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Pictures are a way of reliving moments that are dear to our hearts. They remind us of our precious moments. In a technologically driven world, most of these pictures ultimately find their way to social media accounts as few people now use hardcopy photo albums.

While the internet provides a way to catch fun and connect with people who are miles away from us, it also serves a source of income (part-time or full-time.) So, rather than just have fun online, why not also make some money?

One of the many ways through which you can make passive income is by selling your photos. We bet that you never knew that photos you capture can be of high value online. However, they are! The saying, “a picture speaks better than a thousand words” is still true.

Many people from across the world are looking for pictures of places, things and ideas that they have never seen before. Others are simply looking for pictures to illustrate their various writings. Whatever their motive, the good news is that you can earn sell your photos online.

What kind of pictures can you sell?
You can sell any kind of photo you can think of. The market for photos is wide and covers several niches. However, you must ensure that these photos were taken by you to prevent copyright issues. You may also not lift a picture online for sale simply because it’s not copyrighted. Such types of photos are often referred to as public domain photos. They are meant to be used commercially for free.

How do you start earning?

1. Pick a niche
Again, the word niche pops up in this sphere of making money online. Niches help you zoom your focus on one specific area and become an expert at it. Every successful photographer has the kind of photograph he captures best. Aside from quality, you must also take into consideration the frequency with which you can take some shots.

Here are some of the niches in demand:
• Pictures of people
• Pictures of work situations
• Pictures of cities
• Close-up pictures
• Pictures of things (cars, houses, books, computers, etc)
• Pictures of nature
• Pictures of animals

2. Join a stock photo website
There are many popular stock photo website on the internet you can start earning from. These sites accept the photos of both amateurs and professionals alike. If you’re an amateur photographer, sites like Dreamstime, Shutterstock amd iStock photos are good for you. But if you’re a professional photographer and you’re confident of your skills, you should check out Getty Images or Corbis.

All theses stock photo sites have their rules and requirements before they accept your photos. If you don’t work with it, they won’t hesitate to throw your photos back to you. So always take note of their requirements such as resolution, size, file format etc.

Don’t just register with one site. After scanning the several websites and you understand their requirements, you should be able to pick 2 or 3 you can work with. It will help you generate higher revenue since you’re tapping from three traffic sources.

3. Start taking photographs
Once you register on the site, it’s time to start taking photos! Unleash the creativity in your by taking different shots in different tones, positions and different subjects. Don’t be in a haste to finish with taking photographs. Sometimes, a simple posture or feature on the scene can be the distinguishing line between good and great. Always things about what you will like to see if you were the buyer.

While you’re at it, ensure that you take high-quality photos. Buyers don’t buy bad photos. So ensure you have a good phone camera or digital camera. Ensure that the images are not blurry, have sufficient light, and details buyers would like to see. When you’re done, edit the photos to make them look better. However, ensure you do it moderately so the picture does not end up rejected.

Top stock photo sites you can sell your photos

1. Shutterstock
This is one of the most famous stock photo sites in the world. Shutterstock allows you to determine the rights on your photos so that your rights can be protected, and also gives you credit for the photos you upload.

2. Fotolai
Run by Adobe, Fotolia has been in existence for over 10 years and is one of the earliest photo-selling websites. When you upload your photos to Fotolia, they become part of Adobe stock so that they are available in Adobe applications. This makes it easier for buyers to make purchase.

3. BlueMelon
This stock photo site allows you to integrate your blog or social media account so any photo you upload can easily appear on the website for purchase. BlueMelon also provides several options through which you can choose to be paid.

4. Alamy
Does the idea of keeping to rules freak you out? If yes, Alamy is probably the site for you. On the website, you get to upload your photos easily because the rules are few compared to other stock sites. They are one of the best online places to sell your photos.