Stock Photo Besties
The Premium Licensing Membership for Photographers Ready to Earn $50+ Per Photo From Agencies That Value Their Work.
Shoot for You, Earn on the Side.
You didn’t become a photographer to churn out disposable images for pennies.
But after years of client deadlines, feast-or-famine bookings, and creative burnout, you’ve probably thought:
“There’s got to be a better way to make money from my camera.”
There is. And it doesn’t involve racing to upload hundreds of generic shots to bargain-bin microstock sites.
Instead, you can work with premium agencies that actually champion your work, get your photos in front of brands that value them, and pay you what they’re worth.
Earn your first $100 from Licensing in 100 days.
Stock = Art
A huge part of your problem isn’t that your work isn’t good enough.
It’s that you’ve only seen the 10-cent version of stock.
If you’ve uploaded to microstock sites and felt crushed by pennies-per-sale…
If you’ve thought stock meant churning out generic, uninspiring content…
If you’ve let images you love sit on a hard drive because you didn’t think they were “stock-worthy”…
Then you’ve been looking in the wrong place.
Premium licensing is different.
It’s intentional. It’s creative. It’s well-paid.
And when you know where to submit and how to play the game,
your photos stop gathering dust and start paying you back.
That’s why Stock Photo Besties exists.
Stock = Licensing
Stock = Freedom
I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE AFTER:
Consistent income from your photos, even when client bookings slow down.
A way to earn more than 10 cents per download from the images you’re most proud of
The freedom to shoot the work you actually want to create, not just what clients request.
The credibility and excitement of seeing your portfolio represented by big brands & premium agencies.
A clear, repeatable system so you always know what to shoot, where to submit, and when.
BUT HERE’S WHERE YOU’RE STUCK:
You’ve dabbled in stock before, but ended up with pennies per sale through microstock and no real momentum
You’re not sure which agencies are worth your time—or how to get accepted by them
Your hard drive is full of images you love, but you second-guess which ones will actually sell
You’re stuck in the cycle of client work → burnout → creative drought, with no clear way out
You’ve tried to stay consistent, but without deadlines or accountability, submissions fall off your to-do list
Why Premium Agencies Change Everything
Most photographers think stock is low-paying and uninspiring because they’ve only seen the microstock grind.
Premium agencies are a different game:
Higher payouts per sale ($50+ vs. cents)
Direct agency relationships that help your portfolio grow
Visibility with major brands and real consideration for campaigns, editorial features, and publications you’d actually be excited to work with
This is what I teach.
Not mass uploads. Not creative compromise.
Just smart, strategic submissions to agencies that want your best work.
$33/month
Stock Photo Besties is monthly support for photographers who want to stop second-guessing, start submitting, and get their work into top-tier, premium agencies.
It’s not just about selling stock.
It’s about creating the work you want to make and seeing it earn for you while you reclaim your time, energy, and creativity.
Here's what's included:
Submission Support
A clear training pathway to understand premium licensing standards.
Share anything inside the community for feedback on your image choices, curation, and metadata before you submit.
Insider Edge
Our vetted agency list. Skip years of guessing where to apply.
Conversations with agency curators and editors that pull back the curtain on how contributors are chosen and what they’re really looking for.
Behind-the-scenes insights from our own licensing wins and losses. Guest experts and quarterly coaching calls to expand your opportunities.
Creative Momentum
Monthly Creative Challenges with sample inspiration.
Monthly Digest with insights like “What’s Selling Right Now” trend breakdowns so you can shoot and upload smart.
Real-time content calendar (seasonal + evergreen ideas) so you never wonder what’s next.
Community Support
When you join Stock Photo Besties, you’re not just getting training, you’re stepping into an exclusive photographer community designed for connection, feedback, and accountability.
Private online Community — Your go-to space for sharing wins, asking questions, and staying motivated with photographers on the same journey.
Private Instagram Account — Behind-the-scenes tips, bite-sized strategy videos, and instant trend updates right in your feed.
Feedback from our members :
Jessa N.
"The Personalized feedback is so valuable in the group! Besties is the first account I look for when I open Instagram, looking for inspiration and a reason to keep up the momentum. If not for besties, I probably would have given up on stock after a few months, but having the support of my besties has really pushed me to stay consistent for over a year now!
Being accepted to a premium agency and shifting my mindse to premium stock has also been a huge win due to besties!"
Mariah K.
“I have absolutely loved being a part of stock photo besties! I feel like it's so nice to feel like I have a more personal connection/feels more like coaching - having access to to more content from you is so fun! Knowing my questions will get answered is a bonus, but also just all the crazy extra tips and insights you give is amazing.
Seeing more BTS and your mindset when you are going into shoots has definitely helped spark more creativity/hype me up to keep going with this! Also, I feel like you get to be more raw with us about things you're experimenting with in the moment rather than waiting to have it all figured out. Overall, a five star experience for sure.”
Kelly B.
I LOVE shooting for stock! It has reignited my passion for photography!
I love getting creative for me! It's all I want to shoot for now! I am so thankful I found you! You are the reason I am so excited about shooting for stock! You are an amazing teacher and I love this community you have built!
This is for you if:
You thrive in community—sharing ideas, getting feedback, seeing what’s working for others, and celebrating wins together
You’re a photographer who’s burnt out from endless client work and craving creative freedom again.,
You’re excited to create for yourself while building an income stream that works in the background
You’re ready to earn $50+ per photo through premium agencies—not hustle for pennies on microstock sites
You want step-by-step guidance on what to shoot, when to submit, and where your work will be valued
This isn’t for you if:
You’re looking for a “get rich quick” approach
You aren’t willing to shoot with intention or learn premium standards.
You’d rather stay dependent on client bookings as your only income stream
You’re ONLY interested in the newest passive income scheme.
What you get:
The Premium Path
This brand new course is available exclusively inside Stock Photo Besties.
It's your step-by-step framework to get work accepted by top-tier agencies and licensed by premium brands.
→ Access our vetted list of premium agencies so you know exactly where to start
→ Get your portfolio submission-ready with clear direction
→ Build licensing momentum with a body of work that stands out and gets selected
We've removed the guesswork so you can spend less time researching and more time creating.
Private Instagram Feed
Behind-the-scenes tips, bite-sized strategy, and trend updates delivered straight to your feed.
Community Space
Your go-to space for sharing wins, asking questions, and staying motivated. Get feedback, encouragement, and momentum all in one place.
Monthly Digest & Live Calls with experts
Each month, members get a curated digest designed to keep you focused, inspired, and moving forward without information overload. For many, this alone is worth the cost of the membership.
We also host live conversations with industry experts and agency insiders. Past guests have included editors and curators from Stocksy, The Luupe, and other respected agencies, sharing what they’re looking for and how they evaluate work.
Frequently Asked Questions
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This is such a common hesitation, and it makes total sense. People see AI flooding stock sites and assume stock photography is “over.”
What’s actually happening is way more specific.
Most of the AI overload is happening in microstock. That’s the space where images sell for pennies and buyers are price-first, not quality-first. AI fills that gap easily.
The work I focus on, and what I teach inside Stock Photo Besties, is premium stock. That’s a completely different ecosystem.
Premium buyers are art directors, agencies, publishers, and established brands. They’re not looking for filler. They’re looking for photography that feels human, intentional, and emotionally believable. Right now, they’re actively steering away from AI because of consumer pushback and trust issues. Brands don’t want to risk using imagery that feels fake, ethically murky, or disconnected from real life.
AI tends to replace the kind of imagery people would’ve grabbed from a free stock gallery. It doesn’t replace thoughtful lifestyle photography, real environments, real light, real moments, or real people.
From what I’ve seen firsthand, premium agencies are doubling down on real photographers with a clear point of view. Taste, storytelling, and authenticity matter more than ever.
So if your work is rooted in real life, observation, and intention, AI isn’t a reason to hesitate. It’s actually clarifying where your value is.
Stock photography isn’t disappearing. It’s just changing. And premium is where human photographers still very much belong
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This isn’t generic business coaching. It’s grounded, realistic guidance from someone actively working in stock photography with agency connections, paired with a supportive community that values creativity, sustainability, and doing this in a way that actually works long-term.
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Everything is available for you to move through at your own pace. There’s no “behind” here.
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Nope. Besties is built for photographers at all stages. Some members are full-time, some are part-time, and some are fitting this into nap times and school pickups. If you have a camera and want to license your work, you’ll fit right in!
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Not at all. There’s guidance for beginners and deeper strategy for photographers who’ve already been uploading. You’ll learn how stock works, where to start, and how to build consistency with all the support you need.
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Yes. This is a month-to-month membership. You’re never locked into something that doesn’t feel aligned.
Meet your mentor, Aubrey Westlund
I’m a photographer, educator, and creative business guide, and I’m here to help you build income in a way that actually supports your life. Stock photography, licensing, and passive income are my sweet spot, but more than that, I help creatives find sustainable ways to make money without burning out or losing their love for creating.
Over the past decade, I’ve built multiple successful creative businesses, including two six-figure ventures, alongside long-term passive income streams through stock photography and digital products. I’ve been in the industry long enough to know what works, what doesn’t, and what’s actually worth your time.
I’m someone with a lot of ideas and even more creative interests, and I’ve learned that I do my best work when I have control over my schedule. If there’s a way for a creative to earn income more flexibly, chances are I’ve tried it, tested it, and figured out how to make it sustainable.
Early in my career, fresh out of art school during the aftermath of the Great Recession, I found myself in a high-stress corporate job just to pay the bills. That experience made one thing crystal clear: the punch-in, punch-out life was never going to be for me.
Growing up around entrepreneurship, I saw both sides. I saw the freedom it could create, and I also saw how misaligned businesses can drain creativity and joy. That shaped how I built my own career. I knew that if I was going to run a business, it had to feel life-giving, flexible, and genuinely fun.
I eventually left corporate work for good and built a photography career that led to my work being licensed by brands and publications like Parents, Food & Wine, Real Simple, BuzzFeed, and more.
Now, I mentor creatives who want more options. More income streams. More breathing room. More creative flow. Stock Photo Besties exists to help you build a business that supports your life, not the other way around.