The most common form of making money from stock photography is known as microstock. Microstock is when images are sold from as little as a few cents up to about $10. The sales are also sold on a royalty-free basis. Photographers get paid for every image download, usually on a monthly basis.
What Sells Best On Shutterstock?
Some types of photos that sell best are Portrait Photography, Food Photography, Landscapes (usually with people) and fine art photography (artsy).