This was one of the most sincere and humane things I have ever seen on KZfaq.

Don't torch this love: I make a living from photography partly because of you!!!!!!! One light baby.

"Crop Sensors vs Full Frame :: Crop Or Crap?" Is the gold standard of photography videos. You are transparent, humble, incredibly knowledgable, and gosh darnit, we all love you Zack!

I like Peter but as far as information goes I would call him the fast food creator. He produces a lot of content and obviously a lot of people enjoy it but some of his stuff if filled with fluff. I would say you and your information are more of a great local steakhouse. Sometimes there is a wait for table but people are willing to wait for that great meal of knowledge because you feel full and satisfied in the end. Just my two cents. Keep up the good work.

Zack I’m 68, live in a small shed in the middle of really nowhere in country NSW, lost everything three times, took up photography several years ago and love it, but injuries and age hinder me: My time is running out fast: But count myself blessed I’m not living on the street and able to eat every day and get to take some reasonable photos and one day I might be able to sell one lol 😂: The best is yet to come: comparison will always breed discontentment

Think of it this way... you don't know Peter McKinnon but I bet he's heard of you! keep up the good work.

I HAVE once sent you to hell while watching you in a video! It was when I saw how Kai was looking at you, with such admiration, at the cheap camera challenge, when you were talking with all those people at the street and at the shops! I jumped off the other side of the blade saying "Fuck you Zack, for your social skills, for the pure joy for what you were doing, for moving so comfortably in a strange environment!" I still go to that video when I'm feeling shy and hesitant to move around strangers and take photos, and I am SOOOO GRATEFUL for that! THANK YOU!

One day I hope to be as a good-a-photographer as you are.

Please keep this new video streak up. This is something that so many people including myself need to hear. (I'm glad you like my handle BTW)

Hey Zack, your video "Crop Sensors vs Full Frame :: Crop Or Crap?" is one of my absolute faves on KZfaq. Keep up the good work.

The moment I watched the "One Light Workshop" ten years ago my life changed. I'm not working in the field and I'm not famous, but I fell in love with photography and studio lighting so deeply that everyday it makes me a bit more happy just thinking about it. Even if we never met and maybe never will, I always considered you my mentor and I will be forever grateful that you entered my life (in the form of a DVD workshop :P). Thank you Zack from one of your students, Carlo

Zack it’s not all about how many subscribers you have on KZfaq - your talent, humanity and candidness transcends all that. You have been (and still are) a MASSIVE inspiration to me - and I’m sure many others. Comparing my work to yours? I didn’t jump off the knife edge, I buried the knife in me! Keep up the great work and just being the Zack we all know and love AndyB

Even watching that very serious video I just had realize how much I've missed your honesty and humor. Just keep up the great work. Your videos help me out a lot.

Zack, thanks for having the courage to put something like this out there. You're not alone in this.

Hi Zack. I am an 84 year old Electronic Engineer who took up photography almost 20 years ago when I retired. It was your videos on lighting that got me to setting up a photo studio. This video I just watched was was about the last subject I ever thought I would see from you. At my age, I am still shooting, but it is much more difficult to get jobs, I presume it is because of my age. However this does not stop me from trying. Keep up the good work!

For what it's worth, I think you'll have no problem building a super successful channel if you keep it up. KZfaq randomly recommended me your recent video about photo contests and I instantly remembered you from that DigitalRev 'cheap photo' challenge from like 7 years ago, which at least says something lol. What stood out to me in the video about photo contests, was you obviously had experience in the industry that few others can claim to have, and it was super interesting to hear about that side of the industry most people have no idea about. One thing I resonated with in this video, is I have to constantly remind myself is KZfaq isn't a competition, and people will subscribe to a bunch of channels about topics they enjoy, not just one. I know I subscribe to a ton of photo channels, because each of them offers a different perspective. Some of them are just hobbyists, some are professionals, some focus on the business side, some are gear-heads, most are a mixture. My point being, if you already have a growing audience giving great feedback, you must be doing something right, so just build on that. I would say the #1 deciding factor on how well a KZfaq channel does is some amount consistency in uploads, which it sounds like you agree. Not every video will be a mega success, which is fine. One thing I've found, is don't choose to not make a video just because you don't think it will do well, because a lot of times the best performing videos are the ones you don't think would (and unfortunately, sometimes videos you think will do awesome won't, which sucks). Anyway instead of rambling more the only additional advice I'd say is in my experience at least, usually the hardest part of KZfaq is literally just coming up with good ideas for videos to make. The good ideas practically write themselves, but it's super frustrating when you know you have to make a video but have no good ideas. I've found the best thing is just sit down like once a week, and just brainstorm ideas. It's SO much less stressful when you know exactly what video topics you want to make, even if you haven't even started them. And it sounds like you've got a ton of experience in the industry, so I'd say if you ever can't come up with an idea, literally just tell a random story from your career. I bet a lot of people would just find the insights alone super interesting.

I am glad that you are back on KZfaq and making new content. I was a professional photographer but now I am a man who drives a bus taking special needs children too and from school and looking for full time work. I feel like a fraud saying that I was a professional photographer. It is probably better to say that I was a photographer panicking that my work was rubbish, that photographers like Joe Mcnally were doing great work and that my work was terrible. I was so afraid, that I would turn down work because I was scared. I would use every excuse possible to get out of doing a job, so I could retreat into my little safe space, which was looking after my mother, whilst she was dealing with cancer. In December 2017, my mother passed away and I was forced to confront the world. In some ways I was excited, this gave me a chance to forge a new path but it also meant that I would have to deal with my demons. I started networking and joined a professional photographic group, The Societies but within 2 months, I had injured my arm, whilst shooting a job photographing fitness pole dancers. This put me out of action for 7 months, I couldn't lift a camera and that became my crouch as to why I couldn't succeed. I also didn't try to get involved with The Societies and didn't feel confident to put my work in to be judged (ironically, just put in a lot of old work, when I joined to pass my Licentiate but it made no difference). By October 2018, my arm was good enough that I could pick up my camera. I had kept up the networking despite not doing any photography and suddenly work started to come in. I also met a photographer called Jamie Morgan (one of the most inspiring photographers I have ever met, if you ever want to interview another photographer it should be him), who told me to try the Master Photographers Association. Joining the MPA was a big thing, it also introduced me to the London and Essex Professional Photographers group and I met a lot of other photographers. They also run a monthly critique, which I actually entered (with mixed results to begin with, steadily getting better and better). Of course 2019, in the UK was the year of Brexit and that as well as a lack of money to market, really didn't help. To the point where I had to take a job driving a bus. So what is the point of this post (I am not quite sure). I used to think of Joe Mcnally as this unreachable photographer and then I met some of the best photographers in the UK and found out that they were human as well and many have the same anxieties and problems. Photographers to their clients and most newer photographer are like swans, we like to look serene on top of the water but most of us are paddling like hell underneath. I still admire Joe Mcnally and many other photographers but I have learnt that that isn't the norm, we can't all be Joe Mcnally. Even more importantly, I have learnt that great photography isn't even the most important part of being a successful photographer. Being comfortable with business and having the confidence to go out and sell yourself and giving the client what they want is much more important. So I am Michael I am a bus driver and when I get that confidence in business and selling, I will be Michael the professional photographer.

There will always be people better than you, in different ways. Do you want to spend time to compare, or spend the time to work? Don’t compare to put yourself down. Compare to get inspired and see where the potential is.

As a woman I find your emotional honesty very refreshing. I’ve followed your work for a number of years, and you’ve always just felt honest. Sincere. Someone I can relate to. Thanks for sharing, Zack.

I have been following you for 10+ years and always excited to see what new content you make. The impact you have on my learning experience has been huge because you’re the only one that has been able to explain everything at a level we all can relate too. Keep doing what you’re doing and I’ll still look up to you for the knowledge.

One thing i always appreciated at you, Zack is the complete honesty that you show us since many years! I can say that the film 'Transform' you made for Scott Kelby was a totally game changer for me and for my inspiration. Everytime i get stuck i keep coming back to that video. I think i never stopped watching materials, buying your books and following you everytime and yes i do agree that you should not compare yourself with others because you are special in your own way and unique! I will always follow you and i will always be excited when i get a notification that Zack Arias uploaded a new video. On the other note: We love you too, Zack and i hope to catch you sometime to a workshop in Europe somewhere. Greetings from Denmark!

I did learn so much from you in the last 10 years. Didn’t leave you one comment so far. Sometimes I feel the same as you do - and now learned another thing from you. Thank you for all your help in the last years and this video where I learned that other people have the same highs and lows I have.

Thank you Zack for sharing this and opening up and showing us that you big guys have the same struggles and experiences as the rest of us. Hold in there! Thank you and best wishes!

Sorry you feel the way you do, Zack. We love you! And this video is the perfect example of one of the things we love about you: your honesty. You're also a great teacher and I still remember watching that one light course on creativelive and thinking how vision was obviously so much more valuable than gear ever will be. Thanks!

Breath of fresh air! I am so glad that you decided to start doing KZfaq videos again. Thank you

You feed yourself and your family with a camera. That's all the validation anyone ever needs. Keep on trucking.

Thank you for a spot-on topic and sharing with all of us! After 44 years (so far!) of being a professional photographer, I think I go through the same thing at least once a month. There have even been times when I've taken on a "real" job for a year or two every decade, and I certainly wish I could travel back in time with your video to my younger self! We all need to remember that it's a journey and not a destination (I've been chasing the "once I get this award / gear / Tesla / motorcycle / house / etc., things will be better", for way too long), and the people I have met and the experiences shared have been amazing. Safe travels and I look forward to when our paths cross!

Wow!! Thank you very much for your genuine and truthful stories/opinions in this video. To my eyes, no matter how long of your absence, one aspect of your work is still consistent: "More signal. Less noise."

Dude, I was checking strobist daily at least 13 years so I was there when David brought your name out on the site. I remember reading about one light and I've followed you since. I've done zero on photography but your journey has been an inspiration to keep learning and be ok with myself when I get into my head too much. I was going to name my son (ten now) after you but my best friend had already named his son Zack and I didn't want it to get weird. That's how much I love the stuff you put out man. Keep doing you man.

"Comparison is the thief of joy" - Theodore Roosevelt

You are one of the people I respect. You were the first purchase off of creative live. Keep up with what you do and respect for what you do.

zach, thanks for you amazing words. love you man. Inspired. I've been dealing with the "I'm not good enough thing for the last 2 years and your words are now my gospel" compare yourself to yourself. no one else is you/me.

Thank you for sharing this, seriously to hear you saying that you also go through this helps me feel a little lighter! You are amazing !

Keeping it real. The struggles of real people with real emotions. Thanks Zack. Please keep the videos coming!

I'm a Creative. Depression, anxiety, burnout... that's part of the package. In the 5 Voices, the Creative is the one that when 99% of the things go well, looks at the 1% that didn't. 😅But photography is actually my zen space, what keeps me alive when everything else goes South. By the way, I got into Fuji in 2014 and I watched your Marrakech video back then, that's how I found you. You've had this mystical aura around your name since then... Something no KZfaqr with a camera can ever get.

It’s so awesome to have you back Zack. The most down to earth and sincere vídeo I’ve seen from you in quite a while. Thanks for everything you teach us not only in photography but life.

Zack, I never comment on anything on KZfaq, but this seemed the right time. I regularly search for you online to see if you've added more content- every time I find you, I find a gem. Your videos have more insight, truth and heart than anything else out there. The reason they are so good may be the same reason that you struggle to make them- you mean every word- nothing glib or rushed out. Please keep at it.

"I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being." --- Hafez, 14th century Persian poet.

I can't overstate how huge and heartwarming it is having you back in front of us. You are ridiculously talented, lovable, fun and teach us A LOT. You are just a human going through human things and by you sharing that, it makes you SO relatable as I'm sure most of us deal with a lot of the same issues. I do love that saying "Comparison is the thief of joy" and that the only person we need to compare ourselves is the person we were yesterday. Please keep doing you... because you are 'effin awesome. Thank you for your efforts to come back, keep it real and tell it like it is :-)

Self reflection, awareness and vulnerability are the corner stones of being able to “start” to make changes. I certainly have experience with it. I often refer to it as “sneaking up” on something important. Your new content is very refreshing.

Zack, everyone missed you because you are f'n real. Love it ! Keep up the great work.

I came across Zack a few years ago watching Digitalrev. He has been my inspiration and my favorite photographer ever since. Whenever I would stop taking photos, just seeing Zack, the way he works would always give me the inspiration that I need. Just keep up the good work you have been doing all these years brother.

I watch a few KZfaqrs and your videos are the only ones I'm genuinely excited about watching. They never disappoint and I'm always learning something. Today's lesson, honest and from the heart. Real. Please keep doing it Zack, you're amazing.

I learned 90% of what I know about off camera light from your One Light tutorial YEARS ago. You are a great teacher, Zach, but above else you are authentic, you are curious about people and never speak any bullshit. I respect you and would love to see more videos from you. I especially enjoy your street photography videos for Fuji in cool countries. In part for the pictures and mostly to see you experience the place and the people.

Your words, unscripted and from the heart always gets my attention. Keep 'em coming brother. We have talked about this in the past and it is a topic that universally touches us all. So, it's important to put it out there. Thanks for getting your ring light and LAV out this morning!

Hey Zack - I have appreciated your work for a number of years. Thanks for this video and thanks for your video on using a second hand 5D, some cheep gear and coming back with a body of work that I am proud of. I watched it about 6 times. I cured myself (for the most part) of Gear Acquisition Syndrome. I still watch it to this day. Thanks for reminding me that the Craft of great Photography begins and ends 6 inches behind the camera. a long term subscriber from Australia

Thank you for all the incredible content that you make! You are inspiring and equipping the next generation of creators with the skills they need, and answering the questions they didn’t even know they had. Thanks for the laughs as well! Always looking out for your next video 😊

Zack you are the best!!! Thank you for your honesty and hard work. Your ability to illustrate a very serious and sensitive topic in less than 15 minutes is outstanding.

Dude you have been on of my biggest influences in the creative industry. Your one light workshops and videos . I have horrible imposter syndrome and your videos signal and noise and transform I still watch randomly to move me in the right direction every time I become derailed and get in that mindset of f that photog and f that other one. I’m giving up. Your videos always bring me back to earth. I appreciate everything you’ve done. P.S it truly is great to have you back

So good to see you back! I can't believe it's been so long since I started following you, I remember following your white seamless tutorial back in 2009 with my shiny new Nikon D300 (yeah, that blog with the ZA logo on the top-left). I was comparing my photos every day to your portfolio's and I could never match your quality and expertise but it was a nice journey. I have a lot of respect for you and your work but what you feel happened to me with other people, but in a way that made me not even try. I guess that with age I give less a f* and I just do what I love. Keep it up!

Brilliant video Zack ! I remember learning form your dvds more than 10 years ago, I’ve always admired your work. It’s so good to see you back in the KZfaq world again. Take care and please keep posting, you make a lot of people happy.

You took all of the words right out of my mouth with this video, I've felt this way for the past 2yr about myself/"career", and to that I say Thank you for keeping it real.

Zack! You have surely been missed. Keep up the great content!

I started following you when I came across an interview you had with Chase Jarvis on his creative live show. In that interview I also found out about David du Chemin. You are also the reason why i'm a fuji user, and I appreciated an interview you had about budgeting for a photo studio (sorry I forgot who you had that interview with, but it was back when you were a canon shooter). Any ways, my point is that I've made more decisions on photography because of following you than anyone else. There is a difference between being a KZfaqr posing as a photographer, rather than a Photogropher posing as a KZfaqr. The difference being that one of them can tell me all about Sony's latest features and the other can tell me what it takes to make it in the industry.(Not that i am a professional, I do this as a hobby.) My point is that I want to say thank you, because if I let other more influential KZfaqrs influence me I'd probably be in thousands of dollars of debt following the '"full frame, L-Lense" noise out there instead of enjoying photography.

Great that you are back! Love your stuff and what you say resonates to me in so many levels. Thank you.

Man, so much love for you. Really like your videos, you are one of my most valuable teachers, but beyond that, you are a really great dude. Thanks for being Zack and keep up going, respect.

Zack, your work and no BS has long been an inspiration.. appreciate the uploads!

Maaan! I can tell you, that you are the one photographer i'm coming back for all those years. Like the ONLY one! I don't shoot portraits or people in general, i'm getting tired of every other photographer/blogger etc, but somehow you stay in my head. I'm with you since tumblr Q&A and even sent you some stupid questions) And also - i needed to hear this stuff right now, cause it's the day i need to shoot some vids for my blog here on youtube. Thanks a lot, Zack!

Thank you for this. I think a lot of us needed to hear this sometimes, and I know right now I sure as hell did...It's easy to look at our heroes and think that they don't go through these periods of self doubt and frustration too because they're at the top, but we're all in this together really. Thanks for coming back. It's a new decade. Let's all go out and kick ass chasing our dreams again!

Great video Zach so good to see you back. Thanks so much for being honest and candid. I love the new video series.

Love your vids and one of the best teachers I’ve ever watched online.

Don’t know David and Peter, only know Zack who is a great photographer.

I joined your channel shortly before it fell silent for a while. The few videos I did see back then already left a lasting impression: surely because of your photography skills and how you explained it, but much more because of you and your personality and how open and honest you are. The values that seemed to drive you deeply resonated within me. I'm glad that you're back and I appreciate all the content you put out. But it's videos like this one which will make me stay here, even if there should be another break. Truly inspiring! ❤

I agree. I use to struggle with that too along time ago. But I did the same. I started looking at other people success as meaning that it CAN HAPPEN rather than focusing why it is not happening to me. That being said, you are one of the GOATs in my eyes. I can not even count how many times I watched your one light workshop video that I purchased from you yearssss ago. I appreciate you sir! Keep doing you.

Your back just saw this been waiting for you so excited love the way you teach. #exicted #pumped

Love you man! Really needed this!

This is a common struggle I have and pretty sure most people have. It's good to speak out loud about this, it lets folks know they aren't the only ones feeling that way. Thanks again for the great video.

Welcome back, awesome video! You are an inspiration to many, truly many of us... Thank you! All the best from Azores Islands!

hey Zack, I have been following you since Dpreview years ago, the posts about vivitar 283 flash. Keep on rocking it !

Your vides are fantastic. You have the courage to say what you think. I love all of your videos. When I shared your "Why you are not winning" video with my list, the loved it as well. I believe it actually makes sense when we compare ourselves with others in order to get orientation. But we have to compare us with people, who are at a similar point in their journey where we are. If I compare my photography skills with Zack Arias, then I get certainly depressive. But if I compare my KZfaq skills with your, then I probably think, that it is awesome how open you are. So I start considering to be more open on KZfaq myself. That might be a moment of growth for me. Makes some sense?

Zach thank you for making this video! It was what I needed to hear also. Man the middle traps that you described on here are so spot-on. I struggle in a lot of the same ways. Thank you once again for sharing.

I constantly learn from you! Glad to see you back, and making new content. Thanks for sharing your real & authentic self!

I have such a hard time balancing my full time job, with photography...... it kills my creative time, I come home, just exhausted, no motivation to get out to photo the way I want....

I love you Zack

Thanks Zack. You are a true inspiration. Hope you’re doing ok. Everything I see you create helps me. Not just creatively but personally.

Your a huge part of where I've gotten with photography. I'm forever grateful. I still shoot with a Vivitar 285 because of you and it works for what I need it for. Peace and blessings. Keep doing your thing.

I shoot only for myself, for fun. As long as I'm having fun, that is all that matters. But sometimes I see a photo that makes me go "Dang! Wish I had shot that!". Then I usually think that I'm happy SOMEONE took that photo so I got to see it. Then if I'm feeling especially positive (which does not happen too often) I think "I bet I COULD have taken that shot if I had been there", which makes me feel better about my photography. It might not be true, but still... =P Not sure what my point is. Just felt like sharing I guess.

Hahaha died when you showed your drawing compared to Peters. That's exactly how it feels xD

This is one of the reasons I love keeping up with you on social media. You are real and don't sugar coat! You have a ton of people you have inspired over the years and I'm one of them. I still refer to your original One Light DVD and CreativeLive videos all the time. I love using off camera lighting and that is due to what I learned from you! Thank you for this and everything you've shared before this and for what you'll share going forward! You sir, are awesome.

Thanks for speaking your mind man! We all need to say this to ourselves sometimes but to say it to yourself in front of a camera and throw it out there for the world to see took balls. Nothing but respect!

You’re a transformational figure in modern photography. That matters.

I've learn't more stuff from your videos than Peter.

Zack, you were an inspiration to me, back in the days, I loved your videos, sense of humor, the way you shared your knowledge... You are a great photographer, mentor, teacher. Don't let others get you down. Do what you do and that is enough. You managed to do all the stuff I was once dreaming of... Then I give up as my photography business was not going well... Now I'm somewhere else, but still like to watch your movies. Chin up, you are great!

Zack, thank you for making this. Thank you for coming back and making videos again. Thanks for speaking from the heart. Photography is fun and cathartic for me, and I may never advance beyond the amateur stage, so I don’t care about numbers or views or followers or social status. I do appreciate good people that care about the community and put in their time and effort to make content for others. Sincerely, thank you.

Hey Zack, a quick word of encouragement; you’ve been pretty instrumental in my development as a visual creative person both via your online content as well as through mutual friends in the ATL community. And now I have the joy of working full time making cool shit. So thank you. But also keep doing this. It has a substance that IMO that relates to the art of being creative person an not just the techniques of creating (which is super important too). Peter is great but for where I’m at And for what I’m interested in I find myself more drawn to you and Sean Tucker ( kzfaq.info ). I really look forward to seeing how you capture your experiences through this KZfaq video storytelling. One subject I’d be interested in hearing your take on is how you convey the “correct” mood in a project (eg. showing awe in video vs. stills). Or how/what has influenced your personal sense of style for photography? Regardless, looking forward to the next video. All the best man.

Zack, Scared the crap out of me when you pulled that knife out!

Hey Zack, I learned so much from you during GPP in Dubai a couple of years back. Thank you for teaching in such a fun and entertaining way, being honest and straight forward!

You've never left man ... you never will!! The others are very good, BUT you are way beyond that. YOU are an ICON. A true ambassador of the creative industry. And this worth more that 100M subscribers.

Hey... you selling prints of that original art work?

Peter is gonna contact you and you'll make a collab together

Dude, I loved this video because you spoke from your heart and had pure honesty. Your description fits my life completely right now. I've been going through the same feelings but you know what? I look at your channel and wish I had your luck! Good luck my friend, you have gained a new subscriber. This was inspirational and has gave me a kick up the arse that I needed.

Zack, when I took up photography over 9 years ago you were one of the first pros I watched and followed. No matter if you make one video or post a day or one a month, you’ve proven yourself in the minds of many as one of the trusted pros, no matter who’s new that comes around. The fact that you had the courage to be this transparent proves that the pros are human too! Take your time.

In case you weren't aware, Peter is a Magician. No, seriously, he is. lol.

Nothing against Peter McKay, but he has not inspired me. He makes fun videos. I skip through them from time to time and didn't really know his name until now. I watch your videos completely, and some of them repeatedly. I just want to tell you that you inspire me, and not in the way that Peter inspired you. I think I speak for more than myself here, and that's value and meaning beyond subscription numbers. Thank you!

This is why your the best. Your videos and story impacted my life more than you can imagine.

Always have enjoyed watching your videos, your video about how sensor size isn't as important as what you put into making a good quality photograph is still to this day one of my favorites. Good to see more of you recently.

If it makes you feel better (coming from nobody, but still): I like your videos more than Peter McKinnon (I'm not even subscribed to him but subscribed to your channel). Also I think it is more important to bring something more valuable to the community rather than just quantity. And we all have seen enough 8min long b-rolls of making coffee.

Just don't do a split on the knife. Keep reaching for the handle.

Thanks Zack for this honest, sincere and intelligent video. I want inspiration and honesty most from the people I follow, not big numbers. Great to see you back.

Your One Light Workshop propelled my love for photography more than 8 years ago. But like you, I also experienced burnout and have not been shooting the way I used to be and have also felt bad seeing nice images created by my friends. But we all have our journey, sometimes we get envious of them, but we got no other choice but to move forward and be proactive. Kudos to you Zack! I know you're always sincere!