You love to travel, you have a camera, so how do you earn money with it and not waste your time? You’re in the right place. I’ve made money multiple ways with a camera and travel. Here are 10 tips.
- Shoot both photos and videos
- Supply and demand
- Everyday street scenes
- Offbeat places
- Lifestyle & Travel Concepts
- Architectural Details
- Cultural Festivals & Events
- Nature & Landscapes
- Business Settings
- What equipment to use
- Uploading Tips
Keep reading, and I’ll share exactly what to capture with photos and videos to earn the most money when traveling.
Why capture moments with a camera when traveling for extra income?
It’s a lot of fun. It’s like hunting, but you don’t have to kill any animals or anything else. Plus, you’re already traveling, so it doesn’t take too much time and energy to capture a moment.
The hardest part really is uploading to the microstock platforms. For tips on how to do this as fast as possible, working the least hard, you can view this post HERE.
Shoot both photos and videos
A wonderful tip is to shoot both photos and videos when traveling. Photos sell faster, but videos sell for more money.
By doing both, you not only double your chance of a sale but can earn more.
Maybe someone wants both!
It’s a great idea to take a photo and video of everything you shoot.
- A video should be 6-15 seconds, and Horizontal is BETTER.
- Photos Horizontal is BETTER and sells more.
However, it can also depend on what you’re shooting; if you’re taking a video of a tall skyscraper, a vertical shot might be better.
Horizontal is when the side of the phone is parallel to the ground (like the horizon).
Still, it would hurt to do 1 of each in that situation. Like the saying goes, every rule is meant to be broken.
It’s supply and demand
The second tip is to shoot moments that normal travelers don’t shoot.
Famous landmarks, you can give it a try, but just realize that if everyone is capturing it, then the chance of tons of that content already on the microstock platforms is going to be larger.
If there are tons of photos or videos of something, it’s harder to get noticed. You could capture from a unique angle or if something unique is happening with the landscape.
You want to think outside the box, and that is what this post is about.
Everyday street scenes
Capturing normal people going about their daily routine sells better than staged scenes. It could be people shopping, walking, or reading the newspaper.
- If you are listing the photo or video as editorial, you don’t need a release.
- If the person is recognizable and the shot is for commercial, then you do need a release form.
My rule of thumb is to make everything editorial, and if there are no brand images or recognized people, then I make it commercial.
Another idea is you can download a Model Release App on your phone, and if the person in the photo or video signs it, then they can be used for the commercial content.
If you want to think outside the box (good idea), try capturing people who are in unique situations, such as….
- At the park.
- At a job site.
- Hospital.
- Doing something strange like street yoga.
- Eating.
- Exercising.
- Getting off a bus.
This way, there are probably fewer people uploading photos of these.
You could go to the most popular microstock platform HERE and search for terms. The terms that don’t have lots of results are great to create content about.
However, this method does take some effort.
Below is sunset, which has 15.6 million images, so that one is WAY TOO competitive. How do you get found with 15.6 million results?
Offbeat places are a great idea for photos and videos
To be honest, I’ve had way more enjoyable experiences traveling to offbeat places. I still love the popular places, but hidden jewels are a great experience.
Here are some examples of these hidden places to take photos and short videos of….
- Strange alleyways.
- Less-visited temples.
- Small run-down towns.
- Unconventional transportation methods.
- Close-ups of exotic flowers.
- Old-fashioned workshops.
- Old, family-run businesses like a bakery, a tailor shop.
- Every day life in a small village, such as children playing.
- Local artisans working on traditional crafts like pottery, weaving, or blacksmithing.
Anything strange and unique, take a picture or short video of it.
Lifestyle & Travel Concepts are great ideas for photos or short videos
These are great because they can tell a story. Some examples could be…
- A couple holding hands.
- Someone relaxing in a hammock.
- A person writing in a travel journal.
- A traveler with a backpack and a camera.
- Someone fishing.
- The details of travel accessories: a vintage camera, travel bags, or a compass.
- A person reading a book.
- Someone is setting up a tent or cooking a meal while camping.
- A person or a couple enjoying a picnic in a park.
- A couple toasting with wine or cocktails at a rooftop bar.
- Action shots of someone doing an activity like riding a bike.
- Close-ups of hands holding a passport, tickets, or a boarding pass.
You get the idea, it’s a shot of someone doing something unique.
Commercial content usually makes more money than editorial.
If a person or brand is not recognized in the content, you don’t need a release. If someone is recognizable, you could try to get a release by asking.
Getting the app on the phone might be the easiest way to go. Either way, it’s your call.
Architectural Details
This is one area I’ve dived in “a little” but I can do way more. Here are just “some” examples to give you an idea of what to be on the lookout for….
- Close-ups of different types of bricks or stonework, highlighting texture.
- Vintage street signs.
- Unique, old-fashioned mailboxes.
- Contrast between new and old architecture in a city.
- Old water fountains.
- The pattern of mosaic flooring in a public square.
- A lone lamppost at dusk or dawn.
- Unique or symbolic public art pieces, statues, or monuments.
- Patterned awnings on storefronts.
- Iron balconies with unique flowers.
- Colorful shutters on old buildings.
- Ornate door knockers and handles.
- Street graffiti.
When in doubt, take the photo or video and submit it.
To be honest, sometimes I’ve accidentally messed up a shot and taken a photo of the ground, and I’ll still submit it.
You just never know. The more content you have listed on microstock platforms, the more chances you have of a sale.
Cultural Festivals & Events
Anything with culture is going to have a strong appeal. Plus, it’s just SO sexy, right? It’s different, unique to what many people are used to.
Here is a list of some ideas to be on the lookout for when traveling..
- Street parades.
- Music festivals.
- Art and sculpture festivals.
- Flower and garden festivals.
- Regional sports tournaments.
- Fishing or sailing festivals.
- Traditional farming or agricultural demonstrations.
- celebrating a unique local custom or tradition.
- Theatrical performances in public spaces.
- Religious processions and pilgrimages.
Plus, these festivals and events give you an excuse to get out of the house and away from the computer. Plus, they can be a lot of fun.
Nature & Landscapes
This is like a scavenger hunt when you were a kid, but you can earn money from it. Unique things in nature can be just as lucrative as the city.
Plus, this can force you to go on that hike, exercise, and you can live longer. A long time ago, I did the Pacific Crest Hike trail and just did the Oregon section; that was brutal.
Here are some ideas on what to be on the lookout for…
- Powerful waterfalls and fast-flowing rivers.
- The details of a spider web covered in morning dew.
- Close-ups of insect life.
- A single, isolated tree in a field.
- A lone bird soaring high in the sky.
- The details of a seashell on a beach.
- Mushrooms or fungi in a forest.
- Lake reflecting the surrounding landscape.
- Deserts with sand dunes and unique rock formations.
- Up-close shots of unique flowers, leaves, or plants.
- A field of grass.
The main idea is to get diversity in your shots, to increase the chance of a sale.
Business Settings are a great idea for what to shoot
Oh, and I can’t forget business settings, which is my weakest area. This has TONS of appeal because there is more demand and less supply of it.
When traveling, be on the lookout for…
- A person using a laptop or tablet on a mountaintop.
- Photos of an eco-friendly business, like a solar farm, wind turbines, or people planting trees.
- People shaking hands or exchanging business cards.
- A courier or delivery person on a moped.
- Close-ups of currency, credit cards, or a person using an ATM.
- People attending a seminar or conference.
- Power lines, large generators, or wind turbines.
- A stylishly dressed business person.
- A local artisan or vendor at a market interacting.
Anything for business and industrial use.
Another weak area for me is medicine, which might be another great idea to take photos or pictures of. Anything in this niche can be a great idea.
Tips on uploading content.
The hardest part of making money is uploading the content to the platforms. You could pay a service to do this, and there are tools to make it easier.
However, they cost money.
A free way is to manually do it. Plus, have AI help.
I usually upload 10 photos or videos at a time. This is what I put into ChatGPT or another AI platform like Gemini…
Following the following format (city, state or country) – date it was taken: description, write a description for a Shutterstock photo, include ideal first and second category, and 50 ideal tags.
I took a photo of “” in “” on “”
The quotation marks you just fill in with what you took a photo of, where, and the date. Easy. Then, plug them into the AI, and I upload 1 piece of content at a time to the top platforms. There are tons of platforms, but I’ve been doing these.
For inputting the data into AI, I’ve been listening to hard rock music. Then, copy and pasting the data into the Microstock platforms, you can listen to a good audiobook, or lately I’ve been binging this YouTuber scary stories HERE.
The time flies by.
Equipment
Equipment is controversial. I used to think I could never earn money with microstock because I literally have the cheapest smartphone possible. It’s a Galaxy A01, but I’ve still earned money with it.
Of course, better equipment is not a bad idea. Plus, some of my work has been rejected due to quality.
I just wouldn’t let the perfect equipment be an excuse NOT to start.
Yesterday I got a better smartphone, so I plan on using that more. Plus, they have extensions for the phone that can do cool stuff like these HERE.
If you want to spend a little money on a camera, then this one HERE, is the best budget camera to get you going.
Conclusion
Submitting Microstock photos and videos is a great hobby where you could earn extra money. Just remember not to go TOO CRAZY taking photos and videos every second.
You just have to remember to have fun doing this. Not get all stressed out, because you missed a shot. I look at it like the photos and videos I take or just a bonus for living my life.
This way, if nothing sells, I STILL win!
Another wonderful way to earn money traveling is documenting your experiences and wisdom.
You could do this through blogging or YouTube, or even better, both.
- If you want to learn YouTube, I created a free guide HERE
- If you want to learn blogging, I created a free guide HERE
Both are a blast to do, and you can earn extra money while traveling anywhere in the world.
Hopefully this post was helpful, and gave you some ideas on what to take photos or videos of when traveling to earn extra income. Bye for now.