What No One Tells You About Turning Pro in Photography

We often picture photography as a dream career filled with travel, creativity, and constant exciting work. But like most things we only see from afar, the reality is usually far more complex and less glamorous.

In this video, Justin Mott shares something you don’t often hear in photography circles. He shares the honest, unfiltered reality of what it’s actually like to be a professional photographer. It’s a refreshing look behind the curtain, and honestly, it’s something every aspiring photographer should hear.

The Gap Between Perception And Reality

Justin starts by calling out a common assumption. When people see wildlife images, magazine features, or travel shoots, they often assume those projects are well-paid and glamorous. However, according to Justin, that assumption is completely wrong most of the time.

The projects that look the most exciting, be it personal photo books, exhibitions, or long-term projects, often make little to no money. Sometimes they even lose money, yet you rarely see anyone talking about that side of things online.

Instead, social media tends to highlight only the best moments, while the reality of long hours, low pay, or unpaid work usually stays hidden because it’s not as appealing.

Even At The Top, It’s Still A Hustle

Justin makes an important point here. He explains that he’s been fortunate to build a strong, consistent career over decades. He’s worked across photojournalism, commercial work, and editorial assignments. I’d add that it wasn’t just fortune or luck, it’s his hard work and being good at what he does. Still, even at that level, it’s still a hustle.

He knows many photographers who land one great-paying job and then go months without anything similar, which shows how common inconsistency really is in this field. It’s one of the aspects of going pro that probably scares me most – the lack of certainty and stability even if I reached a high level of skill and reputation. Even a successful career in photography doesn’t mean stability or ease.

The Truth Behind “Dream Assignments”

Some of Justin’s stories highlight how different reality can be from expectations. For instance, he was sent on a luxury cruise for a food magazine, only to discover that the story didn’t work once he arrived. It left him stuck without anything meaningful to photograph. This reminded me of myself photographing my niece’s christening. I hoped for a peaceful event the baby would sleep through, just as her older brother did a few years before. However, the poor thing cried her lungs out throughout the entire ceremony. Not only did I not have any serene moments to photograph, but we all ended up being nervous and overstimulated, with me crying along with the baby. Pure nightmare.

These experiences show that even assignments you look forward too can quickly turn into something completely different.

Building A Career Means Doing Everything

Early in his career, Justin explains that he had to piece together different types of work just to make a living. He shot weddings, editorial assignments, and commercial projects at the same time, and each of those played a different role in building his career.

I’d add that, especially early in your career, you likely have to be your own manager, accountant, social media manager, web designer and whatnot.

Where The Money Actually Comes From

One of the most eye-opening parts of the video is Justin’s explanation of where income really comes from in photography. He says that the highest-paying work usually comes from commercial photography, including advertising campaigns and brand projects, but those opportunities are highly competitive and limited.

Landing those jobs often depends just as much on relationships and timing as it does on skill, and even when you secure a great client, there’s no guarantee they’ll stick around long-term. Once again we get to the financial stability, which ends up being much harder than it might seem from the outside.

The Not-So-Glamorous Side Of “Luxury” Work

Justin also breaks down what photographing luxury hotels actually looks like in practice. While people imagine beautiful locations and relaxed shoots, the reality is much more technical and repetitive. It involves long hours of carefully lighting rooms, shooting empty spaces, and capturing multiple angles with precision. It’s a process that requires patience and attention to detail far more than it does chasing “perfect moments.”

A Career Full Of Contrasts

One of the most interesting parts of Justin’s experience is how varied the work can be. In a short period, he moves from high-paying hotel shoots to low-paid conservation stories, then to corporate portraits and commercial productions, showing just how unpredictable and diverse the career can be. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I think it makes things exciting. But it’s also something I don’t think people talk about too much.

Adapting Beyond Photography

As his career evolves, Justin says he has found ways to adapt and stay productive during slower periods. He also teaches, creates YouTube content, runs workshops, and writes, even though none of this was part of his original plan.

Having these additional outlets is an important part of both staying creative and interested, but also maintaining financial stability when you don’t have any photo projects or shoots.

Why It’s Still Worth It

All of this might frighten you and perhaps even make you second-guess your decision to turn pro. But I don’t think it should. This is just a reality check, something to prepare you for all the sides of this job, not the imagined, romanticized ones. Every decision in life has its perks and downsides, and so does becoming a professional photographer.

While these are some of the downsides Justin has shared, he says photography has given him an incredible life. It’s been filled with meaningful experiences, creative challenges, and the freedom to build a career around something he loves. I believe that all of it makes photography worth it, and if you’re truly passionate about it, I’m sure you can successfully deal with everything this industry throws at you!

[The Truth About Being a Professional Photographer (No One Talks About This) via FStoppers]

---