Taking iconic photography goes beyond just using a camera to capture a moment. A professional photographer is in the business of using cameras to take pictures which are developed into prints or prepared as digital photos. Photographers know how to use cameras, take advantage of lighting, use lighting equipment, work with their subjects or objects to make them look good and edit their work to enhance its beauty or a certain perspective of the photo.

It takes a long process to become a good photographer or better yet, a great photographer and it usually takes a lot of effort, passion, motivation, ambition, hard work and adventurous spirit. A good photographer focuses on beating his or her competition in whatever photography niche he or she has chosen, while great photographers are pacesetters creating distinct photos that people go searching for. This kind of photographers have a brand and a name in their niche.

However, many of these photographers did not become photographers overnight and had to go through a long and tedious process to become who they are. Today, we’ll be looking at the inspiring stories of five successful photographers who faced many challenges before they became the well-known photographers they are today