Photography Secrets as Told by Veteran Photographers

Every industry has its dirty little secrets that the public isn’t aware of. While some of them aren’t really hidden, many are still kept under wraps and may cause some shock once uncovered. In this article, we share the photography secrets as told by veteran photographers.

Commercial photography isn’t exempt from such secrets. From empty promises to wrong perceptions, photographers have loads of stories to tell always.

This article actually uncovers some of those industry secrets, as told by photographers themselves. If you’re planning to enter this profession, here are some things you may want to take note of. Do remember to take these with a grain of salt and use your best judgment.

Photographers are at the client’s beck-and-call

You may have entered the industry with the mindset that you’ll be able to let that creativity flow at all times. However, that is not always the case.

In reality, photographers are at the mercy of clients. They call the shots since they are financing the entire project. Especially if you are new to this game, you will have to swallow some pride on the onset.

Veteran photographers advise to stand your ground but to know when to pick your battles. You can’t be a pushover in such a cutthroat industry, but you wouldn’t want to step on some toes and jeopardize your career at the same time.

There are fickle-minded clients

As mentioned, clients reserve all the right to make demands since they control the funding. With that said, they can (and will) make sudden changes, despite promises of giving you future projects or photo credits.

Many clients primarily see the financial aspect and do not give too much attention to the creative side of things. So don’t expect them to understand your vision or see how much time you spent working on a particular project. They will mostly care about how it will sell to their audience.

As advised by those who’ve been in the game long enough, you must not fixate on their promises too much. However, you must also be open to a future project and not close yourself up from any possible opportunity.

The blame-game will never, ever work

As the photographer, you are the captain of your ship comprised with your crew of light men and gaffers. So if something happens to go awry, finger-pointing will not get you anywhere. If anything, it can only make the situation worse.

Any mistake on the set will fall on your end, regardless of who was at fault. You will have to take responsibility, especially if it compromised the progress of the entire project.

But as veteran photographers advise, avoid these instances through practice. Collaborative test shoots should help you get used to this kind of working environment.

Get yourself paid the right way

Payment and pricing is an essential aspect of commercial photography. Ironically, it is also the most neglected.

For one, many clients aren’t intent on following the payment terms you’ve set beforehand. It all depends on their cash flow at the moment, which may leave you hanging in a time of need. 


Another problem is that many photographers don’t know how to put a price on their work. They end up doing a Google search on the average figures, which isn’t exactly a reliable resource since it varies from one individual to another.

Pay close attention to these details. Set those payment terms clearly beforehand, either through a phone conversation or a written agreement. But again, don’t overstep to a point where you’d end up burning bridges with a client.

As for the pricing, it would be best to consult those who’ve been in the industry long enough. Get a base price and work from there. Never allow yourself to be ripped off for your hard work.

If you have any thought about the photography secrets as told by veteran photographers, please don’t hesitate to share them down below.