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Stock photos and video
Stock photos and video means licensing images or clips through online marketplaces, which pay you when customers use your work. Sales can be unpredictable, so treat it as a gradual side project rather than dependable income.
Open the interactive guide (checklist, video, read-aloud) →In plain words
- Take photos or videos people may want to use.
- Upload them to stock websites.
- Customers pay to license your work.
- Sales can be small, slow, or stop.
- Check permissions, site rules, and tax.
- Build a small collection at your own pace.
Who it suits
It may suit people who enjoy taking and editing photos or video, can regularly make useful images, and are happy to learn about licensing, releases and keywording. It is not a quick or reliable way to earn money.
Businesses, publishers and other creators need images and clips for websites, adverts and other projects. Stock marketplaces help them find and license work, but many contributors compete for sales and income can be unpredictable.
Step by step
- Start with your current camera or phone. Choose subjects you can photograph safely and more than once. Make a small collection around one clear theme, such as local plants, food preparation or home-office objects. About 1-2 hours.
- Compare marketplace terms before signing up. Check each site's current contributor terms, accepted content, royalty arrangement, payout conditions and exclusivity rules. The cited guides describe different rates and payout conditions for Adobe Stock, Shutterstock and other marketplaces Shopify PhotoWorkout. About 30-60 minutes per marketplace.
- Choose whether to offer work exclusively. A non-exclusive arrangement may let you list the same work with more than one agency, subject to each site's terms. Check exactly what exclusivity restricts; the cited guide says iStock exclusive images cannot be uploaded elsewhere PhotoWorkout. About 20-30 minutes.
- Shoot with a possible buyer in mind. Leave some uncluttered space where a buyer could place text, and take both wide and close views. Keep backgrounds tidy and make more than one useful composition of a subject. About 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Check rights and releases before uploading. Check that you have the rights to submit the image or clip and that people or private property have any release the platform requires. Adobe Stock requires a signed release for people or private property shown in images, according to the cited guide Gathering Dreams. About 10-20 minutes per batch.
- Edit carefully and keep the originals. Remove avoidable blur, check colour and exposure, and compare the finished file with the marketplace's technical requirements. Save an untouched original and a clearly named edited copy. About 10-30 minutes per image or clip.
- Write accurate titles and keywords. Describe what is actually visible and use plain, relevant words a buyer might search for. Do not add misleading tags, brands or locations that do not apply. About 5-15 minutes per file.
- Upload a small batch and learn from review. Send a small group first, then read any review feedback and look for problems that repeat. Keep a record of the file names, marketplaces and changes you make. About 30-60 minutes.
- Review results occasionally and plan your next shoot. Check downloads and earnings at a pace that suits you, then note which subjects or formats received interest. Past sales do not guarantee future sales, so use results as one guide rather than a promise. About 15-30 minutes each month.
Your first 15 minutes
Choose one subject you can photograph locally, make a small set of carefully edited images, and check the contributor and release requirements of one marketplace before uploading.
The money
You usually do not set a simple price for each marketplace download: the platform's licence, royalty arrangement and customer purchase affect what you receive. Compare current contributor terms and payout conditions before choosing a site, and treat any past sales as a guide rather than a forecast.
Example only: UK week — £50 in licence income − £8 in costs = £42 before tax. Ireland week — €50 in licence income − €8 in costs = €42 before tax. These are made-up figures to show the calculation, not an earnings forecast.
The rules
You can license your photos and videos through marketplaces in the UK and Ireland. You must have the rights to submit your work and follow the marketplace’s terms. Your tax and other duties depend on where you live and how you work. Check the relevant guidance before you start.
UK and Northern Ireland
- Trading income and tax. You can earn up to £1,000 in trading income each tax year under the trading allowance. If you earn more, tell HMRC. The £1,000 is your gross income, before expenses GOV.UK Tax Help for Hustles.
- Self Assessment. If you need to register for Self Assessment, the deadline is 5 October after the end of the tax year GOV.UK. Check HMRC guidance for your circumstances.
- Rights and marketplace rules. Only upload work you have the rights to submit. Follow the marketplace’s current contributor terms. A guide says Adobe Stock requires a release for people or private property Gathering Dreams.
- Data protection. If you hold personal information, such as releases or customer details, use the ICO self-assessment tool to check whether you need to pay a data protection fee. Don’t assume you must pay, or that you’re exempt. Customer details held only for your own accounts and transaction records are likely to be exempt. This does not apply to information processed by or obtained from credit reference agencies. The ICO lists advertising or marketing another person’s business, goods or services as an example of when you must pay a fee ICO.
- Promotion and insurance. If you promote a paid partnership or another business, clearly label it as advertising. For example, use “Ad” ASA. Consider whether equipment or other insurance suits your circumstances. Check with an insurer.
- Age and consumer terms. Check the marketplace’s current age and account rules before you sign up. If you sell directly rather than through a marketplace, check the applicable consumer rules with Trading Standards.
Ireland
- Tax returns and Revenue. If you’re a PAYE worker, register for self-assessment using Form 11 if your taxable non-PAYE income is over €5,000 or your gross non-PAYE income is over €30,000. Below those amounts, declare it on Form 12 through myAccount Revenue. Check your position with Revenue or a tax adviser.
- Self-employed tax. If you’re self-employed, you pay income tax, PRSI (Class S) and USC under self-assessment. Preliminary tax is due by 31 October Citizens Information.
- Business name. If you trade under a name other than your own, register the business name with the CRO. Online registration costs €20 Companies Registration Office.
- VAT. The VAT thresholds are €42,500 for services and €85,000 for goods. Check with Revenue how your activity is classified and whether you need to register Revenue.
- Rights, advertising and insurance. Follow the marketplace’s contributor terms. Only submit work you have the rights to license. Clearly label commercial promotional content, such as with “#Ad” CCPC. Consider whether equipment or other insurance suits your circumstances. Check with an insurer.
- Age and direct sales. Check the marketplace’s current age and account rules before you sign up. If you sell directly rather than through a marketplace, check the applicable consumer rules with the CCPC.
Checked against official sources: 22 October 2026. Not yet reviewed by a qualified tax or legal adviser. General guidance, not legal advice. Check the official link beside each point before you start.
Common mistakes
- Expecting steady income quickly or treating one contributor's sales as a forecast.
- Uploading images without checking rights, releases or the marketplace's requirements.
- Choosing exclusive terms without understanding where else the work can be sold.
- Using inaccurate keywords, brands or locations to attract searches.
- Spending too long perfecting each file instead of testing a small batch and learning from feedback.
AI-made demonstration: this module has a 20-second street-chat video in the interactive guide. The presenter and the people in it are computer-generated, not real people.