How to Sell Travel Photos

You may be an aspiring freelance photographer who wants to gain credibility and experience by selling travel photos. There are numerous outlets where you can sell travel photos, such as newspapers, magazines and even stock image galleries.

Instructions

1

Edit your pictures. Not all pictures are print-ready straight out of the camera, and you may want to use a software such as Aperture or Photoshop to tweak your pictures to crop, highlight some colors and make your photos look more professional.

2

Create a portfolio of your travel photos. You may want to sort them out by category or theme. A digital portfolio may be helpful because it is easier to show to others. You can use Photoshop to create contact sheets for digital distribution or to watermark them for uploading them to a web site.

3

Survey travel magazines and stock photo galleries such as Istockphoto.com to learn more about them and their requirements for unsolicited materials. Many publications and online galleries welcome queries from freelance photographers, but there may be some organizations that solely use staff photographers. Look at a copy of "Photographer's Market," which is a helpful directory of publications that accept freelance work.

4

Query the publications. Contact each magazine or newspaper to find out the direct email of the features editor. Query many magazines on your list to increase your chances of being published.

5

Participate in an exhibit. Locate an exhibit in your town and inquire about showcasing your travel photos. Travel photos fascinate people, and your collection may help you gain exposure. If there's no exhibit near you, try to organize one, even in your own home.