Seven years ago, it all started with a simple question: Does anyone actually want my photos?
Back then, I was experimenting a lot with photo manipulations. I often ran into the problem of missing specific elements or backgrounds for an idea. During that time, I was incredibly grateful for anyone who provided their material for free. Without that content, I never could have brought my own visions to life.
Because of this, I already knew free stock platforms like Pexels or Unsplash inside out. Eventually, I thought to myself: Why not flip the script? Instead of letting my photos gather dust on a hard drive, I’ll just upload them there and see what happens.
The rush of the statistics
I’ll admit it: at some point, ambition kicks in. Watching the views and downloads climb becomes almost like a sport. Today, I’m at over 150 million views and more than 850.000 downloads. Sure, I can't buy anything with that, but it's a level of validation you just don’t get with a private portfolio. Being among the top percentage on a platform definitely strokes the ego a bit.
It’s a great feeling to find your own images "in the wild." Once, a Bitcoin photo of mine even made it into the online edition of DIE ZEIT. Knowing that my work is part of a story on the other side of the world gives me more than a few cents on a commercial stock platform.
When output overtakes organization
It’s also fascinating to see how differently these platforms work. An image that goes through the roof on Pexels is often ignored completely on Unsplash. You learn so much about what’s actually needed "out there"—and often, it’s not the photos I personally consider my strongest.
But you also have to be careful not to get lost in your own chaos. I had a typical "fail" once: I completely forgot that I had already put certain images up for exclusive sale on Shutterstock and, in the heat of the moment, uploaded them to Pexels as well. It wasn't the end of the world, but it was a bit stupid. A classic moment where my output simply outpaced my own organization.
So, why for free?
Why do I do it? Honestly: because I have the photos anyway. It would be a total waste to let them rot in a digital archive. The freedom to take a picture today and make it available to thousands of people tomorrow is just fun. In the end, everyone wins: other creatives get material for their projects, and I get to see my images exactly where they belong — in use.
