My Journey From Teacher To Photographer

What would you do if money were no object? If you answered travel and take photos, then you’re not alone. It’s my dream too.

In 2016 I quit my day job to escape the 9 to 5 and pursue my passion. I’ve been self-employed since then.

My path has not been a typical one though. I don’t have a million followers. I don’t earn all of my income with my camera. 

So when Quinton Carlin asked me to be a guest on his podcast, Self Developed Life, I thought I’d share the ups and downs, ins and outs of becoming a travel photographer.

In addition to our conversation, I’ve included some links below to resources I spoke about in the interview. I also share more insight into whether or not you should monetize your passion.

Show Notes

Below is a list of topics covered in the interview with time links to view on YouTube. The podcast is also available to download on iTunes or other platforms.

• How I got started in photography (while teaching English at a university in Busan, South Korea).  2:40
• What I did to win the National Geographic Travel Photo Contest.  8:45
• How I won $3,000 in the Busan Tourism Photo Contest.  11:30
• My first steps to get published. 12:40
• How I sold my first photo and got started with inflight magazines. 13:24
• My brief history selling stock photography.  14:38
• How much I earned selling my photos.  15:00
• What went wrong the first time I tried to go full-time as a photographer. 16:40
• Why I created an online business as a side hustle.  18:00
• Why I pivoted from teaching English to photography.  20:46
• Is it necessary to quit your day job to be a travel photographer?  22:26
• Selling your content (photos) vs your knowledge.  23:59
• My business plan: 1,000 True Fans.  27:39
• Why email is the new Instagram.  29:50 
• The biggest myth of passive income.  31:28
• How I support myself: multiple revenue streams.  35:35
• What does it mean to ‘live the dream’?  38:13
• The downside to the solopreneur freelancer lifestyle.  42:04
• Tips for creating the life you want to live.  48:47

Selected Links

The following are some of the books, websites, podcasts, and articles mentioned in the interview, as well as a few more worth noting.

1. Build a Business

To make a career out of photography, you need to know more than just how to take great photos. These resources are great for laying the foundation of your business. 

• 1,000 True Fans Theory: This short article by Kevin Kelly, the founding executive editor of Wired magazine, deconstructs the paradigm shift that happened for “anyone making things” in the Internet Age. 
• 4 Hour Work Week: Tim Ferriss, The New York Times bestselling author shows readers how escape the 9-5, live anywhere, and join the new rich.
• How to Feed a Starving Artist: A Financial Field Guide for Creatives, Solopreneurs, & Other Anarchists written by photographer David duChemin. 
• Akimbo Podcast Episode on Freelancers: Marketing guru Seth Godin shares his advice on what it takes to be a successful freelancer.
• Smart Passive Income: I listened to Patt Flynn’s podcast quite often when I was getting started. 

2. Achieve Financial Independence

When you are working for yourself, you really need to know how to manage your finances. It’s also learning how to live below your means.

• Start Late Finish Rich: A No-Fail Plan for Achieving Financial Freedom at Any Age by David Bach. 
• Rich Dad Poor Dad: What The Rich Teach Their Kids About Money – That The Poor And Middle Class Do Not! by Richard Kiyosaki. 
• Mr. Money Moustache (blog): “is a thirtysomething* retiree who now writes about how we can all live a frugal yet Badass life of leisure.”

• Minimalism: This eye opening Netflix documentary asks, “How might your life be better with less?”

3. Live A Creative Life

Living a creative life is like breaking free from the matrix.  The transition from compulsory consumer to creator can be a difficult one, and is surely laden with self-doubt, fear, and resistance. The following will help reprogram your brain to cultivate a creative practice.

• The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron. If there were a Bible of Creativity, this would be it. 
• Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
• Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon. This book is a simple, practical, quick read with lasting benefits.
• Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered by Austin Kleon. Also and excellent read. 
• The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield. What separates this book is Pressfield’s tough love approach. 
• Podcast Interview With Brandon Stanton: He’s the photographer behind Humans of New York. It gets really interesting at minute 44:30 when Brandon talks about how he lost his trading job and started HONY. 
• Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts. 

Caution: Monetize Your Passion?

Do what you love and you’ll never work another day in your life! Is it really that easy? 

One of the most popular “travel-photographer-who-followed-their-passion” success stories has to be that of Elia Locardi (From Bankruptcy To Location Independent Travel Photographer).

Elia’s story is inspiring no doubt. But like I explain in my interview with Quinton, making your passion your work is not the answer for everyone. In fact, some warn of the pitfalls. 

In the following clip, author Austin Kleon warns against “turning the thing you love into the thing that keeps you clothed and fed.” Your hobby does not have to be your side hustle he says.

Living the dream is sometimes not as enchanting when it becomes reality. Here are a few stories from the other side:

• Why I’m Giving Up Life on The Road: My friend Jimmy McIntyre (he taught English in Korea and too!) shares a photographer’s perspective on the downside to long-term travel.
• Why I Quit Being A Digital Nomad (And Moved Back To The US): by the Expert Vagabond Matthew Karsten.
• Why I Quit Being an Adventurer to Become an Accountant: by Tim Moss

I want to be clear that I’m not against  making your passion your vocation. I only want to say that it’s not a guarantee to a fulfilling career.

An Amplified Existence

In the end, the most important thing is to create, to take pictures. The process is the reward. It doesn’t matter if photography (or any other artistic endeavor) is your job, your side hustle, or your hobby.

In her book Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert advocates for creative living, or living a life that is driven more strongly by curiosity than by fear. 

And while the paths and outcomes of creative living will vary wildly from person to person, I can guarantee you this: A creative life is an amplified life. It’s a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more interesting life. Living in this manner — continually and stubbornly bringing forth the jewels that are hidden within you — is fine art, in and of itself.

Elizabeth Warren, author of Big Magic

MySpace Millionaire Photographer

Do you remember Tom Anderson? He was the founder of MySpace and everyones first friend on the social network. Then in 2005 he sold his website for $580 million. 

Not long after, he retired to travel the world and take photos.  When asked if he wanted to make money from his photos, he said, “I haven’t wanted to take commissions or sell my photos, or do anything commercial with it — that would just feel like work, which I don’t want to do.” 

Very few of us are lucky enough to have millions in the bank or work as a professional photographer for the likes of National Geographic.    

If your dream is to travel and take photos though, then I encourage to follow your path, whichever way it may take you. 

*Have you had any success turning your passion into earnings? What’s worked and what hasn’t? If you have any questions just ask in the comments below…