My Biggest Regrets as a Professional Photographer | an open and vulnerable conversation

[@RanftEvan]

I could add a number of other things to this video. One big one was trying to do too many things at once and jumping from on idea to the next rather than focusing on what I was good at. I think that's a concept called "shiny object syndrome". Anyway, hope this one gave you some good insights and it was a lot of fun going down memory lane for the b-roll in this video. Thanks for watching!

[@deangaffney4599]

Funny enough I’m in the situation of either a new camera or MacBook , right now I’m editing off an iPad and using a Nikon D3500 with a 50mm 1.8, so it’s either upgrade to a MacBook Air m2 or get a Sony a7 ii (at a good price) + lens. I would love to yall suggestions

[@GizmoMaxx]

@8:35 The "BOOM" for E-commerce in fact was around 2007-08 on wards

[@Thirsty_Fox]

My biggest 'regret' / 'I wish I did this sooner!' is not investing in color accuracy and having calibrated monitors. My second 'regret' / 'wish I learned this sooner' is that most clients have a limit of bokeh -- they want more in focus rather than less in most situations. I've never had anyone say that a shot had too much noise, or too little dynamic range, but I've had comments that the subject wasn't in-focus enough or the background was too blown out. Taking a healthy variety gives you the opportunity to replace a photo with a substitute if a client isn't happy. Anyways, helpful video and it's always great, if difficult, to be critical of our own mistakes and especially to share it with others.

[@briantafelmeyer7337]

Hire a bookkeeper and an accountant as soon as you can to keep yourself from financial/ tax mistakes. Their information is crucial to properly learning how to charge for your work and actually be a profitable business.

[@RanftEvan]

I learned that lesson a long time ago. I have an accountant and you’re right, they help a lot!

[@kareem8064]

Great advice

[@Drengrphotography]

I got lucky with this, my wife is an accountant and a damn good one.

[@GIJen14]

Mindset is so important. It's something I've learned in my 30's as well so I think it just comes with time. I've followed you for a while and always love your work. We're all just out here learning how to do life lol

[@Room240]

My biggest regret in photography is not taking it seriously and doubling down on it, I've been doing photography since 2016 but only as a hobby, I never had the courage and the patience to make something out of it, didn't make it a business or even grow an audience online, now I'm sitting on almost 160GBs of photos and videos (which isn't a lot for Pros but it's a lot for a regular person) waiting for the right time, I had other personal reasons preventing me from going all in and my time management is terrible, I wish I listened to my own gut and took photography seriously years earlier than now, nothing hurts as a creative more than wasted potential, but I haven't given up completely, I'm planning on starting over when the chance comes up, but I don't know when and that's the awful part.

[@timothy7367]

felt that

[@chromegator482]

only a few minutes in but I like how you switched up the video style for the flashbacks

[@RanftEvan]

Thanks for noticing 🙏

[@zakcole2229]

Loved this. Thank you for taking the time to share. I am launching my own photo and video business at the moment - so incredibly helpful. Zak, a Kiwi living in Hamburg (and fellow Nikon Z8 owner!)

[@yokken]

Evan- it took courage to speak candidly about these regrets and I'm thankful to hear them with the kind of retrospective wisdom you so easily articulate. I want to say, my regret is fearing that I'm not editing my (mostly landscape) photos enough and that they're never ready for broader consumption/sale (so I haven't tried selling any yet). I don't use masks, I hardly touch curves, I really don't do much other than balance the photo to make it look the way it did in my mind, and that usually doesn't seem to require more heavy handed editing techniques. But I worry I'm not doing enough, that my photos could look even better, and maybe they could but I haven't tried pushing them to their max, but I also worry about my photos ending up looking like every other (usually amazing) photo out there. Do you have any advice on how to practice more advanced editing techniques without getting sucked into some echo chamber-y bubble of KZbin/famous photographer editing style? Any other thoughts/wisdom you have would be greatly appreciated as well. Thanks again Evan.

[@danienelphoto]

Fear is a big thing, man. I know the struggle.

[@pedrobartolomei7707]

Thank you for your honesty, we all tried paid jobs without enough experience, and can be a huge mistake. better to practice with friends, family, collabs , etc untill we master the skills.

[@Jessehermansonphotography]

#1 is so true.

[@HeyQuinton]

Cool video - I think there are SO MANY people who struggle with the mindset shift of making money online - but that is usually because of poor understanding of business and finance in general. Happy that changed for you and the good news is, that you recognize value going forward. If you're audience is asking for it - validate the market and move forward accordingly

[@RanftEvan]

Facts. That was a completely brutal lesson to learn. But I think part of that comes from lack of knowledge and exposure. No one in my family has ever run a business or had an internet business and I think that played a part into my mindset. You just don’t know what you’re not exposed to. It’s one of the reasons I make videos like this now

[@RanftEvan]

Thank for watching and adding to the topic 🙏

[@ChrisBoultonPhotography]

The storage and computer problems resonate with me. Can you elaborate on your chosen option now?

[@judeemclaughlin]

#2 - you learned the difference between value and cost #5 - usually comes with age/experience #7 - I am actually working on a video about being hesitant/fearful of success and another on being happy with your work (intrinsic/extrinsic motivations)

[@RanftEvan]

Yeah that value to cost relationship is a great way to put it. That’s definitely something I’ve learned as I’ve gotten older (unfortunately after wasting a lot of time and money) Appreciate you contributing to the conversation and for watching 🙏

[@JNDLZ06]

Wow, I remember a lot of those clips from previous videos.

[@ofChone]

Great advice! I have a couple questions maybe you could help with. When did you feel like you were good enough to push your product/style? Or better yet, how do you narrow your styles/ideas down to the one thing you want to pursue and go hard on?

[@dothewubwub]

I respect your commitment to halation.

[@rodneybrown5889]

Always great to see your videos and the information you give…. see u in the next one

[@kountchev1]

true words

[@thetravelogues]

I regret not subbing to Evan sooner

[@adam_flash]

What do you recommend for better file management… since you mentioned not collecting stacks of hard drives over the years more than once in the video but not actually your solution for it?

[@IVMTAB]

I feel so many of the things you were listing 😅

[@johnmacaspac410]

11:00 hits hard

[@aps-pictures9335]

As glad as I am for your preset business - I hate it as a creative, it’s so dull. The $300 book made me wince oof, a mistake.

[@RanftEvan]

Haha that book actually sold a few copies but yeah definitely a young miss step

[@aps-pictures9335]

@@RanftEvan I wince because I’ve been there and made very similar mistakes! Think anyone who has had the guts to try something will have these stories, we’re definitely not alone hah.

[@therealmoonstone]

what mic do you use? IK ur prob tired of answering this but plz

[@michaeldanielsG19]

Evan, great advice video, as always. What is the camera sling bag you showed near the beginning of the video? Trying to find a good camera/edc sling bag to take to Europe in the winter. Thanks

[@bradholbrooks]

Nice, Toccoa and other NE GA places.

[@americosequeira8670]

Don’t regret… Now you know more what you need to know…

[@williamhillard1358]

Stop regretting buddy. As a 50yr old photog You do your best that you can at the time and keep rockin’ I stopped working for many years and am back. We always block ourselves at some time in life. Keep being your best

[@kayramos_dazed]

8:43 what kind of camera is this?

[@senpaigrime]

I think I would start being reckless with my camera if I had insurance 😅

[@CharlieRoberts-he7hb]

Do you wish you had started a Roth IRA earlier, as well?

[@tudorciobanu3895]

Not a fan, but this one is so honest. Congrats

[@dothewubwub]

Why are there subtitles in the middle of the video? I tried disabling subtitles but they are still there, right in the middle, like a bulging wart on a nose. Evan you don't need subtitles, we can hear you.

[@HandlebecauseIMust]

I stopped listening when you threw in the insurance "recommendation." There's nothing I hate more on youtube videos than blatant advertising for sponsors disguised as advice.