Question: What do you think would be more saleable - a picture of the Eiffel Tower or a photo of a kid in a sweatshirt?

Answer: For professional stock photographer Shelly Perry, the answer is the picture of the kid in the sweatshirt.

Right now, that is her number one selling photo, with more than 1,000 sales. Meanwhile, a photo of the Eiffel Tower, taken on her last trip to Paris, has only 147 sales:

So what does that tell you?

If you can learn a few simple secrets about taking the kinds of photos editors and photo buyers are looking for, you don’t have to travel very far to make money with your camera. Pictures taken in your own backyard, from your kitchen table, even photos of people you know can sell for super-fast cash.

By Lori Allen

Here are a few things you can photograph around your home to sell through online agencies like istockphoto.com:

Friends and Family

Shelly’s best-selling shots are photos of people. But I almost never pay for a model. The majority of my photos are of friends and family.

In the stock photo world, people sell - people doing ordinary things like laughing, hugging, and shaking hands. And they don’t have to be great looking people, either.

All shapes, colours, and ages can make a good stock photo.

Note: You’ll need to provide a signed model release for every identifiable person in your photos. Even if that person is a close family member.

Everyday Objects

A box of crayons, a light bulb, a pair of reading glasses sitting on a laptop, a pile of coins, a theatre curtain… all of these are images that sell well.

Take a look at the things around you and think: Could a graphic designer use a photo of this? Could a copywriter use this to illustrate a point? If so, you may have the makings of a good stock photo. Just make sure you don’t take photos of anything with a brand name or logo on it, though. That will disqualify the photo for stock.

Holiday Decorations

Stock photo sites are in need of holiday-themed photos. So get out your camera when you’re decorating the Christmas tree or eating Easter eggs. Think chocolates and long-stemmed roses on Valentine’s Day… Champagne on New Year’s Eve… even colourful party hats, a birthday cake, and party favours.

Food and Beverages

If you happen to be handy in the kitchen (or you know someone who is), and you can take sharp photos of well-lit food, you’ll have no trouble selling those images. The food photos that sell best are those taken with selective focus. What that means is that the most important part of the photo is in sharp focus (say, that juicy prawn on a fork) and the rest is blurred out artistically. (It’s an easy technique to master. It just takes some practice.)

Taking photos of these and other subjects is a great opportunity to make some extra money. Magazines, newspapers, and stock agencies are always looking for photos to illustrate their articles and/or fill their portfolios.

So grab your camera and start snapping pictures today!