How to Sell Travel Photos as Stock Photography & Earn Cash

Do you travel and enjoy posting your photos but wish there was something more to it?

What if you could earn cash from selling your wonderful travel photos?!

Well, there is an easy and epic way to do so.

Welcome to the world of Stock Photography!

Where a little work on the front end can turn into thousands of extra dollars later. Potentially paying for your trips later!

One of my favorite things about being able to sell my travel photos as stock photography is that it is a do it once and forget it kinda job!

What is Stock Photography?

Stock photography is pre-shot images that individuals, businesses, or media outlets can use by purchasing a license for use in different ways.

For example marketing, websites, publications, and more. Instead of hiring a photographer for custom shoots, buyers purchase stock photos, making it a great way for photographers to earn passive income.

Why Travel Photos Sell Well in Stock Photography

• High Demand: Businesses, travel blogs, tourism companies, and content creators need professional-quality travel images.
• Versatility: Travel images can be used for advertisements, social media, brochures, and editorial content.
• Evergreen Content: Scenic landscapes, cultural experiences, and adventure shots remain relevant over time.

Want to up your travel photography game? This perfect travel photo guide will take your shots to the next level!

Is Stock Photography Still Worth It?

It’s easy to assume stock photography isn’t worth it anymore. With so many images online, it can feel like the market is completely saturated.

But the reality tells a different story. Stock photography is still a massive industry—in fact, it’s currently a $4.34 billion industry, which shows there’s still strong demand for high-quality, relevant images.

The difference today isn’t whether you can make money—it’s whether you understand what actually sells.

My Best Selling Images

1. Devastation: Well-known areas that have had wildfires or natural disasters.
2. Landscapes & Landmarks: Famous locations outdoors and popular architecture.
3. People & Lifestyle: People (usually Heather) as the subject outdoors or posing in familiar situations.
4. Unique Perspectives: Drone shots, time-lapse style images, and creative compositions stand out.

Understanding the market demand and trends can help you create photos that attract buyers and generate sales consistently.

One great thing Shutterstock does is send out a monthly “shot list” to give you inspiration and guidance on what buyers are typically looking for.

Best Platforms to Sell Your Travel Photos

By far the two best platforms to sell your photos on is Shutterstock and AdobeStock. However there are a few other platforms that give you a good payout as well.

For example, WireStock yields a higher payout per photo but I don’t have as many sales on the platform. Same goes for EyeEm.

WireStock and EyeEm are no longer accepting submissions as stock. Both agencies were third-party uploaders to the major stock companies.

As of 2026, WireStock only allows submission for AI training and EyeEm has effectively become FreePik.

There are two distinctions between the nine platforms above. The first seven are their own individual platform/marketplace for selling digital assets.

In contrast, the last two, WireStock and EyeEm/FreePik are a central distribution and social sharing type platform of sorts.

Once you upload to their platform, they then disseminate your work to many buyers and platforms that would otherwise not be possible to do on your own.

They work on your behalf and take a little cut of the pie.

However, even with their cut, you would still make more through them than if you could upload to any one platform just from sheer volume.

So you mustn’t double upload on the bottom two platforms because inevitably your photos would end up on Shutterstock twice, ultimately hindering you.

How to Prepare Your Photos for Submission

Once you get home or get into your editing work flow. You need to be thinking ‘highest quality possible’.

You must think, “Would I pay for this image?” If you can’t definitively say yes! Then it doesn’t belong in the Travel Stock Photography world.

There can not be any visible trademarked items like certain backpacks, logos like Nike symbols, or recognizable people unless you have a model release sign. Even if it is you in the photo.

Additionally, certain properties need releases too.

Every photo must have no distractions, blemishes, graininess, or otherwise distracting elements that cause the photo to not look good.

Every photo gets reviewed by a real human, and sometimes images you believe should be accepted don’t. It’s unfortunate that in the stock photography world, there is a lot of subjectivity that goes on. Just take your ego out of it, and you will be fine!

Edit your photo the way you want and the way you think a buyer would choose your photo over the next. Just don’t over do it. You may never sell it. However, the same goes for if you under edit the photo. Look at others and make a decision that works for you and your editing style.

On your export, you need to export at full resolution, making sure it’s a minimum of 4MB and up. 123RF limits their upload size to 10MB.

Here is a breakdown of what is typical for all the guidelines and regulations pertaining to submitting your travel stock photography…even though its from Shutterstock.

Uploading & Optimizing for Sales

Writing a strong title and including a detailed description of the photo will only improve your chances of selling. If you don’t include all the details possible with staying in the guidelines, how will anyone ever find that photo.

Next is incorporating the most relevant keywords possible. Don’t be vague. Think about it in the way of a buyer.

Imagine you upload a stunning photo of an epic sunset photo in Sedona to one of the stock photography platforms. If you only use vague or limited keywords like:

❌ Keywords: Sedona, sunset, Arizona, Travel

Your image may get lost in the massive database, making it difficult for buyers to find.

Now, compare that to a well-optimized set of 50 keywords (the limit on all platforms):

✅ Keywords: southwest, flare, amazement, usa, achievement, dusk, independence, stunning, one person, america, fit, mountain, national forest, female, viewpoint, breathtaking, hike, sedona, red rock, canyon, coconino, wilderness, vista, colorful, woman, arizona, formation, sun, rock, femininity, perspective, escape, popular, explore, star, nature, dramatic, solo, awe, orange, awesome, calm, standing, sunlight, round, spectacular, sunset, lady, merry go round rock, desert,

With these descriptive keywords, your image appears in more search results, increasing its chances of being purchased. Proper keywording ensures that your photos reach the right audience, maximizing visibility and sales.

Tips for Successful Keywording

• Use words to describe the physical features in the image (e.g., rock, arch, etc.)
• Include non-obvious physical location descriptors (e.g., Sedona, Coconino National Forest, etc.)
• Describe the colors of the image (e.g., orange, negative space, copy space etc.)
• Include emotion (e.g., achievement, success, victory etc.)
• If a person is present, describe them (e.g., woman, 30s, caucasian, brunette, etc.)
• Use an app like IMS Keyworder

Maximizing Your Earnings

To maximize your potential earnings in travel stock photography you must upload consistently to build a massive catalog/portfolio of images.

You don’t get rich off of only uploading your 10 best travel photos. I have thousands of photos in my stock photography portfolios and I haven’t gotten rich!

This is a long-game strategy. Not a get-rich-quick scheme. Gotta put your head down and grind. But the best thing about it all is that once it’s there and has an evergreen opportunity, then years down the road you still have the potential of bringing in some cash.

You’ll never sell every photo you upload, but once a single photo starts uploading you’ll begin to see what works and you can build from there.

I remember being so excited when my first image sold for about 10 cents on Shutterstock! It was like the best 10 cents I had ever made!

Tip for Successful Sales

The biggest tip for success is to upload to every platform. However, that can be a daunting task.

The best way to upload to all the major stock agencies is to have a dedicated app that uses file transfer protocol (FTP).

Using IMS Keyworder allows you to have a full workflow from organizing your images, to titling, keywording, and uploading all in one place. It is like thirty-something a year to use. However, it pays for itself so quickly and is truly worth its weight in gold.

• Poor keywording and descriptions.
• Over-editing or submitting low-quality images.
• Ignoring licensing rules and legal requirements.

Final Words

Selling your travel photos as stock photography is an exciting way to turn your passion into profit and earn passive income.

While success takes time and strategy, it’s a worthwhile investment that can even help fund future travels.

Choosing the right platforms, using strong keywords, and consistently uploading high-quality content will increase your chances of making sales.

Avoid common mistakes like poor keywording and descriptions, over-editing or submitting low-quality images, and ignoring licensing rules, as these can prevent your photos from selling or even lead to rejections.

Stock photography isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme, but with patience, persistence, and smart optimization, your travel photography can work for you—earning cash while you explore the world. Start uploading today and take the first step toward turning your photos into profit!

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