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Hustling Idea: Selling Travel Photos Online
#1

Hustling Idea: Selling Travel Photos Online

Not sure if this has been talked about on here, but I couldn't find anything in search...

Has anybody took their travel photos and sold them on stock image sites like iStock or Clashot for a little extra cash?

As a lot of us travel, you probably have 500-1,000 old travel photos of sunsets, beaches, mountains, colonial cities, and more mixed between nudes from your chicks. I usually will take 15-20 photos of a beach or sunset. Then I'll post one to IG and the other ones will never leave my phone.

I'm thinking about throwing these up (500+) on a stock image site and seeing if I can make a few extra bucks each month, but I wanted to know if anyone had done this before (so I don't waste 5 or so hours uploading for nothing).

I figured this could be a decent hustle for some of us travelers, but I have no idea if there's any money in it. Google didn't come up with many solid search results.
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#2

Hustling Idea: Selling Travel Photos Online

Go to reddit photography and search, there are several posts about this.

The difficult thing is some sites will screen the quality of your pics and determine if it is good enough to be posted.

Since you have a good rep. I did a little work to help. I wish you the best on this if you go for it.
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=ch...ock+photos

Fate whispers to the warrior, "You cannot withstand the storm." And the warrior whispers back, "I am the storm."

Women and children can be careless, but not men - Don Corleone

Great RVF Comments | Where Evil Resides | How to upload, etc. | New Members Read This 1 | New Members Read This 2
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#3

Hustling Idea: Selling Travel Photos Online

Quote: (01-24-2016 11:02 PM)samsamsam Wrote:  

Go to reddit photography and search, there are several posts about this.

The difficult thing is some sites will screen the quality of your pics and determine if it is good enough to be posted.

Since you have a good rep. I did a little work to help. I wish you the best on this if you go for it.
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=ch...ock+photos

I appreciate the response. I didn't think to search through Reddit, as I never browse there. That being said - there doesn't seem to be a market for travel photos of beaches, mountains, sunsets, and the type of photos that get a lot of Instagram likes. That seems to be pretty played out.

From the 15 minutes of research I did on Reddit - I doubt this is worth my time, or any of the other travelers on here.
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#4

Hustling Idea: Selling Travel Photos Online

Not a problem, always try to help when I can. I wish the market was more viable. It would help us travelers who like to take pictures.

You could consider taking 4K video. Some DSLRs can shoot that now. I have heard it sells better.

Fate whispers to the warrior, "You cannot withstand the storm." And the warrior whispers back, "I am the storm."

Women and children can be careless, but not men - Don Corleone

Great RVF Comments | Where Evil Resides | How to upload, etc. | New Members Read This 1 | New Members Read This 2
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#5

Hustling Idea: Selling Travel Photos Online

Good thread idea. I'd especially like to hear some professional photographers provide their input here.

My friend who does some photography as a side hustle claims the pickings are slim in this area unless you have an extremely large, credible portfolio and the right equipment. I don't necessarily disagree with him, but I see stock photos everywhere and I've seen a couple boutique (don't know if that's the right term or not) stock photo sites come across my radar that makes me think twice about the proposition.

I have about 5000 photos from all my travels over the past five years, shot via iPhone, digital point & shoot camera, and DSLR. I submitted a bunch to iStockphoto with really bad results, I only had a couple accepted out of the 100 or so.

All of the iPhone and DP&S photos were axed, even though I had some really well done up ones. DSLR photos were the only photos excepted and they were also as "action" shots. For example, a dude river kayaking in some white rapids. All photos that were in the public domain (ex. picture of a city square at night) were axed, and they listed that as the reason. I think that makes sense to me that a stock photo site can't monetize public domains in a certain way, but additional information on this would be appreciated from any professionals out there.

Also, seems to me that the whole travel, nature, nomad lifestyle photo scene is saturated past the point of feasibility. I think if you want to really sell yourself in this area you need to get extremely specific and niche.

I'll use MP as an example since he started this. I think it would be easier for you to monetize photos of a Honduran Quinceanera in San Pedro Sula shot with a DSLR than try and monetize another version of the same sunset picture at Manuel Antonio in Costa Rica that every other gringo shot with their iPhone 6. Photographers correct me if I'm wrong, but is my line of thinking correct here?

If nothing else, you could go the route of uploading some of your photography as "art" on sites like Crated and Society6. Seems to be slim pickings there as well.
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#6

Hustling Idea: Selling Travel Photos Online

I am not sure who's going to buy (even at very minimal cost) someone else's travel pictures.

Is it national geographic quality? worth to end up in someone else's wall? is it raw image that can be printed big?

If you want to take good travel photos, you will have to travel for photos not taking photos while traveling.
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#7

Hustling Idea: Selling Travel Photos Online

I think Designate has the right perspective on this. Also I am sure these sites are loaded with pics of the Eifel Tower. How many more do you think they need?

Fate whispers to the warrior, "You cannot withstand the storm." And the warrior whispers back, "I am the storm."

Women and children can be careless, but not men - Don Corleone

Great RVF Comments | Where Evil Resides | How to upload, etc. | New Members Read This 1 | New Members Read This 2
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#8

Hustling Idea: Selling Travel Photos Online

Quote: (01-27-2016 08:31 AM)Sebastian Wrote:  

I am not sure who's going to buy (even at very minimal cost) someone else's travel pictures.

Is it national geographic quality? worth to end up in someone else's wall? is it raw image that can be printed big?

If you want to take good travel photos, you will have to travel for photos not taking photos while traveling.

The fact that sites like Crated and Society6 exist tells me there is a market, albeit at a cheap price point because the barrier to entry is so low now.

Anyways, MP is talking about stock photos, a very different style and level of quality.

I completely miss your last point. How are they different? Do you think Ansel Adams just traveled around only for photography purposes? Depending on your expectations and demand level, it is perfectly compatable with traveling for pleasure. That is why so many people enjoy it.

Quote: (01-27-2016 10:38 AM)samsamsam Wrote:  

I think Designate has the right perspective on this. Also I am sure these sites are loaded with pics of the Eifel Tower. How many more do you think they need?

Exactly and like with anything, originality and finding a niche are key. No different here.
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#9

Hustling Idea: Selling Travel Photos Online

Quote: (01-27-2016 01:07 PM)Designate Wrote:  

I completely miss your last point. How are they different? Do you think Ansel Adams just traveled around only for photography purposes? Depending on your expectations and demand level, it is perfectly compatable with traveling for pleasure. That is why so many people enjoy it.

I am going to take a shot and say some great shots take a bit of planning, hiking to the remotest of spots, etc to get the shot. Not walking along a tourist area and seeing a fruit stand and shooting some colorful fruits.

I think there is some truth to it because one of the major selling points (beyond, nicely framed pic, exposure, 4K, RAW, blah blah) is getting a more unique shot. That means you need to be where the other travelers are not. But at this point, I think 90% of the world have been walked on and photos have been taken. You might go to Antarctica for a pic, but a shot of white snow everywhere may be indistinguishable from Siberia. [Image: lol.gif]

Fate whispers to the warrior, "You cannot withstand the storm." And the warrior whispers back, "I am the storm."

Women and children can be careless, but not men - Don Corleone

Great RVF Comments | Where Evil Resides | How to upload, etc. | New Members Read This 1 | New Members Read This 2
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#10

Hustling Idea: Selling Travel Photos Online

Quote: (01-27-2016 02:06 PM)samsamsam Wrote:  

I am going to take a shot and say some great shots take a bit of planning, hiking to the remotest of spots, etc to get the shot. Not walking along a tourist area and seeing a fruit stand and shooting some colorful fruits.

I think there is some truth to it because one of the major selling points (beyond, nicely framed pic, exposure, 4K, RAW, blah blah) is getting a more unique shot. That means you need to be where the other travelers are not. But at this point, I think 90% of the world have been walked on and photos have been taken. You might go to Antarctica for a pic, but a shot of white snow everywhere may be indistinguishable from Siberia. [Image: lol.gif]

Good points and I agree. The technical aspects are definitely things I haven't quite grasped yet as a novice. Though I still think it's possible to accomplish it without all the planning and effort.

Clearly the goal should be defined, are you trying to sell your work to a gallery or are you trying to sell your work to a travel blogger or stock site, etc. Or all the above?

With the intent of this thread in mind, let's just stick with figuring out how best to monetize the work we are already creating along the road.
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#11

Hustling Idea: Selling Travel Photos Online

Have you seen old guys with serious camera gear hanging out at cool spots for a long time? They are there just to grab few good shots. Are you saying you can just cruise around without sacrificing too much time and still be able to produce good images that can be sold online? well you might be really talented. what kind of images are we talking? can you post some?

Quote: (01-27-2016 01:07 PM)Designate Wrote:  

I completely miss your last point. How are they different? Do you think Ansel Adams just traveled around only for photography purposes? Depending on your expectations and demand level, it is perfectly compatable with traveling for pleasure. That is why so many people enjoy it




I am going to take a shot and say some great shots take a bit of planning, hiking to the remotest of spots, etc to get the shot. Not walking along a tourist area and seeing a fruit stand and shooting some colorful fruits.

I think there is some truth to it because one of the major selling points (beyond, nicely framed pic, exposure, 4K, RAW, blah blah) is getting a more unique shot. That means you need to be where the other travelers are not. But at this point, I think 90% of the world have been walked on and photos have been taken. You might go to Antarctica for a pic, but a shot of white snow everywhere may be indistinguishable from Siberia. [Image: lol.gif]

I'd rather shoot the fruit stand with people in it than going to a cool scenery spot.
I was in southern utah and they've got really cool scenery. those Monument Valley pictures are all over instagram to the point I hate to see it again.
I took some pictures since I had camera but I knew my picture is going to be just one of million same photos. Maybe I can keep it as personal memory but selling this the same image to someone even for 0.05 cents? who's going to care? you can just google millions.

Taking pictures of landmark with people in it (doing something interesting) or taking pictures of small objects in unique ways will get you far better chance than just taking a big landscape shot just like everyone else.
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#12

Hustling Idea: Selling Travel Photos Online

My guess is to make mega bucks in selling travel photos, the hustle is actually in your marketing and salesmanship of the photos, rather than the photos themselves.

Kinda like the art industry.

I just finished reading Trump's "The Art of The Deal" and thought of the section where an artist friend of his basically tells him his art itself is a scam. But the marketing and salesmanship of the art is not.
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#13

Hustling Idea: Selling Travel Photos Online

Business idea: sell beautiful photographs that can't be found anywhere online to dudes who want to pretend that they are awesome photographers in order to impress girls.

Perhaps you can even have a book that can order that has their name on the cover as "By Lying Asshole," so that they can live the dream of telling girls that they are a published photographer.

Have the books themselves mass produced and have the covers done with print-on-demand and then put the two separate products together and ship them to the lying scumbags that form your clientele.

There might be a lot of money in this if you expand into other similar products targeted at betas who think lying will be a panty-dropper.

I'm the King of Beijing!
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