When COVID-19 first hit, I knew that I would need to make some adjustments to how I ran my business. Events were gone, and I had to pivot.

Whether you’re having a record year or maybe falling a bit short, it’s important to look at some passive income strategies to help you meet your financial goals. While passive income can be a little slow going to start, in the long run, it’ll pay off without much work from you.

Selling prints and tangible items

For photographers, this is the easy one. We all have prints that we love, and we know that some of those photos would make great prints. Furthermore, I’m sure you’ve had people ask you for a print or two throughout your career.

This was the first thing I did when COVID-19 locked things down. I setup a store and started selling prints. I didn’t have to print them at home — the order was collected and delivered to the customer without any work from me.

Fine Art America is a great option for this, as it allows you to present your prints at a variety of sizes and mediums (like metal, acrylic and framed prints). All you need to do is upload your photos, set your pricing and spread the word.

But not only that — Fine Art America is great for selling things like coffee mugs, T-shirts, pillows and more, all with your amazing photos on them. You can even sell shower curtains.

Stock photography

When I’m slow moving with my regular work, I often will turn to stock photography. It allows me to get out in nature — or wherever I want to go — and capture scenes that I wouldn’t otherwise think about capturing. Stock photography can be a bit slow moving, but I’ve had some major entities pick up my photos, including CNBC, Delta Airlines, AOL and more. Adobe Stock and Getty Images are great places to start.

Photo and video editing

Photo by Igor Lypnytskyi on Unsplash

Just because your regular work might be slow, doesn’t mean that’s the case halfway across the world! Offer your photo editing skills to other photographers who might not be quite as experienced as you.

And if you know how to edit videos, even better. I was commissioned to edit a series of 2-minute videos that included stock footage and narration for a non-profit at the height of COVID-19. They were so pleased that they kept coming back to me throughout the year.

If you’re having trouble finding editing work, join some Facebook groups in your community for photographers, or check out a site like Fiverr.

Teaching

I’ve had a ton of friends pick up a camera over the years, and that seems to have picked up more and more during COVID-19. A lot of these people have never picked up a camera outside of their iPhone. They need to know the basics, and they love to play around!

Teaching them how to use their camera isn’t only beneficial to potentially earn income, but it also lets you get out and practice what you love. Plus, it’s a great refresher on honing in your skills.

What’s worked for you?

Have you tried any passive income strategies over the past year and a half? What’s worked, and what hasn’t? Sound off in the comments below!