When it comes to making money selling your smartphone photos, Foap is one of the top apps that pay you for your mobile photos.
But because of its popularity, it can be quite challenging to find success on Foap and get you and your photos noticed amongst the crowd in order for you to make some side money.
In this article, I’ll give you 13 very easy tips that you can use to better the chances of you succeeding on Foap.
I’m in no way guaranteeing results. However, following these tips should significantly increase your chances of finding some success on Foap.
If you’d like to know exactly how Foap works, I recommend you read through my Ultimate Guide for Foap. It takes an in-depth look into how to use the app and different ways in which you can make money on the platform.
Without any further delay, let’s look at how you can increase your chances of success on Foap.
1. Upload A LOT of photos
And I really mean A LOT!!! There are a ton of photos on Foap and buyers are constantly looking through these pictures. By having a portfolio with a lot of great quality images, you increase your chances of being found.
Challenge yourself to upload a photo regularly. Learn to find photo opportunities anywhere and everywhere in everyday life.
2. Diversify
Don’t have all your eggs in one basket. It’s one thing to have many photos uploaded but if they’re all of the same thing or very similar, then you’re not going to find much success.
Uploading various pictures of different things maximizes your earning potential.
Sure, have tons of pictures of your cars, but also have lots of photos of other things like animals, flowers, street photography, landscapes or whatever else you fancy.
Try your hand at different types of smartphone photography. Just have lots of everything!
3. Tag your pictures
And tag them correctly. Use as many tags as possible that describe everything in the photo. The more tags you use the more chances your photo will be purchased.
The number of tags you can add is near endless, so go wild! Tag, tag, tag, and when you think you’re done tagging, tag some more!
Just make sure that the tags are relevant to what is in the picture.
4. Check out the competition
Have a look at the pictures that have won Missions or that have been sold. Go through and analyze the profiles of those who are doing well on Foap and see what they’re doing. Browse through their tags. Again, tags are important!
Look at your work critically and see where you can improve. You need to be honest with yourself. Seeing the work of past winners is a really important thing to do because it gives you a clear idea of what it takes to win.
If you realise that your photos don’t quite match up to those standards, don’t give in. Improve your photography skills and keep trying and practising. Nobody’s born a great photographer, it takes time and practice.
5. Engage with the Foap community
Foapers are passionate about photography. Why not reach out to people in the Foap community for tips and pointers. Follow people who are successful and try to replicate their success. The knowledge you get from them is invaluable.
Be active in the community by rating and commenting on photos you like. If you receive some helpful criticism, don’t let it get you down. Instead, use that to help you get better.
6. Upload to missions
Regular Missions and Premium Missions can earn you some decent money. Even if you don’t win a mission, the companies that run missions tend to buy more pictures from other photographers who participated in the challenge.
These pictures go for $10 (or $60 in Premium Missions), from which you make a 50% commission.
But don’t just join a mission for the sake of joining a mission. Challenge yourself and aim to win it!
7. Upload only high-quality pictures
Remember, these are mostly companies searching for photos to use. Your pictures should be of a quality that a brand can use in their marketing with proper lighting and beautiful composition.
If you’re still starting out, with enough training you can get yourself to that level. You can start by learning about what makes a smartphone photo look good.
Your chances of capturing good quality images are higher if you use a phone with a good camera that has great specs.
It’s important that the pictures you take with your phone look good because the higher the quality of your photos, the more likely it is that other Foapers will add your picture to their album. That will increase your chances of being spotted.
So make sure your images are adequately exposed, they aren't riddled with digital noise and free of any blur.
To avoid blur from camera shake, I suggest you invest in a tripod. Just make sure you get a reliable, good-quality smartphone mount that will keep your phone secure on the tripod.
8. Think commercial value
Sometimes, taking beautiful, high-quality photos is just not enough. These are mostly companies and brands we’re talking about.
Ask yourself if your photo has any value to be of use to a brand. Could a cat food company find any value in the picture of your cat? What’s the story behind your picture?
If, for example, you have a beautifully captured picture of a healthy and happy dog leaping into the air to catch a ball, then maybe that image could be useful for a vet clinic to use in their marketing campaign.
9. Follow the brief exactly
Nobody wants to pay for something they didn’t ask for. The mission description is the boundary within which you can work.
Think of yourself as the company running the mission. Would you select a picture that didn’t stick to the details of the description?
These descriptions aren’t just there to put a lid on your creativity. They are there because the company running the mission knows exactly what they want.
Rather let your imagination and creativity soar in your marketplace portfolio, and do as instructed in the Missions.
10. Success on Foap comes with patience
Taking a good picture is not just about finding the right subject and immediately taking a snap. You’re more likely to take a great photo if you take your time to find the right angle, the best framing, etc. You might want to move things around and dress up the frame.
It’s really worth your time to consider what it is that you’d like to capture in the photo in terms of mood and story, and then add or remove items from the frame that will get you THAT picture you have in mind.
If you’re shooting in Manual mode (which I highly recommend for these 3 reasons), taking your time will allow you to select the settings you want. You can choose the exposure levels you want and also experiment with long exposure.
11. Be mindful of what’s in the frame
Once again, think about the potential buyer. Companies and brands don’t want labels and logos of other brands in their photos, so you need to be mindful of those.
How gutting would it be if you had a winning photo that could sell really well but didn’t because some other company’s trademark is visible in the photo?
What if something offensive, inappropriate or vulgar can be seen in the background? Pay attention to the details of your pictures.
12. Edit moderately
It is actually encouraged that you edit your photos before uploading them so they can look as good as possible.
You can make minor adjustments to the brightness, contrast, shadows, etc., using a good photo editing app.
Avoid any over the top editing and effects. Companies do not want that. Keep it simple.
13. Have fun
This for me is a big one. If you enjoy what you’re doing, it’s easy for you to keep at it until you become really good. I’d advise you not to go into this primarily thinking about making money.
If you see Foap as a way to challenge yourself as a photographer and sharpen your skills in various types of photography of different subject matter while enjoying a bit of healthy competition with other photographers, then the money will come at some point.
Just have fun and enjoy it. The money will come with time.
Foap is open to everyone but it is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea. It’s not easy money and there’s no guarantee of success.
And those who have found success on Foap will tell you that it took more than just uploading pictures and hoping for the best. It takes some work.
Whether Foap is or isn’t for you can only be known after you’ve tried it. There are other alternatives to make money with your smartphone camera. I just happen to like Foap.
I don’t really think anyone can quit their jobs to become a full-time Foaper but it can create a very interesting, fun and possibly passive side income.
