You don’t have to be a great photographer, although that would be nice. Instead, you have to be consistently better than average. Over time, you will become more experienced which can elevate your skills to an expert level.
Being an expert is not about talent. It’s about putting in the time and truly learning something. For example, you can become an expert at portrait photography if you really learn about portraiture. This has nothing to do with raw talent or being gifted. It’s about putting in the time and effort to learn.
As your expertise grows, so can your rates. The more you charge, the narrower your niche becomes. As your niche narrows, the more concentrated you become and the more your expertise can grow. The more expertise you gain, the more you can charge.
It’s a cycle: expertise leads to higher rates; higher rates lead to a more focused niche; a more focus niche fosters further expertise which can lead to higher rates.
