This is exactly why I’m keeping it as a craft for myself. Settled on this the second I fell in love. I know myself well enough to know that monetizing my love will suck the love right out of it.
You hit the nail on the head for me Andre. I started freelance sports photography 11 years ago, which led to weddings, portraits and various other gigs. Sadly, as of Q4 of 2024, all my gear just sits in a storage closet. Super long story, but in the end, almost everything you said reflected my own experience in photography.
Your video is very much focused on event photography, but there are other types of freelance photography. Headshots, products and real estate come to mind, for example. Now, many of your points still apply, but working under more controlled conditions and dealing with professional clients offers a different experience. That being said, I have much respect for event photographers. I wouldn't do very well under all that pressure.
Got into photography after a college class in my graphic design undergrad so i was curious about this vid, but its honestly great insight for any freelancer in the creative industry. Work is work at the end of the day
Being an extreme introvert photography is a personal experience for me. I am blessed that I do not want need to generate income from my craft. Assuming my work is good enough I have no desire to sell myself and run a business. Best wishes to those who make a go of it.
I’ve had to come to this conclusion many times in my life of creating. Full time creation is not for me. I love being able to accept some paid gigs here and there cuz it’s nice to have some extra cash. Shooting photos is only a part of making money as a photographer. Marketing yourself and editing is the full time job aspect. The photography market is ultra saturated and competitive as well. Keep on shooting and having fun!
I’m the opposite. I found that if I’m not doing what I am 100% passionate about I can’t do it full time. I personally need that creativity in my life or I can’t function
Good info. I am a stay at home dad and do freelance on the side. It works for me as that is not our real income. But I would be stressed if it was for sure
I love freelancing. Between 5 or six big commercial or documentary/editorial shoots per year, I freelance (usually doing some really strange shoots). I've taken freelance jobs that no one else will take and they usually involve dangerous animals and occasionally dangerous assignments or assignments that can turn dangerous in split second (like ending up in combat zones or natural disasters). There's nothing quiet like being neck deep in a Louisiana swamp and getting bumped by alligators or getting slobbered by a giraffe in Namibia or almost getting high velocity lead therapy in a combat zone.
Word, I had fabrication shop for personal use and projects and slowly took on commissions and though it was great to use the commissions for purchasing new equipment and learning new skills, half way through commissions I'd just want it to be done and over with. That's when I learned I don't ever want to turn something I like into a Job bc its a Job. I've been shooting for fun for near two decades and more seriously the past decade and I'm always ask/ told you should do it professionally to which I always reply the only work that pays are events on weekends and I like my weekends and I don't like crowds of people so that would be a nightmare for me. All the fun commercial photography from people I know whom do it usually tell me those jobs doesn't pay well or at all and that's usually their highlight and fun work and the stuff that pays is uninteresting and a grind. I know there's exceptions like Larry Chen whom I adore but listening to his personal story and how he got there and how hard and how much personal sacrifice it took, I couldn't do it, It seems like it truly does take a certain type of person with a certain drive.
Also with freelance no one but you is contributing to your social security, your 401k and definitely not your health coverage. When you’re young and healthy you worry about stuff like that later, but before you know it 25 years go by and later is now here. I make good money in sports television and film, but thank god for my wife’s grown up job that provides us our health insurance and other benefits.
Don’t want to sound too pessimistic but market is too saturated and it will only get worse. Unless the work produced is very unique and way better than everything else out there, chances are the monetary benefits will be quite low. Great video!
I came to photography exactly because "there was no money to be made in it". I knew there would be that artist thing/creative frustration that would pave the way to making a lot of money. At the end of the day, you lead a small team to create what customers really want. The camera, the photographer is just a tool. => I was right. Photography is anything but photograpy. If you see as an art, you will be poor.
I am sorry, but I don't understand what is that photography "steady job" that lies "beyond freelancing" that you mention. Photography work for hire does not exist. And no, the big money is not in weddings. It is in commercial photography for advertising. And that is also 100% freelancing. And no. National Geographic does not have "full time" photography jobs open. All those are freelancers.
This is exactly why I’m keeping it as a craft for myself. Settled on this the second I fell in love. I know myself well enough to know that monetizing my love will suck the love right out of it.
You are absolutely right.
You hit the nail on the head for me Andre. I started freelance sports photography 11 years ago, which led to weddings, portraits and various other gigs. Sadly, as of Q4 of 2024, all my gear just sits in a storage closet. Super long story, but in the end, almost everything you said reflected my own experience in photography.
"There are no solutions... only trade offs" 👏👏👏
Your video is very much focused on event photography, but there are other types of freelance photography. Headshots, products and real estate come to mind, for example. Now, many of your points still apply, but working under more controlled conditions and dealing with professional clients offers a different experience.
That being said, I have much respect for event photographers. I wouldn't do very well under all that pressure.
Got into photography after a college class in my graphic design undergrad so i was curious about this vid, but its honestly great insight for any freelancer in the creative industry. Work is work at the end of the day
Being an extreme introvert photography is a personal experience for me. I am blessed that I do not want need to generate income from my craft. Assuming my work is good enough I have no desire to sell myself and run a business. Best wishes to those who make a go of it.
I’ve had to come to this conclusion many times in my life of creating. Full time creation is not for me. I love being able to accept some paid gigs here and there cuz it’s nice to have some extra cash.
Shooting photos is only a part of making money as a photographer. Marketing yourself and editing is the full time job aspect. The photography market is ultra saturated and competitive as well.
Keep on shooting and having fun!
Been shooting since 2004 retired 2015 bec. What some said work suck the passion out of it.. eversince i realized i made the right reason retiring
9:05 I tolerate my boring office job so that I can keep photography as a fun hobby.
I’m the opposite. I found that if I’m not doing what I am 100% passionate about I can’t do it full time. I personally need that creativity in my life or I can’t function
Good info. I am a stay at home dad and do freelance on the side. It works for me as that is not our real income. But I would be stressed if it was for sure
I love freelancing. Between 5 or six big commercial or documentary/editorial shoots per year, I freelance (usually doing some really strange shoots). I've taken freelance jobs that no one else will take and they usually involve dangerous animals and occasionally dangerous assignments or assignments that can turn dangerous in split second (like ending up in combat zones or natural disasters). There's nothing quiet like being neck deep in a Louisiana swamp and getting bumped by alligators or getting slobbered by a giraffe in Namibia or almost getting high velocity lead therapy in a combat zone.
Word, I had fabrication shop for personal use and projects and slowly took on commissions and though it was great to use the commissions for purchasing new equipment and learning new skills, half way through commissions I'd just want it to be done and over with. That's when I learned I don't ever want to turn something I like into a Job bc its a Job.
I've been shooting for fun for near two decades and more seriously the past decade and I'm always ask/ told you should do it professionally to which I always reply the only work that pays are events on weekends and I like my weekends and I don't like crowds of people so that would be a nightmare for me.
All the fun commercial photography from people I know whom do it usually tell me those jobs doesn't pay well or at all and that's usually their highlight and fun work and the stuff that pays is uninteresting and a grind.
I know there's exceptions like Larry Chen whom I adore but listening to his personal story and how he got there and how hard and how much personal sacrifice it took, I couldn't do it, It seems like it truly does take a certain type of person with a certain drive.
Also with freelance no one but you is contributing to your social security, your 401k and definitely not your health coverage. When you’re young and healthy you worry about stuff like that later, but before you know it 25 years go by and later is now here. I make good money in sports television and film, but thank god for my wife’s grown up job that provides us our health insurance and other benefits.
Set up a limited company and pay all this from the company and pay yourself a separate salary.
Don’t want to sound too pessimistic but market is too saturated and it will only get worse. Unless the work produced is very unique and way better than everything else out there, chances are the monetary benefits will be quite low. Great video!
I came to photography exactly because "there was no money to be made in it".
I knew there would be that artist thing/creative frustration that would pave the way to making a lot of money.
At the end of the day, you lead a small team to create what customers really want. The camera, the photographer is just a tool.
=> I was right.
Photography is anything but photograpy.
If you see as an art, you will be poor.
Its hard to pay bills with all the "great job" compliments you get.
the market for freelance photographers is impossible anyway
I quit after 20 years. It was very hard.
I am sorry, but I don't understand what is that photography "steady job" that lies "beyond freelancing" that you mention.
Photography work for hire does not exist.
And no, the big money is not in weddings.
It is in commercial photography for advertising.
And that is also 100% freelancing.
And no. National Geographic does not have "full time" photography jobs open.
All those are freelancers.