Are you doing this for “success” or because you love it? Because if it’s for success, you’re going to be miserable. If it’s because you love it, none of that other shit matters.
There is always — always! — someone better. That’s no reason at all to stop something you enjoy.
Some not mentioned or not repeated:
I look especially for people who aren’t the same straight white American/Canadian/UK guys. Obviously there are a lot on my list who are exactly that and that’s great, they’re great, but the further away from that overwhelming group I go, the more interesting things get.
I also get a LOT out of channels that discuss films and filmography — as in movies — and other design/culture stuff.
I love and pay for Flickr. It’s being revitalized too- more people are using it again. Great way to meet fellow enthusiasts and they let you upload full size and zoom in.
Forget all the people saying you can’t charge anything — lots of teens do work for money. You can’t charge as much as a professional but that’s fine, you could at least charge as much as you’d earn working at a fast food restaurant or babysitting!
I freelanced since I was 14 years old, and it gave me invaluable experience in working with clients, negotiating, delivering on what I promised, and handling money.
And I got shafted by clients, like everyone does, which was good in a way because I learned a lot from it when stakes were very low and mostly it just hurt my feelings.
Yes you should use as much time as you can learning and trying lots of things — for cheap or free — because that’ll give you insight into what you do and don’t love, that’ll help you as you grow up and have to make adult decisions about college and career.
But there’s no reason you can’t earn some money while you’re doing it!