | | It's a numbers game. The more you have out there |
| 2. Learn stock photography | | | | the more choice buyers will have and the more they |
| This is just as important as point number one. | | | | are likely to buy from you if the quality is good. Of |
| Contrary to what the ebooks say, stock websites | | | | course the more you shoot while aiming at high |
| are looking for quality images that stand out and are | | | | standards and great composition coupled with what |
| easy to sell. There is a type of photo they are | | | | the sites need, the more chance you stand of selling |
| looking for that will sell quickly and easily. So learn | | | | your images. One of the guidelines one of the top |
| how this works. The best place to go are the stock | | | | stock photographers used to estimate his income |
| and microstock online forums. Here you'l find the | | | | made through stock sales was one to two dollars per |
| photographers talking about what is selling, what | | | | image per year on file with the stock sites. The more |
| works for the buyers, what the reviewers are | | | | images submitted to the sites the more chance of |
| declining as well as the difficulties or successes they | | | | sales. |
| are experiencing. This is the coal face of stock | | | | Any form of business that is so easy and requires |
| photography. If you don't know what problems are | | | | minimal effort is probably bordering on some form of |
| you'll come up against a brick and end up defeated | | | | criminal activity. When someone teaches how easy |
| before you start. Knowledge of your market is | | | | something is, your red flags should go up and you |
| essential to any sales success. | | | | should start asking questions. There is plenty of |
| 3. Shoot the images people are buying | | | | money to be made in stock photography, but it's |
| The key to any marketplace success is to sell the | | | | being made by those showing skill, dedication and |
| things people want to buy. Many great inventions | | | | creativity. Learn your art and execute it well and you |
| have fallen flat because nobody wanted to buy them. | | | | will start on the road to photography success. |
| You can't sell what people don't want to buy; it's | | | | |