The Truth about Photography YouTubers: Are They Actually Good?

I’m sure you follow a lot of YouTubers and learn photography from them – I do too. But Justin Mott shares an important reminder: just because someone is a popular YouTuber, that often doesn’t mean they’re a great photographer. In his recent video, he breaks it down… And rants a bit about it, although with some good points.

The problem with photography YouTubers

With photography YouTubers, their videos are engaging and well-produced, but their actual photography might not be as strong as it seems. And if you’re learning from them, you could be picking up bad habits without realizing it.

Many YouTube photographers focus more on making great content than on taking great photos. Their videos are beautifully shot, but when they break down their own work, the images often lack strong lighting, storytelling, or emotion. Despite this, their audience eats it up—because the videos look polished and professional.

The reality is, if someone spends an hour filming a video but only a few minutes taking a photo, the result is predictable: the video will be great, but the photography will suffer. And if you’re following their process, you might end up focusing more on style than substance.

How to choose who to learn from

So, how do you know which of your favorite YouTubers is also a great photographer? The easiest way to tell is by looking at their portfolio. Visit their website, study their images, and compare them to other photographers. Do their photos make you want to shoot like them? If so, great. If not, keep searching for those that inspire you more.

Of course, this isn’t to say you should stop watching photography YouTubers. Many of them are talented at what they do, and their content can still be fun and inspiring. After all, their videos are entertaining and you can look up to them if you’re trying to build a career as a YouTuber yourself. But it’s important to recognize the difference between a good photographer and a good content creator.

Truly great photography takes time, patience, and focus—things that don’t always translate well into YouTube-friendly content. Some YouTubers are talented photographers, but their videos might not reflect the reality of how strong images are actually made.

So, if you want to improve as a photographer, be selective about who you learn from. Don’t just follow the biggest channels or the most entertaining personalities—look at the actual work behind the videos. Study great photography, think critically, and go out and shoot to push yourself to grow.

About Justin

Justin Mott is a photographer based in Vietnam. You’ll find his photography portfolio here, and if you need photography tips and online coaching, Justin provides them here. 

[Most Photography YouTubers Are Bad Photographers – A Leica Photographer Rants | Justin Mott]

---