The Honest Truth About Photography

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[@terryclark8745]

As a photographer who's been in the business for 50 years I can assure you everything you just said is 100% true. I've had years I worried if I could pay my rent and others I could have bought a small island. Thankfully, most years land somewhere in the middle of those extremes. The biggest pieces of advice I can share is (1) develop multiple sources of income (other photography outside your norm, teaching, KZbin, etc.) and (2) always, ALWAYS put money away from every job for (a) retirement and (b) business savings. You need an emergency fund of three months income. Emergencies happen when you least expect, be prepared. Savings like this won't come fast, but keep plugging away and it will be there before you know it.

[@KapitanMeyour]

Thank you so much Sam for this. This really makes me cry. I can't even put up some words now, but this really connects to me.

[@itsjamesrush]

Appreciate the honesty. This has been the slowest year I've had in 10 years! Your video has got me inspired brother

[@martyschnurr]

Great message. Thank you

[@beneett6800]

Thank you so much for this insight! Really appreciate real talk especially in these "glamorous" social media times.

[@SamuelElkinsPhoto]

Any time!

[@Fernyg323]

Keep up the awesome work bro. You should have a local photography meet up.

[@danielsabljak4143]

needed to hear this today, appreciate you.

[@Fifthimagez]

thanks for being so honest great video thanks for sharing!

[@Louise_D_Myers]

Your videos are always great to watch, I visit your channel eagerly looking for new content. Your videos on the GFX 100s were great, I recall that you had made two, one a review and the other with you shooting up in Alaska or somewhere up north? Keep the content going. You could also offer online classes, many of us would love to learn from you also, this would both help you create a revenue stream when you need it and allow others to learn from you.

[@muhammadrosli4999]

Thank you for being real and raw with all of us.

[@YOUAREMYKIN]

Thank you for being so candid, Sam.

[@chadwickestey]

Always appreciate your honesty and realness Sam. One of the best educators and photographers out there.

[@dialac1]

This is such a pure and honest video and it reinforces why I’m subscribed to you. Here’s my story. I started out as a photographer in 2005. Mostly portraits and weddings. I slowly realized that I faced several challenges. I wasn’t getting as much work as I thought I would and the jobs I got, the clients always wanted to haggle price. Even tho I loved photography and everything about it, I realized that in the long, it may not be sustainable. So after doing it for 3 years, I left photography (I stopped shooting paid gigs) and I became a hobbyist while I got into college and started nursing program. Today I’m a critical care registered nurse making well other 200k a year and I can afford every camera gear I’ve ever wanted and I don’t think I could have become this financially comfortable if I stuck to photography as a career. I do it mostly as a serious hobby today

[@tulasnaps]

Similar story here except I’m still in the process of transitioning into a career in design so I can afford to travel or buy any camera I want. Congrats to you 🎉

[@dialac1]

@@tulasnaps facts bro. Keep going. You can do this. Once you have another solid career, it will be a money printer to fuel your photography passion

[@MattAitia]

Loved this video! Thanks Sam

[@DominereEvansMusic]

Love the transparency in this video. More people should be honest. Great video.

[@MrSolidair]

2 vids in 24hours I love it Sam!

[@Passingmomentsvideo]

Came here to make the same comment!

[@pauls1ngh]

Such sincerity & honesty, it’s refreshing. Thank you Samuel. Hope you are well.

[@RicardoMendesTalks]

0:48 nice to see the before and after colour grading :)

[@ShenryRNBSN]

I'm just here to enjoy the quality that is this video.

[@botant500]

Really appreciate your honesty. Thanks.

[@jeremydelacruzz]

thank you Sam for this video, felt like this year has been slow for me and this video was a perfect reminder of how a Photographer's journey can be fast and slow and perceived different on social media.

[@tulasnaps]

I saved my money for a year to leave the US to travel and document and now have been gone for about a year and a half. I had a website that I can’t afford to renew and haven’t made a single dollar from my photography. Now living in Mexico, it’s even harder to find work that will afford you to live. I recently decided to give it up as far as work goes and pursue a career in design instead.

[@CamBrowne]

Thank you Sam

[@jannicolaij6742]

Thank you so much for this video Sam, I really needed to hear this. Keep up the good work!

[@TRIOStories]

Really appreciate the honesty and the personal video, it's so nice to hear from you. Can't wait to see your new projects. ❤️

[@richwinestudios]

Appreciate you sharing your heart man. It’s so relatable.

[@CreativeRyan]

This one hits lately with the slowing down of social reach, one foot in front of the other is great advice for any creator! Btw, you’ve been doing great work & content here on YT, we always tend to think we aren’t doing enough but you’ve put out great YT content over the years. Just a lil reminder 🗣️💯

[@marlountabios9147]

Thank you for sharing Sam!

[@itsmeissam]

Thank you so much!

[@marcgilles4520]

Thank you for sharing, this was very encouraging!

[@samonamusi]

Thank you for being open with this , this is definitely something I needed

[@chadmeeks1]

Needed to hear this man! Thank you!!

[@OneTakeJakeTV]

Hey man I really appreciate this video not a lot of artists talk about the slow periods we all go through and it’s refreshing and relatable to see you talking about this

[@paullichte]

appreciate that you are sharing that as well

[@KshitizSinhaPhoto]

Thank you Sam for this video, as a photography student this really gives me some hope!

[@SamuelElkinsPhoto]

Just keep chugging along - it’s a marathon not a sprint

[@thomasfransson]

Thank you

[@Mandothemagnificent]

Sam, thanks for the real-talk. Loving the 4R build. Keep on trekking my guy - you should know your work inspires us.

[@lizwolter9451]

thank you thank you thank you Samuel for sharing! Being raw and honest about our business and knowing we are all going through the same processes just helps so much to not give up and keep going.. wishing you all the best for the future!

[@aidansullivan8501]

Wonderful, honest, and helpful advice Sam. Thank you and keep up the great work - we all love watching you progress in your career!

[@denisafloroaiei]

Don't be discouraged, brother. Learn to leverage your audience!!

[@visualeyesla]

Needed to hear this, man! Thank you.

[@ryantanakaphoto]

Thanks for being authentic. The creative life can be a bit of a rollercoaster. Take care.

[@sarmedozil4060]

I really needed that! I thought work was slow just for me this year, it’s comforting to know that it’s a general thing that’s happening to many photographers in 2023… i hope things would get better for all of us by the last quarter of this year 🙏🏼

[@daniel03ss]

If you are close with a brand you love - I'd always ask if they would be interested in an in-house photographer. If your styles really align this can be a really great way to the the guess work out of this career.

[@SamuelElkinsPhoto]

Absolutely! Trying to stay freelance for now but sound advice

[@Michael_govorko1]

thank you for such an HONEST video Sam!Wow. It sounds stupid, but it made me feel better about myself and about that few months without serious jobs as well haha. It is taught to show the real situation, cause as you said on IG or youtube everything is looking brilliant and every photographer is just jumping between the projects without a rest:)) What I've learnt (partially via your videos as well) is to be proactive in those cases. So I emailed one headphones company that I used to work with a few times asking if they have any new projects or products that I could shoot for them. And and after a week they replied and now I am working on 3 great projects with a good budget. I was shoked, but it worked !:) Also I've send a few email to some photography journals and they hired to to write a few articles about my photography journey (2 of them are magazines about Fujifilm), maybe you cold try to write also to some magazines. Sam, thank again, I feel you. But you are one of the best photographers of our generation, I love your work and you will get where you want to get 100% without a doubt. Best regards Michael

[@user-xl6fr7ep2k]

Thank you for your honesty, on some occasions people from social media only say what the viewers want to hear "good news" it is not always like that, as a self-employed, I know that there are very good seasons but also very bad seasons, I think you learn to deal with the good and the bad, thanks, keep it up..

[@bradlspencer]

needed to hear this. thank you dude.

[@brandonpowell1889]

Videos like this land home hard , as a full time photographer myself , we almost feel forced into posting content all the time to give the illusion that our business is always busy . It can be really draining , but it can also be a great time to learn how to budget , spend time with family and how to make other connections that quite often turn into other work . I love being a photographer and the fulfilment and flexibility it gives me is incredible. Thanks for reminding us that we all go through these things , even the guys who are at the top of their game ! Thanks Sam , you are a legend.

[@shaydjohnson8700]

THE FIRST REAL CANDID VIDEO ON WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER, THANK YOU.

[@rileyrussill]

Appreciate you sharing this video bro.

[@katelynchef6146]

Thank you for sharing , as a freelance writer and photographer, going through it, it was reassuring hearing from someone else who knows…thank you 😊

[@neverninetofive]

How do you normally acquire customers? Do you actively engage in customer acquisition? Or do you wait till clients contact you? Or do you have a management that does everything for you?

[@SamuelElkinsPhoto]

A lot of the work I get is either directly to me, or through my personal network. I’ll reach out to clients I’ve worked with in the past to see if there’s anything on the horizon that fits.

[@kristoffergo6294]

I love photography, it's my passion and I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. I live in a place where people usually don't pay for photography. I am lucky I have another job that pays for my food and rent. One theory is that people don't have much money now a days because of inflammation and rising cost of living, thus makes paying for photography/photographers set aside.

[@johnleftwich650]

Good talk.

[@nevvanclarke9225]

I'm lucky that I don't have to rely on income that I get from Photography to support my journey. I have a recently well-paid job that I still enjoy and I couldn't survive without it. Not in Australia anyway they just simply isn't the money in Photography in Australia partly because people don't want to pay for good photographers here and people are not putting landscapes on the walls any more and people aren't into paying $500 for one hour for a photo shoot here in Australia. He just doesn't happen but I get myself out of the photography right by just enjoying the process and enjoying the journey sometimes just going back and looking at some of your images and look at how you've improved... Get out and shoot something different try something new and just have fun

[@SamuelElkinsPhoto]

Amen!

[@philipsutton2316]

So true dude. I'm a bit of a stress head and think if I was a full-time professional photographer, I probably would have given myself ulcers by now he he! That's why I still work as a full-time high school relief teacher. We get paid really well here in Western Australia for day supply teaching, but with no preparation or marking or responsibility. Then I don't have to worry about finances, that's all taken care of. This then frees me up to shoot the jobs that I want to, the odd wedding, quite a few events, gigs, but when things are slow, I don't have to stress. I also shoot some stuff for free. Many people say not to because it "cheapens your work", but I haven't found that so. That woman I shoot for who manages all the big events here in Perth city - I am her sole photographer now. Over several years I gave her free images I had shot at some of her public events. She liked my work so much she got rid of her other photographers and now I'm her only shooter. I'm shooting a free shoot at a big barber shot in the city tomorrow. They'll have free images to use for their advertising, but I'll also have nice images for my portfolio that will help me get my next paid shoot. I probably couldn't do these things if I was a full-time pro.

[@leonb2370]

True words

[@TDub777]

Things are slow for a many small businesses and independent workers this year. It's not just art and photography.

[@JohnPicciuto]

I gotta tell ya, this made me feel a lot better

[@JrnMnd08]

I know how talented you are and how you’ve had this diverse portfolio of esteemed clientele - have you thought of working exclusively with a brand you know and like or is that feel like giving up in your opinion?

[@SamuelElkinsPhoto]

Not necessarily giving up - but at this stage in my life freelance offers a more interesting career with really no ceiling at to what can be accomplished. I’m open to it later in life / my career!

[@overland422]

I always try to help young photographers get those retainers to keep the cash flow up.

[@anta40]

"Being an artist and running a business..." Ahh I think the last part is the most difficult one. That means a lot: self-marketing, approaching potential clients, delivering the expected results, paying our staffs etc etc. While we hobbyists in general think simpler: take photos, then publish on social medias, or make prints. That's all. This is why I see photography only as a hobby. Once it become a profession, gotta deal with 1001 uninteresting stuffs. But that's the reality of life. Well, I still like the idea of photography as another income source, though.

[@chriscard6544]

I quit photography 10 years ago, I was too frustrated, Im back as a hobby, if I had to change something, I would evolve to video and drones

[@roemix8820]

👍🙏

[@benly32]

[@Unexplored_one]

your eyes...are you crying?))