Here's a shocking stat: 65% of photography graduates are women, the overwhelming majority, but only about 20% of professional photographers are female. This is according to Hundred Heroines.

The same is true of artists according to the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

Why could this be? Some sexists will no doubt assume that women aren't as competent at photography as men and can't cut it as pro photographers, but as a female pro portrait shooter, I just don't think that's true.

I've thought of a few alternative reasons. Firstly, photography is usually a solitary business and means being self-employed – and not everyone wants the insecurity of not having a stable employer. This may be a generalisation, but women are often more sensible than men and take fewer risks, especially with our incomes. We hustle less, throw caution to the wind less, and may look at the market and decide that the failure rate isn't worth it. There's too much competition out there and not enough work.

I personally have the financial advantages of a paid-off house and a husband who brings in a regular salary, but not everyone does. I'm willing to admit that I don't have enough photography clients and don't charge enough for my services.

While female graduates may love photography as an art, many will look at the precarious business of self-employment and decide they don't want to have to fret each month about securing enough commissions to pay their energy bills. They might decide to keep photography as a fun and creative evening or weekend hobby and enter a more secure and lucrative profession instead – one in which we don't have to work unsociable hours (as wedding and event photographers often do, which can put a strain on relationships and make childcare difficult).

Then we come to the pains of travelling – getting shoulder strain from lugging a heavy tripod, lighting equipment, two camera bodies and multiple lenses around the country is a slog. But fewer women drive than men, and those who do drive tend to drive fewer miles and feel less confident about their driving abilities, even though we're safer drivers and our insurance premiums reflect that (we have 50% fewer fatal accidents and submit 50% fewer 'at fault' car insurance claims).

In the US, men spend a lot more time on the road, driving up to 50% more miles per year and making up the majority of total time spent behind the wheel, and in some countries driving is even more stacked against women – UK stats from the National Travel Survey tells us that 71% of women possess a full car driving licence compared to 81% of men.

And, speaking as a woman, I can say that being out on the road late at night often feels more risky. Travelling using public transport late at night is doubly worrying for female non-drivers, heaving along a ton of photography equipment, so being slowed down by it. Being solo emphasizes the risk others can pose.

But okay, say we're travelling during the day in a local area that is known to us. I'm a female portrait photographer and I've often been asked to photograph clients in their houses.

Where they're female I feel safer, but even if they're female, I don't know who else is going to be in that house. I feel that refusing and asking them to meet me on location in a public place, or to travel to me instead, is effectively turning down work – but it's also taking a risk to enter someone's house when I've never met them before and don't know the other inhabitants of that property.

Maybe this seems over-cautious, but when one in five women in the United States have experienced completed or attempted rape during their lifetime, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, and 81% of American women have undergone some form of sexual harassment or assault (same source), then being extremely careful where you go and who you see is surely wise rather than an overreaction?

I figure that these three reasons are more likely to be behind the fact that 80% of professional photographers are men, rather than them having more creative and technical ability.

I hired a female photographer for our wedding, who did an amazing job – and if you look at my portraits here, I reckon I can hold my own too. But sadly, until the world is a safer and less competitive place, I think we'll continue to see an imbalance between the sexes when it comes to photography.

Across several freelance industries, women charge an average of 19 percent less than male peers, a new study suggests. But the data also hints at the photography genres with the largest pay gap between genders.

The study comes from cross-border payment company Remitly, who compiled data using freelancer rates on the global freelance platform Upwork. Using this data, the group studied the differences in rates among male and female freelancers across multiple industries, from finance to creative industries.

The study found that, overall, female freelancers tend to set rates that are, on average, around 19 percent lower than those of males. But, the study also broke the data down by industry, highlighting which creative industries – photography included – had the biggest pay gaps.

Among photographers, real estate photography had the highest gender pay gap, with women charging an average of 21.9 percent less, a difference of US$28.14 an hour to $21.98.

Wedding photographers followed with a 9.8 percent pay gap on Upwork, with the average rate for male photographers at $29.85 to women’s average of $26.94. That’s a rate that is at least lower than the study’s 19 percent average across multiple industries.

Videography made the study too, with “YouTube video editors” among the highest pay gap for the creative industry, with a 23.4 percent gap, $36.67 to $28.85. “Instagram Reel editors” had a 14.7 percent gap, while videographers had an average of 9.8 percent pay difference between genders.

The study only looked at the “Featured Roles” on Upwork, so the results shouldn’t be viewed as inclusive of every sub-genre of photography, but the data highlights interesting insights.

Another potential flaw in the study? Upwork profiles don’t show gender, so the researchers used software to predict gender based on names, which the group says has about a 90 percent accuracy.

As a female photographer (and writer) who got my start freelancing, the study results are disappointing, but not surprising. A PEW study conducted in 2024 suggests that women in the US earn, on average, 85 percent of what men earn.

But, freelancers typically set their own rates, so I think the study hints that women may be undervaluing themselves. Setting prices was one of the most dreaded tasks when I worked as a freelancer. There are a number of factors that go into the decision, including expenses, available hours, and experience, as well as household factors like whether freelancing is a side gig or a primary source of income.

Perhaps the study could inspire women freelancing in creative fields to take another look at their rate sheets.

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On May 05 (not quite Star Wars Day!) the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals overruled a district court order that previously dismissed a lawsuit over photographs of the production of various Star Wars movies that were captured by famed portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz.

The original lawsuit was filed in 2022 by Great Bowery Inc, the company behind licensing agency Trunk Archive, which was said to hold "exclusive worldwide representation to license her [Leibovitz] photographs."

The copyright infringement suit was filed against Consequence Sound LLC and later Consequence Media Group Inc, regarding the unauthorized usage of some of Leibovitz’s Star Wars photographs on Consequence.

The district court’s reasoning for dismissing Great Bowery’s suit appears to stem from the perceived exclusivity of its image rights.

The court documents reveal that Annie Leibovitz retained some rights over the imagery, which the district court identified as a point of conflict, ultimately ruling that Great Bowery didn’t have exclusive worldwide rights while Leibovitz retained her own rights.

But the court of appeals has concluded that “the district court’s understanding of copyright law was not quite right,” and has thus overturned the decision.

My main takeaway from the court documents is that while Great Bowery doesn’t possess all of the rights to the works in question, it does have exclusive worldwide access to the rights that it’s been given, as stated in the following passage:

"A plaintiff does not need to be the owner of all the exclusive rights comprised in a copyright; it only needs to be the owner of 'that particular right' which the defendant has allegedly infringed."

It’s important to note that the court of appeals has only reversed the district court’s decision and paved the way for a revival of the original dispute.

Time will tell whether this is case really does have any force or if it's just a phantom menace…

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I first became aware of Urs Buhlman at a photography seminar in Sydney a few decades ago.  He was making a presentation on car photography. In addition to using large-format film, using filters was a key element of his technique, specifically lots of graduated neutral density filters. Into the digital era, I became aware of his moody and partly-desaturated (at least to my eyes) coastal landscapes. I interviewed Urs at his home near Merimbula on the NSW south coast late in 2025… 

It was all quiet and Urs asked, “Aren’t you going to say something?” The agency team were stunned! His new rep turned and said. “Urs, why didn’t you tell me that you shoot cars?” And he replied. “How do I know I can shoot cars, this is just lighting… why are you differentiating?” Thirty seconds before, he had just placed his stunning 4x5-inch transparencies on the agency’s lightbox. Six days prior to this, Urs had just started with an agent who had connections to the advertising agency handling the Subaru account. Cars ad campaigns are big accounts, and the agency was a bit uncertain about using him. He said, “Give me an Outback and I will see you in four or five days”. So he took the car up to the Seal Rocks area on the NSW mid-north coast and created the photographs which subsequently took everybody by surprise.

Visual Learning

But photographing cars for advertising didn’t start happening for Urs until 1992. So let’s go further back, and to Switzerland where his dad, Paul, was a designer and worked with photographers in Switzerland. These included Rene Groebli who devised the process of colour solarisation. The family moved to Australia and the ten-year-old Urs arrived with little, if any, English. 

He says, “I’m a visual learner and dad had a big library of photography books”. Urs studied art in 5th and 6th form, and often talked with his dad about Le Corbusier – the French/Swiss architect designer – and the Swiss/German artist Paul Klee.

“Dad actually knew Le Corbusier – and possibly also Klee – and I would tell the art teacher many of my father’s stories. But the teacher would say, ‘This is all wrong! What are you talking about?’ So, in the end, I was kicked out of art class.”

However, he was allowed to do his own thing and, along with another student, built a darkroom at his high school in Killarney Heights, Sydney. This is where his photography started, using a Canon AE-1 35mm SLR and shooting black and white film. He confesses that he didn’t really enjoy it and, from what he can recall, wasn’t any good at it either.

So, upon leaving school, Urs enrolled at the Australian Maritime College at Launceston. The first year comprised four months studying then eight months of practical learning working on boats around Australia. 

“I worked on a scallop and shark boat at Merimbula, but I soon realised it wasn’t for me. I came back to Sydney disillusioned and feeling a bit of a failure. But then I saw I had all these great photography books in front of me at home, and this got me thinking about how I could get a job as a photographer.”

On The Job Experience

His first assisting job was with Joe Spiteri, a photographer based in the north Sydney suburb of Willoughby and who essentially did everything, including portraits and some still life work, but all for local clients.

“People loved him,” Urs recalls. “I think they came more for him than the photography.”

Joe asked Urs to photograph the ocean and he came back with one-second time exposures that emphasised the movement. “Wow, Urs, I’ve never seen anything like it!” Joe enthused. He showed Urs how to print and, he says, was generally very supportive. 

Now with some experience under his belt, Urs went to work for Konrad – who has always be known to everybody simply as Konrad – who was an all-round advertising photographer based in North Sydney, and also happened to have been born in Switzerland. “I’ll give you a go,” he said to Urs. However, Konrad famously loved a long lunch and was often out of the studio, but it was here that Urs first experienced 4x5-inch and 8x10-inch large format film cameras. He confessed that, at first, he didn’t even know what end to look in.

“I was just 20 and he gave me a lot of rope… which I hung myself on. But I learned an incredible amount there and built up my portfolio.”

Next stop as an assistant was with Mark Anthony at his advertising photography studio in an old bank building in nearby Crows Nest. The inside of Mark’s studio was entirely painted black and known locally as ‘The Black Hole of Calcutta’. Urs says he found it quite difficult to work in the black studio for period of up to 12 hours at a time. The bank’s old vault had been turned into the film loading room and darkroom. 

“At that time, Mark had more photography equipment than any other photographer in Australia. There were two 8x10-inch cameras, two 4x5s, three Hasselblad kits and three Nikon systems. There was 40,000 joules of Strobe studio flash. When we used all the Strobe lights together, it would trip 

the power at the surrounding shops so Mark asked me to fix the circuit breaker. I bought the biggest nail I could get and stuck it in the circuit breaker, anything else would have been burnt. It was a really dumb thing and could have started a fire, but then the fire station was just across the road so we thought we’d be OK.

Whenever there were two or three set-ups going on in the studio, they called it the Killing Floor after a song that was performed by Jimi Hendrix. “Because when there were sets on the studio floor, Mark Anthony made a killing,” Urs laughs.

Urs ended up shooting a lot of the work. 

“That was how you learnt. I remember countless times still being there at 4am and I’d started at 7am the previous day. I didn’t make much money, but I learned a huge amount. I also remember there was lots of work for Avon [cosmetics] which was perfect. These were great jobs to learn on because we had to copy what had already been printed in USA. I learnt how to follow layouts and light objects such as lip sticks. 

“You don’t learn this being a self-taught photographer. I worked five or six days a week for Mark, but on the seventh day I was able to shoot for myself in Mark’s studio with his equipment as he was also always very supportive.”

Urs’s father had always told him, “Don’t go for the money, enjoy what you do and be bloody good at it and hopefully the money will follow.  “Eventually, though, I fired myself from Mark.”

Conveniently, Carsten Burmeister – who was an accomplished still life photographer and shot mostly on a 5x7-inch large format camera – had just lost his assistant. Urs learned on the grapevine that Carsten was interested in taking him on.

“Carsten was magical with his lighting set-ups. He injected emotion into his lighting,” Urs states. “He really taught me how to light creatively. At times, I felt like I was looking at a Rembrandt.” 

“Mark Anthony had so much lighting you felt you had to use it all, whereas Carsten was very frugal. He only had two power packs and six heads, but did more with it than I could have done with four times that amount of lighting.”

Carsten taught Urs about minimalism. He put candles and lamps in his sets, mixing flash with time exposures to create more ambience. These shots had to be taken at night as Carsten didn’t have a black studio. On one occasion, the brief was for a Stirling cigarettes campaign and required a picture of two people who looked like they were sitting in a helicopter enjoying a smoke. The helicopter’s cockpit was built out of an old VW as everything was curved. Urs remembers that Carsten loved to build things, and this was actually a big part of advertising photography before digital imaging… a reason why many photographers had big studios.

In addition to the still life work, Urs also started shooting panoramas and seascapes in 6x17cm format. 

“Carsten really couldn’t relate to those images,” he recalls. “I think he thought that if it wasn’t a commercial image, it really didn’t count. He didn’t look at photography in any way other than for pride and for money which was different to me. I lasted a year-and-a-half there.”

In 1987, Urs assisted the famous fashion photographer Albert Watson in a Surry Hills studio. He was setting the lighting and recalls, “Albert knew what he wanted and went for it”. On another occasion, also in Surry Hills, he assisted the fashion photographer, Walter Rambaldini. Both experiences taught him that he didn’t want to become a fashion photographer.

Mark Lang was one of the last photographers that Urs worked with as an assistant. With Mark he went on location shoots in mines and factories as well as working on corporate assignments. Mark had him loading film in his 6x17cm Linhof Technorama panorama cameras – which needed frequent reloading as only four panoramic frames were exposed on 120-length rollfilm – and also his Mamiya RB67s. 

“In the beginning, Mark’s wide landscapes certainly influenced me, but they didn’t really speak to me. Well, some did, some didn’t. Again, it was all about finding out what I wanted to be as a professional photographer.”

Jumping Into The Market

Having worked as an assistant for a number of Sydney’s leading photographers between 1980 and ’87, and in a variety of genres, Urs had gained plenty of technical knowledge, creative inspiration, some ideas about how to run (or not run) a photography business, and a clearer vision of what he wanted to do in photography.

After going freelance, Urs spent the next few years shooting annual reports. While the work was good, he says he didn’t enjoy the “liberation” after being in a studio for so long.

His first annual report shoots were for Westpac bank, the Sydney Opera House and Coal & Allied. He rates one of his best annual report jobs was photographing the Ranger uranium mine near Jabiru in the Northern Territory for Energy Resources Of Australia. It was shot entirely on 4x5-inch black and white film, and Urs was also commissioned to do it again the next year.

“I don’t really know why I didn’t enjoy annual report assignments. I saw some great country,” he muses and then, after a short silence, adds, “Actually, I do I know why I stopped… portrait shoots! I remember I was just about to do a Polaroid test of the Westpac board for a design company and the chairman told me I had one minute!”

Urs concedes he was really just looking for a good excuse to get back in the studio, but he’s also had a life-long distaste for arrogance. 

“But I knew I wanted to be an advertising photographer,” Urs states. Subsequently, 

he worked out of a share studio in North Sydney before moving into his own at nearby Willoughby (previously occupied by the portrait photographer Robert Billington). 

He was well aware he was stepping into a highly competitive market at the time. 

“If you put it in music terms, there was Crowded House, INXS, Barry Manilow and Englebert Humperdinck… and I was the Black Sabbath. Most of my images are generally heavy in moody tonality and that’s how I sold myself. It hasn’t changed.” During this time he produced a lot of still life work, and dabbled with light painting and Polaroid dye transfers. He says he particularly loved the quality of the – then newly released – Agfachrome ISO 1000 transparency film. “It was a really beautiful film,” he recalls.

Bulletproof technique

Urs says there have been a few key influences on his work over the decades, including the British advertising photographer and director Jonathon Knowles whom he rates as the best still life photographer in the world at the moment. 

“He shoots his own stock images that are cleverly aimed at a tiny niche market, but he must make a fortune out of it.”

Urs says he also gained a better understood of minimalism in still life lighting through the work of Phil Marco, the New York-based photographer who, during the 1970s and 80s, mostly shot on 8x10-inch sheet film to deliver exceptional clarity. He also mentions the American advertising photographer Craig Cutler whose strong black-and-white still life work, he comments, exhibits “a bulletproof technique”. Nadav Kander – who was born in Israel and grew up in South Africa, but has been based in London since the mid-1980s – is rated very highly by Urs for his advertising photography… “Then I bought his book of personal work and thought you can’t be the same guy”.

Also important is Harry de Zitter – a Belgian-born South African – about whom Urs comments, “He’s an awesome advertising location photographer who influenced me with his use of early and late natural light.”

Taking The Time 

Urs long and successful career in automotive advertising photography began with the Subaru Outback mentioned at the start of this profile. Even back then, a distinctive and carefully curated technique was emerging. Shot on 4x5-inch film, the exposure times were around 30 minutes because there was 15 stops of neutral density filters on the front of the lens.

Urs said to the art director, “You know we won’t be able to shoot a Polaroid for this, but don’t be scared. I’m five-times scared for both of us because of reciprocity failure.” Reciprocity failure becomes an issue with very long exposures on film as the emulsion starts to lose sensitivity over time, requiring an even longer exposure time to avoid underexposure. Additionally, significant color shifts can occur.

Sometimes Urs would have two 4x5-inch cameras set up, one fitted with a Polaroid film holder and one with a darkslide containing transparency film. 

“Often the light was only good for a few minutes,” he explains. “Transparency film was made in the USA, Germany or Japan where the light is much less contrasty and softer. In Australia where we have very contrasty light, there was only a small window to expose film and keep all the highlight and shadow detail in everything from the black tyres to the shiny windows and body panels. Transparency film only had a latitude of around four stops while digital capture can have up to 14 or 15 stops. So, when digital backs came along, you’d shoot very differently depending on your workflow, style and how you’d post-produce after the shoot was finished.”

Urs began doing a lot of car photography for Mercedes Benz who, he says, was a very challenging client. “They’d say, ‘If you get it wrong, we’re going to fry you’. I said, ‘I won’t get it wrong’… and I didn’t. The pressure with advertising photography is humongous because it would be a new Mercedes model – and Audi and Lexus have already brought out their rival models – so they’d want to launch as soon as possible.” VW internationally always did their TVCs (TV ads) and stills together, but for the likes of Mercedes Benz and Toyota, Urs would shoot on the back of a TVC. “They fought for me and so I used to get a pretty good amount of time and my own car to photograph.”

On one occasion while in the Flinders Ranges shooting a vehicle for Mitsubishi, an emu with five little yellow-and-black chicks walks between the camera and the Pajero 4WD. “Boom, one 4x5. Boom, another 4x5. The agency people were mesmerized.”

He was later hired to do all the Lexus pre-release photography in Japan. “These cars were still top secret so there were security guards everywhere, we were frisked and no Australian assistants were allowed”.

Never Mind The Weather

In 2004, Urs was commissioned to photograph the 2005 edition of the Nissan World calendar. He had done a few test shots in Australia (which they actually used), but all the other images were photographed in Japan. He was given a good budget and could take his producer plus had the use of an interpreter. But he had little control over the locations, and the brief was to bring the sun into each of the images.

Shooting days were lost due to multiple typhoons that hit during the month-long assignment. Due to the dramatic light and a looming deadline, Urs had decided to start shooting during a typhoon. This meant he had to shoot 4x5-inch film on the go, so he started using Fujifilm’s then-new QuickLoad system which eliminated the need for darkslides as the film sheet was prepackaged in a light-tight envelope. It was certainly easier to use in deteriorating weather conditions.

At the cliff-top location the day before the shoot, the producer noted that the wind speed was already 120 km/h. Overnight, Urs had his assistants build a sturdy windbreak with two small holes in it to accommodate the lenses of his two Sinar large-format cameras. As they put the Wingroad station wagon – a prototype model – in place, the wind was now hitting 160 km/h. All the non-essential crew were sent back to the hotel. 

“You could see the typhoon whirling towards us and, when it hit, we all had a 15 or 20 kilo bag strapped to our backs, and several of the crew had pads strapped to their knees so they could crawl. “Using film it was quite difficult as the brightness range was off the Richter scale. But I got it thanks to the graduated neutral density filters.”

However, a panel did fly off the car while they were shooting. The following day was thankfully cloudy and they photographed the missing panel on another car. They cut it out and dropped it into the previous day’s typhoon image. This was just at the start of digital retouching.

Diesels And Dust

Urs’s first big assignment using digital capture was an ad campaign for Mack trucks. The locations included the Bolte Bridge in Melbourne (which they had closed off ), the Tanami Desert and the Mundi Plains near Broken Hill. The Mundi plains is where iconic scenes in Mad Max 2 movie were shot. 

Just after the crew was were ready to shoot, a dust storm arrived and lasted about an hour or so. Everybody had to wear bandanas to help them breathe, but the conditions enabled a dramatic back-lit image with the truck big in the foreground and a single house sitting in the background. Later, Urs made the same shot in calmer conditions.

Due to the required output, a total of 15 vertical images were stitched together which Urs says he found daunting because it was a process he’d never done before. The original files were captured with the 21MB Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III DSLR with a 35mm prime lens. 

“The lens was sand blasted and irreparable and the body… well, don’t even go there. But the files were perfect. The client ended up picking one of the images without the dust storm. ‘We can’t have that, it’s too dangerous Urs’. But, I said, ‘It’s a Mack truck!’” However, the dust storm image later won an award in the USA. 

Between 1992 and 2010, Urs photographed cars ads for Toyota, Lexus, Mercedes, VW, Nissan, Subaru, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Honda, Renault, Peugeot, Aston Martin, Mack trucks, Hino trucks, UD trucks, Burgman Road bikes and scooters. CGI (computer generated imagery) arrived in 2008 – essentially replacing shooting on location – and that prompted Urs to decide that he wasn’t going to do many more advertising campaigns.

The global financial crisis happened a few months later and effectively wiped out 80 percent of his business. In response he started a photo library which he has built up to 10,000 images, mostly backgrounds for car shoots.

“The car manufacturers love outdoor posters so you know you need something at least 50 to 60 MB in file size. I believed that I could supply that market worldwide… even though it’s a very specific market. It was a gamble, but I don’t think you have a choice. I had to be convinced that I could make enough to give me confidence to continue.”

Sea Change

In 2020. Urs and his wife, Josie, moved to the rugged, brutal and unpolluted NSW Sapphire Coast with its temperate climate. He says he loved Sydney, the harbour and the vibe of the northern beaches, but felt that it was losing the free-and-easy charm that he’d grown up with and worked in for many years. He confesses that he does sometimes feel isolated, but with technology and the nearby regional airport it works well.

BearStock – the stock library – is a business that can be run from anywhere in the world and Urs now has many nearby new locations for his photography as a bonus. 

As a Swiss-born Australian struggling to learn the English language during his younger years, he remembers many phrases and metaphors that often had him confused. One metaphor in particular that bewildered him was ’glass half-full’. He wondered why it wasn’t ‘glass half-empty’. It was later explained to him that it’s about your mindset –in other words, optimistic versus pessimistic. Urs created a series of images to visually illustrate this metaphor which was used many times by business magazines, journals and liquor chains. These images won a silver award under the conceptual category in the 2025 World Photography Annual. BearStock gave him a pretty good living until, once again, technology intervened and AI-generated art became a reality impacting the stock photography business. “I might be a bit over shooting stock now,” he states.

All At Sea

However, Urs was even keener just to shoot for himself and an appealing project came about via his local fishing club. 

“They were always putting shit on the commercial pro fishers, and I said, ‘If half of what you’re saying is correct, they should be in jail’. It piqued my curiosity so I started looking at the local commercial operations.”

He carried a small camera bag so as not to look professional and used only one camera – his Fuijfilm GFX50S medium format mirrorless body fitted with the GF 32-64mm short zoom (equivalent to 25-50mm).

First he got one interesting shot and then another, then another and when he had around 50 images, he started showing them around to the fishermen. He also gave them some A4 prints. One said, “You got enough here. These are really good mate, and I reckon you should do a book”.

“I’d actually never thought of that,” states Urs, but a seed was sown and the book Unloaded was born.

“They’re a tough bunch, but those pictures – and also that I could speak their fishing lingo – gave me some credibility so they’d let me on the boats.”For 12 months from October 2023, Urs photographed all aspects of the commercial fishing boats at work. He preferred shooting in overcast conditions and says he doesn’t like blue skies. He then wrote the text and used a local printer as he wanted to keep everything within the local area. The print run was 500 copies which had sold out by mid-2025. He had wanted just to break-even, but ended up doing a lot better than that.

“Funnily, until the book came out, I found out that some of the commercial fishers thought I might have been an undercover fishing inspector.”

And, still on fishing, an image titled The Loaded Oyster Punt – which he originally photographed for Sydney rock oysters producers Stirling Oysters – won the advertising category in the 2025 Asia Pacific Photography Awards.

“That image was all created in-camera… very old school indeed.” 

Style And Substance

Urs Buhlman started assisting in 1980 and started his own business in 1988, but he’s beginning to think that 2026 might be his last year as a commercial photographer. But, he says, there will always be personal projects. The newest ideas are provisionally titled The Brutal Coast and Port Eden, both of which are already testing his patience. He has done three photography trips recently and come back with nothing he was happy with.

Before I get up to leave, Urs asserts, “It’s essential for any up-and-coming image-maker to develop a distinctive style, otherwise they will always be subject to price… it’s happened to me a couple of times. The technique needs to be ‘bulletproof’ meaning that, inherently, you know how to adjust to any lighting conditions or any situations that are thrown at you.

And he recalls a comment from an art director at a possibly long-gone North Sydney advertising agency watering hole. “If I want an Urs Buhlman, I’m going to get him… not someone trying to be Urs Buhlman.”  

“Good art directors will do that,” Urs observes. He adds that he also used to hear, “Urs, you don’t need to quote; whatever it takes I trust you”. 

There are photos on my hard drive that I'm genuinely proud of. Technically strong, visually striking, and folks stop when they see them. They have absolutely no business being in my portfolio, and it took me longer than I'd like to admit to accept that.

We’re all guilty of it. You’ve made an image that earns real admiration, the temptation to make it the key photo in your portfolio is impossible to resist.

Here's the thing: a portfolio isn't a greatest hits compilation. It's a promise.

When a client opens your portfolio, they're not there to be impressed. They’re seeking an answer; can this photographer deliver what I need, and do it consistently? Every photo that doesn't fit your established style, no matter how good it is technically, introduces doubt where you need certainty. That stunning landscape you shot on holiday? The dramatic street portrait from a workshop weekend? If everything else you shoot is clean corporate headshots or crisp food photos, those outliers don't elevate the portfolio. They introduce doubt.

Impact and substance are not the same, and we shouldn’t confuse them. Impact is the immediate reaction — the sharp intake of breath. Substance is the strong foundation that gives confidence to a client when they scroll through your work and see the same eye, the same approach, the same excellent quality repeated image after image. Substance is what gets you hired.

The seductive part about a stunning outlier is that it feels like it can only help. But portfolios don't work on averages — they work on coherence. One image that doesn't belong shifts the viewer's attention from the work to the photographer, and not in a useful way. Instead of thinking "this person really understands corporate portraiture," they're thinking "this person has range, but what do they actually do?"

The hardest edit isn't cutting your weakest work. Any photographer can spot the failures with enough distance. The hard edit is removing the work you love that simply doesn't belong.

Your portfolio should feel inevitable. Image after image builds the same case, creating trust rather than demanding admiration. A client should reach the end feeling certain, not dazzled.

Keep the outliers. Post them on social, enter them for awards, put them in a personal project section. Just keep them out of the room where hiring decisions are made.

The photographers who work consistently aren't always the ones with the single best image. They have a body of great images. They're the ones clients can predict. In commercial photography, predictability isn't a weakness. It's the whole job.

The advice is everywhere. Forum posts, photography groups, equipment discussions. "You need a backup body." It's presented as non-negotiable, the line between amateur and professional. But is it really?

The concern is legitimate. If your camera fails mid-shoot, you're screwed. For a wedding photographer during vows, that's catastrophic. For a travel photographer on a once-in-a-lifetime trip, it's painful. The question isn't whether camera failures happen. They do. The question is whether owning and carrying a second body is the right solution for you and your work.

Consider the actual scenarios where a backup matters. Multi-day shoots in remote locations where replacement isn't possible. Events with no second chances like ceremonies or performances. Extreme environments where gear failure is much more likely. Those situations justify the weight and cost. But how often are you shooting those scenarios?

For a lot of  commercial work, the maths doesn't add up. A backup body costs between $1,500 and $3,000. That's money that could go toward better glass, which improves every single frame you shoot. It's also more than most equipment insurance excesses, and significantly more than renting a body for the handful of critical shoots per year where failure would be genuinely problematic. If the rental cost gets close to a new body, then buying is the better option.

Let’s consider the practical reality. That second body lives in your bag, adding weight to every shoot. You carry it up stairs, through airports, across locations. It's psychological insurance more than practical necessity. When did you last actually need it? Not when you might have needed it if something had gone wrong, but when you genuinely reached for it because your primary body failed?

The counterargument is usually about professionalism. Real professionals have backups. But professionalism actually means delivering results, not accumulating gear. It means knowing your equipment well enough to work around limitations, having insurance that covers equipment failure, and maintaining relationships where you can borrow or rent in an emergency.

There are legitimate reasons for a second body. Different focal lengths without changing lenses. I couldn’t shoot my regular broadcast work without a wide and a tele zoom. Switching between color and black and white for those using film. Different sensor formats for different uses, like main and behind the scenes. You may have a medium format for the hero work, but it’s overkill for BTS. Those situations are about workflow efficiency, not backup anxiety.

The honest assessment: if you're shooting high-stakes, no-second-chances work regularly, you probably need a backup body. If you're not, you probably don't. The money is probably better spent elsewhere. The weight definitely would be.

Stop carrying expensive insurance for unlikely scenarios. Get actual insurance instead, or rent for the critical jobs. It's cheaper, and you won't feel it in your shoulders at the end of a long shoot.

Camera trade shows seem like a boring option, with little to no hope of making any difference to your photography. But yet every year I fly to the UK from Ireland for The Photography & Video Show, whether in Birmingham or London, because attending does make a difference. That’s despite the combined cost of the flight, the hotel, food, and the missed days where I could be working. 

Bizarrely, there are plenty of pro photographers living within an hour of an annual tradeshow that wouldn’t consider going. Here's why they're missing out - and why trade shows deserve a place in your photography life.

Networking That Actually Matters

Online communities are grand, but there's something about face-to-face conversation with other photographers that cuts through the noise. At trade shows, I've had genuinely useful chats with working pros about real business challenges - pricing structures, difficult clients, equipment choices for specific jobs. The kind of honest conversations that don't happen in Facebook groups where everyone's performing for an audience. 

Last year, I had a 40-minute-long chat with Joel Grimes, one of my lighting heroes, talking about teaching, email lists, and camera gear. He had no idea who I was; I was just another photographer chatting beside a stand he was keen to look at. You can’t pay for that, or at least not for the price of going to a tradeshow. 

You'll also have the chance to meet editors, manufacturers, and potential collaborators. I've had article commissions come from casual conversations at trade show stands. These connections are worth more than the price of attending the show. There’s also usually a special aftershow pro meetups where you can rub shoulders with the best in the business. 

Hands-On Time With Gear You'd Never Otherwise Try

Reviews and YouTube videos are useful, but five minutes actually holding a camera tells you more than an hour of spec-sheet analysis. Want to know if that lens is too heavy for all-day wedding work? If that camera's menu system will drive you mad? Handle it yourself.

Trade shows let you test everything from flagship bodies to niche specialist kit. I've ruled out purchases that looked perfect on paper and discovered unexpected gems I'd never have considered. That alone has saved me thousands in buyer's remorse. You can, of course, make impulse decisions that are wrong too, but that can happen at home too. I’ve also been given equipment to try at show, and seen gear that solved an issue I was having without knowing there was a solution.

Inspiration Beyond Your Bubble

When you're grinding through your photo work, it's easy to get stuck in your lane. Trade shows expose you to different genres, techniques, and approaches. Seminar programmes bring in photographers whose work you admire, talking candidly about their process and business.

Even wandering the aisles having chats with exhibitors can shake loose creative ideas. Seeing what's possible - new lighting modifiers, emerging technologies, different ways of working - keeps you from going stale.

Learning That's Actually Practical

Forget three-hour online courses you'll never finish, or that you bought on sale and never looked at. Trade show seminars are concentrated, topic-specific, and taught by working professionals. You get real-world advice, not theoretical waffle. And because you're there in person, you can ask the awkward follow-up questions that actually matter to you and your photography..

Talk schedules cover everything from business fundamentals to advanced lighting techniques. Even if only one session genuinely clicks, that's a technique or insight you're taking home immediately.

Make It a Proper Trip

You're already paying for travel and accommodation - make it work harder. Book a model for an evening shoot and explore the city with your camera.  From London's architecture to Birmingham's canals, you have a different light and different energy from your usual stomping grounds. Fresh locations push you creatively and give you new portfolio work that stands out from your local crowd.

I've shot street photography in unfamiliar cities, tested new techniques with local models, and come home with images that I’m proud of, and have used for portfolio and education. The trade show justifies the expense; the extra shooting day makes it genuinely worthwhile.

Yes, there's a cost – ticket, travel, accommodation, time away from work. But compare that to a single weekend workshop (easily $700/£500+ for me) or a piece of kit you buy blind and end up selling at a loss. Trade shows offer concentrated value that's hard to match elsewhere.

For photographers outside major cities, this is your chance to access resources that urban shooters take for granted. The expertise, equipment, and connections are all in one place for a few days. Use it.

The Final Facts

You won't revolutionize your photography in a single day at a trade show. But the cumulative effect - new connections, hands-on gear experience, fresh inspiration, practical advice - compounds over time. The photographers who consistently show up to these events aren't the ones struggling in isolation.

Trade shows aren't just for gear enthusiasts - they're professional development that actually moves the needle. Book the ticket… and I'll see you there!

Ever wondered why other photographers are getting more work, likes, opportunities, awards, or compliments than you? Maybe it’s because they’re better. Ouch! A video from what has increasingly become one of my favorite YouTube channels, Tin House Studio, hosted by straight-talking product photography pro, Scott Choucino, is perhaps essential viewing for anybody who constantly finds themselves criticising other photographers or left puzzled as to why their work just doesn’t seem to get the recognition it deserves. And while it’s not easy viewing, it might just change your photography life.

Far from a confidence-destroying roast, Scott has what I think is a very important overarching message, which I interpreted as stop moaning, being defensive, or putting other photographers down, and instead, self-reflect on your own work, so you can figure out what you need to do to get better. After all, photography is a journey that we’re all on, and we all meet photographers who are better than us along the way. But here’s the thing: a journey isn’t stagnant; you have the power to progress.

During the video, he reflects on two key points. Firstly, as he puts it: “You’re not that good – you’re just not. You suck.” And while that might seem harsh, the real problem that the photographer identifies is that you can’t see that you’re not good enough. This makes a lot of sense because if you can’t identify that you need to improve, you’re not going to improve, or if you do, it’ll be at a much slower pace.

What I like about this bit is that Scott uses an example where he himself couldn’t understand why a competitor was getting more jobs. He had to really sit and analyze what made the difference, and that in itself is something that I think most photographers (myself included) aren’t used to doing.

The second point is more for working photographers or those trying to kickstart their career. And that’s: “You’re a nightmare to deal with. Nobody wants to work with you.” Scott makes the great point that even an email or direct message can lose you work, regardless of how good your portfolio is.

If you sound rude, curt, impatient, arrogant, etc, you sound unprofessional, and nobody wants to work with somebody who’s unprofessional. He also hires creatives for larger projects himself and explains that unprofessional online personas on social media, Facebook groups, and the like have prevented him from contacting talented individuals for work in the first place.

Scott’s videos are always entertaining and extremely funny. But they're particularly useful for jobbing photographers. Make sure you watch the full video for more top tips and hilarious anecdotes.

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I didn’t ‘get’ the Ricoh GR series until I got to play with a premium compact camera in the flesh. Did you know that Fujifilm’s instant film is so popular that Instax is increasing production again for the third time in four years? Plus, here are the best mirrorless cameras.

New legislation could simplify how visual artists register for Copyright in the US. The Visual Artists Copyright Reform Act (VACARA) is proposed legislation that aims to make copyright registration simpler by increasing the limit for batch registrations, creating lower fees for high-volume creators, introducing an optional subscription model, and creating a searchable photo registry.

VACRA was introduced in the US Senate by Marsha Blackburn (R, TN) and Peter Welch (D-VT) earlier this month. The legislation is still in the early stages, but if signed into law, it could make some significant changes to how photographers in the US register their work.

Welch describes the current Copyright registration process as an “arduous, outdated, and expensive process for photographers, illustrators, graphic artists, and other visual creators.” The act, the Democratic Senator notes, aims to make it easier for high-volume visual artists to register their works.

The bill has four specific changes. First, the bill would increase the current 750-work limitation for bulk Copyright registrations to 3,000. The legislation notes that the number could increase in the future as needed to keep up with technological advances.

Second, the bill would allow artists to defer the full Copyright Office Examination of the work. This would allow creators to receive a registered Copyright date immediately, rather than waiting for a formal review. Deferring the review until one is needed would lower costs to half of the standard fee, the bill says.

Third, the bill would create a Copyright registration subscription option. This would allow subscribers to register their works under the subscription fee, rather than paying the fee for each single or group registration.

Finally, the bill asks the Register of Copyrights to create a searchable registry of copyrighted photos, along with allowing creators to submit to third-party registries.

Both the American Society of Media Photographers and Professional Photographers of America organizations showed support for the legislation.

“The United States is the only country that requires creators to register their works before receiving full protection. It has been inexcusable that this problem has gone on for so long,” PPA CEO David Trust said in a statement. “We cannot praise Senators Blackburn and Welch enough for stepping in to correct the injustice.”

“VACRA breaks down the barriers that prevent so many creators and photographers across the country from being able to protect the fruits of their life’s work and passion,” said ASMP Chief Executive Officer Thomas Maddrey.“These sorely needed and common-sense reforms are long overdue and are a first step in bringing so many artists back into the very copyright system that is designed to support their efforts in the creative economy.”

While VACRA has been introduced, the legislation has not yet been passed in the Senate or House and is currently early in the legislative process.

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We all know that setting up a photography business is not an easy undertaking – and although you will struggle to do it for free, it doesn’t have to be as expensive as you might first anticipate. There are a few key areas where you are going to need to invest; some will require money, but other areas will only require your time.

You don’t need a professional camera body or lenses to become a professional photographer. In fact, I’d say that if you have the determination and flexible skills, you can probably make do with the kit you already have and build up your gear collection slowly.

If you think a camera body upgrade is absolutely necessary, I'd advise you to think about what sensor you’re going to need for the work you want to take on (for example, is a full-frame camera a necessity?) and then work out your budget.

It doesn’t matter if you choose the cheapest camera available, as lenses are really where putting your money pays off. Good-quality glass and faster lenses make more of a difference to your overall image quality, although you don’t need to spend a fortune here either.

I’ve been asking photography pros for their best advice on working with a limited budget when you first get started…

Pro Advice

Second-hand and renting

Photographer Dave Kai Piper is a portrait and fashion photographer, and has some useful advice when it comes to setting up your business on a budget.

“To be a photographer, you need a camera, lens, possibly an external light source and a phone,” he advises. “Let your income dictate the purchase of gear, not your lust for new things. Marketing firms and influencers will do their best to tell you that you need the latest stuff. It’s a total lie, don’t believe the hype!”

When it comes to buying gear, remember that you don’t need to buy new. There are many great second-hand outlets online, such as KEH and MPB to name just a couple.

These websites are legitimate companies that thoroughly check the kit as it comes in and offer a guarantee. However, note that this may not apply to every product, so check before purchasing.

When buying lenses, tripods, accessories and lighting kits, second-hand is the way to go if you want to save money. Camera bodies are a little riskier on the second-hand market, but nevertheless you can get some good deals if you shop around.

Make sure you look at the shutter count of the camera body you intend to purchase, to give you a good indication of the life left in it. Many professional camera bodies should last 200,000 clicks or more. You can also trade in your old gear, which may get you a few extra quid – every little helps!

Dave also makes a good point about renting gear. “If you find you need a certain item, rent it unless you are using it every day.” Although more advanced photography gear can still be pricey to borrow in the short term, this is a better solution than buying it (even second-hand).

Companies like Hire A Camera have a great range of products that can be borrowed from a day rate up to a two-week period.

Take some risk

It takes guts to put money into your business (especially if you’re uncertain of the outcome), but self-belief is a good philosophy to keep in mind. While I don’t advise you to borrow massive amounts of money you can’t repay, sometimes you have to take a bit of a risk to get somewhere, like photographer Suzanne Porter:

“I’ve always had a tendency to just go for it and deal with the consequences, and manage to convince myself what I want is worth the money… Hence, a number of my projects have left me in debt! But that is also what drives me. If I’ve overspent on expensive items, then I damn well have to go out and get the work.”

Invest in yourself

Dave Kai Piper is a great believer in investing time in yourself and the people around you. “Create a network of like-minded people that you can go to for advice and help,” he suggests.

“You can share gear and resources, and help each other. Many people think being a photographer is a solo game, but I can tell you from my heart, there is just no way I would have done half of what I have done without the support of friends and family.”

He continues, “You can have a fancy office, the best cameras with all the technical training, but if you don’t have customers, it’s worth nothing. Talk to everyone about what you want to do, keep going, and with hard work you’ll get rewards.”

Online presence

To get yourself noticed and to build up your network, it is recommended that you have some type of online presence. This doesn’t need to be in the form of an expensive website; you can simply set up free social media sites that sell your brand.

Instagram is a great way to visually entice people to look at your work, and a thought-through Facebook page provides you with a platform for people to get in touch and book business directly with you.

Don’t be under any illusions, though, that you’re suddenly going to get loads of work through these platforms as soon as they go live; you’ll need to network in person as well. “Social media is a bit of a rabbit hole,” Dave says. “It can be easy to spend a lot of time without any reward. Use it wisely!”

When thinking about your marketinf strategy, look at other photographers you admire and take note of how they brand themselves. While imitating someone’s business like-for-like is a big no, taking a little inspiration is flattering.

Resist unnecessary temptations

When it comes to looking at your budget, don’t make any extravagant expenditures. While Suzanne Porter invests her money in some areas of her business, such as her kit, she has found it beneficial to reel the budget back in others.

“Since starting the online marketplace, I’ve come up against many situations where I would love to spend the budget on areas outside my comfort zone, for example, PR and marketing, analytics, social media, and even to have a lovely office to disassociate from home life,” she says.

“But I have managed to resist these things, and I am learning to do much more myself. This is empowering and invaluable, even if I farm out the work at a later date. Do as much as you can yourself, at least in the beginning (there are tutorials for everything online); start small, go slowly and believe.”

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In a housing market obsessed with virtual tours and drone footage, two creative minds proved that sometimes the most effective real estate marketing looks nothing like real estate marketing at all.

Yi Han and Yaorong Lu claimed the Discovery of the Year 2025 title at the Tokyo International Foto Awards with The Art of the Ideal Deal – a clever series that inserts two real estate agents into reimagined versions of iconic artworks, ranging from the Renaissance solemnity of Jan van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait to the sun-drenched optimism of Edward Hopper's Cape Cod Morning.

The premise is brilliant in its simplicity: just as masterpieces endure across centuries, the right home never loses its value.

Technical execution

Han and Lu shot the entire series on the Nikon Z8, using a 60mm focal length at f/8 and 1/125 second: settings that prioritized sharpness and depth of field across both subjects and their carefully constructed environments.

The Z8's 45.7MP stacked sensor proved ideal for this work, delivering the resolution necessary for large-format advertising while maintaining the color fidelity crucial for recreating the specific palettes of famous paintings.

The choice of f/8 ensures both agents remain in sharp focus while maintaining sufficient background detail to sell the environmental illusion.

At 60mm, a moderate focal length that avoids wide-angle distortion, the perspective remains natural and portrait-friendly, keeping the human subjects front and center without the unflattering characteristics that can plague wider lenses.

More broadly, the Z8's high dynamic range allowed for nuanced shadow and highlight retention; essential when matching the tonal qualities of paintings that span vastly different artistic periods and lighting approaches.

Creative brilliance

What elevates this campaign most, though, is its conceptual clarity. Real estate marketing typically trades in aspirational lifestyle imagery: happy families, sun-dappled interiors, carefully staged vignettes. The Art of the Ideal Deal sidesteps these clichés in a refreshingly fun way.

Each image echoes the original artwork, while adding contemporary touches that bridge past and present.

Wood's American Gothic gets reimagined with the agents holding a "sold" sign rather than a pitchfork. Hopper's Cape Cod Morning transforms into an open house. Hockney's California modernism becomes a backdrop for contemplating property listings.

The production values required here are not to be sneezed at. Period-appropriate costumes, precise lighting that mimics various painting styles, careful color grading; every element contributes to the illusion while maintaining the playful tone.

More than that, though, it's a reminder that memorable marketing images often work best if they don't look like marketing. In an attention economy where we all scroll past thousands of conventional ads daily, The Art of the Ideal Deal stops the thumb with a sense of genuine visual surprise.

The Nikon Z8 provides the technical foundation, but creative vision transforms what could have been straightforward headshots into conversation-starting imagery that transcends its commercial origins.

The series stands as proof that even in commercial contexts, photography can be witty, artful and memorable. And that sometimes the best way to sell something timeless is to place it in conversation with timelessness itself.

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Browse the best professional cameras and the best mirrorless cameras. Looking for competitions to enter? Here are 10 photo contests now open for entries from December to May.

Breaking into professional photography is tough – breaking in as a woman in a male-dominated industry is tougher still. That's why we talked to award-winning photographer, Sarah Deane.

She reveals how she pushed past financial pressure, industry bias and personal challenges to build a thriving full-time career behind the camera. From finding her right gear to navigating heavy kit and harder expectations, Sarah's journey shows exactly what it takes to go pro when the odds are against you – and why doing it anyway is worth every step.

Whether you're dreaming of your own studio, planning the leap to full-time work or looking for real-world insight from someone who's lived it, her story is a must-read for any aspiring female photographer determined to make their mark.

The interview

Sarah's favorite kit

Nikon D810

It might be getting a little old now, but Sarah still swears by her trusty full-frame Nikon DSLR! She is due an upgrade soon, but Sarah loves the 36MP FX format sensor, which offers superb cropping possibilities for her commercial work and business portraiture.

Comparable options might be the Nikon D850, a DSLR you can find for a great price on the used market, or possibly the Nikon Z7 II if you'd prefer a mirrorless option.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f/4 ED VR lens

Covering all the key portrait focal lengths, this lens is perfect for Sarah's commercial work. It enables her to reframe her compositions quickly and easily without having to change lenses mid-shoot. Meanwhile, the Vibration Reduction facilitates handheld shooting at slower shutter speeds.

Apple iMac

Sarah is an Apple devotee and uses a range of assorted Apple products for her business. "I am a slave to Apple products, so my MacBook, iPhone and three iMacs are essential. They have amazing graphics and look lovely too," Sarah says.

Running multiple similar screens is beneficial as this makes achieving reliable color easier when switching between editing workstations.

Lowepro wheelie case

As a pro shooter, it's not uncommon to find yourself travelling with almost all your kit, so making this easy on your back is paramount. "It holds the kit tight, cushioned and safely transported. It’s smart and tidy and also saves my back from the strain of carrying everything," says Sarah of her Lowepro wheelie case.

Having a case with wheels makes your bag even easier to move through airports and rail stations, meaning you can focus on appearing professional and keeping your mind on the shoot.

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Most of the successful photographers in the modern era have mastered the ability to diversify from simply taking and selling photos. Selling your photos directly to clients rarely pays for all of the bills, so having your work also available on stock sites or to purchase as prints can go a long way to supplementing your income.

Self-publishing your work, whether that's producing a photo calendar of your 12 favorite seasonal shots or putting a book together, can enhance these channels further, too, and give your fans and followers the opportunity to support you by purchasing your merchandise.

Plus, it can also be an enjoyable process, and there's no better feeling than seeing your work produced in physical form. But self-publishing takes time and money, so, inevitably, it won't be for everybody. Let's examine some of the more popular ways you can publish your work, plus the advantages and pitfalls of some of these methods, and how you can keep costs down.

Photobooks

It's important to find a subject that appeals to the general public and offers them something they may want to buy. Self-published street photographer Chris Porsz is currently working on his tenth photography book and had brilliant success with his Reunions series, where he reunited people from street photos he took back in the 1970s and 80s. Not only is this a unique concept, but it also has a relatable story behind it that many people love and connect with.

Some of Chris's most popular books have been based on subjects such as the NHS, pets, or dogs, so take a leaf out of his books and choose a subject matter that can resonate with a large group of people.

See our guide to the best photo book services

Kindle Direct Publishing

Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) gives you the free tools to self-publish your book in more than 10 countries in over 45 languages and allows you to create physical prints or digital books to reach millions of readers around the globe.

Amazon prints your physical books on demand, so it can be more accessible than spending lots of money on a big print run, plus Amazon can push the digital versions to its Kindle Store for ebooks.

Your book can be published in three simple steps and could appear on Amazon stores within 72 hours. You can also retain ownership of your content, publish to your schedule, and set your own list prices. There are options of up to 70 percent royalties for ebooks or up to 60 percent for physical books.

Printing and calendars 

People find it difficult to pay for pictures, especially with the rise of realistic generative AI imagery in recent years, meaning that many photographers work for free. This means you have to find a compelling reason for someone to part with their hard-earned cash for your pictures.

One way of doing this is to repackage your images into a tactile product. Prints can work for this, and if you have a high-quality printer, you can do this yourself. Otherwise, use an online company to do it for you.

Calendars are another route, though you'll need to make sure you have enough strong images for each month – cute animal images and striking landscapes often tend to work well.

You'll also need to make sure your print run is done well before the New Year, at which point they will quickly become old stock. One option is to do a small test run in the summer and order more as needed as you head into autumn and winter. You can sell these online, at fairs and events, or even try to get them sold in local shops.

Check out our guide to the best photo calendar services

Keeping costs down

For photo books, you can easily go down the Amazon KDP route we covered earlier. This is particularly helpful if you don’t have much money upfront; however, it can be more cost-effective to do a larger physical print run if you have the funds for it.

You will need to be confident that you can sell them all for a decent profit, and you will also need to allocate storage space for them in the meantime. If you're cautious, it's worth doing a smaller batch first to test the waters.

The quality of paper, choice of hard or soft back covers, and whether you print in the UK or abroad are all factors that can affect the price of your print run, so you'll need to consider these before you order. You may also have to budget for a graphic designer who can put your book together professionally.

Pros and cons

There are plenty of positives in self-publishing, but also many pitfalls to look out for.

One of the biggest rewards is that it allows you to take pride in your work and assemble a product you can be proud of. It also gives you something to showcase your photography to clients and on social media. If you have a loyal following that loves your photography, they can now purchase merchandise to support you.

The downside is that it can take a lot of time and energy to put a book or calendar together, which ultimately takes time away from your photography or editing duties.

It's also an investment, so you may be sitting on stock for a while or, in the worst-case scenario, have out-of-date calendars that must be thrown away or recycled. You will also need to deal with any damaged items and shipping problems yourself.

You could find a publisher to take care of all this, but they will take a cut that reduces your profits. Self-publishing can be rewarding and lucrative, but it can also be daunting. If in doubt, start small and work your way up to larger orders.

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Shooting film in a digital world might sound unconventional, but for professional wedding photographer and analogue specialist Rachel Brewster-Wright, it's become her signature – and the reason many couples seek her out.

Little Vintage Photography founder Rachel shares with us why she chooses film for commercial work, what makes it so powerful for storytelling, and the key considerations photographers should keep in mind when capturing analog on the job.

Rachel's top five tips for shooting film commercially

1) Always use a tried and tested camera
A commercial shoot is not the time to test out your latest eBay purchase. Service your film cameras regularly and always carry a backup.

2) Shoot a film stock that you know well
That way you know how to get the best out of it and achieve the look that you want with no surprises.

3) Have a Sharpie with you
I use one to write the film speed on the cassettes. You may need to push film during a shoot and it is vital to keep track of this.

4) Take more film than you think you will need
You do not want to run out mid-shoot, so take plenty and at different speeds to account for changing or variable light.

5) Take a cheap, fun camera along with you too
Time permitting, a Holga or Lomo-style lo-fi camera, or even an Instax or Polaroid, can capture something a bit different.

Discover more of Rachel's work on the Little Vintage Photography Instagram or website.

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One of the most popular ways to achieve a clean, modern look in product photography is through high-key lighting. Using a seamless white background creates a distraction-free image that's easy to edit later, but sometimes adding subtle details can better reflect a product's personality and attract attention.

High-key refers to the dominance of brighter tones in the shot, which produces a clean image. This allows good contrast while introducing an airy atmosphere, setting off products with a modern feel or with geometric shapes.

It offers clean surroundings for clean lines. This type of lighting can be achieved by mixing natural window light with a reflector on the opposite side of the object, creating a balanced exposure.

High-key shots don't need to be limited in color palette. While a dominance of white can appear contemporary, overlighting a chroma background can have intriguing effects which suggest a setting, without additional set items actually being introduced to the scene.

Most critically, when setting the lighting for your shot, consider the branding of the product. The tone in any shot is significantly affected by the amount of light present, and this has to make sense for the product.

Key characteristics

Color choice
We chose a yellow background color to introduce a summery, sunlight atmosphere.

High-key color
Exposing to-the-right has given the scene greater luminance, maintaining the high-key modern styling.

Minimalist composition
Wider framing increases negative space, pushing the clean, unrestricted tone.

Alternative look

Splash of color
To break up the otherwise empty periphery, the petals add contrast while staying on-brand.

Almost shadowless
Window light from the right and diffused flash from the left reduce most shadows to soft impressions.

Subtle high-key
The airy look is achieved through bright negative space, which contrasts with the dark box but is not entirely seamless.

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Photographers are a ham-fisted bunch. At least, that’s one way to interpret the statistics.

In the 2014 records of Towergate Insurance Brokers, 93 out of 100 insurance claims from professional photographers were related to accidental damage. And at InFocus Insurance, "people dropping kit and kit getting wet" are the most common claims. Specialist insurer Photoguard’s records show a very similar pattern.

"The most common claim tends to be accidental damage," says Stephen Knowlson, communications coordinator at Thistle Insurance, which sells Photoguard’s insurance cover. "Constant use raises the likelihood of a claim, from tripods knocked over to spilled drinks. Photographers can be as clumsy as everyone else, and it’s hard to keep an eye on all the equipment all the time."

Although gear is the main thing photographers look to protect when they first contact insurance companies, it’s important to look outside physical kit alone when researching policies. A surprising number of professional and semi-professional photographers are unaware of the many risks they are taking in their jobs.

"People most often come to us looking for cover for their equipment," says Mark Pitcher, head of ecommerce at insurance broker Policy Bee. "But we advise professionals to also include public liability because it can be a contractual need, and we also recommend that you get professional indemnity cover so you’re covered if a client claims you’ve been negligent and they’re trying to get compensation off you."

This trio – equipment cover, public liability and professional indemnity – is commonly offered and recommended by most insurance brokers, but some photographers can’t tell them apart.

Public liability insurance, which protects you against claims from others who suffer a loss or injury as a result of your business activity, is well-known and required by many venues. But professional indemnity insurance, which protects you if a client sues you for not having done your job (or not having done it well enough) is still a lesser-known and misunderstood concept.

"Professional indemnity is particularly useful for those working in commercial and wedding sectors, but some people confuse this with public liability," says Thistle's Knowlson. "Photographers tend to be artists first, business people second, so this type of cover, protecting against client disputes and the inability to fulfil a contract, can be overlooked."

Nevertheless, it’s risky to skimp on this. Towergate Insurance Brokers has seen
a 25% increase in professional indemnity claims received from third parties. "The claims are partly a result of customers not being happy, and partly due to the photographer being unable to fulfil the contract," says Kristofer Taylor, Towergate’s senior new business executive.

At Policy Bee, 10% of last year’s claims from photographers were professional indemnity claims. "It tends to be a result of the client being unhappy with the result of the photos or video. We’ve also seen several claims where the insured has lost the photos," says Pitcher of Policy Bee.

"The insurer generally pays compensation to resolve the professional indemnity claims – from our experience, on average £600."

As well as equipment, public liability and professional indemnity – and possibly studio insurance, depending on your setup – professional photographers also have the option of guarding themselves against the modern ills of the digital age.

"The thought of losing images through backup failure, data corruption or damaged storage accessories can be daunting to photographers. This has proven a very valuable element of insurance," says Taylor at Towergate. By insuring yourself against digital accidents, the cost of reinstating your lost data can be covered by your insurance.

At Photoguard, this concept has a name – 'cyber liability' – and it also covers you against malicious cyber attacks. "It’s a fairly new thing, which reflects the realities of our digital world," says Knowlson at Thistle. “Many pros these days have cloud-based storage for their images, but as we all know, there’s been a number of hacking attacks, for example, against TalkTalk a few years ago, which resulted in a lot of customer data being lost."

If a photographer is attacked by hackers, and data – such as images – is compromised, the photographer has a duty to inform the client about the breach. The client can then, in theory, sue you. So what Photoguard’s cyber liability add-on does is protect the photographer in the event of such a data breach. The cover will pay legal costs and any costs associated with reinstatement of that data.

"It’s only really been in the last 18 months that this has emerged in the marketplace," says Knowlson. "And that’s basically because of the vast popularity of storing images in the cloud. We haven’t sold a lot of it yet, but there’s definitely a trend towards cyber liability in the wider insurance market, and it’s something we’ll be seeing more of in the future."

Even if you’re not using the cloud, it’s worth investigating how well your policy covers digital loss. Cyber liability cover includes loss of data from USB sticks and any lawsuits you might face from not keeping the client’s data safe.

Of course, your data isn’t the only thing that can be damaged in the digital age. At InFocus Insurance, 'crisis containment' cover will help you prevent a social-media catastrophe in the event that an unhappy client starts throwing digital mud.

"Some people aren’t sure what to do in such situations, and might get into arguments with the client on social media, and sometimes things could be better handled with a bit more diplomacy," says InFocus director, Peter Stevenson.

"If it’s an allegation of professional negligence – that is, that they’ve not done their job well – our policy will provide for a PR consultant to help with the management of the process."

Getting professional help

Another phenomenon of the digital age, thanks to search engines and internet instructional videos, is the common pastime of DIY equipment fixes and hacks. If your camera breaks and you think you might be able to fix it with a little help from YouTube, beware that you might be compromising your insurance cover.

"There’s a lot of good advice online, but often it’s just people passing opinions. If you search for advice online, then you go off and do something that destroys the camera permanently, the insurer might turn around and say it’s not insurable because it’s a DIY job," warns Stevenson.

Even if you’re not trying to destroy your camera, breaking it by trying to fix it is different from breaking it by dropping it – and will be considered a deliberate act, as opposed to an accident.

The same trend has caused an upsurge in legal 'self-help' among photographers and other self-employed people. "People tend to stumble through things, like setting up their own contracts," says Stevenson.

"But sometimes they can get quite a lot of help via trade associations like the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers (SWPP) or the Guild of Photographers [both in the UK]. Usually, insurance policies will provide free legal helplines as well, which is rarely taken advantage of."

Incidentally, trade associations are also a good source of good insurance deals. The SWPP, for example, offers a £2 million public liability and £75,000 professional indemnity package for £115 through Aaduki.

Aaduki is an insurance broker, so isn’t tied to any specific insurer. This means that it can search the whole market for the most appropriate cover for each type of photographer. There are also good insurance deals to be found at trade shows such as The Photography & Video Show in Birmingham or the Societies’ Convention in London.

Going sky high?

If you’re one of the many photographers who have invested in a drone, this may be an additional area you need to look at. Drone photographers are taking new risks that aren’t necessarily covered by their regular insurance policy.

Phoenix-based insurer, Hill & Usher has been insuring drones for over eight years and has recently experienced an increase in demand for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) cover. But due to the drawn-out process of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) clarifying regulations on drone use in the US, the drone insurance market is still a bit like the wild west.

"The aviation liability policies vary fairly significantly from carrier to carrier at this point," says Todd Landfried from Hill & Usher.

"Some will not write where UAVs are used near crowds, such as weddings or concerts. Some will write if the insured can demonstrate a high degree of knowledge as to how to safely fly in such situations. Some will authorize the use of very small UAVs indoors, while others will strictly prohibit indoor use. Some will cover the use of non-owned UAV units and contracted 'freelance' pilots, some won’t."

In any case, Landfried stresses, you’ll need extra cover if you’re using drones in a professional capacity. "Nearly all ground policies specifically exclude coverage and claims resulting from the operation of any aircraft, including a UAV," he says. "In fact, many carriers will cancel your policy completely if they learn that you fly UAVs and that you have not purchased specific liability insurance for doing so."

In the UK, regulation is simpler and causes less headaches for insurers and photographers. “You don’t have to have a license to get insured, but there are rules stipulated by the Civil Aviation Authority that you need to follow. If you breach them, it will invalidate your insurance,” says Knowlson.

Theft and recompense

The second-most common insurance claim from photographers – after accidental damage to equipment – is theft. Most policies cover theft, but it’s important to study the fine print of your policy to make sure that you’re aware of its limitations, particularly if your kit is covered under your household insurance.

"A lot of the policies we’ve seen tend not to cover kit in vehicles overnight when left unattended. They’ll limit the value of kit, or they’ll only cover it in daylight hours. There are all sorts of little things in insurance policies that can trip photographers up," says Stevenson.

InFocus will cover your insured kit in your vehicle all night, and there are other insurers who take a similar approach.

"As a photographer, office hours do not really apply. You may be out to get a sunrise shot at 4am, or working a wedding until midnight. Flexible cover is required," says Knowlson from Thistle. At Policy Bee, records show that the most expensive claims, to the insurer, are the ones that are made as a result of theft from a location – a home or a studio.

"The insurer generally has to pay between £5,000 and £10,000 for these types of claims from photographers," says Pitcher. "It's deemed 'portable equipment', but it’s still covered when stored at a location."

Stevenson advises that photographers check exactly what’s covered under the 'theft' category in their insurance.

"We’ve just paid out a claim for £13,000 where a van was broken into, and there were no visible signs of a break-in. But the insurer paid it on the basis that the police reckoned that the car had been accessed with some sort of device that disabled the locks and alarms. Some policies exclude cases where alarms have been disabled and there is no sign of a break-in."

Many insurance companies only require you to itemize very expensive pieces of kit in your collection, but you do have to list the value of everything else – the cost of replacing it as new.

This, of course, changes depending on which new models your kit manufacturer brings out, so it’s worth checking every year when you renew your insurance policy. If you don’t, it can come back to bite you. This is what insurers refer to as the 'average condition'.

"This is an area that does get misunderstood. If you insure for £5k of equipment, but you actually have £10k of equipment in total, you’ll be deemed underinsured, and if there’s a claim, the insurer can reduce what it pays in direct proportion to the degree that you’re underinsured," explains Pitcher.

Commercial photographer Tom Barnes learnt this the hard way. "Canon brought out an update to a lens I had, and almost doubled the price on it. I didn’t increase the lens replacement price on my insurance schedule to reflect this, so when it broke, I had to pay the difference. I ended up paying £600 of my own money to fund a replacement."

Taylor at Towergate recommends that you check the prices of the latest equivalents to your kit on the market today. "Don’t forget, if you are VAT registered, you can deduct this element from your total value," he adds.

One final piece of advice from Knowlson: "Itemizing every single piece of kit, even if it’s not required, will help you keep track of its total value."

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Right now, for many photographers, Google Image search is a friend. It drives traffic to our websites, helped potential clients discover their work, and gives them a fighting chance in the digital marketplace. 

But there's a snake in this garden of Eden: AI photorealistic imagery. 

I'll be frank: at the moment, this doesn't seem to be much of a problem. Whatever type of search you do, real photography still dominates, because that's what dominates the majority of websites.

But will that continue? Crucially, Google has stated that AI images won't be penalized in search rankings. And unlike its rival DuckDuckGo, it's not giving users the choice to opt out of AI images either. 

So I can forsee a future in which our carefully crafted photography will get buried under a flurry of photorealistic, AI-generated pictures. And that's a problem.

The AI flood

Look on social media specifically, and you'll notice these synthetic images are everywhere now. They're cheap, they're fast, and they're flooding Facebook faster than you can say "aperture priority". 

It's like showing up to a craft fair only to find that 90% of the booths are selling mass-produced knockoffs – except these knockoffs are so convincing that most people can't tell the difference.

To their credit, Google has taken steps to protect their search platform. Most notably, they've introduced labeling systems that can mark images as "AI-generated" or "AI-manipulated." 

But if the flood begins, will anyone actually notice, or care about this labelling? If (as I suspect) they won't, then content farms will be able to pump out thousands of synthetic images to game the system, and Google's algorithms will treat them just like your painstakingly crafted photographs. 

What you can do

If the flood currently sweeping Facebook does move to search, what's the solution? Well, ultimately Google's one of the world's biggest companies and it's going to do what it wants. But there are ways you can at least ensure your real-life photos still have a fighting chance of surfacing on its platform. 

Become a metadata master.
Start embedding detailed information into your images using IPTC and C2PA standards. This is basically like a digital fingerprint that proves you were behind the camera. Include licensing details and structured data on your web pages too – giving search engines every reason to recognize your work as the real deal.

Make authenticity your superpower.
In a world of AI images, being genuine becomes incredibly valuable. So share your process, post behind-the-scenes content, tell the story behind each shot. When people can see the human element – the early morning wake-up call, the challenging shoot conditions, the creative decisions – your work will stand apart even more.

Play to your human advantage.
Here's something AI can't do: physically show up. So focus on events, breaking news, specific assignments, and anything that requires a photographer to be physically present. While AI might create a decent image of a sunset, it can't capture your client's wedding or document a local news story.

Build your own ecosystem.
Don't put all your eggs in Google's basket. Cultivate direct relationships with clients, build an email list, create social media communities around your work. In short, connect with people who value authentic photography.

Ultimately, the AI flood isn't going anywhere. But neither are photographers. We just need to get better at swimming.

If you run a photography business, chances are that AI hasn't impacted your bottom line yet. Because although AI is able to do things like generate studio-quality headshots, it's still a long way from being able to replicate the work of wedding photographers, sports photographers or fashion photographers, for example. For now, at least.

However, there is a different, more indirect way that AI might impact your photography business. And that's the possibility that the current AI boom turns out to be a bubble… and then bursts.

Remember the dot-com boom?

If you working in photography back in the late Nineties, this might sound eerily reminiscent. During the so-called "dot-com boom", start-ups with no real business model were suddenly “worth” billions.

Everyone believed that the fledgling internet would transform business forever – and to be fair, it did – but first came the crash. When it hit in March 2000, tech stocks lost two-thirds of their value in a year. It took over a decade to recover.

Today, economists warn that we could be in an even bigger bubble; this time fuelled by artificial intelligence. Because right now, valuations of the top ten tech companies in the US are higher, relative to their earnings, than at the height of the dot-com craze.

What is a bubble?

So what is a bubble anyway? Well in terms of economics, a bubble happens when prices soar far above what the underlying thing is actually worth (typically driven by hype, speculation and fear of missing out). Eventually, though, reality catches up and the bubble bursts – sending values plummeting.

This matters to everyone, because a tech crash will ripple into industries far beyond Silicon Valley. For instance, gear prices could rise if manufacturers face tighter margins or cut back on research and development.

More broadly, commercial photographers will probably see fewer commissions from clients in advertising, start-ups or other tech-linked sectors. Payments could slow down if your clients’ own revenues take a hit. And if you’ve built your workflow around niche AI editing or imaging tools, some could disappear if their backers pull out, or dramatically up their prices.

What can we do?

So will this actually happen? Well, it's difficult to say. The danger is that if AI products don’t deliver the promised revolution quickly enough, investor enthusiasm could fade. And because these top 10 companies make up around 40% of the US stock market’s value, any drop in confidence would send shockwaves through the wider economy.

At the very least, then, it's a possibility. But while you can’t stop a stock market crash, you can make your business more resilient.

Try not to rely too heavily on work from one sector, so you’re insulated if an industry slows. Think carefully before making big kit purchases on credit; consider renting or leasing instead. Aim to keep some savings aside to cushion you against late payers.

Keep an eye on the software you use, and have alternatives ready if they vanish or become too expensive. And more generally, stay aware of what’s happening in tech markets – it can help you spot potential headwinds before they hit your bottom line.

Let me tell you something that'll make you spit out your coffee. The best thing that's ever happened to professional photography might just be AI.

I know; you're probably thinking I've lost my mind. Every forum is drowning in apocalyptic predictions about robots stealing our jobs. Wedding photographers are having panic attacks about AI-generated couple portraits. Commercial shooters are watching clients marvel at ChatGPT's ability to conjure product shots from thin air. The doom-scrolling is real, and it's getting exhausting.

But here's what everyone's missing while they're busy hyperventilating: AI might not be our enemy. It could actually be our ticket to the big leagues.

Champagne strategy

The history of champagne offers a good example. A few hundred years back it was actually considered the poor cousin of still wine. Its bubbles happened by accident, rather than by design, and they were widely seen as an indication that the wine had gone bad. 

Then someone brilliant decided to flip the script. Instead of competing on price, they went full luxury. Suddenly, those accidental bubbles became symbols of celebration, success and sophistication.

Today, decent wine is highly affordable, but people still shell out hundreds for champagne. Why? Because people like Dom Pérignon, a French monk born in 1638, understood something fundamental about human psychology: when everyone zigs, you zag.

For photographers in 2025, AI is the still wine. We need to be the champagne.

Stop racing to the bottom

The profession has spent the last decade in a race to the bottom that would make budget airlines jealous. Every Facebook group is full of photographers asking, "What should I charge for a wedding?" and the answers get more depressing each year. We've trained clients to expect digital galleries of 500+ images, unlimited revisions, and prices that barely cover the cost of driving to the church.

Meanwhile, AI comes along and can produce a headshot in thirty seconds for free. Your immediate reaction might be panic, but step back and think about what's really happening here. 

AI is about to handle all the bottom-feeder work that was barely profitable anyway. It's doing us a massive favor by eliminating the clients who were never going to value our expertise.

The photographers who survive and thrive won't be the ones desperately trying to undercut AI on price. They'll be the ones who understand that when tech makes something ubiquitous, scarcity becomes more valuable than ever.

Veblen goods

Ever heard of Veblen goods? They're products that become more desirable as they get more expensive. Luxury handbags, high-end cars, premium spirits—the higher the price, the more people want them. It's completely backwards from normal economics, but it's how human psychology actually works.

Photography is rapidly becoming a Veblen good, and most photographers haven't figured this out yet.

When anyone can generate a headshot with AI, hiring a real photographer becomes a statement. It says, "I value craftsmanship over convenience." It says, "I can afford the real thing." It says, "I understand the difference between content and art."

Practical tips

So what does this mean in practical terms? It means everything about how you've been positioning yourself is probably wrong.

First, stop apologizing for your prices. Luxury brands never explain their pricing—they present it with confidence. Your rate isn't something to negotiate; it's the cost of admission to work with you.

Second, embrace scarcity. Luxury thrives on exclusivity. Cap your bookings. Create waiting lists. Make people feel fortunate to work with you; grateful that you'll take their money.

Third, elevate every touchpoint. Your website, your contracts, your delivery process—everything should scream premium. If your client experience feels like a high-street shop, don't expect luxury prices.

Fourth, find your niche and own it completely. The photographers making serious money aren't generalists trying to be everything to everyone. They're specialists who've become the go-to person for something specific and valuable.

Stop competing, start creating

The biggest mistake photographers are making right now is trying to compete with AI on AI's terms. You'll lose that battle every time. Instead, double down on everything that makes human creativity irreplaceable.

Push your artistic vision further. Develop signature styles that are unmistakably yours. Create work that moves people emotionally, not just technically. Build relationships with clients who value what you bring beyond just the final images.

This isn't about surviving AI—it's about using AI as a catalyst to elevate your entire practice. Let AI handle the commodity work while you focus on creating something genuinely valuable and irreplaceable.

The photographers who thrive in the next decade won't be the ones fighting AI for scraps at the bottom of the market. They'll be the ones who recognized that when everyone else went low, it was time to go high.

So stop panicking about AI and start planning your move upmarket. The luxury photography market is about to get a lot less crowded, and there's never been a better time to claim your spot at the top.

Photography leads as the top industry for freelancers in the UK in 2024, according to an analysis conducted by business finance experts at money.co.uk.

The report says that 68% of freelance photographers consider their career desirable and evaluated key factors such as average hourly rates, online interest, and customer reviews to determine which industry offers the best potential for freelancers.

This all indicates that clients are looking beyond basic point-and-shoot skills and recognize the difference that trained, creative photographers bring to the table. Encouraging to see in a digital era where everyone can get their hands on a camera, switch to auto mode, and label themselves as a "photographer".

The numbers

The report assigns photography a freelance score of 7.47 out of 10, with an impressive average client satisfaction rating of 4.9 out of 5. The Google search interest shows over 20,000 searches.

On the financial side, freelance photographers have an average hourly rate of £27.09 (around $36.73 / AUS$56.58). This is significantly higher than the UK's National Living Wage (ranging from £8.91 to £10.42 (around $12.08-14.13 / AU$18.61-21.76) between 2021 and 2024).

We shouldn't forget that freelancers have to care for insurance, medical care and pension schemes themselves. And running a photography business comes with high upfront costs – from investing in professional cameras and lenses to possibly needing a studio space.

And since photography often requires being physically present at shoots, remote work is rarely an option, adding transportation and travel expenses to the mix.

Still, many are drawn to the profession's perks: flexibility, creative freedom and the ability to be their own boss.

But photography misses out on top 10 in popularity

Interestingly, despite its high desirability, photography doesn't appear in the top 10 most popular freelance roles by volume. That list is led by fellow creatives – web designers, bloggers, video editors, graphic designers and interior designers dominate the top five spots.

The pros and cons

If you ever thought of becoming a freelance photographer, here are three pros and cons, shared by business bank accounts expert Joe Phelan from money.co.uk.

PRO: Flexibility
"You aren't constricted to the hours set by your employers and can be flexible with your working week to suit your schedule."

PRO: Potential for higher earnings
"You can choose your own rates, meaning you can potentially earn more than in a traditional job. However, this depends on your skillset and demand, which means the potential for higher earnings may come further into your freelancing journey as you build experience and positive client testimonials."

PRO: Passionate projects
"Being a freelancer means you can source and choose the work that you do, within the landscape of what work is available. This opens up the possibility to work on projects you're passionate about, enhancing your job satisfaction."

CON: Income instability
"As a freelancer, reliable income is not as guaranteed as it would be as an employee. Because freelancers typically work on a job-to-job basis, you often can't guarantee consistent monthly income."

CON: Lack of benefits
"When a company employs you, they often provide multiple benefits, including paid holidays, pension contributions, and healthcare cover. However, by going freelance, you lose these benefits, which can make it considerably more costly to miss work through holidays and illness."

CON: Business management
"As a freelancer, you have to handle all aspects of your business, including legal matters, invoicing, bookkeeping, and tax responsibilities. This means extra work and skills to learn, alongside networking, sourcing new clients, and completing projects."

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In 2025, photographers everywhere are reaching a breaking point with Instagram. What was once a haven for sharing beautiful imagery has morphed into an endless scroll of reels, ads and algorithm battles. Your carefully crafted photographs get compressed, buried beneath viral content and forgotten within hours. Sound familiar?

The truth is, social media platforms were never designed to showcase photography properly. They're designed to keep people scrolling, not contemplating your artistic vision.

What's more, the constant pressure to post, engage and chase likes quickly becomes exhausting. Not to mention annoying, because it's work you're not directly getting paid for.

So what's the alternative? Quite simply, make your own website.

Why a website?

There are compelling reasons to make your own website rather than rely solely on social media. Most fundamentally, you'll enjoy complete creative control over how your work is presented. No more fighting against arbitrary format restrictions or worrying about algorithm changes that could render your carefully curated feed irrelevant overnight.

Also, social media platforms severely compress your photographs to save bandwidth, diminishing the quality of your work. On your own site, visitors can see your images as they're meant to be seen – in high resolution that showcases every detail and nuance you worked so hard to capture.

Having a dedicated website instantly elevates how potential clients perceive you. It signals that you're serious about your craft and gives you credibility that social media profiles simply can't match. When someone visits your website, they see only your work – not competitors' photos, ads or notifications pulling their attention away.

You're also protecting yourself from platform volatility. When you build your own site, you're not at the mercy of companies that might change their terms, algorithms, or even shut down entirely.

With proper contact forms and booking systems, you can create smoother pathways for potential clients to work with you. No more missed opportunities because a DM got buried in a sea of notifications. And perhaps most importantly, on your own site, you determine what's appropriate to share, free from the often restrictive content policies of social platforms.

"Great in theory," you might think, "but I don't know anything about building a website." Well, the good news is that in 2025, you don't have to.

It doesn't take long

Nowadays, there are dozens of web-building platforms dedicated to making it super-easy for non-techies to make their own website. So if you assume it will be complicated, time-consuming and expensive, you're wrong on all counts.

Don't believe me? Well, to put my money where my mouth is, I just tried out Weebly (other platforms are available) and managed to create a small, working website in just under an hour. Not a placeholder or a half-finished draft – a fully functional website with a homepage, photo gallery, an about page, contact form, and even a blog.

If you want, you can check it out at (clunky URL alert): tom-may-photo.weebly.com. Be warned: it's basic, and it's certainly not going to win any awards. But if someone wants to know who I am, what I do and how to contact me, they'll find everything they need on these pages.

I found the process of making it remarkably straightforward. I selected a portfolio theme (admittedly from a somewhat limited selection, but it did the job), uploaded my images, wrote some basic text and hit 'publish'. The drag-and-drop editor makes everything intuitive, even for someone with zero coding skills.

You can do it for free

Best of all? It was free – no strings attached. While I could upgrade to add features like a custom domain (removing the ".weebly.com" from the address) for as little as $5 per month, the free version gave me everything I needed to get started. And there's no time limit: I could let that website stand forever and still wouldn't be charged a penny.

Sounds too good to be true? Well, I guess I have to add a couple of disclaimers here. Firstly, I'm no stranger to web-building platforms, having tested a few in the past, so I may have been quicker off the mark than a total beginner. And secondly, I'd already lined up the images and text I wanted to use.

In other words, I'm not promising that anyone can build a website in under an hour: it may take you two or three on your first crack. But ultimately, that's not a lot of time to invest in what is a far better way to promote your photography and build your career than messing about on social media.

You can let your photos breathe

If I could build a basic website in under an hour using Weebly, just imagine what you could do with a bit more time. Web builders aimed specifically at photographers, such as Format and SmugMug, are also easy to use, and may offer specific tools such as the ability to password-protect galleries.

Most offer free trials or free tiers to get you started, and you can always upgrade as your needs grow. The important thing is to begin somewhere.

You don't need to abandon social media entirely; many photographers use their websites as their primary portfolio, and social platforms as marketing tools to drive traffic to it. But in a world where it feels like everyone's shouting into a void, having your own digital space is refreshingly empowering.

It's a place where your photography can breathe, where visitors can appreciate your vision without distraction and where you regain control over how your work is presented to the world.

Ultimately, your photography deserves better than being squeezed between viral dance videos and food photos. In 2025, there's no excuse not to give it the showcase it deserves: especially when that showcase could be just an hour away.

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Most professional photographers are more than capable of taking high-quality pictures across a variety of genres and styles, so you might be thinking why not offer a bit of everything? However, trying to please everyone is often where things can go wrong. You can spread yourself too thinly, your portfolio might appear disjointed and your true skill and passion might seem to be diluted. 

If you were going for a job interview as a wine sommelier, for example, you’d sell your knowledge of wine and highlight your skills in that specific area. You wouldn’t tell your prospective employer about every other alcoholic drink you’ve ever tasted in your life. In other words, you’d show off your niche skills and knowledge. So why should that be any different when selling your skills as a photographer?

Kate Hibberd, a photographer based in Dorset, UK, says, "I definitely see the difference between work I have taken on because I needed the income and projects that I have been excited for. The creativity is unleashed, you produce your best work and the theory that doors open other doors often proves true.

"Experiment, work hard, expose yourself to all types of photography and your niche will find you. You will grow as a photographer, quickly developing a key skill set for the genre and start earning the income you need to quit your day job."

Finding your niche will help you build a client base and establish yourself as a credible photographer, once you have found your feet then you will be able to stray away from your focus for the right clients if you want to. Something a little different to challenge yourself every so often will keep things exciting.

Photographer Ben Blight, also based in southern England, established himself in the industry as a motorcycle photographer and videographer. However, his work is evolving and although the subject matter may vary, the overall style of his captures has become his niche. "What has been crucial to me starting out, is being able to display effectively that, although I have a niche, my style and themes are transferable to other genres that new clients can use. That means I can reward myself both with satisfaction and business growth."

Find out what excites you

The best thing about working as an independent photographer is that you can choose your focus. Obviously, some genres of photography are more in demand than others and some genres are quite saturated so they will require you to work harder to be able to stand out. However, your passion and enjoyment of what you focus on will show in your work. Photographing something you enjoy is likely to encourage more creativity and experimentation and help you to stand out.

Decide on the clients you want

"The first years of a photography business can be difficult as you fine-tune this, some find it quickly within the first year or two of business, for others it can take longer," says Kate. "There are some lessons to learn, that is just the nature of putting yourself out there and stepping out of your comfort zone, but it always pays off. Finding the right clients will help you grow into the creative you want to be with the people you want to work with. And remember, it is always okay to say ‘no’ if you don’t think a client is the right fit for you."

Be clear about what you offer by using SEO to your advantage

You will attract the clients that you want if you are clear about what you offer and the genres you specialize in. It will also save you time overall as you won’t need to trawl through jobs that aren’t right for you and you don’t want to do. Knowing your niche will enable you to use the correct keywords on your website so that clients will find you more easily. For example, ‘south coast photographer’ is going to be the keyword for hundreds of photographers’ websites, but ‘south coast motorcycle photographer’ is going to start to narrow it down.

Make it work for you

Before committing to a genre, think about how it might affect your life. If you want to keep your weekends and evenings free for your personal or social life, then being a wedding photographer is not the job for you. Similarly, if you want to travel and be outside, then a focus on studio photography won’t be for you either. "There are hundreds of niches within the photography business and many are successful in more than one but, essentially, finding the niche for you and your work-life balance that can bring in the income you want is the key to longevity within a creative world," Kate says.

Change your portfolio to reflect your specialist genres 

Your portfolio is the main way that prospective clients will find you, so make sure that it reflects your niche. Ensure your Instagram grid does not look disjointed, and that your website displays the absolute best of your work in your chosen field. Your portfolio needs to depict what you offer and what makes you the right person for the job.

Catch up on our career features

Digital Photographer magazine has regular features on professional photography and navigating the business side. Get your back issues here.

Photo-sharing website Flickr has shared insights into the most popular cameras, photo spots, shooting dates – and a whole lot more besides – for images uploaded over the past year in its 2024 Year in Review, and it makes for fascinating reading.

It may come as no surprise that smartphones were the most popular photo-taking device, but what is perhaps more of an eye-opener is that out of the top 10, the first nine entries were various models of Apple iPhone, headed by the now-three-year-old Apple iPhone 13. Here's the list in full.

1. Apple iPhone 13
2. Apple iPhone 14 Pro
3. Apple iPhone 13 Pro
4. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
5. Apple iPhone 11
6. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
7. Apple iPhone 15 Pro
8. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
9. Apple iPhone 12
10. Canon EOS R5

The only dedicated camera to make the top 10 was the Canon EOS R5, sneaking into the 10th spot on the list. The fact that it was a top-of-the-range enthusiast mirrorless, rather than a cheaper entry-level model, may surprise you, but what's even more surprising is that Canon completely dominated the top 10 of non-phone cameras, with six out of 10 being Canon cameras, while Nikon and Sony had two models apiece. Interestingly, the two Nikon cameras were DSLRs rather than mirrorless cameras, showing that plenty of photographers still remain faithful to their older workhorses.

1. Canon EOS R5
2. Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
3. Sony Alpha 7 III
4. Nikon D850
5. Canon EOS R6
6. Nikon D750
7. Canon EOS 5D Mark III
8. Sony Alpha 7 IV 
9. Canon EOS R7
10. Canon EOS R6 Mark II

When it comes to the most popular photo spots, it's New York, New York, New York, with famous Big Apple sights taking the top three places of the top 10 most-photographed landmarks.

1. Times Square, New York, USA
2. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
3. Empire State Building, New York, USA
4. Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
5. Space Needle, Seattle, USA
6. Big Ben, London, United Kingdom
7. The Colosseum, Rome, Italy
8. The Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
9. Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, Spain
10. Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo, Japan

And Flickr also shares some fun date-related stats. The most popular date that images were taken was May 11. Why? Well, it happened to be the day that the largest solar storm in decades hit our planet, causing the Northern Lights to be visible as far south as New Mexico in the United States, and Spain and Portugal in Europe. But the most popular day for uploading images was September 30, the reason for which is less clear…

Check out Flickr's 2024 Year in Review for more tidbits and insights!

Stock photography platforms Getty Images and Shutterstock are finalizing talks to merge into one company, the brands announced. On January 07, Getty Images Holdings Inc. shared that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement with Shutterstock. Getty says the move will help offer a wider content library for customers while providing more opportunities for creators contributing to the platform.

In the planned merger, the two companies will be called Getty Images Holdings, Inc and retain the GETY stock market ticker. However, the merger is an equals transaction, with Getty stockholders estimated to hold about 54.7% of shares and Shutterstock 45.3% at close. Getty’s current CEO Craig Peters will lead the combined company while the Board of Directors will be made up of six Getty Images directors and four Shutterstock directors, including current Shutterstock CEO Paul Hennessy.

Getty says that the merger will allow for a larger investment in “innovative content creation,” including generative AI, search, and 3D imaging. Both Getty and Shutterstock currently have built-in generative AI tools, labeled as safe for commercial use.

In an email to customers, Getty said that the company will operate as usual until the merger closes. “Once closed, we expect this merger to allow for simplified access across our combined offerings and increased investment in new content and coverage, in new asset types, in enhanced customer service and support and in new technologies and capabilities,” the email reads. “All of this with the aim of providing you with the contents you need in a time and budget efficient manner and absent intellectual property risks.”

For creatives contributing to the platforms, Getty says the merger will allow artists to reach more customers around the world.

The companies did not discuss how the merger will affect the platform's current pricing structure. Shutterstock currently charges $49 for a five-pack of standard license downloads. In comparison, Getty’s most affordable five-image pack costs $750 for small images or low resolution videos.

Combined, the companies estimate a revenue between $1,979 and $1,993 million (which converts to about £1,581 million or AU$ 3,160 million). About 46% of that would be subscriptions, the companies note. Shutterstock currently has a ten-download subscription for $29 a month. Getty’s subscription options are customized based on needs, which means pricing information isn’t widely available.

“With the rapid rise in demand for compelling visual content across industries, there has never been a better time for our two businesses to come together,” Peters said in a press release. “By combining our complementary strengths, we can better address customer opportunities while delivering exceptional value to our partners, contributors, and stockholders.”

“We are excited by the opportunities we see to expand our creative content library and enhance our product offering to meet diverse customer needs,” Hennessy added.

Getty Images is arguably most known for its editorial images, covering more than 160,000 events each year; its current catalog includes more than 80 million images in the subscription plan alone. Getty also owns the iStock and Unsplash brands, which together include more than 576,000 content creators.

Shutterstock currently boasts more than one million contributors across 150 countries. Shutterstock says its library has more than 450 million images, with around 200,000 images added each day.

The merger is not yet closed and is subject to closing conditions. The companies also have not shared an estimated close date for the potential merger.

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For more, read our top recommendations for the best stock photography platforms or the best stock video sites.

It's been a tumultuous year for Adobe, but despite its ups and downs it continues to adapt to the modern tech landscape.

The software company has just added another new tool that enables customers use artificial intelligence to create images based on the contents of its library of stock images.

Importantly, the creators of the original images still get paid.

The tools were rolled out on Tuesday and enable customers to take an image from Adobe Stock, and modify it with AI in whatever way they want. The original creator is then compensated as if their original image was used, but only “when their stock image is used as a reference and the resulting generated output is downloaded.”

All stock customers can now apply the following “generative edits” to Adobe Stock images before licensing them: replace background, remove background and expand image.

It is not clear from Adobe’s article whether creatives with images currently in the stock image library have a say in this, or whether they will be asked to sign a new contract giving permission for their images to be altered.

Users can also use “generative variations” which include ‘style’…

“With this feature, you can seamlessly align the aesthetic of a generated image with the style of any existing Adobe Stock image. Type a text prompt, and Style will apply the overall aesthetic of your chosen image to your newly generated output. This will enable you to experiment with different styles and create a cohesive visual theme and ultimately download from Adobe Stock.”

… and ‘composition’:

“Find an image you love, and this feature will match its outline and depth and then apply the composition to a newly generated image that you describe in a text prompt. Together, Composition and Style allow you to adjust content to make it more unique and customized to your needs or branding guidelines.”

Adobe said: “Connecting these features to the Adobe Stock collection increases the versatility of an asset, which we believe will make it more likely to be licensed, increasing contributor earnings potential.

“With these new features on Adobe Stock, Contributors are also compensated when the generated output created from a Stock image used as a reference is downloaded.”

Adobe is the company behind software tools such as Photoshop, which are widely used in content creation, and it has been scrabbling to increase the AI capabilities of its programs due to a rise in competition from companies such as OpenAI.

Matthew Smith, vice president at Adobe for strategy, design and emerging products, told Reuters: "A majority of people still have a blank canvas problem.

"Generative AI is not replacing stock (imagery). It's not replacing creatives or contributors. It's enhancing and giving them more potential opportunity to increase their earnings."

Adobe announced plans to compensate artists for their work when used in conjunction with the AI tools in 2023, but earlier this year the Federal Trade Committee filed a lawsuit against Adobe accusing it of tricking its customers into unwanted year-long contracts, and making it impossible to cancel free trials.

In another dubious move, in June social media lit up with creatives calling for a boycott of the company and all its associated products after it updated its terms of use, giving itself access and rights over any form of content uploaded across its programs.

If you're looking for an alternative to Adobe why not take a look at our guides to the best software for image editing and the best software for video editing.

Back in the mid-90s I was obsessed with using my old Canon 350D to capture images to sell as royalty-free stock photos on sites such as iStock. In those halcyon days, you could earn around $10 per image sale and I often earned around $800 per month, which was a welcome passive income that lasted years.

I had friends who made thousands of dollars per month from selling lifestyle images, so they could hire props and models for a shoot, confident in the knowledge that they’d quickly recoup their expenses.

Fast forward to the 21st Century and after iStock was swallowed up by Getty the prices per picture (for the contributor) plummeted to a few cents per sale. I now earn between $10 and $30 per month from traditional stock photo sales, which has killed my motivation to shoot, keyword, and upload new shots to sell as royalty-free images.

However, my fire for shooting images to sell has recently been re-ignited! I submitted some shots to Arcangel - a company that licenses rights-managed images to publishers who need art for their book covers.

Unlike Royalty Free, a Rights Managed image can’t be used by another client (for the duration of the project), so a publisher knows that the image that they are licensing won’t appear on a rival publisher’s book cover. As a result, the fee I receive when one of my images is licensed through Arcangel is much more rewarding than I’d get if I had sold the same image as a royalty-free stock shot via Shutterstock (though the shots in my Arcangel portfolio are exclusive to that site). I won’t divulge the precise fee I’ve received from selling images via Arcangel, but for work printed on a physical book cover it’s a much greater (and more rewarding) sum than I could ever receive from selling a shot on Shutterstock or Getty.

Now before you get too excited you need to know that it’s much harder to get photos accepted by sites such as Arcangel. On its site, it states that its Rights Managed (RM) images are “Premium quality imagery, including high caliber models, historically accurate costumes, props and locations. High production values for the most professional result.” I had to submit a collection of my best images before being considered as an Arcangel contributor. I was then given the green light to upload potential candidates to my portfolio. Images also have to be high-res at 4800 pixels minimum on the longest side of the image.

However, I have had book cover image sales via Arcangel! My first sale was a photo I took of a mosque in Istanbul reflected in a puddle. As I was trying to create a book cover style shot I cross-processed the RAW file in Lightroom Classic to create a more moody look. Images are often edited and adjusted by a publisher’s designer but in the case of my creatively cross-processed mosque the shot appeared on the book cover just as I’d edited it, so my creative work was rewarded!

The image appeared on the cover of a German Edition book - Requiem für eine verlorene Stadt (Requiem for a Fallen City) by Aslı Erdoğan. I’d always wanted to see my work printed on a book cover so this was a thrill (and the fee was fab!). I had RF photos from Shutterstock appear on book covers long ago, but I’d only have received a few dollars for those. Arcangel made me feel financially and creatively rewarded.

A more recent shot that I have licensed was a picture of a Lancaster Bomber being escorted by two Spitfires. I snapped this at an air show and processed it to create a vintage sepia look, adding some dramatic clouds in the background. My photo of these aircraft where incorporated by a designer to create a World War II themed book cover for the French edition of Le Secret de la Villa Freiberg by Romina Casagrande. Because my image was used as part of a bigger designer my fee was lower, but still financially rewarding.

So, I’ve found somewhere where my photography is rewarded. And I also like the fact that I can experiment by creatively processing my shots to create book-cover-style images that a publisher might go for. However, it’s worth noting that AI-generated imagery is not accepted by Arcangel, even if it has been edited. Thanks to a recent sale I’m all fired up to hire one of my favorite models - I’m going to take some Hobolite LEDs with me to add modeling light (and color gel drama) to my shots and hopefully one day some of the resulting photos might appear on a bookshelf near you!

Read more

The best stock photo sites 

The best professional cameras 

How to set the best fees for your photo services

According to findings from the 2024 Photography Industry Trends Report, the majority of working wedding, portrait and event photographers started as hobbyists in their teenage or childhood years, managing to evolve their passion into their profession.

What's more, most were self-taught, learning their craft through YouTube videos and the like, rather than attending college or other forms of higher education to study the discipline.

The report was generated from a survey carried out by Aftershoot, the company behind the AI-powered image-culling software of the same name. Aftershoot approached more than 500 professional photographers, working all across the globe, in an attempt to understand the trends shaping the photography industry as it stands today.

The company sums up the results of its research in the below infographic:

The findings also show that while almost half of photographers shoot between 1,000 and 3,000 images per session, not even 15% manage to deliver final images to their clients within the week.

No doubt they could significantly speed up their turnaround using Afterhoot to automatically sort the wheat from the chaff by sifting through all the images from a shoot, automatically deleting the duds while keeping only the, er, keepers.

Other interesting tidbits show that most photographers are keen to keep costs low, with 54.5% spending less than AU$1,500 annually on gear and the tools of their trade, while only 6.3% shell out in excess of AU$7,500.

And the vast majority rely on social media to promote their services, with 86.6% posting on various social channels. This is closely followed by good old-fashioned word of mouth, at 85.9%. Conversely, only 5.2% use print advertising as a means to find new business.

Aftershoot delves deeper into the results in an interesting blog post.

As well as the best photo-culling software, you might also be interested in the best photo-editing software and best photo-organizing software.

According to findings from the 2024 Photography Industry Trends Report, the majority of working wedding, portrait and event photographers started as hobbyists in their teenage or childhood years, managing to evolve their passion into their profession.

What's more, most were self-taught, learning their craft through YouTube videos and the like, rather than attending college or other forms of higher education to study the discipline.

The report was generated from a survey carried out by Aftershoot, the company behind the AI-powered image-culling software of the same name. Aftershoot approached more than 500 professional photographers, working all across the globe, in an attempt to understand the trends shaping the photography industry as it stands today.

The company sums up the results of its research in the below infographic:

The findings also show that while almost half of photographers shoot between 1,000 and 3,000 images per session, not even 15% manage to deliver final images to their clients within the week.

No doubt they could significantly speed up their turnaround using Afterhoot to automatically sort the wheat from the chaff by sifting through all the images from a shoot, automatically deleting the duds while keeping only the, er, keepers.

Other interesting tidbits show that most photographers are keen to keep costs low, with 54.5% spending less than $1,000 annually on gear and the tools of their trade, while only 6.3% shell out in excess of $5,000.

And the vast majority rely on social media to promote their services, with 86.6% posting on various social channels. This is closely followed by good old-fashioned word of mouth, at 85.9%. Conversely, only 5.2% use print advertising as a means to find new business.

Aftershoot delves deeper into the results in an interesting blog post.

As well as the best photo-culling software, you might also be interested in the best photo-editing software and best photo-organizing software.

While we all want to take our passion for photography to the next level, whether that's getting better at street photography, sports photography, or landscapes we all strive to think that maybe one day we can turn our passion into a business and photography becomes our job than our hobby.

But recently I saw an "In Conversation" YouTube video by Wex Photo Video with the legendary street photographer Bruce Gilden. 

Love him or hate him, Gilden has been a star player within the Magnum Photos roster, and one would presume that him being a known name in the industry, with many accolades to his name, galleries, prints and photography books that Gilden might be rather rolling in his hard-earned cash.

But this quote from the video really hit home to me… Bruce talks about how in the last five years he has self-funded his projects and goes on to say:

"I have all these things I want to do, but not the funds to do it. I'll be broke in a year"

You can watch the whole 5-minute eye-opening video from Wex below:

This interview got me thinking is the era of the pro photographer over? I mentioned above that all of us want to take our hobby and make it our job, and I was incredibly lucky to have lived that journey and became a professional sports photographer by the time I was 16, at the age of 24 I was working for the actual governing body  for all equestrian sport (the FEI) traveling all over the world - my passion became my job, I was living the dream!

But, like Gilden, I had to fund my own travel and as the digital age evolved budgets got smaller and smaller until magazines and the governing body just didn't have any budget to pay photographers, or it was so little it didn't make it worth the trip!

I noticed these budgets depleting at the time and cunningly I moved into the advertising space and started selling my images to the brands themselves, soon I worked with 18 of the world's most-known brands within the equine industry. Images appeared in marketing material all over the world, in books, on feed bags, on the back of trucks and billboards, you name it I was so lucky to have it all, but I think you get a sense of where this is going...

Soon these budgets too dwindled and younger photographers with okay kit were selling images that were again, okay for under half the price, while brands can be loyal their budget is everything so if okay means it costs less and does nearly the same job, then it makes sense for them do go for the cheaper quote/cost. 

It then became apparent that I needed a second job to continue my job as a pro sports photographer, and yes maybe I should have branched out into something else and I could have made a name for myself, but I was "known" in the horse world and it wasn't that the phone had stopped ringing or the emails just stopped requesting to cover events, it was the budgets that stopped me from saying yes.

It was simple logic, I just couldn't say yes to a job for $700 when two years before the same job was worth $2,000 - and that's where we are in many areas of the professional photography world, don't get me wrong people out there can still "make it" and make it big and become a name, but now that is only a limited few, and when we get to talking to them you would be surprised how much they spend of their own "budget" to keep them at the top getting bookings.

Professional photography is now a numbers game, does it make sense to do, how much will I get out of it, how many jobs will this lead to in the future, but the biggest headache of them all is: will the budget hold? 

That's why after over 20 years as a pro photographer I've sold the camera gear and lenses I used for sports photography and became the Ecommerce Editor of Digital Camera World - I'm not bitter, it's just life!

Working with models is an amazing way to expand your photographic portfolio. You learn new skills in directing people, as well as learning to collaborate with another artist working in a different medium: physical expression. You’ll learn how to find light, and become better at getting great shots of people because a professional model takes the worry away from getting the poses and expression right. This allows you to concentrate on getting your technical stuff right faster, and getting into the creative flow. 

Here are a few things to remember when working with models. 

1: The model will be there to do your bidding, but clearly there are limits. The model is not your friend. The model is a professional there to work. Sure models can become friends, but the relationship is still a work relationship. It’s pretty basic. Don’t touch the model. If you need something done, like a hair moved, ask them to do it. Keep it as it is: professional.

2: Better still, use a team for these shoots so you have a makeup artist or stylist there to aid you with this. Having them present will also make the model more comfortable and relaxed, making for a better shoot and better photos all around. Not to mention the collaborative creativity that having a team gives means you get ideas that would’ve never occurred individually. 

3: Before the shoot, be thorough in your communication. If you want a smooth shoot, create mood boards for your ideas. These can simply be a collection of poses, outfit ideas, with hair and makeup. Let the model know what you want. If you want some fashion nude, make sure that the model is comfortable with this. Don’t push models to shoot at levels they simply don’t do. Book a model that does. If you want to shoot glamour, book a glamour model. If you want fashion, book a fashion model. Communicate that in advance. 

4: The model’s personal life is none of your business. You don’t need to know about their relationship status or hobbies or anything about them. If they choose to volunteer information about themselves, that’s their choice. Yes, you do need to chat to create a relaxed atmosphere, but that doesn’t need to be personal. You can talk about movies and TV or tell stories to create a vibe. 

5: When you’re shooting, engage with the model. Tell them you like the shots when you’re shooting. Refine poses. Don’t be creepy. Don’t make sexual comments. They’re not needed and are very inappropriate. Get their thoughts as well. Let them see the good shots. They might see something you’ve missed and give a better version of the shot. 

6: After the shoot, pay the model as arranged. If they want cash, pay cash. If they prefer a transfer, then transfer. Some want part payment or full payment in advance. If you agree to send images onto a model, then do it. Don’t expect them to use the photos, and don’t expect them to accept a collaboration invite on socials. 

7: Make the most of your time by being well-prepared in advance. Have your sets and lights ready before they arrive. If you’ve booked hair and makeup, that’s at least 60-90 minutes of time, so allow for that. The model needs breaks. Provide snacks and drinks for the team. 

Now you’re set for success on your model shoots. Have a great time and get great shots! 

66 tips cards for posing & lighting in portrait photography 

If you ask professional photographer Siân Elizabeth when she first remembers holding a camera, she’ll tell you that it’s always been there. But it wasn’t until she graduated with her journalism degree in 2007 that she invested in a Canon EOS 400D, a "proper" camera that would accompany her on a backpacking trip around the world. 

By the time Siân returned from travelling, she knew that photography was her ultimate career path – but it still took exploring a few different genres to find her true passion…

A longer version of this interview originally appeared in Issue 207 of Photo Plus magazine. Click the link below to see our latest special subscription deal!

You might be interested in the best Canon cameras, along with the best Canon lenses for DSLRs and the best Canon RF lenses for mirrorless cameras. 

I’m sitting at the airport in Cape Town and reflecting on my latest trip, cruising down the east coast of Africa. I was a guest lecturer on a cruise ship, talking about the art and craft of photography, something I’ve had the good fortune to do quite a lot over the past couple of years. I’m working through several themes on these travels, many of which have been featured in this series. But every trip yields a slightly different photographic experience. 

While I have taken many portraits on my travels, this trip seemed particularly fruitful with the wonderful people I have encountered en route. The four images here reflect a style that appears to be evolving and emerging, and I am starting to like it.

Making portraits is a great way to meet people and connect with cultures and countries worldwide. From Zanzibar to Cape Town, I got to know some amazing people on this trip, albeit briefly. This is one of the joys of travel. 

However, it takes a bit of confidence to pluck up the courage and get going. Due to the fleeting nature of my visits, I have no time to build long-term relationships with people, which is a shame. But you’ve got to work with what you’ve got, so I’ve learnt to work quickly, often talking no more than a minute or two.

If I see someone who looks interesting, I typically strike up a conversation and then ask if I may take their portrait. Sometimes, the answer is ‘no’ and that’s cool but, more often than not, it’s ‘yes’. While talking to them, or even before, I try to understand where the light is and also look for a potentially good background. I generally aim for a clean, uncluttered background, ideally with a color that harmonizes with the subject’s style. I mainly use only natural light. I try to get the subject’s name, although sometimes this is impossible or lost in translation.

In most cases, I give a business card and invite the subject to contact me
for a copy of the image. That happens around 70 per cent of the time, so
I have a wonderful cohort of characters around the world in my address book.  

• Other articles in the Art of Seeing series

Read more:
• The 50 best photographers ever
• 120 best photography quotes from famous photographers
• The best coffee-table books on photography

It's not often that an author has to source a whopping 32 photos for their own book, but this is the position I found myself in last year when I agreed to write a biography of Sinead O'Connor. On signing the contract, I had skimmed past that clause, telling myself it would all be fine (this strategy has not worked well for me in the past, so I probably need to drop it). I had been assured by an editor that there would be enough photos on Wikicommons, but there weren't – at least, not unless we wanted to use virtual duplicates of the same shot.

Slightly panicking, I searched for pictures of Sinéad online. The best, largest and most varied collection of photos of her was, unsurprisingly, on Getty Images, but each photo cost up to £375. However, other image libraries were available.

So I signed up for free trials from Shutterstock and Dreamstime, downloaded all the decent photos I was allowed, then shamefacedly cancelled the trials. It wasn't a classy way of doing business, but my book advance was small and I was virtually penniless at the time.

However, despite there not being 32 great photos of Sinéad on Wikicommons, there was one breathtaking black-and-white shot. Taken in 1987 by an unknown photographer, and published by the Houston Chronicle in November of that year, it was a publicity still for the iconic singer's debut album The Lion and the Cobra, originally commissioned by her record company, Ensign/Chrysalis (who will have paid the photographer). It features her staring into the camera, her expression part-melancholy, part-defiant, with her legendary shaved head and beautiful features on display. The left side of her face is in shadow, the background pitch black - she was only 20 at the time, about to give birth to her child, and she looks both delicate and strong. It's a stunning historical photo which I chose to be the cover of my book, as it encapsulates both Sinéad's sweetness and her courage.

So how did the photograph come to be in the public domain? Well, according to the explanation under the picture on Wikicommons, this is very common for publicity stills. It quotes film production guru Eve Light Honthaner, who told The Complete Film Production Handbook, 'Publicity photos (star headshots) have traditionally not been copyrighted. Since they are disseminated to the public, they are generally considered public domain, and therefore clearance by the studio that produced them is not necessary.' In fact, the companies which own them actively want these photos to be published as often as possible, in order to publicise the celebrities in question and their works. It's in their financial interests for them to be widely disseminated.

I can only imagine what such a photo would have cost me if I'd had to pay for it, but I suspect we'd have been looking at Getty's £375, so I'm very grateful that it was free. All hail Wikicommons – saviour of skint authors the world over.

EDITORS NOTE: The situation here is based on the 'Shorter Term' rule, which applies in the USA, but not in other countries like Germany (see 'Licensing' heading).

That's right, you heard that correctly! Aftershoot has created a fund dedicated to giving back to the photography community, with a total budget of US$1 million / AU$ 1.5 million.

You may be aware of Aftershoot for its state-of-the-art AI-assisted photo culling software, which speeds up workflow, saving countless hours scouring images and removing those misfired or missed focus shots. However, it's not the AI software that is making the headlines today, as Aftershoot announces the Create Together Fund and commits AU$1.5m to support photography communities around the globe – 'Empowering photographers everywhere'. 

The groundbreaking initiative aims to support photographers in creating and nurturing local photography communities by funding events such as workshops, photo walks, model shoots, meetups, and 'other such offline events'.

The Aftershoot Create Together fun aims to fund over 750 events across the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand by 2025, offering grants from $1,000 to $5,000 to provide financial support for the hiring of venues, props, models, and beyond.

Founder of Aftershoot Harshit Dwivedi states, “We're super excited to launch this initiative. Working closely with photographers, we understand the power of community and the kind of impact it has in their growth. We want to support photographers who inspire and learn from each other and this fund is a step towards empowering them to grow together.”

Aftershoot commented that establishing this fund is designed to 'support photographers in building and growing thriving photography communities', and the company invites all passionate photographers, and photography educators to apply.

So who exactly can apply? The official answer is active professional photographers, emerging photography community leaders, and photography educators, however, this answer essentially means anyone with a passion for sharing photography knowledge and cultivating a community focused on creating images.

Those interested in applying can do so via the Aftershoot Create Together Fund website where you can find more details, along with the registration form. Applications for the first wave of funding are open today and close on August 23, 2024, when the next window of funding will be announced.

This fund sounds like an amazing opportunity to create local photography communities without the added worry of finding funding for hiring a venue or food for attendees. The fund can be used for a dedicated workshop, or for an introductory mixer for local kids to try out photography, the possibilities are endless and should be taken advantage of.

That's right, you heard that correctly! Aftershoot has created a fund dedicated to giving back to the photography community, with a total budget of $1 million. 

You may be aware of Aftershoot for its state-of-the-art AI-assisted culling software and AI photo editing software, which speeds up workflow, saving countless hours scouring images and removing those misfired or missed focus shots. However, it's not the AI software that is making the headlines today, as Aftershoot announces the Create Together Fund and commits $1 million (about £773,000 / AU$1.5m) to support photography communities around the globe – 'Empowering photographers everywhere'. 

The groundbreaking initiative aims to support photographers in creating and nurturing local photography communities by funding events such as workshops, photo walks, model shoots, meetups, and 'other such offline events'.

The Aftershoot Create Together fun aims to fund over 750 events across the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand by 2025, offering grants from $1,000 to $5,000 to provide financial support for the hiring of venues, props, models, and beyond.

Founder of Aftershoot Harshit Dwivedi states, “We're super excited to launch this initiative. Working closely with photographers, we understand the power of community and the kind of impact it has in their growth. We want to support photographers who inspire and learn from each other and this fund is a step towards empowering them to grow together.”

Aftershoot commented that establishing this fund is designed to 'support photographers in building and growing thriving photography communities', and the company invites all passionate photographers, and photography educators to apply.

So who exactly can apply? The official answer is active professional photographers, emerging photography community leaders, and photography educators, however, this answer essentially means anyone with a passion for sharing photography knowledge and cultivating a community focused on creating images.

Those interested in applying can do so via the Aftershoot Create Together Fund website where you can find more details, along with the registration form. Applications for the first wave of funding are open today and close on August 23, 2024, when the next window of funding will be announced.

This fund sounds like an amazing opportunity to create local photography communities without the added worry of finding funding for hiring a venue or food for attendees. The fund can be used for a dedicated workshop, or for an introductory mixer for local kids to try out photography, the possibilities are endless and should be taken advantage of.

James Musselwhite is a professional photographer and videographer who’s hard to pin down, at least in terms of genre. When I speak to James from his home in Portsmouth, England (his commercial studio is based nearby) he’s just returned from shooting a big professional wrestling event in London, and is still riding high on the excitement. 

James’s huge passion for wrestling has followed him throughout his career and makes up part of his portrait business alongside weddings, pets, newborns and even commercial headshots.

James’ work might be varied but it’s portraiture and, more importantly, the story behind the portrait, that he loves most. His approach to gear, lighting, and client consultations is also similar – no matter the subject. 

"Working out how famous portraits have been shot is one of my favorite things to do," he shares. "I love solving the puzzle of how subjects have been lit."

We first spoke to James back before the pandemic. Now, having come out on the other side, he seems even more determined to push his creative and personal boundaries. 

He has upgraded to mirrorless with the Canon EOS R6 and R6 Mark II, opened a bigger studio, been a featured speaker at The Photography & Video Show, and even started sharing video tutorials from his portraiture and ringside action. Let’s find out more…

A longer version of this interview originally appeared in Issue 210 of PhotoPlus magazine. Click the link below to see our latest special subscription deal!

Interesting in shooting wrestling or other sport? Check out the best cameras for sports photography and the best lenses for sports photography. If portraiture is more your thing, take a look at the best cameras for portraits and the best lenses for portraits.

Content creation has gradually been revolutionizing the world of commercial photography and marketing. It’s transformed from a pool of images on platforms like Instagram and 500px into a dynamic and multifaceted art form. Having started out directing social media campaigns, photographer and videographer Chris Priestley is a full-time creator who harnesses the power of Canon cameras to bring his ideas to life.

You need energy, passion and a multi-skilled approach to succeed online in the crowded digital era, but Chris is careful with what he posts, usually opting for quality over quantity. Self-taught and seemingly self-driven, he now shoots white-label campaigns for massive global brands and has already worked with (and for) Starbucks, Red Bull and Aston Martin.

Blending a mixture of editorial and commercial genres, Chris’s luxury lifestyle content often receives millions of views, but his approach and budgets can be impressively low-key. Read on to discover the evolution of Chris’ career, and how switching from DSLR to mirrorless has been pivotal in helping him to create dramatic and compelling narratives that keep drawing audiences and clients back for more.

A longer version of this interview originally appeared in Issue 211 of Photo Plus magazine. Click the link below to see our latest special subscription deal!

Marketing yourself as a photographer can be a pain point for many of us. All the usual questions pop up – how do you do marketing? How do you book your next client? How do you make yourself stand out from the crowd? 

Although understanding these questions and finding the answers can seem both difficult and daunting, finding the right information that hasn't been buried in the depths of a treasure trove of experience can be equally hard.

I always say that having a photography business is more about business than it is about photography. Having the talent and skill is crucial for success, of course, but you need to think with a business head to get your work in front of the right clients – and must think outside the box to grow your career to where you want it to be. 

I could sit you down and discuss all the cringe-worthy ways I have tried to get new clients and all the challenges I have had, but that would be a whole different article. Instead, I have listed the five key points that I wish I had been told earlier in my career. Had I known these, it would have saved me a lot of trouble, sleepless nights, and second-guessing myself. 

Portfolio

Your portfolio is, hands down, the most important part of your business. This is what you want to give as a first impression, what you want the client to know and how you want to be portrayed. 

Creating a photography portfolio in the shape of a website is a crucial way to reel in potential clients and immerse them in your work. Obviously, it is key to use your best photos and list the services you offer. If you have reviews it is vital to include them, but don't worry if you are just starting out as it won’t detract from getting booked. 

However, an often-overlooked aspect is using your SEO (search engine optimization) to attract organic leads. Work on identifying keywords within your photography niche and include them on your website. This will help your ideal client find you simply by searching what they are looking for on Google. 

Nailing all these things will do one thing – encourage the client to book you.

The truth about networking

"Network to secure paid jobs" is the one piece of advice everyone seems to give. But why? I am still trying to figure that one out. When I first started my photography business, I spent a lot of time networking, trying to crack the secret code to landing clients simply by sparking up a relationship with someone. However, I stopped as quickly as I started. 

I agree that networking can be beneficial in some situations, but times have changed. Focus on your craft and do your own research on clients and businesses you want to work with. This approach will be far more beneficial than trying to cultivate relationships that, most likely, won’t land you a paid job – in fact, networking encourages favors over paid work. Personally I can’t remember the last time I went to a networking event, but my business has never suffered because of it.

Referrals are another story, though. These are based not solely on your photographs themselves but on how well you have worked with a client – so learn to harbor those types of relationships instead.

Sales and marketing 101

Although it may be daunting and uncomfortable at first, putting yourself out there as a photographer is crucial to getting noticed. By this, I mean taking a chance and reaching out to clients, sending over your portfolio and proposing how you can make a change to their life or business through beautiful photography. 

This is where the magic happens! Such a self-confident approach will set you ahead of your competition and encourage clients to work with you, based on your eagerness to work with them. Essentially, it shows passion and determination. Over time, this will become your biggest asset.

Starting afresh in a new location

Of course, being a freelance photographer comes with its perks: you can work from anywhere, travel for a living and still make money. Although moving to a new location can seem daunting in terms of feeling as if you're "starting again", look at it as a way to begin anew. 

Moving to Dubai, I researched differences in the market and had a rethink on how I presented my photography. In the end, what really worked for me was simply having a physical copy of my tailored portfolio professionally printed in an A4 booklet – and handing it out to the restaurants and hotels in the Emirates that I wanted to work with. 

Although this "cold call" approach may seem hard and somewhat embarrassing, it was a successful one and that is how I booked my first shoots out here. 

Another way that I started getting my name known was by refining my pitch and appeal on Upwork, a website for freelancers. That meant that I could hit the ground running. If, like me, you can work with clients remotely, focus your attention on this, as it will allow for multiple sources of income without having to rely on commissions from where you currently live. It certainly makes it easier to travel around.

Pricing yourself

I would easily say this is one of the biggest frustrations in the photography industry. Pricing varies massively depending on genre, experience and the nature of the project itself. Although I can’t necessarily tell you what to charge, I can't stress enough that you need to take everything into account when pricing yourself. 

I am a food photographer and, apart from the all-important factors of time and creativity, I include the pricing of backdrops, props, the ingredients needed, cleaning and packing up my studio, dishes that need to be washed – the list goes on. 

Remember, you’re charging for the entire photography process. If you’re struggling to price yourself or know that it's about time to raise your prices, I recommend you make a note of the entire process from the initial idea to the concept to delivery, then include everything involved in a cost breakdown when proposing a price to the client. 

Honestly, this will educate them on all the behind-the-scenes elements of their shoot. If this process is followed properly, clients won’t second-guess you – trust me.

Catch up on our career features

Digital Photographer magazine has regular features on professional photography and navigating the business side. Get your back issues here.

Take a look at the best cameras for food photography, along with the best lenses for food photography, to make your subjects look as delicious as possible!

UPDATE: Lumix Japan has issued a public apology, after the discovery that it had been using photographs taken with a Nikon camera on its website spread like wildfire across the internet. 

As the story spread, more online sleuths began digging, revealing that the company had also been using images taken using Canon and Tamron equipment. (There's a good roundup of the instances at Photo Rumors.) 

Panasonic has removed the original offending image (see below) from the Lumix S9 product page. However, the image remains on the Lumix GH5S product page – so it remains to be seen how many other images shot on rival equipment are still on the website. 

The statement (machine translated from the original Japanese) is as follows:

"We have received many inquiries regarding the images on the product website of the new full-frame mirrorless single-lens camera Lumix S9. 

"The images used on the product website to introduce functions and scenes were partially licensed images from a stock photo service.

"In addition to insufficient consideration of whether the images were appropriate for the product pages of a camera that generates creativity, the annotations on the website were in a location and with content that was difficult for customers to understand, as they were not taken with the new product.

"We take your comments seriously and have reconsidered. We will make the content easier to understand and communicate with users in a user-friendly manner. As a camera manufacturer, we will strive to meet your expectations. We will discuss a review of the content of the Lumix website so that we can meet your expectations as a camera manufacturer.

"We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere condolences to our loyal customers and to all Lumix fans and camera enthusiasts. We are very sorry for the anxiety and concern this situation has caused. All of us involved have renewed our commitment to face everyone more sincerely and make changes."

ORIGINAL STORY (May 28 2024): In a major black eye for the manufacturer, Panasonic has been caught red-handed using an image taken on a Nikon camera on the product page for its latest release, the Panasonic Lumix S9.

It gets worse. Not only was the image taken on a Nikon camera, it was taken by a former Nikon ambassador.

It gets worse. Not only does Panasonic use the image to represent the capabilities of the Lumix S9, it has used the same image in the same way for at least one other camera: the Lumix GH5S. What the heck is going on?

If you go to the Japanese product page for the S9, specifically the Animal Recognition section, you will see a beautiful image of two European bee eater birds (next to an image of a beagle, which I'll come back to). "'Animal Recognition' supports birds, canines (including wolves, etc.), and felines (including lions, etc.)" reads the Japanese text. 

If you're anything like me, you would assume that this photograph – specifically used to demonstrate the capabilities of the camera's autofocus system – was taken using the camera in question. Or, at least, using the autofocus system in question. 

We would be wrong. 

This photograph was actually taken in 2016. Not on a Panasonic camera but on a Nikon, by a former Nikon ambassador – Romanian photographer, Mircea Bezergheanu. You can see as much if you search for the image using Google, as I did below:

If you look at the image above, you'll see that the top link is to a Romanian Nikon website, and a piece by Bezergheanu on how he photographed the bee eaters (with a lot more beautiful imagery). The same article seems to appear here, on another Romanian site. 

I asked Bezergheanu which camera he actually used to take the photo, and it was the Nikon D810 – not the Lumix S9. Nor the Lumix GH5S, whose Japanese product page also uses the image (as seen in the second link in the above Google search). 

Japanese retailer System 5 also used the image on its listing for a third camera, the Lumix S5II. While this obviously isn't Panasonic directly, it certainly looks like it's from a bundle of publicity material supplied by the brand. 

So what does all this mean? Well, unless Panasonic has a very good explanation (and I have reached out for comment, but received no reply as of writing), this is a huge breach of trust for the brand. 

In the interest of fairness, the product page does contain the text "Images and illustrations are for illustrative purposes only." However, also in the interest of fairness, you would expect that an illustrative image could be pulled from the vast library that surely must have been taken with the camera or technology in question.

Had this at least been taken with another Lumix, using the same AF tech, then that would be acceptable to me. But when you are presenting a photograph as if it has been taken on your equipment, but it has so obviously been taken on a rival camera using completely different technology… how can this possibly be an accurate representation of your product? 

And if you're being misleading with the images, pretending that they show me what your camera can do, how can I trust anything else you tell me? Are the videos shot on a Canon? Do the RAW files come from a Fujifilm? 

I don't even think that's being facetious – I genuinely don't know. Because remember that cute picture of the beagle, next to the birds? That's a widely available stock photo, as revealed by Photo Rumors. So how many images on this product listing for the S9 were actually taken with an S9? Or the GH5S, for that matter? 

It reminds me of the time (one of four, in fact) that Huawei was caught pretending that photos taken on a phone were actually shot on a camera (ironically another Nikon DSLR, the Nikon D850). Whether you think it's disingenuous or outright dishonest, it's a bad look for the company. 

For his part, Bezergheanu is taking it in his stride that Panasonic is using his photo to promote the capabilities of the S9. "I'm a subject in the international press," he wrote on Facebook. "I really want to test that device too, so I invite them to La Colibe, Corbu – archaic Romanian hamlet".

Panasonic needs to make a public response, and pronto. And it should probably take Mircea's photo off its website, too. 

Take a look at the best Panasonic cameras (whose AF really doesn't need misrepresenting, these days) along with the best L Mount lenses for S bodies and the best Micro Four Thirds lenses for G cameras. 

You want to turn pro. You have the gear. You can light, you can evoke moods, and even create sets. You’ve built up a wealth of knowledge in your chosen field… A generalist doesn’t work in pro photography. Even if you’re good at a range of photography, it’s better to be known for one thing and then maybe have a second but separate niche. But this isn’t the secret. 

Often the start of business begins with word of mouth through friends. This helps you get established and gives you the basis of your real work portfolio. You always need to do personal work that reflects the work that you want to get paid for and be known for. Set aside time every month for those projects to truly turn your hobby into work. But this isn’t the secret. 

As part of your work, you need to market. If you’re not marketing, you’re not in business. You have to balance work with finding more work. You can outsource this marketing once it’s bringing back more work than it costs, but you’re still involved. The photographers we perceive as famous are that way because they market heavily. But this isn’t the secret. 

Pricing, quoting, invoicing and (unfortunately) chasing payments are part of your daily life as a pro photographer. Sometimes, you’ll even opt into lower-paying jobs for consistent work with prompt payment. Sometimes, you won’t work for ages between big jobs, and you’ll need to learn to balance your income over time. But this isn’t the secret.

So what is the secret? The secret is you. If you’re approachable, generous and helpful, you’ll always get return clients. You don’t even have to be the greatest photographer to be a pro. You just need good people skills. Being prompt and courteous in communication and over-delivering will keep those clients and increase recommendations. 

Time and time again, clients will choose someone who’s easy to work with over the people with the most talent but are awkward to work with. So when you’re nailing that composition, nail your social skills too. That is the secret. 

• Is professional photography still worth it?
• Best cameras for professional photography

Every month, members of the Digital Photographer Magazine pro community share essential career advice on being, becoming and improving as a professional photographer. 

Here are some answers to recent questions, asked by readers, and following that we chat to Chantal Macleod-Holdsworth about running two businesses in tandem.

Working two jobs

Lorna Jones: I’ve always wanted to become a photographer, however, I simply don’t have the luxury, as my current full-time job pays the bills. I also feel particularly anxious at the thought of being self-employed. What would your advice be?

DP: Unless you have financial security, it is hard to make the jump. Being self-employed and running your own company isn’t for everyone, as there are many difficult aspects to it.

Don’t feel bad that you can’t or don’t want to be self-employed – there’s no point in leaving a steady income if your mental health is going to suffer or there’s a danger you’ll be homeless if you can’t pay the bills! Many photographers work multiple jobs or have multiple revenue streams coming into their business – see our interview with Chantal Macleod-Holdsworth, below, who runs two businesses side by side.

If photography is something you’ve always wanted to do, you will get there in the end but, if you want to succeed, you have to make some space for it. Is there a way you could drop your hours by one day a week to free up some time for your photography? Have you looked at the market to see if there are any employment opportunities in the photography profession? Going self-employed is only one way into the industry.

What to charge for travel expenses? 

Peter: I’ve never charged for travel in the past as most of the jobs I’ve been doing have been close to home. However, in the last few months, I’ve had a few bookings further afield so I’m wondering what rates other photographers charge?

DP: In business, there are many hidden costs and travel is one of those, so it’s good to get your policy in order. First, you need to take into account your fuel costs and then your time. In the UK, most big companies will compensate mileage claims at 45p per mile. This is also, as I’m sure you’re aware, the amount you can claim against your taxes. So 45p per mile is a good place to start. 

You also need to take into account your time. For example, if you travel 100 miles and it takes you an hour each way, that’s 60 minutes of your time plus 100 miles at 45p. Calculate what 60 minutes of your work time costs you, what 100 miles at 45p is and then balance it out. You don’t want to put your client off by charging a fortune for travel but, equally, don’t undervalue yourself as you need to be making a profit.

Studio lights on a budget

Lacey Bain: I want to set up a studio as I’m keen to shoot product shots. I only have a limited budget, so what studio lights would you recommend?

DP: The first that springs to mind is the Godox AD200 Pro 200Ws 2.4G Flash Strobe. This light is relatively lightweight, so it’s easy to move about and has a maximum power output of 200W, which is fine for product photography.

If you’re after something more powerful, the PixaPro Lumi 400 II 400Ws studio flash light is a great option and costs only £155 per light. You can also buy kits from PixaPro that come with lights and accessories and have been designed with the budget studio photographer in mind. 

Finally, the Neewer S101-400W Pro Studio Monolight Strobe Flash has also been made for those on a budget, and you can pick up this model for £142. 

Good luck with your venture!

How to run two businesses

We talked to Chantal Macleod-Holdsworth about how she is balancing photography and dog-walking…

Tell us about yourself and how you got to where you are today. 

I was born and raised in Germany but moved to Scotland in July 2005, when I was 23. For the first eight years, I worked in hotels, but my health kept declining due to an autoimmune illness. I couldn’t handle the hours and stress of hospitality anymore, and I was really unwell. 

I left the hotel scene in around 2012, and a friend offered me a part-time job in her grooming salon. It wasn’t really for me but it just reminded me how much I love dogs and with that, Chantal’s Walkabout, my wee dog-walking business was born. At the same time, I took in my dog Jack, who I credit for the person I am today, and his sister, Kalli, came along in 2013. Sadly we lost her in 2020. She was a rescue dog and taught me more than I could have imagined.

At the start, I just wanted better photos of the dogs, so I dragged the Nikon D60 my dad had gifted me a couple of years before out of the cupboard and a new obsession was born. I used my own dogs as well as my dog-walking clients as practice, and Jack and I especially have a close bond because of it but I never thought it would go any further than that. In 2014, I started taking on paying clients and the rest, as they say, is history. Now I enjoy photographing dogs, horses and sometimes even families!

How do you split your time between your photography and your dog-walking business? 

The dog-walking business sort of runs itself now. I’m a solo dog walker, which means, for the most part, I only take one owner’s dog (or dogs) at a time. I’ve been going with that for 11 years and spaces are few and far between. Changes don’t happen often, and I don’t have to advertise and all that jazz, which makes it easier to allocate more time to my photography business, CMH Photo.

Would you like to go full-time with your photography business or are you happy with your setup as it is?

The photography business is where I have loads of room to grow, but I’m doing it at my own pace. It’s so much more work intensive with behind-the-scenes stuff, editing, the website and social media, so I am mostly keeping to one or two shoots per week. In the long run, I hope to phase out the dog walking slowly and eventually just do the photography.

Do you ever find it overwhelming running two businesses?

Loads of people ask whether being self-employed is stressful and, sure, it has its moments! But it’s my stress and I can take on as much or as little work as I like.

What advice would you give to anyone else wanting to work as a part-time photographer alongside their other work?  

The best tip I can give anyone who is considering being a part-time photographer is to just go for it! Try not to overstretch yourself though, and don’t compare your progress to anyone else.

If you're looking at going pro, take a look at the best professional cameras. For glass, the best standard zoom lenses are a good place to start! 

‘Oh you’re a photographer? We’d love to have you over for our party’. I hate that I’m often invited to events with the condition that I bring my camera. You know, maybe I’d like to just be there and have fun like everyone else. I hate getting up early in the morning, especially in summer just to catch the morning light. Or worse having to stay up really late to catch The Milky Way, knowing I have a two-hour drive back. Yawning the whole of the next day. Grinds my gears.

It’s even worse when it comes to my other hobbies. I can watch my friends swimming or diving at our local tower, taking pictures and making memories. Or I could just be swimming or diving myself, living the moments. Of course, there’s no one to capture me doing these things, so I’m forced to spend even more money figuring out ways I can do both at the same time. Spare me, please. 

Speaking of money, I really should’ve found a nice easy hobby like the tin whistle or doing Rubik's cubes. Inexpensive hobbies. Not like the $20,000+ I’ve spent on new cameras every year or other years, lenses, and lights too. Let’s not mention the time I went to a whole new camera system. Seriously, what was I thinking about when I decided to become a photographer? Golf would’ve been cheaper. 

And then having to edit? I thought photography was supposed to be fun. All that time spent in front of the computer when I could be relaxing, watching TV or spending time with my family. All that time learning Photoshop and Lightroom, or even forking out for plugins so I can spend less time there. Honestly, I really hate being a photographer. 

Ah, I remember COVID – the pandemic that saw us wearing masks, sitting at home with "un" loved ones, walking the dog while taking the fear of death in our stride, or trying to pass the time with new hobbies (some of which have turned into full-scale habits). I refuse to mention my sim racing habit and the money (I don’t have) that I spent on it. Whoops.

The impact of the socially distancing flu was immeasurable. Production seemed to stop on just about everything, and no marketing money was being spent either. Well, that was true for a while, until marketing and the challenge of working from home seemed to figure out how to get work done.

What changed for the photographer was that large projects seemed to dry up. Shipping a photographer by plane from point A to B became more difficult, and the cost of any production was higher (assuming someone was willing to come into contact with other people at all). Moreover, the restrictions on some businesses opening to support production were also a massive hurdle to overcome.

Marketing departments then figured out that they could hire local (cheaper) photographers to do the job, and said photographers were more willing to take the risks. Branding went "local", so to speak. Budgets that were tight then became a bit more fluid and, as time went by, the benefit of going local seemed to help the budgets go further than before. Why pay one photographer when you can get two and generate twice as much, with less? Productions went from large to micro.

COVID is now being lived with, we understand its impact, and time has moved on. Marketing departments have moved on and learned, too, and carried on in the direction of hiring locals to do the work they otherwise would have used a conventional process for pre-COVID. So much so that my favorite studio in Brooklyn closed down, as it just couldn't maintain the costs and loss of income, and it’s not alone. Many of my peers have struggled to keep their commercial businesses going. A few have thrived, of course, as they have been in the right place to benefit from the "local" effect.

As the photography and content industry seems to be divided, with the haves and have-nots, the script is getting flipped with those working and making money, but the income is nowhere near pre-pandemic levels. I understand that things changed, but the industry does seem to race to the bottom on price in nearly every genre and sector – and if the locals think they are doing great, well, yes they are, but they are also being exploited.

I do wish there was some kind of regulation for the photography industry, a governing body if you will. Almost like a kind of trade licensing program that helps protect the industry as a whole. Maybe that's overkill, and who wants more red tape? I think I would welcome it.

Take a look at the best professional cameras, and the best photography lighting kits.

A blog now seems like a standard feature of most creatives’ websites. However, back in around 2010, a blog page was seen as essential if you wanted to portray yourself as a successful photographer. In the pre-Instagram world, come rain or shine, tapping out a few hundred words after every shoot became a staple of the content creator’s day. 

Writing isn’t everybody’s favorite task, however, and for many visual artists, it soon became a chore. On top of this, many photographers began writing a blog without any real direction or purpose, choosing to do it simply because everyone else was doing one. Running a blog is no easy feat, so it is important that if you do choose to set one up it represents a profitable use of your time. 

Today, social media is all about rapid output and continuous turnover. If you’re used to running an Instagram account, the pace of maintaining a successful photo blog can take some adjustment. It’s less about the quantity of content and far more focused on quality and depth. Posts must contain a significant text component and balance the impact of the featured images.

Here, we have some advice on how often you should post, the type of content that works best for blogging and how targeting your content towards the right audience can help further your photoshoot bookings.

Pick your platform

While the choice of photo-sharing social media is somewhat limited to Instagram and perhaps some of the up-and-coming players like Vero and Clickasnap, there are a plethora of blog-hosting websites. The main website builders, including Zenfolio, Wix and Squarespace, all provide blogging features. 

The advantages of hosting your blog on your main photo website are that you can more easily link to photos in your galleries and share content between pages, without leaving the site. Having a ‘Blog’ tab in the menu of your site also means visitors don’t have to navigate away from it to an external location, interrupting their browsing journey. 

Ultimately, you want them to spend as much time as possible on the site through which you sell or promote most of your work. Other sites such as Blogger  and WordPress  are popular choices if you don’t already have a dedicated photo website.

Tone of voice 

Much like your photographic style, the way you write will also resonate with your audience. People will return to a blog if the tone of voice is appealing to them and, importantly, is consistent. 

Make sure you start writing in a way that reflects your personality. This might seem counter-intuitive, especially if you’re a person who has strong opinions or likes joking around, as the temptation will be to present a false sense of professional formality, but whether readers are looking to do business with you or simply enjoy your content with a coffee at the weekend, they will form an impression of who you are. It’s no good pretending to be formal and quiet if this isn’t you, as it will be disorientating for anyone who might eventually meet or work with you in person.

Text and image balance

You more than likely think of yourself as a photographer before a writer and that’s absolutely fine. It’s for this reason that getting the proportions of text and image content on your blog correct is critical. People visit a photo blog because they want to see great images, but also to learn the story behind them and get a glimpse into the photographer’s world. 

If you’ve shot them correctly, your images should speak for themselves so don’t waste words describing everything about them. Provide alternatives to those featured in your main galleries – perhaps others from the same shoot – ensure they are of a high quality and then provide a narrative into how and why you shot them. Start with around 500 to 800 words, pushing this up to 1,500 for longer, less frequent posts about big shoots and travel experiences. This gives your images room to breathe while showing Google you have authority, improving your SEO.

Tag your content

Just like you do when uploading images to Instagram and other photo-sharing apps, tagging is vitally important if you want the maximum number of people possible to see your content. Most blog builders provide fields to populate with keywords, so make sure you fill these out before publishing your posts. It’s just as vital to keep tags relevant to the content on the page, so scan through your text when proofreading it to pick out the main themes and standout subjects. 

If you’re writing about a specific camera model or brand, or a particular genre of photography, use these as keywords. Pick the main topic as a primary keyword, ensuring it appears two or three times throughout the post, and make a list of as many secondary keywords as you feel comfortably describe the narrative of the text.

Point to other content 

Your blog has to work for you and your business if you have one, so its main function should be to redirect viewers to places where they can view your images, buy prints and book shoots. If you’re writing about landscape photography at a certain location, link to a post about the last time you were there. If you’re finally travelling to a bucket list destination, write a ‘hub’ post about where you’d like to go and link to this every time you tick one off. 

In a post about how well a shoot went, link to a page on your website where viewers can buy featured images or book a similar type of shoot. Don’t forget to link to external locations too, such as a post on a camera brand’s website or another photographer whose work you admire and who has visited the same location.

Making some extra money from your hobby is a brilliant feeling. Fortunately for photographers, there's no shortage of potential clients willing to pay for your photography services, from shooting weddings for happy couples to interior architecture for realtors or product photography to video drone services.

The good news is you can pick up a lot of these jobs in your free time around your full-time working hours. The latest mirrorless cameras and optics can cost thousands of pounds, so using your spare time to earn some extra cash is a smart way to fund your next upgrade or photography trip.

It’s good to have a goal in mind. Are you happy with just picking up the odd freelance job on the side, or would you rather build up your experience and client lists so that you can eventually take your photography business full-time? It’s also not a bad idea to let your employer know about your photography, as many businesses need marketing materials, headshots or product photography – so your company may even be able to give you your first freelance job.

Even if you’re only applying yourself to it in your spare time, setting up a photography business can still be daunting. You will still need to make sure that everything is all above board when it comes to balancing your books and accounting. You’ll also need to be careful of working too hard, and making sure you regularly take a well-deserved break. In this article, we’ll cover some of the most important aspects to consider.

Keeping busy

Having a full-time job will provide you with a regular salary, enabling you to pick up some photography projects on the side. How much you work in your spare time is completely up to you, whether it’s a wedding once a month or studio photography sessions every weekend. 

Be sure to spread the word around your workplace and colleagues: friends and family are likely to be your first clients when you’re first starting out. Word of mouth is an effective and low-cost way to pick up jobs, though if you need more work it’s worth considering marketing options such as advertising on social media. Make sure you have a professional website and Instagram displaying your best work, rates and contact information so customers can book you.

Part-time hours

Depending on how proactive you’ve been with your photography business, you may find that you have more clients approaching you with work than you’re able to fulfill in your spare time – which is certainly a nice problem to have. And hopefully, your photography business is more enjoyable (and more lucrative) than your full-time day job. 

These are two great reasons to consider dropping your full-time hours to take on more photography jobs and build your photography business. Going part-time is a great way of still ensuring a guaranteed monthly paycheck and even pension contributions from your employer, while enabling you to build up the confidence and client contacts required to dive fully into self-employment one day.

Conflicting schedules

One of the biggest drawbacks you’ll face from a photography side-hustle is that you’ll be limited to doing shoots in your free time. If you work a regular nine-to-five job, that will usually mean just evenings and weekends – which can be frustrating.
If a photography job pops up that doesn’t fall in your usual spare time, you might occasionally need to use up some of your annual leave. 

You’ll also have your family commitments to consider, such as caring for children or pets, which can sometimes be a balancing act. Your best bet is to be upfront and let your clients know what days you are and aren’t free, so that you’re not forced to make such a decision.

Keep on top of your books

Keep on top of your books with a spreadsheet that shows all your income and outgoings, and keep receipts of all your expenses so that you’re ready for your annual tax return. It also helps to have a well-organized invoicing system. 

In the UK, if you aren’t already, you’ll need to register for a Self-Assessment tax return (see the www.gov.uk website). You’ll need to keep track of how much you earned from your full-time employment as well as your income and outgoings from your photography business, in order to calculate how much income tax and National Insurance contributions you need to make. You may even get money sent back to you if you’ve paid too much.

Working part-time, it’s unlikely that you’ll hit the £85,000 (taxable turnover) threshold at which your business would need to become VAT-registered – though it’s worth keeping in mind if you were to take your business full-time. If you’re in any doubt, it’s always worth paying for an accountant for professional advice: a good accountant will pay for themselves by finding savings across your business.

Don’t burn yourself out

If you’re known as the photographer among friends and family, it can feel awkward charging a fee. But remember that all your camera kit, hard drives, memory cards, insurance and other costs don’t come cheap – and that’s before factoring in your skill, experience and personal time.

In the early days, it’s okay to charge "mate’s rates" if it helps you build up your confidence and put together a portfolio, but you’ll want to start charging your full worth as soon as possible. Working overtime and not charging for it is a surefire way to burn yourself out. 

It’s also vital to book in some R&R days and family time. Put days off in your calendar and stick to them – you need to be well-rested to perform at your top level. Use photography as a tool to relax, too; if you’re shooting high-pressure weddings as your side-hustle, try going out with your camera to take landscapes and unwind in nature.

Catch up on our career features

Digital Photographer magazine has regular features on professional photography and navigating the business side. Get your back issues here.

If you're going to shoot professionally, you might be interested in the best professional cameras – along with the best cameras for wedding photography and the best cameras for portraits. 

Denise Maxwell returns to the NEC in Birmingham 16 and 17 March to give talks at The Photography & Video Show about how to make money from photography and photographing big events. 

A regular visitor to the show, first as a punter and then as a speaker, Maxwell has enjoyed a successful and rewarding photographic journey. 

Focusing on more than one genre, Maxwell just loves taking photos – and inspiring and teaching others to do the same. 

And she will appear at the Show with a new title – she was recently awarded a Doctor of Arts by the University of Wolverhampton. 

We sat down with Maxwell to discover more about 
her career to date, and to get a taste of her upcoming speaking engagements in March. 

• Standard entry tickets to The Photography & Video Show 2024 start from £14.95 and are valid for any one day of the event; students and professionals can get in for free. To save 20% on your tickets use the code DCWTPS24 before March 14 -  Click here to buy your tickets

See Denise Maxwell at The Photography Show 2024 

• ‘How DO you make money from photography?’ with Dr Denise Maxwell takes place at The Photography & Video Show on 16 and 17 March at 11.50am. 

Tickets cost £10 per person, and are on sale now on the show website. 

• ‘Event photography: Mastering big events through the lens‘ with Dr Denise Maxwell takes place on the Behind the Lens stage on 16 March at 2.15pm. This talk is free. 

Standard entry tickets to The Photography & Video Show 2024 start from £14.95 and are valid for any one day of the event. Click here to buy your tickets. To save 20% on your ticket use the code DCWTPS24 before March 14

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This interview appears in the February 2024 issue of Digital Camera magazine, on sale from 1 March. Click the link below to see our latest special subscription deal!

You can buy limited back issues of Digital Camera magazine in print at our Magazines Direct secure store.

Alternatively, there is a range of different digital options available, including:

• Apple app (for iPad or iPhone)
• Zinio app (multi-platform app for desktop or smartphone)
• PocketMags (multi-platform app for desktop or smartphone)
• Readly (digital magazine subscription service)

This week, yet another online retailer has used AI fashion models instead of using real ones to show off their products on many body types. Has this kind of shift in visuals caused an entire generation to think, "Hmm… screw that photography lark"? And honestly, who would blame them? 

When even a major brand is not even going to bother paying anyone to get the content they need – just type it into an AI machine and, hey presto, marketing materials are ready – are we seeing this as a big hurdle in the eyes of someone looking to start a career in commercial photography? 

Traditionally as a photographer, everything content-wise was printed and bought in shops in the high street. Finding work was harder, too; we didn't have an online gallery or a LinkedIn page to send anyone via email. We worked very hard to get anything out of the photography industry, no matter which genre we worked in. 

Fast-forward and there are more marketing opportunities available than ever before. Marketing has certainly become more sophisticated, and thus so has finding work, but it's also easier to apply. LinkedIn, Indeed, Mandy – there are so many places to sit in your shorts at home and apply for jobs, if working for "the man" is your thing. 

So where is Gen Z? I have certainly seen Millennials turn up in the photography trade. Some have been very successful, riding the wave of Instagram and TikTok as they have blown up. Gen Z has a fantastic array of tools and places to market and look for work, but still – nobody seems to be showing up. Why?

I do wonder if this is a question of finances, or maybe an industry that is way less "sticky" than before. Photography as a career choice might be even more dulled by the amount of people doing it (or at least claiming to be) and of course, there's the AI elephant in the room. 

The cost of marketing has increased, and traditional advertising has been a much lower bar to jump over, but the level of effort required to get eyes on your work takes some serious heavy lifting. Does that mean Gen Z sees this as too much hard work? The juice not worth the squeeze, if you will? It seems to me that the level of difficulty is the same, but we had and have different challenges. Maybe the juice was worth the squeeze back then, but now… 

If you are a member of the Gen Z gang and trying to get into the photography business, what's the biggest hurdle you're struggling with? From an old Gen Xer, you seem to have so many opportunities open. 

If you still want to give the commercial world a go, take a look at the best professional cameras and the best cameras for product photography.

A groundbreaking new partnership between Trunk Archive and Art Partner offers an exceptional collection of imagery featuring some of the most recognizable images of the last thirty years. 

World-renowned creative agency Art Partner holds some of the most in-demand photographers in its roster and works with some of the planet's biggest brands and publications. They represent photographers such as Lachlan Bailey, Mario Sorrenti, and Tyler Mitchell, who between them have captured some of the most well-known faces of the modern day. 

• See our guide for the best camera for portraits

The partnership has created the 'Art Partner Collection' - a collection of images from Art Partner-represented photographers now available to license exclusively through Trunk Archive.

Trunk Archive states, "This partnership opens up a rich assortment of imagery perfect for special projects, luxury branding, editorial placements, and more".

Trunk Archive is a premier licensing agency that licenses images from photographers such as Annie Leibovitz, Helmut Newton, and Mary Ellen Mark and has a rich history and reputation for providing excellent content licensing services. The constantly growing archive contains millions of images that capture the past that 'push art and culture forward', and the Art Partner Collection will aid in doing just that.

Vice President of Art Partner, Candice Marks says, "Our collaboration with Trunk Archive pairs Art Partner's legacy of image making with Trunk Archive's outstanding track record in licensing”.

Over the past three decades, Art Partner has represented artists whose 'iconic campaigns and epic fashion stories have defined the culture of their times' which will provide the archive with an injection of contemporary talent to sit alongside established artists. An example of which being Tyler Mitchell's stunning shoot with Beyoncé pictured above. The resulting archive of images is unlike any other and features iconic portraits of notable actors, musicians, and models as well as memorable landscapes, still lives, and moving imagery.

"We are thrilled to welcome Art Partner and its roster of visionary artists to Trunk Archive. This collaboration reinforces our commitment to deliver unparalleled creative content to our clients" declares Liz Sands, Chairman and CEO of Great Bowery, whose brands include Trunk Archive.

As powerhouses in their respective fields, the collaboration between Trunk Archive and Art Partner will deliver the highest quality creative content coupled with an easy and efficient licensing service, enabling access to images taken by some of the world's leading contemporary talents.

There are a number of different platforms that provide photo-sharing capabilities. These include Instagram, Behance, and even Unsplash. Alongside these options, the past few years have seen a significant rise in companies not only offering portfolio upload functionality but also the ability to generate a fully functioning website and marketplace. SmugMug and Format are two of the most popular options. 

At its core, SmugMug delivers a quick and easy way to showcase and sell your photos online. This platform is designed primarily for photographers, something that is evidenced by the ability to upload unlimited photos as well as sync photo libraries with Lightroom. The addition of a marketplace means photographers can easily link with printers to sell their work.

There is unfortunately no free version of SmugMug but the 14-day free trial gives you enough time to see if it'll deliver what you need. Our best website builders for photographers guide will help you compare and contrast all the big players in the market.

SmugMug: Who is it for?

SmugMug has video capabilities but it's better suited towards photographers. Gallery functionality takes centre stage with the website side of things coming secondary. This platform is a place to store and present photos with the additional option to sell your work. 

Very similar to Format, SmugMug lacks the extended functionality that the likes of Squarespace and Wix offer. It is possible to go beyond photo galleries with tools to create customized pages but these tools are not particularly intuitive or enjoyable to use. Anyone wanting to go beyond creating galleries and selling prints would be better off with something like Squarespace. 

SmugMug: Price

The most basic package is $18 per month and offers unlimited storage and easy-to-share galleries with professional photography website tools. If you want to make money by selling prints and digital copies of your work then you'll need the portfolio package. This jumps up to $37 per month and makes it more expensive than the equivalent Format package. 

SmugMug: Key Features

SmugMug offers all the basic functionality that you would expect from a portfolio builder. It is possible to upload photos, videos and generate web pages that contain both text and gallery content. 

Storage - One of SmugMug's biggest selling points is its unlimited storage. I'm forever running out of space with Google Photos and it's annoying to either have to upgrade or delete old photos. I won't have any of those issues with this storage solution. The uploads are also original quality so no compression takes place. Links with popular applications such as Lightroom make this builder easy to slot into existing photography workflows.

Sharing - With your photos uploaded it is now possible to create galleries and present them using four different layout types. I really would like to have seen more layout options but unfortunately it's limited to four of the most basic options.

Sales - After your photos are ready to go, users can use SmugMug's sales tools to connect with printers and deliver physical prints of their work. Photographers wanting to make money from their work will find all the tools they need to do so. 

App - Creatives wanting a mobile workflow will enjoy the SmugMug app. Mobile photography is becoming increasingly popular amongst professionals and having an app to meet the demands of displaying, sharing and protecting photos is important.

SmugMug: Design & Ease of Use

It's fairly easy to get started with SmugMug. Account opening is a breeze with package features easy to differentiate. Answering a few initial questions related to what I wanted to achieve set me on the right path. A specific theme was picked but unfortunately, I couldn't find out how to change this afterwards. I was able to adjust individual colors and fonts but couldn't change the overall theme all at once. 

There are also less than ten themes available, which is very limiting for a portfolio website builder. By way of comparison, Format offers over 75 different themes and they're easy to change at any time. The same is true for Squarespace.

Having difficulty finding settings and knowing that the expected workflow wasn't isolated to just the theme. I found myself regularly stuck or unable to find the part of the builder that I needed for specific tasks. It wasn't possible to upload images or videos at the point of creating content blocks but instead, they had to be added to a gallery first. These workflow limitations made for a really frustrating creation process.

Adding individual content blocks to pages wasn't too tricky but the clunky interface meant it was far from enjoyable. 

SmugMug: Results

Even though it was really hard work to create my portfolio, my final website was relatively pleasing. My photos were nicely displayed and the slideshow feature made for a great full-screen experience. Commenting and sharing functionality extends the capabilities of this portfolio builder and demonstrates what it’s all about. The lack of intuitive website creation tools really let SmugMug down but for those wanting just to display and sell their work, there's unlikely to be many complaints.

SmugMug Alternatives

SmugMug's main competitor will be Format. Its closest rival is considerably cheaper and provides a much nicer interface for building the website. Squarespace and Wix are far more comprehensive in terms of tools but are less specifically catered to photographers.

Most photographers and videographers want to share their work publicly. They want their work displayed in full resolution, with no compression, and with options over how those images are presented. Portfolio builders like Format and SmugMug are great for that. But some creatives want to go that step further, they want a fully-fledged website that goes beyond just displaying and selling work. This is where Weebly and Squarespace come into their own, providing comprehensive website editing tools for almost all use cases. Our best website builders for photographers guide rounds up all our favorites into one buying guide.

Weebly's free version is a great option for photographers wanting to quickly get their work online. It does have a storage limit of 500MB though and there's no option for a custom domain. The premium version gives a much wider range of tools and enables creatives to create any type of website they want. 

Weebly is well placed from a cost perspective, being one of the cheapest options available. Its professional package also offers unlimited storage which is perfect for creatives who don't want to be limited by storage caps.

Weebly: Who is it for?

Weebly is for everyone. It has a wide range of website editing, eCommerce, and marketing tools that make it a dream for any creative wanting a huge amount of flexibility and control over what their website looks like. 

This 'catch-all' solution does mean that the platform and interface are not specifically targeted or tailored towards photographers and videographers. Don't get me wrong, it is certainly possible to present your work in a beautiful way and to sell that work if you wish, but Weebly goes well beyond that. 

Some creatives might therefore find that they're getting a tonne of features that they're never going to need. Photographers who want a more traditional website gallery would be best off looking at Format or SmugMug.

Weebly: Price

Weebly offers four packages that cover everyone's needs. The free version limits storage and has no custom domain functionality but is a great option for getting up and running quickly. Most creatives will want the Professional package which comes in at $10 / £9 per month (paying annually). This gives unlimited storage, a custom domain option, and fantastic eCommerce tools. It's hard to beat Weebly when it comes to price. 

Weebly: Key Features

Weebly is very similar to almost all other website builders in the fact that it offers a simple drag-and-drop content-building interface. This makes it very intuitive and user-friendly where pages can be created and edited without any technical website knowledge. This is ideal for teams or for those who are great at photography but not great at website design. 

Photo galleries - Photos can be presented in six different layouts including a grid, slideshow, and mosaic. The background color of galleries can also be adjusted to really make photos pop. Creatives can rest assured that their work is going to look great in both desktop and mobile versions.

eCommerce - Photographers who want to go beyond presenting their work and selling it will find a whole host of advanced and extensive eCommerce tools. Storefront options look great for showcasing products and the back end makes managing orders an absolute breeze. For those who really want to push the boundaries of their marketplace, Weebly gives users the ability to identify abandoned baskets and handle vouchers.

Marketing - Another substantial feature of Weebly is its marketing tools. This largely centers around email marketing tools such as those found in MailChimp or Moosend. This is a great option for targeting those who have purchased prints from you in the past.

Weebly: Design & Ease of Use

Other than maybe Squarespace, it will be almost impossible to find a website builder that is easier to use than Weebly. Considering how comprehensive and far-reaching the tools are, the design team has done a fantastic job of collating tools and displaying them in the interface, giving users only what is required at that point in time. This made for a very enjoyable creation process. 

All the icons and fonts are clear and easy to use with the white background giving absolute focus to your website design. I found SmugMug's dark interface particularly challenging and much prefer the clean design principles followed by Weebly.

Weebly offers a wide range of different themes which makes it less likely that your website is going to look the same as another's. Once a theme has been chosen it is then possible to very quickly update the site style so that fonts, colors, and styles all match in beautiful harmony. Weebly take out all the guesswork here and provide the options you need. Every element of the site including buttons, text formatting, and icons can be adjusted with the properties panel.

Outside of the website builder, things become a little bit more complicated because Weebly has to accommodate every single service that it offers. It does this pretty well with a range of dropdowns and sections but these are a little unwieldy, especially for the uninitiated.

Weebly: Results

Weebly was an absolute pleasure to work with. The interface is intuitive and easy to use with a wide range of tools to match. The comprehensive set of themes and site styles means there's no limit to what you can create with this platform. I really liked the website that I created and found the builder remarkably easy to use. And with all the packages at such affordable prices, it is hard to find a better option for creatives to display their work.

Weebly Alternatives

Weebly is an extensive website builder that is comparable with both Squarespace and Wix. Format and SmugMug offer similar image gallery capabilities but fall far short on general website building capabilities.