How to Sell Photos Online

Travel Tips for Photographers

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:31:00 +0000

Traveling is the best thing a photographer can do. But you always need to be alert as you are carrying a bag filled with expensive photography equipments.

An overseas travel is often the choice every photographer has in mind, but you need to ensure that you are aware of local laws. Some people have spent enough time in prison for taking photographs of buildings or subjects which raised security concerns.

I have always stressed the importance of memory cards in my previous posts. You spend the whole holiday taking beautiful pictures in one memory card, but losing this precious piece of memory can only make you crib about not backing up. If you are carrying a laptop, make a habit to copy those images in the laptop. It's worth your time.

While on a transit, make sure you separate the lens from the camera. As a photographer, you will always require a carry case which has a good lock, keeping the thieves away. There are lots of incidents I have come across, and the worst case was when a person reached his destination, opened his bag and he sees nothing except the memory card.

When out on the field, never give the impression that you are a tourist. Try to dress down and behave as though you are familiar with the place. This will avoid you being mugged.

Be alert when you are shooting, and ensure to keep your camera on a strap help securely around your wrist. Also keep an eye on your baggage, as the chances of losing the baggage are more while shooting.

You can't predict being robbed. If you are carrying cash whilst on shoot, make sure you don't carry everything in your pockets, losing everything can only change the course of your holiday.

Always drink distilled water when on a holiday, unless you are sure of the source. The chances of falling sick is more by drinking contaminated water, so carrying some flu medicine and first aid kit is always good.

Lastly, a travel insurance that sufficiently covers you. There are lot of packages offered by travel agents, but have upper limits of 300 GBP which don't even cover the cost of a camera. So always remember to have the package covering the duration of your holiday.

Myths about batteries

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 05:04:00 +0000

These are some myths about batteries which needs some attention.

The type of AA-sized battery chosen does not make a difference
If you're planning to buy rechargeable batteries, always go for NiMH(nickel metal hydride). These batteries last longer than NiCd(nickel cadmium) ones, and unlike NiCd, they do not harm the environment.

I can shoot pictures with a dead battery by rubbing it on my jeans
The method of rubbing batteries on your jeans may get you an extra shot in extreme cold weather. However, for the most part, this is not true.

Any battery charger can be used for any type of battery
We have been following this myth about batteries probably from the time they were invented. However, different batteries require different chargers. In fact wrong chargers can actually reduce the digital camera battery life by half.

Waiting for the Perfect Moment - Action photography

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:23:00 +0000

Perfect moments are often difficult to capture as they appear for a fraction of a second, you miss it and they disappear. So its important to anticipate that perfect moment while you are waiting.

Nature of Action
If you are photographing a national sport or just a street sport, be prepared by learning its rules and the expected flow of events. Researching that sport is the key, as you can anticipate the moment easily.

Head to the location
Once you study the kind of action, go to the location. Spend some time learning your subjects(players) before the actual event. Try to connect by observing them closely, as it will help you judge their moves.

Multiple Shots
Make use of the continuous shooting mode if you're not confident about your action shooting skills. It will definitely help you, but there are some limitations to it. By using this mode you are forcing the camera to rest while writing those multiple images to the memory card. However, I recommend using this mode as it often comes handy in action photography.

Check on the Batteries and Memory Cards
Action photography or not, you always need to have the batteries charged. Keeping an extra set of batteries and memory cards will avoid any last minute glitches. Ensure that the batteries and memory card is in place, so that you don't find yourself changing batteries or cards just before the main event.

The above being said, don't forget to choose camera settings well in advance or all that hard work is going to be a waste. Action photography is a game of waiting, you need to have patience while everything else is a second nature.

Tools and Accessories for Action Photography

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:17:00 +0000

There are several other accessories you may require apart from the camera, while shooting any fast moving subject i.e, action photography. This is a list of essential tools and accessories you should have while out on a shoot.

A Tripod
It is important to have a sturdy tripod on field. It should be at least 3 times the weight of the camera. Ensure that the tripod is easy to setup, so that you can focus more on making photographs rather than worrying about the tripod.

Memory Cards and Batteries
You cannot afford to lose that important frame after waiting for such a long time. So carry extra batteries and memory cards to be on the safer side.

Camera Belt
Action photography is all about capturing action in a frame, and you may need to run around for the best possible position. A camera belt will hold your camera in place, while you are on the move.

Lens Hood
In action photography, if you miss a shot, you miss it forever with no retakes in spare. Lens hood will avoid any flares, keeping your lens protected.

15 Ways to sell your Photos and Make Money

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:34:00 +0000

If you have some good photos, you can earn some extra money from it.

Here are 15 ways to sell your photos and make money.

1. Story books

Put your images in story books, of course you don't have to be so concerned about the story. A one liner with the images will do the trick.

2. Photography book

Always good to put your best images in a book and sell them. There are people ready to buy them.

3. Give MySpace users unique pages

It's difficult to make a mark on MySpace and other networking sites. However, if you have some good pictures, go contact networkers and offer them your work.

4. BritePic your pictures

BritePic allows you to put a floating ad on your images. When users move the cursor over the image, you get paid.

5. Blogging

Start a blog and discuss about your images. Place ads on your blog, advertisers pay you for every click made by visitors on the ads. This is a great way to make money from using your photography skills.

6. Contact Local distributors

Get your pictures in local stores, and start making sales. It's hard initially, but once your images start selling, demand increases. You also learn the art of marketing while doing this.

7. Calendars

You can print images on calenders and start selling online.

8. Sell photos on microstock sites

Of course you this, if you stumbled upon other pages on this blog. Microstock photography is in great demand. Everyone does it, what are you waiting for.

9. Photo Competitions

Instead of storing images in your hard disk, submit them to photo competition sites. You earn cash prizes and lots of reputation.

10. Customize stationery

Putting your image on stationery items can get you some good money. Find a printer, start putting your images on notebooks, mugs, pads and sell them.

11. On the bag

Bags are commercial, and you can put almost anything on a bag these days, it becomes a style statement. So why not you images. Sell your images by putting them on bags.

12. CD covers

It would be nice to have a fancy CD cover, instead of those boring plane ones.

13. Sell to eBay auctioneers

Most of the ebay items show up with the same old images time and time again. Why not help them use new stuff and offer them to sellers.

14. Coloring books

Take pictures of pets and people, follow some Photoshop steps and put together your very own coloring books.

15. Put a mouse on an image

Put a photo on a mouse pad and sell it through Zazzle.

These are some conventional and modern ways to sell your photos, but it does not matter as long as you want to make some money from your images.

Amateur to Professional Photographer in 4 Steps

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 15:45:00 +0000

Everyone who picks up their first dslr camera feels like a professional photographer. Although they don't desire to be professional, its somehow natural to have that feeling. The first thing that comes to mind, is seeing yourself working for National Geographic taking those wildlife photos on a beautiful island or hanging out of a helicopter with your camera. Imaginations tend to be seem less with your first dslr camera.

There are few people whom it matters a lot to be a professional photographer, its more that a dream for them. They start realizing their dream, once they start paying those bills with money earned from photography. Only few achieve the set milestone, some are happy for not having tried and the remaining just give up after seeing the competition. Being a professional photographer isn't that easy, looking at the jobs available and the average salary package.

It is not that difficult, provided you are ready to explore all the options available and increase your resources to fulfill that dream. If professional photography really is your goal, here are four steps you must take to get there faster.

Practice, Practice and Practice a lot

A beginner sometimes manages to take some great pictures. But there is always some space for improvement, which comes only with practice. Few have natural talent, while some have to practice that extra minute.

As a professional photographer, you can't blame the weather or subject for your poor images. They can't afford to lose that precious time over bad luck. To be there, you need to imagine yourself there every moment, and practice will always keep you on track.

Build Client base

Once you are sure of your abilities, start adding clients to your list. Do this along with your full time job, without quitting. Interact with like minded people, join local photography communities and go out for shoots with them. They may not pay you, but contacts will grow.

Add Revenue Streams

Depending on a single client is not possible these days, seeing the competition. So start submitting your images to various Microstock Agencies, and you will see a sudden rise in you income with four figure sums pouring into your bank account. However, you need to think like a business man when dealing with Stock Photo sites.

Have a check on the figures

With time professional photographer often needs to upgrade his equipment to meet the current trend. The camera, lens, tripod, monopod, filters, batteries, flash and more are all. Always have a check on your expenses.

Quality of Images matters not Quantity

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 15:12:00 +0000

For a photographer who wants to turn an eye for pictures into extra income, the prospects could be unknown to them. Anyone with a camera thinks that they have the skills to take those great images which sell on stock photo sites.

Some pictures are of professional quality which tend to catch hold of potential buyers. There are so many images posted on these sites everyday, and to pick those quality photos is no simple task for buyers. A designer may need one photo for his assignment, but finds it hard to decide on. It becomes a day long task for them. So as a photographer, you need to think from the buyers point of view. Picking images from a huge collection could be a difficult for them, but there needs to be a way where you can simplify their task.

One damn sale can make a change, the buyer would come back to the same photographer whose images he purchased instead of the daunting task of searching images from the sites. So as a Stock photographer, you should prefer submitting quality images rather than quantity. It pays to be selective in offers.

Buyers would prefer selecting one photograph from two quality images, instead of looking at 30 odd images of a waterfall and making a choice.

Try to be buyers best friend by offering them quality photos. Don't make yourself look like a amateur by submitting all that is stored in your disk. Think like a buyer.

Photography Job Prospects

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 14:29:00 +0000

Photography Jobs without College Education

Microstock Photography - You certainly know what Stock Photography is, if you have been reading my blog. Yes this is the job most people prefer, which completely depends on your photographs, nothing else matters. These links can educate you about microstock photography, best microstock websites and much more.

Realty estate Photography - You would require help finding these kind of companies. A digital camera and some hard work is more than enough.

Freelance Magazine - You need to contact magazines and offer them your work, if they like it they will pay you for it, if they don't they will send you packing. Either way you don't need to set foot in their office so they won't even ask for your credentials.

Freelance Web and Graphic Design - This can be done by anybody who knows designing. Softwares like Photoshop and Illustrator are popular these days. If you have a hand on it than go for it. However, you need to market your work by networking with people using various social networking sites. Another option is to sell your designs on Stock photo sites.

Local Photography - You don't have to be a professional photographer for this, nobody is going to ask your qualification here. You are a free bird, just need to learn taking that unusual flight. Clicking photos at local events, music shows, festivals and selling them to local newspapers could be an option.

Photography Exhibitions - You can sell your work by conducting exhibitions. Well, some ground work should be done before.

Photography Jobs where education is needed

Photography Agency - Now this is a place where you need extensive training. Perhaps the hardest task to convince them for an opportunity. They won't entertain you just like that, unless you have some training with professional equipment.

Model Photography - This one depends a lot on how you deal with people. However, you need some credentials to start with as a photographer. I know a person who shared some of his work on facebook, and got an offer the next day without any prior education.

Advertising - Advertising is field where you need a degree. You also might need education in the field of advertising.

These are the jobs you can try depending on your photography education. There are few more, which I prefer covering later.

How to Improve Photography

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 13:19:00 +0000

Imagination certainly improves your photography skills, as photography is not just about pointing the camera and capturing images, but an art of making pictures, which actually begins before you pick the camera. It totally depends on your imagination, the way you interpret your surrounding environment. Your vision will never be similar to someone else.

To improve your photography skills remember these following points which somehow seem to be ignored, but play a big role in nurturing the photographer within you:

Read about photography

As a beginner, you can start by reading books like an autobiography of a photographer, their articles published on various platforms. You can help build some perspective. You learn how a photographer thinks, his vision on various subjects.

See a lot of photographs
The best way to better your photography is by looking a lot of photographs. There are lots of images available online or you can visit a local photography exhibition and try to study from those works.

Observe
Keep an eye on your surrounding environment, even if you don't have your camera. Observe how things around you change as the time passes. The mood of a place changes every minute, notice them. It improves your imagination, and helps you spot those potential photographs.

Study people around you

Observe the body language of people around you. This helps while shooting portrait photographs. Study their movements and gestures, so that when you are out there shooting, you know when someones going to smile.

Explore places
Walk around the streets and start clicking those special moments. At the end of the day, you would be amazed, if you get even one great picture.

Fall in love
Enjoy and love what you shoot, or you will never do a good job of it. Your photography is effected greatly by the way you interpret your subjects. Love your subjects while you click those moments. By doing this, you relate with them and capture their emotions naturally.

These points will definitely improve your photography and your ability to channel your vision towards the unseen.

Increase digital camera battery life

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 12:58:00 +0000

A digital camera's battery life depends on its capacity, the number of shots, usage of flash and live view. How many times has this happened when you are out, waiting from a long time for a particular moment to happen - could be a lightening, a man about to dive in a pool, a bird about to take flight or that magical goal by Christiano Ronaldo. You set the camera and have the frame in mind. You are too excited about the frame already set in your mind. And when that moment arrives, you press the shutter, and guess what? Nothing really happens :( So you give a second try thinking you did not press the shutter button. And this time bang on..... Nothing happens!! Battery empty!! Perhaps it wasn't an important factor for you to check the batteries before setting up the camera. Any point regretting for the missed opportunity? Not really.

Digital camera battery life has somehow managed to gain more importance in today's digital world. No matter which camera you own or the type of batteries, but it certainly makes sense for a photographer to take care of this important factor. Batteries are of less value for a common man, as long as they work. Ironically, its the heart of any portable device, camera being one of them.

Once you have appropriate battery and charger, its important to follow a few simple guidelines, so that your camera's battery power does not stop you from shooting.

Storage Place
Batteries should always be stored in a cool and dry place. At high temperatures, they get discharged on their own and at a faster rate. There are chances of permanently damaging your batteries at high temperature. This factor is applicable at very low temperatures as well. The battery life partially reduces if stored in extremely cold places.
High temperature - reduces charge.
Low temperature - battery life.

Charging
Charge them to their maximum capacity just before use. Be safe always, you never know how many shots you may require.

Cover them
Batteries are supplied with a carry case or a cap. If not in use, its always good to cover the electric terminals, to prevent short circuit.

Charge Cycles
The actual battery life(rechargeable) is stated in terms of the number of full charge and discharge cycles. So wait for the battery to fully discharge before charging again, unless its unavoidable.

Long term Storage
If your batteries are out of use for over a month, store them in a bag and keep it in a cool and dry place. It basically reduces the time of chemical decay.

By following these guidelines, you will certainly increase your digital camera battery life. So take special care of them, as cameras consume lot of power.

TIPA Awards 2011

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 07:32:00 +0000

TIPA - Technical Image Press Association present the best photographic products in various categories like design, innovation, the use of leading edge technology, user friendliness, price and performance. These were the criteria kept in mind at the time of evaluation.

As we all know, Canon and Nikon are the top contenders, as nothing beats them in terms of commercial success and reliability. Canon received three awards, whereas Nikon stood one behind with two awards. However, the Nikon Software Collection won the Best Photo Software Award, putting aside Adobe Photoshop CS5 which had won awards for six consecutive years.

TIPA Awards 2011 announced - these were the BEST in their respective segments.

DSLR Cameras
Professional   : Pentax 645D
Advanced      : Nikon D7000
Expert       : Olympus E-5

Compact Cameras
General    : Nikon COOLPIX P300
Expert     : Olympus XZ-1
Rugged       : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT3/ DMC-TS3

Premium : Fujifilm FinePix X100

Superzoom : Canon Powershot SX230 HS

Compact System Cameras
Expert       : Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GH2
Entry level : Samsung NX100

Lens
Professional : Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L ISII USM
Expert         : Sigma APO 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM
Entry Level : Tamron SP 7--300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD

Photo Software
Nik Software Complete Collection

Photo Service
Fujifilm 3D Print Service

Imaging and Innovation
Innovation           : Sony SLT Translucent Mirror Technology
Innovative design: Casio EXILIM TRYX TR100
Storage Media : Panasonic Gold Pro SDHC UHS-1

Film

Kodak Professional Portra 160

Equipments
Tripod : Vanguard Auctus Plus 323CT
Digital Camera Back      : Phase One IQ
DSLR Video accessory   : Redrock nano DSLR rigs
Photo Bag                     : Vanguard Skybone

These were the awards presented by the TIPA in various segment. For more information visit tipa.com. Nikon being my favorite should have bagged more. Sony World Photography Awards were also announced this month.

10 Ways to Make Money Online

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 09:20:00 +0000

Thought of writing a post on the different ways to make money online, to help those who are looking for an online source of income which requires less resources, where you don't have to invest money but your time. There are lots of websites offering lots of jobs and services. Some are legitimate, but most of them are scams and get rich quick schemes. This post will provide you information on the legitimate ways to make money online. I'll also provide links to sites wherever possible, which I basically prefer, to make things easier for you.

Although Internet is the most popular medium of income these days, its not that simple unless you are determined to achieve your set goals and devote time to it. Patience is the key to success in online business. Alright, now lets see the different ways to make money online:

Make Money Designing T-shirts

All you need to know to is designing. If you are good at making up catch phrases and cool designs, you can earn a fair amount of money designing t-shirts. You can also participate in t-shirt design competitions and win cash rewards of over $1000. CafePress and Threadless are the sites I prefer. Just register and start submitting design. CafePress pays you commission for each t-shirt sold having your design, where as Threadless follows a voting system, where the submitted designs are voted by the users themselves, the design with maximum votes wins $25,000 and is used on Threadless t-shirts. You can earn also submit phrases and earn $500 if selected.

Make Money Selling Photos Online

I have comprehensively explained everything related to this topic in my previous posts, instead of repeating it again, I request you to click here to learn how to sell photos online. You can make lots of money selling photos to various microstock agencies.

Earn From Your Videos

Create some funny and interesting videos and upload them on sites like Revver and Break. These sites share a percentage of their ad revenue.

Making Money from Revenue Sharing Sites

Basically, you first need to register on this sites and become a member. You get paid to post articles, answering to forum questions, referring members etc... www.IndiaStudyChannel.com is one of the sites where you will earn 90% commission of the revenues generated from your posts. Your posts will have Google ads, when someone visits your posts and clicks on the ads next to it, you get paid. Apart from this, they pay you for participating in forum discussions and lots more. This is the best place to make money without any hassle. Some earn over $1000 on a regular basis, but they work hard to get that.

Earn by reviewing Software's

Some websites pay you for using and reviewing their softwares. SoftwareJudge is one of them, I haven't tried this one though.

Get paid by Blogging

Blogging is one of the most popular activities online. You can set up a blog in no time and its quite hassle free on today's free blogging platforms like Blogger and Wordpress. So you don't have to pay for a domain name. Set up a blog, choose a topic of your interest, and start writing about it. Once you have a decent number of posts(articles) and visitors, show up ads on your blog using programs like Google AdSense or get paid by selling affiliate products through Amazon. However, Blogging is something that requires lots of patience and hard work. If waiting is not your forte, than try Revenue Sharing Sites. They make things easier for you.

Making Money from Freelancing

Freelance is one of the preferred ways to make money online. You can do almost anything here - Writing, programming, designing, photography and much more. Some sites pay you exclusively to write content for them.

Get Paid by Selling Designs

If you are a 2d/3d designer or know designing, you can sell designs and earn a decent amount. Its similar to Microstock Photography, just designs in place of photographs.

Earn Money by Playing Games

I'm sure most of you are hearing this for the first time. Game sites like Second Life and Pogo, you can earn virtual money, which can be exchanged for real money.

Earn by Participating in Photo Competitions

You can earn thousands of dollars by winning photo competitions. But this needs lots of hard work, perhaps nothing is easy on this earth. These competitions have rewards that along with money give you recognition as a photographer, certainly something you can afford.

I have tried most of these ways to make money online, and suggest you guys to try them out. They really work, provided you too work hard and plan your goals accordingly. Success is certainly inevitable.

Photo Contests/ Competitions

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 12:43:00 +0000

Participate in these monthly Photo contests to win some amazing prizes:

Environmental Photographer of the Year
Organized by the Chartered institution of Water and Environmental Management, EPOTY is open to photographers worldwide. Participants can send in images or videos for the Still Photographers and Environmental Video of the Year categories. Within the Still Photographic category, there are two awards for the Young Environmental Photographer of the year, one is for those under 16 and the other, under 21.
Prizes: Total cash prize of 5000 pounds.
Website: www.ciwem.org
Deadline: 31st July 2011

Imaginaries: Exploring Photo Art
PIX, a theme-based photographic quarterly supported by the Goethe Institute/ Max Mueller Bhavan is inviting photographers to submit their work based on the theme Imaginaries, for publishing in their forthcoming issue. 12-25 pictures in the form of documentary, fictional or art photography can be submitted to this photo contest.
Theme: Imaginaries
Prizes:Selected photographs will be featured in the magazine PIX.
Website: www.pixquarterly.in
Deadline: 15 July 2011

FotoContest
It's a monthly theme-based photo contest open to all photographers worldwide. With the theme 'My Precious' participants can submit up to five photographs that explore the most valuable thing in their life. The entries have to be uploaded on Facebook through FotoContest's website. Once uploaded, the winning entry will be selected depending on the number of votes that the picture receives.
Theme: My Precious
Website: www.fcontest.com
Prize: iPod Shuffle
Deadline: 11 July 2011

Great way to get noticed for your work. I have also posted an article which have more photo competition details and they are held on a regular basis. Click here to know more.

Sony World Photography Awards

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 05:24:00 +0000

The Sony World Photography awards, one of the most reputed and influential competition was held at the Odeon Leicester Square, London, this year. The Competition received over 1,05,000 images from over 162 countries. Argentinian Photojournalist Alejandro Chaskielberg won L'Iris D'Or, the 2011 Sony World Photography Awards Photographer of the Year. He won a cash prize of USD 25,000 and a Sony digital SLR equipment for his rare and unusual night time portraits of islanders living in the Parana Delta, Argentina.

The Sony World Photography Awards Open Photographer of the Year title was awarded to the Chinese jewelery manufacturer, Chan Kwok Hung for his image on the buffalo races of Indonesia. He won USD 5000, as well as a Sony digital SLR Camera equipment.

I would advice people to actively participate in photo competitions, no wonder you will soon see yourself winning such grand prizes if you are dedicated to photography. The 2012 Sony World Photography awards is open for entries from 1st June.

Do I need training to become a Photographer and earn?

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Tue, 31 May 2011 11:17:00 +0000

Many people want to pursue a career in photography, some start it as a hobby and some as professionals. But some always have a question dwelling in their mind i.e. do i need to undergo training as a photographer or have a qualification to become a photographer? And the answer is simply NO.

There are thousands of photographers out there without any qualification in photography, who started it as a hobby but still earn lot more than a qualified or trained photographer. Photographers these days are earning lot more than a software engineer, a doctor, a lawyer or a businessman.Well what quality do you think they have? What makes them a better photographer without any qualification in photography? Its the focus and ability to work-hard in what they want. There are few people i know who have accidentally taken up photography and went on to quit their full time job and are still earning more than what they used to.

To become a photographer you need to be passionate, creative and patient. Nothing comes without a price.

If you really aspire to become a photographer than you will anyways dedicate your time to learn it. Study the basic features of photography, buy a camera, learn its features and operations, test your skills, and practice. Remember the 10,000 hour rule that i have discussed in my previous post, its very useful. Photography is an art of capturing emotions and feelings than is not noticed otherwise.

There are schools out there to train you on photography and make your task easier, but remember you also have to spend money to get trained which i think is not necessary as there are other ways to learn it. There are some photography related jobs which require proper photography qualification (Photojournalism). A qualification in photography will make you eligible for such kind of jobs. Others who are not willing to get trained, the journey doesn't end.

You can earn lots of money from Microstock photography. It doesn't require any special training. I don't want to discuss more on this as i have already explained in my previous posts. If you're a new visitor, i would suggest you to read my other posts as its there to help you. Microstock Photography is the best and the easiest way to make money for amateurs. People out there earn more than $30,000/month from Microstock photography, amateurs earn over $10,000/month without undergoing any special training. You only need a camera and the passion for photography to become a photographer.

List of Photo Competitions

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Tue, 31 May 2011 11:12:00 +0000

A list of some of the Photography Competition sites where you can submit your photos, win some amazing prizes and get noticed for your work:

Compete around the World
Its more like a search site for photo contests.

Daily Awards
Once you upload your photos on this site, they will automatically go into the contests. The winning images will be listed on the site for some period depending on the contest type.

Digital Photography Challenge
This website conducts weekly contests and the winners are chosen by voting done by the users/members of the site. The site provides free as well as paid service. To participate you need to register.

ePHOTOzine
It list some nice photo contests and has a forum to chat with other photographers.

International Aperture Awards
The competition is open to amateur and Professional photographers with some amazing prizes. It has an estimated prize pool of $80,000.

International Photo Awards
Open to both Amateur and Professional photographers
International Photographer of the year - $10,000 cash prize
Discovery of the year - $5,000 cash prize
Deeper Perspective Photographer of the year - $5000 cash prize

If you are good at competitions, participating in International Photo Awards can change your fortunes.

PhotoCompetitions
This site contains links to various Photo Contests for amateur and professional Photographers.

Photo Compete
List some latest open photography competitions.

Photography Competitions
Contains a wide list of Photo Contests.

Photos of the year
Conducts digital photography contests.

I will endeavor to update this article with some more competitions in future. If you know any sites you can let me know.

Online Photography Competitions can get you noticed

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Tue, 31 May 2011 11:02:00 +0000

The most important thing for a photographer is to get his work noticed. That's how he will be able to carry his photography career forward, may it be Microstock or freelance photography. By entering into Online Photo Competitions there is a fair chance to get noticed as a good photographer. Of course by winning the competitions you will make a bigger impact. Many photography enthusiasts find it difficult to experience that winners feeling, but I can provide some vital tips on how to make it work for you and win an Online photography competition.

1. Follow the Rules
Every photography competition that you wish to participate will have its own set of rules like the no. of entries, copyrights, model release, theme and entry fees. Before participating you get to read their entry guidelines and submit the photos. There is a possibility of your photos being ignored or disqualified for not adhering to the rules. So make sure you follow the rules, or its better not to participate in a photo competition.

2. The Theme
It's quite obvious that you need to stick to the theme of the competition and its interpretation. Say the theme is "Trees", here don't click photos which contain only trees or something like that but add that unique element in those photos which can grab attention. Add some feeling in it, you can click a photo of a kid planting or watering a tree. It adds feeling of love towards the tree and gives a message as well. Sometimes even the best photos are rejected just because they don't fit with the theme.

3. Research and be unique
Before entering into a photography competition, do some research on the previous competitions and see the winning photographs, it could be helpful in identifying the unique element that the judges are looking for. Just learn how your photos can add such details but in a different way. Of course you can't copy them but its definitely going to help. Also research on what the majority of the entries will be like, that will give you an idea to shoot something that is unique. It will make your images to stand out in the crowd and get noticed.

4. Technically Perfect
Now that you know what the most no. of entries will be like, its time to shoot some good pictures which are technically perfect. Remember you may be competing with the best photographers there, so your images need to have the right balance in technical terms. As a photographer you know what i mean? Things like noise and all.

By participating in an Online photography competition, you tend to socialize your work. Winning it is not always a priority, but making a mark on the judges and getting yourself some recognition matters a lot.

List of Microstock Photography Sites

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Tue, 31 May 2011 08:30:00 +0000

A list of Microstock Photography Sites you might like apart from the 10 best Microstock websites that I had mentioned in my previous post.

Here is the list:

Acclaim Images:
They have a huge stock of royalty free images, go and have a look if you wanna buy some.

AgeFotoStock:
This site has some offers on purchase of their images and products.

Alamy:
Alright this microstock site is good to sell your images and pocket some more money. You get 60% of the commission from your sold images. And the good think is they don't ask for exclusivity.

Color-Pic:
A growing stock photo site where you can sell images for 50% commissions for each photo.

CornerHouseStock:
This website has a collection of photos pertaining to house, bathrooms, living rooms, bedrooms, kitchen, garden photos etc. So if you are interior designer or a real estate company you may be interested.

DigiStock:
It has some select no. of categories and has rights-managed as well as royalty free images.

dkimages:
Another stock photo site. I am not that impressed with it and not sure if you can sell images here, but can definitely buy some.

EveryStockPhoto:
This site is more like a search engine of photos listed from various sources.

eStockphoto:
The images are related to travel destinations, adventures and landscapes.

FogStock:
Well a more niche based stock site. You may contribute your work here by sending images in a CD/DVD.

Getty Images:
It has a comprehensive collection of images spread across various categories. Getty Images is one of the top microstock sites and has been taking over other stock sites.

ImageSource:
A microstock site with some free content as well. I am not sure whether you can sell your images here. Kindly let me know if you can.

ImageWorks:
An independently operated agency with more niche based images coming from photo-journalists and newspapers etc.

Inmagine:
It has a huge collection of royalty free images under a wide range of categories. They provide other services like image retouching and enhancement. You may submit photographs for representation here.

JupiterImages:
Has a huge collection of stock images to buy from. Again a popular stock photo site.

KatzmanStock:
This site has a simple interface to search images and is a relatively small microstock site operated by a photographer himself.

MattonImages:
Has a wide collection of images and different download options. The website has some good collection of images and a nice interface as well.

MasterLife:
has rights-managed and royalty free images. You can sell your images on this site, click here to know how

Photos:
It is a division of Getty images.

PhotoReflect:
This is a very simple website with some amazing photos. It has a comprehensive list of photographers as well and if you want to see your name in that list than go and register.

PhotoShelter:
This website offers some other services apart from stock images like building a photo blog for your images, off course its a paid service. But you can initially use the trial period.

PunchStock:
contains a wide collection of images coming from different sources.

SuperStock:
It has 3 different sections to sell images Rights-managed, royalty free and subscription based.

ThinkStockPhoto:
This one is a subscription based microstock site where you can buy images.

Veer:
A popular microstock site with various categories for images and the good thing is you can contribute your work here. Earn some extra money by selling photos here. The pricing is basically on the size of the image downloaded. Visit my blog to know the links.

Do I Need an Expensive Camera

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Tue, 31 May 2011 08:01:00 +0000

There is a misconception about having an expensive camera to shoot better photos. But don't believe in this myth as long as you are a good photographer. Even less expensive cameras produce good photos. A camera with decent resolution, optical zoom, a shutter that works to your needs, and a good sensor will definitely give you good results, provided you know the proper use of light and exposure. So its basically you who should take good photos and not the camera. Camera features are there to assist you.

All that expensive equipments and optics hardly matter if you are a good photographer. Expensive cameras only make your work simple. They have fast processors with better build quality, but that does not mean cheap cameras deprive you from good photography. Expensive cameras mainly have higher optical zoom, better sensors to click clean and clear images, faster shutter speed, auto noise reduction etc, so in other words photography made easy.

You can buy a less expensive camera initially, practice with it, become more skilled and later opt for an expensive camera when you think you're capable of utilizing all the features. To utilize all the features of dslr, it needs lot of practice and dedication towards photography.

Remember one thing, a good photographer can take good pictures even with a cheap camera but a bad photographer cannot take good photographs even with the best cameras. I hope you got my point.

Practice makes man perfect and photography is no different. Keep practicing!

Earn by Selling Designs Online

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Tue, 31 May 2011 07:58:00 +0000

If You're a 2d/3d artist and want to make money from your designs than you have landed on the right place. I have discussed a lot on microstock photography, photo exhibitions and various things related to it. And i know many people have benefited from my blog. Today I'll share some information on how you can sell graphic designs, 3d Models and Animations.

There are thousands of designers out there who want a platform to sell their designs and make money. I have found a nice microstock site where you can sell designs. Let me explain more about it:

3dstudio: This is the site where you can sell designs online of almost anything. After registering you can upload as many designs as you want on this website. You get 60% of the commission each time your design is sold or downloaded. And the good thing is that you decide the price of the designs uploaded.

Say for instance you set the price of your design as $50. Now if your design is downloaded 100 times, you earn $50 x 100 x.60 = $ 3000. Isn't that a good amount of money?Think how much you can earn if you have more designs. By selling more designs, you earn more. You don't have to depend on your full-time day job.

It's a great place for designers to earn money, so take advantage of this and start submitting your designs without wasting much time.

There's some good news for photographer's also and that is you can sell your photographs as well. Its a microstock site for designers as well as photographers. Make the most of it. Selling designs online is one of the best income streams for designers looking for an independent source of income.

The 10,000 Hour Rule in Photography

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Tue, 31 May 2011 07:54:00 +0000

I read about this 10,000 hour rule sometime back in a book, and felt like sharing it on my blog. It may give you an idea about how much time you can spend on photography to become a master in it.

Here's what it says -

It seems we require approximately 10,000 hour of dedicated practice to achieve the expertise in almost anything that we want to do. Lets apply this rule in photography. So if you practice photography for 3hrs a day it will take almost 10 years for you to achieve the status of a master in photography. And if you practice 8hrs/day you become master in 3.5years, as simple as that.

Now those who feel that the 10,000 hour rule is too much, than here's a good news for you, try to apply the 1000 hrs rule. Basically a modified version and it can help you break into the top 10% of the photographers. Getting into the top 10% is definitely a great achievement, and to get to the top you need to practice the remaining 9000hrs.

I personally feel that if you want to do something, do it with complete dedication and commitment or the time spent practicing will not give any results. Try to put this into test. Step out of your house with that index finger on cameras shutter. Start clicking some good photos for sometime. Keep doing this for a month and than compare the images that you took on your first day with the images clicked after a months practice. You will notice the difference immediately and understand the importance of practice. Of course you need to go out with the intent to capture better images which are thoughtful. To become a great photographer you need to improvise each day with the desire to learn more with every passing hour.

The original 10,000 hour rule was developed after a lot of research by K Anders Erickson, a Professor of psychology at the Florida State University, USA. He was a famous researcher who is widely recognized as one of the world's leading theoretical and experimental researchers on 'Expertise'.

I hope you have understood the importance of practice. To become a great photographer, you need to improvise each day with the desire to learn more. With the 1000 hour rule in place you can reduce the time to master photography.

Trust your instincts and do what your mind says, be a confident photographer

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Thu, 05 May 2011 13:02:00 +0000

I have come across people who were apprehensive to take up photography as the fear of failure always haunts them. I’ll tell you what exactly they think and feel.

One day i met a person in a photo exhibition, he was very excited and deeply involved in those exhibited photographs. I thought of talking to him and ask him what he liked in those photographs, as I wanted to know what was going on in his mind. Just to inform you people that I like studying human behavior apart from doing photography. So I went up to him and introduced myself.

This is how it goes-

“Hi my name is Sagar, a photographer. I noticed one thing that you are spending lot of time looking at those photographs, are you analyzing something?

He smiled and said – I am John, I am too passionate about photography and visit each and every exhibitions held in the city.

Me – How long have you been into photography?

John – smiled again “ I want to get into photography from such a long time, but not sure whether my work will be as good as its displayed here. Also not sure how to start as a photographer, don’t know which camera to buy, how to conduct exhibitions and also fear if I can manage the cost of organizing such exhibitions, and what if my work doesn’t sell?

Me – this time I smiled and said “ Is this the only way you think you can sell your work and make money?

John – Is there any better way, cause I am not a professional photographer and don’t think its easy to get a job in photography.

Me – well if money is what you have in mind than you can easily start with microstock photography. There are lot of people out there who earn thousands of bucks each month just from microstock. You don’t have to be professional photographer there, but only need a proper camera, creativity and a business mind.

John – Can you please help me out and guide me through it? Please…

Me – I have a dedicated blog where I have explained each and everything about microstock and other things related to selling photographs. The only thing you need to do is go through all the articles on my blog. It’s enough to educate you about the various means of making money from photography.

I gave him my blog address and exchanged our contact numbers and that’s how I made a new friend. This is how I managed to change a confused photography enthusiasts into a microstock photographer.

I kind of summarized the conversation that took place between us, ensuring that it doesn’t bore you. I met a lot of people like John who didn’t know much about photography and had a fear of failure.

John did not take up photography because he was not sure where to start from, neither did he take a step until I met him. Now he earns quite a good sum, more than his full time day job and also started exhibiting his work (which he learnt from my blog).Now whenever we meet, the first thing he says is ” If I would not have met you that day, I would still have been visiting exhibition and not been a photographer”.

That’s how it is people, you just need to take a step towards your goal. If you sit back and waste time thinking about where to start and how to start, you won’t achieve anything.

benefits of Social Networking Sites in photography

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Thu, 05 May 2011 12:56:00 +0000

Most of us spend a lot of our time on social networking sites nowadays. With the increasing popularity of social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Orkut and others, more and more people have presence online. These sites are used by people from various age groups and for all purposes like building communities, creating awareness, business ventures and marketing etc...

These sites have become tools for most of them to promote their business and work. Photographers too can benefit from these Social networking websites to promote their work.

Lets see how it can be done:

1. Uploading your best photographs
Always remember not to upload your personal stuff out there. Select images which best describes your ability as a photographer. People should like your images and comeback to see them again. You will get immediate reactions from people as they come across your best photographs.

2. Update your profile regularly

Upload new images periodically on the sites. This will ensure regular visits to your profile. Also it will tell people that you are working consistently and doing newer work. The frequency of updating depends on you completely, try to stick to a rule(updating daily, weekly or monthly). Also keep updating your personal information whenever necessary - like your address and phone number. This will reflect the fact that you take your work seriously and keep yourself accessible.

3. Form a community

To remain connected and maintain contacts its good to form a community. This will bring together like minded people. Form a photographers community and keep active discussions.

4. Be real

I would suggest you not to hide your true identity on these sites. Showing your real identity will build trust among users and they will tale you more seriously. Avoid those unreal user names and be real.

5. Be Professional

Never talk about your personal issues or financial problems. No one out there is interested to know how much money you want and stuff like that. Discuss things others want to know or are interested to read. Keep it professional.

6. Flickr helps

Many people think there's no advantage of being on flickr. But the truth is there are many advantages and flickr has always been photographers paradise. Its a dedicated site for photographers and the best place to share and promote your work. One more good news is that flickr has started paying the photographers who have contributed to their success. Never underestimate flickr. Your work is more search friendly and noticeable on Flickr.

Use these simple ways of networking to promote your work. People use social networking sites more than personal emails. The time spent on social networking sites is growing three times faster than the growth of Internet itself.

A survey says that social networks provide a trigger to improve potency of advertising across all forms of media. So use these mediums to extend your reach and be one step ahead always. The benefits of social networking sites are depends on our business methods, and photographers need to understand the importance of various social networks.

How to Sell Photos by Conducting Photo Exibitions for Amateurs:

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Thu, 05 May 2011 12:55:00 +0000

To sell photos by conducting photo exhibitions is not an easy task for amateurs, since you need to have that reputation of a Professional photographer.

To start with

Good Collection: firstly you need to have a good collection of photos which are good enough to be displayed in the exhibition. If you're confident about the photos and their quality than go ahead.

Gallery space: You need a gallery space to display your work and as an amateur, look for a cheaper gallery space since its difficult to persuade gallery owners to lend you space for exhibiting. One advantage of having a cheaper gallery location is that in case you don't have enough sales, you will still be able to manage it without any loss. So choose gallery carefully for photo exhibitions.

Scheduling the Exhibition: This is very important as you will have a lot of things to do before the event actually starts. You can plan the remaining work accordingly.

Frame the Photos: Approach a local framing store and inquire about the cost of frames. Choose only those that fit in your budget instead of spending thousands on framing and expecting someone to buy them and later being left with a pile of expensive frames. Expensive frames won't sell photos, good photos are the key to success in a photo exhibition.

Marketing: After getting the frames ready, focus on visitors. For that you can take help from your friends or any photographer you know. Send invitations to friends and each and every person you know, try to reach as many people as possible. Announce the opening date of your exhibition on your blog(its good to have a blog). You must network with people and let them know about it, so utilize all the available resources. Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are there to help you, use them to spread the news. You may advertise on local newspapers, print some invitation cards and distribute them to people. This will create more curiosity among people and they will be more willing to visit. Also remember to name your Photo exhibition and the photos that will be displayed based on the theme.

Pricing: This is one of the most difficult things to do. You should price your photos properly. Very often it happens that you price it more and lose the sale, price it less and lose its value. So be careful while pricing, one extra '0' can change everything. Once the pricing is done, put price tags on the photo frames. It looks more professional.

Preview day: After all that hard work, invite your close friends and family to your photography exhibition one day prior to the opening. Getting their feedback will help you make any last moment changes. Also ensure that the ambiance is good by using proper lighting techniques.

D-day: Wait for the people to buy your work.

Knowing how to sell your photos in a photo exhibition is very important. Try to socialize with the visitors so that you don't miss them out to revisit your next photography event.

Things to carry when out on a Photo Trip

noreply@blogger.com (sagar) — Thu, 05 May 2011 12:53:00 +0000

Here is a list of things you need to carry when you go out for a Photo Trip:

Camera

It would be silly to mention a camera in the list as its the most obvious thing you will carry. But as its a list of essential things and camera being the important one, should be listed.

Lenses

Carrying a Telephoto lens on a photo trip to frame Tigers would be ideal, but don't miss out a macro lens if you love tiny creatures.

Batteries and a Charger

Cameras consume a lot of power especially when you shoot videos. So always carry an extra set of batteries and a charger.

Tripod

If you're a perfectionist and want your photos to be sharp and clean, then don't miss out a tripod. Its a handy tool when shooting landscapes and will help bring the noise factor. Camera shake is a common factor, so carrying a tripod is always a good idea. Professional photographers often carry tripods while on a photo trip.

Memory cards

Nobody would like to miss that perfect shot just by running out of memory. Carrying an extra memory card will not only let you capture that perfect shot but more no. of them without any hassle. A laptop can be used to store your images.

Other accessories

A flash unit is useful in getting better textures and a detailed photo. UV filters and polarizing filters are other options and will give you better photos.

A Camera bag

Keep your equipments safe and arrange them systematically in this bag. This also an obvious choice to have on a photo trip.

You don't have to buy all these expensive equipments if you don't have or can't afford them. First develop your skills, learn everything about photography. Initially you don't have to waste your money on them. Don't forget that you need to be good photographer to capture good images. Expensive equipments are there to make photography easier, that's it.

Carry gears that you think will be useful during your photo trip, try to keep it minimal. It will ensure that the weight doesn't distract you from focusing on your subject.