Tips to Avoid Becoming one of ‘Those’ Photographers

By: Kav Dadfar 

What type of photographer are you? A lazy one? A complacent one? Or maybe you are over confident? Here are eight types of photographers that you should avoid becoming.

#1 – The Jack of All Trades Photographer

It always makes me chuckle to myself when I ask someone what type of photography they do or want to get into, and they reply with a long list that covers every branch of photography. Think about it, if you wanted to get your teeth looked at, you would go to a dentist, not an optician or a chiropractor. Even general practice doctors who have a wide knowledge of most ailments would still refer you to see a specialist. This carries across every industry including photography.
You won’t find any photographer who is an expert in every genre of photography as there is just too much to learn, experience and practice at in anyone’s lifetime. While it’s important to have an understanding of how to photograph anything well, even the greatest photographers will specialize in a few genres.
For example, as a travel photographer, I need to be able to photograph food as that is a big part of any destination, or possibly the local wildlife. But I’m not a wildlife or food photographer. When you are at the start of your photography journey it is important to try as many different genres as you can until you find your passion and see where your skills lie. But once you do, try to focus your time and energy to being able to do that brilliantly, rather than doing everything in a mediocre fashion.

#2 – Mr. Latest Gear

You have all seen them. You probably actually know someone who has all the latest camera equipment along with a host of lenses, accessories, and possibly the clothing to go with it. But does it make a difference to their photos?
There is no doubt that better and more expensive cameras give you better quality photos and allow you more control. But a poorly composed photo which doesn’t have an interesting subject will be a bad photo regardless of the camera that captured it. So, instead of fretting over whether you have the latest camera equipment, concentrate on improving your skills as a photographer and not as a collector of equipment.

#3 – The Whirlwind

One of the things I find most astonishing and frustrating when I’m at a location is watching other photographers turn up (usually with the latest gear), take a few photos quickly, and then move on to the next viewpoint or location. I even remember seeing one such photographer hold the camera up and take a photo while looking in a different direction! Why even bother?
Even if you are pressed for time, often the best way to capture a great photo from any location is to pause for a few minutes. Just look at and think about the scene, the composition, the light and even the settings that you may need on your camera. Once you have surveyed the scene or the subject then go ahead and take the photo.
Not only will this give you much better photos in the long run, but it’ll save you having to rush around snapping away and hoping that you get lucky with a few shots.

#4 – Lazy One

Every photographer has been guilty of being lazy at some point in their career. Whether that is in the effort needed to take a photo (like having to hike somewhere, or wait for the light to change), in the process of taking the photo (“I’ll just put it on auto”) or in the post-production stage.
But often, your best photos end up being the ones that require the most effort. So don’t be the “lazy one”. In those situations where you are feeling lazy try and just push through it because the effort will likely be worth it in the end.

#5 – The Safe One

One of the great benefits of digital photography is that you are able to take risks with your photos as it doesn’t end also meaning that you are wasting precious film and money. Nowadays you can take a photo and if you don’t like it, you can just delete it and try again. But for many people, this is a benefit that is often overlooked. Most photographers (pros and amateurs) still work at achieving the “conventional” photo for that particular subject.
For example, go to any landmark and you will usually see hordes of people all standing at the typical “viewpoint” photographing at eye level. While I would always advise any photographer to capture these shots as well, the key is to not settle for the standard photo and try a few that are completely different. The worst thing that could happen is that the shots don’t work and you delete them. However, once in a while you might find an interesting new technique or skill that gives you something different.

#6 – The Too Arrogant Photographer

While I think it’s important for every photographer to be confident in themselves and their work, there is a big difference between being confident and being too arrogant. Photography is subjective and everyone will have different views, but listening to people who are knowledgeable or that you respect can help you really improve your work.
So don’t be arrogant, listen to the advice you are given. If one person tells you that a photo doesn’t work it could just be personal opinion, but if 10 people tell you the same thing maybe you should take notice. Often you will learn more from the poor photos you have taken, than the good ones.

#7 – The Freebie

Digital photography has revolutionized the photography industry for the better. But one aspect that it has had a detrimental effect on is the fees and payments that photographers now receive for their work. It’s no secret that fees and prices have been falling for a few years for photographers and big stock agencies such as Getty and Shutter Stock haven’t helped with the prices at which they sell photos.
But for most photographers the main aspect that irks them the most is the phrase, “We don’t have a budget to pay you, but we’ll credit you on the site/publication”. This would be the same as you getting a builder to work on your house but instead of paying them for the work you put a sign on your lawn saying, “The work was done by Mr. X”. You won’t find any builders who would agree to that deal, so why do photographers do it?
Exposure is usually the answer. But all this does is create a vicious cycle whereby you might receive exposure from that one client, but other potential clients will want the same deal which means all photographers end up suffering. If you don’t respect your work enough for people to pay you for it, then others won’t respect your work enough to pay for it either.

#8 – Mr. Rude

Like all professions, there are probably a handful of people who feel that just because they are taking a photo it gives them the rights to the land. Everyone has to get out of the way or stop what they are doing so that they capture the shot they want. Well, if you are one of these types of photographers then you should take a good look at yourself – because it doesn’t work that way.
Being a photographer doesn’t give you any more rights anywhere than the average tourist or spectator. It also doesn’t give you a right to demand people to give up their time to model for you. Unless you have hired the venue or that person to model for you then you just have to work your way around other people. If you don’t want people to be in your way, get up early in the morning when you can often get the place to yourself. If you want a clean and unobstructed view of something then be patient and wait for a gap in the flow of traffic. This extends to respecting other photographers too. Just because someone is a professional photographer doesn’t mean they have more of a right than an amateur one.
Show other tourists and spectators the same curtesy and respect that you would want to receive.

While not everyone will fall into each of these, most photographers at some point have been guilty of one or more of these traits. The important thing is so evaluate yourself and make changes as needed to make sure you don’t repeat them.
Are you any of those photographers? Or can you think of any others? Share your thoughts and experiences below.

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Quick Tips for Getting Into Stock Photography

By: Kjell Leknes 

Getting accepted as a stock photographer can be a difficult and frustrating process. Especially when your best photos get rejected by photo reviewers. After helping many photographers trying to become accepted as Shutterstock contributors, I have discovered how the process can instead become a fun and educational experience.

Why become a stock photographer?

Earning money on your digital photography work is a great way to earn an extra income. But it is often not the main motivation for why many people try to become contributors. Being accepted, and being able to call yourself a stock photographer, means something. Similar to how many people develop their skills so they one day can become a professional in their field, being able to call yourself a stock photographer will for many mean more than saying you’re a professional photographer.
When someone presents themselves as a professional photographer, people tend to have different views of what that means. Some associate a professional photographer with someone that makes high quality photos. Others may think of the person they hired to photograph their wedding. Or perhaps someone that has their photos sold in a gallery. Some may think a professional photographer is only someone that has a diploma, or someone that works full-time and earns their main income from their photography.
Being able to say you’re a stock photographer says something about the level you have reached. Why? Because the stock photography industry is well known for its high quality requirements.
Furthermore, the best part of being a stock photographer is knowing your work is being purchased, appreciated, and used all around the world. With modern tools like Google image Search, you can back trace and find were and how your most popular photos are being used.

Are you qualified?

If you know how to make a manual exposure, get the focusing correct and have a good eye for correct white balance, you’re most likely qualified to become a stock photographer.

Expect to get rejected

It might take a few attempts. But once you’re accepted, as many existing stock photographers can testify, it made them an even better photographer. A rejection of your initial submission might feel like a disappointment at first. But take advantage of the feedback and suggestions provided. Your initial submission will most likely be more strictly evaluated than the general submissions you’ll make in the future after getting accepted.

Find the motivation to learn

Try to see your first submission as a homework assignment for reading the stock agency’s submission guidelines. Like any course or workshop, your first homework assignment is not expected to be flawless. There will most likely be room for improvement. With this attitude, learning about stock photography can be an educational, fun, and even motivating experience.

The first batch of photos is the hardest

For example, when signing up to one of the most popular stock photography sites like Shutterstock, you are asked to submit 10 samples of your best work. Seven of these must pass the strict inspection of their reviewers. But if rejected, you’re provided with great feedback to help you improve your photography.

It gets easier after getting accepted

As any existing stock photographer can testify, your initial batch of submitted work is much more strictly evaluated than the general submissions you will make in the future after getting accepted.

You’re closer to getting accepted than you might think

A submission that is not approved is often not completely rejected either. Many rejected photos can have only one minor issue that can sometimes even be fixed with a little editing. Even though it may feel like your entire batch of submitted work was rejected, you might only be a few adjustments away from getting accepted.

Try again. Many existing stock photographers did.

Many existing stock photographers did not get accepted on their first attempt. For every initial submission that is not approved, take good use of the feedback that is required. See it as a free portfolio review from experts in the field. Be inquisitive, study the material and try again!

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Everything you Always Wanted to know about a Career in Photography but were Afraid to Ask

By: Karthika Gupta  

Before I get into this article, I want to set the stage by saying that the objective here is not to diminish or make light of the concerns and questions that novice photographers have. In fact, at some point in our careers, we have all asked similar questions – sometimes out loud, and sometimes just in the solitude of our own minds. There is no wrong or silly question, and there are no right or wrong answers. These are in no particular order, and the views expressed here are solely based on my own experiences.

One of my favorite images to date happened by pure accident – I saw the image in my mind even 

before I took a single frame.

Where can I learn about everything related to photography for FREE?

We are both lucky and unlucky to live in the era of the Internet. Any google search, on average, yields thousands of pages, articles, and YouTube videos. If you have a burning question about anything and everything, the easiest way to learn is via the Internet.
Sites like our own Digital Photography School are a great resource for almost any topic related to photography, from a beginner to an experienced photographer. Other sites like Creative Live offer many classes on various aspects of photography, as well as other creative genres. While most sites provide a great overview of a particular topic, any in-depth research requires time and money. There are number of virtual, as well as live workshops, all over the world covering all aspects of photography. A few that come to mind are The Design School and Clickinmoms (I have used both services and am very happy with the level of instruction provided there – this is just my personal experience).
You could also check out our dPS ebooks and online courses.

I learn a lot online, in the comfort of my own home, but every once in while, I like to take a live 

workshop – not just to update my portfolio, but also to learn from and meet others in the industry!

How do I shoot in manual mode?

Shooting in manual mode is one of the most intimidating things that most amateur photographers face. If you have a DSLR camera that has a manual mode, it is really not that hard once you get the hang of it. The best thing you can do in learning to shoot in manual, is to understand the exposure triangle and how the three key components of photography – shutter speed, ISO and aperture work – independently and with each other. Here is a good article that digs deeper into photographing in manual mode. Remember this too take time and practice. There is another interesting article here in the Digital Photography School archives that explains all three shooting modes and is worth a read.

Mastering manual mode is important, especially for images like this – backlit golden hour 

images…this is SOOC (straight out of the camera).

What lens will give me a blurry background?

If I had a penny for the number of times that I get asked this question from other photographers, as well as my clients who are looking to upgrade their DSLR cameras, I would have an overflowing piggy bank! Blurry backgrounds, or bokeh as it is know in the photography space, is actually a function of aperture (i.e. f-stop), focal length, and distance of the subject from the background. Check out How To Achieve Nice Bokeh [In Plain English] from the dPS archives that addresses this issue specifically.

A wide aperture on 50mm lens gives a shallow depth of field where most of the background is blurry.

How much money do I need to spend to get started with a photography business?

There are again any different ways to answer this question. You can essentially spend as much, or as little as you want, to get started. At a bare minimum you will need a good camera system (good is a very relative term here, there are several prosumer cameras on the market today, at various price levels). In many places in the world, particularly in the US, there are several rental companies that offer various cameras and lenses for rent. Borrow Lens, Lensrental and LensProToGo are a few that come to mind. You can also check with your local camera shop to see if they offer rental services.
You do not need the latest and greatest camera system to be a professional photographer. While gear is definitely a plus, skill and the ability to work with what you have to get the results you need are far more important, especially when you are just starting out. Once you develop your own shooting style as well as what you want to focus on, you can slowly build up your gear by adding equipment based on your current needs.

How can I make money from my photography, and do it fast?

By 401(K) 2012

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the short answer here is that you cannot make money in anything fast. Everything takes time, practice, and patience. Just like any other career, the more time and effort you invest in your photography, the more experience you will gain. With experience comes confidence and recognition. So if your end goal is to be a internationally recognized photographer, treat it like a career and a business and invest in yourself, your education, and your experience. Don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and do the hard work – and in time, you will reap the benefits.

How much should I charge for my photography?

This is again something that is very subjective. What you charge for your services depends on many factors like your skill level, the value of photography in the area that you live in, and the buying capacity of the clients that you are targeting. Another thing to understand is the monetary value of your time. Remember your time is not just the amount of time you spend photographing the client – also take into account any travel to and from the location, editing time, and backend work like backing up photos, uploading galleries, and other administrative tasks. Once you have a handle on all these factors as it relates to your situation, charge an amount that makes it worth your while to photograph your clients. If you are looking to earn a living through your photography, then treat it like a business and not just a hobby. Read: 7 Things That Keep You From Charging What You’re Worth (and how to get over them).

What kind of photography should I focus on?

The easiest way to answer this question is to ask yourself what you enjoy photographing. Write down all the genres of photography that interest you, and try them all out if possible. Ask family and friends to model for you, if you are interested in portraits. Photograph different locations at different times of day if you are interested in landscape photography. Experiment with different types of food and styling if you are interested in food photography. Once you have a reasonable amount of experience in these categories, pick one or two to focus on, and give it your best. Don’t be afraid to experiment once in awhile in other genres, just to flex your creative muscles.

I am a wedding and lifestyle photographer – that is what I enjoy doing the most. But mixed in my 

portfolio will be a bit of travel and editorial images that help me flex my creative muscles.

How can I get clients?

This is another big one that I get asked a lot, and I wish there was an easy answer. In fact, this is something that even I still struggle with, six years into my business. Getting new clients, and keeping a steady stream of clients is hard work. You have to constantly market yourself and your services at every opportunity you get. When you meet new people, don’t be afraid to say what you do. It took me a long time to introduce myself as a professional photographer, but once I said it often enough, I realized that I got more confident in not only my photography skills, but also in my business skills. Network and connect with your competitors, as well as other businesses in your area. Do a trade for images if appropriate, and remember not everyone you meet will be interested in getting pictures taken, and that is totally okay.

A casual conversation at a networking meeting led to an epic family photoshoot and I gained a 

good friend too.

How can I build a portfolio of my work?

The length of time you invest in yourself and your photography skills is directly proportional to how long you will take to build your portfolio of work. If you constantly focus on learning and improving yourself, the more confident you will become, and the more opportunities you will find to create work that you are proud of. I have a few general rules that I follow in my photography journey

• Photograph something every week if not every day – the objective here is to learn new techniques and perfect things I already know with respect to my gear.
• 10:1 ratio – for every 10 minutes I shoot, I want to produce at least one image that I am proud of.
• Spend time on personal projects – my mantra here is create for the sake of creation.

For me, this is an easy way to constantly update my portfolio with work that I am proud of, and which also represents my creative style.

Creating for the sake of creation is a great way to update your portfolio as well as connect with 

other vendors and creatives in your space.

This is just a small set of questions that I found helpful when I was starting off on my career in photography. If you have others that have helped you navigate the photography waters, feel free to list them in the comments so others can benefit as well.
If you have different questions that you’ve been wanting to ask, this is the place to do it. Let’s see if we can’t get them answered for you as well.

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Editor’s Note: This is one of a series of articles this week that are Open for Discussion. We want to get the conversation going, hear your voice and opinions, and talk about some possibly controversial topics in photography.
Give us your thoughts below on the article above and watch for more discussion topics.
See all the recent discussion topics here:

• 7 Commonly Accepted Photography Beliefs Debunked
• Is HDR dead? Some dPS Writer’s Thoughts on this Controversial Topic
• How to Find your Personal Photographic Style
• Why You May be Failing to Reach Your Potential as a Photographer
• To Process or Not To Process? Let’s Discuss
• How much do you process your images? – a dPS POLL
• Does the Camera Matter? SLR versus Mirrorless versus Smartphone
• Natural Light Versus Artificial Light: Which is Better?
• How Limitations Can Help You Grow as a Photographer
• Brand Name Versus Third-Party Photography Gear: Which is better?

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10 Ways to Make a Living from Photography

By: Kav Dadfar  

It has never been harder to make a living from photography than it is in this day and age. But that doesn’t mean the game is over for you as a photographer. There are still plenty of ways to make money from photography if you are willing to make the effort and have a well-thought-out plan. So here are 10 ways to make a living from photography.

Portrait photography

Portraits can be a great little money earner for any photographer. There is even more opportunity for those photographers in smaller towns. Yes, there may not be as many potential customers but the competition will also be much smaller. From the initial shoot fee to prints (digital or analog) and frames, there is an opportunity to make additional sales on top of just the portrait shoot. So any portrait photographer has a few potential steady income revenues.
The overheads to start with are also fairly minimal as you can offer location shoots or even set up a small studio in your home to keep you going until you can get a proper space to work.

Event photography

Event photography is another good genre of photography that offers great opportunities for earning money. Events can be anything from birthday parties to trade events or even company events like Christmas parties.
The advantage of this genre of photography is that there is always going to be a demand for it. So if you can get a good reputation, then word of mouth can spread and get you more and more work.

Photojournalism

Similar to other genres of photography, there is always a steady supply of work for a photojournalist. Being a photojournalist is hard work, both physically and, more importantly, emotionally. But it can also be one of the most rewarding genres of photography as it has the power to change the world.
If you are willing to make the sacrifices needed and are good at capturing photos that tell stories, then this genre of photography could be for you.

Wedding photography

A few years ago, weddings would have been one of the top earners in this list of 10 ways to make a living from photography. But like most genres of photography, things have changed.
Less than a decade ago, an average wedding photographer could command $2000 plus per wedding and easily shoot 30-40 weddings a year. Unfortunately, the influx of photographers who undercut each other in price has had a detrimental effect on wedding photography. There are photographers now offering to shoot weddings for a few hundred dollars.
Nevertheless, wedding photography is still a market that has lots of opportunities to make money.

Product and food photography

As long as people are making things to sell or eat, they will need images of their products to help sell them. Product and food photography is a great source of income and a steady stream of work for any photographer.
It can be a little mundane for some, but I actually enjoy the process. I really like that I can shoot at my own pace and control every aspect of the shoot. This is not something anyone who works as an outdoor photographer gets to experience. From local restaurants to design companies, there is an endless amount of work available if you can find it.

Commercial photography

Commercial photography can consist of things like:

• Shooting lifestyle campaigns or adverts for tourist boards and companies.
• Photographing hotel rooms and venues.
• It can consist of both interior and exterior shots with or without people.

I find it works really well combined with my editorial work as I often find myself getting an audience with someone in a position of power in these areas through my various commissions.

Editorial photography

Editorial photography was a great source of revenue for photographers.
This changed with the introduction of digital photography all those years ago, which led to the slow demise of staff photographers. It is cheaper and easier to use stock images than it is to send a photographer out to photograph a feature. The other benefit of using stock photos for an editor is that they can see exactly what images they are purchasing.
There are still higher-end magazines like National Geographic and agencies that will commission a photographer for an editorial feature, but they are few and far between.

Stock photography

Gone are the good old days of being able to make a living solely from stock photography. But all is not lost.
Assuming you are getting work from one of the other aspects of photography on this list, you will be accumulating a body of images that you can more than likely put with a stock agency. Whilst this won’t make you rich, it could provide a nice additional income. Just make sure to get model release forms where possible, and find the right agency for your style of photography.

Prints

Selling prints is another good revenue stream, whatever your genre of photography is. Big names aside, most of us photographers are not going to be lucky enough to sell prints for thousands of dollars. But, again, like stock photography, if you have a body of work, you might as well try to earn an income from it.

Sports photography

Sports photographers will always be in demand as long as our love for the various sporting games continues. If you can get yourself in with a good agency or accreditation and get those awesome shots that are grace the pages of newspapers and websites worldwide the next morning you can make a very good and steady living. To get to that level will take time and a lot of hard work.
But there are also lots of opportunities at the local level of photographing such as school sports days or even local sporting events. These are much easier to get into and can provide a steady income to supplement your other photography work.

10 Ways to Make a Living from Photography:

Whilst many photographers specialize in one specific area of photography these days, most photographers have to be willing to offer a few of these services. I shoot a lot of editorial and food photography and some commercial projects. I then use stock and print sales to increase that revenue stream.
Whatever genre of photography you specialize in, it’s important to diversify your work. Not only because of the income but also because you might make contacts that will lead to other jobs within your chosen genre.
Remember to price yourself accordingly and try not to work for free. Always keep in mind that if you don’t respect your work enough to be paid for it, why should someone else?
Do you have any other ways to make a living from photography that you’d like to add to this list? Share with us in the comments!


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11 Tips for Shooting Travel Stock Photography to Make Money

By: Kav Dadfar  

Stock photography is a tough industry to master. The competition is fierce and prices have been falling over the last decade. But if you are willing to put the effort in and have a long term plan, you can certainly reap the rewards. As a photographer who has been involved in stock photography for over a decade, I have certainly seen the highs and lows. So here are my top tips for shooting travel stock images and how to make money from it.

1. Include people

Picture buyers are always looking for something new and fresh. Including a person can often be what makes your images unique to the thousands of others that already exist. Including a person in the shot also gives the image some context and shows more of an experience rather than just documenting a place.
Some scenes are busy enough that you don’t need someone to pose. But if you do need someone, don’t be afraid to ask a stranger. Rarely have I found that anyone says no. I always offer to send them a copy of the image to sweeten the deal. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the more generic-type shots. It more about maximizing your sales potential by shooting a variety of different images.

2. Get a model release

So once you have included a person when shooting travel stock photography, it is a good idea to get a model release. If the person or people are mainly unrecognizable, or if you intend to sell your shot for editorial purposes only, you won’t require one. But be aware that some stock agencies will require a model release even if it is someone’s hand showing in a photo. Of course, there are times where it simply isn’t feasible, for example, if you are photographing a crowd of people. Getty Images have a great model release form that you download here.

3. Shoot portrait and landscape

When shooting travel stock photography, you should always shoot a landscape and portrait version. Not all scenes work in both landscape and portrait, so sometimes it might not be possible. But if you can, it will come in really useful.
But not only portrait and landscape, try to capture some different compositions. For example, place your point of interest on the left or right. Leave room above and below. You are already at the location so you might as well cover as many possibilities as you can. You never know when a buyer will ask if you have that image in a different crop. Doing this will mean that for example, your image may get used as a double-page spread or a front cover.

4. Leave space for copy

It is important to shoot images with dead space to allow for copy or headlines to be put in. Sometimes this can mean breaking those all-important rules of composition you have spent years perfecting. But it’s worth it to make those sales.
As mentioned above, you can always shoot multiple versions of the same shot. Try to imagine where and how your image will be used in a publication (or even a website), and compose your shot with that in mind.

There was plenty of free space at the top of this image for the copy to be placed.

5. Choose the right agency

This might be pretty obvious, but it’s important to submit your images to the correct stock photography library. If you shoot travel stock photography, then a specialist travel site is best. If you shoot still life, then an agency that specializes in this would be more successful.
Beyond that, spend some time researching the agency that you are thinking of submitting to. For example, are you happy to see your images sold for a few cents? Consider what your commission rate will be as well as they vary greatly from one agency to another.

6. Think carefully before submitting to Microstock

Every single person I have ever spoken to who submitted to microstock sites regrets doing so down the road. Of course, there are probably some photographers out there who are very happy with their returns. The problem is that you will need such a huge collection of images with a wide coverage to see any returns that will be worth your time. This is because microstock sites sell images for cents. Ask yourself, would you prefer to sell one image at $25 or 250 at 10 cents?

7. Find fresh angles

If you really want to make your images stand out and catch the buyer’s eye, photograph it differently! Every picture buyer has seen the classic shot of the Eiffel Tower, and it has been on the cover of hundreds, if not thousands, of publications. So the same is not likely to catch many prospective client’s attention. It’s not always easy, but if you can capture something different or unique, you might end up with a few sales from it. This could be as simple as photographing something from lower down or higher up.

8. Unique location

As well as finding fresh angles, find new locations. Iconic locations such as London or New York, are constantly changing, so there are always potential new places from which to capture photos. This could be from a new rooftop bar with a unique view of Manhattan or new art installation on the streets of London. Even if your location isn’t ever-changing, finding somewhere with a view that not everyone photographs can be very useful.

9. Quality over quantity

This is often a bit of a contradiction when it comes to stock photography because stock photography is a numbers game. The more images you have, the better your chances of making a sale. However, the key is that they have to be quality shots that people would be willing to pay for. This is the reason that it will take most stock photographers a few years to get a wide enough coverage of images to see a decent return.
Try to always shoot the best locations at the best possible time of day. More often than not, this will be sunrise or sunset, but you will need to assess each scene individually. Your aim should be to capture each shot in a way that you can sell it.

10. Stay local

Shooting good travel stock photography doesn’t always mean jetting off to far-flung locations. You can often produce great travel stock images a lot closer to home. If, like me, you are lucky enough to live near an iconic place (for me it is London), then you already have endless photo opportunities.
Shooting locally has other benefits as well.
You can revisit locations easily if the weather wasn’t great. You don’t have to worry about the additional travel expenses that eat into your profits. In fact, you will probably find that your local shoots end up having a far better ROI (return on investment) than traveling to other places.

11. Do something different

Another way that you can try to capture different types of images is to use different technology. For example, drones have now been around a while and can offer a completely new and unique view of something that may have been photographed a lot. But there’s no denying it’s getting harder and harder to fly drones in many places. So if it’s something you are interested in, it’s probably a good idea to get a license. But drone images do sell pretty well, so it is worth considering.

For most people stock photography will never be the main source of income. However, with some preparation and planning, you can certainly make some extra money from your hobby or profession. The key to being a successful travel stock photographer is to treat it like a business as much as possible. Keep your costs as low as you can, and shoot as often as you can.
Do you have any other tips you’d like to share? Do you make money from shooting travel stock photography? Share with us in the comments!

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