Many of the photographers who made stock sales in 2008 also worked on assignments for corporations, advertising agencies, graphic design firms, newspapers and magazines. In some cases, photographers did a little of all of these, and it was the combined total of all these sources of revenue that produced a decent return on investment. Photographic activities that produced the highest average revenues were advertising and brochure, consumer editorial and architectural assignments.
| Revenues by type of photographic activity |
| Photographic activity |
Number of respondents |
Gross revenue |
Expenses |
Stock-licensing revenue |
Average gross revenue |
Average stock-licensing revenue |
| Stock licensing |
125 |
$13,801,158 |
$4,843,415 |
$8,184,356 |
$110,409 |
$65,474.85 |
| Illustration licensing |
7 |
$313,000 |
$145,500 |
$61,200 |
$44,714 |
$8,742.86 |
| Illustration assignments |
11 |
$336,758 |
$112,500 |
$107,493 |
$30,614 |
$9,772.09 |
| Corporate magazine assignments |
37 |
$4,794,720 |
$2,134,956 |
$1,260,224 |
$129,587 |
$34,060.11 |
| Ad and brochure assignments |
45 |
$7,040,796 |
$2,782,568 |
$2,855,981 |
$156,462 |
$63,466.24 |
| Consumer editorial assignments |
30 |
$4,502,362 |
$1,822,181 |
$1,683,970 |
$150,079 |
$56,132.33 |
| Newspaper assignments |
4 |
$337,207 |
$83,211 |
$116,226 |
$84,302 |
$29,056.50 |
| Architectural assignments |
10 |
$1,769,441 |
$812,411 |
$459,273 |
$176,944 |
$45,927.30 |
| Event coverage |
12 |
$579,091 |
$233,300 |
$139,373 |
$48,258 |
$11,614.42 |
| Wedding and consumer portraits |
18 |
$1,065,649 |
$460,208 |
$284,171 |
$59,203 |
$15,787.28 |
| Footage |
6 |
$585,155 |
$122,000 |
$216,138 |
$97,526 |
$36,023.00 |
| Other (teaching, tours, etc.) |
27 |
$2,395,598 |
$912,838 |
$1,668,729 |
$88,726 |
$61,804.78 |
On average, 35% of the gross income of the 125 photographers who made some stock sales went to covering expenses, not including salary. Two of the respondents just starting out spent more than what they earned. The average stock photo income of this group was $65,475, with 71% percent of these photographers earning less than this average.