Guide / For photographers

Photographer guide.

Sell more. Shoot smarter. Build your reputation.

The Golden Rule: Quality Over Quantity

Athletes scroll through your gallery in seconds. If they see 200 blurry shots, they leave. If they see 20 sharp, well-composed moments — they buy.

Pro tip Upload your best 15–30 photos per session. Delete the rest before uploading. A curated gallery converts 3–5x better than a photo dump.

What Sells

  • Faces visible and in focus — people buy photos where they can recognize themselves
  • Peak action moments — the turn, the jump, the sprint finish, not the walk back
  • Clean backgrounds — ocean, sky, track. Avoid cluttered scenes
  • Good light — golden hour shots sell 2x more than midday harsh light
  • Emotion — the celebration, the effort, the wipeout. People buy feelings

Before You Upload

  • Cull ruthlessly — if you shot 500, upload 20–30 best. Not 500
  • Basic edit — exposure, contrast, crop. Don't over-filter
  • Straighten horizons — tilted ocean = instant skip
  • Remove duplicates — 5 shots of the same wave? Pick the one
  • Check sharpness at 100% — if it's soft, don't upload it
Pro tip Think of it like a portfolio, not a hard drive backup. Every photo in your session should be one you'd put on your website.

Pricing That Works

  • $5–$10 for casual sessions (beach days, park sessions)
  • $10–$20 for competitions and events
  • $15–$30 for professional-grade action shots (big waves, aerial, moto)

Lower prices = more sales. Higher prices = more per sale. Start at $7–$10 and adjust based on what sells. You keep 82% of every sale.

Get Athletes to Find You

  • Print the QR code and show it at the spot — tape it to your car, hold it up after the session
  • Share the session link on local surf/skate/run groups
  • Tag the location accurately — athletes search by spot name
  • Upload within 24 hours — excitement fades fast
  • Write a short description — "6ft swell, offshore winds, morning glass" helps athletes find the right session

Session Setup Tips

  • Title it clearly — "Pipeline Morning Session" not "Session 47"
  • Set accurate date and time — athletes remember when they were there
  • Choose the right sport type — it helps with search and conditions data
  • Set a cover photo — the first impression in the explore feed

Technical Requirements

  • JPEG format, minimum 1200px on the shortest side
  • Maximum 25MB per photo
  • Photos are automatically watermarked — upload the original, we handle the rest
  • EXIF data (camera, time, GPS) is extracted automatically if present
  • Duplicates are detected by content — no double uploads

Build Your Reputation

  • Complete your profile — add bio, avatar, social links. Athletes check who shot the photos
  • Be consistent — shoot the same spots regularly. Locals will start looking for you
  • Respond to the market — if marathon photos sell well in your area, shoot more marathons
  • Connect Stripe early — don't miss sales because payouts aren't set up
Pro tip The photographers who sell the most aren't always the best shooters. They're the ones who show up consistently, upload fast, and curate well.