How to become a PHOTOGRAPHER if you are BROKE

Being a photographer is expensive, there is no way around that, but it doesn't mean that you need to be rich in order to make it in this profession. Here is how to become a professional photographer if you are poor or broke. Maybe starting from nothing.
You can find me on;
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Tin House Website and WORKSHOPS www.tinhouse-studio.com/
My Commercial Workscottchoucino.com/

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Come and join me over on instagram for a more BTS look at life as a pro photographer instagram.com/scottchoucino/

[@Miz-Newsy]

Following you on Instagram now!

[@ThanoojThampy]

This guy deserves a lot more credit on this platform. Love what you do.

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Thanks for the kind words

[@kevinrichards1667]

Scott is one the most honest straight forward guys on youtube giving great advice

[@ThanoojThampy]

@@kevinrichards1667 very true. Straight to the point. No BS and not a long a@# 15min vid to say one or two points.

[@WNOPhotography]

I definitely needed to hear this. I am that photographer you’re talking about aside from yourself. I am 7 years in and have lost tons of confidence in myself and my heath started to decline and struggling to make ends meat. However I’m pushing forward still and picking myself back up. Thanks for this video.

[@inugirl47guyzako]

You got this!!!

[@WNOPhotography]

@@inugirl47guyzako thanks Tiffany for the kind words.

[@christianfleetwood1735]

Best of luck on the path.

[@Miz-Newsy]

Trudging the Road of Happy Destiny! Your life will change in amazing ways. I can promise. Mine did. 7/15/1983.

[@creeksideimages]

Same...some days I wanna give up! Exp still working main job and dealing with health insurance.

[@danielettorre1239]

Thanks for this video. Being a recovering addict I’m definitely starting from very little, and the encouraging advice is much appreciated!

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

You are so welcome! Keep plugging away and join our facebook community if you need to be checking in with other like minded folk

[@EverydayNation]

Great information! I made my first 10k$ USD using an old nikon d330 with starter lens doing social media product photography. Fixed any distortion or noise I wasn't happy with in post. Especially for social media, there's no need for extreme high res sensors and kit. files are all compressed when uploaded to most apps and sites. If I were selling prints back then, that woud've been a different story.

[@yohannaftali2480]

When i heard : "there was time i have to sell gear to pays bills" i felt the same way ... Thanks for sharing your journey...

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Thanks for watching!

[@ccudjoe89]

riiiiight.....

[@elimastaine9786]

This video is like a warm hug when you’re in one of those lowest points in life and are all alone.

[@pacoreguenga]

That’s exactly what I tell people when they asked me how to get there. Everyone wants to be rich and famous from the start, nobody wants to grow a career. I even sold my equipment to a young filmmaker who wanted his movies to look just like mine, and he complains he can’t get the look and thinks I deceived him, but it all comes simply because I’ve been on this for more than 30 years and have never stopped studying and he doesn’t wanna take even a basic photography course.

[@manilamartin1001]

I love hearing other people's journey. I used to speak about how I borrowed money from my parents and lots of student photographers would put me down. I already had good paying gigs lined up at the time. Everyone has their own story and yours is very good.

[@JesusMartinezCreates]

about 3 years in and barely seeing it grow. I even have proof with my older videos lol Love your channel man really helps me maintain hope for bigger ongoing clients.

[@huntercreatesthings]

I really appreciate your perspective on this - I've finally taken the plunge after two years and bought my first "pro" camera second hand and hearing you talk about it has made me feel much more confident!

[@anthchiputra]

Thanks for your sharing Scott, i haven’t seen you a while in youtube, but im glad to search you again to watch some content. Really sincere and down to earth sharing. Thanks!

[@michaelchiaretta]

By hearing you, we had like a parallel life, even in the same years. Really nice that you shared the story and your views. Turning on notifications on KZbin, as your "content" is brilliant.🙌

[@batworker]

The 450d is still my ‘going abroad camera’ as it’s small, light, and takes photos which still hold up

[@gii06]

This is so useful! Thank you Scott * I felt this video was exactly what I needed at this point!

[@Gm7.photography]

My visit to a Photography store this weekend (I know it's time to go mirrorless and pro series lenses, before anyone does the "you just don't know how to use your camera" check out my work first, ta) has made this video very relevant!

[@troyjudkins3033]

This really hits home- thanks for all your advice man 👍🏻

[@thebelly925]

I really appreciate this. I’m starting my second career soon, so hearing your words of, “build the base” is helping me now.

[@odarrien]

Very valuable insight. I love the honesty you bring to this space.

[@martinblank4250]

Absolutely wonderful perspective and video. Thank You!

[@kennethlewis2477]

Just want to say that I really appreciate your honesty in these videos. Keep up the good work!

[@marvinelam5084]

Thank you for the honesty and frankness, that meant everything to me as a photographer.

[@AntonioFranco75]

Your honesty and openness are second to none, thank you.

[@trustfoxvideo]

Thanks, great video as always.

[@sigurvinpalsson5771]

Thanks for this video, I really need to hear it. Thanks for your brilliant content, it has helped me be a better photographer who is getting commercial work little by little.

[@davidlinney8106]

Great honest ..video with some useful ideas to get back to being a pro photographer post covid..which has wiped a lot of my clients out...

[@AaronJMarch]

Love your videos Scott - amongst the gems of wisdom you also say a lot of things I've been thinking and saying for years like tech v art (the art and concepts are what matters), buy pretty much everything second hand, (studio closing sales or marketplace) and the list goes on...

[@Batteristafoto]

Man i love the commitment you have made to have your youtube channel. You talk about good stuff and I don't have to sit through a full minute of some lame website ads. Haha. Anyway you are appreciated now! And congrats on all your accomplishments with this artform. It aint easy at all!

[@cloneroom]

Great advice and one many many people need to hear. Much Appreciated

[@z.r.1415]

Great and honest advice as always. Your channel deserves a million subs.

[@alas8922]

thank you so much for this!

[@jeremytome]

Appreciate your honesty about your growth. It takes persistence to get wherever you want.

[@andymiller5353]

Thanks mate. Inspiring. "Less is more" when you're starting out. And it may well make you more than you think. It's all about rolling your sleeves up and using whatever kit you've bought, begged or borrowed.

[@kenbot77]

Amazingly down to earth advice yet again! Absolutely love what you are doing and sharing. Not the hero people think they want, but the hero people actually need. Letting myself feel crap because I don't have any new gear, and feeling 'behind'... not needed! I am resourceful! I can figure out how to make the right choices in 2nd hand gear to make it work.

[@reginaldgooden3495]

Great vid, thanks for the motivation

[@dvdragon]

Thanks for sharing your story. It was really honest and thoughtful.

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Tren_is_okay]

Thank you for helping me through… again… again and again.

[@Casualfulltime]

I relate!! Thanks for keeping it honest 😏 So good to hear stories of the decade it takes to make it work.

[@DianaOst]

You give me hope. Thank you.

[@georgesphoto]

Your history is very inspirational for me Scott, thank you a lot for tell us your experiences. I'm creating a photography business in Portugal right now, and I feel frustrated sometimes with the prices of the gear. I'm been force to learn to be patience and resourceful with my gear, and your video help me out to see this will be the best path for me.

[@reniesboutique]

Thank you for this ❤

[@davebrown2332]

Just stumbled across your channel, glad I did..

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Welcome aboard!

[@usernamehandle]

Dude, I am not a food photographer, I want to do video portrait, boudoir, lifestyle… but oh my god I’m binging your content because of how helpful it’s been. When you speak it feels real and down to earth (even with the posh accent) and as a black gender queer person, I appreciate that you don’t completely ignore the harsh realities of inequities life. Often watch channels where I feel like I’m being sold something, even if there’s no sponsor… Just feels fake and insincere. You are the complete opposite! You’re real and give actual, helpful advice past “Buy this gear! Sign up with Squarespace! Buy my course!” And it makes me feel hopeful and like I’m actually being mentored. Thank you!

[@usernamehandle]

Question though (if you happen to read this): why don’t people take you seriously as a commercial photog is you have a day job? Is it due solely to perceived availability? Or that it seems like you aren’t serious if you’re not doing it full time? Or something else?

[@APRILBUTTER]

I’m more of “how to go broke being a photographer” girl..lol!

[@Brian-Caledonia]

Fantastic, thanks

[@ZmashedIndustries]

This is very helpful, having binged a couple of hours on your channel, there are a few good bits of advice we'll take going forward, especially when it comes to AI. It is indeed boring to see all of it looking 'the same' and I strongly believe that through developing our creativity further and understanding visual language, AI will need to work a lot more to reach the full human creativity potential. Thank you for all this stuff Scott!

[@colinbrown7305]

This is great advice. I've slowly been trying to start making money from photography. Slowly I've got myself a decent camera (Sony A7iii), and a good lens (sigma 24-70mm). I have paid for that by doing the odd wedding as a second shooter, initially using a Nikon d3300, great wee camera by the way, and saving money from my day job. The next step for me is to build a website and make a portfolio. It's encouraging to hear someone like yourself has had a similar journey. It makes me realize that the journey I'm on has a well trodden path and leads to the destination I want to arrive at, no matter how long that path maybe.

[@nathanielrosa1]

Thanks for this

[@VIDB0X]

The subtle humour hits 😂😂 cracks me up every time

[@qbncrzn]

This was fantastic!

[@LMJ06301987]

Thank You for this video!!!! I am currently where and what you are explaining in this video. I totally agree there are so many days that I feel like giving this up as I am not sure if I am good enough even though people around me are saying I am. I am currently running on 4 different cameras that I had acquired earlier on either I bought second hand or in one case 1 was given to me. I shoot with a canon rebel t6, a canon rebel t6i, a Sony a5000 and a nikon d7100 which was given to me. I have been struggling in figuring out how to break in to a business as I usually take photos of those around me and I post to social media but I haven't gained any business from what I show off. Again, Thank you for this video

[@kalengankonge6763]

Hey Scott. I appreciate your honesty. Trying to do photography as a full time job with only a cheap camera with a kit lens, with absolutely no money, in Africa is extremely difficult. Man, you have no idea🙈 but videos like this really help. Thanks. For what it's worth, I'm sticking with it.

[@when_life_gives_you_limes]

Yeah, I always felt broke while I was still doing photography & I hated that feeling, even though I do love some of things that I get to shoot. In the end, after going through all that financial stress all the time, I've decided to only keep photography as a hobby & stopped doing it professionally. I'm lucky I managed to find something else that I also enjoy doing, minus the financial stress.

[@jmartinianovlogging1482]

Thank You Sir!!!🙏👊

[@Bliind]

Thanks!!!!

[@donwallace7354]

You shared a lot of good advice there, and not only for photographers.

[@newnastyn]

I'm glad I've covered the step of being broke. I'm afraid the asset effect has been nullified by me being a single dad, so it looks like back to the desk job for now. I wonder if some low paying not interesting but photo related job would be better, or just kill the pleasure...

[@keiththegiant8872]

I appreciate you being honest about the privilege you have with being a white male and the doors its open for you.

[@NatsWright]

Fascinating video! I've made it to the stage of jobs for mates, getting 100 a day. I've not made much, and still hold down a full time job, but its a start. Taken me years just to get this far, and it was my least able bit of kit that got my first payday, a 4 year old mavic mini drone and aerial photography of classic cars! This year I've been booked for the whole season of events by them and have invested in a mavic mini 4 as the original drone didn't even do raw, and it was a struggle to get the drone to perform not just optically but in all the different weather conditions. Selling the old drone netted £150 which was used for a second hand flashgun and trigger, the trigger i'll sell on as I have one, but I only ever had a very basic flash. Now I can do pretty decent model shoots on location, with this flash, and a light stand I cobbled together out of a mini carbon fibre tripod and a cheap £20 quid carbon fibre monopod, and a godox rubber flash diffuser. Another photographer on a shoot tried to get me to buy a light meter for portraits, but I found when I borrowed his, it was worse! I can just do it by eye with test shots!! Been please with things this last few weeks as prior to this I suffered from G.A.S. ahem! I do own a lot of kit (most of my lenses are used these days at least) but I need to think more business-like if i'm to succeed and leave my day job for the last 5-10 years of my career, or at least have a part time business that gives me extra income as I retire. In the past i've been far to impulsive going after the latest and greatest as I had a decent job, I could afford it, but I ignored saving up for thinks, I just bought kit, some of which hardly got used! So, in the coming months, I hope these £100 jobs move to bigger jobs, hoping if I share my modelling images, I can attract maybe a fashion shoot. I think there is a lot you can do with a single speedlight setup when outdoors.

[@christophersmith4782]

Thanks for this video. As an aspiring photographer who is flat broke, dirt poor, and two breaths from the street, this has given me some hope. I'm lucky enough to have a Canon T5 that someone gave to me with a kit lens and a 75-300 and I bought a 50mm. I have a cheap ass tripod I bought from Walmart for 20$ and that's all I have to work with.

[@broskies2598]

Speaking facts gonna sub

[@WillFaulknerPhotography]

Great video !

[@conzalopae7873]

Best advice I've heard ....ever

[@lauramazurek8735]

Always excited for you Videos it‘s incredible helpful how you present the information and you are one of the few that talk so transparently about such topics thank you so much! Also would love to hear more about usage it is so rarely talked about!

[@claudianreyn4529]

Exactly the video I needed 😅

[@os6219]

What an interesting journey you’re taking us on Scott with your thoughts, straight to reality! A lot of people have this romantic belief about photography in their minds, thinking that they could do it (I’m guilty 🤫). 20% is photography 80% is business, marketing, ideas, conception, project and people management and a lot more… You made it very clear that without finding a niche your business could be at stake, and the need will eventually come to innovate or change. Ok. How about finding people in the business? Who are they? Agents, creative directors, marketing people? Where does the business start?

[@martinblank4250]

Right on target!!!

[@3flipinniggas]

Respect 🙏🏾

[@DPoner]

You don’t have to explain yourself. Don’t ever do again. Your channel is awesome, don’t apologize.

[@jerryrichards8172]

Some of the best words I have heard any7say.

[@cmichaelanthonyimages2197]

The old saying...it's not the eqyipment, its what you know and can do as a photographer that makes the image. The best tools wont cut if the talent is not there. Business, be frugal and dont splurge to impress, and pay your bills before you pay yourself.

[@davetozer8292]

Inspirational as always I’m not sure I’d cope with a 10k a day job the dizzy heights of that kind of money would really pile pressure on 😂

[@MC.07photos]

I salute you 💯💯💯👑

[@Steveo15]

fantastico!💥👋

[@corbinpearce7686]

I've found that gear provides convenience, not results. When you buy gear, you're buying back all the time it takes to rig up a similar contraption. I'm still at the point where I do a lot of arts and crafts to get the light effects I want - but I'm loving the process. Then, as I find effects or results I want to repeat often, I eventually invest in the gear to shortcut to that result.

[@deeptijain9388]

How I enjoy listening to you. I can totally connect to you in my journey of life otherwise. Do you buy lenses second hand?

[@PinkPulpito]

its hard giving myself permission to make an attempt while i keep telling myself i dont have enough of this or that or the kit.

[@okiesib]

What did you do for a day job?

[@MWB_logic_reason_respect]

HI, I would like like to know more about your contracts and usage contracts. Who wrote them, what shoudl be in them. Thirds party reproduction rights. Maybe insurance. Is extended home insurance enough if semi pro like me. Would love a video on this. Thank you for all you are sharing.

[@chloewheatley1593]

I’m currently in a temporary accommodation with my 2 year old son..no job and always out of money and borrowing from my mum which I hate to do. I love photography and have for years but I don’t know much about it. When I go out I just take pictures..try different angles and then sometimes on instagram I edit it to make it look better then post. I either use my phone or my iPad Pro but i would love to get a camera one day. I just don’t know where to start to be a photographer and have it as my job. I failed in school and college and iv never had a job..I don’t have experience in anything so where do I start to become a photographer and making money? How do I get a client? Would I need to make a website with prices? I’m so new to this and have no clue where to start in my situation.

[@adrianhydephotography]

We all start from 0. You talk a lot of sense.

[@Popa_Bogdan_Light_Drawing]

thank you for the video 😻 do you still have your 1st camera?

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Yes I do!

[@kchuaw4500]

they all use phase one, broncolor, loads of umbrellas, beauty dishes, strobes those rich people

[@johnkenny9832]

Great video as always, very refreshing to hear the brutal honesty about the time and sacrifice needed to achieve success.

[@edwinbonilla7627]

Thanks, from a broke photographer.

[@Jasonsegade]

My question is where can I go to find leads, everyone ones protective of contacts… where did you network to get seen as you know social media is a hard egg to crack

[@joseph-the-seventh]

Hey Scott do you have any videos on how to start making money in photography? I currently do headshots but would like to branch out to product / still-life but have no idea how to make money from it. I loathe weddings and real estate. Thanks.

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

I have a few workshops about business and marketing on my website (link in bio) that are a few hours long by each

[@joseph-the-seventh]

@@TinHouseStudioUK Thanks boss.

[@ccudjoe89]

Talk about history repeating itself times 2724 (number of views on the video at time of viewing).... I dont exactly have the worst gear but boy oh boy has it been a slow first bit of the year...

[@JeffBourke]

I thought you don’t go broke until after you turn pro?

[@WillFaulknerPhotography]

Best place to buy a used camera mate? FB market? I’m trying to upgrade my 5d3 and buy a house for my family at the same time :(

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Depends, unless the camera is broken though or you are shooting 6 sheets at 200 DPI I would stick with a 5d mk3

[@WillFaulknerPhotography]

@@TinHouseStudioUK Thanks mate. It's nice to hear a reply back on a comment these days (very rare)

[@peter_shadow7559]

Photographers need to stop falling in the "This is better than that and switch to...." KZbin game. Being a brand fan is one of the dumbest things people do.

[@moritzschneider2735]

Brutally honest video, you owned my respect for being upright. Would be nice if You had added photos of the certain time periods for reference, because that's what's all about right... Good quality photos

[@verzivull]

In my country, women do have more photography jobs than men.😅

[@AaronJMarch]

Ah yes, selling kit to make rent - I'm glad those days are behind!

[@TheTravelnLass]

THIS. is GOLDEN! And special kudos for your "white privelege" intro! Though we can't (and thus needn't) perpetually apologize for it - the VERY. LEAST. we can do is always humbly acknowledge it. It seems few consider the HUGE (and totally UNEARNED) advantages that we (didImention, only by sheer LUCK?) started with. The incredible advantages of where we happen to be born, our access to education, etc. (lol, and yes, even one's proper British accent, - or shoot, even learning English from birth at all!) ;) And yes, yes - it seems today that so many (irrationally) expect that we should/somehow deserve to succeed/prosper overnight. That we shouldn't have to plod through the looong YEARS of learning and honing our trade. That somehow that shiny new pricey bit of kit is going to make us better photographers. In short, Scott - THIS is why I follow (and admire) you as a photography mentor.

[@TinHouseStudioUK]

Thanks 🙏 and yes the lottery of birth is very real and I’ve lucked out.

[@tonyhayes9827]

I think those of us who live in Western democracies should never forget how blessed we are

[@creeksideimages]

18 years here. 🫣

[@creeksideimages]

Def a good video! I have def related. Past 3 years has gotten better..