Depositphotos Contributor Review 2022

Whether you want to make a living from photography or find a way to make some extra income, you can do so as a Depositphotos contributor. The platform allows both seasoned professionals and beginners to sell their photos, illustrations, vectors, videos, and music. In this Depositphotos contributor review, we will explain how to become a Depositphotos contributor and start making money with your portfolio right away.

Depositphotos Contributor Review Highlights

• Find out more in the Depositphotos 2022 review with full details on services, pricing and more.

Depositphotos Contributor Earnings

You receive royalties every time someone downloads your work on the Depositphotos website. The reward amount depends on your contributor level. And the higher your level, the larger the royalties.

The amount of royalties you receive depends on the subscription plan under which customers buy your photo. Below you can see rates for images purchased on demand.

If clients purchase your visuals through a subscription plan, you will be paid at the rates indicated below.

Depositphotos currently pays royalties ranging from 30% to 38% for each image sold on demand. If the picture is purchased via subscription plan, you will get between $0.25 and $0.33. The amount paid for each image is determined by the number of files sold over time. You must reach a certain number of downloads to advance your contributor level and, consequently, your earnings.

• The best stock photography sites to sell images in 2022 have been named. Consider other options besides Depositphotos, and weigh the pros and cons of each platform before you start selling stock photos, videos, and other files.

How to Increase Depositphotos Earnings

1. Choose a niche

   If you want your images to get noticed, choose a niche or several topics you can focus on. Thus, you’ll have a higher chance of selling your works and gaining loyal customers. You can occupy evergreen niches like business, lifestyle, or holidays. Alternatively, you can opt for underexplored areas like inclusivity or AI technology.

2. Keep up with trends

   Keeping an eye on creative trends 2022 and using the latest post-production techniques can help you sell stock photography more effectively, gain regular downloads, and get ahead of the competition. By monitoring trends and training your eye with high-quality content, you can spot a trend at an early stage or predict what will be popular in the near future.

3. Use versatile keywords and descriptions for your works

   To maximize the chances of your images getting discovered and purchased, caption your works in detail and use specific, versatile, and relevant keywords and descriptions. Try to include all the possible keyword combinations that your potential clients might be looking for. For example, when uploading a dog photo, add keywords such as dog, puppy, canine, pet, or man’s best friend.

4. Rely on the calendar

   You can boost your sales and raise profile visibility by considering seasonal demand and preparing content in advance for different holidays and seasons. We recommend submitting thematic images, videos, or audio files at least 2-4 weeks before the occasion, so your works have time to be discovered by Depositphotos clients.

5. Consider where your works can be used 

   Knowing the mediums your potential clients utilize will help you decide on what content type of format to upload. If you’re a photographer, you might choose versatile image composition and orientation, as well as models and items to include in the frame. It will optimize and speed up the creation process and benefit your clients.

Depositphotos Contributor Video Review

‎‎‏‏‎How to Become a Contributor on Depositphotos

If you don’t have any experience working with stock photography platforms, you can start by becoming a Depositphotos contributor. The process is quick and easy, all you need is to follow these four steps.

1. Register on the platform. Go to the Depositphotos contributors’ page, and fill out the short form with personal information. Confirm your identity by attaching a scan or copy of your ID or driver’s license. The information in the identification document must match the personal information you provided during registration.
2. Upload several files for a quick test. The platform requires your works to ensure that they do not contain any abusive, obscene, or pornographic scenes, and do not violate any policies, copyrights, and human rights. Pick the files that you are most proud of; ones that show your style and the quality of work. Feel free to add links to your existing portfolios on other stock photography platforms, as well as to your website or Instagram account.
3. Wait for a response. The examination process usually takes seven to ten business days. When you pass the examination, you’ll receive an email. After that, you’ll have full access to the Depositphotos website and features for contributors. You will be able to upload and sell images, videos, and music files.
4. Start uploading files and making money. From now on, you can upload any number of files to earn money. By uploading more content with relevant keywords and descriptions, you increase your works’ chances of being found and purchased.

Depositphotos Contributors’ Page

In addition to the user-friendly website that is constantly improved, Depositphotos offers a well-designed contributors’ page. It is divided into blocks and categorized, allowing contributors to quickly upload new files, check which works are awaiting approval, which are already available for purchase, and which files were rejected. Here’s an example of how your personal page will look:

It is important to note that the works you upload for the test do not automatically appear in your portfolio. When the examination procedure is completed, you must return to your account and provide the description and keywords for your submitted works.

The Depositphotos contributor’s page has some additional features that will be useful for anyone selling images, videos, or music files. Among them are:

• FTP upload
• Simple model release attachment
• Real-time sales reporting and analytics
• Support for three payment systems, including PayPal, Payoneer, and Skrill
• Content calendar, etc.

Extra Perks for Depositphotos Contributors

Depositphotos also supports its contributor community by creating special file collections, creative projects, and a dedicated blog section. 

• Thematic collections 

The Depositphotos content team constantly creates and curates special collections with thematic and trending stock photos. Curated collections can be found on the Depositphotos main page, as well as discovered through Depositphotos email newsletters, social media, and special projects. Having your file included in a curated collection can increase your sales and raise your profile visibility.

• Creative projects

Depositphotos also gives back to the community with creative projects like “The Photographer’s Way”. The platform wants to show people behind stock photography and reveal the challenges they face. On the project’s website, you can find eight inspiring and unique stories on becoming a visual artist.

• Dedicated blog section

The Depositphotos blog has a separate section dedicated to contributors, where you can get advice on selling stock files, articles about the best photography contests, and information on how to increase sales on the platform. What’s more, Depositphotos sends monthly digests of top articles on marketing, photography, and design, which will keep you up-to-date on visual trends.

File Requirements

If you want to sell images, videos, or music on Depositphotos, you will find the main criteria for each type of media below. To see the complete information, visit the Depositphotos Contributor Program page.

Depositphotos Contributors FAQs

What content sells best on Depositphotos?

Some content is in high demand only during a particular season, while other topics are in need throughout the year. For example, best-selling seasonal concepts are Halloween, Black Friday, Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, etc. Family, social media, health and medicine, cybersecurity, and work from home are evergreen concepts, but can be high in competition.

How much does Depositphotos pay?

Your earnings on the platform depend on your contributor level, which increases with the number of file downloads from your portfolio, and the subscription plan under which customers purchased your image, video, or music file. As a Depositphotos contributor, you can earn 30%-38% of the image or video price, and 32%-42% of the audio file price. 

How do I upgrade my contributor level?

Your contributor level upgrades each time you pass a particular threshold of downloads. You can accelerate the growth by sharing a couple of your visuals for free and getting into the Depositphotos monthly email newsletter. To get featured, send a request to our content team (content-team@depositphotos.com).

How to find ideas for a stock photography portfolio?

If you lack ideas for your stock photography portfolio, visit the Depositphotos blog. Here you’ll learn the basics of working with stock platforms, get advice on creating a strong stock photography portfolio, and find tips on how to avoid stock photography cliches in your work.

Do I need to get model release forms to sell stock photos?

If there are people in your photographs or videos whose faces are easily recognizable, you must submit a completed model release form, which defines where and how images can be utilized. A model release form also demonstrates the model’s permission to use images for commercial purposes. Even if you are in the photo, you still need to provide a personally signed model release form. If you upload an image without a release model, it will be rejected by the content team or subject to an Editorial license, allowing buyers only to use the images to illustrate an event or holiday.

Why do contributors get rejected on Depositphotos?

You can get rejected as a Depositphotos contributor for several reasons: your works violate Depositphotos policies, copyright, and human rights, or they contain abusive, obscene, or pornographic scenes. You can also get refused if you are under 18.

Summary

We hope you are now more confident in your decision to become a Depositphotos contributor. The registration process is straightforward and quick. And you are now knowledgeable about the tips and tricks of creating stock photography that sells well. 

By registering with our website today, you can join our community of 100,000 creatives, contribute to a library of over 230 million files, and start earning money right away. 

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