In this blog, I want to talk about the real hurdles and problems you are going to face as a photographer or content creator. Or both.

If you want to be a photographer, a content creator, or some mix of the two, there are a lot of obstacles you are going to run into. And no, this is not just going to be a rant about how hard everything is.

I am also going to tell you how I personally deal with these struggles and the lessons I have learned along the way.

I have been doing this for about six years now. I am not there yet, but I have made a lot of progress. And honestly, I feel like I am at a stage now where things are actually getting harder. At the same time, I know that once I push through this phase, things will start going up again.

So let us talk about what you are really signing up for.

Constant Judgment and Not Being Taken Seriously

This is probably the thing creatives struggle with the most.

If you are a photographer or content creator, people will constantly judge you or doubt you.

Friends.Family.Strangers. Even clients.

If you are just starting out, you have probably already dealt with things like:

Clients expecting you to work for free
People thinking photography is just a hobby
People not seeing it as a real job

You are going to face a lot of scrutiny, and honestly, you just have to get used to it.

If you choose a path that is out of the ordinary, people are going to judge you. That is just how it is.

Photography is not a traditional job. Content creation is not either. And because of that, a lot of people do not take it seriously.

What makes it even more hypocritical is that those same people will spend hours scrolling Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, consuming content, and then judge the creators behind it.

Why People Do This and Why It Is Not Really About You

Creatives get judged because most people do not understand what we do.

Photography, content creation, building something from nothing. Most people have never tried it. They have never created without guaranteed results, put work out publicly and been ignored, or built something with no clear roadmap.

When people do not understand something, they judge it. That is human nature.

You hear it all the time:

Photography is dead. It is oversaturated.
You are never going to make it.

Yes, there are a lot of photographers and creators. But oversaturated does not mean impossible.

Every industry that is alive is competitive. If photography were dead, nobody would be paying for it. And clearly, people still are.

There is something else happening too.

When you do something different, it forces people to reflect on their own lives. That discomfort often turns into doubt or criticism.

That is why conversations about your passion start to feel off.

How is this going to work?
Is this really a job?
There is so much competition though.

Eventually, you stop talking about photography or content creation with certain people. You can feel they are not listening. They are judging.

That is why this matters.

Be selective about who you share your dreams with. Surround yourself with people who understand the process, or at least respect it.

The Algorithm and the Demotivation Phase

Another massive struggle, especially if you are a content creator, is fighting the algorithm.

Instagram.
YouTube.
TikTok.

If you are just starting out, nobody is watching your content.

My YouTube channel has existed for a while, but I have only taken it seriously for a couple of months. And YouTube is a lot of work.

I script videos.
I set up cameras and lights.
I record, shoot B-roll, and edit everything.

And some videos barely get 20 views.

That is the reality.

Same with Instagram. I recently made a big shift in my content. It basically killed my reach. It feels like starting over.

And yeah, that is frustrating. That is demotivating.

How I Deal With It

There is no magic fix.

It still annoys me, but I have changed how I look at it.

I treat social media like a game.

I know these are real people, but in my head, views and followers are just numbers. That is how I protect myself mentally.

Another big thing is to stop spending so much time on the apps.

When I started, I was constantly scrolling and comparing myself to other photographers and creators. That is extremely unhealthy.

My biggest advice:

Post your content.
Log off.
Go create more.

Focus on creating, not consuming.

Is This Path Worth It?

This is not an easy path, but it is achievable.

There are photographers and creators making a living from this every single day. I discover new ones all the time.

You might not get insanely rich. And that is fine.

If I can earn a decent living doing what I love, that is success to me.

If others can do it, you can too.

Every time something flops, I remind myself to just keep digging.

Final Thoughts

The one thing I will say is this.

I have never doubted that this is what I am meant to do.

I know this is my passion.
I know this is what I want.

So I am going to keep going, no matter how long it takes.

If you choose this path, you have to be passionate.
If you are not, the ups and downs will break you.

The Hard Truth About Being a Photographer & Content Creator