Selling your photos as stock is super fun. It gives you a way to sell photos that might never see the light of day otherwise.
And you can watch your photos sell while you’re busy doing other things.
But it’s not an “instant gratification” kind of endeavor. It takes time and consistency to build up your portfolios and start pulling in income.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the learning process and have fun along the way.
That’s what Snap & Sell Photo Club member Patrick Civello does — and he now has over 3,000 images in his portfolio!
We caught up with him to see what’s selling and get his number one tip for beginners, below…
Snap & Sell Photo Club Member Spotlight:
Interview with stock photographer, Patrick Civello
Bonnie: What are you enjoying about stock photography?
Patrick: I enjoy being able to take photos of almost anything and having someone buy them, rather than my files gathering dust on my hard drive. Shooting for stock also gives me instant projects to help stay motivated and creative with my photography. Steadily earning more money each month and selling multiple files on any given day is also fun!
Bonnie: What kinds of photos do you like to take and submit to your agencies?
Patrick: I love to shoot and submit mainly landscapes, travel, food and architecture photos.
Bonnie: What’s the story behind your best-selling image?
Patrick: Well, my best-selling image arose from the S&SPC monthly challenge “Going Green”. I told my sister-in-law that I was looking for “green” images, and she recommended that I photograph the solar panels on her father’s roof while taking a break during Thanksgiving dinner. Little did I know that the shot would sell over 300 times! I think the copy space in the sky is a big selling point for the image.
Bonnie: That’s awesome! Any new images that are doing well for you?
Patrick: Yes, I took a tour of China last year and hired a photo guide for shooting the karst limestone cliffs in Guilin. This image has been flying off the shelves since then:
Bonnie: Wow, that’s a beautiful image! About how much income have you made with stock so far?
Patrick: I have made over $2,500 in earnings from stock over the last few years, since I became serious about stock photography. I also used my stock photography skills in photographing food and editorial content for the official city of Berkeley visitor guide, which netted me a cool $8,000!
Bonnie: Wow, that’s great!! Any new things you’ve learned over the last year?
Patrick: I’ve learned to keep my eyes open for interesting, useful, saleable subject matter. I’ve also learned to devour the current stock trends and “what to shoot” lists, and to stay consistent with my workflow. Lastly, I have learned that I need to shoot stock video in addition to photos to help ramp up my sales and to make the most of my shoots.
Bonnie: Your number one tip for beginners who would like to give it a go?
Patrick: Just do it! I initially submitted photos and received rejections in 2012, and didn’t return to stock photography till I found Great Escape Publishing and started using Lightroom about 4 years later. After that, nearly every photo I submit gets accepted, and I’ve gone from only having around 30 photos in my portfolio to over 3000. It really is just about staying focused and consistent, always learning and tweaking your process, and of course, shooting what you love and having fun!
