I started my YouTube photography channel over a year ago and it has been quite an exciting journey. At first, I just wanted to post some videos as a tool to help me improve my videography skills, but I quickly realized that I love creating content and watching the channel grow. Having now created videos that include tutorials, device reviews, and even oral commentary for a year, I wanted to give you a glimpse of what it’s like and dispel some common misconceptions about the real meaning of “YouTuber.”
As I write this, my channel has 3,402 subscribers. While this number may seem like a lot, after all, it’s really a very small number when you consider many channels with hundreds of thousands or even millions of subscribers. I’m so proud of working so hard to grow my channel to this number and appreciate everyone who watched and commented, but realistically speaking, small channels like mine don’t even into the sights of major camera brands. I’m not affiliated with Canon, Fujifilm, or Sony, so when I review a device, which is something I own, borrow, or rent from Lensrentals, the company has granted me affiliate status to help pay for a Gearbox rental cost. Occasionally, I may also review a product through Fstoppers, and my editors are happy to allow me to link a review video to an article I write for that particular device.
I bring this up because some people believe that every YouTuber is bought and paid for by one camera manufacturer or another. In a recent comment on one of my videos, a man implied that I was using a certain type of camera and lens combination for the review because a rival camera company paid for it. for me to use older lenses so the results won’t be as good. And, while I love a great conspiracy theory, the real truth is far more boring. In that particular video, I used lenses that I already own. Add to that the specific lens this reviewer wanted to see combined with the camera that had been pre-ordered for weeks, making it impossible for me to consider it even if I wanted to spend the money on it.
In fact, most of the smaller YouTube channels you watch have some sponsorship and some affiliate links, but we are not allowed to send equipment on loan from companies like Canon, Sony, Nikon or Fujifilm , so if we review one of their products, you can be sure that we are not affected in any way by them. I assume that representatives of these companies rarely watch videos of a creator with several thousand subscribers, although I could be wrong about that. Most likely, they are tuned more on the major channels.
We don’t know everything about every product
I know it’s shocking but we YouTubers who take pictures don’t have in mind every minute detail of every camera, lens and software. In fact, sometimes we make mistakes. One thing I quickly learned after posting a few videos is that there are a lot of extremely knowledgeable people out there who will post edits in the comments. I don’t mean to be sarcastic here and I really appreciate it when someone gives me a gem of wisdom or corrects me if I make a mistake. In fact, I think the entire photography community evolved this way, and although I like to think of myself as being very knowledgeable about photography, there will always be someone who knows something I don’t about a subject. certain topic.
Another point to consider is that when a YouTuber rents or is sent a device, they have a limited time with the product. This means that sometimes we can’t go through each feature and make extensive use of it before we have to resubmit. For a very large channel this may not be an issue as content creation is their full time job, but for smaller channels please note that we are creating content while the run your own business or have a full-time job. I consider myself very lucky because as a professional photographer I shoot every day, so it would be easier for me to test a lens, for example, than someone with a full-time career. and a photography YouTube channel next door. . This is also why I love reviewing devices that I already own and have used extensively.
We do this because we love it
I know, it sounds corny, but it’s true. I really enjoy creating content and especially device reviews. One unexpected benefit of having a channel is the community that grows around it. I have a number of regular viewers who encourage and comment on my videos, and many have reached out to me via text or email to let me know that a particular video has impressed them. Interacting with this community of photographers has been one of my great joys as a content creator, and I’ve made some new friends along the way.
Watching my channel grow is also a rewarding experience. I would be lying if I said that I am not interested in the growth of the channel and of course, I would take the opportunity to be sponsored by a major camera brand (depending on the specific company) and have many opportunities. more opportunities to grow their online activities. next. If my YouTube channel grows to the point where it becomes a full-time endeavor then that’s great and I think it’s a great goal to strive towards. But this is extremely difficult to do, and even many of the major photography channels you know are still active full-time in the industry, with their YouTube channels providing a secondary source of income.
A ten minute video can take a week to create
Most of the smaller YouTubers you watch do everything on their own. When I want to make a video, the hardest part is choosing a relevant topic to talk about. Next, the video needs to be planned from start to finish, which usually includes arranging shoots at my studio or on location and finding people to model for me. Aside from the occasional help of a photographer friend to shoot some b-rolls, I’m all alone unless I get my eight-year-old son to help. Luckily, he’s still at an age where he really enjoys hanging out with me!
After everything is planned and scripted, the next step is to shoot the video. Since I don’t have a dedicated space to shoot video, I organize and subdivide my gear in a nice corner of the studio every time I make a video. After capturing the video and any necessary b-rolls, the editing process begins. Editing videos takes a long time and I have to admit that I personally don’t like doing it, but for now, I do it all myself. This means that a 10-minute video could easily take a week to create, with several hours here and there cramming into my already busy filming and editing schedule. Sometimes I go through the whole process and then don’t even post the video because I’m not satisfied with the end result. Thankfully, this doesn’t happen very often.
We value our viewers
Small YouTube creators really value each viewer. Of course, this doesn’t mean the big channels don’t, but I value responding to every single comment I receive. When someone takes the time to comment, it means a lot to me because I not only learn from the community, but let me know that my content is resonating with people. Even a negative comment can serve a positive purpose if it helps me improve my next video. Naturally, positive and encouraging comments mean a lot to all of us because everyone appreciates when their work is appreciated.
We have some of the best content
In short, there are a lot of small and medium channels that are producing excellent content and you will be missing out if you don’t try them out. It’s easy to scroll through the seemingly endless amount of videos posted on a particular topic, but I encourage you to check out some of these channels instead of just checking out the big names you might normally watch. A great channel I discovered recently is Photography Kirk Williamson. Kirk’s videos are entertaining and he has a gracious demeanor when it comes to Fujifilm cameras, a subject he’s clearly passionate about. I also enjoyed watching my Fstoppers colleague Lucy Lumen’s channel, Similar Adventures of Lucy Lumenas it grows and grows.
