Is Stock Photography Worth It? I Submitted 1,200 Photos to Find Out...

Summary

Frankie, an amateur photographer, embarked on a 30-day challenge to test the viability of stock photography as a passive income source. With a goal of uploading 1,000 photos to Adobe Stock and Shutterstock, Frankie faced the reality of tedious editing and tagging. Despite only achieving 600 uploads, the experience was enjoyable and educational. Adobe Stock accepted a disappointing 32 photos with no sales, while Shutterstock accepted 260, resulting in modest earnings. Frankie recommends Shutterstock over Adobe for amateurs and suggests focusing on quality over quantity, especially with stock video, for better success in the stock photography market.

Takeaways

• 📸 Frankie, the video creator, embarked on a 30-day challenge to test the feasibility of earning passive income from stock photography as a complete beginner.
• 🌅 The project was inspired by a family vacation to Mexico, during which Frankie took 550 photos, later editing and selecting nearly 400 for potential upload.
• 🌄 Frankie's daily routine during the vacation involved early morning walks to capture photos without disrupting the vacation experience.
• 🖼️ Editing and uploading photos to stock sites proved to be a more time-consuming and tedious process than anticipated, particularly the task of tagging photos with up to 50 tags each.
• 🔑 Frankie set a goal to upload 1,000 unique photos to Adobe Stock and Shutterstock but later adjusted it to 600 due to the workload.
• 📐 Frankie's experience with Adobe Stock was disappointing, with only 32 out of 585 photos accepted and no earnings to show for it.
• 🎉 In contrast, Shutterstock was more successful, with a 45% acceptance rate and small earnings from photo downloads.
• 🚫 Key reasons for photo rejections included visible trademarks, missing model releases, and issues with focus, exposure, and titles.
• 🔒 Shutterstock provided valuable feedback on photo rejections, helping Frankie learn and improve.
• 📈 Frankie recommends stock photography with realistic expectations and suggests focusing on quality over quantity, as well as considering stock video as a potentially more lucrative avenue.
• 📈 Frankie's overall conclusion was positive, valuing the experience, skill development, and potential for long-term passive income, despite the initial challenges and modest earnings.

Q & A

What was Frankie's main goal for the 30-day challenge?

Frankie's main goal was to determine if a total amateur could earn passive income from stock photography.

What did Frankie do during the family vacation in Mexico?

Frankie took about 550 photos during the vacation and edited them down to around 400 worth uploading.

How did Frankie approach the photo-taking process during the vacation?

Frankie went on hour-long walkabouts each morning before the sun rose, covering various locations around the resort and nearby areas.

What were the two stock sites Frankie chose to upload photos to?

Frankie chose Adobe Stock and Shutterstock as the sites to upload photos.

What was the most tedious part of the process for Frankie?

Tagging was the most tedious part of the process, as it was time-consuming and required adding up to 50 tags per photo on each site.

What was Frankie's initial goal for uploading photos to the stock sites?

Frankie's initial goal was to upload 1,000 unique photos to both Adobe Stock and Shutterstock.

How many photos did Frankie actually manage to upload to the stock sites?

Frankie ended up uploading around 600 photos to the stock sites, not reaching the initial goal of 1,000.

What was the acceptance rate of Frankie's photos on Adobe Stock?

On Adobe Stock, only 32 out of 585 submitted photos were accepted, which is an acceptance rate of about 8%.

How did Shutterstock's photo review process compare to Adobe Stock's?

Shutterstock reviewed photos more quickly, usually within 24 hours, and provided feedback for each rejected photo, unlike Adobe Stock.

What was Frankie's experience with earnings from the uploaded photos?

Frankie earned 30 cents from one download on Adobe Stock and 40 cents from two downloads on Shutterstock, totaling 70 cents.

What advice does Frankie give for those interested in stock photography?

Frankie recommends having realistic expectations, focusing on gaining skills rather than money, and considering Shutterstock over Adobe for amateurs.

What did Frankie learn about the importance of video quality in stock photography?

Frankie learned that using a tripod is crucial for stock video to avoid shaky footage, and that there is high demand for stock video, especially with model releases.

What were the common reasons for photo rejections on Shutterstock?

Common reasons for rejection included visible trademarks or intellectual property, missing model releases, out-of-focus subjects, inconsistent exposure, and poor titles.

What was the upload limit Frankie encountered on Shutterstock?

Frankie encountered an upload cap of around 100 photos per day on Shutterstock, with a suggestion to submit less for best practice.

What is Frankie's next step after the stock photography challenge?

Frankie is moving on to a new passive income project and is seeking input from viewers on whether to focus on Etsy templates, Medium, or audiobooks.