J. Whyte Photography

There is good photography advice and there is bad photography advice. The difference between good and bad often depends on who is receiving the advice, because everyone is in a different situation.  What works for some won't work for others. And in many ways, I think the advice from professional photographers often translates poorly for enthusiasts who only go out when they can.  Pay for Photography Experiences and not New Camera Gear  It's pretty common to hear a photographer / influencer explaining to their audience why it's better to save up money to pay for photography experiences than spend those extra dollars on new gear.   Usually, we are being told this by an influencer who is standing on the deck of an Antarctic cruise ship right after returning from photographing penguins on a glacier.   And look, I get it. It makes a certain amount of sense. If you only have a limited amount to spend, then it makes sense to allocate as much as you can to getting o...

Even though I do make money with my camera and spend time thinking about ways to make even more money from photography, when it comes down to it I consider myself a hobbyist.   And it’s okay to be a hobbyist. In fact photography is a great hobby.  It’s a hobby that gets you out of the house and away from your screens, pushes you towards fantastic adventures in other countries, hikes through beautiful landscapes, the exploration of places you would never have been. Or maybe you just like cameras,  your dad did photography and you just inherited it. Or perhaps it’s just an opportunity to be creative in a way you can’t be at your day job.   And while being a hobbyist may not have the cool factor that being a professional has, there are still so many great things about being a hobbyist.    First, there is the freedom to do whatever you want. I can jump in my car and just go. No plan, no agenda, no shot list. If I want to go downtown and photograph architecture ...