5 Years Later, Here’s What I Learned That Can Help You Right Now
5 years ago, the global economy and the world's small businesses hit a very hard wall.
The value of sharing our struggles and setbacks is something I’ve come to understand deeply.
Especially when I reflect on my journey during lockdown.
The pandemic was a time of uncertainty and upheaval for so many of us—and it certainly was for me.
As a professional photographer with decades of experience, I found myself facing an unprecedented challenge.
My usual workflow came to a complete halt, and like many others, I had to adapt quickly or risk losing everything I had spent years building.
The Truth: The Lockdowns Crushed the Photography Industry
When COVID hit, it devastated the creative industry—especially photography.
Cancellations rolled in overnight.
Travel restrictions and social distancing wiped out in-person shoots.
Corporate work dried up.
Magazine assignments disappeared.
Advertising budgets were slashed.
Shoots I had been planning for months were suddenly gone, indefinitely postponed, with no return in sight.
If you were working in photography at the time, you probably remember that eerie quiet when everything just... stopped.
I know I wasn’t alone.
Thousands of photographers were in the same place, staring at empty calendars and wondering what would happen next.
But here’s the thing—I’ve been doing this a long time.
I was a Pro during 9/11 and survived not working for 4 months.
I’ve survived the transition from film to digital.
I’ve watched entire creative business models collapse and rebuild.
And I knew in that moment: standing still wasn’t an option.
This was just the next test.
And it demanded that I evolve. Again.
My Pivot: YouTube and the Birth of The Carty Method
Instead of sitting around waiting for the world to reopen, I moved fast.
I made a conscious decision to throw myself into YouTube.
This platform I’d been dabbling with?
It became my lifeline.
Not just for staying visible—but for staying creative.
I began sharing not just technical how-tos, but real, honest insight into the struggles of being a working photographer in a broken system.
The result?
Photographers started reaching out to me—emerging shooters who were hungry not just for gear reviews or lighting setups, but for direction.
They weren’t just asking “how do I shoot better?”
They were asking “how do I survive?”
That’s when it clicked.
I started shaping everything I knew—35 years of real-world experience—into a system.
A process that would help photographers not just stay afloat but actually build a sustainable business.
That became The Carty Method—a 6-phase system that takes photographers from lost to fully booked.
It was born during a crisis, but it became a framework for thriving in any climate.
My Lesson: Setbacks Are the Seed of Reinvention
Here’s the truth—setbacks are inevitable.
But they aren’t dead ends.
They are often the signal that it’s time to level up.
And sometimes, the only way to grow is to break what’s no longer serving you.
When I found myself with an empty calendar and no clients, I didn’t panic (let’s be real, I panicked a lot).
But more importantly—I pivoted.
That pivot gave birth to something bigger.
I completely turned my business around during 2020 and did some of the biggest projects of my last 10 years.
I shot key artwork for; The Porter, The Great Canadian Baking Show and Apple Music.
I shot billboards for CBC, and CD covers for Kardinal.
My pivot, changed my entire reality.
Today, I coach photographers around the world using the exact system I developed when everything seemed like it was falling apart.
The Carty Method wouldn’t exist if not for that forced pause.
And the money I earned during the last 3 years of commercial work has enabled me to ease on my gas pedal a bit as I spent the year last year building and refining The Carty Method.
That’s not just a story of survival—it’s a story of transformation.
And you have one too.
Your Takeaway and 3 Actions You Can Take Right Now
First, Document your Struggle.
Your setbacks are valuable stories.
Start writing them down.
What did you learn?
What worked?
What fell apart?
This is the raw material your future clients—and future self—will thank you for.
Second, Find the Opportunity in your Pause.
If you’re stuck right now, don’t just wait for conditions to improve.
Ask: What can I build while I wait?
A portfolio? A personal project? A client-ready offer?
Use the downtime to prepare your comeback.
Lastly, Share What You’re Learning.
This is how you build trust.
It’s how I grew my YouTube channel.
The more transparent you are about the challenges you’re facing, the more likely you are to attract the kind of clients and collaborators who resonate with your journey.
Transparency is the new meta. It’s magnetic.
Your Setbacks Could Be Your Superpower
The most powerful shift I made was in realizing that my pain had value.
That the industry-wide shutdown could be the thing that gave me clarity.
That sharing my failures might just help someone else avoid them.
So if you're in a season of frustration or uncertainty—lean in.
This isn’t the end of your story.
It’s the beginning of your next chapter.
Your unfair advantage may be hiding in the thing that’s challenging you the most right now.
Whether it's reinventing your business, refining your craft, or simply pushing through a low point—you’re building muscle that will pay off for years to come.
I’m proof of that.
And I want the same for you.
If This Resonated—Here’s What to Do Next:
I’m looking for the right type of shooters with the right attitude and drive to take to the next level in their career.
If that’s you, visit TheCartyMethod.com and sign up for portfolio lab. Let me help you develop your work first, then I can help you develop your business.
I drop free, actionable content multiple times a week on YouTube for emerging and struggling photographers.
Here on SubStack, I post valuable content for pro or soon to be pro photographers every single Saturday.
If this brought you value, hit that heart button, subscribe if you’re not already, and share this post with someone who needs it.
Until then—keep making pictures, keep showing up, and remember: setbacks are part of the story.
Make them count.
Thanks for reading me this week.
I’ll see you next Saturday.
P.S. Portfolio Lab is selling out fast. Once I’m full, you’ll have to wait for drop outs to get in. Get help developing your work to an industry standard level so you get industry standard opportunities and rates.
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