Making money from stock photos can be a bit of a nightmare. There are so many options out there for picture editors. And it might seem that no-one wants to pay for images any more. But the good news is, that there is always a market for top-quality, topically-relevant images. And we’re here to help you to navigate your way to taking (and selling!) your photos.

Taking the Right Pictures

Stock photography is a great way to make money from your images. To maximize your income, it’s important to take photos that sell. Research current trends and what clients are looking for by searching online, checking magazines, trade newspapers, and attending trade shows.

Planning your shoot with a shot list will help you capture all the angles and scenarios you need. Dedicate time specifically for stock photography to ensure you get the best possible shots. Shoot with the end product in mind, considering how clients might use the image.

Only show your best work and cover a range of topics within your chosen field. Follow current trends to increase your chances of making sales. Adding keywords and descriptions to your images is vital so potential buyers can find them. Photos that sell well can provide a steady income stream for photographers who put in the time and effort.

Selling

Selling stock photos can be a great way to make extra money from your photography. To get started, research what types of images are in demand and plan your shoots around popular concepts like business, lifestyle, and outdoor activities. Capture high-quality photos with perfect exposure, pleasing compositions, and natural-looking subjects.

After the shoot, edit your files and choose only the best images to market. Keep your photo library organized with programs like Lightroom or Capture One. You can also use Photoshop to create unique images that would be impossible to photograph in real life.

To sell your stock photos, you can join a stock photo agency or market them yourself. Agencies handle hosting, marketing, and sales, but take a percentage of each sale. If you sell on your own, create a website or use a platform like Photoshelter to showcase your work. Set your pricing based on licensing models like Rights Managed or Royalty Free. With focus and planning, you can turn your stock photography into a profitable business. If you’d like to learn more about selling stock photos, there are many helpful resources available.

Business Tips

To improve your stock photography business, consider licensing your images through premium stock agencies like Shutterstock and Adobe. While you may sell fewer photos, you’ll earn more per sale compared to microstock agencies. Premium agencies have higher standards, but your images don’t have to be exclusive.

Diversifying your stock offerings is key to making money. Work with multiple agencies to increase exposure and cross-submit to non-exclusive ones. Study the stock photography market to understand what types of images are in demand, and submit every viable photo from your shoots.

Use relevant keywords to help buyers find your images in large databases. Consistency is crucial, so make time to regularly shoot and submit new photos. Let your unique photography style shine to stand out from the crowd. You can also sell through your own website to keep all the profits, but remember to get model releases and treat your stock photography as a serious business.

Best Stock Photo Sites

To help you get an idea of the types of images that sell, check out the most popular stock photo sites. They are a great resource for finding high-quality images quickly. They have a range of photos for website, document, or creative project needs.

Shutterstock is one of the largest stock photo sites with over a billion images. iStock by Getty Images also offers a wide selection of professional photos, illustrations, and videos. For those on a budget, free stock photo sites like Unsplash and Pexels provide beautiful images at no cost.

We’ve reviewed the most popular stock photo sites to help you check them out.

Becoming Profitable

Selling stock photos can be a profitable way to make money as a photographer. To get started, create a portfolio of your best images that are likely to sell well. Focus on capturing photos that are in demand, such as popular travel destinations, rather than just what you enjoy shooting.

Choose the right stock agency to represent your work. Research their commission rates, submission process, and the types of photos they sell. Make sure your images are a good fit for their collection.

When submitting your photos, include only your best work. Check every image at 100% for technical issues like dust, chromatic aberration, and sharpness. Add relevant keywords and metadata to help potential buyers find your images.

Building a successful stock photography business takes time. Continuously work on selling stock photos and stay up to date with trends in your genre to maximize your sales.

Shutterstock

Shutterstock is a popular stock photography website where photographers can sell their photos. To become a Shutterstock contributor, you need to create a free account and upload your photos. The photos must be JPEGs that are at least 4 megapixels in size.

Once uploaded, add details to your photos like the image type, description, and keywords. This helps customers find your photos more easily. Shutterstock pays contributors a percentage of each photo’s sale price, ranging from 15-40% depending on how many photos you sell per year.

You can track your earnings and see which photos are selling well. To become a shutterstock contributor, focus on creating a large, diverse portfolio of high-quality, well-edited photos. Use Shutterstock’s contributor resources to stay on top of trends and give your photos the best chance of selling.

Travel Photos

Selling your travel photos can be a great way to make money with your photography. To get started, make sure your photos are high-quality and error-free. They should be well-lit, beautifully composed, and better than what already exists.

There are many ways to sell your travel photos, such as through stock photography agencies, directly to clients, or as prints. Choose the method that aligns with your goals and the types of photos you capture.

Actively promoting your work is key to maximizing sales. Use social media, email lists, and collaborations with stock agencies to market your photos. Keep in mind that the destinations you want to visit may not always be the ones that sell well. To learn more about how to sell travel photos, check out this in-depth guide.

What Equipment Do You Need?

Different stock picture agencies will have different requirements. But in general you will need a good quality camera to meet their specifications. The key is to buy wisely, and expand your gear as you are able. Then you can increase the range of niches you can shoot.

Camera, Lenses, and Accessories

To take great stock photos, you need the right equipment. A high-quality camera is essential. Look for a DSLR or mirrorless camera that meets the requirements of stock agencies.

The lens you choose is just as important as the camera. Wide-angle lenses are great for landscapes and interiors. Telephoto lenses work well for wildlife and sports. And macro lenses are perfect for food photography.

Lighting equipment is a must for indoor studio shoots. Options include studio strobes, continuous lights, and flashes. Accessories like tripods, filters, and reflectors are also useful. Build up your collection over time as you need them. And don’t forget about props to add interest to your shots. If you want to learn more about stock photography equipment, there are many great resources available.

Best Sellers, What to Avoid, and FAQs

If you want to dip your toe in the water, then what are the best places to start? We’ve looked at some best-selling stock photo ideas, and some you really should avoid. We have also chosen some FAQs to answer your queries too.

Top Sellers

We’ve gathered together 20 of the best-selling stock photo themes to inspire your next photography project:

They range from modern aging, which shows older people staying active and adapting to new trends, to DIY projects like baking bread or growing herbs. Mental health awareness and time spent in nature are also in demand.

Wanderlust is back as people travel more. Environmental consciousness and sustainability are important trends. Buyers want real-looking models, not photoshopped perfection. Social responsibility and mindfulness are respected behaviors.

Healthy food alternatives are here to stay. Home office setups with houseplants are a hit. Moving images like cinemagraphs and stop-motion are trending. These are just some of the trends that can point you in the right direction.

Quality photos that tell stories and connect to what’s important never go out of style. Adding your own personality can make your stock photos stand out. If you’re interested in selling stock photos, these themes are a great place to start.

Ones to Avoid

There are many types of stock photos to avoid using. Over-exaggerated emotions and unnatural activities in strange settings look funny and make it hard for people to connect with the subjects. Low-quality or poorly edited images will make your business look bad.

Instead, use high-quality images that are timeless and can’t be outdated by the changing world. Avoid cliches, stereotypes, and outdated references that might even offend your customers. Focus on organic and natural-looking photos that tell your story.

If you want to learn more about the bad stock photos to avoid using, there is a lot of helpful information available.

FAQs

What are stock photos? You’ll find answers to this and other questions in our article. You can find stock photos of nearly any subject to illustrate websites and publications.

Stock photography agencies have vast catalogs of images online. Photographers contribute their work to the catalog voluntarily. The agencies then make the photos available for people to use on their websites, blogs, and publications.

Using stock photos is much easier and cheaper than hiring a photographer. Stock photo companies have already handled the legal aspects, so you can use the images without worrying about copyright issues. If you want to learn more about what stock photos are, there are great resources available with further information.

We’ll take you through 13 of the best free image hosting sites. We compare what they offer and look at the features that make each site helpful for photographers. By the end of this article, you will have plenty of information to decide on the best free image hosting site.

Our Top 3 Choices for Free Image Hosting

SmugMug

SmugMug

Amazon Prints

Amazon Prints

Wix

Wix

Why You Need to Consider Paid or Free Image Hosting

Image hosting is vital for all photographers. Whether you’re a professional photographer or an enthusiastic hobbyist, it doesn’t matter. Data loss because of a hardware malfunction is painful and frustrating.

There’s a saying that it’s not a question of if your hard drive will fail, but when. The solution to this is image hosting.

Having your photos stored in a cloud service gives you that extra assurance. If something happens to your computer, you won’t lose your photos.

Uploading your images to the cloud also frees up space on your computer, allowing it to work faster. And finally, your images are available across devices. You can share pictures with family and friends and access them anywhere, at any time.

13 Best Paid and Free Image Hosting Websites

Here are our top 13 picks. We list the file size limits for images, supported file types, editing tools, and if they have paid options.

Our Top Pick

SmugMug

SmugMug

• A range of free and paid plans
• Large 3 GB file size limit
• Unlimited space available
• Editing tools included

Best for Prime Subscribers

Amazon Prints

Amazon Prints

• Comprehensive list of compatible files
• Generous 2 GB maximum file size
• Editing tools included
• Paid plans up to 2 TB storage

Best Website Builder Option

Wix

Wix

• Excellent range of templates
• Very user-friendly site
• No coding required
• Up to unlimited storage space available

Best for Cross-Platform Sharing

Dropbox

Dropbox

• Huge 2 TB maximum file size
• Apps available for Mac, iOS, PC and Android
• Up to 5 TB paid storage
• Very flexible storage arrangements

Best for Google Workspace Users

Google Photo Prints

Google Photo Prints

• Up to 200 MB image size
• Editing tools included
• 15 GB of free storage
• Cross-platform compatibility

Best for Social Networking

Flickr

Flickr

• Free storage for up to 1,000 items
• 200 MB maximum image size
• Comes with editing and sharing tools
• Unlimited storage with paid plans

Best for Showcasing Images

500px

500px

• Up to 21 free uploads per week
• 50 MB maximum image size
• Editing tools are included
• Follow other photographers' portfolios

Best for Free Unlimited Storage

ImgBB

ImgBB

• Unlimited storage even on free plans
• 32 MB maximum image size on free plans
• Comes with editing tools
• Simple drag-and-drop upload process

Best Option for Reddit Users

Imgur

Imgur

• Unlimited storage
• Maximum 20 MB image size
• Upload up to 50 images per hour
• Good range of compatible file types

Best for Easy Image Resizing

PostImage

PostImage

• Up to 24 MB file size in free plan
• Unlimited storage
• Tailored resizing for different uses
• Editing tools included

Best Option for Pinterest Users

ImageShack

ImageShack

• Up to 10 GB storage on a free trial
• Comes with editing tools
• 25 MB maximum file size
• Unlimited storage space

Easiest to Use

imgbox

imgbox

• Unlimited storage space
• Maximum 10 MB image size
• Free to use
• Simple drag-and-drop uploads

Best for Remote Uploading

Uploads.im

Uploads.im

• Unlimited storage space
• Good range of compatible file types
• 10 MB maximum file size
• Easy Pinterest and X (Twitter) sharing

1. SmugMug

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 3 GB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types RAW, JPEG, GIF, PNG, HEIC
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited except RAW (512 GB, 1+ TB plans)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free 14-day trial, monthly and yearly paid plans
Best For	Best For Photographers wanting a website and storage solution

×

SmugMug

SmugMug

$1.00

Buy Now!

SmugMug is one of the most popular platforms for photographers. It’s a great site to display your photos and sell prints and other products.

No one who takes photos is left behind. There are features for everyone, whether you are a pro, an enthusiast, or a “memory maker.”

The basic plan is relatively cheap, and you can pay an annual subscription. This gets you the secure photo storage that you need.

You get more storage and increased features with the pricier plans. These include the ability to create a customizable portfolio site with your own domain. There are 21 design options. And there are editing tools that allow you to tweak the templates.

They have also introduced RAW file storage services. You can pay for RAW file storage starting at 512 GB. Plus, they have plugins for Adobe Lightroom and Capture One. And there are apps for mobile and desktop for easy organization.

Another bonus of SmugMug is that you can set up an eCommerce store to sell prints or photos. And sharing on social media is also an option. You can try SmugMug with a 14-day free trial.

2. Amazon Prime Photos

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 2 GB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types RAW, JPEG, PNG, GIF+
Storage Space	Storage Space 5 GB, 100 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free with Amazon Prime membership, paid storage upgrades
Best For	Best For Anyone with an Amazon Prime subscription

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Amazon Prints

Amazon

$1.00

Buy Now!

Prime Photos is Amazon’s photo storage solution, available free for Prime members. You can store and share unlimited high-resolution photos on your desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. And it includes 5 GB of storage for videos. The full list of compatible file types is quite extensive.

The service also lets you order photo prints, cards, custom wall decor, and other products. And it includes free shipping.

With a Prime membership, you can invite up to five people to receive unlimited photo storage. With “groups,” you can share images with anyone, even if they’re not a Prime member.

You can use iOS or Android mobile apps to auto-save your photos. Then safely delete them from your phone to free up space on your device. As with the other options, you can pay to upgrade Prime Photos to a complete suite of services.

3. Wix

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 25 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, GIF+, and others
Storage Space	Storage Space 500 MB (free), 2 GB, 50 GB, 100 GB, Unlimited (paid)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools No
Options	Options Free and monthly paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a combined website builder and image storing solution

×

Wix

Wix

$1.00

Buy Now!

Wix is well known for being one of the biggest website hosting platforms on the internet. They have been around for many years. And they have solidified themselves as an easy-to-use, cheap way to have a professional website. But you can also use Wix for free image hosting.

It doesn’t offer a fully dedicated service specifically tailored for free image hosting. Instead, you have to set up a website with Wix in a way that shares your photos easily. This is both a negative and a positive, depending on why and how you share your photos.

It’s negative because you must spend time setting up and organizing an efficient way to present your images. But this isn’t too much of an issue because Wix provides many great website templates.

It’s a positive because you get to share images exactly how you want to present them. This could be particularly useful for people who want to share their work as a portfolio.

Wix allows you to upload in JPEGs and PNGs with an image size limit of 25 MB.

4. Dropbox

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 2 TB (desktop and mobile)
Supported File Types	Supported File Types RAW, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, BMP, PDF, GIF, HEIC+
Storage Space	Storage Space 2 GB (free), 2 TB, 3 TB, 5 TB+ (paid)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools No
Options	Options Free and monthly paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a comprehensive online storage solution

×

Dropbox

Dropbox

$1.00

Buy Now!

Dropbox is a simple and efficient way to store your photos. The best way to understand this platform is as a virtual box where you can “drop” your photos. They’re saved in the cloud and available for you to access anytime.

You can also upload images from your computer to Dropbox as you would with any other files. Or you can upload them from its Android and iOS apps. File sizes are limited to 50 GB through the Dropbox website and 350 GB through the Dropbox API.

Dropbox supports a broad range of image files. You can organize your folders and sub-galleries and share links to individual files or folders. You can also sync your photos to a folder on your desktop.

Once photos are in the cloud, you can share the files directly with other Dropbox users. It also backs up photos automatically. So you don’t have to worry about losing data.

To share a photo, right-click on the image and then copy and paste the link to your desired sharing location. You can also share this link via email. Plus, your contacts or visitors can download your photos if you provide them with access.

Dropbox doesn’t provide specialized tools for photographers. But it’s an excellent option for storing original or edited versions of your photos. And Dropbox is free up to 2 GB of storage.

5. Google Photos

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 200 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, GIF, HEIC, ICO, WEBP, and some RAW files
Storage Space	Storage Space 15 GB (free), 1 TB (Google Workspace), 100 GB, 200 GB, 2 TB (paid)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free and monthly paid plans
Best For	Best For Google Workspace users

×

Google Photo Prints

Google

$1.00

Buy Now!

Google Photos is an excellent service for uploading high-quality images. And you can do so in large quantities, which many other sites don’t offer. The platform also offers automatic backups, unlimited space, and uploads.

You can store photos at a maximum resolution of 16 MP. Videos can have a maximum resolution of 1080p. To save a bigger image or video file, you must pay for space on Google Drive.

To get started, download the Google Photos app or go to Google Photos. You can automatically upload your photos and sync them with your Google account.

You can store images using your free 15 GB storage space from your Google account. Or you can pay for 100 GB, 200 GB, or 2 TB storage plans. You can upload JPEGs, PNGS, and GIF images, as well as some other file formats.

Google Photos provides an easy way to share and upload images. A lot of people have a Google account. So if you don’t want to create a new account on a different platform, this might be the photo-sharing platform for you.

6. Flickr

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 200 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, GIF (non-animated)
Storage Space	Storage Space 1,000 items (free), Unlimited (paid)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free, monthly, yearly, and two-year paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for good social media integrations

×

Flickr

Flickr

$1.00

Buy Now!

A lot of photographers have forgotten about Flickr. But it has been around for a long time, and it’s still trendy to use. Flickr offers free image hosting. And you can organize your images into albums and edit them from within the app.

One of the main draws of Flickr is social networking. You can share your photos with the community and join groups for different types of photography.

Photographers can mark their favorite images and also leave comments. And you can edit your privacy settings to control who sees your photos.

Flickr offers a large amount of storage and an interface that’s simple to use. You can upload up to 1,000 high-resolution images on their free plan.

If you upgrade to the Flickr Pro plan, you get unlimited storage, 6K photo display, and access to advanced statistics. You also receive discounts for SmugMug, Blurb, PHLEARN, and Priime.

7. 500px

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 50 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, HEIC, TIFF
Storage Space	Storage Space 21 images per week (free), Unlimited (paid)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free and monthly paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for online storage with easy sharing options

×

500px

500px

$1.00

Buy Now!

Created with professional photographers in mind, 500px offers a platform to display your images. The free version lets you upload 21 photos per week. But if you buy any of the membership options, you can upload unlimited photos. Plus, you’ll receive priority customer support.

The primary function of 500px is showcasing images, not social media sharing. And you can’t link to other sites.

The most significant benefits are displaying your photos and networking. You can share your pictures and make comments on other photos. You can also follow your favorite photographers.

You can build a profile on 500px and license your photos as stock photography. You’ll get paid up to 60% commission for any sales.

8. ImgBB

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 32 MB (free), 64 MB (paid)
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, GIF, WEBP, HEIC, PDF
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free, monthly, yearly, and three-year paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for unlimited storage online

×

ImgBB

ImgBB

$1.00

Buy Now!

ImgBB is one of the best free image hosting sites because it’s easy to upload, organize, and share photos. It has a minimalist approach to its design. And I am a big fan of it. This simple layout makes it easy to identify and upload your images.

One of the best points about ImgBB is that it doesn’t restrict the number of images you can upload, even using its free service. You will get an image size restriction of 32 MB. But you can upload images up to 64 MB in the paid monthly plans.

Once your account is set up, you can drag and drop your files onto the page to upload images. Another strong point of ImgBB is the quick access to a range of links. These include direct links to a full-size image or thumbnail HTML links for integration with different sites.

I would say ImgBB is one of the best free image hosting sites on our list. You can read our review of ImgBB for more information.

9. Imgur

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 20 MB (non-animated)
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, GIF+
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited, 50 images per hour
Editing Tools	Editing Tools No
Options	Options Free
Best For	Best For Anyone who wants unlimited online storage for free

×

Imgur

imgur

$1.00

Buy Now!

With Imgur, you don’t have to worry about your photos expiring. You can also store as many images as you want. Plus, they have features to add captions to your photos or upload them via email.

Unlike some of the other image hosting options, Imgur allows direct linking. Each image can have a link posted in forums or embedded in HTML.

You can upload many different file formats to Imgur besides the standard ones like JPEG and PNG. These include BMP, TIFF, GIF, APNG, PDF, and XCF. It supports non-animated files up to 20 MB and GIFs up to 200 MB.

You can share your images on most social networking sites. Imgur is often used for uploads to Reddit.

10. PostImage

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 24 MB (free), 48 MB (paid)
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG+
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free, monthly, and yearly paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking to tailor the size of their photos according to usage

×

PostImage

postimage

$1.00

Buy Now!

PostImage is another free image hosting site that provides a simple way to send your photos over the web. My favorite feature of PostImage is when you upload photos. Before you even select your images, it gives you two options.

The first is to resize your image. PostImage has made this amazingly helpful by providing the resolution. It also tells you what these resolutions are best for. This ranges from a thumbnail to a 21-inch monitor.

The other option you get is to set an expiry date for your photo. You still have the option for no expiration. But having an expiry date could suit your needs, especially if you don’t want your images lurking around the web.

Apart from this initial resizing tool and the expiration date, PostImage has no other editing features. But you do get the opportunity to upload your photos in bulk.

The free version downscales “hot link” images to 1280 pixels. Their premium plan shows these images in their original resolution.

PostImage is a great free image hosting service if you want a simple, fast way to share your images. It’s specifically meant to share images on websites, blogs, message boards, and eBay.

11. ImageShack

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 25 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, GIF+
Storage Space	Storage Space 10 GB (free trial), Unlimited
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options 30-day free trial, monthly and yearly paid plans
Best For	Best For Pinterest users wanting online storage

×

ImageShack

ImageShack

$1.00

Buy Now!

ImageShack is another of the more familiar image hosting sites on our list. It may not be a free service anymore. But you do get a free 30-day trial. This may be beneficial for a particularly busy time when you have to use an image hosting site for a short period.

will prefer using this site as it has a similar layout. This layout style makes it extremely easy to quickly sift through large amounts of imagery.

ImageShack is now a primarily paid service. But you still get all the extra bells and whistles of an image hosting site during your free trial.

These features include great mobile app integration, image stats, and many photo editing methods. It even has a useful watermark option that can save you lots of time.

The ImageShack free trial allows you to upload up to 10 GB of images during that month. Paid versions have unlimited photo storage. Each image can have a maximum size of 25 MB. And you can upload all the major image formats. These include JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, and GIF.

12. ImgBox

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 10 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, GIF
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited
Editing Tools	Editing Tools No
Options	Options Free
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for an easy-to-use online storage solution

×

imgbox

imgbox

$1.00

Buy Now!

ImgBox is a free, easy-to-use platform for sharing your images. This platform has unlimited storage space and lets you store your photos permanently. JPEGs, PNGs, and GIFs are all supported.

The platform offers several features. These include image galleries, drag-and-drop uploads, and direct links.

You don’t even need to create an account to upload your images. But having an account gives you the ability to access your photos later. It also allows you to upload your images quicker with preset settings.

You can even share your photos via social media and allow comments from others through ImgBox. You can learn about current social media image dimensions here.

13. Uploads.im

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 10 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, GIF, PSD, PDF
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited
Editing Tools	Editing Tools No
Options	Options Free
Best For	Best For Anyone wanting to upload from remote websites

×

Uploads.im

uploads.im

$1.00

Buy Now!

With Uploads.im, you can upload various image file types via their main page. You can upload directly from your computer by clicking the “local” button. Or you can click on the “remote” tab to upload from a URL.

This platform supports uploading several images at one time. The size limit for a single image is 10 MB. There are no restrictions on the number of image files you can upload. And images won’t be deleted after a certain amount of time.

You can share your image on Pinterest or Twitter or post it to a forum or blog with links and codes. And they also provide a hyperlink shortener.

Uploads.im isn’t your traditional image hosting site where you can easily view your images. But it can be useful if you only share images occasionally or need to share an image in a pinch.

Conclusion: Best Paid and Free Image Hosting Sites

These paid and free image hosting websites offer some great features. The file size and type of files you can upload determine how much you can utilize them. You also want to watch out for included editing tools that can be a huge time saver.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution that is perfect for everyone. You may need to use a couple of services that complement each other to meet all your image hosting needs. But after looking through our list, you should see what services will work best for you.

Our Top 3 Choices for Free Image Hosting

SmugMug

SmugMug

Amazon Prints

Amazon Prints

Wix

Wix

In this article, we look at 20 of the best places to sell photos online. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of each platform. And we’ll provide tips on making the most of each one. Finding ways to sell your photos is essential for building a successful photography business.

Our Top 3 Choices for Selling Photos Online

Picfair

Picfair

SmugMug

SmugMug

Alamy

Alamy

What Are the Best Places to Sell Photos Online?

Starting a business taking portraits or covering weddings can be fun. But but clients and paid gigs can be inconsistent and fleeting. But if you set up a platform for selling photos online, you can create an evergreen source of income. 

There are plenty of options out there. The most popular ones are stock photo agencies. There are also a few websites where you can sell your pictures directly to clients or even as artwork.

Stock photography sites are significant in two ways. First, stock websites sell your work for you. After you upload the photos, all you have to do is sit back and watch your profits grow.

But apart from helping you sell photos online, stock photo agencies also provide information on current stock photo trends. In other words, they give you ideas and hints on what images will likely make you money.

The problem with these sites is they provide a lot of content, which grows every minute. That means your photos compete with millions of other options on the internet.

Another downside is that it can take a long time to edit and work on images to upload. Stock photo websites have strict guidelines when selling photos online. You must follow plenty of rules around the quality and information needed for every image.

We’ve also included other types of photo selling websites, like those dedicated to selling art by independent artists. The downside is that these sites cover all types of art, not just photography. But it means you can sell the work you love to make, not only photos that relate to popular stock niches. 

Before we look at our recommendations in more detail, here’s a summary of our top picks.

Our Top Pick

Picfair

Picfair

• Set your own prices
• Payments are handled by Picfair
• Use your own custom domain name

Best Portfolio Platform

SmugMug

SmugMug

• Works well as a photographer's portfolio website
• Set your own prices for your work
• You get to keep 85% of the sale price

Best for Non-Exclusive Commissions

Alamy

Alamy

• 50% royalty payments
• More than 60 million photos
• Non-exclusive contracts

Best Standard Stock Site

iStock Stock Photos

iStock Stock Photos

• Part of Getty Images
• Up to 45% royalties
• High recognition for increased traffic

Best Integrated eCommerse

ShootProof

ShootProof

• Wide range of portfolio templates with customizable options
• Excellent eCommerce tools with automated invoicing
• Integrated print selling options

Best for Videos

Shutterstock Stock Photos

Shutterstock Stock Photos

• More than 91 million videos
• In excess of 184 million pictures
• Up to 30% royalties

Best Shopfront

Etsy

Etsy

• World's largest online marketplace for creatives
• More than 30 million users
• You keep 96.5% of the sale price

Best Creative Space

Canva

Canva

• Very popular design platform
• Allows users to upload and sell their images
• Always evolving with new features

Multimedia Creators

Zenfolio

Zenfolio

• Excellent security with watermarks and password-protected galleries
• Displays images, videos, and other media
• Integrated eCommerce and print selling programs

Best for Integration

Adobe Stock

Adobe Stock

• Works seamlessly with the Adobe Creative Cloud
• Immediate royalty payments
• Used by more than four million buyers

Best for Artistic Photography Work

Artfinder

Artfinder

• Sells art of all kinds from independent artists
• Full control over your online store
• Seller forum for sharing information and strategies

Best for Self-Curating

Dreamstime Stock Photos

Dreamstime Stock Photos

• Royalties up to 49.5%
• Self-curated content
• Excellent starting package

Best for Selling to Multiple Sites

Wirestock

Wirestock

• Sell to multiple stock sites quickly and easily
• Automatically handles keywords and captioning
• Simple to use

Best Instagram Integration

Instaproofs

Instaproofs

• Easily upload your images from your Instagram account
• $10 a month lets you keep 100% of the sale price
• Free plan takes 12% commission

Best Print-on-Demand Option

Fine Art America

Fine Art America

• Printing and shipping handled by the site
• You set your prices
• You keep 35% of the sale price

The Best Places to Sell Photos Online

Let’s look in more detail at the best places to sell your photos online.

1. Picfair

Service Offered	Service Offered Stock photo site
Key Features	Key Features Direct selling to clients
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a quick and easy way of selling their photos

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Picfair

Picfair

$1.00

Buy Now!

Picfair is our top recommendation to photographers looking to sell photographs online. It’s one of the most popular platforms for photographers, and with good reason. The account is easy to set up and use, the portfolios look professional, and Picfair helps you out with invoicing and accounting.

Picfair allows you to upload as many as 10,000 images and sell them through their systems. The platform gives you your own site where you can create different portfolios and galleries, allowing you to display your work in a professional way. 

You set your own prices on your work, and Picfair doesn’t add any extra or hidden prices. They also don’t take a commission from your sales, so all the money goes straight in your pocket.

Handling money and organizing earnings is one of the most stressful parts of being a professional photographer. But Picfair makes that part of the business super easy.

Picfair handles all payment processing, streamlining the transfer so it goes directly into one of your financial accounts. UK users can have the money sent directly to their bank account, while international users can use apps PayPal and Wise.

If you’re worried about theft, Picfair take security very seriously. Their platform is completely secure, and they add watermarks automatically so viewers can steal you images. And don’t fear, the watermarks only appear on the images when being viewed by website visitors. They don’t touch the original image and buyers get a clean version. 

Their photo licensing rules favor photographers, so you know they have your interests at heart. They provide you with all the licensing information you need, so it’s totally transparent. There’s also no exclusivity agreement with Picfair, so you can publish, promote, and sell your images on other sites too. 

We mentioned that Picfair doesn’t take a cut of your sales revenue, which is true, but users do have to pay a subscription fee. All the plans are reasonably priced, but it does mean you can make a loss if you don’t sell any pictures. Thankfully, they have plenty of advisory material to help you sell more photos.

2. Smugmug

Service Offered	Service Offered Portfolio site
Key Features	Key Features Simply choose your website design and add sales functionality
Best For	Best For Photographers who want to add photo sales to their portfolio

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SmugMug

SmugMug

$1.00

Buy Now!

SmugMug is an excellent site for those photographers with an entrepreneurial mindset. It allows you to create a professional portfolio to display and sell your work, making it a central hub for your photography business. 

They don’t offer the biggest selection of templates portfolios, but what they do have is excellent. Sleek, professional designs give you an impressive store font presents your work in its best light. 

There’s no limit to the number of JPEG images you can store, allowing you to display all your best work. RAW file storage, however, is an additional extra you need to purchase. 

They provide guidance on pricing your work, but you have final say on how much you charge. You need to bear in mind that SmugMug takes a 15% commission on all sales through the platform, so that might influence your prices. 

Integrated payment systems for the likes of Paypal make the financial side of the business super easy. There are no credit card processing fees, and tax calculations and receipts are generated automatically. 

You can also sell prints as well as digital images, and the printing services are integrated into your account. The number of printing services available depends on your location, but the streamlined process gives you more options for making money from photo sales. Shipment and delivery are also taken care of. 

The 24/7 support channels are a godsend, especially when you’re setting up your account. Both phone and chat are manned by real people, so you always get the answers you need. 

SmugMug makes it easy to run a photography business. Your account becomes a portfolio, a sales hub, an accounting center, and a creative community. 

Check out our full SmugMug Review if you want to learn more. 

3. Alamy

Service offered	Service offered Stock photo site
Key Features	Key Features More than 60 million images
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for generous royalty payments

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Alamy

Alamy

$1.00

Buy Now!

Alamy is a British stock photography website that was started in 1999. To date, it has over 60 million photos and videos. There is a reason for this tremendous amount of content. And it’s partly because of the 50% royalty payment on each photograph it sells.

Despite the large commissions, exclusivity agreements are optional, so you can still sell the same images on different platforms. That’s why this is one of the first choices for selling photos online.

And they don’t just accept images. You can also upload stock video footage to help broaden your appeal and generate more sales. Their catalog is extensive, and they have curated galleries to help users find what they need. 

Alamy doesn’t make any changes to your work once the images are uploaded, and the copyright stays with you. You still own the work even if you have an (optional) exclusive agreement. The platform is also completely secure, so no one can steal your work from their platform without paying. 

Alamy‘s pro-creator attitude influences its ban on AI-generated images and videos. Everything on their site has been created by a real-life artist, which is great news for sellers and buyers. 

4. iStock Stock Photos

Service Offered	Service Offered Stock photo site
Key Features	Key Features 15-45% royalties
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a comprehensive, high-traffic site

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iStock Stock Photos

iStock

$1.00

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iStock photo is Getty Images’ microstock branch. It’s a great place to sell stock photos if you are starting because it’s a well-known site with millions of users all looking for stock images and content to illustrate their media. 

iStock has a massive library, which means you work can get drowned out. But with the right research, you can find popular yet under-represented niches.

iStock also includes popular forums and resources that help you understand how to sell photos online. This information is especially useful if this if you’re first experience selling stock images. 

The royalty payment starts at 15% per download. It can increase to 45%, depending on how popular your photos are. If a customer purchases an image using their subscription credits, you only receive 15%.

If you are into exclusivity, iStock Photo will give you 22 to 45%. This rate works on a contract with a 30-day notice period.

You never have to work about your work being stolen or used illegitimately. iStock has excellent security and no one can use your images without making a purchase first. They also use temporary watermarks in the viewer, so people can’t screenshot the images and use them illegally.  

5. ShootProof

Service Offered	Service Offered All-in-one photography business tool
Key Features	Key Features Website templates and integrated sales features
Best For	Best For Photographers looking for a bright, stylish website to sell their photos

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ShootProof

ShootProof

$1.00

Buy Now!

ShootProof is another platform that works as a central hub for your online photography business. It’s a portfolio website with galleries to display your best images. It’s a sales platform that allows viewers to buy your work. It also offers file storage and invoicing and accounting support. 

The galleries and portfolios are simple yet stylish, and you have options to customize the templates to make them more personal and unique. You can also make password-protected galleries for specific clients, allowing you to share your work privately and securely. 

The platform provides contract templates with personalized logos, which is a big help if you’re new to the legalities of professional photography. These include model and property release forms, which can be a pain when you’re starting out. You can also upload contract templates if you already have your own.

eCommerce is simple with ShootProof. You can set prices, create pricing packages and bundles, and arrange discounts. They also help you sell prints of your images, working with several US-based and European printing companies. 

ShootProof offers several subscription plans. They are all reasonably priced, so it’s a case of finding the plan that matches the needs of your business at this time. You can also upgrade at a later date if business picks up.

Read our full ShootProof review for more information. 

6. Shutterstock Stock Photos

Service Offered	Service Offered Stock photo site
Key Features	Key Features Huge repository and non-exclusive use
Best For	Best For Anyone looking to sell their photos in several locations

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Shutterstock Stock Photos

Shutterstock

$1.00

Buy Now!

Shutterstock houses 184 million images and 91 million videos. They have been enjoying steady growth in sales since its founding in 2003. In 2017, people downloaded 172,000,000 images from this website.

Uploading to the marketplace will net you up to 30% of the sale price of your image. This percentage depends on the size of your image, with payouts falling between $0.25 and $28.

The best thing is that you keep the copyright. So you can still sell the images elsewhere.

7. Etsy

Service Offered	Service Offered Storefront
Key Features	Key Features Set up your own store to sell your images
Best For	Best For Anyone looking to sell directly with full control over prices

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Etsy

Etsy

$1.00

Buy Now!

Etsy is the biggest marketplace on the internet for handmade products. The items you can sell can be physical prints or digital photography downloads. Most of the products are unique. And many are one-off items the creators won’t make again.

With over 30 million users, Etsy is a great platform to sell your photos.

You can also recreate your brand on Etsy. You set the price for your images and even design a page that best displays your photos.

Etsy keeps 20 cents for each product you upload and 3.5% of the sale price. Selling items here can be a challenge. But they offer a helpful handbook to teach you all about branding and marketing. The information they share includes how to price your items, how to sell your photos, and how to succeed.

8. Canva

Service Offered	Service Offered Design website
Key Features	Key Features Sell your images to Canva users in their designs
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for an extra outlet for their photos

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Canva

Canva

$1.00

Buy Now!

Canva is one of the most user-friendly graphic design editing platforms. It has drag-and-drop features that allow anyone to create anything from posters to Instagram Story animations.

A lot of the graphics and photos that Canva offers are free. But they also sell other services, including stock photography.

Unlike some traditional stock photography agencies, this stock website makes it easy for people to buy pictures. Users have to drag and drop the photos. Then they click to purchase them to remove the watermark.

Canva’s ease of use means lots of potential to earn money. Many people don’t usually use stock agencies but regularly buy photos from the platform.

With millions of users, Canva continually expands and looks for new stock photos to sell. You can apply and post your stock photos on the website. But they also regularly ask their contributors to photograph custom projects for them.

9. Zenfolio

Service Offered	Service Offered Portfolio and eCommerce platform
Key Features	Key Features Hosts video media and has integrated eCommerce features
Best For	Best For Multimedia creators

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Zenfolio

Zenfolio

$1.00

Buy Now!

Zenfolio is another fantastic portfolio and eCommerce platform for photographers. It’s easy to set up and use, streamlining many processes that can be a pain when running a photography business. 

While the templates look fantastic, Zenfolio doesn’t have a wide selection, unlike some competitors. That’s not a problem if you want your work to speak for itself, but it is more difficult to make a truly unique portfolio. 

Security is excellent, with Zenfolio adding in-viewer watermarks and preventing viewers from copying images without purchasing. You can also apply specific security settings to individual galleries.

Zenfolio is a great portfolio option for multimedia creators, as the platform allows you to host videos as well as images. They get the same security treatment as the images, and clients are able to download and redeem prepaid videos. 

As an eCommerce platform, you can sell digital images and physical prints. Thanks to the embedded print partners, selling physical pictures is just as easy as selling digital files. Although, printing options are limited outside the USA.

The easy of use, reasonable pricing, and professional built-in features make Zenfolio a great option for selling photos online.

10. Adobe Stock

Service Offered	Service Offered Stock photo site
Key Features	Key Features Integrates with Adobe Creative Cloud
Best For	Best For Any Creative Cloud users

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Adobe Stock

Adobe

$1.00

Buy Now!

Adobe Stock (formerly Fotolia) is another microstock photography website. It represents over 57 million images. Adobe repurchased this site in 2014, integrating it into its Creative Cloud service. Here, you can receive royalties between 20 and 46%.

The best part about this site is that your royalties come immediately. Other sites wait until you reach a financial threshold or after 30 days.

Four million buyers use this site, so showing them your images is in your best interest.

11. Artfinder

Service Offered	Service Offered Platform for artists and artisans to sell their work online
Key Features	Key Features Self-managed curation
Best For	Best For Photographers wanting to sell prints outside of stock photography niches

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Artfinder

Artfinder

$1.00

Buy Now!

Artfinder is one of the best website for independent artists to sell their work online. The site isn’t exclusive to photography. In fact, most of the sellers are not photographers, but Artfinder is becoming more and more popular with those selling photographs. 

Artfinder has over 450,000 active users worldwide and is growing quickly. That means it has 450,000 potential buyers of your work. And all the users are art lovers. They aren’t businesses looking for stock images, which allows you to display and sell your passion projects, not just the in-demand niches. 

Signing up and becoming a seller is completely free. You set your own prices and Artfinder provides you with performance stats and other handy insights to help your online store. They also give you tips on making attractive listings and attracting more buyers. 

A sellers’ forum is another great feature, allowing you communicate with other artists on the platform. You can ask questions, find interesting insights, and make friends. It’s an open, positive, and support community of artists from all over the world. 

There are no exclusivity agreements when listing your work on Artfinder. That means you can use Artfinder as one part of a bigger online sales strategy, incorporating several platforms to maximize exposure and sales. 

12. Dreamstime Stock Photos

Service Offered	Service Offered Photo gallery site
Key Features	Key Features Self-managed curation
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for more control over how their images are presented

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Dreamstime Stock Photos

Dreamstime

$1.00

Buy Now!

Like iStock and Shutterstock, this agency is a perfect starting point if you want to sell online photos. It’s user-friendly. And the requirements aren’t as strict as its rivals.

What makes Dreamstime different is that you get to create and curate your galleries. That way, you have more control over selling photos online. In that respect, you can think of this agency more as a hosting site.

But, of course, that doesn’t mean you can post just anything. Your submissions will still undergo screening to ensure you don’t violate the site rules. For instance, you can’t upload violent or copyrighted content. But if you follow all the guidelines, you can expect to make money once your images are online.

Your commissions start at 25% for a non-exclusive image and 27% for an exclusive option. But as you sell more photos, that can go up to 45% and 49.5%, respectively.

13. Wirestock

Service Offered	Service Offered Image syndication
Key Features	Key Features Lets you upload to multiple platforms easily
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for maximum reach for their images

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Wirestock

Wirestock

$1.00

Buy Now!

Wirestock is a handy tool to help you sell your photos on multiple platforms. You can upload the images to Shutterstock, Depositphotos, and more… All at the same time! And all with just a few clicks of a button.

Another benefit of Wirestock is that the platform handles captioning and keywording. Your future sales and commissions depend on how easy it is to find your images. As well as how well the keywords capture their essence. Using Wirestock to take care of this tedious process is a real time-saver!

Wirestock allows creators to focus on creating instead of juggling multiple platforms.

14. Instaproofs

Service Offered	Service Offered Storefront
Key Features	Key Features Integrates simply with your Instagram account
Best For	Best For Selling images with interest generated via Instagram

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Instaproofs

Instaproofs

$1.00

Buy Now!

Instaproofs is an online photo storefront. The “Insta” part of the name comes from the ease of taking images from your Instagram account to the website.

You define the print sizes and the price tags that come alongside them. The free account lets you create 15 galleries with a 3 GB storage capacity. The site will also take a 12% commission from your sales if you’re not a paying member.

But if you think it’s worth it, you can also subscribe for $10 per month. Doing so lets you sell images without commission, which helps if many people buy your photos.

15. Fine Art America

Service Offered	Service Offered Direct printing and sales
Key Features	Key Features Site handles all the sales, printing, and delivery
Best For	Best For Anyone looking to sell their printed images easily

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Fine Art America

Fine Art America

$1.00

Buy Now!

Fine Art America is a print-on-demand site. That means they only print and ship your images when a buyer buys one. Their focus is on fine arts, such as photography and digital images of painting, etc.

You can set your prices on Fine Art America, and the website will add its markup. You keep 35% of the final price, and they get the other 65%. So if you demand $10 profit, they will price your piece at $47.

But it isn’t bad since you control how much you want to earn per image. Not to mention that you don’t need to print the photos yourself.

FAQs About the Best Places to Sell Photos Online

Here are answers to three questions we get asked about the most. We hope they help you decide where to sell your photos online.

Can I Build My Own Website?

Yes, absolutely. In fact, building your own website is one of the best ways to create an online portfolio and sales hub without fees and commissions. 

There is nothing like selling your work on your own site. If you are tech-savvy, you can find a way to do this for “free” (not counting domain and hosting fees).

If you aren’t proficient in web design or programming, you can join Wix or Square Space. They do all the background work for you.

Once you set up your website, you can offer as many photos as you want! There is no fee or commission to pay third-party sites after each sale.

A quick Google search can help you find the best website builder. Then you can start selling your own high-quality photos.

It’s a great option if you get a lot of traffic to your site.

What Is the Difference Between Microstock vs Regular Stock Sites?

Microstock is a pretty new term in photography. It was born with the introduction of sites such as iStock and Shutterstock. Traditional stock agencies generally sell stock photography at a higher price. In contrast, microstock sites offer a low-cost alternative.

The average price that microstock photo sites sell ranges from a few cents to about $5. The photographer then receives a percentage of that sale price. These sites often offer monthly subscriptions to customers for several downloads a month.

Regular stock photography sites, on average, charge a higher price for photos. But it is not unusual for them to sell a photo for a few dollars. So while you may sell more photos on a microstock site, your average sale price will usually be higher on a traditional stock website.

What Is the Difference Between a Managed vs Unmanaged Stock Photo Site?

Some managed stock photography companies have an editor who reviews your photo submissions. And they select the photos that they will want to represent.

So the chosen photos then go through a quality control (QC) process. And this ensures they are good enough for that agency.

An unmanaged agency is one where all the photos you submit are accepted as long as they pass QC. For example, Alamy Stock Photo is an unmanaged stock photo site.

There are pros and cons to using either. The more photos you have online, the more chance of selling one. But on the flip side, the more photos the agency has on its site, the more yours will be lost amongst the crowd.

The other advantage of a managed stock site is that only your best photos will be on sale.

What Should I Look For in the Fine Print?

There are several details to look for. It’s important that after you choose the company that will sell your work, you read and understand the terms and conditions.

There will often be a minimum term that they will want the photo for. So if you decide to pull your images from one agency and move to another, it might be months, if not years, before you can.

You should also be clear on the exclusivity that the agency will need regarding your work. Some stock photography sites will allow you to send the same images to other sites. But some will want exclusive rights to the photos they accept.

That means you won’t be allowed to send those photos to other stock photography sites. This would include similar photos taken that are considered “sister images.”

The other important factor is the commission that you will receive. While one agency might sell your photos at a higher price, they may offer a lower commission.

This could range from 20% to 50% or more. So ensure you check how much you will make from each sale.

Conclusion: Best Places to Sell Photos Online

Stock photography websites are perfect because they take the workload off your shoulders. You can make money just by sharing your portfolio. You can try all the websites we mentioned in this article. Most of them are non-exclusive, so you can add the same image to different platforms and widen your audience.

Non-stock websites will make you more money per image. But they may need more work. For instance, Etsy requires that you print and ship the photos yourself. That process takes time, effort, and energy. But if you stick with it, the long-term payout can be better than stock photography.

So which is the best site to sell photos? We think Picfair is the best choice for selling photos online. This is due to its extensive and varied customer base and worldwide presence. It also has a user-friendly eCommerce features that streamline the accounting process. 

Our Top 3 Choices for Selling Photos Online

Picfair

Picfair

SmugMug

SmugMug

Alamy

Alamy

What is a Shutterstock Contributor?

Shutterstock is an online stock photography resource. The website has millions of images members can use. Shutterstock subscribers can download stock photos and use them for their own media. They can use them for websites, blogs, marketing material, and print media.
Shutterstock doesn’t only supply stock photos. Their catalog includes videos, illustrations, 3D images, and animations. It’s a one-stop shop for anyone looking to decorate their website with professional artistic content. Shutterstock has become a vital resource for thousands of outlets around the world.
Shutterstock is one of the biggest stock photo websites online. Millions of people are signed up to Shutterstock. They’re creative people all over the world. And Shutterstock brings these people together into a global community.
There are two types of Shutterstock accounts. The first is the Shutterstock Customer account. This type of account is for people looking to source and buy stock photos and media. The other is the Shutterstock Contributor account. That’s what we’ll focus on here.

What is a Shutterstock Contributor?

The Shutterstock Contributor accounts make up the creative side of the Shutterstock community. Contributors submit images to the Shutterstock platform. They contribute to the Shutterstock photo library where customers can find the images they want.
Shutterstock has an active customer base. And the customers download the stock photos they want from the library. But media isn’t free. Customers need to pay for the service. Some customers have a monthly subscription that allows them to use a certain number of photos per month. And others use a pay-as-you-go service and pay for each photo individually.
The fact that customers pay for the photos they use means contributors get paid. We’ll get into the pricing specifics later. But it’s good to know a Shutterstock contributor sees a reward when their images are used. That’s why Shutterstock is a creative way to sell photos online.
Free stock websites offer their contributors more exposure. And they serve as a shop window for potential customers. While that is enough for some, Shutterstock pays their contributors when customers download their work. That gives you a tangible reward for the work you do.

Creating a Shutterstock Contributor Account

Signing up as a Shutterstock Contributor is easy. And it’s completely free. There’s no sign-up fee. And you don’t need to pay anything to upload and submit images. All you need to do is enter your name, display name, and email address. Once the email has been verified, you’re in.

Uploading Photos

There’s no limit on how many photos you can upload. But there are a few technical restrictions on the media you submit. Stock photos need to be JPEG files. You can’t upload RAW files. And they need to be at least 4 megapixels in size. The maximum file size for photos is 50 MP.
You can also upload videos and vector images. Videos need to be MOV or MP4 files. And they have to be between 5 and 60 seconds long. Vector images should be EPS files compatible with Adobe Illustrator versions 8 or 10.
This can be slightly confusing at first. Megapixels (MP) are different from megabytes (MB). MP refers to the dimension, while MB refers to the file size. Here’s a section from their website to help explain.
For example:

• 2000 x 2400 pixels = 4.8 Megapixels. A file of this size is acceptable.
• 1200 x 3000 pixels = 3.6 Megapixels. This is smaller than our minimum size requirement, and this file will not be accepted by our system.

Adding Details to Stock Photos

Once you’ve uploaded a stock photo or two, you can add details. The image details help Shutterstock catalog your work correctly. Your photos will then be in the right place in the library, making it easier for customers to find your best photos.
You can select the image type. The two options are Photo or Illustration. And you can select the usage—either Commercial or Editorial. We’ll look at usage agreements in more detail below.
You can free-type a description of each image. And you can select two categories. There are plenty of categories to choose from, including wildlife, landmarks, food, education, and people.
Then you can add keywords to help users find your stock photography. The Shutterstock bot gives you a list of suggested keywords. It’s good at selecting relevant keywords. And you can select your own manually if you need more. You can add up to 50 keywords to a single image.
You need to add the detail for each stock photo individually. This is time-consuming. But taking the time now means you’ll reap more rewards in the future. Customers will be able to find your work more easily. And that means more sales. There’s also a multi-select tool to speed things up.
Once you’ve added all the detail to your stock photos, you can submit them for review. This can take up to five days. But in our experience, you won’t wait much more than a day or two.

How Much Money Do Shutterstock Contributors Make?

While you don’t get any money if your photos are viewed, you do get paid for every stock photo download. There’s no fixed rate for downloaded photos. The amount you get paid per image depends on how many photos you sell. The more photos you sell, the more money you receive for each photo.
The minimum payout amount is 15% of the photo’s sale price. You receive this amount if you sell fewer than 100 photos in year. That goes up to 20% if you sell between 101 and 250 photos yearly. This gradually increases until you reach the top level, where you’ll receive a 40% payout for every stock photo sold. But you must sell more than 25,000 photos per year to make the top level.
As Shutterstock pays a percentage of the sale to the contributors, we can’t give you an exact amount you’ll receive. The price of stock photography varies on their website. And the price can also depend on the type of licence the photos have.

When and How Do Contributors Get Paid?

A Shutterstock contributor gets paid at the end of every month. But only if they reach the minimum payout amount of $35. The amount isn’t lost if you don’t make enough in one month. It stays in your Shutterstock account until you reach the minimum payout target.
Checking the money in your Shutterstock account is easy. You can link your Shutterstock Contributor account to your PayPal, Payoneer, or Skrill accounts. We hope they’ll expand the compatibility to include Tranferwise and other payment services.

Tracking Your Earnings

You can easily track your earnings on your Shutterstock account. Not only can you see how much money you’re making, you can also see which photos are selling well. You can even see where in the world people are buying your stock photos. That’s not very helpful for business. But it’s cool to see where you’re popular.
You can view the details of your earnings. You can view sales for the month. Or you can monitor the entire sales history. The site breaks it down so you can find all the information you need. This is very useful if you’re self-employed.
You can see your top performers. This shows your most downloaded photos. It’s nice to see which photos are popular. But it can also help you develop a sales strategy. You can see the type of images people are looking for and using. Then you can upload more images in that style or on those themes.
Shutterstock only shows you their Shot List. It’s a monthly guide that reveals their most requested content. You can take inspiration from this, creating stock photography to suit the trends. And you’ll be able to predict new trends as your portfolio grows.

Images Uses and Licenses

Shutterstock releases images with two types of licenses. There’s the Standard license and the Enhanced license. The standard license allows customers to use the images for editorial purposes. That includes decorating websites or blogs. And buyers can use them in news articles and other publications. They can’t be used for advertising.
The Enhanced License allows the buyer to use the image for sales and marketing purposes. That means buyers can use the stock photos for advertising. Customers pay more for images with enhanced licenses. And that means the contributors also make more money.
Before listing your stock photography with an Enhanced license, you need to consider a few things. You can’t use a person’s likeness in adverts without their permission. If your image includes people, every recognizable person in the image needs to complete a model release form. Models under 18 also need a minor release form.
You also have to be careful with brand names and other copyrighted properties when you sell photos. You need a property release form from the owner of the property.
Advertising is a tricky business. But thankfully, Shutterstock has everything you need to navigate these rough waters. You can download all the necessary release forms from their website.

The Shutterstock Contributor App

The Shutterstock Contributor app gives you full control of your account from your smartphone. You can upload and submit images from anywhere. And you can monitor sales and performance on the go.
You can upload photos you take on your phone. That allows you to update your portfolio constantly. It’s perfect if you’re traveling or you spot something on your way to work. You can edit it on your phone with Lightroom Mobile. And then you can upload the photo using the Shutterstock Contributor app. It gives you more control and makes your life easier.

How to Make Money as a Shutterstock Contributor

Making money as a Shutterstock contributor isn’t easy, especially if you want to make a lot. You’re competing against other contributors. And they’re all trying to sell photos too. With thousands of Shutterstock Contributors, it can be difficult to get your work noticed. But here are some tips.

Create a Big Portfolio

The bigger the better when it comes to your Shutterstock portfolio. You can’t rely on a couple of your best photos. Create content with a broad set of subjects and themes. Don’t just take photos of flowers or cars. Expand your repertoire. You’ll become a better photographer too.

Edit Your Photos

Editing your photos will help you sell photos. Use editing tools like Adobe Lightroom or Luminar Neo to make your photos stand out. You don’t need to go crazy. But adding a filter or preset can make a huge difference. Buyers want a finished image. They don’t want something they need to edit themselves.

Be Professional When You Upload Stock Photos

Take the uploading process seriously. Take your time to add keywords, descriptions, and categories. It helps customers find your work on a busy stock photography site. People don’t want to scroll for hours to find what they want. With the right keywords, they’ll be able to find your uploads in no time.

Use the Shutterstock Contributor Resources

Use the Top Performers page to evaluate your uploads. What type of images are selling? And which photos aren’t doing so well? Look at the evidence and create a strategy targeting certain audiences.
You can also use the Shot List monthly release. Look at it every month to see the current trends. After a few months, you’ll be able to predict future trends. You’ll be one step ahead of the other contributors.

Should You Become a Shutterstock Contributor?

The short answer is yes. Shutterstock is an excellent stock photography website with one of the biggest image libraries in the world. Users are buying millions of stock photos every week. And there’s no reason they can’t be buying your stock photos. You’ll get more exposure as an artist. But you’ll also receive a financial reward.
Becoming a Shutterstock contributor is the perfect side hustle for a motivated photographer. It’s a great way to supplement your income. But don’t get over-excited. You have to work at it. And it might be some time before you see the big bucks coming your way.
Can you make money on Shutterstock? Yes, you can make money. But you can’t make a living. At least not for a long time. You don’t get much for each sale when you sell photos on Shutterstock. You need to sell a lot of photos to make substantial amounts of money.
Being a Shutterstock Contributor should be your side project. Don’t quit your day job.

We’ll take you through 13 of the best free image hosting sites. We compare what they offer and look at the features that make each site helpful for photographers. By the end of this article, you will have plenty of information to decide on the best free image hosting site.

Our Top 3 Choices for Free Image Hosting

SmugMug

SmugMug

Amazon Prints

Amazon Prints

Wix

Wix

Why You Need to Consider Paid or Free Image Hosting

Image hosting is vital for all photographers. Whether you’re a professional photographer or an enthusiastic hobbyist, it doesn’t matter. Data loss because of a hardware malfunction is painful and frustrating.

There’s a saying that it’s not a question of if your hard drive will fail, but when. The solution to this is image hosting.

Having your photos stored in a cloud service gives you that extra assurance. If something happens to your computer, you won’t lose your photos.

Uploading your images to the cloud also frees up space on your computer, allowing it to work faster. And finally, your images are available across devices. You can share pictures with family and friends and access them anywhere, at any time.

13 Best Paid and Free Image Hosting Websites

Here are our top 13 picks. We list the file size limits for images, supported file types, editing tools, and if they have paid options.

Our Top Pick

SmugMug

SmugMug

• A range of free and paid plans
• Large 3 GB file size limit
• Unlimited space available
• Editing tools included

Best for Prime Subscribers

Amazon Prints

Amazon Prints

• Comprehensive list of compatible files
• Generous 2 GB maximum file size
• Editing tools included
• Paid plans up to 2 TB storage

Best Website Builder Option

Wix

Wix

• Excellent range of templates
• Very user-friendly site
• No coding required
• Up to unlimited storage space available

Best for Cross-Platform Sharing

Dropbox

Dropbox

• Huge 2 TB maximum file size
• Apps available for Mac, iOS, PC and Android
• Up to 5 TB paid storage
• Very flexible storage arrangements

Best for Google Workspace Users

Google Photo Prints

Google Photo Prints

• Up to 200 MB image size
• Editing tools included
• 15 GB of free storage
• Cross-platform compatibility

Best for Social Networking

Flickr

Flickr

• Free storage for up to 1,000 items
• 200 MB maximum image size
• Comes with editing and sharing tools
• Unlimited storage with paid plans

Best for Showcasing Images

500px

500px

• Up to 21 free uploads per week
• 50 MB maximum image size
• Editing tools are included
• Follow other photographers' portfolios

Best for Free Unlimited Storage

ImgBB

ImgBB

• Unlimited storage even on free plans
• 32 MB maximum image size on free plans
• Comes with editing tools
• Simple drag-and-drop upload process

Best Option for Reddit Users

Imgur

Imgur

• Unlimited storage
• Maximum 20 MB image size
• Upload up to 50 images per hour
• Good range of compatible file types

Best for Easy Image Resizing

PostImage

PostImage

• Up to 24 MB file size in free plan
• Unlimited storage
• Tailored resizing for different uses
• Editing tools included

Best Option for Pinterest Users

ImageShack

ImageShack

• Up to 10 GB storage on a free trial
• Comes with editing tools
• 25 MB maximum file size
• Unlimited storage space

Easiest to Use

imgbox

imgbox

• Unlimited storage space
• Maximum 10 MB image size
• Free to use
• Simple drag-and-drop uploads

Best for Remote Uploading

Uploads.im

Uploads.im

• Unlimited storage space
• Good range of compatible file types
• 10 MB maximum file size
• Easy Pinterest and X (Twitter) sharing

1. SmugMug

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 3 GB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types RAW, JPEG, GIF, PNG, HEIC
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited except RAW (512 GB, 1+ TB plans)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free 14-day trial, monthly and yearly paid plans
Best For	Best For Photographers wanting a website and storage solution

×

SmugMug

SmugMug

$1.00

Buy Now!

SmugMug is one of the most popular platforms for photographers. It’s a great site to display your photos and sell prints and other products.

No one who takes photos is left behind. There are features for everyone, whether you are a pro, an enthusiast, or a “memory maker.”

The basic plan is relatively cheap, and you can pay an annual subscription. This gets you the secure photo storage that you need.

You get more storage and increased features with the pricier plans. These include the ability to create a customizable portfolio site with your own domain. There are 21 design options. And there are editing tools that allow you to tweak the templates.

They have also introduced RAW file storage services. You can pay for RAW file storage starting at 512 GB. Plus, they have plugins for Adobe Lightroom and Capture One. And there are apps for mobile and desktop for easy organization.

Another bonus of SmugMug is that you can set up an eCommerce store to sell prints or photos. And sharing on social media is also an option. You can try SmugMug with a 14-day free trial.

2. Amazon Prime Photos

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 2 GB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types RAW, JPEG, PNG, GIF+
Storage Space	Storage Space 5 GB, 100 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free with Amazon Prime membership, paid storage upgrades
Best For	Best For Anyone with an Amazon Prime subscription

×

Amazon Prints

Amazon

$1.00

Buy Now!

Prime Photos is Amazon’s photo storage solution, available free for Prime members. You can store and share unlimited high-resolution photos on your desktop computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. And it includes 5 GB of storage for videos. The full list of compatible file types is quite extensive.

The service also lets you order photo prints, cards, custom wall decor, and other products. And it includes free shipping.

With a Prime membership, you can invite up to five people to receive unlimited photo storage. With “groups,” you can share images with anyone, even if they’re not a Prime member.

You can use iOS or Android mobile apps to auto-save your photos. Then safely delete them from your phone to free up space on your device. As with the other options, you can pay to upgrade Prime Photos to a complete suite of services.

3. Wix

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 25 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, GIF+, and others
Storage Space	Storage Space 500 MB (free), 2 GB, 50 GB, 100 GB, Unlimited (paid)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools No
Options	Options Free and monthly paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a combined website builder and image storing solution

×

Wix

Wix

$1.00

Buy Now!

Wix is well known for being one of the biggest website hosting platforms on the internet. They have been around for many years. And they have solidified themselves as an easy-to-use, cheap way to have a professional website. But you can also use Wix for free image hosting.

It doesn’t offer a fully dedicated service specifically tailored for free image hosting. Instead, you have to set up a website with Wix in a way that shares your photos easily. This is both a negative and a positive, depending on why and how you share your photos.

It’s negative because you must spend time setting up and organizing an efficient way to present your images. But this isn’t too much of an issue because Wix provides many great website templates.

It’s a positive because you get to share images exactly how you want to present them. This could be particularly useful for people who want to share their work as a portfolio.

Wix allows you to upload in JPEGs and PNGs with an image size limit of 25 MB.

4. Dropbox

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 2 TB (desktop and mobile)
Supported File Types	Supported File Types RAW, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, BMP, PDF, GIF, HEIC+
Storage Space	Storage Space 2 GB (free), 2 TB, 3 TB, 5 TB+ (paid)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools No
Options	Options Free and monthly paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for a comprehensive online storage solution

×

Dropbox

Dropbox

$1.00

Buy Now!

Dropbox is a simple and efficient way to store your photos. The best way to understand this platform is as a virtual box where you can “drop” your photos. They’re saved in the cloud and available for you to access anytime.

You can also upload images from your computer to Dropbox as you would with any other files. Or you can upload them from its Android and iOS apps. File sizes are limited to 50 GB through the Dropbox website and 350 GB through the Dropbox API.

Dropbox supports a broad range of image files. You can organize your folders and sub-galleries and share links to individual files or folders. You can also sync your photos to a folder on your desktop.

Once photos are in the cloud, you can share the files directly with other Dropbox users. It also backs up photos automatically. So you don’t have to worry about losing data.

To share a photo, right-click on the image and then copy and paste the link to your desired sharing location. You can also share this link via email. Plus, your contacts or visitors can download your photos if you provide them with access.

Dropbox doesn’t provide specialized tools for photographers. But it’s an excellent option for storing original or edited versions of your photos. And Dropbox is free up to 2 GB of storage.

5. Google Photos

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 200 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, GIF, HEIC, ICO, WEBP, and some RAW files
Storage Space	Storage Space 15 GB (free), 1 TB (Google Workspace), 100 GB, 200 GB, 2 TB (paid)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free and monthly paid plans
Best For	Best For Google Workspace users

×

Google Photo Prints

Google

$1.00

Buy Now!

Google Photos is an excellent service for uploading high-quality images. And you can do so in large quantities, which many other sites don’t offer. The platform also offers automatic backups, unlimited space, and uploads.

You can store photos at a maximum resolution of 16 MP. Videos can have a maximum resolution of 1080p. To save a bigger image or video file, you must pay for space on Google Drive.

To get started, download the Google Photos app or go to Google Photos. You can automatically upload your photos and sync them with your Google account.

You can store images using your free 15 GB storage space from your Google account. Or you can pay for 100 GB, 200 GB, or 2 TB storage plans. You can upload JPEGs, PNGS, and GIF images, as well as some other file formats.

Google Photos provides an easy way to share and upload images. A lot of people have a Google account. So if you don’t want to create a new account on a different platform, this might be the photo-sharing platform for you.

6. Flickr

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 200 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, GIF (non-animated)
Storage Space	Storage Space 1,000 items (free), Unlimited (paid)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free, monthly, yearly, and two-year paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for good social media integrations

×

Flickr

Flickr

$1.00

Buy Now!

A lot of photographers have forgotten about Flickr. But it has been around for a long time, and it’s still trendy to use. Flickr offers free image hosting. And you can organize your images into albums and edit them from within the app.

One of the main draws of Flickr is social networking. You can share your photos with the community and join groups for different types of photography.

Photographers can mark their favorite images and also leave comments. And you can edit your privacy settings to control who sees your photos.

Flickr offers a large amount of storage and an interface that’s simple to use. You can upload up to 1,000 high-resolution images on their free plan.

If you upgrade to the Flickr Pro plan, you get unlimited storage, 6K photo display, and access to advanced statistics. You also receive discounts for SmugMug, Blurb, PHLEARN, and Priime.

7. 500px

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 50 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, HEIC, TIFF
Storage Space	Storage Space 21 images per week (free), Unlimited (paid)
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free and monthly paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for online storage with easy sharing options

×

500px

500px

$1.00

Buy Now!

Created with professional photographers in mind, 500px offers a platform to display your images. The free version lets you upload 21 photos per week. But if you buy any of the membership options, you can upload unlimited photos. Plus, you’ll receive priority customer support.

The primary function of 500px is showcasing images, not social media sharing. And you can’t link to other sites.

The most significant benefits are displaying your photos and networking. You can share your pictures and make comments on other photos. You can also follow your favorite photographers.

You can build a profile on 500px and license your photos as stock photography. You’ll get paid up to 60% commission for any sales.

8. ImgBB

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 32 MB (free), 64 MB (paid)
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, GIF, WEBP, HEIC, PDF
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free, monthly, yearly, and three-year paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for unlimited storage online

×

ImgBB

ImgBB

$1.00

Buy Now!

ImgBB is one of the best free image hosting sites because it’s easy to upload, organize, and share photos. It has a minimalist approach to its design. And I am a big fan of it. This simple layout makes it easy to identify and upload your images.

One of the best points about ImgBB is that it doesn’t restrict the number of images you can upload, even using its free service. You will get an image size restriction of 32 MB. But you can upload images up to 64 MB in the paid monthly plans.

Once your account is set up, you can drag and drop your files onto the page to upload images. Another strong point of ImgBB is the quick access to a range of links. These include direct links to a full-size image or thumbnail HTML links for integration with different sites.

I would say ImgBB is one of the best free image hosting sites on our list. You can read our review of ImgBB for more information.

9. Imgur

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 20 MB (non-animated)
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, GIF+
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited, 50 images per hour
Editing Tools	Editing Tools No
Options	Options Free
Best For	Best For Anyone who wants unlimited online storage for free

×

Imgur

imgur

$1.00

Buy Now!

With Imgur, you don’t have to worry about your photos expiring. You can also store as many images as you want. Plus, they have features to add captions to your photos or upload them via email.

Unlike some of the other image hosting options, Imgur allows direct linking. Each image can have a link posted in forums or embedded in HTML.

You can upload many different file formats to Imgur besides the standard ones like JPEG and PNG. These include BMP, TIFF, GIF, APNG, PDF, and XCF. It supports non-animated files up to 20 MB and GIFs up to 200 MB.

You can share your images on most social networking sites. Imgur is often used for uploads to Reddit.

10. PostImage

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 24 MB (free), 48 MB (paid)
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG+
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options Free, monthly, and yearly paid plans
Best For	Best For Anyone looking to tailor the size of their photos according to usage

×

PostImage

postimage

$1.00

Buy Now!

PostImage is another free image hosting site that provides a simple way to send your photos over the web. My favorite feature of PostImage is when you upload photos. Before you even select your images, it gives you two options.

The first is to resize your image. PostImage has made this amazingly helpful by providing the resolution. It also tells you what these resolutions are best for. This ranges from a thumbnail to a 21-inch monitor.

The other option you get is to set an expiry date for your photo. You still have the option for no expiration. But having an expiry date could suit your needs, especially if you don’t want your images lurking around the web.

Apart from this initial resizing tool and the expiration date, PostImage has no other editing features. But you do get the opportunity to upload your photos in bulk.

The free version downscales “hot link” images to 1280 pixels. Their premium plan shows these images in their original resolution.

PostImage is a great free image hosting service if you want a simple, fast way to share your images. It’s specifically meant to share images on websites, blogs, message boards, and eBay.

11. ImageShack

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 25 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, GIF+
Storage Space	Storage Space 10 GB (free trial), Unlimited
Editing Tools	Editing Tools Yes
Options	Options 30-day free trial, monthly and yearly paid plans
Best For	Best For Pinterest users wanting online storage

×

ImageShack

ImageShack

$1.00

Buy Now!

ImageShack is another of the more familiar image hosting sites on our list. It may not be a free service anymore. But you do get a free 30-day trial. This may be beneficial for a particularly busy time when you have to use an image hosting site for a short period.

will prefer using this site as it has a similar layout. This layout style makes it extremely easy to quickly sift through large amounts of imagery.

ImageShack is now a primarily paid service. But you still get all the extra bells and whistles of an image hosting site during your free trial.

These features include great mobile app integration, image stats, and many photo editing methods. It even has a useful watermark option that can save you lots of time.

The ImageShack free trial allows you to upload up to 10 GB of images during that month. Paid versions have unlimited photo storage. Each image can have a maximum size of 25 MB. And you can upload all the major image formats. These include JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, and GIF.

12. ImgBox

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 10 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, GIF
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited
Editing Tools	Editing Tools No
Options	Options Free
Best For	Best For Anyone looking for an easy-to-use online storage solution

×

imgbox

imgbox

$1.00

Buy Now!

ImgBox is a free, easy-to-use platform for sharing your images. This platform has unlimited storage space and lets you store your photos permanently. JPEGs, PNGs, and GIFs are all supported.

The platform offers several features. These include image galleries, drag-and-drop uploads, and direct links.

You don’t even need to create an account to upload your images. But having an account gives you the ability to access your photos later. It also allows you to upload your images quicker with preset settings.

You can even share your photos via social media and allow comments from others through ImgBox. You can learn about current social media image dimensions here.

13. Uploads.im

Image File Size Limit	Image File Size Limit 10 MB
Supported File Types	Supported File Types JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, GIF, PSD, PDF
Storage Space	Storage Space Unlimited
Editing Tools	Editing Tools No
Options	Options Free
Best For	Best For Anyone wanting to upload from remote websites

×

Uploads.im

uploads.im

$1.00

Buy Now!

With Uploads.im, you can upload various image file types via their main page. You can upload directly from your computer by clicking the “local” button. Or you can click on the “remote” tab to upload from a URL.

This platform supports uploading several images at one time. The size limit for a single image is 10 MB. There are no restrictions on the number of image files you can upload. And images won’t be deleted after a certain amount of time.

You can share your image on Pinterest or Twitter or post it to a forum or blog with links and codes. And they also provide a hyperlink shortener.

Uploads.im isn’t your traditional image hosting site where you can easily view your images. But it can be useful if you only share images occasionally or need to share an image in a pinch.

Conclusion: Best Paid and Free Image Hosting Sites

These paid and free image hosting websites offer some great features. The file size and type of files you can upload determine how much you can utilize them. You also want to watch out for included editing tools that can be a huge time saver.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution that is perfect for everyone. You may need to use a couple of services that complement each other to meet all your image hosting needs. But after looking through our list, you should see what services will work best for you.

Our Top 3 Choices for Free Image Hosting

SmugMug

SmugMug

Amazon Prints

Amazon Prints

Wix

Wix

When it comes to photography, there are a lot of different types of photos that you can take. But one type of photo that is especially popular is the stock photo.

Quality and Variety

Depositphotos Stock Photos

Are you asking what stock photos are and how to use them properly? Check out this article for valuable information. And when you’re ready to start using stock photos, visit our store for a vast collection of high-quality images.

What Are Stock Photos?

Stock photos are images created by photographers that are available for use by others. They cover all types of photography with no limits on genre or style. Stock photos are cataloged and made available by a stock image agency.

You can use stock photos to illustrate and decorate websites and publications. There are millions of stock images available online. No matter what topic you must illustrate, you can find an image that works.

Stock site assets aren’t limited to photos. Many stock image websites also provide illustrations, animations, and web templates. You’ll find stock video footage too. But photos are the most commonly provided resource.

Stock photography has been around for more than 100 years. Stock photography agencies have several staff photographers on their books. And they make their work available to print publications.

These days, you find stock agencies on the internet. They have vast catalogs of stock images people can use for their websites, blogs, and publications. Photographers and image-makers contribute their photos to the catalog voluntarily.

Types of Photos on Stock Websites

There are no restrictions when it comes to genres in photography. Stock websites have any photos you can think of. But stock images have a reputation for being generic or “stocky.”

“Stocky” images look staged and unnatural. Subjects are clearly actors creating a scene that’s directed. The colors are often flat, and there’s very little creativity with lighting and camera work.

These stock images can still be used for textbooks and instruction manuals. But other content creators want something more creative and natural. They want photography work that fits with the style of their publication.

Most stock photography websites are moving away from the staged and unnatural style. Adobe Stock, Depositphotos, iStock, and  Shutterstock still offer an excellent range of stock images.

But JumpStory and Unsplash offer more creative photography options. Gratisography takes it even further with its quirky collection of images.

You don’t need to worry about quality when you use a legitimate resource for stock images. They all use high-resolution photos you can use in any publication. Enlarging them won’t be an issue.

And with the rise of AI in photography, many stock photo websites now have AI-generated content. You’ll have to decide whether they fit with the aesthetic you are looking for.

The Benefits of Stock Photos

Hiring a full-time photographer is expensive. Even hiring a freelance photographer temporarily can be more trouble than it’s worth. You might not have the budget. And you might not need that many photos.

Stock photos make your life that much easier. You can search a stock image catalog and download the photos you need. You can insert them into your media without writing a contract for a staff photographer. It’s cheaper and far less time-consuming.

You may need to pay a subscription or royalty fees. But these are cheaper and easier than hiring a professional photographer whenever you need a few pictures.

The stock photo companies also know what’s popular. They can check their data to create a stock catalog with images people want. Their libraries are curated and crafted to make it easy for users to find what they need.

Using a legitimate stock photo company also helps you avoid legal issues. If you use a photo with no image license or steal a picture from an unregulated source, you might find yourself in hot water. Stock photo websites have the legalities straightened out already.

How to Access Stock Photos

Most stock photography agencies are now online. The information super-highway has streamlined the process of accessing stock images. You no longer need to call the agency and order a physical catalog. And you don’t need to go to their office in the city.

There are paid and free stock photo websites you can use. Most paid stock agencies have a subscription-based. They give you a limited number of monthly image downloads for a set price. Adobe Stock and Shutterstock do this.

Other paid stock photo websites have a pay-as-you-go system. You pay a price for each stock photo you download. Prices can vary. This payment type has become more common for smaller or sporadic projects. You used to find them mainly on more specialist stock image catalogs.

Now, stock sites use a blend of subscriptions and on-demand options. iStock offers both a subscription and Credit Packs that can be used to buy individual photos and videos. Depositphotos has adopted a similar system with a subscription and an On Demand option.

Several other stock photo websites are free to use. You don’t need an account, and there’s no limit on the number of photos you can download. Their collections of photos tend to be smaller. But they’re an excellent resource for budget-conscious creators.

Unsplash, Pexels, and Pixabay are three websites that provide excellent free stock photos. They cover nearly any photography genre you can think of. And they’re all high-quality photos. You can also register for free to access more stock photos.

Unsplash and Pixabay even have paid options through iStock. And Pexels is partnered with Canva if you frequently use that web-based design service.

How You Can Use Stock Photos

Copyright and licensing laws mean you can’t just use any photo you find on your website. Rights of use belong to the creator or their agency. You can’t go to a photographer’s website, copy an image, and use it on your web page. That’s illegal.

Stock photo agencies have special licenses that let others use the photos in their library. The agency and the photographers agree to the terms of the license. This ensures no one is being ripped off. The photographers have agreed for their photos to be used in this way and get paid.

You can use your stock photos for your site or blog if you get them from a reliable source. You can also use stock images to create your own artwork, like composite photos or digital collages.

Image licensing is a tricky business. Even if you pay a subscription for stock images, you don’t have free reign over them. There are legal limitations that determine how you can use a stock image. It depends on the type of image license the agency has.

The two most common stock photo license types are editorial and commercial. Each has its own set of rules about how you can use the images.

Editorial Use of Stock Photos

Most online stock images have an “editorial use only” license. This is especially true with free stock photo websites.

Editorial use images can be used for news media, illustrating blogs, and websites. Any photo can have an editorial license. There’s no restriction on styles or genres of photography. They can be anything from portrait and landscape to street and food photography.

You cannot use editorial use photos for commercial purposes. You can’t use a stock photo with an editorial license to advertise a product. And you can’t use them in any for-profit capacity. If you want to advertise, you’ll need a commercial license.

 

Commercial Use of Stock Photos

The commercial use license agreement allows photos to be used in for-profit activities. You’re free to use them to advertise products or services. You’ll find them in marketing materials for brands and corporations.

Unlike editorial license photos, they can include logos and brand names. And the images can be used on resale products, like packaging and clothes.

Commercial use images are far less common than editorial photos. And while you can use commercial images for editorial purposes, you can’t use editorial photos for commercial purposes. The terms of a commercial license are far more complex.

Any recognizable person in the image must give permission when advertising a product. Anyone featured in the photo has to provide a model release form. Without it, the person can take legal action for using their image without consent.

If you’re using a paid stock image service, it’s more likely that the images have a commercial license. And you won’t find commercial stock images with logos or brand names. Free sites are less strict about the images they include in their library, which can cause problems.

 

Royalty-Free and Rights-Managed Licenses

Royalty-free and rights-managed licenses refer to relationships between buyer and photo agency. It determines the ownership rights of the photos being purchased.

A royalty-free license is the most common you’ll come across. Most free and paid stock photo websites use a royalty-free agreement. These include Adobe Stock, iStock, Shutterstock, and Unsplash.

Royalty-free images have a non-exclusivity agreement. It means the photos are available to all subscribers, not only you. Anyone can download and use the same image on their website or publication. The only restrictions relate to commercial and editorial purposes.

Right-managed licenses are negotiated on an individual basis. The buyer manages the rights to the photos they want to use with the stock photo agency. The license is tailored to each client’s needs. They can negotiate exclusive rights so the images can’t be sold to or used by anyone else.

Getty Images is the place to buy stock photos with rights-managed licenses. They are by far the biggest commercial stock photo website. They dominate the rights-managed market.

Every company wants a unique and outstanding marketing campaign. That’s why larger companies always go for a rights-managed license. With royalty-free images, there’s a risk the same image will be used by someone else.

 

The Ethics of Using Stock Photos

You have a lot of freedom when it comes to stock images. Whether using editorial images or planning a commercial project, you can use the photo in many ways. But there are some ethical considerations to consider.

Every stock photography company credits its contributing photographers. They’re the creator and the artist, so they deserve to be credited for their work. This is no different when using stock images on your website or blog.

You should never pass stock images off as your photos. This isn’t just unethical. It’s illegal, too. If you’re using other people’s work to illustrate your publication, you should give credit where it’s due.

Many digital artists use stock photos for digital collages and composite images. But using stock images for digital collages creates another ethical problem. When does the image become your own and not the original creators?

There is no definitive answer to this question. But you must add enough creativity to ensure the piece is your own. Making minor tweaks isn’t enough to claim ownership of someone else’s image.

It’s best practice to show effort and integrity. Our colleague Anna Maghradze utilizes this creative approach as a successful example. She gives her collages a distinct and dreamy vibe.

This effort can be made in many ways. There are excellent editing tools like Adobe Photoshop and Luminar Neo. They have excellent mask and layer tools that let you combine different images. There are some excellent drawing tools, too.

Stock photos may be easy to access and an excellent resource. But the photo does not become yours when you download it. Some of the rules are set by law. But others rely on the good ethics of the users.

 

Conclusion: What Are Stock Photos?

So, what are stock photos? Stock photos are an excellent resource in today’s content-heavy world. Everyone needs photos to decorate and illustrate their publications and websites. Professional photographers can be too expensive and inconvenient. Stock images are the perfect solution.

You have to make sure you’re downloading photos from a trustworthy source. You don’t want to break any copyright laws. And you need to know the images with the correct license for what you want to do. You can’t advertise with editorial-use images.

There are some excellent stock photography websites online. You have free and paid options, which offer extensive libraries of images. And now, many stock image websites are finding their own niche. You’ll be able to find exactly what you need. Just remember to credit the artists.

Quality and Variety

Depositphotos Stock Photos

We hope we’ve answered the question, what are stock photos, and you’ve learned how to use them properly. If you’re ready to use stock photos, visit our store for a vast collection of high-quality images.

 

Demand for stock photos and the number of sites keeps growing. We now have access to stock photo sites boasting over a million images each! So, we look at the best stock photo sites. And I’ll guide you through the best paid and free stock image sites available.

Free Images

Shutterstock 10 Free Images

Looking for information on the best stock photo sites? Check out our article for a comprehensive guide, including a store link offering 10 free images.

6 Best Paid Stock Photo Sites

Here are the top six paid stock photo sites we recommend. Most stock photo sites now integrate artificial intelligence (AI). This could be with AI-generated images or processes. So, make sure you’re paying attention to the types of assets you’re downloading, whether you want AI photos or not.

1. Shutterstock

Shutterstock is a mammoth stock image site. It’s the most extensive stock photo site, with over one billion images to search through. This is because they were one of the first stock photo sites around.

Their catalog relies on contributions from over one million different stock photographers. With this in mind, you can find an image to suit your needs. But because there is so much content, you may spend a while looking for your perfect picture.

It seems like Shutterstock has taken the “quantity-over-quality” approach. But this doesn’t mean that there aren’t good images, though. They also provide video, music, templates, and even 3D models. And they offer a simple-to-use photo editing tool.

You can get access to their site through a subscription or on-demand package. Monthly subscriptions start at $29  for three images and go up to $499 for 750, depending on how many you want.

Their yearly subscriptions offer better deals, starting at $29 per month (10 images) and up to $199 per month (750 images). There are also savings available if you pay upfront for the whole year.

Their on-demand packages begin at $29 for two images and go up to $575 for 250 images. Take advantage of Shutterstock’s free trial and enjoy 10 free image downloads. You can check Shutterstock’s pricing and save 15% with our code EXPERTPHOTO.

2. Depositphotos

Depositphotos is one of the best stock photo sites I have come across. The breadth of the database offers you a range of stock photo options. There’s everything from stylized shots to more playful and simple images. They also provide royalty-free videos, music, templates, and special effects.

I enjoy the way it lets you refine your search. So will people who know what kind of images they want. Depositphotos also has a refined search bar that lets you browse by camera angle!

After you choose your image, you select the size and quality you want. Under your photo, they give you similar photo options that may better suit your needs.

Depositphotos also has a bunch of tools you can take advantage of. They offer features that can remove a background or upscale your image. This is useful for people who aren’t highly skilled at editing.

Depositphotos offers both monthly and pay-on-demand options. The cost is about average among stock photo sites.

They have multiple monthly payment rates. Ten images per month will cost you $9.99, while 750 images will cost you $299. You get extra savings if you go with the yearly plans and even more if you pay upfront!

Each photo above your allotted amount costs $1 each on all plans. And their on-demand options start at $29 for five images and go up to $219 for 125.

3. Jumpstory

Jumpstory boasts an 80% better performance than other stock photo websites. I’m unsure if they measure this by the quality of results or its search-to-download success rate. But, I am not surprised by this claim as they provide high-quality images. Along with content, they offer on-site features to perfect your images.

You can use their images with confidence. Jumpstory assures they’re safer to use than ones from free platforms. This is because of the international licenses they use, as well as offering unique global insurance.

They also have a unique artificial intelligence (AI) that uses machine learning to get rid of sub-par images. They aim for real images that “directly connect(s) to the customer’s message.” This is a great feature that makes sense in a stock image site.

Compatibility with other sites is another unique feature. They have integrated access to many website builders you may use, like Wix and WordPress. This integrated access might be why you want to pay for a service like Jumpstory.

Their “assistant” feature is also great. If you’re too busy to find images, fill out the form, and they will have someone search for you!

Price-wise, they are among the best. For a single month, plan to spend $39. If you subscribe for the entire year, the monthly cost drops to $19. These prices are for unlimited downloads per month! In comparison to other paid sites, this looks like the cheapest option.

For our readers, Jumpstory offers the coupon code EXPO25 for a 25% discount. You can use this Jumpstory coupon code on any plan you buy.

4. iStock

iStock is the sister brand of the giant Getty Images database. This database was created in 1999, making it the first stock photo website! With stock image databases, the longer they exist, the more content they offer. This means they have a wide range of images to fit the bill.

They offer royalty-free photos, vectors, illustrations, and videos. They even have a video editor you can use. This is helpful for someone who wants to make simple video edits but doesn’t have the software or time to do so.

iStock offers three types of subscriptions—basic, premium, and premium + video. The monthly rate starts at $29 and goes up to $333, depending on what and how much content you want to download.

They also offer pay-as-you-go credit packs. You can buy three credits for $12 and up to 300 for $2400. And there are other offers in between, with bigger savings if you buy more.

One credit goes toward one high-quality, budget image. Three credits buy you unique, signature iStock images. Videos need more—6 and 18 credits, respectively.

Check out their pricing page to see which package is best for you. Their prices can be hefty, but you’re guaranteed high-quality content because they are partners with Getty.

5. Adobe Stock

Of course, it makes sense for this imaging software giant to create its own database. And who wouldn’t want stock photo integration with every Adobe product? This is particularly useful for designing brochures or websites with Adobe software.

The site offers images, vectors, videos, audio, set templates, and 3D options. Searching is easy thanks to its refined advanced search feature. It even has the option to search images by their depth of field!

I am a fan of the user interface. It’s easy to navigate and displays the stock photos with no distractions. Adobe offers 10 free stock images and a 30-day trial. But beyond that, you need to pay for their services.

Their monthly subscriptions include “standard assets.” This includes standard images, templates, 3D, and music tracks. Subscriptions start at $29.99 (annual, monthly paid) for 10 standard monthly assets and 500 generative AI credits.

There are other plans for 25, 40, or 750 assets (or 3, 6, or 25 HD videos) a month. For 750 standard assets, shell out $199.99 monthly on a yearly commitment (otherwise, $249.99 monthly). Beyond the first tier, you get savings if you opt for yearly rather than monthly payments.

If you want premium content or video, Adobe Stock offers “credit packs” that start at $49.95 for 5 images. Other tiers go up to 150 standard images for $299. These prices are about average when looking at the top end of the best stock photo sites.

6. EyeEm

EyeEm is a high-end photo stock site, and its sleek design reflects this. It has a wide selection of high-quality images available on its site. They have a well-curated selection of photos. The extra price may be worth it if you’re looking for extremely well-taken stock images.

For on-demand buying, they offer two pricy photo packs. The first is 5 photos for $420. The second is 10 photos for $790. This is their discounted “essential” tier. Their premium tier is even more!

Their monthly and yearly subscription prices are a bit trickier to work out. Their cheapest monthly subscription of 150 photos costs $9 per photo (essential tier). That means the cheapest subscription is $1350 per month, making EyeEm the most expensive on this list.

With this service, you also get a chance to book a custom photoshoot. It is an excellent high-end option for more prominent companies who want their own images. They even have an “enterprise” option to discuss your brand and a customized budget.

This stock site is costly, but that is looking from an individual point of view. Their images are possibly the highest quality of all the sites listed here. So, if your company has the money, I recommend EyeEm.

6 Best Free Stock Photo Sites

These six sites offer an impressive array of free stock images to fuel your visual endeavors.

1. Unsplash

Unsplash is a free stock photo site you can’t avoid. It’s quick and easy to select and download the images you want. This is ideal for people who work with images where sourcing them is not a worry.

For a free stock photo site, the quality of the images is excellent. This is why they earn their spot as one of the best free stock photo sites. Of course, they don’t have the range that the paid services do. But over five million high-resolution images for free isn’t bad at all.

From its humble beginnings as a Tumblr blog, Unsplash has grown tremendously. The UN and other global organizations now use them. The only thing I have trouble with is their search engine. It is not as refined as others. You have to adjust your search occasionally.

You also get premium options on each search. This is done with independent photographers and Getty Images (iStock).

2. Pexels

Pexels is another one of the best free stock photo sites. Their search engine makes finding the perfect image a breeze. The search bar auto-fills suggestions as you type the same way Google does. In this same section, you can access your recent searches. They also suggest collections of images related to the search terms you use.

Pexels is one of the databases with an excellent curation of free stock photos. You won’t have to scroll through junk to find classy images. Also, Pexels is one of the only free services that give you access to free videos!

A nice feature is that they display the licensing terms. This clarity can be helpful for people who don’t know the details about copyright. You can see what you can use the images for and in what ways.

3. Pixabay

Pixabay offers the broadest range of materials for free. This includes free stock photos, illustrations, vectors, video, music, and sound effects. I hadn’t heard of them before researching for this article. But after seeing their stock, I will use them in the future. Their database is vast, with over 4.2 million assets to choose from.

A nice feature that makes them unique is that some images display their metadata. If you’re using stock image websites, you probably don’t care too much about the photo’s information. But it adds a nice touch to some of the images, almost giving you the feel of more authority over them.

Like Unsplash, Pixabay links to premium site photos from iStock. But after browsing their catalog, I doubt you will even need to pay for this service.

4. Burst

Shopify powers burst. Shopify is an online platform that lets people set up stores and sell their products. Unsurprisingly, they have dipped their toes into the world of royalty-free stock photos.

I am a fan of their straightforward design. It takes nothing away from the images they present. The only downside is they do not have a dedicated advanced search feature.

I also think that their free stock photos aren’t as refined as others. But, it is different. The free stock photos here are not on any other stock image sites.

Another great feature is their “search by business ideas.” This is great for people starting a new business or Shopify account. Type in your business idea, and this feature suggests collections of related images. This can be helpful if you aren’t great at using the search bar to find specific photos.

5. StockSnap

StockSnap is an average stock image site. They have a great database, but some images look like they were taken on a point-and-shoot camera. This is fine and might even be the perfect image for some people. But for finding high-quality stock photos, it doesn’t compare to other sites.

A helpful search feature is viewing “trending” material. This is useful as you can see what kind of images or colors are popular at the moment. Plus, you can scroll to the bottom and find free stock photos that rarely circulate.

StockSnap’s premium service links with Shutterstock. I’m not fond of how they mix their premium images with their basic selection. The only indicator you get is a small star in the top left of each premium image. But this is a minor issue and doesn’t detract from the browsing experience.

6. Gratisography

Gratisography is a different kind of stock photo site. They advertise themselves as having the world’s “quirkiest” collection of free stock photos. It’s curated, so there aren’t as many images as the other stock photo sites on this list. Some of my searches didn’t even come up with any results.

Gratisography claims that “stock image sites love too much stock and not enough image.” This is an interesting point. But, when you look at their free stock photos, it isn’t the best-curated selection.

You get a refined search, but I wouldn’t call the images “quirky.” Instead, they come across as a bit amateurish. And the interface is littered with links to Shutterstock.

They also have an easy interface where searching and downloading are painless. I use this website to search for images that aren’t anywhere else or if I find results on other sites too vanilla. Either way, this is an excellent site to get unexpected results.

Conclusion: Best Stock Photo Sites

Stock photo sites have been around for a while. There is a whole range of services to choose from. Searching for a particular image in these vast databases can be overwhelming. But it all comes down to importance.

If you’re using the image for a website or brochure, be conscious the image you choose represents your business or brand. Spend time picking the right image that conveys your message best.

Most of the time, free stock image sites are enough to find what you need. But if you use stock images daily, it’s worth paying for the services. Realistically, you’re paying for time saved along with the high-quality images.

That’s our list of the best stock photo sites. One of these stock image sites on our list will meet your needs. Get browsing! And be sure to bookmark this page in case your preferred site doesn’t have the content you need.

Free Images

Shutterstock 10 Free Images

Looking for information on the best stock photo sites? Check out our article for a comprehensive guide, including a store link offering 10 free images.

If you’re looking to showcase and sell your work, we recommend checking out Squarespace. It’s a user-friendly platform with beautiful templates. And there are easy-to-use eCommerce features and seamless integrations. It’s excellent for showing and selling stock photos.

Visual Portfolio Showcase

Squarespace Custom Website Builder

Discover the perfect platform to showcase and sell your best selling stock photos. With Squarespace’s user-friendly interface and eCommerce features, you can create a professional website that inspires and captivates your audience.

20 Best Selling Stock Photos

Here are 20 themes for stock photos that consistently sell well!

1. Modern Aging

Today’s older generation was born in a very different world. They grew up in an era without digital technology and with a strict life structure.

Now they adapt to new trends and find a way to make themselves at home in our modern world.

Older people are staying active longer than before. They’re comfortable at workplaces, playing sports, and learning how technology functions.

They are a big part of society and have lots of spending power. Brands and companies want to have images that show older people. This makes them more relatable across generations.

2. DIY Projects

DIY projects kept people sane in the year of the pandemic. And baking and cooking at home, DIY design, and DIY photographer tools are still trending.

Businesses that couldn’t operate during the lockdown now share how to recreate their products at home.

One of the best examples was the Dalgona coffee trend in 2021. You only need three ingredients to make this simple yet delicious (and photogenic!) coffee.

The trend started on TikTok and spread across every social media platform. And this included stock photo websites.

But the same is true for baking your own bread, fixing your bookshelf, or growing herbs on your balcony.

3. Mental Health Awareness

Caring for our mental health is still not as important as it should be. But recent years have brought more awareness and a new interest in the topic.

In the past few years, we’ve needed mental stability and a peaceful mind more than ever. People want to find a way to switch off and deal with stress and uncertainty.

More and more platforms are discussing or promoting awareness of mental health. And stock photos aren’t an exception.

4. Time Spent in Nature

Love for nature has been among the top stock photography trends for years. Recent years have made us appreciate the time spent outdoors even more.

When shops, cafés, and restaurants closed, nature welcomed us with open arms. Peaceful and natural places have inspired content on many platforms.

We want to be in nature and find simple pleasures there. This reflects in stock photos too. You can follow famous nature photographers for inspiration and education.

5. Wanderlust

With many people traveling again, stock images focusing on wanderlust are trending. Travel photographers are sharing content as they go on more and more trips.

Creative minds find new ways to express their desire to travel. Check out our Next Stop: Travel Photography eBook for travel photography tips!

6. Environmental Consciousness and Sustainability

Environmental problems and sustainable solutions are even more important trends this year. People try even harder to lead a lifestyle that results in a sustainable future.

The fight against climate change appears in stock photos as well.

7. Perfect Imperfection

Models who look real (and not Photoshopped) have been getting more and more demand. Nobody wants to see Barbie dolls with perfect hair, skin, and makeup in photos. People can’t relate to unreal beauty anymore.

Stock images highlighting imperfections are still a huge trend today. The more unusual and imperfect photos are, the more people like them. You can read our article on how to find a model for free.

8. Social Responsibility

Photography trends reflect what is happening around the world. Taking action and not staying silent are respected behaviors in society.

People want to be more responsible and have more meaningful lifestyle choices. Fighting for equality has never been more relevant. And this shows in the image trends too.

9. Mindfulness

War, political crises, and natural disasters. These are a few of the most used words in the news.

Add general trends such as multitasking and being online all the time. Mindfulness is one of the rescues from burnout!

Mindfulness and slow living are among the top photography trends. Just looking at the stock photos on this topic can make us feel a bit more relaxed.

10. Healthy Food Alternatives

Healthy food alternatives have grown in popularity across the board. From “clean cocktails” to swapping fries for green beans, healthy food is here to stay.

As Pinterest is a visual representation of SEO, this trend shows we will likely see a spike in demand for photos of healthy food alternatives.

So what will be the most in-demand stock photography for food? Photos that show healthy alternatives to staple food items.

Air frying instead of deep frying. Sugar and alcohol-free cocktails. And slow food delivered quickly.

Eating healthy is always on-trend. It comes down to creating images showing how people can turn their much-loved food into healthier versions.

11. Home Office

Creatives are always looking for images to help them tell a brand’s story. And part of that story has to illustrate the flexibility of working from home.

Flat lays and styled home offices are a huge hit for website imagery and sharing on social media.

This includes admin or office flat lays with tablets and smartphones. A good office stock photo ensures there is enough negative space in photos. Stock photo buyers often want to insert their personalized branding.

White and pastels will continue to trend here. They are the most adaptable to brand colors and text requirements.

Sources have also quoted that millennials are also buying more houseplants. So be sure to include some cute succulents in your product styling.

12. Moving Images

Moving images aren’t just something you see in a Harry Potter movie. Apple now has Live Photos that you can take with your iPhone.

And we all know how popular apps like Instagram have made boomerangs.

But more recently, I have also started to see moving images like Cinemagraphs, stop motion, or GIFs popping up in Pinterest searches. They are also becoming more trendy among stock photography galleries.

They often involve living subjects like people and animals.

13. Drone Photography

Drone photography continues to be a photography trend. Social media can’t get enough of it.

Landscapes that were inaccessible before are now at the top of the stock photography trend. And images that have strong leading lines will continue to be in demand for stock photography.

But photos that capture relaxing scenes like beaches, snow-capped mountains, and fields of flowers will be the most popular.

There has been an ongoing global discussion about plastic and its impact on our environment. So we will see an increase in imagery to match.

It means a huge shift from consumers, companies, and governments. There will be an increased demand for interesting compositions from drone photography to shed light on the state of our planet.

14. Retro

In the past few years, we have seen many comeback trends in products from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. With purple and teal as the leading colors last year, we saw bold colors and natural lighting to produce a more authentic look.

The trick here will be recreating the feeling of retro while still capturing people and things as they are.

From food to home decor and fashion, natural light and bold colors will continue to trend this year. This brings us to the next stock photography trend…

15. Color Gels

To complement the need for that little touch of retro, we will see colored gels continue to trend this year. Pair color gels with natural light and bold colors to create a color story.

These are aimed more at social media and advertising campaigns. Small businesses or a personal client base will unlikely be after this type of stock photography.

But edgy companies like Squarespace continue to use imagery in line with this theme.

16. Stories of Authentic Living

One of the world’s most popular apps, Instagram, took us toward true-life photos of authentic living.

Before, there was a huge interest in images depicting unrealistic scenes. It saw many accounts growing from thousands to millions of followers.

But the community is shifting from unrealistic to authentic. There will also be imagery that depicts authentic living and realness. The stock photography trend here will be to capture every day beautifully.

Engagement on these channels and with companies will depend on this. Engagement will enable storytelling—stories of authentic living.

17. Simple Flat Lays

Let’s continue from where we will see the hottest social app taking us. We will also see a shift in the popular flat lay images.

Flat lays will still be popular. But there will be an increasing need for simple flat lays. Simple flat lays are more customizable for the buyer. They can add their own touches to the images before sharing them in many forms.

18. Cultural Diversity

This is a category that will continue to be a stock photography trend.

It will include everything from diversity and blended families to images that depict gender equality. In recent years, there was a popular theme of images in stock photography of “strong women.”

You can expect that trend to continue with the current discussion of gender equality and discrimination across all media in media.

Take a moment to watch commercials. You’ll notice that every form of advertising imagery shows people who can fit into many racial categories. Stock images in this category should be inclusive of everyone.

Are you looking to boost your income from a portrait photography business? Look no further! Read our eBook, Profit from Portraits!

19. Negative Space

A stock photography trend that will never get old is negative space. And it will only see an increased demand for stock photography.

The ability to adjust an image for text requirements is always something that buyers are looking for. Having images in your stock portfolio that have negative space located in different areas is key.

It’s worth checking out the layout of a magazine or photography website to see how to leave space for text.

But negative space can be more than just for text requirements. In a noisy world where we are bombarded with messages, some imagery might need to provide a sense of calmness.

I use the Calm app. And the imagery they use is mostly of landscapes with vast, beautiful open spaces. It is an inviting feeling when we are bombarded with constant messages on our phones.

20. Vintage Editing for Lifestyle Photos

VSCO filters and Lightroom presets reintroduced the feeling of film photography. It made stylistic editing more accessible to the photography community.

We will continue to see lifestyle stock images with a film or matte look being popular for websites and blog posts.

Conclusion: Best Selling Stock Photos You Should Know

One thing that doesn’t go out of style for stock photography is quality photos that tell stories. These images connect to what is most important to us. And buyers are always on the lookout for unique, quality work. So it doesn’t hurt to add some of your own personality to the images you shoot for stock photography.

Do you want to display and market your best selling stock photos? We highly recommend Squarespace. It features a user-friendly platform. It has stunning templates. And there are easy eCommerce tools and effortless integrations.

Visual Portfolio Showcase

Squarespace Custom Website Builder

Discover the perfect platform to showcase and sell your best selling stock photos. With Squarespace’s user-friendly interface and eCommerce features, you can create a professional website that inspires and captivates your audience.

Avoiding Bad Stock Photos: What is Stock Photography?

Before I can tell you what NOT to do, I need to tell you what stock photography is!
Stock photography means images that are available to be licensed for specific uses. More often than not, these images are licensed for commercial use. This includes decorating a website, featuring in a presentation, or used as an advertisement for something.
A buyer pays a fee to both the artists that produced the image and the agency managing the image. They acquire the right to use the image legally in different ways, while the photographer retains copyright of their work.
Photographers take stock images or share a collection of their images to make a few extra bucks off of photographs that aren’t currently being used for anything. Some photographers even make a living off of producing stock images.

However, not all stock images are created equal. These are the types of stock photographs to avoid:

1. Abstract Images

Stock imagery is not just photography. Illustrators and 3D animators find their work being licensed as well.
But the use of abstract or very general 3-dimensional renderings is a bit too outdated. Anyone getting 90s nostalgic vibe here?
These types of images tend to be a bit useless and visually displeasing. Users have gotten used to very high quality content due to the rise of the internet.
These images are space eaters and are better left in the past where they belong.  

2. Overly Happy Corporate Office Employees

Once upon a time, it was typical to use photographs of happy employees to show that a company is reliable and trustworthy.
That time is long gone now.
No matter how many happy office setting photographs you use, everyone knows what the actual dynamic in a traditional office workplace is. Trust me, you’re fooling no one.
These types of images are incredibly outdated and the butt of many jokes. Unless you’re finding yourself wanting to be funny or sarcastic, I suggest running very far away from the stereotypical happy corporate office employees.
Customers want to see the actual employees and workplace, not stock images of them. If you’re not going to use photographs of your real workforce, and instead choose actors, this may build a level of distrust in your business.
You want to be authentic. Plus, in this current work climate, startups and quirky office settings are very hip!
If you don’t want to place the photos of your real office and people working there, focus on something else.

3. Over-Exaggerated Emotions

This goes hand-in-hand with avoiding the “I am so stoked to be in this office” images. Over-exaggerated emotions don’t work for the same reason that cheesy infomercials don’t work. Everyone thinks they are a parody!
This is because the natural range of human emotions is a bit more subtle (unless you’re acting or a very animated individual. But this is not the norm).
Why do you think people will be touched by something that’s totally unnatural and looks funny? We want our audience to be able to connect and empathize with the subjects in the images.
Instead of being overly literal about emotion or shoving an idea down someone’s throat, consider more organic imagery to tell your story.

4. Unnatural Activities in an Unnatural Setting

Everyone uses their laptop in a lawn chair sitting in the middle of the ocean in the Bahamas, right? Or is it just me?
Photographs of people doing activities in a setting they wouldn’t be doing it in are just plain weird.
A business meeting on your laptop at the edge of a massive cliff? No way.
These images were once the gimmicks of selling “How-To” guides and other products. They attempted to convince you that by following their procedure, you’ll be able to work remote anywhere in the world.
But these images are unrealistic and uncomfortable (and at times, terribly Photoshopped). Avoid them.

5. Cliches or Stereotypes

As individuals and businesses, we tend to shy away from being associated with cliches and stereotypes. So why use cliche and stereotypical images?
Some stereotypes can actually be offensive to your potential customer base. It’s better to avoid them altogether.
Try to think outside of the box and do something creative! This imagination can set you apart from competition.

6. Outdated References

Technology, pop culture, and news change daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. You don’t want your business to be left behind. Using outdated references will only make your point irrelevant.
Try to use, and photograph, timeless images that cannot be outdated by the changing world. This especially rings true for images of tech and gadgets.
For example, all those using imagery or memes of presidents or those in office will no longer be trendy the moment the officials change.

7. Low Quality or Low Resolution Images

This should be a given, but you’d be surprised! When using stock images, always download the highest resolution or quality available. Don’t pay for something too small to be usable.
Sometimes, this happens just due to technological constraints. Older stock images come from cameras that were not capable of having the resolution that current cameras can. 
It tends to be better to select stock images from newer camera models.

8. Bad Photoshop / Editing

Avoid taking, using, or dare-I-say, spending a dime on a stock image that is poorly edited. Images with skin smoothing akin to a cheap phone app that simply blurs the face or overly edited eyes are massive nos.
Your content and imagery will make or break a business venture. Audience members and potential customers are attracted to quality. It is worth spending extra money on a great image than settling for a good one.
This also rings true for purchasing a stock image that you then edit. If you need something specific edited but your skillset is not up to par for the job, outsource your editing to a professional.
Whatever you do, please don’t Photoshop your product into a stock image! Yikes!
The final result will look like a late night infomercial that we all make fun of.

Stock Photography Trends for 2019

Much like doing commercial photography or portraits, the content creation trends change yearly.
Agencies such as Adobe Stock use statisticians and professionals alike to predict the photography trends for the coming years. Instead of using or doing the aforementioned bad images, try to switch up your stock photography to the following subjects.
2019 is seeing an increased interest in:

• Vibrant pop colors and minimalist compositions. Bright colors are all the rage right now, especially when partnered with simple and elegant compositions.

• Robotics and up-to-date technology. Technology has begun infiltrating every aspect of our life. Taking photographs of updated robotics interacting with humans in a pleasant manner is trending.

• Travel and natural images. Due to the rise of Instagram travel blogger popularity, beautiful landscapes and exciting travel images are making a huge splash in the stock world.

• Social causes. Our modern climate has become more compassionate, sensitive, and receptive to social causes.
• Diversity. Along with social causes is the positive portrayal of a variety of races and cultures from all over the world. This creates a beautifully inclusive world.

• More candid, organic, and natural portraits. Gone are the days of overly posed and Photoshopped portraits. Companies are now leaning towards more organic, empathetic, and candid portraits.

• Adorable pets doing adorable things. Dogs, cats, and other pets will forever be top trending images, both as stock and on the internet!

Leave those dingy stereotype photographs in the past! Your stock photography portfolio will thank you for it.