The Photographer’s Playbook
Your resource to becoming an adventure photographer
The Adventure Photographer’s Playbook is an e-book created by full-time photographer Dalton Johnson to help new photographers go from nothing to booked in the adventure photography space.
This adventure photography e-book goes over the business and what “making it” as a photographer in the outdoor space requires. Covering topics such as pricing, marketing, building a body of work, reflection questions, and everything you need to know to make a career out of adventure photography.
Updated: June 2025
How I Priced My First Year vs. How I Price Now
A working adventure photographer compares how he priced projects as a beginner to how he prices now, and what actually changed in between.
How I Priced My First Year vs. How I Price Now
A working adventure photographer compares how he priced projects as a beginner to how he prices now, and what actually changed in between.
What I Do When Two Clients Want the Same Week
A working adventure photographer breaks down how he handles it when two clients request the same shoot week, from trying to shift dates to choosing fairly when neither can move.
What a Bookkeeper Actually Does for a Small Photography Business
A working adventure photographer explains why he handles his own books instead of hiring a bookkeeper, and the signals that would change that decision.
LLC, Sole Proprietor, or S-Corp: What Actually Matters for a Photographer
A working adventure photographer shares why he moved from an LLC to a sole proprietorship, and the questions worth weighing before choosing a business structure.
What I Learned Managing People on a Shoot for the First Time
A working adventure photographer on the first time he had to lead a crew instead of just shoot, and the leadership habits that made it work.
The Model Release Rule I Learned the Hard Way, From a Friend Group, Not a Client
A working adventure photographer explains why a signed model release matters just as much with friends as with paid clients, after learning it the hard way.