After three years in stock photography: is it really worth it?

Are you thinking about starting shooting stock photography? There are different opinions whether it’s a good move or not, and the experiences of photographers differ. If you’re still trying to make up your mind, I believe this video from Rachel Lerch will help you. After three years of shooting and selling stock photos, it’s time for a recap: is it really worth it? Listen to Rachel’s experiences and thoughts about both good and bad sides of stock photography.

One of the things I like about this video is that Rachel doesn’t only give her personal opinion without any arguments. Instead, she tells you about different aspects of stock photography, so you can learn more of what you can expect. The video is 20 minutes long, but Rachel gives a “table of contents.” Here are the topics she covers:

• Investment – 00:48
• Acceptances/Rejections – 02:16
• Agencies – 04:03
• Money – 06:21
• My Biggest Objection – 09:16
• Ideas & Tips – 13:07
• Is it Worth It? – 15:35

I won’t go into details, considering that Rachel does it incredibly well in the video. But in Rachel’s opinion, stock photography isn’t worth it. Considering the amount of education, time, talent and effort you put into making good photos, the reward is too small. “You’re worth more than a small commission,” as Rachel puts it. And personally, I tend to agree.

The point is that there certainly are good and bad sides of stock photography, and for some of you it may be worth the investment. However, others may see it as a waste of time, effort, and talent, and this is Rachel’s point of view after spending three years in stock photography.

What are your experiences with stock photography? Do you think it’s worth it?

[The Truth About Stock Photography: Conclusions After 3 Years | Rachel Lerch]