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AI Stock Photography: From Zero to \$350 in 9 Months – Is It Worth It?

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AI Stock Photography: From Zero to $350 in 9 Months – Is It Worth It?

Can you really make money selling AI-generated images? The idea of passive income from AI art is definitely appealing. I decided to test this side hustle, and the results were surprising. I’m sharing my journey, the earnings, and whether or not it lived up to the hype.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8zkhu9bACc

The Dream of Easy Money with AI Images

Like many, I was drawn to the idea of selling AI images on stock photography sites. The concept is simple: use AI tools like Midjourney or ChatGPT to create images, upload them to platforms like Adobe Stock, and earn royalties when people license them. Reports of others making $30,000+ with this approach were certainly inspiring. All you need is a laptop and Wi-Fi – no special skills required. So, I decided to give it a shot.

The Initial 90-Day Challenge: Uploading as Many AI Images as Possible

My first step was to upload as many AI-generated images as I could to Adobe Stock within 90 days. The goal? To see how much money I could realistically make. I dove in headfirst, learning the ins and outs of Adobe Stock’s submission process.

The cold, hard truth: After uploading 997 images, I earned a total of $33.63. Disappointing, to say the least.

A Glimmer of Hope: Earnings Start to Climb

A few months later, I revisited the experiment. By this point, my portfolio had grown to 1,835 images. The result? My earnings jumped to $1,128.29. This was encouraging, but the progress felt slow. I hadn’t been consistent with uploads.

The 10,000 Image Challenge: Time to Get Serious

I knew I needed to ramp up my efforts. So, I set an ambitious goal: reach 10,000 images in my Adobe Stock portfolio. This meant long evenings and late nights dedicated to image generation and uploading.

The outcome: I reached 13,372 images and a total earnings of $225.18. However, nearly 12,000 of those images had only been added in the last couple of weeks. This suggested that most of my earnings still came from those first 1,800 images. I was hoping that with a larger portfolio, my earnings would grow faster.

November’s Passive Income: A Reality Check

I decided to take a month off from uploading to see how much passive income my existing portfolio would generate. Remember, I had 13,372 images at this point.

The results:

  • $656 earned in November.
  • 96 downloads in November.
  • Total lifetime earnings: $297.18.
  • Total downloads: 422.

While $656 in passive income wasn’t bad, it was less than I expected. I started to consider potential reasons for the underwhelming performance. Perhaps seasonal trends were at play, or maybe my images weren’t aligned with current demand. I noticed that solar panel images were surprisingly popular, even as winter approached. This made me realize I needed a more diverse portfolio.

Year-End Results: Did More Images Actually Mean More Money?

The moment of truth: what were the final earnings for the year?

  • Total earnings in 2024: $350.197
  • Total downloads in 2024: 484

It’s important to note that these earnings came from a nine-month period, not a full year. The big question: Did reaching 10,000+ images actually improve my earnings significantly?

My initial theory was that a 5x larger portfolio would lead to a 5x increase in earnings. Here’s what really happened:

  • Before the push to 10,000 images: $6-$10 per week with 1,835 images.
  • After the push: $12-$20 per week with 13,372 images.

In reality, a seven times larger portfolio only doubled my weekly earnings.

The 80/20 Rule and AI Stock Photography

It became clear that simply uploading more images doesn’t guarantee a proportional increase in income. The 80/20 rule (also known as the Pareto principle) definitely applies here. This rule states that roughly 80% of effects come from 20% of causes. In my case, 80% of my earnings came from 20% of my images.

Out of my vast portfolio, only 115 images generated $221.65 of my total earnings. The rest earned $0.99 or less. In fact, I estimate that only 2-3% of my entire portfolio has ever been licensed.

How to Increase Your AI Stock Photography Earnings

So, what can you do to improve your results? Here are some key takeaways:

  • Focus on quality over quantity. Upload high-quality, eye-catching images that stand out.
  • Research in-demand categories. What are people searching for on Adobe Stock? Focus on those niches.
  • Avoid “dead images.” Do your homework to ensure your images are likely to be found and licensed.
  • Create seasonal images. Don’t only focus on one niche or category; make sure you have images relevant to the time of year.
  • Use tools to improve your workflow. AI-powered tools like the RUNWAYML automation chrome extension and image enlargers like the AI Image Enlarger can help you prepare your images for submission.
  • Optimize your tags and keywords. Use strong tags to improve the visibility of your images. Consider using a tool like Strongtagapp to streamline your ai adobe stock photo tagging process and ensure your images are easily discoverable.

AI Stock Photography: A Realistic Side Hustle?

Let’s be clear: selling AI-generated images on stock photography sites is not a get-rich-quick scheme. However, with effort and the right approach, it’s possible to earn a few hundred dollars per month. I plan to continue uploading images in 2025, but at a more consistent pace. I’ll also share quarterly earnings updates so you can follow my progress.

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