If you want to make it as an adventure photographer, you have to play the long game. I wish there was a faster route. But after nearly a decade in this industry, I can say this with confidence: every meaningful success I’ve had has been built slowly, layer by layer.
When I started in 2016, I thought if I just focused on getting better with a camera, the work would come. But the truth is, developing your craft is only one piece of a much bigger puzzle. You need time to grow your network. Time to learn how to market your work. Time to build a body of images that tells the world who you are and what you stand for. And time to figure out what kind of projects actually matter to you—the kind of work you’d do even if no one paid you.
I still feel like I’m just getting started. Some years are full of momentum; others feel like uphill climbs. But every step has been worth it because each one builds on the last. A shoot I said yes to five years ago led to a referral that turned into a dream assignment. A personal project I started in a dusty notebook now lives in print. None of it was instant.
If you're just starting out and hoping to make a living through travel or outdoor lifestyle photography, you need patience. Be in it for the long haul. Set goals, yes—but more importantly, show up consistently. Keep creating. Keep connecting. Keep refining your voice.
There's no secret formula. No algorithm hack. Just deep, intentional work over time.
Start now. Start small. And don’t stop.
This lesson comes from my ebook "The Adventure Photographer's Playbook" and it costs $10. Why so cheap? The goal is to help as many new to mid level photographers go from nothing to getting booked in 18 months as possible:
