Photographer Justin Mott delivers more "Reality Therapy" about professional photography in the midst of a sea of YouTube influencer (uninformed) fantasies. Good stuff.
I saw that video. It is interesting that he echoed statements about professional photography that you have been stating for years. Conclusion: making a living as a professional photographer is challenging, and will be more and more challenging with time.
Hi Craig, It's a tough business but up until somewhere around 2008 a really good and well connected photographer could do very well financially. With all the changes in advertising since social media and a flattening of that industry it's harder to do as well. As always it's a matter not of excellence in photography but excellence in marketing and the ability to create good, solid personal relationships with clients. And I have to say that zoom calls and other communications protocols are absolutely no substitute for face-to-face encounters.
I think Justin Mott does a great job explaining reality in a way that someone like Peter McKinnon never approaches.
If you want to do commercial photography long term it's all about nurturing photographer-client relationships. It's almost a wild understatement to say that "gear isn't the important feature."
My new favorite channel. It's not often I get to look over the shoulder of a working photojournalist. (For the record, I hate the way they post-processed his cover image. The closer to capture, the better the image, IMO.)
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7 comments:
"Light is only magical for a short period of time"
Going into Burma to photograph wildlife with a M10 (no screen) - that's working without a net.
I saw that video. It is interesting that he echoed statements about professional photography that you have been stating for years. Conclusion: making a living as a professional photographer is challenging, and will be more and more challenging with time.
Hi Craig, It's a tough business but up until somewhere around 2008 a really good and well connected photographer could do very well financially. With all the changes in advertising since social media and a flattening of that industry it's harder to do as well. As always it's a matter not of excellence in photography but excellence in marketing and the ability to create good, solid personal relationships with clients. And I have to say that zoom calls and other communications protocols are absolutely no substitute for face-to-face encounters.
I think Justin Mott does a great job explaining reality in a way that someone like Peter McKinnon never approaches.
If you want to do commercial photography long term it's all about nurturing photographer-client relationships. It's almost a wild understatement to say that "gear isn't the important feature."
Time spent: 90% marketing, 10% photography.
Exactly right Eric!
My new favorite channel. It's not often I get to look over the shoulder of a working photojournalist. (For the record, I hate the way they post-processed his cover image. The closer to capture, the better the image, IMO.)
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We Moderate Comments, Yours might not appear right after you hit return. Be patient; I'm usually pretty quick on getting comments up there. Try not to hit return again and again.... If you disagree with something I've written please do so civilly. Be nice or see your comments fly into the void. Anonymous posters are not given special privileges or dispensation. If technology alone requires you to be anonymous your comments will likely pass through moderation if you "sign" them. A new note: Don't tell me how to write or how to blog! I can't make you comment but I don't want to wade through spam!
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.