I’m looking for people willing to share their personal experience selling digital photographs online.  This is something that interests me, but I’ve never done it.  I’d like to hear from some real people about how to get started and what to expect.

Photography has always interested me.  I got involved back in high school as a yearbook photographer.  We shot, developed and printed all our own black and white pictures.  I particularly enjoyed shooting the photos.

I’ve just recently purchased a Nikon D40 Digital SLR Camera and it has been fun getting back into taking pictures again.  However, the entrepreneurial side of me wonders if I could use my rediscovered hobby to generate another stream of income.

My questions about selling digital photographs online

Have you tried selling your digital photographs online?  How did it go?  I’m trying to decide if this is something I want to pursue and it would be immensely helpful to know in advance what I’m getting myself into and exactly how to go about it.

Here are some of my questions about selling digital photographs online:

• Is selling photography on sites like Fotolia the best way to make extra money?
• How much effort is required to make $100-$200 a month?
• Is this market totally flooded to the point where it is difficult to make anything?
• What sites are best for selling photographs?
• How many photos do I need to upload before I can expect to make something?
• How difficult is it to get your photos accepted?
• Are there some particularly helpful sites for learning more?

I’ve been doing a little research and I’ve ran across some helpful information, but again I’m looking for real people willing to share their experience.  This is not something that I can spend whole days doing.  After all, I’ve got a day job.  I want to know if selling photos is something I can do on the side just to generate a little extra income for my sunny day fund.

Some of what I’ve learned so far about selling digital photographs

Selling pictures as stock photography doesn’t seem too difficult and there are a plethora of great sites for it, but I’m definitely concerned that it might not generate enough money to make it worth anything.

I ran across this Microstock Earnings Report for May 2009 and it makes me wonder if a guy like me that is already working full-time, raising a family and blogging on the side has a chance of making enough to bother.  My expectations aren’t that high, but after some time and effort I would like to be making at least $100 to $200 a month.  Is this realistic?

I know about model releases and avoiding photos that include trademarks or copyrighted material, but are there other things I need to know about what to photograph?  Is it possible to make money with photographs of nature, landscapes and common objects?

What kind of equipment do I need?  Obviously, I knew a good digital SLR camera would be helpful, but what else will I need?  I’d like to get up and generating a few dollars without investing a great deal more money up front.  I did get a 55-200mm zoom lens with my Nikon D40, but other than that I don’t have a lot of extra equipment.

What is your best advice for selling digital photographs online?

I’m really looking forward to hearing your suggestions.  I haven’t decided 100% to do this, but it is something that interests me keenly.  I hope you’ll take a few minutes and share your experience or thoughts with me.  I’m sure it will go a long way toward helping a newbie get his footing!

Photo by Chris. M.C.