Avoid These 4 Photography Business Traps 

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I really appreciate you saying it took three years before you started making money, and only about $1k a month. That puts it into perspective. Thanks! Appreciate you!

Everything you say is exactly right. I'm a masters degree qualified, retired commercial photographer. I did commercial work because it paid well. I always wanted to be a fine art photographer selling prints as fine art. Now I'm retired I can be a fine art photographer selling prints at art fairs and boot sales. Doesn't make much money, but now I don't need to. Photography is definitely NOT easy money. In fact its even harder today because any clot can make a reasonably decent photo with their all automatic, mirrorless digital camera or phone. Have you noticed that all the small town local studios aren't there anymore? There's a reason for that.

This might be the realest video on RU-vid.

I'll have a Tin House Studio denim jacket please.. size medium

The only thing I find to be worth it is, I sell my handmade props from my shoots on the side. I'm flabbergasted about how much I can sell them for. In fact I may recruit some employees to form a separate business

I suppose for some of the better known RU-vid photographers, they may have a more willing audience for selling prints, style packs, or merchandise. Absent that large following, the audience is limited, even somewhere like Society6 or RedBubble. Despite years of doing shoots, I did fall back upon assisting many times. I also did some tutoring of assistants and professionals, specifically my knowledge of commercial printing, pre-press preparation (which I did out of college), lighting, and editing. Never too old to do some assisting, as long as you can lift whatever needs lifting. Tried Fine Art Photography alongside my commercial work for a while. Got in a few books, multiple exhibits, and even a print into a museum. I suppose it did promote some of my work, as a form of advertising, so I did get some commercial projects from it. The more direct aspect of framed prints was barely break-even on expenses. Knew a few photographers who had the cash, parents or otherwise, to open their own galleries. That's a different sort of direction, and it seemed to work. The interesting thing is that many of those guys also ran workshops and tours, which seemed to be the real revenue streams. The joke use to be that if you want to make a little money in photography, then start out with lots of money. Anyway, I did okay, and the extra profits went into investments, which over time can become quite useful. Also, that's not for everyone, and it's a different special set of skills.

It should be said that a basic Digi kit (minus a screaming fast MacBook Pro): 3-500 Tripod 200 Digiplate 300. Digiplate Accessories 150. Buying SH***Y orange cables 200. Buying proper red tether cables 200. 4tb SSD to manage on set backup (laptop may fail) 400. Pelican, Nanuk, SKB whatever flavor case you enjoy That's over 1.5k to get the door open & have a basic kit to support your laptop. A lava cart will put you back another $700. Want to look + feel fancy? Innovativ costs $2000. Photographer wants client monitors on set $1500 (BenQ)-2500 (EIZO) each + support. A Digi kit is often more expensive than what the shooter brings to set. See also: Makeup Artist

As usual great conversation I have to admit that money was not my major priority even though as a professional photographer in LA I was always able to make a profit and a living, what I did get out of photography was I travel the world and got to meet and interact with amazing people which I still do today! I also was able to create a legacy of amazing images that will live on after my death!

"5D Mark II will get you there" would be great on a t-shirt.

Best straight up honest vid I’ve seen about making money from photography in a long time thank you

Scott has teached me more with his RU-vid videos about photography/business than all the other YT videos combined i have watched. That say's a lot!

Thanks for this! Completely agree with all of this! Most of it don’t make $ unless you focus on it! I’m secretly (but now not so secret) hoping you would come on my podcast. I would absolutely love it!

Always a reality check coming to your chanel. That’s what I expect and that’s what I get. Keep it up 👍🏼

Thank you Scott. Great one.

Thank for this, def appreciate your candor and honesty. This was something that I needed to hear!

I just discovered your channel in the last couple of weeks and think it's some of the most interesting and useful advice on youtube, cheers.

Great advice Scott.

Absolutely spot on … These people must be called out.

Brilliant insight mate!

When I started working at the newspaper 20 years ago the paper sold loads of prints every day it was a bloody good earner, fast forward to now we sell next to nothing at all people just screen shot the image on the website or fb page and post on their socials.

Excellent reality check information. Yes some videos of making a passive income from doing this that or the other don't mention or skip over the nitty gritty. Only a few actually bother to go into the logistics and reality. Like anything it takes focus, determination and motivation, it's not going to happen off the bat, unless you are quite fortunate

All that, and charge what one's time and expertise is worth. I specialize in fine art and documentary photography. I rarely step out of my wheelhouse unless it offers an extraordinary profit.

Yes, pls do merch :)

How about a mug that says "I lost my shirt on this and a t-shirt that says "only a mug would buy this". I will get my coat.

A "Don't be stupid shirt" is a good one! haha On another topic, your haircut / the fade looks good!

Thank you very much for your honest advices. I find them practical and inspirational. Most photographers encourage to become pro sayaing that there is enough of room for everybody. But often they don't say that because they really mean that but hidden reason is to sell their ebooks, courses, etc about ecoommerce, marketing, photography to people who just start. Other say "don't bother, no money in it" to discourage, but often they do that because of fear of competitiion. And i understand why - sharing real, vauled knowlegde and tips for few $ on YT doesn't seem to be smart strategy until you really love sharing knowlegde and building some community. But not much of them say that it is still good job but just find your niche, and I agree with you. On the other hand there is a question about side jobs or activities. Don't you think that it can be beneficial as a way of growing as photographer? Trying new things. Potential clients can find your side work, your account on YT or other platforms, other genres of photography and it might bring soem of them to you as well. What do you think? Maybe I'm wrong and that is rather confusing for potential clients. Thanks anyway :)

I love your honesty about not making money. I'm sixty years old and got into photography four years ago. I do fine art photography. I've made a couple of thousand selling prints, but for me the real money is matting and building the frames. I make two and a half times more if it's matted and framed. I'm hoping this is what I get to do for the rest of my life.

I'm truly grateful for your honesty about the three-year journey before seeing profits. It provides valuable perspective. Thanks a lot! I genuinely appreciate your insights.

You can tell who’s watched your channel by the presence of tennis balls in c-stands… so your ‘merch’ could be signed, or SC branded tennis balls

Thank you for dispelling those annoying “how to make $10k a day from your photography” videos. I agree that a level of specialism makes sense but as you have alluded to previously (when talking about a return to portraits in your style), it is possible to work in more than one area of photography and have a clear voice and vision and aesthetic that is commercially viable. Whenever I hear the term ‘jack of all trades’ used disparagingly I like to remind whomever is using it that the full quote is: “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” Anyhow, another good video and grateful for your energy! Enjoy your break! 👊🏼

$2,100 aud gross sales in 3 yrs selling prints, some framed and some not for a grand profit of $950. One thing i was told very early on was, don't expect to get rich and don't rely on family and friends. I only drop a link on twitter to my Facebook page so nothing fancy, If i had a website could i make more i don't know if i would tbh.

I like your raw point of view. I don't see much easy money today with photography, AI is replacing us, probably the best job is where you have direct contact with the client or product.

Renting is so expensive. I don’t see how it’s not worth it. Here in aus, hire rates literally pass the value of a camera body in 8 weeks and even faster on the day rate.

...how best to spend your TIME to make the most amount of MONEY with what you LOVE doing. Now that is a good quote for any kind of merch! hahaha

But Scott, my Mom says I take nice pictures so I’m sure I can sell prints! 😂😂😂

Oh here's a thing i should have added to my other comment which you touched on, I've seen several RU-vid "pro" landscape photographers that make F"$& all from print sales with most of their incomes being generated by workshops, sponsorships and RU-vid. One of those pro's even did a video breaking down his yr income, out of $130k only $2k of it was from prints

On the important subject of merchandise, I reckon (at the risk of getting nasty letters from Nike) "Just do the work" would be a good slogan.

Something like crisp shadow and an all black shirt ;)

I would buy one of your T shirts that says: Go Away. I’m working 📸

what is a digi tech? Is that a general term for people like colorists and retouchers?

Definitely t-shirts. Maybe 'I do it for love not money' for the amateur and vice versa for the pro 🤪 I'll take a 10% cut if you use it.

Merch idea: "is that new camera within your 30%?" T-shirts and mugs

Now do one on drop shipping 🤣

Scott, there's nothing like a good splash of cold water to set your mind straight. It can happen if you listen or experience it for yourself. You get to pick the method. A side hustle generally is a source of making extra money, not a living. In my opinion, It only works if you're all in, in which case it's not a side hustle, or you have extra time after you do your regular job. Cheers.

for shirt ideas the banana shot with Tin-House-Studio curved around the top in yellow might be cool the hot dogs and fires/chips in a fine print button down shirt might be cool and the cat looking at the fish stick in ketchup on a black T-shirt with Tin-House-Studio on the back might work as well

Great info 🙏🏻

Your merch t-shirt should just say "...but,"

I feel like a lot of the "you can" statements in this video probably should really be "you might be able to". We don't hear from all the people that try something and then can't make it work. And if we do hear from them we might wrongly that they could have done it and just didn't try hard enough.

With the trend of self help about dopamine, maybe anything who is a photographer and is like me freelance doing anything is the quick dopamine hits like you're doing drugs, porn, heck even suicidal media addiction. Is it Doom and gloom or can you like the things I say to myself, to be specialized and leave a post self of doing business or keep riding a wave of chaos or best chaos and make the best of it? I guess that too is a specialist to .

An idea for a merch t-shirt. "This t-shirt is not making money." "This t-shirt is my side hustle."

'it doesn't work' in a Frankie says relax font

unless you live in a small town

Mogsy (sp) mug 🐱

Those people put out those videos because it get them clicks, they know it doesn't work.

Oooh, afraid to say you’re wrong on the kit rentals as a side hustle, I’ve done +£18k in the past 4 years just from external kit rentals of my own kit. Not including charging clients, just to other photographers and I don’t have anything crazy, 4 Profoto heads and a few lenses. Maybe helps that I live in Spitalfields🤷🏼‍♂️

Mostly correct info, but….,Wrong about stock photography. Im a full time high end fashion photographer / travel / industrial sector etc and make on average over the past ten years 15-20k a year using my images over various top tier stock sites . I Mainly upload offcuts or unused / un submitted shots from paid client shoots etc. if you factor it with your paid client workflow, it can be a nice passive stream. Especially now with stock sites like adobe stock, integrating the Ai part of their business where images from their own stock library are auto made into ai commands…..soon this will all be integrated with adobe software. Honestly, depends of workflow, understanding, long term thinking and subject matter.

It takes actual effort. Everyone these days wants a quick dollar and will not spend time to build a viable future

Wanna buy my presets? 😂

I suspect youtubers who promote prints/stock make more money out of RU-vid as a side hustle,