Selling Stock’s self-employed photographer income survey received 238 responses from around the world. Gross income reported was $33,741,722, and 60% ($20,284,081) came from stock sales. Almost all (90%) respondents earned some revenue from licensing rights to stock images.
Average income from stock was $94,242. Though nine respondents (less than 0.5%) earned over $500,000, 78% earned less than average: 29% earned less than $10,000 from stock sales; 19% earned between $10,000 and $30,000; and 30% earned between $30,000 and the $94,242 average.
Of those earning some revenue from stock, 71% (152 photographers) hail from 37 U.S. states. Best represented in this survey are California, Washington and New York.
| U.S. PHOTOGRAPHER EARNINGS BY STATE |
| State |
Number of respondents |
Gross income |
Net income |
Net income from stock |
Stock income average |
| California |
33 |
4,835,480 |
3,065,996 |
3,166,729 |
95,961 |
| New York* |
16 |
1,350,700 |
720,973 |
680,395 |
42,524 |
| Washington |
19 |
2,541,515 |
1,592,192 |
1,895,005 |
99,737 |
| *One New York respondent's earnings were excluded from this comparison as non-representative (abnormally high). |
U.S.-based photographers earned $22,789,407 in gross income, with 62% ($14,157,239) generated by stock licensing. Non-U.S. respondents—who spanned 19 countries and included six photographers from Canada, 19 from the U.K. and 30 from other European countries—reported a similar percentage of stock-licensing revenues (61%).
To help measure how representative the survey results might be, responders were asked to indicate their affiliation with trade associations. Approximately a third (34%) of respondents did not belong to any such group, while 63 belonged to organizations other than the choices provided in the survey.
| PHOTOGRAPHER EARNINGS BY MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION |
| Association |
Number of respondents |
Gross income |
Stock income |
Stock income average |
| Association of Photographers (AOP)* |
6 |
$1,993,120 |
$901,854 |
$150,309 |
| Stock Artists Alliance (SAA) |
37 |
$4,913,133 |
$3,050,531 |
$82,446 |
| American Society of Picture Professionals (ASPP) |
17 |
$1,411,513 |
$976,998 |
$57,470 |
| American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) |
62 |
$8,091,047 |
$3,305,104 |
$53,308 |
| Editorial Photographers (EP) |
25 |
$2,925,300 |
$877,215 |
$35,088 |
| Advertising Photographers of America (APA)* |
9 |
$1,526,850 |
$208,629 |
$23,181 |
| Professional Photographers of America (PPA)* |
7 |
$538,700 |
$89,690 |
$12,813 |
| Other |
63 |
$6,226,333 |
$3,158,900 |
$50,141 |
| None |
81 |
$7,197,999 |
$4,493,508 |
$55,475 |
It is not surprising that editorial photographers earn less than members of members of the American Society of Media Photographers: editorial users tend to pay less than commercial customers, and many ASMP members produce images for commercial sales. The fact that members of the Stock Artists Alliance earn more than ASMP members highlights that the SAA is heavily populated with Getty Images’ photographers.
Over three quarters (76%) of respondents said self-employed photography was not their only source of income. This suggests that, in the face of declining pricing and revenue percentages, many photographers have found new ways to supplement their freelance income. Some may have staff photography jobs and freelance on the side. A growing number work in a similar or allied field, such as graphic design, or even hold a totally unrelated job of real-estate agent, teacher or flight attendant.