My Stock Photography Breakthrough (2023–2024)
- Joe from Vivid Auto
- Jul 18
- 3 min read
I didn’t jump into stock photography expecting overnight success.
I got in for one reason: to build a recurring income stream from my creative work.
In Part 1, I shared how I cut out middlemen like Wirestock and started licensing directly with Shutterstock and Adobe Stock.
Now, I’ll break down how steady uploads turned into $148.90 in under 18 months and the key lessons that made it happen. Keep reading to discover my stock photography breakthrough
📈 The Growth That Took Time — And Paid Off
By January 2023, I had nearly 1,000 assets on Shutterstock. It wasn’t an explosive start, but it was consistent.
🔹 January 2023: 5 downloads — $1.93
🔹 February 2023: 7 downloads — $2.08
🔹 March 2023: 10 downloads — $7.11
🔹 April 2023: 13 downloads — $5.36
My Shutterstock revenue started to compound. Small amounts, but noticeable.
My breakthrough wasn’t viral. It was volume.
🚀 Diversifying to Adobe Stock & iStock
In 2023, Adobe Stock and iStock combined accounted for approximately 22% of my total stock photography income. Not massive individually, but they played a key role in building a broader, more resilient revenue stream. Why it mattered:
Adobe Stock had better royalty rates.
iStock opened doors to a different buyer market.
🎯 The Real Lessons I Learned
1. Uploading in Batches Builds Momentum
Every batch of 20–50 uploads sparked a spike in downloads.
2. Agency Royalty Rates Are Wildly Different
Adobe Stock and Alamy paid better per download.
Shutterstock and iStock delivered volume.
3. Patience Is a Superpower
Growth wasn’t linear.
Some months were slow. Others picked up when I uploaded niche or seasonal content.
That mindset of patience, testing, and playing the long game helped me:
✔️ Grow my freelance work
✔️ Win bigger clients
✔️ Build a brand with work featured on:
• BBC News
• Financial Times
• Forbes
💵 My 2023 Earnings Breakdown (Stock Photography Breakthrough)
January 2023 – December 2023: $146.54 (across Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and iStock)
Total: $148.90 from stock photography in under 18 months.
Three platforms. Proof that even small sales can snowball with patience and consistency.
🧩 What This Means For Creatives Like You
Stock photography isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. It’s a long game.
If you can:
Upload consistently.
Accept low initial payouts.
Treat it like a slow-burn investment.
Then it becomes a real, semi-passive income stream over time.
For me, stock photography wasn’t just a side hustle. It became a creative testing ground. Sharpening my strategy, building resilience, and proving how consistent effort turns into long-term value.
That mindset helped me land larger clients, grow my freelance work, and establish a brand with published work featured in the BBC, Financial Times, and Forbes.
Part 1 — Why I Started Selling Stock Photography (And How You Can Too)
Why I Turned Photos into Semi-Passive Income. And how you can start right now.
Part 3 — From $2.36 to $1,166: My Real Stock Photography Income Growth Story. From pocket change to four figures — my real income story.
Part 4 — Stock Photography Lessons And Applications What stock taught me about making content that actually pays off.
📩 Ready to see how I turned slow trickles into recurring income?
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Part 3 is next. I’ll show how I made stock photography a real side income while growing my freelance business.
What questions do you have about stock photography?
Drop them in the comments and let’s start a conversation!
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