Taking Your Snapshots Straight to the Bank

If you like taking pictures, you can create a second income stream by selling those pictures to stock photo agencies.

It doesn’t require years of experience. And it’s fun.

Take these three photos for instance. Of the three, which would you guess would be more salable?

If you answered “the business woman with the orange background,” you’re right. Pictures of people make extremely saleable stock photographs – and this one has sold more than 200 times on iStockphoto.com.

But if you answered “the hiker”… you’re also right. Pictures of hobbies are another good seller. This one, too, has sold more than 200 times on iStock.

And heck, if you chose the picture of the grungy wall, you’re still right. Graphic artists like to use textures like this as backgrounds for their designs.

Think about the pictures you already have on your computer. And think about the pictures you can easily take before the end of the year. Pictures of birthday parties, family get-togethers, hikes and camping trips, your kids, your grandkids, your pets, your backyard, your kitchen table, even your travels or a closeup of your driveway are all saleable to stock photo agencies.

It’s so easy. You simply upload your photos, and the agencies do the rest.

What kinds of photos sell best today? Here’s an inside tip on what’s currently on request at iStockphoto.com:

• People eating Italian food
• Homes with damaged foundations
• A jewelry box
• A tidy horse stable
• A fig recipe

Don’t have any of those pictures? No problem. These subjects are always in high demand:

• People in business suits
• Multi-ethnic groups
• Seasonal photos – Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukah, Christmas, Valentine’s Day
• Hobbies – golf, knitting, swimming, biking, scrapbooking, fishing, reading, sunbathing…

Now stock photo agencies like iStock won’t take snapshots. Your photos have to conform to their guidelines. That means good exposure, composition, focus…

But once you get those things down, you can start uploading your photos to sell… and start making money.

[Ed. Note: Taking salable stock photos isn’t as hard as it might sound. With AWAI’s “Lazy Man’s Guide to Stock Photography,” you can learn how to take better pictures and submit them to stock agencies with the least amount of work, and in the shortest amount of time.

The “Lazy’s Man’s” premise is this: “If it’s not easy, don’t do it.” And that’s exactly what this report is all about. It will provide you with helpful shortcuts you can use to improve your photos and increase your acceptance rate at stock agencies. So you can start building a successful portfolio and cashing in on your potential new income as soon as possible.

For more details about this report, and to grab a free bonus – “101 Things You Can Get Paid to Photograph” – when you sign up before Saturday, June 11.]