Commercial photography looks glamorous from the outside, but the real question is whether it actually pays enough to make a career of it in 2025. Money isn’t the only reason you do the work, but knowing what’s possible helps you decide if the effort, the risk, and the uncertainty are worth it.
Coming to you from Scott Choucino with Tin House Studio, this eye-opening video tackles the numbers head-on. Choucino breaks down what commercial photographers actually earn in the UK, with comparisons to the US once you adjust for cost of living. He focuses specifically on commercial work, meaning campaigns with big-name clients like Nike, Adidas, or Pepsi, not headshots or small local gigs. The starting range is sobering: some people with an agent make between £30,000 and £60,000 in the first few years, while one person in his research made only £3,000 in a year. That kind of volatility shows how unstable the beginning can be, no matter how talented you are.
The middle ground, for those who stick around and get established, is more encouraging. According to Choucino’s data, long-term pros pulling steady campaign work can expect around £120,000 to £265,000 per year. That’s a comfortable living if you can handle the swings, because bad years still happen even when you’re established. What’s striking is that the numbers scale sharply once you’re recognized as a “known pro.” Choucino mentions several earning between £450,000 and £1.3 million annually, though even at that level, someone reported a worst year of only £35,000. Success at the top doesn’t erase the possibility of sudden downturns, which makes the career both exciting and precarious.
The video also highlights how rare it is to reach that higher tier. Choucino estimates that fewer than one percent of photographers in the UK are making strong commercial money with agents and campaign clients. That statistic makes it clear that the profession is highly competitive and selective. Even so, he points out that other areas of photography can actually be more lucrative in certain cases, reminding you that commercial work isn’t the only path. What makes this breakdown valuable is the honesty. Choucino doesn’t sugarcoat the odds, but he shows the financial range you might expect if you push into this world, from struggling with a few thousand pounds in the early years to potentially reaching seven figures once your name carries weight. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Choucino.
If you would like to learn more about the business of photography, check out “Making Real Money: The Business of Commercial Photography With Monte Isom!”