How on Earth, when everyone is now a photographer, are you going to become a full time professional? We share 10 lessons that I learned along the way.
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You Gotta Love it
It has never been more important to be genuine, honest and transparent. When a photography journey starts as a hobby and a passion, the credibility will shine through and connect with people.
2. Video Creation
Video is at number 2 for a reason. There might still be professional photographers out there who make a living only taking pictures, but not many new ones. I just can not see anyway in which a photographer in 10-15 years time is not doing video in addition to stills. Thankfully a photographer has a head start. They understand composition, light, exposure and the gear. Capturing great sound is equally, if not more, important than good footage.
3. Build a brand
How you brand yourself is a personal choice. Many photographers use their own name for their business. This is fine but be aware of your long term goals. To have the option of selling your business in future, avoid using your own name. My brand is First Man Photography. I use this because when people read my Polish surname, they always get it wrong. The little practicalities are worth thinking about from early on.
4. Find your niche
Life does not reward a jack of all trades. I have learned this the hard way. My interests are wide and varied and my photography is no different. When photography was just my hobby I explored absolutely all genres of the art. Even when I started my YouTube channel the videos I created mirrored this natural mindset. However people like to associate a specialism with a particular photographer so there are not many successful ‘all rounder’ photographers out there. Try and focus your brand down onto one or two genres.
5. Ignore Conservative Photographer
Conservative Photographer is a character to represent photographers who succeed by putting people down. I have written about him in detail before but he will do everything he can to stand in your way and make life difficult. He will appear supportive, whilst ripping your work apart under the banner of “critique”. He is rude, unpleasant, dishonest and does not particularly care about his clients.
Ignore him, do your own thing and send a little pity his way. Conservative Photographer, your time is done.
6. Figure out your USP
Figuring out what makes you special as a photographer is an important step. What separates you from everyone else and makes you stand out from the crowd? It is is a completely personal thing and will be discovered by exploring self awareness.
7. Ignore the Criticism but Listen to the Market
People are happy to dish out feedback and criticism freely and cheaply. You see it all the time both good and bad. An image is posted on social media and a few people say ‘great shot’. It does not necessarily mean it is. Likewise people attend camera clubs and have their images pulled to pieces by people who take one photograph per month. Both things are completely irrelevant.
It is however important to listen to the market. Take instagram for example. If you post a picture of a mountain and it gets 500 likes when the picture of park bench gets 100, you can be pretty confident people like mountains more than park benches.
8. Give more than you take
I have lived my entire life by this ethos. Most people do not because helping people is hard and can be a burden. It also has no obvious immediate benefit and will often cost time and emotional energy. However, there are long term benefits and it leads to people having trust in you.
9. Understand your own needs
We are talking pure practicality here. If you want to become a full time photographer, earning enough money to maintain an acceptable lifestyle is vital. There is no set formula because it is different in every case. An 18 year old could be a full time photographer who lives with their parents and has very little overheads. The £300 per month they make could be enough. However the person with a £2000 per month social life is going to find it much harder.
10. Work harder than the next guy
A very close and highly successful friend of mine once said, part of his success was because he always worked harder than the next guy.
Becoming a full time photographer is not easy. It might be more difficult than ever because everyone is now a photographer. It might also sound glamorous. Sometimes it is but the vast majority of the time a full time a photographer is not pressing the shutter button. That is the easy bit, that is the bit that we love already.
Original source
42 responses to “10 Steps to Becoming a Full Time Photographer”
I just do wedding photography, not video. It works in the Chicago market but I can totally understand why it might be harder in smaller areas or other parts of the country/world.
Thank You !! Love the advice.
thanks for giving us this amazing advice! hope this will help me 😀
thanks for sharing this great content with us
really enjoyed watching this
I just love your videos! even though I follow other channels with much more "subscribers", but the quality content that you provide is rare on YouTube. Keep up the excellent work. I learn from your videos and advice.
You're amazing Adam. Thank you!
Quite inspiring and motivating video ..
Reasonable steps to ensure succes
Well done mate, good to see you getting the exposure you deserve, keep giving, thanks
Good vid and some great advise and words of wisdom, an enjoyable hobby but a very hard way to earn a living.
Thank you, Adam. Very good agreeing and sharing your thoughts and belief about pro photography. Also to you, I wish you success with your best.
Inspirational stuff Adam, thanks.
Well, that's good advice…but there are thousands out there that don't make the grade, with photography getting more expensive every day ( i.e. lens, cameras, flash, etc ) you need a lot of cash flow to maintain a living…loved the vlog though…Martin
Like the video
Really great advice (speaking from lived experience)!! Feeling this hugely. Thanks mate; really appreciate this 😀
Good sound advice, much appreciated and hope you continue the good work
Nice one Adam 😃
….so who are the 11 people who gave this a 'thumbs down' ???
They must have zero intelligence
This is perfect information from someone who has done it with talent and perseverance
Well done Adam !
Great informative video. Looking forward to see what you create next!
Bro, could u please share a video about how to make video with prime lens. Especially when we using with glidecam/any other stabiliser!…
Bro, could u please share a video about how to make video with prime lens. Especially when we using with glidecam/any other stabiliser!…
Bro, could u please share a video about how to make video with prime lens. Especially when we using with glidecam!….
Thank you Adam for putting your thoughts in form of this video. Great tips…
You didn't do the full 360 on the chair??!!
Great tips Adam 👍🏻 Enoyed this one.
Sound and solid tips, not just for photographers but for anyone going into business for themselves.
Great info! And congrats for the big leap.😉
Brilliant…….as always
I don't know because helping people is just very natural for me so this seems good for me 🙂
"You can be pretty confident that people love pictures of mountains more than they do pictures of park benches" – Everything had been said, packing up my mountain gear now 😉 No but seriously great vid man!
You have given great advice Adam.
Looking forward to Sunday already!
Excellent advice Adam
great advice Adam.Been watching you for a while now and it’s great to see how you have grown.Keep going you reach the top 👍
Good advice Adam
Great video. Simply brilliantly put together. 👨🎓
Oooh just noticed that Conservative photographer fella (👎) has already been here nine times Adam!
Another gr8 vid… Liking the down to earth attitude you have… Adam, ime considering making a move sometime into professional photography though it will have to be semi pro so will require alot of hard work on top of a 48 hour week…. I am the jack of all trades kinda guy 😁 and know where I need to improve on… My question is, is it worth doing a coarse on wedding photography as am thinking this is where I am more likely to have a chance to make some sort of regular income…whats your take?
Also a dad of two hyper but gr8 kids
I don't agree with point 2. I feel videography is a different skillset tp photography. also, social media is a plus but not essential IMHO. It all depends on what kind of photos you are taking. Don't get me started on Drones. 🙂
Thanks for this video. It is great to see a photographer like yourself unafraid to lift those around yourself.
Thank you for the good advice, the passion and the goodness that shines through. Keep up the wonderful work!
Adam, I've enjoyed watching your videos in the last few months since I re-discovered the wonders of landscape photography. They have been inspiring and full of learning. Although I have no real aspiration to become a professional, I do want to produce the best work I can and this video was full of great advice either way.
Keep up the great work and here's looking forward to the next video 🙂
Thanks,
Julian
Nice tips Adam! Good video 🙂
Great advice. You are certainly a guy that gives back buddy 🙂
3 steps.
1. Get a camera.
2. Learn how to use it.
3. Do it full time.