The Most Important Lessons I Learned as a Professional Photographer in 2023

Not so long ago, I was sitting, browsing through the work I did in 2023. This year was marked by me going outside of my comfort zone. Having spent yet another year as a professional photographer, here are the takeaways I will bring into 2024.

I often say in private conversations that those of us who become photographers do it for the love of the art, not for the money associated with it. Perhaps this opinion is very traditional. After all, I aim to be an artist using photography, rather than simply a photographer. Money aside, it is a sweet job to have. You get to play around in your studio, be an artist, and ideally do what you love. Indeed, when I look back at 2023, I lived by doing what I love. At 21, it’s more than anybody can ask for. While I am very far from being wealthy by doing what I love, I can’t say I’m starving either. I invest quite a lot of what I make back into my photography. Most of what I make goes straight back into making new work, traveling for work reasons, and other work-related activities. In some ways, I see photographing fashion as my calling, which I’ve been fortunate enough to discover at such a young age. This year I managed to land editorials in some of the best-known magazines, as well as work with people I could only dream of working with.

Travel 

A lot of my success in 2023 came from travel. At the moment, I definitely lost more money on it than I made; however, it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Building a client base in a completely new market takes time and money. I would be a lot more profitable if I stayed in my home base and shot locally. However, local success can only do so much. At an age when I have no kids, partner, or frankly anything that is holding me back, I can go and spend time anywhere I want, assuming I have the funds for it. This year, I managed to visit key markets for fashion work such as Paris, Milan, Barcelona, Berlin, some of these several times. The general trend I am noticing at the moment is that the first visit will be a loss financially; however, you will find people to work with. On the second visit, you will break even, and on the third, leave with a plus. Additionally, travel has enabled me to move to a new city and establish a studio there. Thanks to some very fortunate circumstances and pure luck, I am now proud to call Munich my home. Compared to Budapest, the Munich market is larger, and there are more opportunities. Key cities such as Milan and Paris are a short train ride away. To sum up, had I stayed in Budapest for the year, I would’ve not been able to leave that market or make connections and find work in other places. In fact, some of my best work has been shot away from Budapest.

Network

Networking is something I was really scared of doing at the start of this year. The thought of going to an event and trying to talk to as many relevant people terrified me. The way I got over it is by treating it as a game of bingo. Note down a few people that you recognize at the venue and go up, talk to them. Complimenting their outfit, recent work, or anything else that they’ve done will be a sure way to get into their good graces. If the conversation goes well, you can invite them later on for a one-on-one meeting. Etiquette dictates that the one who initiates the meeting picks the spot as well as pays for the other party. Don’t be greedy in these cases. A coffee that you paid for can go a long way. Networking is a time and money investment, an investment that is sure to pay dividends later on. Instead of buying a new camera, try to set aside a monthly budget for attending various events and going into meetings. Sometimes this may involve traveling to a different city. While it may seem like a stretch to fly into another city for a meeting, it is really worth it. I tend to batch such meetings together and visit a town for a few days with a schedule full of meetings.

Find the People You Work Well With and Stick With Them

This is another point that I really honed in on in 2023. While I encourage everyone to work with as many people as they can, there comes a point when you keep working with the same person. A lot of what photography is about is collaboration. A good team behind your work can make your images miles better. While the photographer is responsible for the overall success, the team can be the actual deciding factor in how a shoot goes. Work with as many people as you can, and then pick a few that will form the backbone of your team.

Outreach

Outreach goes hand in hand with networking, especially online. In 2023, I worked hard to get to know the right people in a variety of markets stretching from up in Stockholm to down in Milan. In my line of work, fashion photography, I strive to reach the people that hire photographers. These would be fashion editors, agency directors, art directors, art buyers, designers, and so on. Outreach was one of the key factors in being able to invest so much in my business. It was also the factor behind me being able to push my creativity beyond what I could ever imagine.

Move to a Larger City

This was the ultimate goal I had set for 2023. Being based out of Budapest, I always knew that the market there would never be able to accommodate the number of photographers that have populated it. While other markets are equally as saturated, there tends to be a lot more work happening as well. I won’t bother going into my detailed analysis of the Hungarian fashion market. I do want to point out that this analysis led me to set a goal to move away. So, as soon as there was an opportunity to have a studio in Munich, I said yes immediately and signed the contract the week after. This sudden move was more a stroke of luck than anything. However, had I not been traveling, networking, and reaching out to people, I would not have had this opportunity.