All the "people charge way too much for art nowadays" are the worst clients to work with
Always unhappy with what you do, trying to get as much work from you as possible, always picking the cheapest option. Set your prices high, get a fair wage, and avoid these people lol
I 100% recommend using reference photos, but when you do, try and add a bit of your own style
The problem I often see is that You can clearly see which parts of an image are referenced and which are not, because the reference parts look stiff and lifeless.
