How to sell photos on Shutterstock
Shutterstock is one of the largest stock marketplaces, which means a big buyer base and high sales volume. Here’s how to become a contributor, upload your first images, and give them the best chance of selling.
Step 1 — Create a contributor account
Sign up at the Shutterstock Contributor portal and complete your profile, including the tax and payout details (you need these before you can be paid). Approval is usually quick.
Step 2 — Upload your photos
- Upload high-resolution files (4MP+), sharp and well-exposed
- Submit recognizable people with a signed model release
- Flag editorial-only images (news, recognizable brands/places) correctly
Step 3 — Title, keyword, and categorize
For each image add a descriptive title and up to ~50 keywords. Order matters — put the most relevant keywords first. Cover the subject, action, setting, mood, and concept a buyer might search.
This is the single biggest lever on sales. A strong photo with weak keywords stays invisible.
Step 4 — Submit for review & get paid
Submitted images go through a review for technical quality and compliance. Approved images go live and become searchable. You earn a commission each time one is downloaded, paid out once you hit the minimum payout threshold via your chosen method.
Speed up the boring part
The repetitive work is titling and keywording every file, then re-formatting it for each site. StockPilot lets you batch-process a folder and export a Shutterstock-ready CSV (Filename, Description, Keywords, Categories, Editorial flags) so you can bulk-upload metadata instead of typing it image by image.
FAQ
How many keywords should I use on Shutterstock?
Use as many relevant keywords as apply, up to the limit (around 50). Prioritize accuracy and put the strongest keywords first — irrelevant tags can hurt your visibility.
How do Shutterstock payouts work?
You earn a commission per download based on your contributor level and the license type, and you’re paid once your balance reaches the minimum payout threshold. Exact rates change over time — check the current contributor terms.
What’s the difference between commercial and editorial?
Commercial images can be used to sell/promote and require releases for recognizable people and some property. Editorial images document real events/places/brands, can’t be used commercially, and must be labeled editorial.
Do this faster with StockPilot
Batch-score your photos and export Shutterstock- & Adobe-ready CSVs instead of typing metadata image by image.