What's the Deal: Your photos could be worth more than 1,000 words

Thanks to a number of apps that let you sell your photos, you might have hundreds of dollars in your smart phone.

Mike Gutkin is being paid for the photos he takes on his iPhone. The full-time research scientist walks around New York City and snaps scenes that interest him. For that he earned more than $200 last year.

Gutkin uploads his snapshots on the photo selling app Twenty20. The app connects people with companies that browse and buy everyday pictures taken by ordinary people.

"It's pretty crazy. Hopefully (in) a good month, I'm selling about 10 photos," said Gutkin.

Images that grab top dollar are ones that show healthy lifestyles, modern workplaces and scenes from everyday life, including family meals or even brushing your teeth.

Twenty20's co-founder and CEO Matt Munson says a lot of companies buy stock images regularly.

"And so we provide an alternative where you can actually license content of real people in real life," said Munson.

On Foap, another photo-selling app, big brands in need of photos for ad campaigns send users on missions. Kellogg recently paid $300 each for the best photos of their cereal.

And the app PayYourSelfie allows users to earn 20 cents to $1 per photo for selfies taken with ordinary household products. Users earn money for a photo that fulfills each challenge, and are able to cash out when they accrue $20.

Don't expect to make instant money. It can take time to develop a following.

And read the user agreements. By selling your photos, you are giving up some rights.

More Information:

https://www.twenty20.com

https://www.foap.com

http://www.payyourselfie.com