A Case for Being a Jack of All Trades Photographer

The traditional advice for photographers is to pick a niche and focus in on it, as this will allow you to distinguish yourself and rise above the many other competing photographers. And while that is excellent advice, there is merit to pursuing a multitude of genres as a photographer. This great video essay makes a case for being a jack of all trades photographer. 

Coming to you from Roman Fox, this excellent video essay discusses the merits of being a jack of all trades photographer. The idea of specializing is that it is already tricky enough to distinguish yourself as a photographer, so by specializing, you have a better chance of reaching a level of proficiency and uniqueness in your work that will make you stand out above the crowd. And without a doubt, that is a sound strategy that has worked for many people. However, there are some photographers who thrive by doing a bit of everything. Some of us simply need to change gears a lot to feel fulfilled, and the things you learn from one genre can often inform your work in others and make a better overall creative. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Fox. 

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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I couldn’t agree more. I’ve worked for about 34 years as a military photographer and broadcast journalist and I pursue all things photography, video and graphics. From action shots to still life, events, drones and my most recent passion…underwater photography. Great article and video.
Just did a shoot of the Cleveland air show a couple of weeks ago. Sister and brother live there. The photo attached was from two years ago…taken from a sailboat.