Being A Photographer & What It Really Takes

(An honest blog)

*Warning contains a lot of personality that comes across as sass, foul language & truth.*

Read at your own risk

You probably expect me to say that being a photographer means owning the latest overpriced camera, a truckload of gear, mastering Photoshop & Lightroom, & spending your life curating Tik Toks or Instagram stories so the world knows you exist...all the while you just casually "pushing a button," right?

Ha.....that's such a cute thought!

Here's the actual truth: To be a photographer, you’re not just a photographer.

You’re admin. Receptionist. Marketing manager. Social media strategist. Content creator. Publicist. Therapist. Director. The whole damn production team!

This life demands more than just creativity. It demands resilience.

I cannot tell you how many times quitting was a real reality!

Because going from photography being an enjoyable hobby to a profitable business is not easy!

The freebies are gone.

You won’t make thousands in your first year.

You will work you ass off to then feel guilty about asking for what you're worth.

Unless you’ve got a rich sugar daddy or a trust fund, building this dream often means juggling a second (or even a third) just to keep things afloat.

Having a second job then feels like cheating on your dream job with a trashy side piece.

Being with the side piece you're still thinking about your main piece with guilt!

[Although I personally made sure my side piece taught me skills I could carry over into my business & in hospitality, customer service is EVERYTHING!]

You can’t just be passionate, you have to be OBSESSED!

Passion fades when you're exhausted, broke, or rejected.

Obsession keeps you learning, experimenting, & improving even when no one is watching or paying.

You sacrifice time....A LOT OF IT!

Golden hour? That’s when everyone else is eating dinner.

Weekend weddings? Say goodbye to a social life.

Editing? Hope you like 2 a.m. playlists.

You need a high pain tolerance for rejection.

Get comfortable with people ignoring your emails & potential clients choosing cheaper options.

You learn really quickly that boundaries & knowing your worth aren’t optional…they’re essential.

Without them, you’ll find yourself replying to client emails at 11 p.m. because you never set the boundary of business hours.

And nothing quite triggers that sinking “am I worth anything?” feeling than someone -especially someone who knows what goes into your work – dropping the casual, “Just bring your camera along,” to the family BBQ. [Cue the eye twitch.]

Or they hit you with "Wow, you're so expensive," like you didn't just drop $4,500 on formal education before touching any other business costs, the tax we have to pay or the super fund we have to SELF fund!

Because yeah, God forbid I want to eat, live, pay bills & be able to actually retire comfortably when the time comes. [Yep, sarcasm fully intended].

You’ll soon learn you are your brand.

People don't just hire you for photos.

You are hired for your energy, your communication, your reliability.

You're not just a person with a camera, you are representing YOU!

Do you know who you are?

Because knowing who you are is your super power because branding is your personal truth made visual.

You can be the most talented person on this earth but most people won't take you seriously until you prove yourself over & over.

Sometimes you are the only person in your corner believing in you.

Oh, get ready for scepticism too.

From family, from friends, from total strangers, from your own partner.

You will hear the "Is photography your real job?" a lot!

Or the statement, "Oh, you'll never make much being an artist," always said by people who has been in the same soul-sucking job for 20+ years, complaining about it every night, but too scared to chase what they actually love [Yeah, I said what I said!]

Creativity isn't a constant flow.... IT'S WORK!

I don't always feel inspired.

Creative blocks are real!

Trying to stand out with a point of difference in such a saturated market isn't as easy as Tik Tok influencers make it seem.

I am not one to follow crowds or trends.

So when I create something, best believe it's from a place of originality, of authenticity.

I am not just showing you an image...I am giving you the privilege of seeing a piece of who I am.

Society will convince you that other photographers are your competition instead of your community.

Our competition is not each other.

It's the soulless software we are being threatened to be replaced with.

And just when you think you're close to nailing this boss ass bitch photographer life, in struts the absolute torture as an introvert of constantly being "present online" to ensure you stay current & relevant in people's newsfeeds.

I mean how do you compete with the drama, scandal & the in-your-face social media newsfeeds when you aren't even all about that?!

Oh, God the social media scheduling!!

The mind overload is real!

"What should I post?"

"Will they care?"

"Who gives a fuck about what the daily life of a photographer looks like?"

"Does this sound desperate?"

"Am I annoying?"

"Do I even make sense?"

And my best social media posts??....They're the ones currently occupying my overflowing drafts folder that I know are scroll stoppers but AI cannot curate or produce algorithms from someone’s soul place.

Marketing is a gamble in itself.

You'll post something you spent hours perfecting, pouring your heart into then…… [insert the sound of crickets.]

Meanwhile, a throwaway post you made half-asleep as a "break" from that 2 a.m. editing gets 100 likes.

So… Why the hell do I do it?

Because it’s not a career, it’s a calling, & a calling doesn’t shut up.

It nags at your soul until you answer it.

Because I love my 2 a.m. editing playlist (there's some absolute bangers on there!) & some of my best inspiration flows at ridiculous hours of the morning or when I am pouring unexplainable latte art onto the top of someone's coffee (yep, I have a side piece….just for now).

Because my brain isn’t wired for a typical 9-5 job for the rest of my life where I do the same shit day in & day out.

It’s constantly thinking of camera settings, scenes, the way the light falls on someone's face & creative outlets to express myself through.

Because my art is a form of self-healing.

It encourages me to stop hiding my authenticity.

To break comfort zones & challenge myself.

Because creativity & originality connects me to like-minded people.

When I create from a place of truth, I don't attract business, I attract people who want to share who they really are too.

Final Thoughts…

I have made it this far not because it is easy, but because I am willing to face the parts that aren’t.

Your consistency will speak louder than anyone’s doubts.

If you’re serious about something you’ll keep showing up for it.

Keep creating.

Keep delivering.

Even when it’s uncomfortable.

Even when it’s quiet.

Even when your inner critic is louder than your wins.

Because progress will always rise to meet your purpose..