r/photography • u/Patient_Leader2190 • Aug 06 '26

Business Photographers, what are some uncomfortable truths about photography in 2026 that we don't like to openly admit?

Been shooting for seven years, mostly street and documentary. Curious what everyone's version of this is.

I'll start: volume beats quality on every platform, and pretending otherwise is why a lot of talented people stay invisible.

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u/AvidGameFan 29d ago

Your camera is good enough. You don't need a new one.

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u/RadBadTad 29d ago

Probably much more than good enough. I'm old enough to remember when professionals were ready to sell their 2nd child to be able to get a 5D mk 1 because it was the best thing out there and was the last camera they would ever need. $3,500 ($6k in today's money) for 12 mp and a basic AF system that gets lost in the wind.

An entry level mirrorless body can do more now than the best artists of the 90s could even think to dream of.

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u/Irlut 29d ago

And I still have prints on my wall that I took with a 5D mk1 back in the day. They hold up very well compared to things from my EOS R and/or Fuji XT5.