I’ve been shooting stock photos and videos for almost 3 years. Stock photography is the supply of photographs, which are often licensed for specific uses. Some agencies prefer an exclusivity with photos while others do not. Professional stock photographers traditionally place their images with one or more stock agencies on a contractual basis, while stock agencies may accept the high-quality photos of amateur photographers through online submission. I have been submitting to 5 different agencies. The monetization revenue that my photos generate are decent but not as high as what other people think. In the long term it’s beneficial, month-to-month sales differ, so the more photos you submit, the better off you are as you are expanding your library. One thing I’ve learned is to keep shooting at least once a week. I will try to shoot different concepts in the future. Nowadays, almost everyone has a phone camera and many people are using DSLR and Mirrorless Cameras that it is no wonder the price of stock photos is getting lower. I never had the chance to shoot a commission photo project, but its the one trend that some photographers are aspiring now. I hope to find a good brand agency, otherwise it’s hard to get a good paying client without a connection or agency. Out of 5 agencies, my goal over the next 2 years is to continue shooting stock photos while building my own library. I hope I can open my own site in the next 5 years.
