If photography is your hobby, and you love whipping out your camera while you’re on holiday, you may have thought about the idea of potentially monetizing your hobby. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

Stock Photography Websites

Firstly, one of the best and easiest places to monetize your photos is on stock photography website. Whether you use digital cameras or film cameras, stock websites are ideal for getting your photos in front of thousands of eyes.

In simple terms, stock websites are used by individuals or companies to buy professional photos without having to hire a photographer. Considering the fact that countless industries use these websites for photos, you are bound to find buyers.

Licensing

Licensing also involves selling your photos, but instead of waiting for a buyer, you take your photos directly to companies or consumers who would use them. For instance, selling your photos to a travel agent to use in their brochures.

This does require more work compared to selling on stock websites, but you can build relationships and it is better at creating a base of repeat customers.

Prints

In this day and age, it is easier than ever to create and sell prints. Put simply, you can open an Etsy store, take orders, and then use a third-party to create the prints of your photos, and then sell them to customers.

It is very possible to do this without having to hold an inventory of prints, and instead, use a third-party for the creation and the delivery of the prints. However, if you want to do the printing yourself, you have plenty of ways to sell them.

You can still sell them online, but you can also attend markets, craft fairs, etc, and sell them in person.

Photo Books

Nowadays, it is easier than ever to self-publish a book, and creating a photography is another way to make passive income. Plus, with minimal costs, you can take home a lot of the profit when your books start to sell.

Start a Course

Finally, while this option doesn’t see you directly sell your photos for money, you can use them as a way to show your skills and talent, and use that as a basis to create a photography course.

It is important to remember that having evidence of your talent while adds a level of professionalism to your course, and also prove that you know what you are talking about.

Photography Tips

Now that you know a few of the best ways to make money with your photos, here are some tips for taking photos that will sell.

Scout Your Location

Firstly, always take the time to scout your locations before arriving. This allows you to know which are the best places to shoot, and the best times to visit them. This is particularly important for areas that see a lot of visitors, as the quieter the area, the better.

Additionally, studying the location also gives you an idea of the more unique areas to photograph, and you won’t fall into the trap of taking a photo of something that has been shot countless times before.

Keep it Authentic

When photographing people, authenticity is the one aspect that will set you apart. Because of this, it is always a better idea to not ask the people you are shooting to pose, but rather to photograph them when they aren’t looking, or don’t notice you.

This leads to far more natural-looking photos, and these are the types of photos that are more captivating and more likely to sell.

Details Matter

Don’t overlook details when framing your shots. For instance, when you want to sell your photos, a picture of someone drinking water on the beach can be used for both a holiday brochure, and an advert for a water brand.

These small details not only add more depth and interest into your photos, but also expand your target audience.

Photograph Interesting Things

Never forget the idea that there is a target market for photos of almost anything. Whether it be a fire hydrant or a sunset, there is a person or company out there that could use a high-quality photo of the particular subject.

Therefore, don’t just shoot the “cliche” things; photograph all the interesting things you come across, too. While it will take more time to sell a copy of the more niche subjects, it is still worth having them in your portfolio.

Be Unique

Finally, be unique with how you take photos, how you frame subjects, the settings you use, etc. While more generic photos are still needed, you will be competing with countless other photographers who have shot the same subject in the same way.

Taking a more unique approach allows you to stand out from the crowd and potentially make your photos more sought-after.

In conclusion, while it may take time, there are several ways to make some money from your photographs, with some of the options being as easy as taking 20 minutes to upload them onto a website, all you need is a camera, a passion for photography, and a little bit of extra time.