What images sell the most?

Candid Photos Sell Better than Posed Shots They want candid. The difference here wasn't as vast, but definitely noticeable: 62% of best-sellers are shot in a candid style, while only 38% are obviously posed. Lesson Learned: Take candid photos.

iso.500px.com - 5 Things the Best-Selling Photos of People Have in Common - 500px

How long after exposure to test positive for COVID?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID has a long incubation period of up to 10 days. On average, the time of...

Last updated Feb 15, 2022

What's the best natural skin tightening solution?

Home Remedies for Sagging Skin: 5 Best Natural Remedies to Tighten Sagging Skin Aloe Vera gel. Aloe Vera gel is one of the best home remedies for...

Last updated Apr 1, 2019

Tasty breakfast juice melts 59lbs of wobbly fat

A scrumptious morning smoothy based on the diets of among the healthiest, longest-living hamlet in the world.

Learn More »

Promotion

In our quest to make sure our photographers can turn their love of photos into a fair and reliable source of income, we recently decided to answer the question “what kinds of photos sell best on 500px? We started with photos of people, since the majority of our best-selling shots have people in them, and dived into the data head-first.

Our Content Team pulled the best-selling photos with people in them on 500px, and painstakingly analyzed each one. How many times did it sell? How many subjects are in the photo? Are they recognizable? Are the photos posed or candid? Do they feature men, women, or children?

This one really surprised us. When you think of the standard “stock photo” you think of a group of smiling young people or a couple of businesspeople shaking hands. But companies no longer want ‘standard’ stock photos. And so we found that the VAST majority of our best sellers had a single subject instead of 2, or more. How vast? According to the data, 60% of the best-sellers had just one subject, compared to just 20% each for 2 and more.

Lesson Learned: Use a single subject unless the situation calls for more.

No surprise here, given the italicized point above. As companies strive to communicate their authenticity (or at the very least to seem authentic and approachable) they no longer want the cheesy stock shot. They want candid. The difference here wasn’t as vast, but definitely noticeable: 62% of best-sellers are shot in a candid style, while only 38% are obviously posed. Lesson Learned: Take candid photos. If you can photograph your friends and take real-life photos of real-life interactions, all the better!

3. Wide Shots Sell Better than Closeups

Another one that makes a lot of sense, it turns out wide shots are much much much more popular among image buyers than close-ups or even mid-shots. This difference was even more pronounced than the number of subjects difference: 72% of best-sellers are wide shots compared to 12% close-ups and 16% mid-shots. The way we figure, this is because it allows designers room to work. If you’re using an image for an ad campaign or to design a beautiful website, a close-up gives you no room to add text or description or even just let the design breathe. Lesson Learned: Prefer wide shots when you’re out taking pictures you’d like to sell… image buyers sure do.

4. Looking Away is Better than Facing the Camera

Does coffee affect gut bacteria?

Coffee also contains phytochemicals that are helpful to the gut and promote the growth of good bacteria, he notes. Aug 17, 2022

Last updated Sep 30, 2020

How can I remove brown spots from my face?

Age spot treatments include: Medications. Applying prescription bleaching creams (hydroquinone) alone or with retinoids (tretinoin) and a mild...

Last updated Feb 6, 2018

Strange purple cocktail removes 2.7lbs every 4 days

This effective juice jolts the metabolism, boosts energy and burns fat all day.

Learn More »

Promotion

This was another very surprising finding for us, and another where the numbers are undeniable. Contrary to the standard stock photo narrative (not gonna beat that dead horse again…) having your subject look AWAY from the photo is better than having them looking into the camera. This was the most extreme data we found, and it’s hard to ignore. A whopping 85% of the best-selling photos we analyzed had the subject looking AWAY from the camera, while only 15% had subjects looking into the camera. Note that this doesn’t mean the people in these photos had their back to the camera, only that they weren’t looking directly into the lens. Lesson Learned: Have your subject look away from the camera. That might mean they’ve fully turned away, or just looking off-camera, but buyers definitely don’t want you ‘breaking the fourth wall’ so to speak.

5. Unidentified Subjects Sell Better

This isn’t surprising once you consider point number 4, but the numbers actually help clear something up. Remember how we said subjects don’t have to be fully turned away in #4 above? In this one they do. So, what do the number say? A full 57% of best-sellers had a “blurry” or not identified subject, while 43% revealed the identity of the person in the shot. Keep in mind that “blurry” or “unidentified” subjects may still need a model release (more about that here). Lesson Learned: It’s more effective to keep your subject a mystery than to identify them. Given the numbers aren’t as strong here, however, we suggest you yield to whatever the situation calls for.

BONUS: Most of the Best-Sellers are Shot at Dawn or Dusk

Here’s a little bonus that might be obvious, but is definitely still worth mentioning. The best time to take a photo that sells is at dawn or dusk. Midday shots, studio shots, and harsh light simply don’t sell as well.We’ve had major buyers—we’re talking companies that are buying hundreds of images at a time—specifically ask for only dawn or dusk photos. BONUS Lesson Learned: Dawn or dusk offers the best light, so shoot your most sellable photography then!

Not on 500px yet? Sign up here to explore more impactful photography.

iso.500px.com - 5 Things the Best-Selling Photos of People Have in Common - 500px

Is one beetroot a day too much?

Dosage. Currently, there are no official dosage recommendations for beetroot juice. According to a 2014 study , drinking one 250-ml glass of...

Last updated Oct 19, 2018

Is CoQ10 good for adrenal fatigue?

CoQ10 can help one to combat many of the symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue since it helps to keep the metabolism operating and it also ensures higher...

Last updated Mar 30, 2020

Common yard weed melts 60lbs of fat?

Made into a potent powdered supplement blended right into water or your favorite beverage to be appreciated as a scrumptious morning smoothy.

Learn More »

Promotion

What's the best drink for energy?

Healthy Energy Drinks: Delicious and Nutritious Yerba Mate. Yerba mate is a drink that is fast gaining popularity around the world. ... Green Tea....

Last updated Aug 22, 2021

Tasty juice “eats through” 54lbs of thick flab

This effective juice jolts the metabolism, boosts energy and burns fat all day.

Learn More »

Promotion

What happens if we drink juice daily?

They say juicing can reduce your risk of cancer, boost your immune system, remove toxins from your body, aid digestion and help you lose weight....

Last updated Dec 7, 2022