Ep. 055: The Photography Game is Rigged
Let’s have a real talk about what’s happening in the photography world.
In this short episode, I break down the game where photographers feel like they have to chase sponsorships, get reposted by brands, or land a partnership just to be taken seriously. You know the drill: content over craft, clout over connection.
But here’s the thing… that game? It’s not built for you. It’s built to keep you running in circles, burning out, and forgetting why you started taking photos in the first place.
I’ve played it. I’ve seen behind the curtain. And I think it’s time we stop pretending that validation from companies means success.
Podcast Title: Generator
Episode Title: The Photography Game is Rigged
Episode Number: 55
Publish Date: 12 July 2025
Episode Overview
• What “the game” actually is and why it’s so seductive
• Why so many great photographers get stuck chasing approval
• How the industry benefits from your burnout
• What it really takes to build a sustainable photography business
• A better way forward without selling your voice for exposure
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Transcript
You ever sit back and wonder what the hell it is we're all doing?
Speaker A:I mean, we get into photography because we love the craft, right?
Speaker A:We like light and connection and story and whatever it is for you.
Speaker A:But somewhere along the line, it starts to feel like we're not building a business anymore and we're just trying to get noticed.
Speaker A:We're trying to get reposted or get sponsored, we're trying to get picked.
Speaker A:And I gotta say, this whole game we're told to play, it's.
Speaker A:It's broken.
Speaker A:It's worse than broken.
Speaker A:It's toxic.
Speaker A:So today I want to talk about it.
Speaker A:No fake outrage, no hot takes, just a straight up conversation about how this industry is set up and why so many of us fall into the trap and what it actually looks like to build something real without selling your soul for a softbox.
Speaker A:Let's get into it.
Speaker A:So what do I mean by the game?
Speaker A:Well, it's all those unspoken rules we think we have to follow in order to make it in photography.
Speaker A:You start building your business and suddenly everyone's telling you that the next step is you've got to land a sponsorship, You've got to get on a brand's radar, you've got to get more followers, enter contests, maybe get featured by Adobe or Godox or whoever's trending this week.
Speaker A:And the message behind all of it is if a company likes you, you must be doing something right.
Speaker A:And if they ignore you, well, guess you're not quite there yet.
Speaker A:But let's be real, this whole thing is not merit based.
Speaker A:This is a game of numbers.
Speaker A:It's a game of personality and visibility.
Speaker A:It's nothing but marketing.
Speaker A:But this is why we fall for it.
Speaker A:So it's really easy to point fingers.
Speaker A:But let's be honest about why so many of us chase this stuff.
Speaker A:Part of it is survival.
Speaker A:The industry is crowded and you're trying to stand out.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Part of it is our own need for validation.
Speaker A:Because if Canon reposts your photos, then it feels like you've been seen.
Speaker A:And part of it really is community pressure, because you watch your friends climb these ladders and you start wondering if you're getting left behind.
Speaker A:You start to question your own value.
Speaker A:Listen, I've done it, I've chased it, and I've been inches from landing huge deals that I thought would change everything.
Speaker A:But here's the spoiler, they didn't change a thing.
Speaker A:The real problem isn't that the game exists.
Speaker A:The problem is what it costs you to play.
Speaker A:It costs you Your voice, because you start shaping your work for algorithms or brand guidelines instead of, you know, doing it for your clients or for yourself.
Speaker A:It costs you your energy because you're always producing, you're always sharing, you're always performing, you're putting on masks.
Speaker A:It costs you with your trust, with the audience, because eventually they're going to see through these partnership posts and start wondering who it is that you're really working for.
Speaker A:And it costs you the joy that made you want to do this whole thing in the first place.
Speaker A:It turns your art into a job that you didn't apply for.
Speaker A:And here's the thing.
Speaker A:Companies love that we play this game.
Speaker A:They get mountains and mountains of free content.
Speaker A:They get unpaid brand reps chasing likes and affirmation.
Speaker A:They get photographers doing their marketing under the illusion that it's a collaboration.
Speaker A:But what they don't do is pay fairly.
Speaker A:They don't commit long term.
Speaker A:They don't support your work when it's not trending.
Speaker A:The whole system rewards reach over craft.
Speaker A:And it's not about how good your photo is.
Speaker A:It's about how good your engagement looks.
Speaker A:But what really gets me, though, is it's all built for burnout.
Speaker A:I talk to photographers all the time, good ones and passionate ones, and everyone I know is just exhausted from this.
Speaker A:It's not from shooting.
Speaker A:It's not from dealing with clients.
Speaker A:It's from the mental load of constantly trying to stay visible and stay relevant and stay picked.
Speaker A:And for what?
Speaker A:A discount code?
Speaker A:A referral code?
Speaker A:Maybe a featured post that gets buried in 24 hours?
Speaker A:That's not a career.
Speaker A:That's a content treadmill.
Speaker A:So why don't we flip it?
Speaker A:You want to know what actually builds a career in this industry?
Speaker A:It's consistency.
Speaker A:Not content consistency, but character consistency.
Speaker A:The way that you show up for yourself, the way you show up for your clients, the way that you treat people.
Speaker A:And it's all about relationships.
Speaker A:Not with brands, but with actual humans.
Speaker A:Clients, peers, friends, people who value you for you.
Speaker A:It's about trust.
Speaker A:Not just looking trustworthy online, but being trustworthy in how you do your business and your craft and the stuff you make when no one's watching.
Speaker A:That's the work that lasts.
Speaker A:Look, I'm not saying sponsorships are evil.
Speaker A:I'm not saying don't partner with brands, but do it after you've built something solid.
Speaker A:Not instead of build a business, not a Persona.
Speaker A:Partner with people, not with companies.
Speaker A:And stop measuring your value by who follows you, reposts you, or sends you a free backpack.
Speaker A:Success is when you speak so clearly with your work that they come to you.
Speaker A:But it takes time.
Speaker A:A lot of people aren't patient.
Speaker A:It takes trust.
Speaker A:And it takes a willingness to not play the game.
Speaker A:Or at least not let the game play you.
Speaker A:So if you've been feeling stuck, like you've been shouting into the void like you're not enough without a logo backing you up, listen, I. I get it.
Speaker A:But I'm telling you right now, you don't need their permission to matter.
Speaker A:Make work that means something.
Speaker A:Serve the hell out of your clients and keep your head clear.
Speaker A:In a world that wants you chasing nothing but crumbs, you're not behind.
Speaker A:You're not invisible.
Speaker A:You're just playing a different game.
Speaker A:You're playing your game.
Speaker A:That.
Speaker A:That right there, that's the one worth winning.
