How to Upload Photos to Shutterstock

Use the Contributor portal — not the regular Shutterstock marketplace. You must be at least 18 years old and only upload content whose copyright you own.

One minute of checking prevents avoidable rejections.

• You created the image and own the copyright
• Use JPEG or TIFF at a minimum of 4 megapixels
• Check sharpness at 100% and remove dust spots or obvious artifacts
• Avoid excessive noise, compression, filters or extreme editing
• Select the strongest variations — don't upload many nearly identical frames

Click Upload or +Add, then drag and drop your images into the portfolio section.

• Web upload supports up to 100 files at once
• Files must be under 50 MB for direct web upload
• Uploaded content must be submitted within 21 days or it is automatically removed

Write one factual, natural sentence in English that accurately explains what is happening in the image.

Use precise, relevant search terms that describe the subject, mood, setting and context. Shared metadata can be applied in batches, but every image must remain accurate.

• Minimum 7 keywords, maximum 50
• Order by relevance — most important first
• Use specific terms: "fishing boat" not just "boat"

Choose the closest matching category, not the broadest one. Category 1 is required; Category 2 is optional and should represent a genuine secondary theme.

• Location refers to the photographed subject — not your current location
• If you add a location, it must match the image, title and release information
• For editorial content, date and place also belong in the title

This choice determines which permissions and restrictions apply to your image.

• Attach a valid model release for every recognizable person — even yourself
• Private property, artwork, graffiti and tattoos may require a property release
• Remove or avoid visible logos, company names, product names and trademarks
• Avoid copyrighted works or locations with known restrictions

Editorial images document or illustrate real-world stories. Do not pose or direct subjects. Avoid material alteration — basic cropping, exposure adjustment and black-and-white conversion are acceptable.

Editorial titles follow a strict format:

In the editor: Releases → + → Upload New Release. Complete every required field before clicking Submit.

• Submit moves your files to Pending status
• If Submit does nothing, look for a missing field or a keyword highlighted in red
• Approved content may take up to 72 hours to appear on the marketplace

Fix the stated issue before submitting a corrected version.