How to Make Passive Income as a Photographer: 7 Creative Ways

Hey, finger clicker!

Let me guess—you’ve probably spent hours perfecting your craft, editing photos until your eyes start crossing, and maybe even sacrificing your weekends for shoots. But what if I told you there was a way to earn money without having to shoot every single day?

Yep, you heard me right. Imagine this: while you’re out exploring new places, binge-watching Netflix, or catching up on your beauty sleep, your bank account is still growing. Sounds like magic, right? Well, it’s not—it’s called passive income for photographers.

In this blog post, I’m going to walk you through 7 creative and totally doable ways you can make money passively as a photographer. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned pro, there’s something for everyone.

No more constantly chasing clients or hustling for your next gig. Let’s get started!

1. Sell Your Photos on Stock Photography Sites

Let’s kick things off with one of the easiest ways to start earning passive income: selling your photos on stock photography websites. If you’ve got a collection of images sitting on your hard drive, why not put them to work for you?

Actionable Steps:

• Pick the right platform: Popular sites like Shutterstock, Adobe Stock, and iStock let you upload and sell your photos.
  
• Upload your best work: Make sure your photos are high quality, well-lit, and visually appealing. Think about what people might search for—landscapes, office spaces, lifestyle shots, or travel photos.
  
• Tag your images: Keywords are everything! The more specific your tags, the more likely people will find and purchase your photos.
  
• Sit back and relax: Once your photos are live, you can sit back while your images earn you a commission whenever someone downloads them. It’s a true set-it-and-forget-it business model!

Real-World Example:

Take Daniel Nanescu, a photographer who made over $30,000 from selling stock photos. He didn’t need to keep working for every penny—his images kept making money long after they were uploaded. Sweet, right?

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2. Create and Sell Photography Presets

Let’s talk about something that will get your creative juices flowing: selling your own Lightroom presets. If you’ve got a killer editing style that people love, why not package it and sell it?

You can create presets for different photography styles, from portrait to landscape to lifestyle. The best part? Once you’ve created them, you just have to sell them over and over again without any extra work!

Actionable Steps:

• Make a few killer presets: Open Lightroom and create a set of presets that match your unique editing style. Focus on making them versatile for different lighting situations.
  
• Set up an online store: Use platforms like Etsy, Gumroad, or your own website to sell your presets.
  
• Promote your presets: Share before-and-after shots on Instagram or your blog to show how they work and get people excited to buy.
  
• Earn while you sleep: Once your presets are up for sale, you’ll earn money every time someone purchases them. Easy!

Real-World Example:

Megan Roup, a fitness photographer, turned her custom presets into a steady income stream. She built a brand around her editing style, and her presets became a hit with fellow photographers and influencers.

3. Teach Photography Online

If you’re the type who loves to share your knowledge (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to show off their skills?), creating online photography courses is a fantastic way to make passive income. It’s like turning your expertise into an evergreen money machine.

Once the course is created, it can sell on platforms like Udemy, Skillshare, or your own website, and the money just keeps rolling in.

Actionable Steps:

• Pick a niche: Are you a master of portrait lighting? A guru of Photoshop? Or maybe you specialize in wedding photography? Pick a niche and create a course around it.
  
• Create the course: Break down your lessons into bite-sized chunks. Make it fun, interactive, and easy to follow.
  
• Upload and promote: Put the course on popular platforms like Udemy or Skillshare, and share it on your social media to attract students.
  
• Let it sell: Once your course is live, you can earn money every time someone enrolls, with very little effort on your part after the initial setup.

Real-World Example:

Sean Dalton, a photographer from Canada, created a course on lighting techniques and made thousands in passive income while helping fellow photographers level up their skills. How cool is that?

4. License Your Photos for Merchandise

Here’s a fun idea: license your photos for merchandise. Think about it—your images could end up on t-shirts, mugs, calendars, or even phone cases. You create the designs once, and whenever someone buys them, you earn a royalty.

It’s like seeing your work everywhere and getting paid for it. How awesome is that?

Actionable Steps:

• Choose a platform: Sites like Society6, Redbubble, and Zazzle let you upload your photos and sell them as merchandise.
  
• Pick your best images: Choose images that would look great on products—think artistic shots or popular themes.
  
• Upload and promote: Put your work out there and watch it sell while you continue creating more art.
  
• Earn royalties: Every time someone buys a product with your image on it, you earn a percentage of the sale.

Real-World Example:

Jessica Drossin, a photographer, built a successful income stream by licensing her photos for use on various products. She’s turned her photography into a global brand—how cool is that?

5. Create a Photography Blog or YouTube Channel

Do you love talking about photography? Sharing tips, gear reviews, editing tricks, and tutorials? Starting a photography blog or YouTube channel could be a great way to make passive income, especially if you monetize through affiliate marketing and ads.

Actionable Steps:

• Pick your platform: Start a blog (use WordPress or Squarespace) or a YouTube channel.
  
• Create valuable content: Share photography tips, behind-the-scenes videos, gear reviews, or even creative photo challenges.
  
• Monetize: Sign up for affiliate programs (like Amazon Affiliates or B&H), use ad revenue (for YouTube), or even sell your own photography products.
  
• Watch the income roll in: Every time someone clicks your affiliate link, watches an ad, or buys your product, you earn passive income.

Real-World Example:

Jared Polin of FroKnowsPhoto has built a huge following by sharing his photography knowledge on YouTube. His income comes from affiliate links, gear reviews, and even selling his own courses.

6. Sell Digital Downloads and Prints

If you have stunning photos that you want to share with the world, selling digital downloads and prints could be a great passive income stream.

You could offer prints for people to hang in their homes or digital downloads for personal use (like desktop wallpapers or social media backgrounds).

Actionable Steps:

• Create an online shop: Use platforms like Etsy, Shopify, or SmugMug to sell your photos.
  
• Choose your best sellers: Pick your most popular or visually stunning images for sale.
  
• Set the price: You can set different prices for digital downloads versus physical prints.
  
• Promote: Share your prints on social media and drive traffic to your online store.

Real-World Example:

Timothy Hogan, a renowned photographer, sells limited edition prints and digital downloads of his stunning images. His work generates passive income as people continue to purchase his art online.

7. Create and Sell Photography Templates

For photographers who also love working on graphic design, creating photography templates is a great way to earn passive income. You can create templates for photo albums, social media posts, or even presets for photo-editing software.

Actionable Steps:

• Design templates: Create customizable templates for things like social media graphics, wedding albums, or marketing materials.
  
• Sell on design marketplaces: Upload your templates to platforms like Creative Market or Etsy, where other photographers and businesses can purchase them.
  
• Profit with every sale: You can sell the same template over and over again with no extra effort.

There you have it—7 awesome ways you can start earning passive income as a photographer. Whether you’re selling stock photos, teaching online, or licensing your work for merchandise, there are tons of ways to make your art work for you. The best part? You get to create once, and then the money keeps rolling in.

Now, what are you waiting for? Time to start earning while you sleep! Share this post with a fellow photographer, and let’s keep the creativity flowing. And hey, if you’ve got any other awesome passive income ideas, drop them in the comments below. Let’s keep this conversation going!