Receive 25% off any workshop with the Fall SALE | Explore Now

How to Become a Freelance Photographer

Isaac Johnston

By providing an email address here, you are agreeing to share your email with Wildist and Charly Savely.

How to Become a Freelance Photographer

Isaac Johnston

Our newest workshop is designed to breathe life into your photography career. Chris Burkard teaches how to build a team, work with agents and producers, and how to raise your prices so you can actually make a living. We can't wait to it share with you!

Get first access.

Isaac Johnston teaches how to remove the barriers to working as a full time creator. Known for his resourceful spirit and signature style, he covers tactics and strategies for how to go from a hobby creator to a full time freelancer. If you have been waiting for the right moment to start, this course provides the steps to go from your day job to your dream career.

Behind The Scenes

San Francisco, CA

No items found.

By

How to Become a Freelance Photographer

Isaac Johnston teaches how to remove the barriers to working as a full time creator. Known for his resourceful spirit and signature style, he covers tactics and strategies for how to go from a hobby creator to a full time freelancer. If you have been waiting for the right moment to start, this course provides the steps to go from your day job to your dream career.

19 Episodes

Proven Strategies

$149

$112

Available for

Made for

Rising Photographers, Aspiring Professionals

Experience

19 Episodes filmed in Whitefish, Montana

Learn

The framework to start your freelance photography career

PRESENTED BY

No items found.

Watch the Trailer

What You'll Learn

How to solve for the problems that “prevent” photographers from going freelance
Developing an audience outside of social media
Gear – what matters and what doesn’t to get started
How to deal with the mental game of being a professional creator
Shaping stories through photo and video
How to build a creative community

No items found.

Isaac grew up on a farm near Glacier National Park in Montana and from a young age worked as a stock hand and guide in the Great Bear Wilderness. He didn’t know at the time that his life was different, just that he loved the excitement of showing people the wild spaces of the world.

Meet Your Instructor

Reviews

Students give our workshops an
average of 4.8 out of 5 stars

Write Your Review

I was expecting a bit more for my money

Brittany App

This is so hard. I really prefer not to leave negative reviews, but I after putting money down on this course, and watching it all the way though, I was disappointed. I've been a full-time professional photographer for almost 20 years. I love and respect Chris's work, and really admire him as a human being. He's a true inspiration. Because of all that, I hopped on this course right away, in hopes that there would be some valuable tools to add to my toolbox (especially during a time when my paid photography work has all-but-vanished due to the Pandemic). But the course felt quickly-put-together, a bit disorganized, repetitive, lacking in BTS-content, and I guess most importantly, I just didn't learn much. Perhaps the course would be better suited to brand new photographers. Perhaps I didn't understand that going into it. I apologize to Chris and his team for leaving a negative review, but the course, for me, felt like a poor investment of my money and time. I hope this feedback is helpful in some way. Sending love to you all out there.

So much incredible info.

Danny Skilton

It's insane how much knowledge is packed into this one workshop. Shoutout to Chris for making all this info available. I'm super excited to start locking down a game plan for the next few years regarding my photography business.

Sick

Test

sick

No items found.

No items found.

Previews

No items found.

Workshop Curriculum

3:54

1

Meet Isaac Johnston

Meet Isaac: a full-time freelance photographer who specializes in adventure photography. He quit his job a couple years ago to pursue his dream, and hasn't looked back since.

2:45

2

Problems Becoming A Fulltime Freelancer

It's important to know some of the problems you'll face as a fulltime freelancer: income, scheduling, self-doubt. Isaac covers some of the problems he faced to give you a realistic expectation of what you can expect.

21:29

3

The Tools I Use To Create

Choosing gear that you can use forever. Which drone to buy? Which lens to use? Isaac looks for the gear that gets our of his way so he can focus on one thing: creating.

5:10

4

How To Know If Your Hobby Should Be Your Profession

It's important to think about whether or not your hobby should become your profession, and if you have reached that point. Isaac lays out a couple steps to help you decide if you are ready to become a full-time freelancer.

2:55

5

Showing Your Work Daily

Showing your work daily is an immensely helpful routine in the creative process. It helps craft your own story, improve your craft, and strengthens your sharing muscle.

3:05

6

Getting Support

Becoming a full-time freelancer is not an easy process. So it's imperative that you build a network of support around you: family, friends, loved ones. Isaac shares how the people surrounding him made it possible for him to make the jump to freelance.

3:08

7

Handling Fear of Failure

The fear of failure is very real, but also something you can avoid. Mindset is incredibly important as you make this journey, and Isaac lays out steps to help you keep a positive mindset as you achieve your dreams.

8:39

8

Creating Your Own Unique Value

Every creator has something unique to bring to the table. When approaching brands or clients, you need to know what your unique value is so you can harness it and win the job.

19:24

9

My Work Flow

Backing up, organizing files, getting ready to edit. It's a boring part of the photography process but it's crucial to master if you want to become a professional.

7:10

10

How I Approach A Brand

To pursue a freelance career you’ll need to be able to get work. Isaac shares his approach to finding new clients and getting brands to work with him.

8:46

11

How To Build A Proposal

Once you've been talking with a brand, it's time to send them your proposal. A good proposal can make you stand out and secure the job. Isaac shows you a real-world example of a proposal he uses.

5:01

12

3 Strategies on Increasing Exposure

You don't need to have a huge social following to increase your exposure. Treat social media like its social. This is where a friendly approach meets strategic planning. Isaac shares his tips on giving your work more exposure in ways outside of follower counts.

6:19

13

How To Meet Artists You Love

Meeting other creatives is one of the best parts of the job for Isaac. He shares his philosophy about reaching out to other creatives on the internet in non-creepy ways.

7:54

14

How To Find Ideas

Creative blocks can be very real. But Isaac has created a tried-and-true method to coming up with ideas for photo shoots.

5:44

15

My Techniques To Shoot Photos

Join Isaac in the field as he shoots a spec job for motorcycle gloves.

8:48

16

My Strategies To Make Better Stories

Story is king. In this day and age it's ever so important to be able to tell a story well. Isaac shares his tips on how to make better stories. Hint: do more interesting thigns!

7:56

17

Writing Videos for the Internet

Crafting a video to tell a story is no easy feat. Isaac shares some of the things he learned along the way learning how to make YouTube videos.

6:08

18

How To Be Comfortable In Front Of The Camera

Being comfortable on-camera is an invaluable skill in todays culture. Isaac shows you some of his tips to acting comfortable and natural on camera, and how he makes his Instagram stories look so professional.

1:54

19

Final Thoughts & A Note On Obsession

Isaac recaps his final notes from the workshop and shares a few tidbits on obsession.

19 Episodes
Proven Strategies
Workshop PDF

$149

$112

Watch instantly.
One-time payment.

Or

Our Latest Workshops

Brand New

Dan Tom

The Storytellers Guide to Taking Better iPhone Photos

Beginner Photographers

Dan Tom’s approach and process to iPhone photography

How to take your iPhone photos to the next level

Explore Workshop ->

Trending

Alex Strohl

Adventure Photography Pro

Rising Photographers, Aspiring Professionals

45 episodes in the studio and from the field

Monthly updates in 2020

Explore Workshop ->

Chris Burkard

The Business of Photography

How to breathe life into your business.

A masterclass from one of the legends.

A transparent look at how Chris runs his business.

Explore Workshop ->