Making a living from YouTube photography content isn't the dream job many imagine it to be. The reality behind the camera reveals challenges that go far beyond capturing beautiful images and building an audience.
Coming to you from Rick Bebbington and James Popsys, this candid video exposes the less glamorous side of being a full-time photography content creator. The discussion covers the transition from freelance photography work to YouTube, highlighting why creative freedom became more valuable than client work. You'll hear about the unexpected psychological challenges that come with putting your work online and receiving constant feedback. The conversation reveals how success can create its own problems, particularly the risk of believing your own hype. Weather delays, equipment failures, and the complete responsibility for your own success create daily stress that most viewers never consider.
The video explores what keeps creators motivated over nearly a decade of content creation. Photography itself provides the driving force—the endless pursuit of that perfect shot that never quite materializes. This constant chase creates what psychologists call a flow state, where the challenge level perfectly matches your skill level. The discussion reveals how this pursuit differs from traditional employment, where external motivation often drives your daily work. You'll discover why the imperfection of photography makes it endlessly engaging, even when other aspects of content creation become difficult.
Balancing family life with travel photography creates another layer of complexity that affects content creation decisions. The conversation touches on how having children changes your approach to location shooting and travel planning. You'll learn about their rule of limiting travel to one week per month and why shooting close to home often feels more authentic than exotic locations. The discussion also covers future projects, including how a recent book project helped clarify long-term creative direction focused on the relationship between human-made structures and natural landscapes. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Bebbington and Popsys.
Imo people just don't realize the sheer volume of effort it requires to consistently create content that fits your niche 7 days/week, 365 days per year on end. Everyone sees the glamour of it but they don't realize that 99% of creators make no money at all, and of that remaining 1%, most of them make less than minimum wage. Its a life where the glamour of being an influencer fades fast but the algorithms are never satiated so you quickly find yourself stuck in a repetitive cycle creating work that no longer even inspires you.