Stock Photography

Stock Photography consists of existing photos that can be licensed for specific uses.  Publishers and designers of all types make use of stock photos on a regular basis.  Stock photography users include advertising agencies, web site designers, magazine and newspaper publishers, and graphic artists.   By using stock photography instead of hiring a photographer to shoot new images, the designer saves valuable time and money.
 

Digital Stock Photos

Stock photos in digital format can be searched via the internet and are available for immediate download.  High quality digital stock photos are often available for sale in a variety of file sizes which are priced accordingly.  The photo file size needed depends on the intended use of the picture.  For instance, pictures used in web site design can be smaller and lower resolution than those that will be used in print publications.

Understanding Stock Photo Licensing

Stock photo agencies manage photo rights for their photographers.  Stock Photography is available for sale in two basic varieties; rights managed, and royalty-free.

The price and use of rights managed stock photography is negotiated with each use.  The use agreement will specify how and where the image will be used and the size of the audience or readership.  A buyer may request exclusive rights to an image, meaning they will be the only ones using that photo for a specified period of time.

Rights Managed Stock Photos:

• Pay  a fee based on distribution, length of use, etc, each time you use the image

• Can purchase exclusive rights to an image

Royalty free stock photography provides buyers with a set price and less restrictions on use of the photos.  The terms of use for royalty free photography vary by stock photography organization.  Be sure to read those terms carefully before you buy, so you don't find yourself in violation of the usage rights.

Royalty Free Stock Photos:

• Pay a one-time fee

• Can use the image multiple times and for multiple purposes

• Cannot purchase exclusive rights

Stock Photography Cost

The cost of stock photography varies greatly.  Fees can ranges from thousands of dollars for rights managed use to an inexpensive $1 fee for royalty free photos at the micropayment stock photo sites.  Micro-stock agencies, specialize in lower cost images, offering royalty-free photos for as little as $1, or offering unlimited photo downloads for a monthly subscription fee.

Become a Stock Photographer
 

Selling Your Photos Online: Many of the online stock photo sites accept photo submissions from photographers.  Most of these sites require that you submit some sample photos for review, to make sure that your photography skills meet the requirements of their site.  Most also have technical standards with which submitted photos must comply.  The better quality sites review all submissions for quality prior to adding them to their inventory. 

Once you have been accepted as a photographer, the stock photo agency will promote and, hopefully, sell your image.  You receive a commission for each image sold.  Stock photo commission structure varies by agency.

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Digital Stock Photos

These are some agencies that have digital stock photos available for immediate download.

iStockphoto.com: iStockphoto has hundreds of thousands of high quality royalty free photos available for as little as $1 each.

Shutterstock.com:  Shutterstock offers royalty free stock photos for a monthly subscription price.

Photos.com:  Photos.com offers royalty free stock photos by subscription and by individual photo.

Jupiter Images:  Jupiter images offers an extensive collection of royalty free and rights managed professional stock photos.  They provide access to image collections from leading agencies around the world.  Images are available as single photos and as collections of royalty photos on CD.

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