I commented on a previous video a week ago that I first watched your Hasselblad X1D video but started to follow you because I appreciated your attitude. And you warned me of this upcoming video. But I loved it. This is the attitude you have that I appreciate. Keeping it real. But. Even though I'm not the complainer that you refer to. I am the guy who is not putting in the work that you refer to. I'm not going anywhere. And I'm not as good as I should be. But I don't complain because I know it's because I'm not putting in the work. Years ago. When I ran. And years before that when I played trumpet. I got to where I got to because I put in more work than anybody else. As an introvert. It's really easy to just get up every morning earlier than everybody else and go run. And it's really easy to sit in a chair in front of a book. And practice the same measures over and over. But this photography thing. Going out and talking to people and getting work is just not anywhere near my wheelhouse. This video makes me realize that I really need to think about what I want to do with my photography and not just decide to work hard but figure out what hard work I need to do to get where I need to be. It's one thing to be a hobby photographer and go out and photograph people in running races and people at car shows because. There's no appointments. There's no contracts. There's no billing. But I also don't get a phone call from the college down the street asking me to come and do a portrait photograph of the new president.
Absolutely! Moving from marketing photography as a side hustle to a full time gig now. Cold calls and outreach for jobs pay dividends even if they say no right now. This video is what a lot of us need to hear right now, thank you!
Honestly, this is the best advice any photographer could ever get. I've been a professional photographer for 17years, and this is ABSOLUTELY TRUE. Im am also guilty of not working hard enough. Keep shooting guys, work harder, perfect your skills, and pay attention to what Justin is saying. Thanks Justin!
Nice to see the slightly less frenetic pace and boy do all aspiring photographers need to watch this cos it might be hard for them to hear but it's absolutely spot on. Great stuff and you deserve all the work you get. Keep it up. My only question is: why did you choose Vietnam to start carving out your career ? Seems an odd choice....Have fun...
Great advice. I’ve been a working photographer and cinematographer for almost 20 years and it has been a journey for sure. I’d recommend reading the War of Art to any aspiring creative. 🙏
Laying down the truths! Thanks for that. I think the most difficult period, or at least what seems like the highest hurdle, is when you have no assignments at all and nobody cares much about the work you do to keep learning and building your portfolio. And that period can be YEARS, like you say in the video. Not 2-3 years, but longer. It can get discouraging, and takes a heavy toll on your self-confidence, not to mention your finances.
Thanks Yomismo, yeah, I feel like people give up early because they aren’t getting a Nat Geo assignment their first year or not getting that big commercial client right away, takes time and patience.
As a person willing to make a career In documentary & wedding photography: thanks for this honest video. Sometimes, the best advices are the tough ones, the ones that resonate in your head for the next weeks or months, and make a real impact. That’s what I feel with your video, and I’m pretty sure my next week of work will be different thanks to this. So thank you a lot.
My pleasure, thanks for watching and taking the time to comment, means a lot to me. Was a bit worried I'd come up off too harsh for this episode but I was just hoping to motivate some people out there who might be struggling as I see too many photographers quite for the wrong reasons.
You should still waste your time watching me William, hope that was clear :). Thanks man, hope I didn't come off too harsh, just wanted to motivate people.
@@AskMOTT LOL no it was perfect timing actually. I'm not trying to be a pro photographer actually but your vid made me realize I need to get on some other work I've been procrastinating on. I'm going to save it to give me a kick in the pants every now and then.
Yo Justin enjoying your vids. You are a natural UA-camr. Im ex Vietnam we've spoken before. Now in Malaysia but keep at it. Im watching from across the water. Yes Im a veteran but you are very good at articulating the 'grind'. Keep at it. You soon just great.
After this video I don't think they are your friends anymore, lol! I do photography for fun and relaxation but this video could be for anything in life you strive for.
True statements, you have to put in the leg work and get out there. Good advice for any discipline or vision. Are the Independent Photographer monthly contests just money grabs or are they legit ?
100% Couldn't agree more. I don't really believe in 'talent'. I think people who become passionate about something (photography, songwriting, cooking/chef'ing) enjoy working 12 to 16 hour days to get something right. The people who assume they don't have the talent, were actually just working 9 to 5 days.
Yeah this is only half true and goes back to this hustle culture bullshit. Luck plays a huge role in how I got a lot of the assignments I got and ultimately how I put a roof over my head and food on the table. Being at the right place and right time, getting to know the right people, etc. pushed me ahead of people who have been hustling HARD for twice as long as I'd even known how to take a photo.
@@AskMOTT I'm just glad I didn't have to take the path that many of my cohorts had to take to survive--which is to do seminars/workshops and personal mentoring to make a couple extra bucks.
Stephen Leacock said, "Funny thing about my luck, the harder I work the better it seems to get." How do you get to the Paramount? Practice. The Jesuit motto of learning: Repititio, repitito, repititio. It ain't rocket surgery, baby. Too many do not understand this. You do.
Two criticisms: 1. you said no one gave you anything to help you in your career, which, ok good for you. But you totally skipped over the importance of mentors and networking, which is massive in any industry. Even if it wasn’t how YOU got there, you are setting people up to bang their heads against the wall when they are working their ass off but still seeing no results. Not everyone has the capacity, drive, or talent to just work harder, and lots of people are not cutthroat enough to literally wrest away work from fellow photographers in a competitive environment. 2. Even if you bootstrapped your way along, you had enough of an upbringing to have the thirst for success and to be able to see the avenues to create success with minimal barriers to your decisions. Not everyone can just move to Vietnam. People got wrap sheets and kids or ailing parents or siblings with disabilities or a needy fucking cat. It is privilege if you could get a job to pay for college. That means you came up at a time and place when college and housing and a trip to the grocery store was more affordable. Don’t be a boomer in a motivational speech. Even if the kids on your lawn really are lazy, it’s no way to inspire. Otherwise yeah, I agree.
I didn’t have a proper mentor when I started and didn’t need one and while many people in this industry are cut throat and asses I found I also got by just fine without being like them. And you don’t need to move to Vietnam either, that’s just what I did. Sure, extreme cases like you mentioned but most people that I personally come across don’t make it for the reason I pointed out because they have an excuse mentality, doesn’t work, never will.
“If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me!” My everyday mantra.
Justin, great message & video. 🙏 Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Dan :), great mantra.
I commented on a previous video a week ago that I first watched your Hasselblad X1D video but started to follow you because I appreciated your attitude. And you warned me of this upcoming video. But I loved it. This is the attitude you have that I appreciate. Keeping it real. But. Even though I'm not the complainer that you refer to. I am the guy who is not putting in the work that you refer to. I'm not going anywhere. And I'm not as good as I should be. But I don't complain because I know it's because I'm not putting in the work. Years ago. When I ran. And years before that when I played trumpet. I got to where I got to because I put in more work than anybody else. As an introvert. It's really easy to just get up every morning earlier than everybody else and go run. And it's really easy to sit in a chair in front of a book. And practice the same measures over and over. But this photography thing. Going out and talking to people and getting work is just not anywhere near my wheelhouse. This video makes me realize that I really need to think about what I want to do with my photography and not just decide to work hard but figure out what hard work I need to do to get where I need to be. It's one thing to be a hobby photographer and go out and photograph people in running races and people at car shows because. There's no appointments. There's no contracts. There's no billing. But I also don't get a phone call from the college down the street asking me to come and do a portrait photograph of the new president.
Thanks Tim, we all complain from time to time but we need to out hustle the complaints :).
Absolutely! Moving from marketing photography as a side hustle to a full time gig now. Cold calls and outreach for jobs pay dividends even if they say no right now. This video is what a lot of us need to hear right now, thank you!
Honestly, this is the best advice any photographer could ever get. I've been a professional photographer for 17years, and this is ABSOLUTELY TRUE. Im am also guilty of not working hard enough. Keep shooting guys, work harder, perfect your skills, and pay attention to what Justin is saying. Thanks Justin!
Thank you!
You’re very welcome :)
Great advice Justin!! Couldn’t agree more!!
Thank you Joe :).
Nice to see the slightly less frenetic pace and boy do all aspiring photographers need to watch this cos it might be hard for them to hear but it's absolutely spot on. Great stuff and you deserve all the work you get. Keep it up. My only question is: why did you choose Vietnam to start carving out your career ? Seems an odd choice....Have fun...
Well said!
Excellent ! Your advices are cruelly right ……thanks
Thanks :).
Great advice. I’ve been a working photographer and cinematographer for almost 20 years and it has been a journey for sure. I’d recommend reading the War of Art to any aspiring creative. 🙏
Thank for the recommendation Alan.
Reminds me of the great advice from Yoda to Luke Skywalker:
"Do or do not. There is no try."
Thanks Justin. Be well.
First time I've been compared to Yoda, I'm honored Ken :).
Could be worse, eh?
Brutal honesty. I needed to hear that. I’m in the blame game. Guilty as charged!
Thanks Alan, hard not to complain but it doesn’t do us much good.
Laying down the truths! Thanks for that.
I think the most difficult period, or at least what seems like the highest hurdle, is when you have no assignments at all and nobody cares much about the work you do to keep learning and building your portfolio.
And that period can be YEARS, like you say in the video. Not 2-3 years, but longer. It can get discouraging, and takes a heavy toll on your self-confidence, not to mention your finances.
Thanks Yomismo, yeah, I feel like people give up early because they aren’t getting a Nat Geo assignment their first year or not getting that big commercial client right away, takes time and patience.
Thanks
As a person willing to make a career In documentary & wedding photography: thanks for this honest video. Sometimes, the best advices are the tough ones, the ones that resonate in your head for the next weeks or months, and make a real impact. That’s what I feel with your video, and I’m pretty sure my next week of work will be different thanks to this. So thank you a lot.
Thanks Justin - I really needed this. Your story is absolutely inspiring and motivating. Thankyou for creating your channel and sharing your story
My pleasure, thanks for watching and taking the time to comment, means a lot to me. Was a bit worried I'd come up off too harsh for this episode but I was just hoping to motivate some people out there who might be struggling as I see too many photographers quite for the wrong reasons.
Really real advice man. Something I needed to hear right now as I got up and waste time on UA-cam. Time to get to work on my portfolio.
You should still waste your time watching me William, hope that was clear :). Thanks man, hope I didn't come off too harsh, just wanted to motivate people.
@@AskMOTT LOL no it was perfect timing actually. I'm not trying to be a pro photographer actually but your vid made me realize I need to get on some other work I've been procrastinating on. I'm going to save it to give me a kick in the pants every now and then.
This applies to almost every career.
Yo Justin enjoying your vids. You are a natural UA-camr. Im ex Vietnam we've spoken before. Now in Malaysia but keep at it. Im watching from across the water.
Yes Im a veteran but you are very good at articulating the 'grind'. Keep at it. You soon just great.
Thanks Richard, sorry I have 't gotten back to your email, but I appreciate the kind words and hope all is well in Malaysia :).
Good stuff man. People need to hear this, most are in fantasy land. Truth hurts.
Thank you captain Tracy :), awesome hat.
After this video I don't think they are your friends anymore, lol! I do photography for fun and relaxation but this video could be for anything in life you strive for.
That's why I said a few work harder, they will all think they are the few that I mentioned :).
True statements, you have to put in the leg work and get out there. Good advice for any discipline or vision. Are the Independent Photographer monthly contests just money grabs or are they legit ?
The truth; an inspiring video!
Truth!
Thanks David.
💯 % Solid advice!
Thank you , I appreciate you taking the time to comment.
ok ,
I’ll practice speaking faster than you ;)
Thank you. It’s such an important golden rule to succeed in any career.
Thanks Iam, that last episode I was slower :).
Are you working hard enough?
100% Couldn't agree more. I don't really believe in 'talent'. I think people who become passionate about something (photography, songwriting, cooking/chef'ing) enjoy working 12 to 16 hour days to get something right. The people who assume they don't have the talent, were actually just working 9 to 5 days.
AMEN!!!.
Yeah this is only half true and goes back to this hustle culture bullshit. Luck plays a huge role in how I got a lot of the assignments I got and ultimately how I put a roof over my head and food on the table. Being at the right place and right time, getting to know the right people, etc. pushed me ahead of people who have been hustling HARD for twice as long as I'd even known how to take a photo.
Glad that was your experience, mine was different. I worked hard and got luckier.
@@AskMOTT I'm just glad I didn't have to take the path that many of my cohorts had to take to survive--which is to do seminars/workshops and personal mentoring to make a couple extra bucks.
Stephen Leacock said, "Funny thing about my luck, the harder I work the better it seems to get." How do you get to the Paramount? Practice. The Jesuit motto of learning: Repititio, repitito, repititio. It ain't rocket surgery, baby. Too many do not understand this. You do.
Two criticisms: 1. you said no one gave you anything to help you in your career, which, ok good for you. But you totally skipped over the importance of mentors and networking, which is massive in any industry. Even if it wasn’t how YOU got there, you are setting people up to bang their heads against the wall when they are working their ass off but still seeing no results. Not everyone has the capacity, drive, or talent to just work harder, and lots of people are not cutthroat enough to literally wrest away work from fellow photographers in a competitive environment. 2. Even if you bootstrapped your way along, you had enough of an upbringing to have the thirst for success and to be able to see the avenues to create success with minimal barriers to your decisions. Not everyone can just move to Vietnam. People got wrap sheets and kids or ailing parents or siblings with disabilities or a needy fucking cat. It is privilege if you could get a job to pay for college. That means you came up at a time and place when college and housing and a trip to the grocery store was more affordable. Don’t be a boomer in a motivational speech. Even if the kids on your lawn really are lazy, it’s no way to inspire.
Otherwise yeah, I agree.
I didn’t have a proper mentor when I started and didn’t need one and while many people in this industry are cut throat and asses I found I also got by just fine without being like them. And you don’t need to move to Vietnam either, that’s just what I did. Sure, extreme cases like you mentioned but most people that I personally come across don’t make it for the reason I pointed out because they have an excuse mentality, doesn’t work, never will.
@@AskMOTT you are the exception, sir. Usually people need a mentor to say what you are saying in this video, along with a few attaboys.