Apparently there are still people who get to decide who qualifies as a “real photographer.”
An article from The Phoblographer argued that photographers who make themselves the star of videos featuring their photography might be more “content creator” than photographer. And I have a problem with that.
Photography has enough gatekeepers already. They’ll tell you what camera you’re allowed to use, which genres count, how much editing is acceptable, whether social media somehow cheapens the work, and now apparently how much of yourself you’re allowed to put into your own photography content.
Here’s my take. Make photographs. Make videos. Build an audience. Talk about your work. Put yourself in front of the camera if you want.
Nobody gets to revoke your photographer card.
Filming yourself while you shoot isn’t some betrayal of the craft. It’s self-promotion, which in 2026 is just how word of mouth works. Clients hire photographers based on what they see online. That’s the game now, whether the gatekeepers like it or not.
So stop worrying about whether you’re doing photography the “right” way. There is no right way. There’s your way. Go make pictures.
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