Stock Photography In 2026?

Is submitting stock photography and video worth it going in to 2026? I started uploading to stock media sites such as Shutterstock, iStock/Getty and Adobe Stock since 2019. In the last few years I have seen a sharp decrease in revenue from Shutterstock but an increase in sales from Adobe Stock. Shutterstock for many years was the platform that was providing me with a decent level of revenue. Definitely not enough to live on but it was ok as a side hustle or second income. In 2020 Shutterstock made big changes to its contributor agreement meaning that loyal photographers and media/graphic artists were likely to see their royalties decrease over time. Annual reset: The earnings levels now reset on January 1st each year, meaning contributors start at the lowest tier (Level 1) again, regardless of their past performance. Percentage-based earnings: Contributors now earn a percentage of the sale price, with rates ranging from 15% to 40% based on their annual download volume. Lower earnings per download: The new model has resulted in lower payouts per download for many contributors, especially those on subscription plans, though a minimum payout of $0.10 is guaranteed per download. As a result many contributors started to pull their content from Shutterstock and concentrate on other platforms. The rise of AI over the last few years has also affected stock media sales and therefore royalties to contributors have started to decrease even further. Thumbnail photos by: Nathan Cowley and Nicola Barts #stockphotos #stockmedia #shutterstock #istock #adobestock #stockmedia2026 The gear i currently use: Canon R5 - https://www.amazon.com/Canon-Full-Fra... Canon R6 - https://www.amazon.com/Canon-Full-Fra... Canon RF15-35 f2.8 - https://www.amazon.com/Canon-RF-15-35... Canon RF28-70 f2 - https://www.amazon.com/Canon-RF-28-70... Canon RF70-200 f2.8 - https://www.amazon.com/Canon-RF-70-20... Canon RF100-500 f4.5-7.1 - https://www.amazon.com/Canon-100-500m... Canon RF400 f2.8 - https://www.amazon.com/s?k=RF400mm&am...