If you’ve ever wondered how to sell photos online, here’s a story — and a step-by-step plan that might help you get started.

I began working with stock photography back in 2013, without any real understanding of what I was doing. Of course, I made plenty of mistakes. But twelve years later, I’m still in the game. And along the way, I discovered something important: stock photography isn’t just for professional photographers. It’s for anyone who sees the world visually and wants to share it — and get paid for it.

Stock platforms are websites where people buy images and videos for ads, websites, blogs, social media, and news.

And the people uploading those images? They come from all walks of life — from photographers with expensive gear to creators making AI-generated content with tools like Midjourney.

There are many stock websites to choose from: Adobe Stock, Shutterstock, Dreamstime, and dozens of others. Some are stricter, some more beginner-friendly. Some don’t allow AI images, while others are actively looking for them.

You might hear people say stock photography is dead. It’s not. It has just evolved.

Today, it’s not enough to upload “nice” pictures. You need to understand what buyers are actually looking for, what’s in demand, and what’s trending.

What about the money? Sure, becoming a millionaire through stock photography is unlikely. But earning $300–1000 a month on the side is absolutely doable. And if you take it seriously — make it your job — you can reach $2000–3000 per month or more.

So, what kind of content can you sell? Commercial photos, editorial street shots, vector illustrations, videos, and AI-generated images or video content. Personally, I started with simple food photography — and for years, that was my main focus.

I created a series of 50 images and uploaded them. Some were rejected — and that’s normal.

The key is to learn from those rejections, fix the issues, and try again.

One of the most time-consuming parts is writing metadata: adding titles and keywords to every file. If you have 100 images, that can take hours. I didn’t want to waste that time — so I use a tool called TagWithAI. It automatically writes metadata using AI. I just upload my files, and it handles the rest.

If you want to give it a try yourself, here’s a simple action plan:

1. First, decide what kind of content you want to create — photos, videos, or AI-generated visuals.

2. Sign up for a few stock platforms that suit your style.

3. Create a small series of images based on simple, relatable topics. Upload them and add proper metadata. If you get rejections, don’t worry — it’s part of the process. Learn and improve.

4. Keep uploading regularly. Consistency matters.

5. Follow experienced stock contributors and learn from them. Give yourself at least a couple of months to build momentum.

6. Remember, stock photography isn’t a “get rich quick” scheme. But if you’re consistent and strategic, it can become a solid long-term income source.

So if you're still wondering how to sell photos online — this is your sign. Start small, stay focused, and see where it takes you.