564: Matt Badenoch – Follow your street photography passion as a working wedding photographer

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Matt Badenoch of www.streetwithmatt.com and www.mattbadenoch.com teaches street photography via travel workshops and runs a successful wedding photography business in London.

I'm lucky enough to call Matt a friend and a photography travel buddy after one of the most epic adventures to India a few years ago with half a dozen photographer friends from the UK and Romania.

Matt discovered a love of photography more than ten years ago and has been a full-time wedding photographer for almost as long. Since then, he's photographed close to 150 weddings in 18 countries across 3 continents!

He says in his bio that he's a social introvert, which I have to say totally surprised me after seeing him in action with camera in hand and on the streets.

With a total love for street photography, it was no surprise to see him offering workshops on the topic in the UK before venturing further afield.

I wasn't sure if the plan is to make street photography a pathway to a full-time income or if it's a side gig to help fund world travel and more street photography projects to far-flung places on the map.

It was a real pleasure to host this interview with super talented, always smiling Matt, who, in addition to all the street talk, shared a ton on building a successful wedding photography business and getting found in a saturated market.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

• Street photography for retirement? You bet! Teach workshops, sell prints, and grow your online presence.
• Wedding photographers with ADHD: Prioritize ruthlessly to avoid late deliveries (we've all been there!).
• UK Photography business owners — stay under the VAT threshold to avoid a nasty tax surprise!
• Wedding season lull? Target families and proposals for quick wins.
• Extra cash from past clients? Offer discounts on family shoots and reminisce about the good times!
• Get seen online: Make your website an SEO magnet to attract more clients.
• Target the right audience: Use Instagram to laser-focus your marketing efforts.
• Smart marketing = more weddings: Invest in marketing that gets results.
• The rule of seven: Start with basic info for early adopters, then slowly convince later audiences.
• Are workshops worth the investment? Absolutely! Personalized learning will take your skills to the next level.
• Dealing with difficult students? Set clear expectations to avoid bad reviews.
• Ready to share your knowledge? Offer street photography workshops and help others capture the magic.
• Find your ideal students: Target your marketing to photographers who share your niche.
• Feeling like a fake? Surround yourself with supportive people to overcome imposter syndrome.
• Difficult participants? Acknowledge the possibilities, address them directly, and set boundaries from the start.
• Golden hour goodness: Shoot early mornings for beautiful light and fewer crowds.
• The perfect street lens: A 35mm lens is your versatile street photography companion.
• Digital for the win: Digital cameras are easier and cheaper than film for capturing life on the streets.

What’s on Offer for Premium Members

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, special member-only interviews.

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Street photography is really hard to make money from. If you speak to anyone out there, they'll probably tell you the same thing. Most people do it for the passion. – Matt Badenoch

Seriously, that's not all.

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable, and build friendships with other pro photographers with motives similar to yours – to build a more successful photography business.

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Matt shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

Build a page for whatever you want be found for. It should answer all your client's questions. What are they looking for? What is useful to them? Give that. Don't write for Google. This has always been a mistake, at least the last 15 years, don't try and write for a robot, write for people. – Matt Badenoch

If you have any questions I missed or a specific question you’d like to ask Matt or if you want to say thanks for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

If you try to make yourself for everyone, you're going to be kind of like, third, fifth, tenth choice, or, you know, for those people, you're not going to get the business. – Matt Badenoch

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google, and you can leave some honest feedback and a rating which will help both me and the show, and I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​

Here's the latest review for Johl Dunns recent Masterclass on Community Fundraisers:

Amazing training! It covered some of what I already do but has given me so many ideas on how to improve it! I’ve already started pulling my database together! — Launceston family portrait photographer Samantha Kuruvita

Don't miss this opportunity to learn from the best! 

The post 564: Matt Badenoch – Follow your street photography passion as a working wedding photographer appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.