This is the most useful and honest advice I have ever come across for deciding if and how to go professional. I started and owned an ad agency that by luck was successful enough to support myself and 14 staff for 25 years. The one thing I did differently from Sean’s advice, was after an initial pitch meeting, I called the potential clients every one to two months with a very brief reminder of who I was and what work we had published recently. I repeated the calls until I was told specifically that the client chose not to work with us, or they gave us an opportunity to prove our skill. One client required four years of those calls before giving us a chance, but went on to be our biggest and most appreciative client for the next 20 years. Perseverance and commitment are key, in my experience.

Sean Tucker. I have just " discovered " you today and I must confess this channel is the best thing that happened to my Photography journey. Regards from Kenya.

As a working photographer, this is incredibly valuable advice (that I wished was around when I was first starting out) great content as always Sean, thank you

Wonderful content, Sean. Back when I was a full time portrait photographer, I was shooting nearly 500 portrait clients and about 25 weddings every year. It is imperative to do photography that your clients want, find flattering, and are willing to exchange money for those images. Sean, you are a portrait photographer at heart. You have the desire to bring out the best in people. That’s the purpose of this channel, and your portrait work. Excellent stuff.

Video Idea. Subscribers send in their photos and you critique them. Suggest improvements and comment on what you like? I'd watch that.

I started my wedding photography with covering 2 actual wedding day for Free. From this 2 job i build my portfolio. Create an wedding album sample, create my fb page & ig. Today is my 8 years of photography career.

It was you! You skipped over my product shots mixed in with shots of my girlfriend in the forest, some experimental stuff about my camping trip, the dog, and a six page treatment called "Candle in 101 Color Temperatures". It's a rich portfolio of work, why didn't you slog through it to get to the good stuff?

The "how much" it's the hardest part

Legit think I blew one of my first photography gigs this weekend. FML Iv shot a bunch outside but they hired me for a indoor expo with no lighting. WOOPS

Sean, you provided a very thoughtful and well thought out approach to the key elements in beginning a freelance photography and video career. What differentiates your approach to others that are out there is your deep emphasis on connecting our professional work to our inner life - how we can communicate commercially despite being an introvert - how we must not mistake commercial setbacks or failure with our intrinsic value as a human being. As you rightly say if we have prepared ourselves as well as we can and done our best even if we don’t get the gig we have succeeded anyway by doing our best. We can keep moving and try another day. Well done.

"Most potential clients don't know the difference between good photos and bad photos, they will read the quality of your work on your price tag"

"Don't take it personally and just keep moving." Great insight!

Once again, thank you so much for your insightful advice. Your thoughts on pricing and presentation are clear and straightforward. Great video.

Sean, as usual, you put your heart and soul in this video. I really appreciate it.

I really appreciate the inspiration that your submissions provide and the look-behind-the-curtain themed videos, too. Thanks so much!

Thanks Sean your messages are always so clear and so wise, thank you for all the insight you share so honestly with us. 🙏🏼

Where did those 25 minutes go? You exemplify the very best of the advice you give, Sean, by making your video an exemplary pitch in and of itself. And your honesty and eloquence are so convincing that you hardly need any images as "proof".

Thank you Sean, thank you very much. That's a lot of information in a 25 minute video and I appreciate your putting it together.

Thank you, Sean! I appreciate every single video.

Loved this video bru! The information is on point and the positive support at the end is awesome! Keep them coming!