Photovag

Category: Freelance Photography Life

Behind the scenes of a full-time landscape photographer’s life. Honest reflections on the transition from employment to freelance, the creative process, and the reality of living through your lens.

  • Introducing The Photographer’s Letter — A Weekly Newsletter for Landscape Photographers

    Introducing The Photographer’s Letter — A Weekly Newsletter for Landscape Photographers

    There is something I have always believed: the best photographs are never accidents. They are the result of preparation, patience, and a deep understanding of the natural world — the tides, the light, the wind.

    After forty years photographing coastlines — from the wild Atlantic shores of Brittany to the dramatic landscapes of the Isle of Skye — I have built a system. A way of reading a location before I even pick up my camera. A method for never wasting a golden hour.

    Starting this week, I am sharing that system — and much more — every week, directly in your inbox.

    Introducing The Photographer’s Letter

    The Photographer’s Letter is the weekly newsletter of Photovag.art. It is built for intermediate landscape photographers who want to shoot better, plan smarter, and stay connected to what is happening in the world of photography.

    Every Saturday morning, you will receive a single, carefully curated email covering four things:

    1. Landscape Photography News

    The week’s most relevant stories from the landscape and nature photography world — new techniques gaining traction, exhibitions worth knowing about, and creative trends shaping how photographers see and work. No noise, no clickbait. Only what actually matters to a photographer who shoots outdoors.

    2. Gear Updates — Canon & Leica

    I shoot Canon and follow Leica closely. Each week I summarise the most significant gear news for both systems — new releases, firmware updates, rumours worth taking seriously. Whether you are considering a new body or simply curious about where mirrorless is heading, this section keeps you informed without drowning you in spec sheets.

    3. Fresh Articles from Photovag.art

    Every issue highlights the latest articles published on the site — field guides, technique breakdowns, location reports, and behind-the-scenes insights from my own shoots. If you missed something during the week, the newsletter makes sure you don’t.

    4. The 7-Day Weather Forecast for Photographers

    This is perhaps the most practical section of all. Each week I include a detailed 7-day forecast for two coastal locations I photograph regularly: Brest, Brittany and Portree, Isle of Skye. Temperature, precipitation, wind speed — everything you need to decide whether Monday morning is worth setting the alarm for 5am.

    If you shoot in other locations, the forecasts still serve a purpose: they illustrate how to read weather windows for coastal photography, and the logic applies anywhere in the world.

    Why Subscribe?

    There is no shortage of photography content online. What is rare is perspective — the kind that comes from decades of field experience, not from aggregating press releases.

    The Photographer’s Letter is written by a single photographer, for photographers who take their craft seriously. It is not a marketing email. It is not sponsored content. It is the kind of weekly note I would want to receive myself.

    It is free. It arrives once a week. You can unsubscribe at any time.

    Your Free Welcome Gift

    When you subscribe, you will receive a free copy of Tide, Light & Timing — The Coastal Photographer’s Field Guide.

    This guide distils forty years of coastal photography into a practical, five-step method for planning and executing a successful shoot at the water’s edge. It covers how to read tide coefficients, identify the best light windows, build your kit list, and make the most of the conditions you find on arrival.

    It is the guide I wish I had had in 1983.

    Ready to Join?

    The newsletter goes out every Saturday. Subscribing takes less than thirty seconds.

    Subscribe to The Photographer’s Letter →

    I look forward to having you in the community.

    — Olivier, Photovag.art
    Landscape Photography · Scotland & Brittany · Since 1983

  • Essential Tips for Safe Digital Photo Archiving in 2025

    Essential Tips for Safe Digital Photo Archiving in 2025

    In the age of film photography, preserving one’s pictures was a challenge. It required finding a location sheltered from humidity for the negatives. After two hundred years of existence, we have learned this was possible. However, it was only achievable if you had enough space.

    Films are not eternal

    France created the Médiathèque du patrimoine et de la photographie (Media Library of Heritage and Photography). This institution is located in a former military fort. More than 25 million images are preserved there, securing the work of numerous artists, such as Raymond Depardon.

    How to safely store digital pictures

    For my part, I had a significant collection of travel slides from Canada, France, and Scotland. Unfortunately, I lost track of them over the course of many moves.

    This mishap prompted me to be very cautious with my digital files, which I have been archiving since 2004.

    Files are not too

    Here is how I proceed:

    • Initial Transfer: After shooting, I offload my memory cards quickly. First, I transfer them onto my 4 TB LaCie external hard drive. For context, my approximately 12,000 photos take up 600 GB. My first cameras generated much smaller image files. Those files are smaller than those from my Canon R6 or the Leica Q2.
    • File Format: I do not shoot in RAW + JPEG, but only in RAW.
    • Organization: My files are classified by shoot in a folder named YYYYMMDD Location / Subject. The RAW files are in a folder called Negatives. The selected images, whether retouched or not, are in a Prints folder.
    • Local Backup (RAID): My hard drive is a client of my Synology DS218+ server. In this server, I have placed two Western Digital Red NAS 3TB hard drives organized in a mirror (RAID 1).
    How to safely store digital pictures
    • Synchronization: The synchronization happens transparently as soon as my external drive is mounted. This prevents me from forgetting to launch the backup.
    • Cloud Backup: There is then an automatic synchronization with my OneDrive on the cloud.
    • Final Step: I can then erase my memory cards before going out on another assignment.

    Choose the right brands

    My current equipment has been a fortress of reliability, never once crashing when I needed it most. The LaCie drive stands as a testament to unwavering trust, shining brightly where other brands have faltered. I’ve experienced alerts on the server. The safety net of two mirrored drives fiercely protects me from the heart-wrenching risk of data loss. Recently, OneDrive came to my rescue. It allowed me to reclaim a mysteriously vanished folder from my physical media. It was a true lifesaver in my digital journey.

    In summary, as soon as I return from an assignment, my files are on at least two devices. Very quickly, my backups are secure on three hard drives and one cloud service.

    If I had to upgrade, I would replace my external hard drive with a LaCie SSD. I will soon buy a 2 TB one to back up my video streams currently in production. Additionally, I would buy a Synology 4-bay server. I will move to this solution when my current storage devices are full. I know that I still have plenty of capacity.

    A solid archiving workflow also starts with the right gear choice. If you’re deciding between camera systems, my article on Canon mirrorless autofocus modes may help you get the most out of your Canon R-series body. And if you’re drawn to the idea of a more minimal shooting experience, I recently explored the new Leica M EV1 and what it means for the M legend.

    The images I archive so carefully are the same ones available as limited edition fine art prints — produced by Whitewall, signed, and limited to 30 copies each.

  • Ditching the 9-5: My Journey to Freelancing and Creative Freedom

    As I announced recently, I’m leaving my salaried job to dedicate myself to my photo studio and audiovisual production.

    Here’s a review of the traffic generated by the website www.photovag.art. It may inspire you to follow my example on this adventure. I also review my YouTube channel.

    My goal is to publish 5 or 6 articles per week, a magazine per month and videos on specific topics.

    After this first month of monitoring, the assessment is not so bad. However, it is quite demanding to keep up with the publication rhythm on the site. Indeed, it’s not about publishing just for the sake of publishing. It is about providing real added value to the editorial content.

    The technical side of photography is one pillar of this content. Articles like the exposure triangle guide and the digital archiving workflow are among the most read — because they answer real questions photographers have. The other pillar is the human story: leaving a 30-year career to do what you love. If you’re curious about the person behind the lens, the About page tells the full story.

    The images created through this new life are available as limited edition fine art prints. Every print sold helps sustain this project — and makes a unique, handcrafted piece for your walls.

  • Upcoming Spotlight on Photography Composition

    As every month now, the next episode of Photovag Magazine is being prepared. Starting Saturday, November 1st, you will be able to discover a spotlight on the history of composition in photography and a preview of the exhibition dedicated to Robert Doisneau, which I was fortunate enough to visit.

    In the meantime, I invite you to watch or rewatch the episode from October.

  • Balancing Freelance Work and Personal Projects – A new skill to develop

    Balancing Freelance Work and Personal Projects – A new skill to develop

    Starting a freelance activity is a real adventure. You need to be very organized and disciplined in order to effectively balance your freelance work and personal projects.

    For my part, it’s a long-term project, and I dedicate myself to it full-time by now. I also hope be able to generate enough income from it.

    That’s not the case yet, which is why I need to be very attentive to my expenses. That’s why I also develop my own website and work on the design of my studio.

    Of course, this takes time, which I’m not directly devoting to photography. But it adds skills that I can later offer to clients. While working on the layout of my monthly video magazine, now in line, I felt the need to revisit the graphics of my studio’s name.

    With a subscription to Envato, an almost infinite resource base, I was able to find a font family that matches with my expectations.

    Beyond the elements that make up my graphic identity, I now take great pleasure in creating illustrated characters.

    First of all, I am currently working on creating a small comic book for my 1-year-old son. I want to give him a book that he can discover by himself and possibly find later in a bookstore.

    The graphics are close to photography, and while my approach has been empirical until now, reading this book enlightens me on the codes to respect.

  • Why I Trust WhiteWall for My Art Prints

    When I launched my studio, I also set up an online store to sell my fine art prints.

    Since I own a very high-quality photo printer, then, I initially decided to offer prints that I produced myself.

    However, after a few months, I’ve concluded that the in-house printing process won’t be consistently reliable enough to guarantee high-quality prints.

    That’s why I’ve chosen to use the services of a professional photo lab, and I selected WhiteWall.

    Their reputation for quality is well-established, and the prints already listed on my site will gradually be switched over to this new solution.

    From now on, all new prints, such as this coffee shop image, are being produced by WhiteWall.

    These prints are numbered, limited to 30 copies, signed, and include a Certificate of Authenticity.

    For aesthetic and artistic reasons, I personally select the format and the type of material (substrate) for each print.

    When you order a print from my website, it triggers the order with WhiteWall. I then receive the print, inspect it, approve it, and sign it.

    I then ship it to you in careful packaging, no matter where you are in the world.

    The price varies based on the rarity of the image, its size, and the chosen material.

    By choosing my photos, you are choosing authenticity. So don’t hesitate!

  • The Journey from Film to Digital: A Photographer’s Transformation

    As a lab technician, my soul was permeated with the smell of fixer and the grain of film. For over twenty years, I had traveled the world, capturing fleeting moments with my Pentax P30 and film rolls.

    To me, the darkroom was a sanctuary, the place where light and chemistry transformed a latent image into a tangible piece of work.

    The Temple of Film Photography

    I was a purist. I hated the idea of change, viewing digital as a heresy: an ease, a loss of soul. I believed that the wait for development, the surprise of the contact sheet, and the craftsmanship of the print gave photography its true value.

    Then, the world shifted.

    The Breaking Point

    One winter morning, an event marked a turning point. I had spent three days documenting an important trip from my last holidays. Through a tragic accident, the heat from a faulty light bulb ruined a crucial batch of my negatives, rendering a series of essential shots completely irretrievable.

    I was furious.

    The Digital Renaissance

    A few weeks later, my wife, gave me a gift: a digital camera, the Canon EOS Digital Rebel.

    The Canon EOS Rebel was a perfect “first real camera” for students, travelers, or casual hobbyists who want to learn the fundamentals of photography using an optical viewfinder and wanted consistently good stills on a budget.

    At first, I struggled. I understood nothing about the menus, the pixels, or the white balance. It was a foreign language.

    Little by little, I discovered the hidden magic:

    • The immediacy of the preview, allowing me to correct a mistake before it became a disaster.
    • The ability to capture thousands of images without the stress of film cost.
    • The power of post-production: I discovered I could retrieve the mood and texture of my favorite prints using software, recreating the grainy look of my old film without the smell of fixer.

    The real shock came when I photographed a lunar eclipse. With film, this would have required complex technique, long exposure times, and a high risk of failure. With my new camera, I captured the moon with stellar precision. I could see the image instantly, adjust, and start over.

    The Final Flash

    I didn’t abandon film—I still practiced it for pleasure. But digital became my professional tool.

    I learned to see digital not as a replacement, but as an extension: a more sophisticated brush. I discovered a new passion for video and timelapse, areas inaccessible with my old equipment.

    The darkroom became a high-quality inkjet printing studio, and the film storage was replaced by a large computer screen where I edited my images.

    The change saved my art. In my fithties, I felt the excitement of a young beginner. I was no longer the nostalgic purist, but the re-invented photographer, proving that the true soul of the artist lies in their eye, not in the medium they use.

    I now use numerous cameras depending on my needs. DSLR and mirrorless for landscape photography, compact expert for street photography, action camera to illustrate my videos, and even a drone to provide a previously inaccessible viewpoint.

    It is also with great passion that I settle at my desk for the selection and retouching phase.

    I will soon offer you a series of courses that detail my creative process, from shooting to printing, including editing, retouching, and archiving. Feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss anything.

    What do you think? Do you feel that digital has brought more possibilities or has it led to a loss of photographic craftsmanship?

  • Launch of A Brand New Photography Magazine

    Launch of A Brand New Photography Magazine

    As I announced to you, the first issue of my video magazine dedicated to photography is now online.

    I am very proud to be able to launch this new medium dedicated to my photographic practice. Of course, this first episode is far from perfect. However, the result corresponds quite well to what I wanted to achieve.

    In this episode, I reveal how my street photography practice has evolved over the years. Gaining confidence has allowed me to turn my camera towards passersby and no longer limit myself to buildings or remarkable viewpoints ! Gone is the “postcard” mode. I have also learned a great deal from the masters of the discipline, whether to draw inspiration from the work of Joel Meyerowitz or to break away from that of Cartier Bresson.

    You will be able to find some of the images of New York in the gallery.

    The second part pays tribute to Sebastiao Salgado, who recently passed away, and highlights two Parisian exhibitions: the first on the work of Robert Doisneau and the second on that of Raymond Depardon.

    We conclude with the news from Canon, marked by the awarding of 2025 EISA trophies for three cameras: the R1, the R5, the Powershot V1, and for two lenses, the RF 50 mm f/1.4 L VCM and the Canon RF 70-200 mm f/2.8 L IS USM Z.

    You will now find a new episode every first saturday of the month. Please comment if you want to see specific topics

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  • How to Balance Your Photography Budget for Profitability

    How to Balance Your Photography Budget for Profitability

    Until now, I have operated as an amateur photographer. Dissatisfied with my 9-5 employment, I have resolved to pursue a full-time career in photography. This decision was difficult to reach, particularly considering the accompanying financial implications.

    In any business, to be profitable, I have to generate more revenue than I incur in expenses. I know the first few months will be tough and I won’t see any cash right away, but I have to stay focused.

    The goal is to limit my expenses, especially my fixed costs. I work from home, so I don’t have rent or extra overhead, except maybe a higher-than-usual coffee budget!

    Regarding my equipment, the major items have already been purchased. I might be missing an RF mount telephoto lens, but my 70-200mm f/4 EF lens adapts to my main camera body, so there’s no rush.

    As for setting up my studio, I currently live in a small apartment in Paris, so I don’t have a lot of space. I’m going to buy an adjustable-height desk here on Amazon and a few accessories to organize my gear.

    I have a mandatory subscription to the Adobe Creative Cloud suite that costs me €47 monthly, plus an Envato subscription for €200 annually.

    My website costs me €200 per year. I manage my backups on my own server, so that doesn’t cost me anything.

    I have some expenses for printing proofs—about one set of cartridges per year (€350) for my Epson P700 and one box of A3+ paper (about €50).

    In summary, my total monthly operating expenses are €113.

    If you too are trying to generate income from your photography business, how do you balance your budget?

  • Starting a Photography Business: My Journey Begins

    Starting a Photography Business: My Journey Begins

    Hello everyone, today is the first episode of the series that will be dedicated to developing my photography business.

    Firstly, I will tell you about my current situation. Then, I will discuss my project. After that, we will look at the business plan I’ve made. Finally, we will review the structure of my company.

    Next, we’ll discuss the services I actually offer. We will outline the revenue goals for five years. I will also describe the personal organization I’m putting in place to achieve them…

    I plan to give you an update each month, explaining the difficulties I face, what’s working… I would also be very interested in hearing about your own experience and answering your questions.

    Here we go for this first episode!

    From where I start

    I started photography in 1984. I was a young teenager then, and I remember borrowing my mother’s compact camera to take a landscape photo. I have never stopped practicing since. I started first with slides and then moved to digital for almost twenty years. This means I now have a stock of more than 11,000 photos.

    Although this passion has always driven me, I never dared to take the plunge and make it my professional activity. I became a hospital director without much conviction and without truly fulfilling myself. Over the years, I’ve supplemented my photo library during travels. I added photos during my professional career in Brittany, the Antilles, and many other places in France.

    Mardi gras at Fort de France

    I was strongly disappointed by the hospital environment. After a long discussion with my partner, I decided to develop my photography business full-time. I have only a few weeks left before that’s the case. I must admit that I’m spending more and more time on the studio’s operations.

    What do you think about the fact of leaving a bull s**t job ? Comment below.

    What I expect

    I opted for the micro-entrepreneur status a few years ago. This form of business, specific to France, simplifies the administrative and tax procedures. The possible revenue is capped at €77,700 (a little over $90,000). However, this amount will be sufficient for my first few years.

    In your opinion, is making 90k a realistic goal as a freelance photographer ? Comments wellcome.

    My offers

    On the services side, selling my photos as fine art photography is the foundation. However, I know it will only represent a small fraction of my income.

    Here is how I plan to monetize my business :

    • Revenue generated by traffic on my site www.photovag.art via Google AdSense
    • Revenue generated by traffic and advertising on my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@PhotOvag
    • Revenue generated by my affiliations with Miss Numérique and Amazon
    • Revenue generated by the photo workshops I organize
    • Revenue generated by stock images on Adobe Stock and Getty
    • Revenue generated by images sold via the website :

    https://visitingparisbyyourself.com/products/souvenirs-photos-paris

    • Revenue generated by online courses
    • Revenue generated by graphic design, video, and audio production services
    • Revenue generated by drone videos

    Will you expect much from a freelancer ?

    How much money ?

    In terms of revenue, I expect to achieve €8,000 in 2027 with a 10% growth every year after. This gives me all of 2026 to build my offer.

    That’s where I am today. After more than thirty years as an employee, I’ve decided to start my own business. The risk is calculated. In any case, I think there is nothing more pleasant than living for and by your passion.

    Don’t forget to subscribe to follow my journey.

    Thank’s for your comments below

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