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Do you think it's possible to be a great Landscape Photographer and a Youtuber?
- Thread starter smr
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- Christian Irmler
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Maybe I can give some insights, as I'm doing exactly that: photographing and vlogging out in the field. I can say, it is definitely possible to talk to a camera while taking photos. Sometimes that is easy, but sometimes it can indeed get quite tough, to be honest, especially in time-critical situations. But it's fun 
What I like most is that I can help out others with tips, but it is also an interesting experience to reflect my own thoughts when I explain a composition, for instance. Vlogging is definitely not hindering my photography.
According to the question, if it is possible to be a great photographer: if you are already a great photographer, YouTube will not hinder you. If you are a beginner, YouTube will not hinder you to improve.
I hope this helps. Nice greetings,
Christian
What I like most is that I can help out others with tips, but it is also an interesting experience to reflect my own thoughts when I explain a composition, for instance. Vlogging is definitely not hindering my photography.
According to the question, if it is possible to be a great photographer: if you are already a great photographer, YouTube will not hinder you. If you are a beginner, YouTube will not hinder you to improve.
I hope this helps. Nice greetings,
Christian
Plain Nev
Vincent Furnier
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- Neville
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Maybe I can give some insights, as I'm doing exactly that: photographing and vlogging out in the field. I can say, it is definitely possible to talk to a camera while taking photos. Sometimes that is easy, but sometimes it can indeed get quite tough, to be honest, especially in time-critical situations. But it's fun
What I like most is that I can help out others with tips, but it is also an interesting experience to reflect my own thoughts when I explain a composition, for instance. Vlogging is definitely not hindering my photography.
According to the question, if it is possible to be a great photographer: if you are already a great photographer, YouTube will not hinder you. If you are a beginner, YouTube will not hinder you to improve.
I hope this helps. Nice greetings,
Christian
Don't forget to post a link to your vlogs Christian.
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- Alistair
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If anyone is still interested in this thread, Brendan Van Son has just addressed this question in his latest video.
Quite an interesting watch as he did two back-to-back trips with identical itineraries in Namibia, one with vlogging, one without.
One interesting point he makes is that the act of recording b-roll helps him see shots he wouldn't otherwise make as photographs.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRVKLa5_6z0
Quite an interesting watch as he did two back-to-back trips with identical itineraries in Namibia, one with vlogging, one without.
One interesting point he makes is that the act of recording b-roll helps him see shots he wouldn't otherwise make as photographs.
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- The other Chris
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That's an interesting point of view. I know there have been times when I haven't bothered to get the camera out of the bag but if I had it in my hand I would have taken some shots.
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- Terry
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It is more than reasonable to suppose they extremely few of the "greatest landscape shots" have also been videoed whilst being taken.
It is equally unlikely that a video session will also result in a great photograph.
They are in no way mutually exclusive. It is just that the incidence is unlikely.
None of this means that doing both can not be both rewarding and worthwhile.
However few video makers are equally good photographers. I would suggest a good videographer and a good photographer are likely to get better results as a team.
It is equally unlikely that a video session will also result in a great photograph.
They are in no way mutually exclusive. It is just that the incidence is unlikely.
None of this means that doing both can not be both rewarding and worthwhile.
However few video makers are equally good photographers. I would suggest a good videographer and a good photographer are likely to get better results as a team.
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- Lewis
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I expect that it is more lucrative to be a You Tuber than a landscape photographer though.
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- Terry
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There are quite a few very wealthy Youtubers who make a good living from social media.
But vey few, if any wealthy, landscape photographers. and fewer and fewer year on year.
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"Great Landscape Photographer" is the subjective part. What is the threshold to 'great', and who decides?
If someone is selling images, books of their images, and may also give seminars, organise photo tours, are they not a successful photographer because they also have a YT channel?
If they can do both, then they a definitely doing 'great' at a few jobs.
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- Greg
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I think you may find you've just described someone who is good at business"Great Landscape Photographer" is the subjective part. What is the threshold to 'great', and who decides?
If someone is selling images, books of their images, and may also give seminars, organise photo tours, are they not a successful photographer because they also have a YT channel?
Plain Nev
Vincent Furnier
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- Neville
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I think you may find you've just described someone who is good at business
You probably have to be if you want to be a professional photographer these days. Nothing wrong with that.
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- Greg
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Very much agreed
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- Tom
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Crickey, when you look at the likes of Alex Nail and Stuart McGlennon and say they aren’t great landscape photographers, I’m not sure where your bar lies!
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- Julian Elliott
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The problem you’re dealing with in this day and age is that people associate quality with the number of subscribers/ followers and it simply isn’t the case.
I can think of a YouTuber in the UK who has, last time I saw which is a while ago now, north of 50k subscribers. But his work is quite frankly terrible.
Earlier in the year I was in the Lake District and saw a YouTuber who has become quite well known from what I understand. He was giving a 1 to 1 and again, quite frankly what he was showing the guy was pretty bad and certainly so given the direction he was getting him to point his camera.
The next issue comes is if you say anything about these people. You are chastised for having an opinion.
Now, I have a YouTube channel and my reason behind it wasn’t to make money per se as I had already been doing the job for several years but to reach new people.
In the UK if you go out in the landscape and certainly in places such as the Lake District/ Peak District etc there’s a high chance you’ll bump into another photographer. Here in France though the opposite happens. You tend to have glorious landscapes to yourself.
Is YouTube a pain to do? Yes! Is it time consuming? Yes!!! Way too much time.
As a full-time professional I typically have to slot it in between the following
Preparing and Processing images
Sending said images to the US Copyright Office in batches of 750 which means each image has to be captioned
Chasing down infringements
Preparing stock video
Keywording
Sorting out photography tour logistics (lost a good day and a half this week because of my bank’s useless transfer facility)
Quarterly newsletter (took several hours yesterday)
Personally, I wonder just how some of these “professionals” get time to do YouTube as I can rarely find it.
I can think of a YouTuber in the UK who has, last time I saw which is a while ago now, north of 50k subscribers. But his work is quite frankly terrible.
Earlier in the year I was in the Lake District and saw a YouTuber who has become quite well known from what I understand. He was giving a 1 to 1 and again, quite frankly what he was showing the guy was pretty bad and certainly so given the direction he was getting him to point his camera.
The next issue comes is if you say anything about these people. You are chastised for having an opinion.
Now, I have a YouTube channel and my reason behind it wasn’t to make money per se as I had already been doing the job for several years but to reach new people.
In the UK if you go out in the landscape and certainly in places such as the Lake District/ Peak District etc there’s a high chance you’ll bump into another photographer. Here in France though the opposite happens. You tend to have glorious landscapes to yourself.
Is YouTube a pain to do? Yes! Is it time consuming? Yes!!! Way too much time.
As a full-time professional I typically have to slot it in between the following
Preparing and Processing images
Sending said images to the US Copyright Office in batches of 750 which means each image has to be captioned
Chasing down infringements
Preparing stock video
Keywording
Sorting out photography tour logistics (lost a good day and a half this week because of my bank’s useless transfer facility)
Quarterly newsletter (took several hours yesterday)
Personally, I wonder just how some of these “professionals” get time to do YouTube as I can rarely find it.
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- Greg
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Alex is a fantastic photographer, but I don't think he has produced his best work when vlogging...note the OG post. I think his best work is when he isn't distracted by taking video.
As for Stuart, I taught him everything he knows. He'll say he taught me LE techniques on a beach on Harris, but that is hearsay and categorically untrue.
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- Stuart McGlennon
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Very kind Tom - popularism has well and truly taken over.
I'd agree with that though I'd say that if you do YouTube full time as your main income driver then it's still professional and just as valid as any other approach, there's plenty of absolutely awful 'pros' who don't do YouTube too. The problem with YouTube is because it's much more visible to the masses now it opens you up to far more scrutiny.
It's a tough technique to learn Greg but you're plucky and I like that, you got there in the end and more importantly you had fun which is what it's all aboutAlex is a fantastic photographer, but I don't think he has produced his best work when vlogging...note the OG post. I think his best work is when he isn't distracted by taking video.
As for Stuart, I taught him everything he knows. He'll say he taught me LE techniques on a beach on Harris, but that is hearsay and categorically untrue.
next time I'll show you how to use that tilt shift of yours correctly
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- Julian Elliott
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Ah, but the question comes as, are you professional photographer or an educator?
From memory, one of the professional associations in the USA do not accept YouTube earnings as being part of a professional photographer's income.
Scrutiny, yes but you have to have a strong back if you dare to post anything that goes against the grain of them. I remember doing this once and got abuse. The YouTuber wrote to me in an extremely nasty way.
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- Greg
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It's a tough technique to learn Greg but you're plucky and I like that, you got there in the end and more importantly you had fun which is what it's all about
Remind me, at what angle should my camera be placed on the tripod to ensure I get a 'level' horizon???
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- Stuart McGlennon
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I’m sure they don’t, though in any real world sense qualifications/associations/fellowships mean precious little these days (not that I agree with this) people (should) judge you on the quality of work above any qualification but more importantly these days it seems being an entertainer or a “story teller” is valued higher than if you can take a decent image or not. I’ve never been directly critical of any one individual as I don’t think that’s right, but I’m not in the slightest bit fussed about having an opinion when discussing the platform as a collective, I’ve jumped over more bars than the vast majority on there. I wrote a blog back in 2019 before I started doing YouTube videos, it went (somewhat) viral at the time and amongst other things discussed the negative impact YouTube was having back then on beginners, it’s only got worse since in my eyes. 99.9% of people who responded wholeheartedly agreed with my points though for the most part were too afraid to speak up because as you say nobody is allowed an objective opinion anymore, everything must be positive even if it’s crap.
The platform is a sea of gear driven/10 tips to switch your camera on drivel for the most part (which I blame the algorithm for) but it feeds the masses and folk lap it up because they don’t know anything better.
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- Julian Elliott
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This was done during the pandemic. Said individual saw fit to drive from the north-east to the Lake District to photograph a waterfall. This was done at a time of strict travel restrictions.
So I asked the question of, was it really necessary to do that given the current circumstances. From what I remember folks who lived in the LD were asking outsiders not to venture into the area etc but nope he thought himself more important.
I'm a member of the NUJ which carries the weight of a press card. It is something that I value being a member of and especially so given the help they provide in terms of infringements, of which I have many.
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- Julian Elliott
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@Stuart Mc
Just quickly scan read the blog post you talked about. Absolutely on the money and especially so with the brands.
There is one right now that is frustrating me a lot. I'm not sure why they are going down the path they are but it seems to me that for whatever reason they'll take on just about anyone.
On Sunday a friend sent me a YouTube video from someone I know. According to vlog he's just been an ambassador plus they were sponsoring two of his videos. What's infuriating is that I too work with them, have double the following, travel to all manner of places yet they do nothing.
My friend and I wonder if it has something to do with the UK branch of the company. Be good actually to have a chat if at possible as there is some common ground we share on the "brand" subject.
Just quickly scan read the blog post you talked about. Absolutely on the money and especially so with the brands.
There is one right now that is frustrating me a lot. I'm not sure why they are going down the path they are but it seems to me that for whatever reason they'll take on just about anyone.
On Sunday a friend sent me a YouTube video from someone I know. According to vlog he's just been an ambassador plus they were sponsoring two of his videos. What's infuriating is that I too work with them, have double the following, travel to all manner of places yet they do nothing.
My friend and I wonder if it has something to do with the UK branch of the company. Be good actually to have a chat if at possible as there is some common ground we share on the "brand" subject.