I Made 6 Figures In Real Estate Photography, Here’s What No One Tells You | 2024 Income Report

Making six figures in real estate photography seems like a dream, right? But after finally hitting that milestone in 2024, I realized there’s a lot no one tells you about what it really takes. Spoiler: It’s not just about taking pretty pictures. If you’re scaling your business or even just dreaming of hitting six figures, you need to hear this. This is the road to a millionaire—my income report for Q4 2024, plus a breakdown of the entire year. Let’s get into it.

My name is Cole Connor, and I was put here to do three things: create, inspire, and love. It’s that time of the year—it’s a brand new year, 2025, and we gotta talk about how 2024 went down. Specifically, how Q4 shaped up and what the entire year looked like. It’s been a journey.

I’ve only ever hit six figures once in my life before, and that was a fluke. My business got stolen from me, which is a whole other story (you can check out that video here). Back then, I wasn’t even really calculating my income—I just had a couple of $14K-$15K months, so I assumed I hit six figures. But I didn’t know for sure. This is the first year where I actually sat down, crunched the numbers, and confirmed: I hit six figures. For real.

Let me break it down month by month, year by year, to give you an idea of how this all unfolded. After that, I’m gonna dive into what it really takes to get to this point—because trust me, there’s more to it than meets the eye.

The Journey to Los Angeles and Six Figures

I moved to Los Angeles in 2021. At the time, I had a small real estate photography business back in South Carolina, but it wasn’t making much. I think in 2021, I made around $59,000. Not bad, but not exactly killing it either. Before moving to LA, I was living in a different city in South Carolina, but after about a year, I made the big leap to Los Angeles. And let me tell you, it was rough. That first year in LA, I made $61,000. A small bump, but still nothing too crazy.

In 2023, I kept grinding, working on my real estate photography business, as well as my side hustles—like YouTube, presets, and consulting—and I managed to increase my income to $78,000. A solid step up, but I was still chasing that six-figure mark.

Drumroll for 2024: $104,000!

I hit six figures. It’s crazy, it’s cool, and it’s amazing—but it’s also a little surreal. Part of that success is thanks to you, the YouTube community. Y’all have supported me in so many ways, from giving me business to buying my presets. You’ve joined my email list, shared my videos, and supported me in more ways than I can count. So thank you for that.

The Breakdown of 2024’s Income

Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty. In these income reports, it’s not really about the money—but let’s be real, the money is helpful. It’s a tool, not the end goal. I’m not here to brag about how much I made; I’m here to share the journey and hopefully help you grow too. So, here’s how Q4 of 2024 shaped up month by month:

• JANUARY: $10,619
• FEBRUARY: $5,682
• MARCH: $8,562
• APRIL: $10,489
• MAY: $12,631
• JUNE: $7,804.35
• JULY: $5989
• AUGUST: $9,739
• SEPTEMBER: $8162
• OCTOBER: $10,445
• NOVEMBER: $8,356 (I was hoping November would be higher, but it’s all good.)
• DECEMBER: $6,100 (December is always scary, but luckily I made a lot in the first week and a half, so I can’t complain.)

Per usual, the majority of my income each month came from real estate photography and videography. That includes work from my own business and freelancing for other companies. On top of that, I made a little affiliate income from Amazon (about $100 a month), some money from YouTube (around $100 a month), and a bit from Skillshare and Udemy (though those were under $100 each).

One of the coolest things that happened in Q4 was my first YouTube sponsorship. A company called Heipi reached out, and I did a review of their tripod, which you can check out here. They sent me the tripod. It meant a lot to me, not just financially, but because it was my first real sponsorship—one that actually felt right. So thank you to Hep for believing in me!

Etsy was also a solid income stream. Between October and December, I made $1,153, which averages out to about $300 a month. It’s so cool to watch that platform continue to grow, and I appreciate everyone who has supported me by purchasing my presets.

The Realities of Hitting Six Figures

Now, let’s talk about what no one tells you when you hit six figures—or what it takes to get there. The biggest thing for me has been the emotional rollercoaster. The physical and mental toll of grinding this hard to build a business on your own is no joke. I’m a solo act—it’s just me out here. Sure, I work for other companies and collaborate with people, but I don’t have a team. It’s all on me. And let me tell you, burnout is real.

I’m lucky that I’ve been able to schedule things in a way that prevents burnout most of the time, but when you’re balancing YouTube videos, trying to stay healthy, maintaining relationships, running a business, marketing, shooting, editing—it’s a lot. And the workload can become overwhelming. When I get super busy, my YouTube videos slow down, and I hate that, but there’s only so much I can do. That’s why one of my goals for this year is to finally start building a team. I think I’m getting close to being ready, and that’s exciting.

The emotional pressure to perform is another huge factor. Now that I’ve hit the six-figure mark, I feel like I need to keep going, keep growing. There’s a lot of pressure to not just stay at this level, but to exceed it. I have a family depending on me now, so there’s no slowing down. But the flip side of that is when you don’t hit your goals, you’re filled with self-doubt. You don’t really have room for error, and it’s all on you to keep the momentum going. It’s exhausting.

Keeping the Mental Game in Check

Maintaining this level of performance isn’t just about physical effort—it’s about mental clarity and stability. If your mental health isn’t in check, you won’t be able to sustain the grind. I’ve seen it happen before, and I’ve felt the strain myself. I know I have the potential to keep growing, but it’s about how smart I want to work, not just how hard.

Speaking of working smart—have you checked out my Lightroom presets? They’re the sponsor of today’s video, and you can grab them in the description below. I’ve got bundles for interiors, exteriors, drone shots, twilight photos—everything you need to make your real estate photos pop. They’re super easy to use, and buying them supports the channel. So, thank you!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheColeConnor

It’s Not Just About Photography

Growing your business isn’t just about taking photos. It’s about marketing, sales, communication—everything. Honestly, one of my biggest mistakes last year was not putting enough effort into how I communicated with my clients. There were days where I just wasn’t feeling it, and I let that affect how I carried myself during shoots. Those kinds of mistakes can cost you clients.

Then there’s networking, which I definitely need to do more of. I talk myself out of networking events all the time, but it’s so important. Building relationships with other real estate photographers is another thing I want to focus on this year.

Finally, let’s talk pricing. As you grow, you can’t keep being the cheapest option out there. You have to raise your prices, but that’s easier said than done. It’s something I’ve struggled with—a sort of “poor man’s mindset” about pricing. I’m always hesitant to charge what I’m worth, and I know that’s something I need to work on.

Looking Ahead

Seasonal fluctuations are real, too. Every year, December slows down for me, and it’s always a little terrifying. But this is the nature of running a business—you never know when the next big paycheck is coming. And that’s okay. I’ve learned to take advantage of the busy times and save up for the slow months (kind of).

So, what’s next? In 2025, I want to keep growing—financially, physically, mentally, emotionally. I want to build a team, raise my prices, and keep pushing toward my goals. This journey is far from over, and I’m excited to see where it takes me next.

Thank you for being part of it.