What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Photographer (Self-Taught & Burned Out)

If you're a beginner to photography, or is thinking about turning photography into your job - this video is for you!

When starting a business, people often advice you to figure everything out before getting started. I personally don't like this approach, at least not if you're still in doubt about certain areas. I didn't figure anything out before getting started, and it worked out anyway - even though I changed direction many times.

I walked the self-taught lonely road, because I was afraid to look stupid since I had a hard time figuring out the settings, but this is a message to you: Don't be afraid to look stupid. At courses, everyone is there to learn, and there's also a lot of online courses available where you can do everything in your own pace. If you don't learn the traditional way, there are several other ways to do it. When I started, I was really bad - but I guess we all are, and there's no shame in that. "If you're not willing to look like a foolish beginner, you'll never become a graceful master"!

I got my first "real" camera in 2016, and I failed and gave up MANY times. I underestimated the patience and amount of time it took to understand photography. And well, you're never really done learning - but that's the charming thing about photography as well.

You don't need expensive gear to start with - my advice is to buy some used gear to practice, and then you can save up to buy the gear on your wishlist. In the video I show an example of how my skills developed even with the same camera.

If you doubt yourself: remember that every time you feel frustrated, this point is where the growth happens. Remember to give yourself some breaks if you need it. Don't compare yourself to ANYONE else - photography is ART, and shouldn't be compared.

There's a lot of different ways to set up a business, and in the beginning I basically just tried to do like everyone else, but eventually I figured out that it wasn't the best solution for me (both when it came to pricing, strategy, setup etc). Remember your heart in it, and don't be afraid to change direction when needed.

Even if I've been a photographer for years, I still doubt my work from time to time. I can literally look at my photos and be like "what the h*ck is that"... Thing is, that photography takes creativity and it's okay to loose the spark from time to time. Creativity isn't just a permanent state, and that's personally what I the hardest part about turning photography into a business. I had to be creative "on demand", which I still struggle with from time to time.

When it comes to picking a niche, I do agree that it's making things easier - but your entry ticket to photography doesn't have to be your niche all the way. Many photographers take a good variation of photos, but then their style is turning into their niche. I started as a dog photographer, turned into an animal photographer and ended up working with companies and now I sell my photos as stock photos that allows me to experiment and try out a lot of different things.

If you're jumping into the photography industry, I wish you all of the best luck - if you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask!

In the video I go through following topics:
00:00 Intro
00:10 Why self-taught?
02:03 Gear or skills?
02:57 Burn-outs
04:37 Pick a niche, or?
05:25 Endless opportunities
06:14 Pricing
07:11 Keep learning
07:56 Editing
09:26 When to start?
10:09 Motivation