Robert HardingTravel photography can be a tough game, despite its glamorous appearance, and changes in the industry have meant it’s got a lot harder to earn a living in recent years. We asked 12 of robertharding’s best photographers for some well-chosen words of advice and encouragement for those that want to make it in the game.
“Never stop learning and never get disheartened. Photography is a journey and you can travel as far as you wish with time and effort. Be happy with your work and try not to compare yourself constantly against others. Most of all, enjoy it – sometimes the most wonderful scenes will unfold in front of you and whilst it is nice to capture it in camera, don’t forget to step away from the camera and just enjoy the moment.” Karen Deakin
“Practice & persistence.” Jordan Banks
“Don’t start out shooting what’s been photographed a million times before. Try to capture a unique perspective of a subject, a new angle. Bring something unique to the frame and develop your own style. Also, don’t expect this business to go quickly, it takes time to nurture relationships and a solid foundation.” Michael Runkel
“Develop a thick skin and more importantly be willing to work hard.”
Kav Dadfar
“In this day and age I think its more and more important to specialise and perfect one or just a few subjects. Picture buyers are sourcing their images from around the globe so to stand out you really need to be the best at what you do. There are very few real general travel photographers these days, more like architectural, landscape and people photographers who travel. Take your time to perfect one thing before moving on to another subject.” Christian Kober
“I wish someone would have told me that I had more control over the types of jobs that I took and to brand myself from the beginning. Also, to not compare myself to others and to be OK with being unique. My lack of confidence in the beginning was the only thing that held me back when I was starting out.” Laura Grier
“With social media and the internet I see young photographers spending too much time browsing. It’s not the same as absorbing images in an exhibition. It’s too transitory to have a lasting impact and stimulate the mind. I would urge them to get out and practice as much as possible. Beautiful locations won’t make them a good photographer. The challenge is to make the ordinary something special. If you can do that then when you do find yourself somewhere special you’ll do something different.” Alex Treadway
“Patience and planning,” he says. “You need to understand the weather and know the area, or you’re going to run around like crazy when the light comes. But you also need to be flexible. I plan, but if it doesn’t work out I can adapt quite quickly – that’s my biggest skill.” Adam Burton
“First, understand the equipment you have and learn the basics of how to take a nice, technically sound shot. Photoshop can clean and improve some things, but the best photos are usually the ones that need little post processing. After that, the more you shoot, the more you learn.” Andre Seale
“The most important thing is to be out there all the time and take as many photos as you can – just learn by doing. I read something written online by another photographer and there was a lot of truth in it. He said: ‘If you’re starting out in photography you have to just sleep, eat and shoot.’” Jochen Schlenker
“Take an open-minded approach, and experiment in different areas. Never write off anything. Sometimes you’ll see some subject matter that is not immediately appealing but in the right light or with an abstract approach you can make something out of nothing. I believe that if you look and think about what you want to show, you can succeed in most conditions.” Lizzie Shepherd
“In order to succeed it’s not enough just to be able to take good pictures, you also need to be a good sales person and know how to market yourself. Put an effort into this, and believe in yourself. If you really love it and want to make it as a photographer just keep on trying and love what you do.” Yadid Levy
