Freelance photographers: how can you sell your photos online?

Photography is often first and foremost a passion. For some people, it also becomes a profession. Whether full-time or as a complement to another activity, many French people want to sell their photos online.

Among the jungle of solutions at your disposal, it's sometimes hard to find your way around and choose the best sales channels and strategies. Interested in taking the plunge?

Don't wait any longer, and find out everything you need to know about selling your photos online!

Solution #1: Sell your photos on an image bank

Every photograph is an artistic production protected by copyright. One way to sell your photos is through an online image bank, to which you transfer the license.

Your buyer now has the right to use your photo as he wishes, in return for a certain sum of money.

Your objective is to think about the potential customers each shot could attract (type of business, sector, use, etc.) Generalist photographs are more successful, especially when they feature people.

Among the most famous image banks, Getty Images, Shutter StockiStock, 500px and Stockbsy are very popular with freelance photographers.

Solution #2: Create your own online store

The second solution is to integrate an e-commerce platform directly into your website. In other words, create your own online marketplace. This solution is adopted by the majority of freelance photographers, as it gives them greater control over their sales, and higher remuneration.

Having your own e-commerce platform also allows you toadd the marketing of additional services, such as training courses, paper photographs, special formats or accessories, for example.

On the other hand, this solution requires you to manage the platform's maintenance and logistics yourself. logistics.

How do you choose the right legal status for your company?

Selling your photos online generates income that must be declared to the tax authorities. To do this, you need to adopt the right legal status for your business. You can choose between :

• EIRL (Entreprise individuelle à responsabilité limitée). As the name suggests, the entrepreneur is only liable for the amount of capital he or she has contributed to the company. His or her personal assets are protected in the event of bad business, and cannot be used to recover any debts.
• EURL (Entreprise universelle à responsabilité limitée). It offers the same advantages as the EIRL, but its manager is considered a self-employed worker. They benefit from a specific social protection scheme, which is less effective than that of salaried employees.
• The SASU (Société par actions simplifiée unipersonnelle) is particularly flexible. Its day-to-day operation is set out in the articles of association. The Chairman of the SASU is covered by the general social security system.
• Micro-entrepreneur status is particularly easy to set up, manage and wind up. Your social security contributions are calculated on the basis of your gross sales. This is capped at €176,200 for sales and purchases, and €72,500 for services.

Choosing the legal status best suited to your needs will depend on your personal situation and your preferences in terms of taxation or social protection . social protection for example.

Take the time to examine each alternative carefully before making your choice, and don't hesitate to seek professional advice.

What are the keys to making a name for yourself and developing your business?

Naturally, the first argument for selling your photos is to take quality shots. Don't forget that your photos have to be taken with a view to being sold.

Photography is all about image. To acquire customers, you need to promote yourself with a website, blog or quality business cards.

That's why it's important to create a professional, concise presentation aimed at your target customers.

Publicize your contact details as widely as possible on the Internet (online directories, Google My Business, Yellow Pages, etc.), on specialized professional platforms, and on social networks. Regularly write publications related to the photo themes you cover.

Finally, there's one detail that's all too often overlooked when it comes to winning the trust of prospective customers: displaying a prestigious head office address. There's no better way to do this than with a domiciliation company!

French law allows companies to separate their registered office from their actual place of business. You can benefit from a prestigious addresslocated in the best arrondissements of Paris or major French cities. In this way, you'll give your business card a shine and more easily win the trust of all your stakeholders.

Using a domiciliation company can alsoconsiderably lighten your day-to-day workload: telephone secretarial services, daily mail management, administrative, tax and legal formalities, meeting room hire, etc.

Last but not least, domiciliation enables you to better target a commune with a low CFE (Contribution Foncière des Entreprises) rate. It's a practical way of reducing your tax burden.

With SeDomicilier, you can obtain your certificate of domiciliation in less than 5 minutes, in a 100% online process. What's more, all your services are then available in a personalized, secure virtual office!