PhotoBizX The Ultimate Wedding and Portrait Photography Business Podcast

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area  James Christianson and Otto Schulze of www.jamesandschulze.com and www.sagejourney.co are wedding photographers servicing the ultra-luxury wedding photography market. They joined forces around 7 years ago after each running individual wedding photography businesses for close to 15 years. I've heard them say they are still competing with each other, and the only difference is that today, they share a bank account. They both believe that moving into the premium and luxury space can be a game-changer for any photography business owner. In this candid interview, you'll hear two self-proclaimed ordinary guys and dads who created an extraordinary business that has been named one of the top 50 photographers in the world by Harper's Bazaar and featured numerous times by Vogue. To me, ordinary sounds unbelievable when these guys have Photographed the weddings of fashion icon Ralph Lauren’s family and operate in the high-flying circles most of us will only ever dream about. Here's some more of what we covered in the interview: Shared Values: James and Otto built their partnership on aligned goals and mutual respect, showing the importance of finding the right collaborator. Legal Foundations: Formalised their partnership using tools like Rocket Lawyer to ensure clear agreements. Honouring Clients: Transitioned to a new brand while respecting commitments to existing clients. Confident Pricing: Stood firm on their luxury pricing despite initial resistance, reflecting their value. High-End Pricing: Positioned themselves at $34,000–$60,000 to match their expertise and market. Mindset Shift: Focused on experience over cost, letting go of guilt around charging premium rates. Luxury Alignment: Adjusted their image and approach to align with ultra-luxury clients. Clear Boundaries: Kept personal lives separate from their business brand for clarity and professionalism. Streamlined Process: Limited client calls and focused meetings on key moments like rehearsal dinners. Exclusive Deliverables: Offered a curated gallery of 1,000 images with optional luxury add-ons. Strategic Networking: Built meaningful relationships by understanding planners' needs. Persistence: Secured high-end partnerships through consistent, long-term effort. Consistency: Proved that steady, reliable effort builds trust with planners and clients. Overcoming Challenges: Persistence was key to breaking into and succeeding in the luxury market. Empowering Others: Mentor photographers through their Sage platform to build confidence and grow businesses. Success Stories: Shared real-world transformations to inspire photographers to level up. Key Takeaways: Success comes from clear vision, persistence, and strong branding. 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. We realised early on, if we want this new brand to take off, we have to hold and say, ‘No, you can't do that,' because otherwise we'll just repeat that cycle for year in and year out. If you hold, the audience takes the message, and so eventually they completely change their minds. – Otto Schulze 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. Seriously, that's not all. We always say, a successful call is one where we have talked very little. We don't go with a pitch. – James Christianson 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 James and Otto 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. Information is not alluring. So we don't give information. You just show enough to create the hook, and that's that. But it's different with different markets. The ultra luxury buyers' buying psychology, how they buy and how we buy, is not the same as every other market and we understand that. – Otto Schulze If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask James and Otto or want to say thank you 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. In the beginning it is a hard thing to say, like you almost apologetically, say, “Oh, we charge $30,000,” or whatever it might be, and you just have to say it over and over and over again. Like, say it to my spouse, say it to Otto a bunch of times. Say it to my friends, say it out loud until you believe it. Because if you don't believe it, you can't sell it. – James Christianson 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. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. 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. Both of us, individually, were already shooting, charging $12,000 to $18,000 on our own. So, we had to at least double. And then at double, we were like, okay, that that's not really the goal. The goal is to elevate to go after even bigger. – James Christianson 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.​ Black Friday Sale — ON NOW! Finishes December 2nd. There's a big sale on everything PhotoBizX this week! 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Note: If you paid your monthly membership in November, let me know, and I'll get that refunded for you, too. Specials are available from now until Tuesday 3rd December. Here's the link again: https://photobizx.com/blackfriday IMPORTANT: No matter what you purchase, if you feel something isn't a good fit, let me know, and I'll happily refund you. Or feel free to ask if you're unsure about something. Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode: James and Schulze Website James and Schulze on Instagram Sage Journey Michelle Rago – full-service boutique planning firm I honestly think that's the biggest driver of success with them, is just the humility to keep coming, understanding that I'm not the most important thing in their lives. So when I reach out, they're not going, ‘Oh my gosh. It's Otto from James and Schulze.' They're busy, and so I'll just keep coming politely, not annoyingly. – Otto Schulze TPX11: Bradley Hanson – Get Inspired and Stay True to Your Photographic Vision Aid Brad Hanson's Rehabilitation Journey Thank you! Thanks for tuning in, and a big thank you to James and Otto for sharing their journey and how to break into the super luxury wedding photography market. It was inspiring to hear about their approach to building a luxury photography brand, staying confident in their pricing, forging meaningful relationships with planners, and empowering all of us to think bigger. You don't create value by giving stuff away. – Otto Schulze That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business! Thanks, and speak soon Andrew Episode Transcript Email Download New Tab 593: James and Schulze – How to break into the ultra-luxury wedding photography market   Andrew Hellmich: Today's guests are in the luxury wedding photography market, and they joined forces around seven years ago after each running individual wedding photography businesses for close to 15 years. I've heard them say they're still competing with each other. The only difference today is they're sharing a bank account, and they both believe that moving into the premium and luxury space as a photographer can be a game changer for any photography business owner. They also say that they're two ordinary guys and dads who created an extraordinary business which has been named in the Top 50 Photographers in the World by Harper's Bazaar, and they've been featured numerous times by Vogue. Now to me, ordinary sounds unbelievable when these guys have photographed the weddings of fashion icon Ralph Lauren's family. I'm talking about James and Otto of James and Schulze, and I'm rapt to have them with us now. James and Otto, welcome guys. Otto Schulze: Ah, such a pleasure. Andrew, thank you for having us. James Christianson: Yeah Andrew Hellmich: You got to tell us first how you guys came to join forces like, were you buddies beforehand? Were you neighbors? Did you know about each other? How did that all happen? James Christianson: Go Otto. Otto Schulze: I was hoping you wouldn't say that. I was going to say it. And then I thought, "Ah, I paused too long." No, we both used to live in Colorado. I moved there about just now, 18 years ago, from South Africa, and James is already living there. I think he moved there from California, right? And so when we started our business in Colorado, after a few years, things were running nicely. There was this one guy that kept taking my business, like, "Oh, we went for someone else. We love your work". "Okay, who did you go with?" James Christianson ." " James Christianson ", " James Christianson”. And so eventually I just reached out and I said, "Look, let's just meet", you know. And it turns out he's pretty nice, and I, you know. And so we became friends. And what followed then was like once or twice a year, when each one of us would have our biggest events, I would bring him, he would bring me. And when we did this, the quality of the work, the experience, the collaboration, the flow, was just on another level fast for the clients. And so we just, we kind of joked that we just did this one time too many, to the point where it's like, why do it alone? And so we said, "Look, let's start James and Schulze. Let's go after only the truly exceptional. Let's not do those events two or three times a year. Let's only do those". And that's here we are. Like you said, bank accounts shared. Andrew Hellmich: And so when you say those events, are you referring to the larger weddings, the big clients? Otto Schulze: Yeah, like, yeah, the ultra-luxury events, right? The events that really, anything is on the table. You know. James Christianson: It's those events that gave us the taste of what we do now, right? Where we were doing lots of, we would do 20 weddings a year, each of us. There'd be three or four every year that are just next level. Andrew Hellmich: Right James Christianson: And those are, like, we just need, just that any ordinary second photographer won't do? We need another, somebody who has.. Otto Schulze: Principal James Christianson: Yeah, skill in this craft. Not that second photographers don't have skill. But you know what I mean. Andrew Hellmich: Yeah, 100%. James Christianson: Yeah. We just want a little more, little extra sauce on this. Andrew Hellmich: Yeah. You want someone to take ownership of, you know, what they're really doing out there? Tell me who was the first of you two that approached the other one and actually said, you know, laid it out. How about we join forces? And was that uncomfortable? Who was that guy? Otto Schulze: That's a, who was that guy? James Christianson: Probably have different recollection of this. I mean, the way I remember is we, we photographed the wedding. It was Otto's wedding. It was probably, like, he said, our third or fourth, if the time we'd done this, in Wyoming. And, you know, it's a bit of a drive back from Wyoming to Denver, three or four hours. And like, just talking about, like, the experience of what we just did, like, all these things, and we just, I remember, kind of go, "Like, we should just do this together all the time" Otto Schulze: Yeah James Christianson: And like we tend to do now that we're partners, even, you know, Otto and I are both people who like to jump off cliffs, like literally and figuratively. You know, we're we like to dream big, and we don't mind taking risks. Andrew Hellmich: I love it. Otto Schulze: It's probably why we have so many kids. We have so many kids. That's why, that's what happened. Andrew Hellmich: That is amazing. And the reason I ask is I imagine that would be like you're putting yourself out there when you ask the other guy, Hey, even if you just suggest it like it's a scary thing, because there is that possibility of rejection when you both sort of finish that drive home. I'm guessing you both, "Yeah, this is a good idea". Do you go to a solicitor? Do you go to a lawyer and have a partnership agreement drawn up? Do you take it that seriously that quickly, or do you just say, "Let's just see how it goes for 12 months". Otto Schulze: Now you definitely go to your wife first before you go to the lawyer. Now, I mean, all joking aside, that's the thing, right? Like, I think, because we're both dreamers, once the idea was verbalized, whoever said it first, the other one went "I like that idea". And so I think for both of us, we got home going, "This is exciting", and then it was like a little bit of reality, like telling people, a family, and they're going, "Okay, well, what?". And then there's a risk in it, right? We both had successful businesses, and now you're kind of like, so then all of that, that transition phase started, but I think once we'd had the conversation, we were both like, yeah, there's, "I'm a lot better with him", there's the bottom line, to be quite honest. Andrew Hellmich: Sure, sure. Look, my aiming here isn't to make you guys uncomfortable. I mean, I went through this conversation when I formed a partnership with my past business partner. She went on to have kids and a family, so we dissolved the partnership, but the first thing we did was like, well, all the same. We both went home excited, but with we said, you know, "We better go and see a solicitor". And they, the solicitor asked questions of us that we would never even have considered. Did you go through that same experience? James Christianson: We did draw up an agreement. I think we ended up using something like a Rocket Lawyer, or we didn't actually go to an attorney, but we did create a legal document together, going through all of that, and we continue to do that as often as we can. Where we rethink our goals, we look at our revenue go, is the life insurance that we have on each other, is that you get to cover one of us if, for God forbid something happens to us, like.. Andrew Hellmich: Yeah James Christianson: Which reminds me, we probably should do that again here. Otto Schulze: See Andrew Hellmich: That's right. And these are the things you do have to consider. I mean, if God forbid something does happen, the other one's got to cover all those expenses the other weddings. So what happened with your existing weddings. I imagine you both had 10 or 20 weddings on the books. What happened with those? Otto Schulze: Yeah, I mean, the first year, we just kind of like grandfathered them in, I guess, you know, like we just shot them as James and Schulze, you know, together. And, yeah, I suppose the first year or so, I think that's how far we had things booked out. And then it was just, you know, our work from then on. James Christianson: Honestly, the hardest, I think, if I remember back, the hardest part of it was basically convincing those wedding planners and those creative partners that we had already worked with that "No, James and Schulze was the thing", because we would get people like, "Can we just hire James?" Or "Could we just hire Otto?", like, that's what we're used to, that's what we're comfortable like, we know it's at this price and not double that price or triple that price. Can we just go back to and we realized really quickly, no, we have to go, No, yeah, this is, this is where we're going, and this is the only offer that we have available. Andrew Hellmich: Right? Okay, that made sense. Otto Schulze: And it's tough in the beginning, right? Because you need money, and it's easy to just go, "Sure, you can hire James or Otto", but we realized early on, if we want this new brand to take off, we have to hold and say, "No, you can't do that", because otherwise we'll just repeat that cycle for year in and year out. And so that was tough a little bit. But eventually branding, right? If you hold the audience takes the message, and so eventually they're like, and now you'll talk to the same people, and they completely changed their minds, right? James Christianson: Just, yeah, now we're going on year nine. Maybe this coming year will be year nine for us, so. Andrew Hellmich: Wow. Okay, so did you guys both dissolve or take down your own websites? And you know, have had the joint ones pretty much straight away? Otto Schulze: Yeah James Christianson: Yeah, because we were forwarding everything to the new one. And yeah, but yeah, we dissolved. We completely dissolved. Otto Schulze: We had to. We tried to, at first, to keep both going, but the planners told us, like, "When you're ready to launch James and Schulze, tell us, and then we'll sell James and Schulze", we're not doing this like Plan B scenario. So yeah, we had to jump, which we did. Andrew Hellmich: Talking about revenue, I mean, this had to make financial sense as well to form a partnership, and I promise we're going to get into the luxury wedding market in just a second. But you form the partnership, it's got to be financially viable. It's got to make sense, especially to the family, to your partners and your wives. Did you restructure your price list? Did you stay with the same price list? Did you triple your prices? James Christianson: Both of us, individually, were already shooting, charging 12 to 15, 18,000 on our own. So yeah, we had to at least double. And then that double, we were like, okay, that's not really the goal. The goal is to elevate, to go after even bigger, because Colorado is an amazing wedding market, and there's certain pockets in Colorado, Aspen, Telluride, where, you know, you get the stars, you get Ralph Lauren, you get everybody, who's anybody coming. And what was happening to us at that former price point was, we'll fly so and so in from New York, or we'll fly so and so in from, you're great, but to the local Colorado, when we were like, "No, we're the best in the world", that's what we wanted. We wanted to be the best in the world, and so the price had to reflect that. And so did the work, quite frankly. So that's where we went. Andrew Hellmich: I love it. So you guys are sitting at that 12 to 18k mark individually. Let's say you double and a half or triple your price. So there's no prices, obviously on your website, what does the client pay today? Otto Schulze: Yeah, I mean back then we doubled it, back then we started around 34k, that was back when we started James and Schulze. And now we're double that on average. Andrew Hellmich: 60k, 60 to 70k Otto Schulze: Yeah, a little bit above. Andrew Hellmich: Wow James Christianson: 64k is what our average is for 2025. Andrew Hellmich: 60. Okay, that number, it sounds mind blowing to me, like, I'm like, "Whoa". How does it feel when it rolls off your tongues, James? James Christianson: You know, it's interesting. You know, we have this education piece, and people are always saying, like, "Okay, if I charge double my prices, like, on Monday, I charge 5,000 and on Tuesday, I charge 10,000, what? What actually happened? How do we create this value?" I always say, and this is from my own experience with what we're talking about right now is, without the belief, like the value isn't there. And so we've had to learn to truly believe in ourselves and believe in the value, that the value is there, that we're going to provide an exceptional experience, that we're going to provide an experience that really nobody else can provide. And we believe that. But in the beginning, it is hard thing to say, like you almost apologetically, say, "Oh, we charge 30,000 or 30" or whatever it might be, and you just have to say it over and over and over again, like, say it to my spouse, say it to Otto a bunch of times. Say it to my friends. Say it out loud until you believe it. Andrew Hellmich: Right James Christianson: Because if you don't believe it, you can't sell it. Otto Schulze: Yeah Andrew Hellmich: Okay, so I saw a post just today in another online photographer's Facebook group, and they're all about big sales. And one of the girls in there, one of the female photographers, made her biggest sale that she's ever made, but she said she actually feels uncomfortable. It's not sitting well with her. She's excited, but she just feels almost guilty. Do you guys go through any of that? Otto Schulze: I have two community kids to feel guilty about that, so it's a solid no for me. But I think the thing that does shift is and has shifted fast as well. We're two middle class boys, right? We grew up like that. We're not billionaires, we're not our clients. And so in the beginning, when you hear, as a photographer, 10k, I remember first time I heard that, I was like, "That's undoable", but you put it in your context of a middle class person, so you think it's a lot, and that's why you feel like that, because like, "Oh my gosh, that's like a house down payment". But with these little clients, like, it's been years since anybody has brought up budget, even clients, they don't bring up numbers, because that's not the game here. They buy what they want. And so the whole rate thing shifts in perspective too, once you realize that you're like, "Oh, wait a minute, like, maybe that's not actually enough". But it all shifts, for sure, it really does. Andrew Hellmich: And did you have to change the way you dress, the car you drive? Do you have to be conscious about the background if you're having a zoom call, you know, with one of these new clients that, you know, it's 60, $70,000. Did those things change in your life? Otto Schulze: Yeah James Christianson: Yes, absolutely. I mean, you know, when you double your prices, or triple your prices, anytime you're trying to elevate, and I always say, like, I'm the type of person I'm going to get in over my head and swim to the top. And when you do that, you all of a sudden, you start looking around and go, and it's part of the belief that I was talking about earlier. You go, "Wait a minute. I'm saying that it's this. But now that I look at the competition that these two things don't line up, like, I've got to rebrand. I have to, like, change the copy. I have to how I show up to the wedding". Like we're talking about, every wedding we go to is a black tie event, almost, right? Everyone is wearing a tuxedo. So you can't walk in with khakis and a button down. It's gotta, you have to change. And, yeah, we're putting people occasionally in our car. It can't be, you know, a cheap we can't roll up with the cheap rental with McDonald's all in the background, in the back seat, right? We, we have to show up in a car, that is, you know, we're having to just show up in a Bugatti, but we have to, it has to be on par with what their experience is. Andrew Hellmich: Got it. James Christianson: To answer your question, yes. I mean, everything has to change. Andrew Hellmich: Everything has to change. And then the family too?, Or it's just you guys are the face of the business, that's all anyone's ever going to see. Otto Schulze: No, yeah, it's separate complete. I mean, I live in Mexico, so my normal wears board shorts and no shirt, you know. So no, like, and when we're traveling, we're renting cars. So, like, the way we live is the way we live. There's a line between Otto and James, and James and Schulze, those are separate entities. Now, obviously we make up James and Schulze, but we very much put on that identity. You know what I mean? When we work, when we shoot, when we interact with clients, it's not, it's real, it's authentic, but it's not me and you individually. You know what I mean? Andrew Hellmich: I love it. James Christianson: Yeah, it's the best, James and Schulze is the best version of us, right? Otto Schulze: Like, yeah, it's us with long pants. Andrew Hellmich: James, you said earlier that, you know, when you looked at the competition you and the fact that you guys wanted to increase your pricing, that the experience had to change the experience that you're delivering. Now, I hear experience gets thrown out a lot by a lot of photographers from all different budgets. What do I get in regards to experience for $70,000 that I don't get for 10? James Christianson: Well, that's a great question. It depends. I think the things that we do are often things that you could do at any wedding and provide a better experience. So for us, it's truly honing in on what is it this client wants, you know ahead of time, like, what is your vision for this day? What is the guest going to experience? And then making sure that we integrate with that experience and that we try to elevate that experience. So an example might be, "Hey, we just want to be in the moment, we want to be present throughout". So now all of a sudden, photography is going to be put into the background. You paid in $68,000 to be here, but photography might be in the background. You're going to be captured. And it's not about the photography today. This is about your wedding and about your guests and the moments of being present, right? And we're shifting our photography to accommodate that. I think the second piece is like really understanding and being able to read a room. I will say to most clients like, I know that your day is going to be different because we're there, and it's because of the way we are going to behave and the way we're going to act. We're going to see stress occurring and help mitigate it. By the way we behave, we're not just gonna press in regardless of how you're feeling right now, because "The shot, the shot, I've got to get the shot", right?. No, the shot doesn't occur if they're not in the right space. So we'll step back and, like I said, like, that's not rocket science. You could do that at any level of event, but people tend to not do that, Andrew Hellmich: Right Otto Schulze: Yeah Andrew Hellmich: So Otto, on that point, do you get the chance, or do you both get the chance to have a good conversation with all of your clients you know about the wedding and what they're looking for from the photography because I imagine sometimes, I don't, I imagine maybe you don't even get to talk to some of the clients and the planner books you, is that right? Otto Schulze: Yeah. I mean, oftentimes we don't, all of our clients we only meet at the rehearsal dinner with a welcome party for the first time, because they travel. We all travel. Yeah, no, that is right. James Christianson: But I would say, I would say, 80% of the clients we're able to talk to ahead of time. Otto Schulze: One call, that, before they book us. And then once that goes off, they're busy, you know? And it's very little contact, yeah. Andrew Hellmich: So then who's your point of contact? Is it the wedding planner? Otto Schulze: Planner, yeah, they are like the grand conductor of the whole thing, right? So that's the main point of contact for us. But again, like James says, It depends it flows with clients, right? Sure, for the most part, yes. Andrew Hellmich: So what happens, James, to your point, if the client has booked you because the planners referred you, and they've gone to your website. They've seen these, you know, these elegant, beautiful photos that are still like in the moment, and dresses flowing and everyone's having fun. But they tell you, "Listen, just leave us alone. We want you in the background". But they've booked you on the premise that they've seen those images that you created. How does that work for you guys at that price point? , James Christianson: Well, I mean, we're never going into a space blind like that. We're always and we're almost 95% of time we're having at least one call with a client before they book us, so we have a clear understanding. And it's during that time we're like, "Tell us about your vision. How do you see this?". We're taking copious notes and truly understanding. Now, occasionally stress, like at any level of wedding, stress can change someone's behavior, their personality, and all of a sudden you're dealing with like, "Oh, I only have five minutes". And I think that might also be, you know, if you are master of your craft, and you're given five minutes to make a beautiful photograph, right? That's why we get paid, what we get paid, and sometimes that does help happen. We get five minutes with the bride and groom, and are expected to create magic in that five minutes. Am I saying we never miss anything? No, like, that's not the case. But working well under pressure is part of that price tag. Otto Schulze: No, leaving ego at the door. For sure, it's all about the clients, not about us, the artists or our work or our vision or our story. It's all about them, and that's how we operate. So if things move on the wedding weekend, we move with them. If she's stressed she doesn't want to do the portraits now, even though we've had it scheduled at this time for months, we roll with it. If we have two minutes left, we roll with it. Like, take it away from us, we roll with it. Because we're not the stars at this level. You know, we're just not, I think in the middle market, or some bigger parts of the market, maybe client hires the photographer, and the photographer is a star to them. At this level, like Elton John is playing after dinner for two songs. Like, we are not stars by any means. So that background role, I think again, we hear that price tag, and we think, "Oh, this photographer must do something special". But I'm like, like I said, these clients don't even consider money often, like they don't know what they paid us. And so they come in and they go, "Here's how I feel, here's what I want", and we just go listen and we say, "Tell us more". And then we take that brief and we shoot, you know, and it works nice. James Christianson: And rarely is it in a demanding way, right? When we're saying, like, whatever they want. It's not like we have all these brides like stomping their feet and say, "I want this". I would say for the majority of our clients, it's a beautiful experience. It is a thing that people are grateful and kind and respect.. Otto Schulze: Beautiful families, yeah. James Christianson: And full of trust, of us. Andrew Hellmich: I love it. That must be pretty, pretty incredible events to be a part of. Are you signing things like NDAs and, you know, and copyright agreements where you can't share anything. Otto Schulze: To varying levels. Sometimes it's just, you know, sometimes it's a buyout, you know, we lose the rights to the images entirely. Other times, it's partial, yeah. Andrew Hellmich: So, and do you guys negotiate those sort of terms? Otto Schulze: Yeah. I mean, we ask clients what, some clients will come to you right off the bat, with the planner, "Here's the client, here's the date, here's the details" and yet, complete buyout done, you know. And others come with, you know, varying levels of that. So you go "Tell me more, what's the real concern? What's the real thing you want?" "Okay, it's this cool. You want to buy out. You need the rights. You're just nervous about not looking good on Instagram. We can manage that for you, free. So let's talk about that", you know. Andrew Hellmich: You're just creating an easy solution for them to book you and give them what they want. Otto Schulze: Right. Andrew Hellmich: I guess, just like most of us, but you're doing it at a different level. Otto Schulze: What was that word that we heard recently, James? "Frictionless", who said that 'frictionless'? A frictionless process. Andrew Hellmich: That's nice. Otto Schulze: This is in my head. Maybe it was a dream. Anyway.. Andrew Hellmich: That is nice. Otto Schulze: Frictionless. Yeah. Andrew Hellmich: I'm gonna move it to the point of view of the listener in just a second, because I know they're gonna be just as interested as me in the questions I'm asking you, but I also want to know how they can improve their own businesses. But what does your client get these days? As far as deliverables? Are you delivering an album? I can't imagine you sending them a Dropbox folder of files. What's happening at the end of the day? James Christianson: Yeah, our deliverables are a Pic-time gallery. So they're good. It's 1000 images, depending on the event, sometimes much more than that, and they have the downloadable rights to the high resolution image. There are personal rights to those, and that's, and our time. That's really what our creative fee and what the deliverable is. And yes, we do can and create an album, and do create albums, but that's an additional cost, and we usually do that a year, two years after the event. Andrew Hellmich: Right. So do you know what happens with your images after? Do they hire someone to put an album together or a slide show or create a website? And what do they do with their photos? Otto Schulze: I mean, honestly, oftentimes, very little, James, like they look at them. They like some the first few months, and then they disappear for like, a year or two, and then they come back and we do them an album, you know, increasingly very little lace prints, I think. Yeah, sorry, James, go ahead. James Christianson: No, just to say, like, we've been in several homes, though, after the fact where they've hired, they have a designer on retainer, potentially. And you know, they give that, in this put the frames together, here's the images. They print them, and they're hanging in their home. But, yeah, they didn't have, they had an assistant contact the interior designer to do the work, because, again, they've hired someone they trust to build this entire home and to furnish this entire home and design it all to the T and that's what they're gonna, it's gonna all integrate Andrew Hellmich: Without the designer that you just mentioned, I mean, these clients, they sound like everyday clients for any photographer who's listening, who shoots weddings, but it's just the biggest, I don't know, just they're spending more money, and the money probably feels the same to them, or maybe even less so, like you've said, Otto. Otto Schulze: Even then. Andrew Hellmich: Yeah. And then they're not even doing something with the photos. Otto Schulze: But that's what we're saying there, right? There's this idea about luxury, that people are stuffy, and it's a bridezilla. Our experience, as long as we've been doing this, the exact opposite. It's like incredibly beautiful families, like wealthy, yes, but these are just two kids that are in love, are getting married like one experience for their family and their friends, and sure, they get to go to Italy and to a desert oasis and all these cool things. But ultimately, it's just people connecting. It's the same. It's very similar. It's just everything is just run better. Sure it's organized. James Christianson: And as I hear you say that Otto, it's almost like the luxury at the weddings that we photograph is the connection, right? That's the thing that they're hungry for more than anything, is an experience with the people that they really care about. And how can we spend three or four days really connecting? Otto Schulze: That's it. James Christianson: Unplug, walk through the streets of Avione, France and enjoy this time together, like that's the luxury, because it's great and we get to capture those moments, so. Andrew Hellmich: Sounds amazing. How many weddings do you say yes to in a year? Otto Schulze: Right now, we're at 10 to 12 is a nice spot for us. James Christianson: Yeah Andrew Hellmich: That sounds like a nice lifestyle, too, for you guys. Otto Schulze: Yeah. I mean, we travel for all of them, and all of them are, you know, 2-3-4, day events. So it's a lot. Even at 10 or 12, it's a lot. It feels like a lot. Andrew Hellmich: Knowing what you guys know now, what you've experienced, what you've lived. So for the listener, let's say they are charging $5,000 for a wedding, and they want to get to 10, 15, 20. One of the things I hear a lot is great clients are made, not found. But to me, it sounds like you guys, they're finding you. It's a bit different, I don't know. So what do you think about that photographer wants to go from 5 to 10, 15, or $20,000 for their weddings? Is that easily doable? Well, what should they do to get there? Big question, I know. Sorry, James. Otto Schulze: Yeah, yes. And no one, gocha, James. James Christianson: Well, yeah, I would say that, our premise are, the given for us, is that the photography has to be great, right? There's a lot of people that go, oh, the we say it all the time, the photography doesn't matter at some level, but below a certain point, all of a sudden, the photography matters, right? There's other photographers that are better photographer than I am, not better than Otto, which is why I partnered with him, but certainly better people, better photographers than me, that are charging far less, right? And could they move up fairly seamlessly? Yes, if your skill level and your ability with people is not to a certain level yet, then I think you're gonna, it's in a hard row to hoe, as they say. Andrew Hellmich: You know, just moving from that 5 to 10, 15, or $20,000 and I'm happy to explore the photography for a second. So when you say the photography has to be great, and I can see Otto's nodding, you know, when you're saying that, James. If you ask a photographer if their photography is good, they're going to say yes. So where should they go to have that reassurance that "Yes, your photography is at a level where you can be charging way more than you are". Like, do you go to a peer? Do you put it in a Facebook group? Do you see how many like you get on Instagram? James Christianson: Hmm, Otto, do you have? Otto Schulze: No, I don't have anything. James Christianson: I think you have to hire somebody to tell you that, like to tell you the truth. Because if you put it up in the Facebook group, most people, there'll be a couple trolls, and then most people going, "Oh, this is great", but I think you need to hire a professional, whether it's another wedding planner that you go, "Hey, can I give you $1,000 for two hours of your time? I really want you to walk through", like or if it's a designer or another, somebody who's already at the level that you are, and just say, "Hit me with it. I want to know, be kind, but give it to me straight". Otto Schulze: Because the real thing is, when, when you say, is the word good enough I'm like, in my head immediately good enough for who? Because for photographers, the thing is, we're always looking at photos going, "Oh, it's a great photo", and then we show it. And that's not the question for us anymore, is it a great photo? It's like, "What's in it? What are we showing? What's the story? What's the content?". You know what I mean? "Is it what my target demographic, my target client, wants to see?". That's the question. And most photographers haven't even asked that question. They sit down and we start imagining, like, making up this ideal client that we want, which doesn't exist for one, and then two, we're just resourcing ourselves. So we keep curating for ourselves that constantly misses. And so I think James is right, you have to find somebody that knows that space, that can say, like, "Yeah, it's a great image, but for this audience, it's a miss". You know, and it's little things like, "What's in it? What chairs are in it? The ceremony scene, it's a bunch of white lawn chairs". Nobody's going to look at that and go, "Oh, white lawn chairs. Yuck". But for the luxury buyer, it's a subconscious pattern, pattern break. It's not what they're looking for. And then they move on. The photographer goes, "But look at the flare", "Look at the bowl cut.” Nobody cares. Nobody cares. Andrew Hellmich: So did you guys? Did you have to change your style when you went from, you know, $20,000 to $60,000? Otto Schulze: I think how we shoot and feel and into it as photographers is still very similar. It's developed more. But what did change, is what we look for. You know what I mean, like, because in the beginning for me, it was all about my story, the artist, and so I'd walk into a scene, and what appeals to me then is very different. Now, like James said, we sit with the client, and that's what it's about. That's what we shoot for, that's what we move for, that's what we look for. So yeah. James Christianson: Which kind of, quite honestly, has been so fun. Otto Schulze: Yeah James Christianson: Because it's, if anyone's listening to this that you know, like, weddings are formulaic, right? You know what's going to happen at any point of the day. But for us, we're going into almost like, we treat this like an advertising brief. Tell us what you want, what is the story we're telling? What is important? Who is important? Like, what is the vibe that you're trying to communicate? What is the portrait of the event going to look like from, you know, you put 100 images together to tell a story, what is it that you want that to look like? So every wedding, we're looking for something a little bit different. Now, obviously we're still drawn to what we're going to be drawn to. Otto Schulze: Yeah James Christianson: Personality and light and beauty, all those types of things, but the context that is around all those things that get everything that gets filled into the gaps is different each time. Andrew Hellmich: So I imagine for you guys, the focus has to be on the people, the connection, those, the people at the event, more so than anything else. Because you've said, this is the big part of these days, is that, that coming together, that connection. But then if you see the 100 white lawn chairs in great light, I mean, do you still shoot that? Otto Schulze: Oh yeah, yeah, we shoot a lot of it. Because for us, there really is like two, almost two sets of clients here, right? There's the client and their family and their needs, and that's first and foremost. But then with our events, it's a massive production team, planners, designers, and so they've spent years, months working in the design, sourcing it all. And so we go out of our way photographing that for them specific. The clients look at the details. They go, "Oh, wow, this is too beautiful". Then they walk on. The planner and the designer is going to sit with that for days, weeks. And so yeah, we, we spend a great deal of time photographing that specifically for them to serve them. James Christianson: Yeah, and Andrew, it's, it's not white lawn chairs, it's hand-crafted chairs. You know, each one handmade for this event specifically or sourced from. I remember photographing a wedding in a chapel that this gentleman built himself, and he bought the doors off of a church in Portugal and had them shipped to his property and installed in this little chapel. It was a beautiful stone looked like from Ireland, stone chapel that fit like 30 people, and these doors were from 1500 like.. Andrew Hellmich: It's amazing James Christianson: You know, so that's the kind of thing. So, yes, those doors get photographed. And it's not like, you know, just your normal exit door, all right. Andrew Hellmich: So again, it sounds like you guys are shooting the way I would shoot a $5,000 wedding. I'm going to shoot for the planner, the florist, the decorator, as much as I am the client. So what's another thing that I need to do to get from my 5000 to my $20,000 weddings, and let's assume that my photography is good enough, I've hired someone. They said, "Yeah, look, you're way undervalued". Otto Schulze: I mean, I'd say assuming the work is good and all of that's in order, my brand makes sense, you know, it's not a mess. The biggest thing is source. These clients are not googling for their vendors, for their team, right? They hire a planner, and the planner is the source. And so the first thing if you want to move from five to 20 or 30 or 50k weddings is source. You're going to have to move away from this setting Google traps, and they come to it, and you take them in, and you're going to have to start getting good at sales and outreach and connecting with people, and that really becomes the job more than photography. Like most of our hours are spent reaching out to planners and partners, connecting, listening, doing the same thing we do with clients, like tell us more, and then trying to bring value to them beyond just the photography. And so I think if you want to make that move, that is the flow. There's no other way to do it in luxury and ultra luxury. Andrew Hellmich: Okay, I can see James is nodding here, so let us explore that a little bit. So I mean, how does a planner get onto your radar? Do you see them? Do you read about them in the, I don't know, in a magazine? Do you know who's who in Colorado or around the world now?   Sign up to listen to the Premium Version https://photobizx.com/premium-membership   Otto Schulze: In living downtown Las Vegas and like, "What are you doing for a living?", like, "why are you living downtown Las Vegas there?" James Christianson: Well, it's because I was dropped off there at one point during my early years. And.. Otto Schulze: Not a good story. James Christianson: Yeah, not a good story. Andrew Hellmich: So I think you did too, and I did that allude to the fact that you have another platform Sage, where I get the impression like, "This is to help photographers get to that next level". Is that right? James Christianson: Yes, really it is to help videographers and photographers, creatives, really, because we have painters, we have musicians in the community. It's really, how do I elevate? And when we started this, we were like, "Let's teach people how to get into luxury". And that's it. Is part of that still, but really is, "How do I elevate this, my brand, my business? What do I do? What are the things that I need to do to get to the next level", whatever level that might be. And really, sky's the limit. Yeah, you can go as far as this is you want, and our job is to help you get there. Andrew Hellmich: So Sage isn't just for the creative that wants to service or serve the luxury market. It's just they want to be better than where they are now. Otto Schulze: Yeah, I mean, we started it, the initial push was, "You want to go into luxury, and ultra luxury, we did this years of" angle. But as the group grew, most people are not in that position. And you can grow from three to eight, and from eight to 15 into 20, and that's different than growing to 50 or 6100 and so we've just opened that up more in our minds and gone like, "Look, we went from $500 when I arrived in the states 18 years ago, that's what I charged my first wedding, all the way to where we are now. And so we get it. We get the struggle along the way. We get the confusion. We get hitting the ceiling. We get all your friends getting increased, and you're going, 'where's mine?', All of that we've grown and suffered through." And so this community is really saying, like, "Let's share that space". You know, there's people here that know how to get out of this, you know, or beyond it. So that's really the goal. Andrew Hellmich: Is the fundamentals behind Sage 'relationships'? Or are there other tactics and strategies? Or does it keep coming back to, it sounds to me like networking and relationships are the key. Like, I don't know, maybe there's more in there, but that sounds like that's the one. James Christianson: No, there is quite I mean, there is way a lot more, we talk. I mean, all the principles of business. Otto Schulze: SOPs James Christianson: And different strategy of systems and SOPs and branding and sales and pricing and.. Otto Schulze: Psychology, buying psychology. James Christianson: All these things matters, right? Because if you can't do this other foundational pieces, like you can build a relationship all you want. And you know the vice versa of that is, if you have a great brand, but you're just sitting at home in your basement and can't get that in front of anybody, you're just gonna keep sitting in your basement. Otto Schulze: Because this is the double edged sword of the wedding photography industry, is you can just pick up a camera and go from zero next week, you're a wedding photographer. You have a website and you have a client, you have a camera, and you have all of this, and it can be years later and you still don't know who your client is. You've done no market research because you don't know how. You didn't even know you were supposed to do it. You don't know what an SOP is. How would you? And so most wedding photographers in this boat five to 10 years later going, "I've been doing this for 10 years. I don't know what's going on. I still can't pull the lever". And so we're coming in and saying, "Here, it's there. Switch on the light a little bit. Look at this. Look at that", and off you go. Because anybody can do this. That's the honest truth. If we can do it, anybody can do it. And so we just want to make the methods available and say, "Here's how. Now, if you're willing to do it, it's yours for the taking, a whole new life". Andrew Hellmich: What do you feel is the biggest downfall of the photographer that's trying to make it? Do you think it's what they don't know, or they don't put in the work, or is it something else? Otto Schulze: Yes, I think it's both of those. It's both of those are pretty good. Ignorance, for sure, you don't know what you don't know, but this consistency thing, I think, is huge for humans, especially for modern humans, because it's easy living right now for the most part. And so most of us don't have this pattern of like, stay in it, stick through it, the results will come, because everything just kind of comes to us already, you know what I mean. And so I think especially with younger photographers, you know, young being under forty, I see that. I see the enthusiasm, and they very quickly lose it. They're not willing, like everything we have, we've had to make happen, all of it. And so we have that pattern strong enough. None of this was given to us. It's a different generation. You know, we're old. So I think just teaching hard work is valuable, you know. Andrew Hellmich: I agree. I agree. I agree. So how does it work? James, do we go to the website and then is there tutorials? Is there videos? Is there a group? What happens once someone joins the community? James Christianson: Yeah. So we have quite a bit of, if you come to our website, we do have quite a bit of different types of offerings. We have a couple different courses. We have a, we have one on one mentoring. We have, if you buy the course, you're in an exclusive course members community, where we're active and in there every day with a couple 100 people, all who are going through similar things. One of the things that we've realized through this process over the last two and a half years of building this and creating this is that we had this course, and then we had this kind of community. After the course, we're realizing what people really need and what they really want is community. It's difficult to just gather information and then just go, "Okay, I'm going to do this." I mean, that's a great way to start, but you need people around you to support you, to steer you back on track, to hold you accountable and that's so we're about to launch a new community with that, is going to be limited. Everything else will still be available, but this community is really for those like-minded people who really want the exceptional, who are willing to put in the time and the effort. There is no easy button. There's no silver bullet. So if that's what you're looking for, this course and this community is not for you, because it doesn't exist. It really doesn't. We can give you all the tools, we can give you all the strategies. If you don't implement and you actually consistently implement, it's never going to work. Otto Schulze: Yeah James Christianson: So that's what this community is for, is gathering an exclusive group of like-minded people to come around and just say, "Together, we're going to lift each other up." Andrew Hellmich: That is nice. Otto Schulze: Because it's cool. It's been so cool to watch people come into the community and go "Last year I charge $3,000 and I booked five weddings at 15". It's like, it's game changing, right? It's life changing. I know that feeling all of a sudden you can go on holiday with your family, right? Like, that's huge. And so we get that feedback now we're like, "Man, that's good payment". Andrew Hellmich: That is awesome. James Christianson: It's providing us so much purpose in our own lives. Are, I know you're probably trying to shut this thing down. Andrew Hellmich: No, no, no. James Christianson: Creating so much purpose for us. I used to be a teacher, and one of the reasons I love teaching was watching those light bulbs come on for people and go, "Man, I think I could do this thing for the rest of my life", whatever that might be, and we're getting that satisfaction all over again, helping people and going like out of saying this is truly life changing for me, because before I was shooting 40 weddings a year, like working weekends, working six days a week, grinding 60 hours a week, and I still don't have enough money. I thought I would do this so I didn't have to have a nine to five job. But holy crap, that's not what's happening. Andrew Hellmich: You're putting in twice as many hours. James Christianson: I know I have my job, and another nine to five job. Otto Schulze: No health insurance anymore. That's gone now. James Christianson: It doesn't have to be that way. Andrew Hellmich: I didn't ask you, are most of your weddings on the weekends still with your clients, or is it different? Otto Schulze: Yeah. I mean, we typically arrive, like Wednesday, wherever we are, like, It's a Thursday night event, typically welcome party, Friday night rehearsal, Saturday or Sunday wedding and then the brunch, yeah. Andrew Hellmich: Nice. With the education side of things, guys, where is the best place for the listener to go to find out about this community, the strategies and tactics and connect more with you guys. James Christianson: You can find us at sagejourney.co and there's all sorts of free resources. There's links to our communities. We have a free community, and then also a place where you can come to find the courses as well. We'll find, we'll get you a special link to put down here below where you can just get a little more directly into the community, and maybe we'll come up with something great for your listeners. Andrew Hellmich: Amazing. That'd be awesome. I'll add links to that in the Show Notes underneath the audio here. I'll also add links to your social media profiles and your actual website. And what I really love about your website is it feels like, with no disrespect here, but that's not where all the hours and hours and hours are going into, it's more into the relationship. The website is almost like a mini brochure with some beautiful photos. It's a dream website for most photographers, but that's not where the work's going on. That's happening in the background Otto Schulze: Very intentionally, so yeah. Andrew Hellmich: Yeah, which we've heard, I love that. Otto Schulze: Information is not alluring, so we don't give information, you know, you just show enough to create the hook, and that's that. But it's different with different markets. We have to say that, right? The ultra luxury buyers buying psychology, how they buy and how we buy, is not the same. Well, my wife information is helpful. Maybe if she was a billionaire, it wouldn't be, you know, wouldn't matter. But, yeah. Andrew Hellmich: Guys, I have absolutely loved this conversation. I know the listener will have, too. Massive thanks for coming on, sharing what you have, and congratulations on your success. I knew that you were luxury wedding photographers. I had no idea there was a super luxury market like there is. So it's just amazing to have my eyes open to what's out there and what's available to photographers in this industry, it's amazing. So massive thanks again, guys, and massive congrats. Otto Schulze: Andrew, thank you so much for having us. James Christianson: Really appreciate it. Andrew Hellmich: This is where I usually jump in and say a big thanks to James and Otto for being amazing guests. But we continued to chat, and I asked him if I could record another little snippet about the photography gear that they're shooting with, because I thought you might be interested in that. So here's that short audio clip. What camera gear do you shoot on? Is it Cannons and Nikons? Are you shooting something, uh, medium formats? Otto Schulze: Fuji medium format and the liker cues. Andrew Hellmich: Fuji medium format, liker cues, because I know the list is going to ask that. Otto Schulze: Yeah, the new the GFX though, there was, we have the 100S II or the.. James Christianson: Yeah Otto Schulze: Yeah, very simple, like, one lens each on that camera and a cue, and that's how we shoot. Andrew Hellmich: Wow, nice. James Christianson: Yeah, and we have other stuff, right? We have, we should have a Sony, and we do have a 135 but it literally is 50 millimeter and 28 millimeter, almost 95% of what we shoot. Maybe more. Otto Schulze: Yeah, that tandem is so good. 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Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area  Amy Donovan of www.amydonovanphoto.com and www.amydonovanboudoir.com was someone I was looking forward to recording with, following an email exchange, seeing both her websites and multiple social media accounts. For example… I love that her two websites are basically one-page websites, just like those promoted and shared by photography business coach Jeff Brown in his recent podcast interview. And Amy tells me her websites have been performing well. Between them and Facebook ads, she says she has been lucky to stay busy for many years. Amy focuses on two separate genres—boudoir and weddings—depending on the season. Her annual revenue ranges from $150,000 to $180,000. In that email exchange, I asked Amy what she hoped to cover in this interview, and she said… I’m not looking to promote my photography business through interviews. My current focus is sharing why I do what I do. I've been noticing an epidemic of our culture using photography to diminish women's value. This isn't philosophical talk or a fancy public speaking point. I see the negative impact every day in my work. My reply was an enthusiastic… I’m all in for a discussion on this topic. However, as a business-focused podcast, we will be keen to hear about Amy, her photography business, and how these topics tie into her marketing, ads, referrals, etc. She was all in, and here we are, talking about weddings to boudoir and how Amy's minimalist approach has led to $180k photography business. Here's some more of what we covered in the interview: Diversify Your Revenue Streams: Amy shares how blending boudoir and wedding photography not only keeps her creative spirit alive but also ensures a steady income stream. Niche Down for Fulfilment and Profit: By transitioning from weddings to boudoir photography, Amy found emotional fulfilment and financial success—a balance many photographers strive for. Build a Personal Brand That Resonates: Embrace your quirks and stay honest on social media. Amy’s unique, authentic approach builds trust and a loyal audience. Foster Community Through Social Media: Amy’s “Boudoir and Beyond” Facebook group creates a safe, empowering space for women. The result? Engagement skyrockets and referrals roll in naturally. Separate Niches for Clear Messaging: Amy keeps her boudoir and wedding photography brands distinct, ensuring she reaches the right audience with tailored messaging. Leverage Simplicity in Marketing: From clean, minimalist websites to straightforward social posts, Amy proves that less is more when it comes to communicating your value. Streamline Social Media for Different Services: Amy maintains consistent, targeted branding by maintaining separate accounts for boudoir and wedding photography. Connect Personally Through Social Media: Amy uses her personal Facebook profile and Messenger to deepen client relationships. Word-of-Mouth Triumphs Over Referral Programs: Client satisfaction drives organic recommendations—no gimmicks required. Optimise Workspaces for Efficiency: Amy upgraded from hotel spaces to a studio, streamlining her workflow and elevating the client experience. Set Transparent Pricing: With packages starting at $800, Amy ensures clients see the value in her services upfront. Adapt to Client Needs: Whether offering same-day sales for travellers or personalised follow-ups for locals, Amy tailors her approach to delight every client. Incorporate Same-Day Sales: Convenient viewing and purchasing options boost client satisfaction and revenue. Consistency Is Key: Regular, authentic social media presence keeps Amy top of mind for her audience, generating trust and bookings. Outsource Admin Work: By hiring a VA, Amy frees up time to focus on creativity and delivering exceptional client experiences. Start with Vulnerability: Amy’s openness in her Facebook group fosters trust and cultivates a strong community. Personal Connections Drive Bookings: Encouraging clients to connect with her on Facebook builds rapport and trust, easing nerves before a session. Focus on the Client Experience: Amy ensures that every interaction is enjoyable for her clients, from the first inquiry to the final delivery. Stay True to Your Values: Amy’s authenticity and community-first mindset are the cornerstones of her success. 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. Hearing somebody say, ‘You look great.' ‘You're doing a good job.' ‘You have good posture.' ‘You have nice eyes.' Whatever it is, hearing a good thing about yourself instantly changes the way that you feel about yourself, and it instantly disarms you, and it makes you breathe easier and your shoulders come down. – Amy Donovan 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. Seriously, that's not all. Most of my clients who would book through Instagram will tell me, when they show up through their session, that they have followed me for years. So none of that is like instantaneous. – Amy Donovan 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 Amy 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. I honestly think the building relationships is the most successful part of my business. That's where most of my clients come from, that they just know me and will message me… and I can honestly say most of my wedding customers and nearly all of my boudoir clients, we end up being friends by the end. – Amy Donovan If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Amy or want to say thank you 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. What I am really good at is developing relationships. Instagram is all about being pretty, you've got one second for people to like what you've posted, and then they click the button, and maybe they're going to like a reel. You find what you want to look at on Instagram. But I think if you're going to build like a community or a relationship with somebody, it's going to be through Facebook. Because you're going to see that person, you're going to see their kids, you're going to see what they're up to. – Amy Donovan 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. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. 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. That lady's opinion of me does not matter. Clearly, she's living some sort of miserable existence, and maybe she needed a hug, but you put on the shorts, you proceed, you go live your life and don't worry about what anybody else thinks of you. – Amy Donovan 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.​   Last Chance — Build a Photography Website That Brings Clients to Your Doorstep ???? Does your website feel more like a digital portfolio than a client magnet? Let’s fix that. Join Alex Vita—web design expert and my trusted go-to for all things online—in this masterclass tailored specifically for photographers. With over 300 photography websites under his belt, Alex knows exactly how to turn your site into a client-attracting, Google-friendly powerhouse. Why You’ll Love This Training Get practical strategies to improve your website’s user experience (UX) and SEO. Transform your site into a 24/7 marketing machine that actually brings in clients. Learn what matters most to visitors and search engines so you stand out from the crowd. What You’ll Learn The secrets of great photography websites: Usability, rankings, and why your current site might be falling short. Easy design upgrades: From better navigation to mobile optimisation, Alex shares tips that make your site shine. Quick wins for big impact: Small changes that dramatically boost your site’s performance. How to increase enquiries and bookings: Build trust and make it ridiculously easy for visitors to reach out. What’s Included Live Zoom training with Q&A: Get Alex’s insights tailored to your unique website challenges. Lifetime access to the course: Revisit the lessons anytime, with recordings, slide decks, and additional guides. Extra support from Alex: Includes access to his Website Design & UX Course for Photographers. Whether your current website just needs some TLC or you’re starting from scratch, this masterclass will equip you with everything you need to create a site that’s not just functional—but profitable. When: November 21st at 8 am (AEDT) Sydney Local Time. Your local time is here. Why: To learn how to build a killer photography website that makes both visitors & Google happy and gets you results. Cost: USD$147 — price doubles after the live training is delivered and bonuses disappear. More details and registration here: https://learn.photobizx.com/photography-website-user-experience-and-seo-registration/ Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode: Amy Donovan Website Amy Donovan Boudoir Amy Donovan Focused on Instagram Amy Donovan Photo on Instagram Amy Donovan Boudoir on Instagram Amy Donovan on Tiktok Amy Donovan on Facebook Episode 585: Michael Cassidy – Navigating AI Restrictions and Building a Luxury Boudoir Photography Business Jeff Brown Interview on One Page Photography Websites that work Thank you! Thanks for tuning in, and a big thank you to Amy Donovan for sharing her journey with us. It was great to hear about her approach to balancing multiple photography genres, keeping things simple, building authentic connections through social media that lead to bookings, and maintaining simplicity in her branding. Boudoir is exactly where I want to be. A good boudoir client pays more than a wedding, and it fills my cup. – Amy Donovan That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business! Thanks, and speak soon Andrew The post 592: Amy Donovan – From Weddings to Boudoir: A minimalist approach to a $180k Photography Business appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area  Aurelie Graillot of www.aureliegraillot.com appeared on my radar after interviewing Steve Tepp from Rights Click, where we talked about all things copyright in episode 583. After the email introduction, I looked at her website and was blown away! This French-born, American-raised photographer describes herself as a still-life photographer, but I don't feel that description goes far enough. I would say commercial, advertising, beauty and cosmetics photographer who is an absolute master of photography, light, colour, composition and style. If you suffer from imposter syndrome as a photographer… do not visit Aurelie's website… her work is truly incredible. Aurelie’s insights are a goldmine for commercial, advertising, and branding photographers looking to build a sustainable, authentic career. Whether you're just starting out or already established, this interview offers real-world advice on everything from brand-building to adapting to a tech-driven world while balancing creativity, business, and life lessons from this super-talented commercial photographer. Here's some more of what we covered in the interview: Find Your Unique Style: Aurelie talks about overcoming imposter syndrome by focusing on her distinct style rather than comparing herself to others—key for personal and career growth. Define Your Brand: Knowing her strengths helped Aurelie build a brand that resonates authentically with clients. Starting Out: Aurelie began as a photography assistant, gaining foundational lighting and studio setup skills, which were crucial for her growth. Breakthrough Moment: An introduction from a creative director led to her first major commercial shoot, changing her career trajectory. Managing Early Finances: Aurelie shares her experience of balancing multiple jobs and initially accepting low rates, a familiar reality for new photographers. Build a Strong Portfolio: Aurelie emphasises the importance of showcasing high-quality work through personal projects and e-commerce shoots to attract clients. The Power of Networking: Connections with creative directors and industry professionals opened doors to new opportunities. Safeguard Your Work: Copyrighting images and negotiating usage rights to protect against unlicensed use. Embracing AI: With AI changing the photography landscape, Aurelie shares how she integrates AI-generated elements to expand her creative toolkit. Stay Competitive: Continuous learning—through courses, test shoots, or social media—helps photographers keep up with industry shifts. Balance Career and Life: After becoming a mother, Aurelie scaled back her studio operations to create a balance for her family and business. Developing Client Relationships: Building a good working relationship with clients and creative directors has been key to her project success. Present a Strong Online Presence: Aurelie highlights the need for a compelling online portfolio and active social media engagement to build credibility. 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. Low-balling your own rate is not necessarily a good business strategy… You’re devaluing yourself if you bring down your rate just to try to get a job. – Aurelie Graillot 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. Seriously, that's not all. You have to ask yourself, in the commercial world, what is the message that my client is trying to send out to the world, and I need to make sure that’s set or shown. – Aurelie Graillot 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 Aurelie 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. Regarding AI and photography, it's our ideas that we're putting together, and if you can make it work in a really elegant way, then it works. If it looks cheap, that's what cheapens it. – Aurelie Graillot If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Aurelie or want to say thank you 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. Some of it is experimentation. Doing test shoots. You learn a lot that way. You know, if you're trying to accomplish a certain look and feel, then you need to take the time to light in as many different ways, or test out different things. – Aurelie Graillot 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. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. 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. Everything is based on usage, and every client has a different usage need, so it's all negotiated… You have to navigate the rate world based on what the usage request is. – Aurelie Graillot 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 is the latest review… ★★★★★ My favourite photography business podcast! Via Google Reviews by Carlsbad family photographer HeatherMoreau, in the USA on November 7th, 2024. This is hands-down my favourite photography business podcast! Each episode is an incredible resource packed with valuable insights that truly blow me away. As a small business owner, it makes me feel connected to a larger, inspiring community of professional photographers. I highly recommend this podcast to any professional photographer—get ready to binge-listen because you won’t be able to get enough. Enjoy!   Build a Photography Website That Attracts Clients, Not Just Traffic Are you looking to make your website work better for your business? Join this masterclass with Alex Vita, a web design expert and my go-to for anything web-related, who’s built over 300 photography websites worldwide. He’ll show you how to transform your site into a client-attracting, Google-friendly asset for your business. Why Join? Get practical tips to boost your site’s user experience (UX) and SEO specifically for photographers. Turn your website into a real marketing tool that helps bring in more clients. Learn what matters most to visitors and search engines so your site stands out from competitors. What You’ll Learn Core UX and SEO essentials: Find out what makes a great photography website in terms of usability and search rankings. Practical design tips: Improve navigation, mobile-friendliness, and key design elements to keep visitors engaged. Quick, impactful changes: Make small adjustments that add up to big results for your site’s performance. Strategies for better conversions: Help visitors trust you and make connecting with you easy. What’s Included Live training on Zoom with a Q&A session so you can get answers tailored to your needs. Lifetime access to the recorded course on PhotobizX, plus downloadable resources like the slide deck and extra guides. Free Follow-up with Alex: Access to extra resources and support, including Alex’s Website Design & UX Course for Photographers. Whether you’re updating an existing site or building a new one, this masterclass will give you the tools to create a site you’re proud of — and one that works hard for your business. When: November 21st at 8 am (AEDT) Sydney Local Time. Your local time is here. Why: To learn how to build a killer photography website that makes both visitors & Google happy and gets you results. Cost: USD$147 — price doubles after the live training is delivered and bonuses disappear. More details and registration here: https://learn.photobizx.com/photography-website-user-experience-and-seo-registration/ Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode: Aurelie Graillot Website Aurelie Graillot on Instagram Aurelie Graillot on LinkedIn Creating Magic Through Still Life Photography with Aurélie Graillot via YouTube Ray Brown Represents Agency Aurelie Graillot Portfolio on Ray Brown Episode 583: Steve Tepp – Copyright Essentials for Photographers Thank you! Thanks for tuning in, and a huge thank you to Aurelie for sharing her journey with us. Her insights on finding a unique style, building a memorable brand, and adapting to new challenges like AI offer invaluable lessons for photographers at every stage. From overcoming imposter syndrome to balancing a thriving career with family life, Aurelie’s story is a testament to the power of resilience, creativity, and continuous learning in today’s photography world. It's the young companies that think they can get away with it, or they don't understand that they can get into some pretty big financial trouble if they infringe on copyright. – Aurelie Graillot That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business! Thanks, and speak soon Andrew The post 591: Aurelie Graillot – Balancing Creativity, Business, and Life: Lessons from a master commercial photographer appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area  Rick Bettinger of www.gittings.com is part of a photography business that has been operating for over 90 years in the US. They have studio locations in Dallas, Houston and New York. Plus, they have a separate side to the business, a global photography agency with photographers worldwide working under their banner. They offer most genres of photography – both for personal and corporate clients. Check out their About page, and you'll get a sense of the operation's size. They have over 20 staff photos and bios of a well-dressed and presented professional-looking team. In an article published in the 1980s, the founder of his incredible business, Paul Linwood Gittings, was quoted as saying, “I did sacrifice art for business; I made up my mind to use photography as a business tool.” There is no denying that his legacy lives on with what looks like an incredible business! Regarding our guest for today, he is the President and owner of Gittings Portrait Studios in Dallas and Fort Worth. He has a Master of Photography degree and has photographed past US presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, among many, many other notable families in Texas. In this interview, Rick shares how he has balanced art, business, and innovation in a long-standing, well-respected, and highly profitable photography business. Here's some more of what we covered in the interview: About Gittings Portrait Studios: Rick’s journey and connection to his family’s photography legacy. Legacy of Artistry: How Gittings blends artistic values with business success. Balancing Roles: The art of leading a business while fostering creativity. Tradition Meets Innovation: Keeping a legacy brand relevant with modern trends. Growth and Structure: How Gittings Global expands and stays profitable and relevant. Profit and Sustainability: Why profitability is key to Gittings’ growth. Training New Talent: Preparing photographers to meet Gittings’ high standards. Commitment to Quality: Ensuring formal, precise portraiture and premium technology. Finding a Niche: The importance of specialisation in a competitive market. Building Client Loyalty: Tips for fostering strong, lasting client relationships. Smart Marketing and Conversion: The role of repeat clients and charity marketing. Professional Hiring Practices: Selecting photographers with skills and professionalism. Handling High-Profile Clients: Strategies for assigning experienced photographers. Premium Pricing: Educating clients on the value of high-end portraiture. Diverse Marketing Strategy: Staying versatile with a comprehensive marketing calendar. Sales Tracking and Goals: CRM and goals track performance and motivate staff. Proactive Lead Generation: Strategies for consistent client interest. Client Flexibility: Adapting to client budgets and product needs. Thoughtful Upselling: Tailoring offerings to foster loyalty and revenue. Working with Prominent Figures: The importance of professionalism in high-profile sessions. Building Rapport: Creating comfort with clients to encourage repeat business. Challenges of Leadership: Rick’s reflections on running a creative business. Continuous Learning: Staying adaptable as the industry evolves. Future Vision: Rick’s excitement for the future and continuing Gittings’ legacy. 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. Photography is what I love, but I also love the art of business… I don’t think I would just be happy just being a photographer, but I also would not be happy just being the owner and not having that creative outlet. – Rick Bettinger 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. Seriously, that's not all. We are professionals and… you should dress like a professional and look like a professional. We want to look better than our clients, or as good as our clients… we are trying to represent a profession where we want people to take us seriously. – Rick Bettinger 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 Rick 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. I have given up some of the art of photography to be able to make a living at photography. – Rick Bettinger If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Rick or want to say thank you 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 we're not behind the camera, we're not doing anything. We have to be photographing people. We have to have people in front of our camera. If we aren't getting [leads], then we aren't photographing. If we're not photographing, we're not making money. – Rick Bettinger 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. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. 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. The easiest customer to get is the repeat…when they come back year after year, it saves so much time and energy. They may not spend as big every year, but when they're coming back every year, it's like an annuity. – Rick Bettinger 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.​ LinkedIn Course Update I've just added an in-depth update to the LinkedIn Course you can access. Well, to be fair, Jeff supplied all the updated info (he's the LinkedIn expert), and I asked the questions. ???? You'll find the update near the bottom of the course page here: https://photobizx.com/linkedin-for-photographers Don't forget you need to be logged in to access the training: Log in at https://photobizx.com (in the footer area), and you can get to the course page a few ways: ​ ​ Head to https://photobizx.com/linkedin-for-photographers​  Look under the PREMIUM menu, go to COURSES and click on LinkedIn for Photographers  Go to https://photobizx.com/your-courses/ to see a list of your courses and links directly to them​ Jeff and I are always here and available to answer any follow-up questions. Email me at andrew@photobizx.com if you have any questions. Shoot to the Top Podcast Interview If you'd like to hear more from me, I was recently interviewed for an episode of the Shoot to the Top Podcast. We talked about all things photography business, with a focus on commercial, headshot, and personal branding photography — and what successful photographers do to be successful. In the episode, I share insights from over 600 interviews with photographers—from everyday pros to well-known names like Sue Bryce and Ben Chrisman. I started the podcast 12 years ago to offer the kind of practical, real-world advice you’d get at photography conferences, and I’ve focused on giving photographers useful tips they can apply to their businesses. We cover some key challenges, like converting leads into clients, structuring your pricing, and improving your lighting skills. You’ll hear examples from guests like Sarah Louise Jackson, who’s refined her pricing to encourage upgrades, and Jeff Brown, who shares a simple LinkedIn strategy for reaching new clients. If you’re looking for straightforward advice on building a successful photography business, this episode is worth a listen. Here's the link: https://shoottothetop.com/find-great-insights-into-running-a-photography-business-from-photographer-and-podcaster-andrew-hellmich/ Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode: Gittings Portraiture Website Rick Bettinger on Instagram Rick W. Bettinger, Gittings Master Photographer Gittings Portraiture on Instagram Gittings Portraiture on Facebook Gittings Global The Gittings People Thank you! Thanks for tuning in, and a big thank you to Rick for sharing his journey with Gittings Portrait Studios. His insights on blending creativity with business savvy, maintaining client loyalty, and navigating the industry and technology changes offered valuable lessons for any photographer looking to grow and succeed. Structure helps you make goals. When it’s slow, do the things that you need to do to be set up for success when you’re busy. – Rick Bettinger That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business! Thanks, and speak soon Andrew The post 590: Rick Bettinger – How to balance art, business, and innovation in photography appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area Welcome to part two of a two-part series, where we dive into everything you need to know about buying or leasing a photography studio. Whether you're considering owning a space or working from one, this episode will guide you through the essential considerations before making that big decision of signing a lease and paying rent or taking out a loan to purchase your studio space. I'm thrilled to have three incredible guests joining us today, all from different genres of photography. We have Boston boudoir photographer Lindsay Hite of Show Your Spark in the USA. Lindsay started her photography business in 2009, transitioned from weddings to boudoir in 2016, and opened her newly renovated studio in 2019. Lindsay was featured in Episode 392 of the podcast. Melbourne dance photographer Leah Hoffman of Hoffa Studios will also join us. Not only is Leah's work incredible, but you need to check out what she shared about marketing from Episode 480 of the podcast. This is one switched-on photography studio operator when it comes to generating highly qualified leads. And finally, also from the USA, and for the first time on the podcast, we have New Orleans Headshots, personal brand, and commercial photographer Noel Marcantel, who has a street front studio that looks like an incredible place to work — complete with a full-sized cyc wall. Whether you're a seasoned photographer or just starting to consider your own studio space, this episode is packed with valuable insights from some of the best in the business. Let’s dive in with this photography-studio-special, focussed on buying and leasing advice for photographers. Here's some more of what we covered in the interview: Selecting the Perfect Studio Location: Lindsay, Leah, and Noel share their journeys in scoping out studio spaces, discussing how they navigated factors like accessibility, cost, and adaptability to secure the right fit. Benefits of Collaborative Studio Sharing: Leah explores the rewards of sharing a studio with a fellow photographer. From splitting costs to dividing responsibilities, co-sharing brings many benefits, making studio life more affordable and collaborative. Tailoring Your Studio Fit-Out: The photographers reveal how they approached renovations, detailing their mix of hands-on DIY projects and working with contractors to design studios that enhance their creative work. Unseen Costs You Can’t Ignore: Setting up a studio involves more than rent. Unexpected expenses—like taxes, maintenance, and utilities—can add up quickly. Lindsay, Noel, and Leah share budgeting insights to help you avoid financial surprises and plan effectively. Testing the Studio Waters: Thinking of leasing a studio? Start small with pop-up spaces or short-term rentals to gauge interest and profitability. The photographers suggest trying different pricing models and testing your market before fully committing to a long-term lease. Navigating Lease Negotiations and Challenges: Securing a studio lease can be complex. Lindsay managed to lock in a flexible five-year lease, even taking on renovations herself with her husband. Leah and Noel faced unique hurdles, from council approvals to managing renovation projects, each experience offering lessons in resilience and adaptability. Future Plans and Expansion Goals: While Lindsay is content with her current setup, she remains open to growth opportunities. On the other hand, Noel sees value in investing in studio ownership, while Leah looks forward to sharing more of her studio journey with her followers. Lindsay Hite I have two shooting spaces…a daylight studio and… the black box studio. I also have what I call my premiere room, which is the converted garage space.. and then I have some temporary little exhibition walls for the dressing room and then my workspace. – Lindsay Hite We don't have parking here, which is a downside, and they rarely ticket. But when they do ticket, I always tell my clients and my staff, bring the ticket to me and I will pay it. So I like to say that's my parking fee. If I were leasing a garage space, or, you know, had to pay parking space rental in the city, it would be far more expensive than a random ticket here and there. – Lindsay Hite You have to think of your cost of doing business differently because you have more overhead, especially if you're going to take on staff in addition to your studio space and the build out, so there's less wiggle room, so to speak for that, I have to make a certain minimum per day to stay profitable, and so that helps me enforce my pricing. – Lindsay Hite I'm a big fan of trying things out, seeing how it works, tweaking from there, so that you can grow as you need to. – Lindsay Hite Show Your Spark Website Show Your Spark on Instagram Lindsay Hite on Instagram Show Your Spark by Lindsay Hite on Facebook Episode 392: Lindsay Hite – How to successfully transition to a boudoir photography business Noel Marcantel If anything goes wrong, it's the building management's job to blame it on you, and it's their job, even if they accept responsibility, it's their job to delay the process until you get frustrated and fix it yourself. – Noel Marcantel I'd like to get one more five year lease out of it, because we probably went overboard on the build-out. If anything's worth doing, it's worth overdoing. And we went all out on making the space high end luxurious, great for in person sales, great for video, great for all this kind of stuff. So, you know, we want to get our investments worth by probably another five year lease after this. – Noel Maraentel You've really had to ask yourself two questions, what do you want to shoot? And what do you want to charge? And what do you want to charge if you want to shoot commercial jobs. If you want to shoot commercial clothing and products, you're going to have a team of people coming in and you probably want a studio for that. If you're only going to be shooting head shots and it's all you want to shoot, you could probably make do with a home space. – Noel Marcantel If I'm going to be shooting at the level that I want to be in, charging what I want to charge, the prices make more sense to people whenever we're shooting in a space that makes more sense for people. – Noel Marcantel If you want to charge more, then, when people show up to a built-out studio space with a couch and it looks really nice and everything is very meticulously designed, the price makes more sense to them. – Noel Marcantel Noel Marcantel Website Noel Marcantel Photography 3D Space Noel Marcantel on Instagram Noel Marcantel on Facebook Leah Hoffman I think because I'm stepping into, I call it my dream studio now, I can do whatever I want. So yeah, I'm excited to get in and sort of make it my own. – Leah Hoffman I'll be installing a cyc wall which works really well for dancers. I know that's something I'll definitely do. I want to use paint textures on the wall, rather than having to digitally add the texture. And that's going to just speed things up. – Leah Hoffman If you are considering sharing a space with a friend or another photographer, communicate that with them as well. – Leah Hoffman Leah Hoffman Website Leah Hoffman on Instagram Leah Hoffman on Facebook Episode 480: Leah Hoffman – Clients, sales and incredible images for a successful fine art dance photography business Kelly Dwyer of Talking Portraits (who Leah shares her current studio space with): https://www.talkingportraits.com.au/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talking_portraits_/ 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. Seriously, that's not all. If anyone is thinking about working in shared studio space, find somebody who you can share with, it definitely does cut costs. How we do it was week on, week off, which worked for us. – Leah Hoffman 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 Lindsay, Noel and Leah 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. We went in with research, because that's the most important thing you can have whenever you go into negotiation, is information. And information that we knew was that the space had been vacant for two years, and the building had just gone up for sale discreetly. – Noel Marcantel If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Lindsay, Noel and Leah or want to say thank you 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 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. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. 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. If I were to do it again, to answer your question, if there was something I'd do differently, save up a lot more, have more professionally done, because it would move quicker, and way less stressful. – Lindsay Hite 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.​ Thank you! Thank you again for tuning in, and a big thanks to Lindsay, Noel and Leah for sharing their valuable insights on building successful photography studios. From navigating the challenges of moving to a dedicated space to managing hidden costs and adapting to evolving client needs, their experiences offer invaluable guidance for anyone looking to take their studio business to the next level. That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business! Thanks, and speak soon Andrew The post 589: Photography Studio Special 2 – Buying and leasing advice for photographers looking at studio ownership appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area  Leigh Woolford runs an Australian childcare centre photography business, also known as a kindy, kindergarten, preschool or high-volume photography business, which is based in Melbourne, Australia. We were exchanging emails about potential interview guests for the podcast when I learned that he will be presenting at a conference next year on the evolution of his own business—from burnout to building a profitable company. That led to some back and forth before I asked him for today's interview. In that email exchange, I mentioned that while visiting his website, it wasn't very clear which areas he was servicing with his kindy photography business. I loved his reply! He said, “The service area is blank intentionally; we are going to be Australia-wide someday!” In this interview, Leigh shares the ups and downs of creating and running a profitable high-volume photography business, which included almost giving up and, years later, almost going broke. Here's some more of what we covered in the interview: From Motorsports to Kindy Photography—Leigh shares his transition from motorsports to kindergarten photography, discussing the business plan, securing a loan, and taking the leap to start his business. Building the Business and the Early Model—Learn how Leigh established his high-volume photography business, specialising in kindergartens and preschools. Scaling Up Through Automation—Discover how Leigh leveraged automation to streamline operations, reduce manual work, and fuel the business's growth. Tackling Early Challenges and Lessons Learned—the early struggles, including manual processes and tough decisions that laid the foundation for future success. Automation for Efficiency and Streamlined Workflow—Leigh highlights the transition to Netlife software and explains how automation became essential for scaling and improving business efficiency. Growing the Team and Letting Go of Control—As the business grew, so did the team. Leigh discusses hiring and training challenges and why learning to delegate was vital to expanding. Behind the Scenes and Current Team Structure—A closer look at the roles within Leigh’s team, hiring challenges, and how proper training and structure are vital to the business’s success. Revenue Strategies and Scaling the Business—Leigh shares strategies for increasing revenue per customer, such as sibling photos and clever package names, while focusing on scaling over aggressive growth. Balancing Expansion with Stability: Leigh discusses the importance of focusing on scalability rather than rapid growth and the support from the photography community along the way. Connecting with Clients and Engagement Strategies—Leigh highlights the move to text messaging (which didn't work) for better communication and the childcare centre registration system. Innovative Product Ideas to Reduce Costs and Boost Sales—From new product ideas like booklets to lower postage costs to creative ways to increase sales. Long-Term Vision for Growth and Work-Life Balance—Leigh shares his long-term ambitions for national expansion and his focus on achieving work-life balance, with potential plans to explore sports photography on the side. Learning from the Community and Continuous Improvement—Emphasising the value of industry community support, Leigh talks about the importance of learning from others and continually improving the business. Future Goals of Building a Self-Sustaining Business—Looking ahead, Leigh shares how he's looking to turn the business into a self-sustaining enterprise, giving him the freedom to pursue personal interests while ensuring the company still thrives. 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. I'm trying to make myself less important in the business and not be the business, and ideally have other people run it for me. – Leigh Woolford 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. Seriously, that's not all. It’s incredibly difficult to take that leap. But if you’ve put the work in, and you know the bookings will come, you can make money in the business. – Leigh Woolford 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 Leigh 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. We changed the name of that pack to the ‘I want it all’ pack, and sales jumped by 15%. – Leigh Woolford If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Leigh or want to say thank you 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. It took me 10 years to come to the point, I need to get other people involved in the business, and I need to let go of some of that responsibility. – Leigh Woolford 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. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. 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. If parents are seeing great photos of their children, they want to have them. It's that fear of missing out. – Leigh Woolford 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.​ LAST CHANCE — Don’t Miss This Game-Changing Training for Photographers! The Photography Exhibition Masterclass will show you how to fill your calendar with high-value clients by leveraging the power of exhibitions to showcase your work and grow your business. This course, led by Katie, who has successfully run these exhibitions year after year, provides step-by-step guidance on creating an engaging exhibition that drives bookings, boosts sales, and builds lasting relationships with clients. In this training, you’ll discover proven marketing strategies, how to design a luxury experience, and practical techniques for turning attendees into loyal clients. If you’re a photographer looking to elevate your business and attract new clients through a profitable, results-driven exhibition, this course is for you. All the details are here –>> https://learn.photobizx.com/exhibition-marketing-for-photographers-registration Here’s what you’ll learn: How to book clients and fill your calendar through a well-crafted photography exhibition. Marketing strategies to promote your exhibition and attract your high-value clients. Tips for creating stunning, gallery-worthy portraits that capture attention. How to generate long-term client relationships and repeat business. Using social media and email marketing to get people through your doors. Designing an unforgettable exhibition experience that boosts your brand. Pricing strategies to maximise profits from your exhibition. When: The live training is on this week — October 2024 @ 8:00 am AEDT. After Katie delivers the live training, you can access the full recording, stand-alone course, and any downloadables. Where: Zoom (Link provided upon registration) Why: To book out your calendar with clients who are eager to invest in your work and share their excitement with everyone they know. Cost: $97 (Price doubles after the live training) Early bird bonus: $100 off any existing PBX course (valid through 2024).   If you’re ready to transform your photography business with a full calendar of clients who value your work, this exhibition strategy could be your perfect marketing campaign. All the details are here: https://learn.photobizx.com/exhibition-marketing-for-photographers-registration Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode: Leigh Woolford Website Leigh Woolford on Instagram Netlife Photosuite Team Photo Composite The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber Episode 479: Hark Nijjar – The incredible business possibilities for high volume sports photography Thank you! Thanks for tuning in, and a big thanks to Leigh for sharing his journey in building a successful kindy photography business. His insights into scaling through automation, overcoming challenges, and staying focused on growth provide great lessons for any photographer looking to grow their business. We started looking at scale, as opposed to growth, to work with the centers that we already had, instead of focusing that time on growing the business. – Leigh Woolford That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business! Thanks, and speak soon Andrew The post 588: Leigh Woolford – From Burnout to Booming: Building a Profitable Kindy Photography Business appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area Ryan Erickson of www.fetchphototruck.com is a mobile, come-to-you dog photographer in Denver, Colorado, USA. His mobile pet photography studio was custom-built on a towable trailer where he shoots and does same-day in-person-sales sessions for his dog owner clients. I'm always looking for terrific guests to feature on the podcast, and I love receiving a recommendation like this one from Pet Photographer and business coach Alex Cearns. In her email, she says: Hey Andrew I have a podcast guest to recommend; he runs Fetch Photo Truck in Denver, Colorado. He was previously a wedding photographer who wanted to move into pet photography and work for himself. His truck is a custom trailer that looks incredible inside (and out!). He hit six figures working solo and is a heck of a nice guy! Alex. I went and did some searching and can confirm… his photography is fantastic. The trailer looks terrific, and his clients love him! In this interview, Ryan shares the ins and out, good and bad of  Fetch Photo Truck, the mobile pet photography business. Here's some more of what we covered in the interview: From Weddings to Wagging Tails: Ryan’s Transition to Pet Photography Ryan shares his journey from wedding photography to pet photography, giving credit to mentor Alex Cearns for helping him carve out a successful niche. Business Boom: A Year of Remarkable Growth Ryan reveals his business’s impressive revenue surge over the past year, highlighting October and November as standout months for sales. The Power of Online Presence: How Instagram and Website Traffic Fueled Growth Discover how Instagram and website traffic played a pivotal role in driving Ryan’s business forward. Flying Solo: The Perks and Challenges of Working Alone Reflecting on the solo business journey, Ryan discusses how the pandemic influenced his decision to pivot into pet photography. Early Days: From Wedding Photography to Studio Success Ryan looks back on his early career, starting in wedding photography post-college and eventually becoming the lead photographer at a bustling studio. Making a Big Move: Leaving the Studio Life Behind Ryan talks about his bold decision to leave the studio during the COVID-19 pandemic, which opened the door to his new passion for pet photography. Fetch Photo Truck: How a Simple Conversation Sparked a Creative Business Ryan shares the lightbulb moment when a chat about pets inspired his innovative mobile pet photography business, Fetch Photo Truck. Taking It on the Road: The Concept Behind the Fetch Photo Truck Inspired by food trucks, Ryan explains how his mobile studio offers flexibility and cost-effective solutions for pet photography. On-the-Go Photography: Setting Up for Success Ryan gives us a glimpse into his mobile studio, where clients enjoy same-day shoots and a seamless process from start to finish. Making Connections: The Importance of Face-to-Face Marketing Learn how Ryan taps into in-person pet events to connect with potential clients and promote his mobile photography service. Client Engagement: Building Relationships and Managing Expectations Ryan talks about the value of personal interactions, offering special deals, and being transparent to ensure client satisfaction. Tracking Success: Business Metrics and Financial Growth Ryan opens up about his business’s financial health, from average sales figures to managing startup costs and ensuring steady growth. Finding His Audience: Targeting Dog-Loving Couples Ryan identifies his primary market: affluent, child-free couples with dogs, and how he focuses his efforts on events that attract this pet-loving crowd. Niche Marketing: Partnering with Pet-Centric Vendors Ryan discusses the rewards and challenges of niche marketing, emphasising the benefits of collaborating with vendors in the pet industry. Pet Photography Challenges: Creating Comfort and Capturing Emotion Working with pets isn’t always easy! Ryan explains how he ensures a relaxed experience in his mobile studio and delivers emotionally powerful images. Looking Ahead: Scaling, Expanding, and Staying True to the Vision Ryan shares his future plans to scale the business, broaden his marketing efforts, and maintain his high standards as the business grows. 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. When you're working for somebody else, you're working for somebody else's dream, right? So there's only so much growth that you can realistically kind of expect. – Ryan Erickson 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. Seriously, that's not all. Outsource whatever you can. I outsource my editing. I realized early on that I had a vision of what I wanted my photos to be, but, it took me too long to do a not so great a job. So I realized early on, I need to hire somebody else that knows what they're doing and can do this efficiently, and pay them to do it. And that was one of the better decisions that I made early on. – Ryan Erickson 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 Ryan 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. I wanted people to know exactly what they're getting into because I'm asking them to make a lot of decisions on the spot. I never want people to feel pressured and overwhelmed. The goal is for them to feel fully educated and prepared going into that day, having a good idea already of what they want. – Ryan Erickson If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Ryan or want to say thank you 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. Last October and November were my best months of 2023 and October was a $24,000 month, and I did 18 sessions that month. And November was also an 18 session month. So having 31 on the books for October is big. I'm trying not to get too excited or too overwhelmed. It's part of the joy of having your own business, right? – Ryan Erickson 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. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. 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. We're a dime-a-dozen as wedding photographers. Everybody and their sister knows a wedding photographer, so it felt really exciting to specialize in something, and say, ‘I'm a dog photographer.' – Ryan Erickson 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.​ Don’t Miss This Game-Changing Training for Photographers! The Photography Exhibition Masterclass will show you how to fill your calendar with high-value clients by leveraging the power of exhibitions to showcase your work and grow your business. This course, led by Katie, who has successfully run these exhibitions year after year, provides step-by-step guidance on creating an engaging exhibition that drives bookings, boosts sales, and builds lasting relationships with clients. In this training, you’ll discover proven marketing strategies, how to design a luxury experience, and practical techniques for turning attendees into loyal clients. This course is for you if you’re a photographer looking to elevate your business and attract new clients through a profitable, results-driven exhibition. All the details are here –>> https://learn.photobizx.com/exhibition-marketing-for-photographers-registration Here’s what you’ll learn: How to book clients and fill your calendar through a well-crafted photography exhibition. Marketing strategies to promote your exhibition and attract your high-value clients. Tips for creating stunning, gallery-worthy portraits that capture attention. How to generate long-term client relationships and repeat business. Using social media and email marketing to get people through your doors. Designing an unforgettable exhibition experience that boosts your brand. Pricing strategies to maximise profits from your exhibition. When: The live training is on October 2024 @ 8:00 am AEDT. After Katie delivers the live training, you’ll have access to the full recording, stand-alone course, and any downloadables. Where: Zoom (Link provided upon registration) Why: To book out your calendar with clients who are eager to invest in your work and share their excitement with everyone they know. Cost: $97 (Price doubles after the live training) Early bird bonus: $100 off any other existing PBX course (valid through 2024).   If you’re ready to transform your photography business with a full calendar of clients who value your work, this exhibition strategy could be your perfect marketing campaign. All the details are here: https://learn.photobizx.com/exhibition-marketing-for-photographers-registration Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode: Fetch Photo Truck Website Fetch Photo Truck on Instagram Fetch Photo Truck on Facebook Episode 524: Alex Cearns – Photography business rules for success and profit Thank you! Thanks for tuning in, and a big thanks to Ryan for sharing his journey in creating a successful mobile pet photography business. Ryan’s passion for capturing special moments is clear, from the Fetch Photo Truck idea to working solo. His insights offer great tips on adapting to change, connecting with clients, and providing a unique experience for pet owners. And I say, ‘Hey, I keep my weekends reserved for market events and also to help maintain my sanity. That's one of the big benefits of being your own boss. That was really important to me. And when I had this idea, I was like, I know what it's like to work on those Saturdays. And if I know, if I make Saturdays available, that's all clients are going to want. People respect that. When you're making a dentist appointment, you don't ask your dentist to come on on Sunday to do your appointment, right? So if this is important to you, if this experience is important to you, you can go in two hours late to work. You can call in, or you can leave two or three hours early kind of thing, if this is, if this is something that's important to you. – Ryan Erickson That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business! Thanks, and speak soon Andrew The post 587: Ryan Erickson – Fetch Photo Truck – A Mobile Pet Photography Business Wagging its Way to Success appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area Welcome to part one of a two-part series, where we dive into everything you need to know about buying or leasing a photography studio. Whether you're considering owning a space or working from one, this episode will guide you through the essential considerations before making that big decision of signing a lease and paying rent or taking out a loan to purchase your studio space. I'm thrilled to have three incredible guests joining us today, all from different genres of photography. We have Alex Cearns from Houndstooth Studio in Western Australia. Alex is a highly accomplished pet photographer, published author, and successful studio operator with extensive experience in multiple studio spaces. You may remember her from episodes 290 and 524 of the PBX podcast. We also welcome Elle Payne, a newborn photography business owner and mother of two. Elle is one of the biggest sponges when it comes to taking in business concepts and ideas and, more importantly, her skill in quickly implementing, testing, and refining those ideas to see what works. Elle was featured in episode 429 of the PhotoBizX podcast. Finally, the incredibly talented Michael Anthony is joining us from the USA. Michael is an experienced wedding and portrait photographer who is building a new studio from scratch after leasing and working from his first studio. He was previously featured in episode 446 of the podcast. Whether you're a seasoned photographer or just starting to consider your own studio space, this episode is packed with valuable insights from some of the best in the business. Let’s get started with this photography studio special on buying and leasing advice for photographers. Here's some more of what we covered in the interview: Introduction to Studio Ownership: Discover the perks and challenges of owning or working in a photography studio and why it's a game-changer for many photographers. Alex’s Studio Journey: Alex shares her experience of moving from a home studio to a dedicated space and why separating work from personal life was a crucial step for her. The Benefits of a Dedicated Studio: Alex discusses how having a professional studio boosts privacy and creates a more polished experience for her clients. Michael’s Studio Evolution: Michael takes us through the transformation of his studio from a wedding-focused space to a portrait-driven business, thanks to the need for dedicated client sales appointments. Elle’s Studio Transition: Elle talks about her move from a home-based studio to a commercial space, and how consistency in her newborn photography setup has made all the difference. Studio Setup Costs: We break down the costs involved in setting up a studio – from affordable IKEA cupboards to construction hurdles – and why budgeting is essential. Hidden Studio Expenses: Alex, Michael, and Elle reveal the often-overlooked expenses like parking, signage, internet, and building insurance and why they need to be factored into financial planning. Final Studio Advice: Our guests wrap up with key takeaways: having a clear vision, budgeting wisely, and finding a supportive landlord to set your studio up for success. Alex Cearns You can really just make it fit what you need. Look at your business practices. If you are doing online purchase appointments on Zoom or you know different mechanism, you don't need a room for that…So I think just make sure that it meets your needs really clearly. And I think if I could do it differently, I would just really look at streamlining business practices before I went got a whole house that was costing me $4,000 a month that I didn't really use. – Alex Cearns If you're going to invest money in your business, your business has to be making you that money to invest in the first place. – Alex Cearns I think it's important to specify that a studio to me is just this empty room. If I just need a shooting space like what Elle said, you can have a backdrop stand with a backdrop on it, some paper roll and a light on the stand and you know, maybe one or two other lights, that's all you need at the bare minimum. – Alex Cearns A business only runs as fast as you put your foot on that accelerator. – Alex Cearns Houndstooth Studio Alex Cearns Consulting Website Houndstooth Studio on Instagram Snappy Women Facebook Group InspHIGHER with Alex Cearns Facebook Group Down to Earth Photo Breaks with Alex Facebook Group Episode 290: Alex Cearns – How to build the countries most successful pet photography business Episode 524: Alex Cearns – Photography business rules for success and profit Elle Payne Budget 10% of your overall revenue for rent. – Elle Payne I'm not a creative person. I can't photos outside. I can't take photos in somebody's home with different lighting. I am just not good at it. I needed a space that I could set up and I could control everything so that everything is the same for every session…I just want to sell the same thing over and over again. – Elle Payne I have hired nurses just to keep with the theme. I wanted to, rather than teach a photographer how to do newborn photography, I would rather teach somebody who knows newborns very well how to actually take photos because like I said, I don't do anything creative. So it's just I will teach them how to take those photos. At least then I'm not worried about the babies and my staff. I've hired nurses that actually taught me how to be a nurse. So now I've taught them how to be a photographer. – Elle Payne Always Belle Photography Always Belle Photography on Instagram Always Belle Photography on Facebook Episode 429: Elle Payne – When business and service become the motivator over great photography Michael Anthony Location is very, very important when you're choosing a studio space. I've learned that, you know, because in the first studio we chose was just something close to our house. Close to your home doesn't always mean it's going to be a great location and accessible for clients to get in. As you know, I was in Los Angeles, it's the traffic capital of the world. You know, so being outside of the city where all of my clients had to come out to us, that was a little bit of a hike and I can tell you guarantee you we lost a lot of business because of it. – Michael Anthony My advice would be to put your studio in a place where your ideal client is going to be. – Michael Anthony My business would not be where it is today if we didn't have that dedicated space to be able to do sales appointments out of and be able to, you know, transform our business from mainly a wedding studio into a portrait studio. – Michael AnthonyIf you can find a place that's pretty much done already, that would be the biggest recommendation I could find for any photographers listening because it will save you a ton of money over doing a new build. – Michael Anthony Michael Anthony Website Michael Anthony on Instagram Michael Anthony on Facebook Michael Anthony on TikTok Episode 446: Michael Anthony – How to build a seriously successful wedding photography business 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. 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 Alex, Elle and Michael 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. If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Alex, Elle and Michael or want to say thank you 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 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. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. 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.​ Thank you! Thank you again for tuning in, and a big thanks to Alex, Elle, and Michael for sharing their valuable insights on building successful photography studios. From navigating the challenges of moving to a dedicated space to managing hidden costs and adapting to evolving client needs, their experiences offer invaluable guidance for anyone looking to take their studio business to the next level. That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business! Thanks, and speak soon Andrew The post 586: Photography Studio Special – Studio buying and leasing advice for photographers appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area Michael Cassidy from www.mikecassidyphotography.com is a US-based boudoir photographer who’s been in business for almost 15 years. His main focus these days is creating high-end boudoir gifts for brides, whether it’s for weddings, anniversaries, or even a Christmas surprise. His work is stunning, and I couldn’t wait to dive into his business and uncover how it all works. But what caught my attention—and why I had to get him on the podcast—was when Michael asked if I knew about the growing challenges facing women's photographers in the age of AI. From Adobe’s restrictions on editing boudoir-style images, to Instagram’s AI censoring women photographers, and Google’s image bots cracking down on boudoir photography websites—it’s all creating massive hurdles. In this interview, we chat about Michael’s journey, his stunning work with brides, and how he’s navigating these AI challenges while building a thriving luxury boudoir photography business. Here's some more of what we covered in the interview: High-End Boudoir for Brides: Michael specialises in luxury boudoir gifts for brides, a niche that naturally grew from client demand. AI Challenges for Women Photographers: AI restrictions are making it harder for women photographers to promote their work—Michael discusses the impact. Evolving Boudoir Photography: The rise of boudoir videos and shifting attitudes are changing the industry. Michael shares his perspective. The Need for Videography Skills: Michael urges boudoir photographers to embrace videography, which is fast becoming an essential skill. Understanding Client Needs: Boudoir photography is personal. Michael stresses the importance of catering to each client’s unique requests and comfort levels. Handling Different Client Requests: Male and female clients have different needs—Michael shares his approach to balancing both. High-End Focus Happened Organically: His luxury focus wasn’t planned—it evolved naturally over time as he responded to client demand. Passion Before Business: Love photography first. Michael believes passion is the key before tackling the business side. Continuous Learning is Essential: Photography is a journey of trial and error. Michael highlights the importance of ongoing learning to stay sharp. Boudoir Photography and Empowerment: While empowerment has become central, Michael reflects on its origins as a marketing tool. Overuse of Empowerment Narrative: Michael shares his discomfort with overusing the empowerment theme, reminding us that women are inherently strong. AI’s Impact on Photography Marketing: Platforms like Pinterest and Instagram are limiting boudoir content. Michael explains how AI restrictions affect his marketing. Navigating AI Restrictions: Michael offers solutions like using password-protected galleries to work around AI limitations. Google Ads Challenges: Google Ads restrictions have impacted his business, and Michael shares ways to navigate these roadblocks. Building a Successful Photography Business: Focus on referrals, attend bridal shows, and hand out referral cards—Michael’s advice for growing your clientele. Staying Passionate About Photography: Michael stresses the importance of keeping your passion alive and continually improving your craft to succeed long-term. 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. There are more people now who are more interested in the business of photography than maybe the art of photography. To separate yourself, you have to be pretty goddamn special in the photos that you can create. – Michael Cassidy 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. 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 Michael 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. Success is a trailing factor, not a leading one. If you have great systems and technical ability, the money comes. – Michael Cassidy If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Michael or want to say thank you 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. Over the past few years, Google too has started using image recognition technology…they are also looking at all the images on your website and making judgments about you based on those images. – Michael Cassidy 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. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. 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. There’s a very big difference between photos that focus on the sexuality of a woman and those that focus on beauty. It’s subtle but huge. In boudoir photography, the focus should be on a woman’s beauty. – Michael Cassidy 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 is a recent email I received… ★★★★★  Such a great perspective shift! Via email from Scottish photographer for small weddings, Kristin Sharp, in Glasgow, Scotland, on September 25th, 2024. Andrew You taught me the value of being present with my kids almost 6 years ago. You phoned me when I was at my lowest ebb. Not only did I listen to your advice, I changed my entire business approach. And every time i read a post online from another parent running their own business and having kids, I pass on the advice you gave me and tell them to give themselves permission to change their business to suit what they really value.  I see the changes I made as my real success. Burn out for the business isn't worth the quality of time I get with my own three kids. The nights are long, the years are fast.  I regret only what I haven't done with my kids.  But there's always time. Thanks for the reminder. And I will never forget the impact (no pun intended!) you made on me. Your advice changed my life. Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode: Michael Cassidy Photography Website Michael Cassidy on Instagram Michael Cassidy on YouTube Michael Cassidy on Facebook Thank you! Thank you again for tuning in, and a big thanks to Michael for sharing his valuable insights on how he’s built a thriving luxury boudoir photography business, navigating AI restrictions and adapting to industry changes—all while staying true to his passion and delivering an unforgettable experience for his clients. Social media has changed photography dramatically. Everybody's an expert now, and new photographers really have to be careful about who they follow. – Michael Cassidy That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business! Thanks, and speak soon Andrew The post 585: Michael Cassidy – Navigating AI Restrictions and Building a Luxury Boudoir Photography Business appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area Craig Peterman of www.petermanphotovideo.com is a wedding photographer and videographer based in Phoenix, Arizona with over a decade of experience. Over the past two years he has successfully generated over $200,000 annually in revenue and is on track for $300k this year. His work has been featured on The Knot and Style Me Pretty, and is a mixture of natural light with vibrant dessert colours with some black and white edits. Here's why I'm most interested in learning more from Craig… I see a nice looking, easy to navigate website, great photography, social media accounts that are ticking along – he has close to 60k followers on Instagram – but nothing jumping out as an obvious reason for success. There is no aggressive marketing, special offers, or specific online ads, and his website doesn't rank highly in search for major keywords. How is he achieving the success he is? In this interview, learn how to build a $300K wedding photography business without aggressive marketing strategies or pushy sales techniques. Here's some more of what we covered in the interview: Maximising Slow Seasons: Use downtime to invest in your education, audit your social media, and strengthen vendor relationships. These efforts will pay off when business picks up. Optimising Your Team and Workflow: Building a team can help you manage multiple bookings and deliver a seamless client experience. Consider adding assistants or delegating tasks to streamline your workflow. Leveraging Post-COVID Opportunities: Enhance your SEO, strengthen vendor partnerships, and improve your online presence to take advantage of new opportunities and grow your business. Targeting Your Ideal Clients: Use targeted ads and SEO strategies to reach local and out-of-state clients. Understand your client base and focus your marketing efforts where they’ll be most effective. Improving Client Engagement: Quick follow-ups, relaxed meetings, and showcasing your best work can help you build strong, personal relationships with clients, leading to more bookings. Offering Flexible Packages: Simplify your service offerings by providing both separate and combined photography and videography packages, making it easier for clients to choose what fits their needs. Maintaining Quality Through Post-Processing: Ensure your team works well on shoots, and consider managing post-processing yourself to maintain consistent quality and fast turnaround times. Building Strong Vendor Relationships: Stay approachable and build solid relationships with vendors. These connections can increase referrals and strengthen your business network. Focusing on Continuous Improvement: Keep growing by working hard, expanding your network, and improving your online presence. Building strong relationships will lead to long-term success. 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. My unique selling proposition, is selling high quality luxury service at a fair price. You know, something that can attract the masses. So, I'm not I'm not pricing couples out immediately. – Craig Peterman 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. 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 Craig 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. Put yourself in many places as you can. Invest wisely in your ads and see where that leads you. – Craig Peterman If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Craig, or a way to thank you for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below. It's This week… Don't Miss this business and life-changing training! The “40 Over 40” Campaign Masterclass helps portrait photographers attract high-value clients by focusing on women over 40, a powerful and often underserved demographic. Led by Laurie Brown, who has successfully run these campaigns multiple times, the course provides step-by-step guidance on creating a luxury experience that boosts client satisfaction, generates referrals, and significantly increases profits. You will learn marketing and pricing strategies and how to create lasting relationships with clients. This training is perfect for photographers seeking to elevate their business with a proven, profitable campaign. All the details are here –>> https://learn.photobizx.com/40over40/ Here's what you'll learn… How to attract high-value clients with a “40 Over 40” portrait campaign. Marketing strategies targeting women over 40. Techniques for creating compelling portraits. Generating referrals and long-term client relationships. Using social media ads and email marketing effectively. Storytelling techniques to connect with clients. Designing a luxury portrait experience. Pricing strategies for high-end clientele. When: The live training is on September 26th 2024 @ 7:00am AEDT. AND October 2024 @ 7:00am AEDT You will have access to the recording, stand-alone course and any downloadables after the live training has been delivered by Laurie. Click here for your local time. Where: Zoom (I'll provide a link once you register) Why: To fill your calendar with fantastic clients who love what you do and leave raving about you to everyone they know. Cost is $197 and doubles after the live training. Early bird bonus: $100 off any other existing PBX Course (to be used in 2024). All the details are here: https://learn.photobizx.com/40over40/ If you want a full calendar of high-value portrait clients, this could be your perfect marketing campaign.  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. I don't offer a discount. I will say this though, if a couple has a budget that they want to start with, I'll work with them. I mean, it's not worth losing a sale over 500 bucks or $1,000. Sometimes you just gotta make it happen. – Craig Peterman 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. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. 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. Respond to your clients immediately, within 24 hours at the very most. There's too many vendors out there and photographers that wait way too long to respond back. I respond back immediately with an email letting them know ‘Thank you for contacting. Can we set up a meeting?' And we kind of take it from there. So, yes, email responses. The first thing if I don't get a response back after that initial email response, and about three to four days I will give them a call to see if they're still interested. – Craig Peterman 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.​ Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode: Craig Peterman Website Craig Peterman on Instagram Craig Peterman on Facebook Craig Peterman on Tiktok Craig can help you with building a profitable photography business Thank you! Thank you again for tuning in, and a big thanks to Craig for sharing his valuable insights on how he has been able to build a $300K wedding photography business without aggressive marketing strategies or pushy sales techniques. If you're going to do a zoom meeting with a couple, don't just wing it. Prepare for it. Have a plan of what you're going to talk about because that does translate really well across the couples. They remember that. And if they're talking to five different photographers, and you don't have anything memorable about you, they're not going to remember you. – Craig Peterman That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business! Thanks, and speak soon Andrew The post 584: Craig Peterman – Build a $300K Wedding Photography Business Without Aggressive Marketing appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.