PhotoBizX The Ultimate Wedding and Portrait Photography Business Podcast

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area

Kate Ellis of Kate & Co photographs newborns and families in Adelaide, Australia, and is on track to turn over $450,000 this year. She says she takes home around $210,000—and keeps Mondays free.

After turning over $517,000 in 2024, Kate deliberately reduced her workload. The following year, revenue dropped by $90,000, but she gained more time off. In her words, that decision “earned me my life.”

Her business has some interesting differences, too. Clients choose their digital files first, with an average sale close to $2,000. The shoot and sale happen in one visit, and she often delivers the finished images that same day. There are no pre-shoot phone calls, and a partnership with a private hospital brings in 38% of her clients.

Yet when we were exchanging emails, she suggested she might be the laziest photographer ever to appear on this podcast.

I’m not buying it.

She’s a mum of three, creates beautiful photography in the studio and outdoors, and recently completed a Diploma of Interior Design to help clients display their photographs. What she calls lazy sounds more like knowing how she wants to work—and building the business around that.

In this interview, Kate Ellis shares how she’s simplified her sales and workflow, built a hospital partnership that keeps clients coming through the door, and decided how much income is enough. We also get into why she’s happy with a $2,000 average sale rather than pushing for more, and what photographers might reconsider about the work they do to earn a living.

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

•

Why Kate accepted a $90,000 drop in turnover to keep Mondays free and take more holidays

•

What Kate actually takes home—and why she publicly shares turnover, expenses and income each month

•

How digital-first pricing and same-day sales support an average sale close to $2,000

•

Why switching her sales model reduced cost of goods from 12% to 5.4%

•

How Kate shoots, sells and often delivers finished images on the same day, editing only what clients purchase

•

Why clients happily pay for fast delivery—and don’t question her prices because she finishes quickly

•

How Kate books clients without pre-shoot phone calls and gets them to acknowledge pricing twice before arriving

•

Why she’s comfortable with $2,000 average sales instead of pushing for $6,000

•

What encourages 33% of her clients to return, including a complimentary session with higher packages

•

How a hospital partnership generates 38% of her clients through a maternity ward exhibition and photography vouchers

•

How Kate replaced a hospital partnership after the original hospital closed—and secured the next opportunity by email

•

Why her interior design training challenged the assumption that every client needs a large family portrait in their lounge room

•

Why hiring another photographer didn’t give Kate the freedom she expected

•

Where Kate would focus first if she had to rebuild her client base in a new city: organic SEO and relationships with complementary businesses

What’s on Offer for Premium Members

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

That decision cost me $90,000, but it earned me my life. – Kate Ellis

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 friendlier, more motivated, caring, and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that’s not all.

If you’re going to step away from your family, make sure you’re paid well for it. – Kate Ellis

Plus, you’ll get access to guidance on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, keep you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goal: building a more successful photography business.

What is your big takeaway?

After this interview, I’d love to know what you’re taking from what Kate 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, share your thoughts in the comments below, let me know your takeaways, and what you plan to implement in your business based on today’s episode.

There’s always people saying, “This is my turnover,” but nobody will actually say, “What are you taking home to feed your kids?” And that, I feel, is the most important figure to be sharing. – Kate Ellis

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Kate, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

I would happily cop a slightly lower average sale and have them return than go hard for a $6,000 sale every single time. – Kate Ellis

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

I check for new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it’s always a buzz to get them… for several reasons. First, it confirms I’m on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That’s awesome! Second, iTunes and Google are the biggest 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 want to break something that is working really well by going, you know what, I’ll just see how much more I can get. – Kate Ellis

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 an honest rating and feedback, which will help me and the show. I’ll thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you share your name and website URL. Alternatively, if you’ve left a review for PhotoBizX and want more backlinks to boost 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 last thing I want is for people to sit in the sales room and go, “I didn’t realise it was this much.” I’d rather they filter themselves out at the beginning. – Kate Ellis

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

Here is the latest review:

★★★★★ Motivating and Informative

Via Google Reviews by Brisbane dog photographer, Paul Elby in Australia on November 1st, 2026.

Absolutely love the podcasts! Both motivating and informative.

I’m usually hesitant about memberships, but Andrew and PhotoBizX suit me perfectly.

Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:

Kate Ellis Website

Kate Ellis on Instagram

Kate Ellis on Facebook

Take The Real on Instagram

Episode 429: Elle Payne – When business and service become the motivator over great photography

Acknowledge that there is an opportunity cost to growing a business at the same time as raising kids. So it will cost you time with your family. – Kate Ellis

Thank you!

Thanks again to Kate for joining me on the podcast and sharing everything she did. What a business!

What stuck with me was her decision to give up $90,000 in turnover to get her Mondays back and take more time off.

And her digital-first approach, with same-day sales and delivery, had me questioning how much work we create for ourselves that clients don’t actually need.

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

I’ve got the best job in the world… the ability to play with babies, have a chat with people, have a coffee, and then be able to mini like run your life around the flex. That working for yourself gives you is amazing. – Kate Ellis

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 693: Kate Ellis – Taking Home $210,000 as a Solo Photographer Without Working Mondays 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

Jennifer Tsay of Shoott is the CEO and co-founder of a photography business built around an offer many photographers would struggle to believe could be profitable: free photo sessions with no obligation to buy.

Launched in 2018, Shoott now offers 30-minute sessions across more than 60 US cities. The company has completed over 300,000 sessions, delivered 24 million photographs and worked with more than 2,000 photographers throughout its history.

Clients receive an online gallery and pay only for the photographs they want. The average client spends around US$190, while Shoott photographers typically earn US$140–$160 per photography hour before tips. The business became profitable in its fifth year and has grown into a $10 million-plus photography brand.

Jennifer isn’t a photographer. Her background includes finance, investment banking, documentary film production and acting. Shoott grew from her desire to help talented artists earn a living without giving up the work they love.

In this interview, Jennifer Tsay shares the numbers behind Shoott’s free-session model, how a US$75 credit card hold helped fix a 50% no-show rate, what happened when acquiring a client jumped from $20 to $200, and why the company rejected venture capital rather than compromise photographer pay. She also explains how Shoott recruits and tests photographers, maintains consistency across 60 cities and continues adapting as online lead generation becomes more expensive and unpredictable.

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

•

How Shoott scaled free 30-minute sessions across more than 60 US cities and completed over 300,000 shoots

•

The numbers behind the model: a US$190 average client spend and full galleries priced at US$299

•

Why it took five years for Shoott to become profitable after launching in 2018

•

How photographers receive a guaranteed US$100 per photography hour or sales commission, whichever is higher

•

Why Shoott photographers typically earn US$140–$160 per shooting hour before tips

•

How a US$75 credit card pre-authorisation helped reduce a 50% client no-show rate

•

What changed when the cost of acquiring a client through online advertising jumped from $15–$20 to as much as $200

•

Why around 70% of Google bookings become completed sessions compared to approximately 30% from Meta

•

Using email, SMS, connected TV and community fundraisers to reduce reliance on Facebook and Google advertising

•

Why 40–50% of Shoott clients return for another session

•

The portfolio review, video interview, timed test shoot, technical test and background check used to recruit photographers

•

Maintaining a consistent client experience through ratings, editing standards and gallery quality checks

•

Why Shoott rejected venture capital rather than chase 10-times growth at the expense of photographer pay

•

The lessons behind a US$20,000 technology mistake and US$250,000 in uncollected sales tax

What’s on Offer for Premium Members

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

Everything we do — every small decision you experience — is because we paid for it dearly. – Jennifer Tsay

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 friendlier, more motivated, caring, and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that’s not all.

The experience you give people and how you make them feel is 90% of how they feel about the photographs. – Jennifer Tsay

Plus, you’ll get access to guidance on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, keep you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goal: building a more successful photography business.

What is your big takeaway?

After this interview, I’d love to know what you’re taking from what Jennifer 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, share your thoughts in the comments below, let me know your takeaways, and what you plan to implement in your business based on today’s episode.

If you’re running a consumer-facing business selling something this personal, you’d better know how to listen and make people feel heard. – Jennifer Tsay

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Jennifer, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

If we find the wrong client, the photographer loses and we lose. There’s no situation where we win and the photographer doesn’t. Our success is tied to theirs. – Jennifer Tsay

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

I check for new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it’s always a buzz to get them… for several reasons. First, it confirms I’m on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That’s awesome! Second, iTunes and Google are the biggest podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

There’s nothing in life that is totally, totally free. There’s always some sort of cost. – Jennifer Tsay

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 an honest rating and feedback, which will help me and the show. I’ll thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you share your name and website URL. Alternatively, if you’ve left a review for PhotoBizX and want more backlinks to boost 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 you don’t have a sale, you don’t have anything else. The first thing you need is enough revenue coming in. – Jennifer Tsay

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

Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:

Shoott Website

Shoott on Instagram

Shoott on Facebook

Shoott on Tiktok

Shoott on YouTube

Join as a Shoott Photographer

Jennifer Tsay

Jennifer Tsay on Instagram

Jennifer Tsay on LinkedIn

You can care about revenue in the beginning and be willing to take losses because you think you’ll make it up later. Once revenue growth slows, you have to care about the fundamentals. – Jennifer Tsay

Thank you!

Thanks again to Jennifer for joining me on the podcast.

The scale of what she and her team have built is difficult to comprehend — 300,000 free sessions, more than 900 photographers and a profitable $10 million-plus business.

I love how carefully the model has been built so the client, the photographer and the business can all win.

It certainly challenged some assumptions about what a business-minded operator can achieve with photography as the lever. Amazing!

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

People are really emotional about their photographs. You’re not selling them a widget — you’re selling their memories. – Jennifer Tsay

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 692: Jennifer Tsay – How Free Photo Shoots Became a Profitable $10 Million Photography Brand 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

Kate Buechner of https://www.uberphotography.com.au/ is a Sydney family, newborn and pet photographer with more than 23 years in business.

When I last interviewed Kate almost ten years ago, she was photographing around 300 families a year, selling hundreds of wall portraits and working towards building a million-dollar photography business.

She achieved that goal, growing Uber Photography to five full-time staff and more than $1 million in annual turnover.

Today, the business looks completely different.

Kate is the only full-time person in the studio, with her daughter helping about five hours a week.

She works fewer hours, takes home more money, and recently generated $45,000 in a single month.

She aims for around 20 sessions per month, averages about $2,500 from family clients, and still runs seven different marketing sources simultaneously. One partnership with a local orthodontist has lasted ten years and generates around 30–35 bookings annually.

Kate also has some refreshingly direct views about portrait photography. She doesn’t believe photographers need to be incredibly creative to succeed. She believes the photographs are for the family—not the photographer—and that clients will spend when you create images they connect with and want to own.

In this interview, Kate Buechner shares how she went from running a million-dollar studio with five full-time staff to building a smaller, more profitable business she enjoys more.

We unpack the marketing strategies that continue to fill her calendar, why transparent pricing hasn’t hurt her sales, how she averages $2,500 from family sessions and the role AI, automation and same-day sales now play in keeping the business lean and efficient.

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

•

How Kate went from a million-dollar studio with a full-time team of five to a smaller, more profitable operation

•

Why she now works fewer hours, takes home more money and spends more time photographing and selling

•

How subletting unused studio space covers approximately 25% of her monthly rent

•

Why Kate runs seven marketing channels simultaneously to maintain around 20 sessions per month

•

How a ten-year orthodontist partnership generates around 50 leads and 30–35 bookings annually

•

Why the orthodontist gives Kate’s $695 photography voucher to every client after their braces come off

•

Why some photography leads require as many as ten emails or text messages before responding

•

How showing complete pricing before booking helps clients qualify themselves and avoids bait-and-switch complaints

•

Why Kate’s family portrait clients spend around $2,500, and her newborn clients average approximately $1,500

•

Why she believes photographers should create what families want to buy—not what satisfies them creatively

•

Why Kate raised her prices during the toughest booking period she has experienced in 23 years

•

How AI turned a two-hour Facebook advertising task into approximately ten minutes

•

How Kate prepares 30–60 images in half an hour and conducts same-day sales appointments

•

How IPS SESSION simplifies slideshows, image selection, room views, collages and client ordering

What’s on Offer for Premium Members

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

The photography is for the family. It’s not for us, and I think sometimes photographers get confused about that. – Kate Buechner

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 friendlier, more motivated, caring, and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.

If you’re passionate because it’s about your passion for photography, don’t become a professional photographer. You’re creating photos for someone else, not for yourself. – Kate Buechner

Plus, you'll get access to guidance on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, keep you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goal: building a more successful photography business.

What is your big takeaway?

After this interview, I’d love to know what you're taking from what Kate 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, share your thoughts in the comments below, let me know your takeaways, and what you plan to implement in your business based on today's episode.

I realised that when I was growing the business, I was giving up the parts of the business that I loved and managing staff who were doing the jobs I actually loved to do. – Kate Buechner

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Kate, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

You don’t have to be an incredibly creative photographer. You have to connect with people and make them feel comfortable and relaxed. – Kate Buechner

Make AI sound exactly like you — THIS WEEK!

Want AI to help write your emails, ads and blog posts without spending ages changing everything so it sounds like you?

I went through this training with Ina, and the results were so good! I’d never used Claude before, but I followed along and soon produced marketing copy that sounded like me—using words I’d use and leaving out the ones I wouldn’t.

See what’s included and register for US$97

Join us this Thursday 22 October at 7:00 am AEDT (Sydney time) for approximately 90 minutes of hands-on training.

You’ll receive the files and two short preparation videos to build your business profile and writing voice beforehand. Then you’ll work alongside Ina to set up four projects for social posts, blog posts, emails and enquiry replies, and ads—ready to use with the details of your business and the way you write.

We’ll use Claude for the training, but you can take your business information and voice guidance to ChatGPT, Gemini or your preferred AI tool afterwards.

Register before the live session and receive Ina’s BONUS Sales Call Review skill. Use it with a transcript of an IPS session or Zoom sales conversation to identify what you handled well, missed opportunities and ways to respond to objections next time.

Registration is US$97. After the live training, the price increases to US$197.

Can’t attend live? Register beforehand to get the early price and bonus, with lifetime access to the recording. You can also email Ina with questions afterwards.

Register for US$97—including the bonus and lifetime recording access

https://ipssession.com/?via=andrew750

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

I check for new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to get them… for several reasons. First, it confirms I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome! Second, iTunes and Google are the biggest 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 want to understand the value of photography, hire a photographer yourself and actually pay for it. It’ll change your perception of what that value is. – Kate Buechner

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 an honest rating and feedback, which will help me and the show. I'll thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you share your name and website URL. Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and want more backlinks to boost 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.

Sometimes it’s ten emails or ten SMS messages before you get someone to respond. You need a systemised follow-up so they eventually book. – Kate Buechner

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

Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:

Uber Photography Website

Uber Photography on Instagram

Uber Photography on Facebook

IPS Session Website — Use code PBX15 to get a 15% discount on either a monthly or annual membership for one year

Episode 214: Kate Buechner – On Her Way to A Million Dollar Family Portrait Photography Business

Kate & Co. Website

Kate & Co. on Instagram

Kate & Co. on Facebook

Take the Real on Instagram

087: Sue Bryce – How to Make Real Money From Your Photography Business Right Now

021: Brian Chapman – How To Have A Profitable Portrait Photography Business and Happy Clients

685: Ben McCoy – The $17 Lead, $105 Booking and $2,400 Portrait Photography Sale

Most families want a beautiful family photo where they look good, they’re smiling and there’s some form of connection. If you deliver that, they spend money. – Kate Buechner

Thank you!

Thanks again to Kate for joining me.

She reached the million-dollar turnover goal, built a team of five full-time staff and created the bigger business she’d been working towards.

Yet today, with a much smaller operation, she works fewer hours, takes home more money, and spends her time doing the parts of photography she loves.

Which raises an important question for all of us: are you building the business you genuinely want—or simply the one you’ve been told you should want?

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

I’ve got multiple things coming from multiple sources at the same time. I’m making sure I have lots of marketing happening behind the scenes all the time. – Kate Buechner

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 691: Kate Buechner – Why Her $1 Million Photo Studio Was Less Profitable Than Going Solo 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

Tara Shuler of https://www.convocontrol.com/ believes the person asking the questions controls the conversation—and ultimately, the outcome.

She’s a sales trainer, author, and former VP of Sales with more than 20 years of experience studying what makes people buy. Based in Tampa, Florida, she helps business owners move beyond explaining their services and start understanding what their clients actually want.

Her approach centres on questions rather than memorised scripts. The idea is to get prospective clients talking about why the purchase matters to them, instead of relying on you to convince them it should.

For photographers, that raises an uncomfortable question: how much time do we spend explaining packages and defending prices when we still don’t understand why someone wants the photos?

Tara is direct about this. She sees many sales objections as a sign of questions left unasked earlier in the process. When a client says, “We need to think about it”, she challenges whether our easy acceptance helps them—or simply keeps us comfortable.

In this interview, Tara shares how questions can change how photographers handle enquiries, uncover what clients value, and approach hesitant buyers. We work through familiar situations, including free-session leads and a couple facing a $5,000 wall art decision with very different expectations. Some of her suggestions pushed me outside my comfort zone, particularly around how directly we should challenge an objection.

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

•

Why Tara favours questions over scripts to lead photography sales conversations

•

Why she recommends calling website leads rather than simply emailing a price list

•

Uncovering what clients want their photographs to mean—not just which package they want

•

Qualifying free-session leads and recognising when it’s time to walk away

•

What “we need to think about it” leaves unresolved—and why photographers hesitate to ask more

•

Distinguishing a genuine budget limit from a client who doesn’t see the value

•

Spreading a $12,000 purchase over time without reducing the total price

•

Preventing the sales-room surprise when Mum wants $5,000 in wall art and Dad doesn’t know the prices

•

Connecting the photo session to the wall art clients said they wanted during their consultation

•

Spotting future portrait and headshot opportunities through conversations about clients’ lives

•

Why “just following up” gives leads little reason to respond

•

Using silence to give clients room to explain what matters to them

•

Why continuing to explain features and benefits after a client says yes can work against you

•

Tara’s direct approach to objections—and where I felt uncomfortable using it myself

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.

Most objections are a symptom of you not asking enough questions to understand what they really want. – Tara Shuler

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 friendlier, more motivated, caring, and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.

Once you get the yes, stop talking. Don’t talk about features and benefits anymore. You already got the yes. – Tara Shuler

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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Tara 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 today's episode.

He doesn’t want to spend it because he doesn’t see the value. – Tara Shuler

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Tara, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

A lot of people think sales is the gift of gab. But if you’re not asking questions, you’re not in control. – Tara Shuler

Make AI sound exactly like you — live masterclass with Ina Jalil

Want AI to help write your emails, ads and blog posts without spending ages changing everything so it sounds like you?

I went through this training with Ina, and the results were so good! I’d never used Claude before, but I followed along and soon produced marketing copy that sounded like me—using words I’d use and leaving out the ones I wouldn’t.

See what’s included and register for US$97

Join us on Thursday 22 October at 7:00 am AEDT (Sydney time) for approximately 90 minutes of hands-on training.

You’ll receive the files and two short preparation videos to build your business profile and writing voice beforehand. Then you’ll work alongside Ina to set up four projects for social posts, blog posts, emails and enquiry replies, and ads—ready to use with the details of your business and the way you write.

We’ll use Claude for the training, but you can take your business information and voice guidance to ChatGPT, Gemini or your preferred AI tool afterwards.

Register before the live session and receive Ina’s BONUS Sales Call Review skill. Use it with a transcript of an IPS session or Zoom sales conversation to identify what you handled well, missed opportunities and ways to respond to objections next time.

Registration is US$97. After the live training, the price increases to US$197.

Can’t attend live? Register beforehand to get the early price and bonus, with lifetime access to the recording. You can also email Ina with questions afterwards.

Register for US$97—including the bonus and lifetime recording access

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. First, it confirms I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome! Second, iTunes and Google are the biggest 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’ve been dealing with the wife this whole entire time, and you haven’t asked her, does he know what this is costing, you’re being blindsided by this whole situation because you didn’t do your discovery right. – Tara Shuler

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 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 share your name and website URL. 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 you have the gut feeling that they’re not going to ever become anything, listen to your gut. – Tara Shuler

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:

Convo Control Website

Tara Shuler LinkedIn

Tara Shuler on Facebook

Book a call with Tara Shuler

Convo Control on Instagram

Convo Control on YouTube

Everything is Sales

Questions Close Deals

How to Play Catchphrase

A statement deserves nothing, but a question elicits a response. – Tara Shuler

Thank you!

Thanks to Tara for joining me and pushing me (hopefully you too) out of my comfort zone in this one!

Isn't it so true how easily we accept “we need to think about it” because asking another question feels uncomfortable. And how an objection at the sales session can start with something we didn’t ask before the shoot.

I’d love to know what stood out for you in this one.

You’ve got to listen three times more than you actually speak. – Tara Shuler

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 690: Tara Shuler – When Mum Wants $5,000 in Photography Wall Art and Dad Wants to Leave 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

Pipi Diamond of https://www.soulfulphotographyllc.com/ has spent 12 years building a pet and family photography business in the San Francisco Bay Area—and now she’s selling it.

She started out photographing dogs on location, including portraits with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background, before creating a boutique backyard studio at home and eventually moving into a commercial space.

Today, the business has three photographers, two assistants, and annual gross revenue of US$139,000. Around a third of her sessions in 2025 came through charity silent auctions.

Pipi chose her business name with a future sale in mind. But preparing to hand it over has brought some surprises. Prospective buyers wanted regular repeat clients, her broker placed more importance on the studio space than she did, and losing her lease saw the asking price fall from US$75,000 to US$50,000.

She’s also frank about why she wants out: the emotional toll of photographing ageing dogs, the ongoing stress of ownership and wanting her weekends back. Hiring photographers has helped, but it hasn’t made the business run itself.

In this interview, Pipi shares what it takes to prepare a photography business for sale, what prospective buyers have questioned, and why the staff, systems and reputation you’ve built matter beyond the images you create. Whether you’re considering selling or haven’t given it a thought, there’s plenty here to make you look at your own business differently.

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

•

Why Pipi chose a business name she could sell—and later dropped “pet” to broaden its appeal

•

The emotional toll of photographing ageing dogs and why she’s ready to leave after 12 years

•

Why hiring three photographers and two assistants hasn’t removed the pressures of ownership

•

What Pipi and her broker disagreed on: the value of the studio space versus the staff and systems

•

How losing her studio lease brought the asking price down from US$75,000 to US$50,000

•

Why prospective buyers questioned the lack of annual repeat clients in her premium portrait business

•

The US$10,000 broker fee that would leave her with US$40,000 from a US$50,000 sale

•

How charity silent auctions generated around a third of her sessions in 2025

•

Why her charity contact list, gift certificate templates and email drafts could be sold separately

•

The bookkeeping reports, ongoing contracts and monthly costs buyers want to inspect

•

How she’s documenting the business with phone scripts, checklists, Loom videos and recorded Zoom sales calls

•

Why selling to an existing staff member could simplify the handover—and why it isn’t an option for Pipi

•

The risk of a new owner changing your business culture or letting trusted staff go

•

Why Pipi is considering closing the business if a sale doesn’t happen

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 prices are high enough that people feel like it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, not an every-year update. – Pipi Diamond

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 friendlier, more motivated, caring, and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.

So many photographers name their business after themselves, like Pipi Ray Diamond Photography. Who wants to buy your name? Then they’ll have to change it. – Pipi Diamond

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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Pipi 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 today's episode.

The word turnkey is a little misleading, or maybe a fantasy. Who owns a business and doesn’t do anything? – Pipi Diamond

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Pipi, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

What’s a big deal is the trained staff and all the knowledge and training I’d be giving about how to get clients in, service them, get them to pay, and get them out. – Pipi Diamond

Make AI sound exactly like you — live masterclass with Ina Jalil

I went through this training with Ina, and the results were so good! I’d never used Claude before, but I followed along and soon produced emails, blog posts, and marketing copy that sounded like me—using words I’d use and leaving out the ones I wouldn’t.

You can build the same foundation for your photography business.

Join us on Thursday 22 October at 7:00 am AEDT (Sydney time) for approximately 90 minutes of hands-on training. You’ll build your business profile and writing voice, and Ina will teach you how to use them.

We’ll use Claude during the session, but you can take the information you create to ChatGPT, Gemini or your preferred AI tool afterwards.

Register before the live session, and you’ll also receive Ina’s BONUS Claude Sales Call Review skill. Use it to review your recorded IPS sessions or Zoom sales conversations, with feedback on what you handled well, missed opportunities, and how you could respond to objections next time.

The cost is US$97, doubling to US$197 after the live training.

Can’t attend live? Register beforehand to secure the US$97 price and bonus. You’ll also receive lifetime access to the recording and can email Ina with questions afterwards.

Registration and more details here: https://learn.photobizx.com/make-ai-sound-like-you-registration/

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. First, it confirms I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome! Second, iTunes and Google are the biggest podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

A third of my sessions in 2025 were from silent auctions. – Pipi Diamond

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 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 share your name and website URL. 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.

I think I have compassion fatigue from getting a lot of clients that have really old dogs that are really close to being put down, and those kind of sessions are really tough emotionally. – Pipi Diamond

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:

Soulful Photography Website

Soulful Photography on Instagram

Soulful Photography on Facebook

SF's EAST BAY – Turnkey Pet Photography Studio + Listing

Episode 420: Kim Hamblin – How to build a photography business to sell

Episode 322: Bernie Griffiths – The importance of shooting saleable images in your photography business

Indeed – job search site

BizBuySell

Loom – video messaging

I sell it for $50,000, but I’ve got to give her $10,000. I’m really just getting $40,000. – Pipi Diamond

Thank you!

A huge thanks to Pipi for sharing what it’s been like preparing her photography business for sale.

It was interesting to hear how differently buyers see the business—and how hiring three photographers hasn’t taken away the stress of running it.

It makes you think about what someone would actually be buying if you stepped away.

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

I do my sales calls on Zoom and I record the Zoom call, so I have all these Zoom calls that a new buyer could watch to see how you handled this kind of situation, that kind of situation. – Pipi Diamond

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 689: Pipi Diamond – Can You Sell Your Photography Business—or Will You Have to Close It? 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

Andrew “Ferdi” Ferdinands of https://www.ferdi.com.au/ has photographed more than 3,000 events over 17 years. Based in Melbourne, Australia, he’s built a business bringing in around $200,000 a year, photographing everything from birthdays and baptisms to weddings and corporate events.

The business has grown well beyond Ferdi shooting every job himself. He has a pool of more than 30 photographers, and in one busy year, the team covered around 400 events. Their busiest month… 44!

What caught my attention, though, is that Ferdi says 80% of his work comes from referrals and word of mouth, despite almost never asking for them. He believes photographers can get the marketing, pricing and photos right, then lose the next booking because guests felt awkward or the client didn’t enjoy having them there. His approach is people first, camera second.

In this interview, Ferdi shares how he’s built a team around that idea, why he hires for people skills, and what he does before and during an event to understand what the client wants. We also talk about his simple pricing, repeat bookings and the AI tools he’s using to handle a growing workload.

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

•

How Ferdi built a photography business bringing in around $200,000 a year after 17 years and more than 3,000 events

•

What it took to cover roughly 400 events in one year, including 44 in his busiest month

•

Why 80% of his work comes through referrals and word of mouth, even though he almost never asks for referrals

•

Why he believes a photographer’s people skills can matter more to future bookings than technically perfect photos

•

How he chooses photographers for his team, and what one client complaint taught him about the cost of a poor experience

•

How he handles clients who want to book the same subcontractor again while encouraging that photographer to grow their own business

•

Why his $499 package for two short sessions is designed to earn money and put his team in front of more potential clients

•

How transparent prices and an easy booking process help clients decide without a long exchange of emails

•

The two questions he asks before an event to learn what the client means by a successful service and a successful gallery

•

Why he shows clients photos during an event, even letting them choose between different lighting styles

•

How his team handles thousands of images a week and delivers galleries within seven days

•

Where AI helps with culling and editing, and what Ferdi still checks himself

•

Why he’s building his own AI-assisted CRM to speed up replies and photographer availability checks

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’ve never asked for referrals. It’s pure organic. It’s just by being so good that they want you at every party. – Andrew “Ferdi” Ferdinands

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 friendlier, more motivated, caring, and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.

You could do everything perfectly. You could be the best photographer in the world technically. But when you rock up to the gig, how are they going to remember you? – Andrew “Ferdi” Ferdinands

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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Ferdi 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 today's episode.

The people skills are the differentiator. They’re the needle mover. – Andrew “Ferdi” Ferdinands

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Ferdi, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

Show the client the photos. Get immediate feedback. Maybe it’s you who needs to change something, and they’ll tell you. – Andrew “Ferdi” Ferdinands

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. First, it confirms I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome! Second, iTunes and Google are the biggest podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

You need to become part of their family, their extended family. They need to see you as the go-to photographer for all their milestones. – Andrew “Ferdi” Ferdinands

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 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 share your name and website URL. 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.

A good gauge is that if you don’t get any feedback, you might need to improve something. They can’t be bothered to tell you that you’re doing something wrong. – Andrew “Ferdi” Ferdinands

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:

Andrew Ferdinands Website

Ferdi Photography on Facebook

Ferdi Photography on Instagram

Event Photography 101

Event Photography 101 on YouTube

Event Photography App

Ferdi Tech

Ask the client, “How do you define a successful photography service?” and “How do you define a successful photography album?” Those two questions do the heavy lifting. – Andrew “Ferdi” Ferdinands

Thank you!

A huge thanks to Ferdi for joining me and sharing so openly.

The biggest standout… how 80% of his work comes from referrals and word of mouth, yet he says he almost never asks for them. He puts that down to how his photographers make people feel at an event. It’s why he looks for people skills first when hiring.

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

80% of my clients come from referrals and word of mouth. – Andrew “Ferdi” Ferdinands

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 688: Andrew Ferdinands – How To Get 80% of Your Photography Work Through Referrals 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

Ina Jalil of https://www.inajphotography.com/ first appeared on the podcast in episode 475, back in 2022.

At the time, she’d been running her Canberra pet photography business for just two years. Even then, she was generating impressive sales, testing different promotions and running in-person sales appointments while still learning what worked.

What stood out was her willingness to take action. She implemented what she learned, tracked the results and accepted that some ideas would work while others wouldn’t.

Fast-forward four years and she has now photographed more than 1,000 dogs and built a pet photography business generating around $305,000 a year from roughly 80 to 100 sessions. Her average sale has grown from around $600 to $2,600 to $2,800, and she recently raised her session fee to $1,190.

Along the way, she’s become a Sony Digital Imaging Advocate, started mentoring photographers and launched The Pet Photographers’ Journal podcast. She’s also using AI in ways that go well beyond writing social media posts—including reviewing her sales calls, building an objection bank, drafting client emails and creating custom tools for her business.

In this interview, Ina shares how she turned a disappointing $20,000 book project into more than $72,000 from just 26 sessions, generated over $33,000 from a $689 Facebook campaign, and uses pre-shoot consultations to qualify clients, set pricing expectations, and plan what she’ll photograph before the session begins. She also explains why photographers don’t need to continually invent new marketing campaigns—and how she uses AI to improve the systems and conversations already driving her business.

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

•

How Ina grew her pet photography revenue from around $190,000 in 2022 to $305,000 in 2025 while photographing fewer clients

•

Why she believes business and marketing skills matter more than exceptional photography when it comes to building a profitable studio

•

What went wrong when her first book project produced 48 sessions but only around $20,000 in sales

•

How better positioning and stricter client screening helped her second book project generate more than $72,000 from 26 sessions

•

Why mandatory pre-shoot consultations helped lift Ina’s average sale from around $600 to between $2,600 and $2,800

•

How questionnaires and planning calls reveal what clients want to purchase—and help Ina photograph specifically for their finished artwork

•

How she discusses the typical $1,000–$3,000 investment before accepting a booking without making the conversation awkward

•

How a $400 International Dog Day campaign generated 72 leads, 18 bookings and $38,000 in sales

•

The giveaway campaign that attracted 191 leads and produced more than $33,000 in sales from a $689 ad spend

•

Why meeting potential clients at local events can work better than advertising to a completely cold online audience

•

How a two-day expo costing roughly $1,500 generated around $20,000 in pet photography sales

•

Why Ina raised her session fee to $1,190—and still allows clients to walk away with artwork without spending more

•

Why photographers don’t need to continually invent new promotions when they have a repeatable campaign that works

•

How Ina uses AI to critique her sales calls, track recurring objections, draft client emails and identify weaknesses in her marketing

•

The guardrails she uses when giving AI access to client information, email and advertising data

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 don’t have to come up with a new idea every time. I can repeat the same process that works. – Ina Jalil

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 friendlier, more motivated, caring, and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.

My average sale went from $600 to between $2,600 and $2,800 after introducing the pre-shoot consultation. – Ina Jalil

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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Ina 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 today's episode.

My first book project had 48 sessions and made just over $20,000. The second had 26 sessions, 25 clients purchased, and it generated more than $72,000. – Ina Jalil

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Ina, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

I don’t want someone who only wants to be featured in a book. I want someone who wants beautiful artwork of their dog, with being featured in the book as a bonus. – Ina Jalil

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. First, it confirms I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome! Second, iTunes and Google are the biggest podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

When the same objections keep coming up, I look at how I can address them earlier through my website, social media or email sequences. – Ina Jalil

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 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 share your name and website URL. 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.

I use AI to review my consultations, help me improve my sales skills and build an objection bank from the questions clients ask. – Ina Jalil

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…

★★★★★ Thank you from the bottom of my heart

Via Google Reviews by New Zealand documentary wedding photographer Sarah Watkins in New Zealand on September 18th, 2026.

I'm so grateful to Andrew for him and his podcast. I started listening over 10 years ago.

He takes a personal interest in each and every one of his listeners.

He always has inspiring and insightful guests who are comfortable sharing all about their businesses.

I literally wouldn't be able to support my wee family without what I've learnt over the years from the podcast.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:

Ina Jalil Website

Ina Jalil Booking Gap

Ina Jalil Photography on Instagram

Ina Jalil The Pet Photo CEO on Instagram

Ina Jalil on Facebook

Episode 475: Ina Jalil – How to easily increase your portrait photography sales consistently

Fathom – meeting assistant AI

Krisp – AI noise cancellation and note taker

VoiceDash – speech-to-text AI

Wispr Flow – voice-to-text AI

Vibecode – AI app builder

Vercel – cloud platform

I want people who are serious about investing in their artwork. That’s my project, so I’m going to set the boundaries. – Ina Jalil

Thank you!

A huge thanks to Ina for sharing so openly.

What stood out to me was the turnaround between her two book projects—from 48 sessions and just over $20,000 in sales to more than $72,000 from only 26 sessions.

I also loved how she’s using AI to review her sales calls, identify missed opportunities and build an objection bank — a smart and practical use of AI in a photography business.

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

I experiment in my business, track the numbers and then change something if it doesn’t work. – Ina Jalil

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 687: Ina Jalil – The Pre-Shoot Consultation That Raised Her Average Sale from $600 to $2,800 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

Megan Jones of https://www.meganmichaelphotography.com/ has been in business for 16 years and has grown her Nebraska-based photography studio from $610,000 in revenue in 2023 to being on track for $3.5 million in 2026.

Today, she has a team of 13 employees, three full-time photographers and a 5,000-square-foot studio capable of handling up to 14 sessions a day.

Megan describes the business as a luxury volume studio — high-end photography and product sales on the client side, with a highly systemised operation running behind the scenes.

Boudoir makes up around 80% of the business, but I was particularly interested in one part for this interview.

Santa photography.

And we're definitely not talking about your typical $150 Christmas mini session with a handful of digital files.

Megan photographs around 175 Santa clients a year and averages roughly $2,000 per session. Her personalised Christmas storybook package is $4,200; clients are told upfront they could spend anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000, and the sessions themselves last just 25 minutes.

What makes it even more interesting is that Megan refuses to call them mini sessions.

They're limited-edition experiences — complete with purpose-built sets, personalised letters from Santa, a carefully scripted session and products designed to become part of the family's Christmas tradition.

Which raises some interesting questions…

How do you turn something commonly sold as a cheap seasonal session into a premium photography experience?

What are clients actually buying when they're spending thousands of dollars on Santa photography?

And what can portrait photographers take from Megan's approach to pricing, scarcity, sales and client experience and apply to their own businesses?

In this interview, Megan Jones shares how she progressed from $200 sessions to building a $3.5 million luxury photography business, why she eventually replaced herself as the photographer, and how her team now generates and handles hundreds of leads each week. We get into the thinking behind her limited-edition campaigns, the psychology she uses around sales and pricing, why she believes scripted sales sessions don't work, and the details that have helped turn her Santa photography into one of the most unusual and profitable seasonal portrait offerings I've come across.

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

•

How Megan grew her photography business from $610,000 in 2023 to being on track for $3.5 million in 2026

•

Why mastermind groups and openly sharing real business numbers helped Megan make better decisions faster

•

How repeatedly doubling her prices helped her move from $200 sessions to a far more profitable luxury model

•

Why Megan replaced herself as the photographer and now focuses almost entirely on business development

•

How she built a 13-person team, including three full-time photographers and a dedicated booking team

•

How 40+ Meta ads are used to feed a pipeline targeting around 700 leads per week

•

Why boudoir now accounts for roughly 80% of the studio’s income

•

How Megan uses rotating campaigns like 40 Over 40, business portraits and other themed projects to keep demand moving

•

How around 175 Santa sessions a year have become a roughly $350,000+ annual revenue stream

•

Why Megan positions Santa as a limited-edition experience rather than a traditional mini session

•

How 25-minute Santa sessions, multiple sets and personalised pre-session details create a premium client experience

•

Why personalised Christmas storybooks sell for $4,200, and why clients are told upfront they may spend $1,000–$10,000

•

Why Megan believes scripted sales sessions are “stupid” and prefers to sell around what each client actually values

•

How IPS, wall art, folio boxes, albums and digital files all fit into a luxury-volume photography model

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 work a hell of a lot less hard now than I did then, and I’m making way more money. – Megan Jones

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 friendlier, more motivated, caring, and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.

Sales is people. There’s a lot of psychology that goes into figuring out what people are thinking, overcoming objections and figuring out what’s important to them. – Megan Jones

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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Megan 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 today's episode.

Behind the scenes, we’re a machine. We’re a luxury studio, but in all reality, we’re a luxury volume studio. – Megan Jones

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Megan, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

Scripted sales sessions are stupid, in my opinion. There should be no script in the sales room because not every person is the same. – Megan Jones

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. First, it confirms I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome! Second, iTunes and Google are the biggest podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

If something is not my expertise, I outsource it. – Megan Jones

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 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 share your name and website URL. 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.

Nobody just books a shoot to book a shoot. They’re coming in for a reason. – Megan Jones

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:

Megan Jones Website

Megan Jones Santa Sessions

Megan Jones Email

Megan Jones on Facebook

You have to know your products, and it’s not just the amount of revenue coming in. It’s profit margin too. – Megan Jones

Thank you!

A huge thanks to Megan for sharing so openly.

What stood out to me was the scale of the business — tracking toward $3.5 million — but also what she’s done with Santa photography. Around 175 sessions a year, roughly a $2,000 average sale, and clients buying $4,200 personalised Christmas storybooks.

It’s a very different way of thinking about what could easily be treated as a cheap mini session.

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

We failed really, really fast in the last couple of years to be able to figure out what worked. – Megan Jones

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 686: Megan Jones – How 25-Minute Santa Sessions Became a $300K+ 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

Ben McCoy of https://withthebenjamin.com.au/ started his photography career by ringing wedding photographers he found in newspaper ads and asking if he could tag along and carry their bags.

He was knocked back again and again before one photographer finally gave him a chance.

That eventually led to photographing 40 or 50 weddings a year and learning the business from the ground up.

Fast-forward to today and Ben has built something very different.

He started Good Life Portraits from the back of his car in 2016 and has grown it into a busy Perth portrait studio with seven full-time staff, including photographers and an in-house booking team.

The studio is now tracking towards $2 million in annual revenue, has photographed more than 5,000 sessions and is shooting somewhere around 80 portrait sessions a month.

And the numbers behind the marketing are just as interesting.

Ben aims for roughly $17 per lead, around $105 to acquire a client and an average sale of about $2,400.

He’s also built much of the business around systems — from lead generation and booking through to client nurture, sales and production — and over the past year has added AI and Go High Level to handle more of that process automatically.

What I found particularly interesting is that despite the scale of the business, Ben still believes the human conversation is one of the most important parts of converting a lead into a client.

In this interview, Ben McCoy shares how he built a high-volume portrait studio without remaining the bottleneck, why he believes the people handling bookings can be more important than the photographers, how he uses Meta ads, AI and automated nurture to move leads towards a phone call, and what has changed as he’s gone from doing almost everything himself to running a team and a business approaching $2 million in revenue.

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

•

How Ben grew Good Life Portraits from working out of his car to a seven-person studio tracking towards $2 million in annual revenue

•

What it actually takes to run a portrait business shooting around 80 sessions a month

•

Why Ben believes photographers cap both their income and growth when they remain the person doing everything

•

How hiring a photographer to replace himself helped Ben finally spend more time working on the business instead of constantly shooting and retouching

•

Why Ben wants staff who can wear multiple hats — and why he isn’t worried about training people who could one day become competitors

•

How years of staff burnout, hiring mistakes and working seven days a week changed the way Ben now builds and manages his team

•

Why Ben says the people making the booking calls can be even more important than the photographers doing the shoots

•

How Ben moved from market stalls, coupon boxes and local partnerships to running dozens of Meta campaigns and generating around 90% of his leads online

•

The marketing numbers Ben watches closely — roughly $17 per lead, around $105 to acquire a client and an average sale of about $2,400

•

Why chasing the cheapest possible leads backfired, and how Ben learned that a $5 lead can be far less valuable than a more expensive, better-qualified one

•

How Ben uses AI, Claude and Go High Level to answer enquiries, nurture leads, handle FAQs and book phone calls before a staff member steps in

•

Why the goal of Ben’s automated nurture isn’t to make the sale — it’s to get the right prospect onto the phone

•

Why Good Life Portraits doesn’t position digital files as the main product, and instead uses the nurture process to prepare clients for physical artwork and heirloom products

•

Why Ben is willing to share his systems with photographers located just 10 kilometres from his own studio — and why he sees strong competitors as good for the industry

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.

The goal is to get them on the phone. – Ben McCoy

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 friendlier, more motivated, caring, and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.

AI has been a game changer because it’s available for when the client is ready, not for when we’re ready. – Ben McCoy

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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Ben 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 today's episode.

Cheap leads aren’t always good leads. I was getting $5 or $6 leads, but they were low quality and not many people were booking. – Ben McCoy

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Ben, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

$17 a lead is about $105 to land the client, and our average sale is around $2,400. – Ben McCoy

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. First, it confirms I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome! Second, iTunes and Google are the biggest podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

My job as a business owner is to make employees so happy that they don’t want to leave. – Ben McCoy

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 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 share your name and website URL. 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.

I was the bottleneck for years. I knew I had to figure out a way so the business could actually run without me — and not just run, but grow. – Ben McCoy

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:

Ben McCoy Website

Ben McCoy on Instagram

Ben McCoy on Facebook

Good Life Portraits Website

Good Life Portraits on Instagram

Good Life Portraits on Facebook

When I focused solely on numbers, every person that came in the door became a number. I realised I was focusing on what I could get out of them instead of what I could create for them. – Ben McCoy

Thank you!

A huge thanks to Ben for sharing so openly.

What really stood out to me was the scale of what he’s built—around 80 sessions a month and tracking toward $2 million a year—but also how much of that comes back to systems and getting himself out of the way.

I also loved hearing how he’s now using AI to do more of the nurturing and follow-up, while keeping the human conversation as an important part of getting clients booked.

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

If you’re fully booked, you’ve capped your income and your potential growth. The only way to grow then is to have someone else shoot for you. – Ben McCoy

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 685: Ben McCoy – The $17 Lead, $105 Booking and $2,400 Portrait Photography Sale 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

Lucas Z of https://www.thebigsplitwithlucas.com/ was running a successful photography business in Aspen, Colorado, making good money and, from the outside, doing pretty well.

But financially, things were a mess.

He had $25,000 in credit card debt, was behind on his taxes, had no real savings or assets and eventually worked out that he was spending 99.5% of everything he made.

The interesting part is, his answer wasn’t simply to go out and book more clients or make more money.

He realised the bigger problem was what happened to the money once it actually came in.

That led him to develop what he now calls The Big Split — a simple way of handling irregular income by dividing money between the business, tax, lifestyle and paying yourself first.

Using that approach, Lucas cleared his $25,000 debt in five months, got on top of his back taxes and built more than $60,000 in savings within the first year.

And he’s not coming at this as a traditional financial adviser.

He’s spent more than a decade running his own photography business, so he understands what it’s like to deal with seasonal income, inconsistent payments, good months, quiet months and the temptation to treat a $5,000 or $10,000 client payment like it’s all available to spend.

In this interview, Lucas Z shares how photographers can create more stability from irregular income, why earning more doesn’t automatically mean keeping more, how financial leaks can quietly drain an otherwise successful business, and why paying yourself first may matter more than another budgeting app. We also look at where The Big Split differs from Profit First, how Lucas decides what percentage goes where, and the point where money management stops being the problem and the business simply isn’t generating enough income.

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

•

How Lucas was spending 99.5% of everything his photography business made despite earning good money

•

How he cleared $25,000 in debt within five months and built more than $60,000 in savings in his first year

•

What Lucas does when a $5,000 or $10,000 client payment lands instead of treating it all as available cash

•

How The Big Split divides irregular income between business, tax, lifestyle and paying yourself first

•

Why Lucas still uses a simple 25/25/25/25 split after seven years — and when he changes those percentages

•

Why irregular and seasonal income creates a feast-or-famine cycle even for profitable photographers

•

How building separate financial stockpiles helped Lucas stay stable when his photography income stopped during COVID

•

The financial leaks photographers often overlook, including poor payment policies, delayed invoices, weak contracts and chasing clients for money

•

Why making it easier for clients to pay can have a bigger financial impact than photographers realise

•

Why Lucas believes photographers should pay themselves first, even if they start with only a small percentage

•

Why cutting every enjoyable expense isn’t necessarily the answer — and how Lucas decides what spending is actually worth keeping

•

How one client earning around $300,000 a year discovered they needed only about $70,000 to live, then cleared six figures of debt and saved six figures within 12 months

•

Why a photography business making only $40,000 can still be financially healthy if the gap between income and expenses is large enough

•

How to recognise when the real problem is no longer money management — the photography business simply isn’t generating enough income

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.

If you don't pay yourself first, you're not going to pay yourself. That's just how it works. – Lucas Z.

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 friendlier, more motivated, caring, and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.

When that $10,000 comes in, I was lying to myself. I didn't have $10,000 because I was forgetting about the bills in the business, the taxes and putting something towards savings. – Lucas Z.

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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Lucas 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 today's episode.

You can shift your finances fairly quickly. Start looking at money from your creative brain, not the traditional brain. You've built a business. You've already done the hard work. – Lucas Z.

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Lucas, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

The reason most successful business owners who are making good money never have any money is because they're putting themselves last. – Lucas Z.

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. First, it confirms I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome! Second, iTunes and Google are the biggest podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

We spend our entire lives giving our money away to everyone else, and guess who is holding the bag at the end of the day? Us. – Lucas Z.

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 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 share your name and website URL. 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.

Instead of stealing from my business so that I could live more extravagantly, I created a barrier. I will not steal from my business. I will not steal from my savings. – Lucas Z.

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:

The Big Split With Lucas Website

The Big Split With Lucas on YouTube

The Big Split With Lucas on Instagram

I like to keep things very simple with money. The simpler it is, the more likely I am to actually follow through with it. – Lucas Z.

Thank you!

A huge thanks to Lucas for sharing so openly.

What really stood out to me was that making more money isn’t always the answer. Lucas ran a successful photography business, yet spent 99.5% of what he made and had $25,000 in debt.

And I love the simplicity of his idea — when the money comes in, give it a job before you get the chance to spend it.

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

It's not about how much you make; it's about the difference between how much you spend and how much you make. – Lucas Z.

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 684: Lucas Z – Why Photographers Making Good Money Still Have No Money 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

Gabi Kline Leon of https://gavriellaphoto.com was living in Israel when she saw a photographer in the USA share that they’d made $62,000 in a single month.

Her reaction was basically, if photographers can make that kind of money in America, I’m moving to America.

So she did.

Two and a half months later, she was on her way to Florida with her 14-year-old daughter, very little money and a plan to build a full-time pet photography business.

Her very first client spent $5,000!

That didn’t mean everything took off immediately. COVID hit soon after, and Gabi says it took around three years before she really felt like she had a solid business.

What she built during that time was very different to a typical high-volume photography business.

Gabi describes herself as a commissioned photo artist rather than simply a photographer. Her booking fee is $1,500; clients are told that most spend between $3,000 and $10,000, and her average sale is around $6,000.

She visits clients in their homes, sometimes photographs the same client across multiple sessions, helps design artwork for their walls and keeps her pricing deliberately simple.

She has also tested some unusual marketing ideas along the way.

One magazine partnership generated more than $100,000. Mini-session days inside a groomer’s business brought in more than $10,000 a month. And she has strong views on where pet photographers should focus their attention online, especially around SEO, Google Business Profile, reviews, and fresh content.

And then there are the sales.

Gabi regularly talks about $7,000, $10,000 and larger client orders, including one extraordinary $50,000 sale from a client she photographed across four sessions.

In this interview, Gabi shares how she built a low-volume, high-value photography business, why she believes positioning yourself as a commissioned photo artist changes the way clients see what you do, how she approaches pricing and in-home sales without feeling salesy, and why simple offers, real relationships and getting in front of the right people have mattered more to her than chasing every new marketing tactic.

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

•

Why Gabi sees herself as a commissioned photo artist rather than simply a photographer — and how that changes the entire business

•

How a $1,500 booking fee and clear $3,000–$10,000 spending expectation filters clients before they enquire

•

What Gabi learned from landing a $5,000 first client after moving from Israel to the US

•

How one client eventually spent $50,000 across four separate photography sessions

•

Why Gabi’s average client spend sits around $6,000 — without relying on high session volume

•

How one magazine partnership generated more than $100,000 in client sales, while another produced almost nothing

•

How mini-session days inside a groomer’s business generated more than $10,000 a month

•

Why Gabi believes photographers need to get in front of real people rather than relying only on ads and social media

•

How model calls helped her build connections, content, reviews and word of mouth in a new market

•

Why she sometimes photographs the same client across two or three sessions to create more variety and stronger sales opportunities

•

How Gabi positions photography as interior design rather than simply selling photos

•

Why she keeps her pricing deliberately simple and avoids long product menus, upgrades and confusing add-ons

•

How she handles the reveal and sales appointment without hard-selling — including helping clients choose favourites first, then artwork

•

Why Gabi believes pet photographers should pay more attention to Google Business Profile, reviews and fresh content than traditional SEO

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 cannot think that you will attract people who spend $50 on dresses to spend thousands of dollars on a designer. Totally different clients. So you have to understand who your client is, and you have to put yourself in front of them. – Gabi Kline Leon

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 friendlier, more motivated, caring, and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.

Yes, it is an investment, but don’t put it as an investment in photos. Put it as an investment in interior design. People have a very different thought when they’re thinking about how much money they’re going to spend on interior design in their home. – Gabi Kline Leon

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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Gabi 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 today's episode.

There are two totally different types of businesses. One is being a photographer. One is being what I call a commissioned photo artist, which is a totally different business. – Gabi Kline Leon

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Gabi, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

The more you’re out there, the more you meet people, the more you’ll have private clients. Period. That’s just the way it works. – Gabi Kline Leon

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. First, it confirms I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome! Second, iTunes and Google are the biggest podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

If they book me, they will spend an average of $6,000. It’s already embedded in me. It’s not, Oh, I wish they will, or nobody pays. I don’t have any of that. – Gabi Kline Leon

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 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 share your name and website URL. 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.

A confused mind doesn’t buy. Everything has to be very simple. – Gabi Kline Leon

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:

Gavriella Pet Photography Website

Gabi Kline Leon on Facebook

Gavriella Pet Photography on Instagram

What If You Could Design Your Reality – Mission Balance on YouTube

Gavriella Pet Photography Education

The Pet Photographers Community Facebook Group

Pet Photographers Community Skool

448: Megan DiPiero – Go high end with your photography business or get ready to fail

601: Jane Thomson – Secrets to Organic Growth. A different approach to photography business success

176: Kaylee Greer – Building a Fun, Vibrant, and Creative Dog Photography Business

If you don’t sell something, it’s because you don’t have it inside your brain that it’s something important for you to give to your client, or you’re feeling that you’re pushing too much. – Gabi Kline Leon

Thank you!

A huge thanks to Gabi for sharing so openly.

What really stood out to me was how she thinks about being a commissioned photo artist rather than simply a photographer—and how that shift flows through everything from her pricing to the client experience and those $6,000-plus average sales.

I also loved how simple she keeps the business. Simple pricing, simple choices, but a very high-touch experience.

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

What you should remember is they wanted you. They liked your work. That’s why they called you. So when somebody says no, don’t think, I’m too expensive, I have to lower my prices. – Gabi Kline Leon

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 683: Gabi Kline Leon – How to Build a Photography Business Averaging $6,000 Per Client 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

Myriam Ménard of http://www.myriammenard.com is a wedding photographer who has built a 17-year business without pretending to be a marketing guru.

Based in Montreal, she photographs weddings across Canada and Europe and describes herself as a thoughtful wedding photographer. From what I’ve seen of her work and the way she approaches her business, that description fits.

Her success has come through word of mouth, reputation, community, careful curation and a portfolio that feels genuinely like her — not from chasing every new marketing tactic or trying to outsmart the algorithm.

She’s spoken in front of 500 photographers at Way Up North and is the founder and host of Beyond the heArts, now in its fourth year.

If you’re tired of constantly posting, performing online, tweaking funnels and feeling like you need to become someone else to market your photography, this interview will feel refreshing.

We cover intentional curation, self-worth, creativity, premium pricing, documentary photography with elegance, offline networking, and what it really looks like to build a business aligned with who you are.

In this interview, Myriam shares how she attracts high-value wedding clients through relationships and referrals, why she believes other people talking about your work is becoming more important than talking about yourself, how she uses curation to shape the kind of clients she attracts, why saying no can protect your brand, and how she has built a low-volume wedding business where local bookings can reach $22,000 CAD and European destination weddings start at €12,000.

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

•

Why Myriam believes offline marketing is becoming more valuable than constantly posting online

•

How real relationships and word of mouth helped her build a premium wedding photography business

•

Why saying no to the wrong clients can protect both your brand and your creativity

•

How Myriam spots clients who are unlikely to be a good fit before the wedding

•

Why meeting planners, florists and photographers in person has become a major part of her marketing

•

How one genuine behind-the-scenes TikTok video led to more enquiries and even reached Drew Barrymore

•

Why effective networking is a long game rather than an exercise in asking for referrals

•

How Myriam builds trust with destination wedding clients even when she hasn’t photographed at their location before

•

Why her European destination weddings start at €12,000 and Montreal weddings reach $22,000 CAD

•

How photographing just 8–15 weddings a year can create a successful, lower-volume business

•

Why intentional portfolio curation can change the kind of clients your photography attracts

•

How Myriam uses words and visual branding together to create a clearer, more recognisable brand

•

Why she believes other people talking about your work may become more important than talking about yourself

•

Why photographers need to stop rushing, build trust over time and avoid skipping the steps that create a lasting 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.

It's going to be even more important in the following five years at least that you don't market yourself. It's going to be the others talking for you. – Myriam Ménard

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 friendlier, more motivated, caring, and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.

Go out there, find your people, and don't be shy to show up in your real way and be vulnerable. That's how we connect, and to me, that's the best marketing. – Myriam Ménard

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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Myriam 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 today's episode.

If I let others dictate me what they want to see, I will lose myself. – Myriam Ménard

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Myriam, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

People sometimes don't understand what they want, but when they see it, they feel something. – Myriam Ménard

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 allow myself the luxury to say no because I knew already that it could be so unaligned that it could backfire at me, and it already happened to me in the past… being honest and real-that's what attracts the right people to you. – Myriam Ménard

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 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.

I love to call it offline marketing. So I go out there and I just show up. And to me, it's the best way to really show how I care, to also feel it if I want to work with someone or not, and like see if we're aligned actually because I follow strongly my instincts. – Myriam Ménard

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…

★★★★★ Most Trusted Resource for Photographers

Via Google by Bóna Barna, a family and wedding photographer based in Szeged, in Hungary on August 12th, 2026.

For years, it has been my most trusted resource for business-related content.

Never before have I had one like this that I keep coming back to so often.

Andrew's service-focused approach is something I just can't say enough good things about.

Highly recommended!

Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:

Myriam Ménard Website

Myriam Ménard Education

Myriam Ménard on Facebook

Myriam Ménard on Tiktok

Behind the Scenes with Myriam Part 1

Behind the Scenes with Myriam Part 2

I'm working hard on having people talking. You know, talking good about me and doing the marketing for me actually. – Myriam Ménard

Thank you!

Huge thanks to Myriam for sharing so openly.

What stood out for me is how much of her success comes back to knowing who she is, curating her work with intention and building real relationships instead of chasing every new marketing tactic.

Seventeen years in, she’s charging premium prices, shooting fewer weddings and creating a business that genuinely suits her.

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

Show who you are. Give access to others, to who you are, to allow us to connect with you, and go out there more and just create, create, create. Shoot, shoot, shoot. Be creative. – Myriam Ménard

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 682: Myriam Ménard – The $20K Wedding Photographer Who Doesn’t Chase Marketing Trends 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

Richard I’Anson of https://www.richardianson.com/ has built the kind of photography career many photographers dream about.

He has spent 40 years photographing the world — more than 100 countries, all seven continents, and an enormous body of work covering people, places, culture, landscapes, festivals and wildlife.

His images have been published worldwide. He’s authored 14 books, including the best-selling Lonely Planet’s Guide to Travel Photography, and he’s a Canon Master Photographer.

But what interests me most isn’t just the travel.

It’s the career behind it.

Because it’s one thing to take great photos while travelling.

It’s another thing altogether to build a sustainable photography business around that work for four decades.

In this interview, I wanted to understand what made that possible — the planning, persistence, commercial decisions, relationships and adaptability behind Richard’s career, and how his thinking about photography and business has changed along the way.

Richard shares how weddings and portraits helped fund and prepare him for travel photography, how he built a stock library that opened doors with Lonely Planet and other publishers, what happened to the stock photography market, why print sales have never been a major part of his business, and how photography tours became his most important income stream today.

We also talk about why experience matters before launching tours or workshops, the realities of making money from travel photography, balancing family and constant travel, and why the business model you choose may matter more than the camera you use.

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

•

How Richard turned a five-year plan into a 40-year career in travel photography

•

Why shooting weddings and portraits became the perfect training ground for travel photography

•

How building a strong body of work opened doors with Lonely Planet, World Expeditions and other publishers

•

Why Richard says photographers shouldn’t approach potential clients before they have enough work to back up their claims

•

How long-term industry relationships became a major part of Richard’s photography career

•

Why being too protective of your best images can actually limit their commercial potential

•

What happened to the once-lucrative stock photography market — and why Richard wouldn’t recommend relying on it today

•

Why Richard believes photographers need thousands of strong, commercially useful images before stock can generate meaningful income

•

How photography tours became the most important income stream in Richard’s business

•

Why experience, reputation and people skills matter as much as photography when running successful tours

•

Why simply putting landscape prints on a website is unlikely to become a profitable business

•

How Richard balanced 90 days of travel each year with family life and running the business from home

•

Why photographers need to keep adapting their business model as markets, technology and client demand change

•

Why Richard believes his photography tours are relatively protected from AI because clients are paying for the experience of travelling and creating their own images

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.

People do not care what it cost you, how much pain you went through, how many days you sat on the mountain top, how cold you were or how hungry you were. It’s just the image in front of them. – Richard I’Anson

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 friendlier, more motivated, caring, and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.

It’s one thing to take the pictures. You still have to come home, work with them, get them out there, sell them effectively and do all the other stuff you do in a business. – Richard I’Anson

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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Richard 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 today's episode.

There is nothing like a wedding to teach you how to shoot under pressure. There is no second chance. You have to deliver regardless of everything. – Richard I’Anson

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Richard, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

Selling prints is hard. Randomly selling prints on a website isn’t going to make you a living. – Richard I’Anson

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 think my biggest achievement is the fact that I’m still going after 40 years. – Richard I’Anson

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 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.

I wanted to be a photographer to take photos. I didn’t want to be a photographer to make money. – Richard I’Anson

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:

Richard I’Anson Website

Richard I’Anson on Instagram

Richard I’Anson on Facebook

The demand for pictures is probably as great as ever. It’s just that the price people are paying is so small, it’s laughable. – Richard I’Anson

Thank you!

Huge thanks to Richard for such an honest look at what it really takes to build a long-term career in photography.

What stood out for me is how little of his success came from chasing quick wins. It was years of shooting, learning the business, building a body of work and adapting as the industry changed.

Forty years on, he’s still doing what he loves — and that’s probably the biggest lesson of all.

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

I’ve always thought you should do it full time. I’ve never thought that you could actually make money from photography part time. – Richard I’Anson

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 681: Richard I’Anson – From Wedding Photographer to a 40-Year Travel Photography Career 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

Brian Levin is the founder of Warthog AI: https://warthogaistudios.com/

He’s a writer, producer and director with credits including Union Bridge and Flock of Dudes, and is now working at the forefront of AI-generated video.

Through Warthog AI, Brian and his team are helping businesses, creators, and storytellers turn ideas, still images, and scripts into polished video content at a speed and cost that traditional production simply can’t match.

And for photographers, this opens up a much bigger conversation than simply whether AI is good or bad.

It’s about marketing, storytelling, attention, new products and what happens when creative tools that once required large crews and serious budgets become available to small businesses.

In this interview, Brian shares how realistic AI video has become, why photographers may be better positioned than they realise, and how still images can now be transformed into convincing video content.

He also talks about the fear and resistance surrounding AI, the commercial opportunities already appearing, the importance of keeping skilled artists involved, and why photographers need to understand what’s happening before deciding whether to embrace it or reject it.

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

•

Why Brian Levin believes AI video will soon be impossible to distinguish from real footage

•

How photographers can turn a single still image into cinematic video using AI

•

Why learning AI now could give photographers a major competitive advantage

•

How AI is helping businesses create premium marketing content for a fraction of the usual cost

•

Why commercial clients are embracing AI faster than the traditional film industry

•

How overcoming fear of AI could unlock new creative and business opportunities

•

Why delivering exceptional results matters more than the tools you use

•

How offering affordable AI services can help photographers attract new clients and build trust

•

Why AI-generated video is creating exciting new income streams for photographers

•

How combining photography with AI video can make your business stand out in a crowded market

•

Why understanding the ethical side of AI will become an essential skill for modern photographers

•

How Brian Levin is proving AI can enhance creativity without replacing great visual storytelling

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 just created something that would normally look like a $500,000 national commercial. It would have taken six to eight weeks. We did it in four days and charged $5,000. – Brian Levin

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 friendlier, more motivated, caring, and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.

Building a business isn’t always fun, but outside of delivering something valuable, the most important thing is to keep putting yourself and your work in front of people. – Brian Levin

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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Brian 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 today's episode.

Highlight your existing skill and experience, then use AI as another tool that can make things faster or create work that wasn’t possible before. – Brian Levin

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Brian, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

The most unique thing about this technology is that it turns filmmaking into every other art form. You’re no longer defeated by a lack of capital when trying to execute a creative idea. – Brian Levin

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 George Lucas were 21 and coming out of college today, he would jump all over this. He wouldn’t need to raise $50 million to make a movie—he could just start creating his stories. – Brian Levin

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 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 your instinct is to say AI is destructive to artists, pause for a second, because you might be wrong. It could be constructive—creatively and economically—but you’ll need the skills to capitalise on it. – Brian Levin

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:

Warthog AI Studios

Brian Levin Website

Brian Levin on LinkedIn

Get acquainted with the technology and then make a decision. That’s smarter than avoiding it, because it’s hard to make an informed decision about something you don’t understand. – Brian Levin

Thank you!

Huge thanks to Brian for sharing such an honest look at where AI-generated video is heading.

What stood out for me is that the real opportunity for photographers isn’t replacing creativity with AI. It’s using these tools to create products and marketing that simply weren’t practical before.

Whether you’re excited by it or wary of it, Brian’s message is hard to ignore: understand what the technology can do before deciding where you stand.

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

If your whole business is built around being anti-AI, I don’t know that you’ll get enough work to sustain that business in the coming years. Highlight the humans and artists behind the work instead. – Brian Levin

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 680: Brian Levin – Creating $500,000-Looking Videos for $5,000 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

Melody MacDonald of http://www.odymacphoto.com brings a background I don’t think I’ve ever featured on the podcast before.

Before becoming a full-time photographer, she spent more than 20 years working as a 911 dispatcher.

In that world, communication isn’t simply about being polite or saying the right thing.

It’s about staying calm when someone else isn’t.

Hearing what’s really being said underneath the emotion.

Getting the right information, making clear decisions under pressure, and helping move someone towards a better outcome.

And while photography may not involve life-or-death emergencies, difficult client conversations can still feel emotionally charged.

• A frustrated email.
• A disappointed parent.
• An unhappy bride or groom.
• A session that didn’t go as planned.
• Or a client who comes in hot over something that may not feel like a true emergency to you, but absolutely does to them.

That’s where Melody’s experience becomes so valuable.

In this interview, she shares what photographers often get wrong when dealing with upset clients, why reacting too quickly can make things worse, and how to pause, listen and respond from a calmer, clearer place.

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

•

Why Melody MacDonald’s 20+ years as a 911 dispatcher changed the way she communicates with photography clients

•

Why telling an upset client to “calm down” usually makes the situation worse

•

How clear, kind and direct communication can prevent many client complaints before they happen

•

Why photographers should pause before replying to an emotional email

•

How to recognise when you’re reacting from frustration rather than responding as a business owner

•

Why an unhappy client may simply be missing information rather than being unreasonable

•

How empathy and validation can defuse tension without admitting fault or giving away free products

•

Why photographers often try to solve client problems that don’t actually exist

•

When picking up the phone works better than continuing a difficult email exchange

•

How a phone call humanises both the photographer and the client

•

Why you don’t need to apologise, overexplain or make concessions in the moment

•

How stronger boundaries around business hours can reduce stress and resentment

•

Why difficult client situations often reveal weaknesses in your communication, contracts or sales process

•

How breathing, pausing and recognising physical signs of stress can help you stay calm under pressure

•

How Melody’s Unflappable Creatives community helps photographers work through difficult client conversations

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.

One of the first things I learned was never tell somebody to calm down. They’re having their worst moment, and telling them to calm down only makes them feel unheard. – Melody MacDonald

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 friendlier, more motivated, caring, and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.

Recognising what your body is doing when you become frustrated is the first step towards responding differently. – Melody MacDonald

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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Melody 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 today's episode.

The whole point is to pause before you respond. – Melody MacDonald

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Melody, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

You don’t have to make promises or concessions in the moment. You can thank them, hear them and give yourself time to respond properly. – Melody MacDonald

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.

A phone call can resolve in minutes what you might spend days worrying about over email. – Melody MacDonald

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 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 often start trying to solve a problem that doesn’t actually exist. – Melody MacDonald

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…

★★★★★ Practical, Actionable Advice for Growing Your Photography Business

Via Apple Podcasts by Dubsado expert, Amy Gould, in the USA on July 23rd, 2026.

I’ve been listening to PhotoBizX for a while, and episode 678 on creating a custom. ChatGPT was excellent!

Andrew asked great questions and clearly explained in the interview how to train ChatGPT to better understand your photography business. (I appreciated the beginner-level details for people who aren’t familiar with it!)

What I appreciate most is how much valuable, actionable content Andrew shares before asking listeners to join his private community.

Every episode leaves listeners with ideas they can actually implement.

If you’re a photographer, looking to grow your business, streamline, your work clothes, or learn from experience professionals, PhotoBizX is absolutely worth listening to.

Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:

Melody MacDonald Website

Unflappable Creatives Facebook Groups

Melody MacDonald on Pinterest

Melody MacDonald on Instagram

Sometimes clients aren’t asking for a solution. They simply need to feel heard and validated. – Melody MacDonald

Thank you!

Huge thanks to Melody for sharing so openly in this interview.

What really stood out for me was how often difficult client situations become worse because we react too quickly, assume the worst, or try to solve a problem that may not even exist.

Melody’s background as a 911 dispatcher brings a completely different perspective to client communication: pause, listen for what is really being said, and respond from a calm, clear place.

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

It’s often not about the client being wrong. They may simply be missing information. – Melody MacDonald

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 679: Melody MacDonald – How to Handle Difficult Photography Clients Without Losing Your Cool 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

Marcin Rafalowicz of Pro Image Academy has been shooting for 17 years, mainly as a side gig.

Although when that side business has taken you to New York Fashion Week, destination weddings, local television, The Guardian, Cosmo and plenty of unexpected places, it’s fair to say it became much more than a weekend hobby.

Now, at 50, Marcin is shifting more of his focus to helping photographers improve the business side of their work.

His work centres around branding, automation and custom AI — three areas he believes can help photographers market themselves more clearly, work more efficiently and avoid years of trial and error.

In this interview, Marcin shares what he learned over 17 years in photography, why it took him nine years to properly dial in his own business, and how photographers can build a custom ChatGPT trained on their voice, brand, clients, pricing and services.

The aim isn’t to create more generic AI content.

It’s to build a tool that actually understands your photography business and sounds more like you.

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

•

Why Marcin believes most photographers are barely scratching the surface of AI.

•

How to train ChatGPT on your voice, tone, language and personality.

•

Why your business information matters just as much as your writing style.

•

How custom GPTs produce more relevant content than generic ChatGPT prompts.

•

Why poor input leads to bland, predictable marketing.

•

How to build separate custom GPTs for content, pricing, marketing and other business tasks.

•

How AI can generate buyer personas, content ideas, social posts and video scripts.

•

Why refining your custom GPT over time makes the output more accurate.

•

How voice-powered AI and website chatbots could change client enquiries.

•

Why photographers who experiment with AI now will be better prepared for what comes next.

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.

What I try to do with my clients now is set prices that should repel them — and they still don’t budge. They keep booking. – Marcin Rafalowicz

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 friendlier, more motivated, caring, and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.

The more you use AI, the friendlier it becomes. The difficult part is simply getting started and stepping outside your comfort zone. – Marcin Rafalowicz

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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Marcin 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 today's episode.

The photographers who adapt, experiment and stay open to new ideas will be in a much stronger position than those who keep doing things the same old way. – Marcin Rafalowicz

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Marcin, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

First, ChatGPT needs to understand how you sound. Then it needs to understand what your business is about. When you combine those two things, you open a completely different door. – Marcin Rafalowicz

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.

A custom ChatGPT doesn’t just know what you sound like. It understands your services, pricing, values, ideal clients and the people you don’t want to work with. – Marcin Rafalowicz

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 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.

AI won’t necessarily eliminate photography jobs. It will create a shift, where some opportunities disappear and entirely new ones grow somewhere else. – Marcin Rafalowicz

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:

Pro Image Academy

Marcin Rafalowicz on YouTube

Marcin Rafalowicz on Facebook

Marcin Rafalowicz on Instagram

The problem with generic ChatGPT is that it creates the same posts for everybody. There’s no context, no personality and no real connection to the business. – Marcin Rafalowicz

Thank you!

Huge thanks to Marcin for sharing so much in this interview.

What really stood out was how much better ChatGPT can become when you train it properly — not just on how you write, but on your business, your clients, your pricing and the work you want to be known for.

Instead of getting the same generic content as every other photographer, you can build a custom GPT that actually understands your brand and starts to sound like you.

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

Once you see a tool speaking in your voice, using your ideas and understanding your business, it becomes difficult not to see more ways you could use it. – Marcin Rafalowicz

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 678: Marcin Rafalowicz – How to Build a Custom ChatGPT for Your 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

Mycah Bain of https://mycahbain.com/ is a photographer who's built something a lot of photographers talk about… but very few actually achieve.

A photography business that doesn't rely on them doing everything.

Over the past 15 years, she's built a studio in Minneapolis that includes weddings, seniors, branding, a team of photographers, streamlined systems and multiple revenue streams.

Last year, the business generated around $340,000 in revenue, split almost evenly across brand photography, weddings and portrait photography.

What really caught my attention is this…

I don't think Mycah is trapped inside the business she's built.

She openly shares how she's outsourced key roles, built a leadership team, created a premium client experience and structured the business so she can step away for weeks at a time without everything grinding to a halt.

In this interview, Mycah shares how to build a team, buy back your time and grow a hugely profitable, successful photography business.

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

•

Why Mycah believes photographers don't have to niche down to build a thriving photography business

•

How generating over $340,000 across weddings, branding and portraits proves multiple revenue streams can work together

•

Why Mycah's $1 million goal isn't about money — it's about freedom, opportunity and impact

•

How focusing on profit instead of revenue helped Mycah build wealth and long-term financial security

•

Why your relationship with money could be limiting the growth of your photography business

•

How Mycah rebuilt her business from scratch after divorce and reached six figures in her first year

•

How hiring virtual assistants in the Philippines helped Mycah scale while protecting her time and client experience

•

Mycah's hiring process for finding exceptional team members — and avoiding costly mistakes

•

Why technical skills aren't enough when hiring photographers to represent your brand

•

How clear expectations, systems and documented processes create a premium client experience at scale

•

Why creating a business that runs without you is the real path to freedom

•

How Mycah built a photography business that allows her to travel for weeks without everything grinding to a halt

•

Why “I don't expect perfection, but I do expect excellence” has become Mycah's leadership philosophy

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.

What gets me motivated is being able to provide jobs and opportunities for women, expand an incredible photography experience for more people, and continue building freedom and flexibility for myself. – Mycah Bain

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 friendlier, more motivated, caring, and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.

I don't expect perfection, but I do expect excellence. – Mycah Bain

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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Mycah 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 today's episode.

Most photographers love taking photos. That's why they started. Once I realised my team could deliver the same experience, I thought, maybe I'm onto something here. – Mycah Bain

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Mycah, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

I'm really against making the same mistake twice. Anytime something goes wrong, I ask: What happened? How did it happen? And how do we make sure it never happens again? – Mycah Bain

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.

Beautiful photos are the point, but an incredible client experience is what matters most. I want people to feel completely supported, seen and taken care of every step of the way. – Mycah Bain

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 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.

I realised, for my own mental health, I couldn't be on social media… I called a friend, crying, and said, “Here's my Instagram password. Just do something until I'm ready to come back.” – Mycah Bain

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:

Mycah Bain Website

Mycah Bain on Instagram

Mycah Bain Photography on Facebook

Mycah Bain Education

Permission Slip to More Freedom Guide

Online Jobs PH

Upwork

FREE Guide to more money with your photography business

If you're good at making money, but you don't know how to think about it or manage it, you've only solved part of the puzzle. – Mycah Bain

Thank you!

Huge thanks to Mycah for sharing so openly in this interview.

What stood out to me is how quickly she can rebuild momentum in a brand-new place — not by waiting for years of local trust, but by getting involved, meeting people, building relationships, and showing the kind of work she wants to be known for.

I also loved hearing how she thinks bigger than many portrait photographers, from everyday networking conversations to booking a French castle and turning a bold idea into a paid photography experience.

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

I was taking client calls on public buses in Costa Rica, in a hostel in Nicaragua and in little cafés… I was booking almost every project, and it was going better than when I was sitting at my desk. – Mycah Bain

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 677: Mycah Bain – Building a Team, Buying Back Your Time and Growing to $340K 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

Joanna Kilgore of http://www.joannaleekilgore.com is a portrait photographer who’s done something most photographers would find terrifying…

She’s rebuilt her business from scratch in completely new locations, more than once, and become known fast.

Instead of relying on years of local history, an established client base, or a big advertising budget, Joanna has learned how to embed herself into a new community, build trust quickly, and position herself as the go-to photographer in her area.

She’s also not afraid to think bigger than the average portrait photographer.

From luxury portrait experiences to destination sessions in French castles, Joanna has a knack for combining creativity, bold ideas and commercial thinking in a way that actually works.

Add to that the fact she’s navigating business, family, creativity and big future plans while living with ADHD.

Currently based in Florida, Joanna Kilgore of Jolee Art & Photography shares how she builds momentum in a new market, uses networking to create opportunities, turns big ideas into booked experiences, and continues to grow a photography business that can move with her.

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

•

Why Joanna believes you can rebuild a successful photography business almost anywhere — even without an existing client base

•

How Joanna became known fast after moving to new towns and starting again from scratch

•

Why organic Facebook posts worked in one market but completely failed in another

•

How networking became Joanna’s fastest path to trust, referrals and paid photography clients

•

Why everyday conversations in shops, cafés and local businesses can lead to unexpected bookings

•

How Joanna adapts her marketing and sales approach to suit the culture of each new location

•

Why showing the work you want to sell helps attract the clients and sessions you want more of

•

How Joanna uses luxury portraits, destination shoots and big creative ideas to stand out in a crowded market

•

Why she booked a French castle before every room was sold — and how she turned the idea into a paid experience

•

How Joanna balances digital files, prints and products without forcing every client through the same sales process

•

Why customising sessions around the client’s vision can reduce anxiety and increase satisfaction

•

How Joanna uses speed, service and flexibility as part of her photography business advantage

•

Why being open about your values can attract the right clients without turning it into a sales tactic

•

How Joanna manages ADHD while running a business, raising a family and constantly launching new ideas

•

Why photographers with ADHD can turn curiosity, creativity and big-picture thinking into a competitive advantage

•

How calculated risks, community connection, and constant reinvention continue to shape Joanna’s business growth

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 don’t always get to choose where you’re planted, but you can still bloom and blossom there. – Joanna Kilgore

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.

I don’t say, “I can’t do that.” I say yes, then I figure out a way to make it happen. – Joanna Kilgore

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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Joanna 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 today's episode.

Once you know how to talk to people you don’t know, make friends and explain who you are in a way that makes them want to know more, you can do it anywhere. – Joanna Kilgore

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Joanna, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

You are capable of anything you think you are. – Joanna Kilgore

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 have dreams, ambitions and targets, but I don’t want to cap what’s possible. I stay adaptable and pivot when I need to. – Joanna Kilgore

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 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 you’re willing to talk to people and show genuine interest, clients can come from anywhere — even a thrift store. – Joanna Kilgore

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…

★★★★★ One word – brilliant!

Via Google Reviews by Canberra pet photographer, Alistair Nitz on July 2nd, 2026 from Australia.

I have been a listener to both the free podcast and the premium service for over three years.

One word – brilliant.

As a relatively new photography business owner, I am always on the lookout for new strategies and business ideas. This makes the weekly episodes of PhotobizX the activity that tracks highly on my must-do tasks for the week.

It explores topics across all photography genres and consistently delivers practical business ideas, actionable suggestions, and solutions to help you grow your business. Andrew is an incredibly personable host who has a knack for asking those inquisitive questions that all photographers actually want to know.

If you subscribe to just one photography business podcast, make it PhotobizX.

Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:

Joanna Kilgore Website

Joanna Kilgore on Instagram

Jolee Art & Photography on Facebook

Starting over from scratch is hard and scary, but I would rather get to know a new community, grow and thrive. – Joanna Kilgore

Thank you!

Huge thanks to Joanna for sharing so openly in this interview.

What stood out to me is how quickly she can rebuild momentum in a brand-new place — not by waiting for years of local trust, but by getting involved, meeting people, building relationships, and showing the kind of work she wants to be known for.

I also loved hearing how she thinks bigger than many portrait photographers, from everyday networking conversations to booking a French castle and turning a bold idea into a paid photography experience.

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

My specialty has always been taking normal people and making them feel exquisitely beautiful. – Joanna Kilgore

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 676: Joanna Kilgore – How to Build a Photography Business Anywhere 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

Kim Jongen of www.motherpuppers.nl first appeared on the podcast in episode 570 two years ago.

Back then, she was only a couple of years into business, getting media attention and quickly becoming known as that cool dog photographer in the Netherlands.

Today, she’s widely known as Holland’s favourite studio dog photographer.

She was booked out, standing out and riding the wave of a bold, colourful style the market hadn’t really seen before.

But getting attention is one thing.

Turning that attention into a business that works, pays well and doesn’t chew up every waking hour… is something else entirely.

Since we last spoke, Kim has had to face what most successful photographers eventually run into — too many enquiries, long working days, pricing fears, copycats, outsourcing struggles and the pressure of keeping up with demand without burning out.

So, what’s changed since then?

How has the business evolved?

And how do you go from being known for viral, colourful dog portraits to building something more sustainable, profitable and enjoyable?

In this interview, Kim shares how she has reduced her workload, raised her prices, sold more wall art, added stock image sales, started coaching other photographers and moved into a professional studio that finally feels like the right home for Mother Puppers Studio.

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

•

Why photographing fewer clients helped Kim build a calmer, more sustainable photography business

•

How she maintained her income by raising prices, selling more wall art and adding coaching calls

•

Why pricing fear held her back — and what changed when she finally raised her wall art prices

•

How serious, wall-worthy portraits became just as important as her funny, colourful dog photos

•

Why Kim stopped worrying about copycat photographers and focused on protecting her own headspace

•

How outsourcing editing helped her reclaim time, even while still struggling to let go completely

•

Why showing wall art during the shoot helped clients see, touch and understand what they could buy

•

How Google Ads, local media and word-of-mouth keep bringing in dog photography clients

•

Why clients now travel from across Europe to be photographed at Mother Puppers Studio

•

How mini sessions create cash flow, attract new clients and sometimes lead to full-session bookings

•

How commercial licensing and stock image sales created income from photos she had already taken

•

Why coaching and online education are becoming part of Kim’s future business model

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 was always scared that if I put up my prices, clients wouldn’t buy anything anymore. But that’s just mindset. If people want something really nice, the right people will understand that and they will buy it. – Kim Jongen

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.

When companies want to use my photos, I first ask what they want to use them for. Personal use and commercial use are completely different. – Kim Jongen

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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Kim 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 today's episode.

Most clients choose one crazy colour and one natural colour. The crazy one is fun, but the natural one is often what they want on the wall. – Kim Jongen

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Kim, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

When people copied my work, it used to make me insecure. Now I know I’ve built my brand and my name, so I block it, stop seeing it and move on. – Kim Jongen

PhotoBizX Premium Membership Holiday Special — FINISHES THIS WEEK!

It’s rare to see a special price for the PhotoBizX Premium Membership, but one is available now through Tuesday, June 30th, 2026.

Why the special?

Because it’s holiday time — I’m in Spain and heading to France soon — and it feels like a good excuse to do something a little different.

The 12-Month Premium Membership is normally $200…

NOW $120.

That’s half the price of paying monthly for the year.

Join here: https://photobizx.com/holidayspecial

This is the lowest price you’ll ever find for a 12-month PhotoBizX Premium Membership.

And this year, there’s an extra bonus.

I’ll also be adding a series of photography business courses to the 12-month Premium Membership, giving annual members access to even more training, resources and support inside PhotoBizX, including:

• Photography Pricing Masterclass
• Build a Photography Website that WORKS!
• Boost Your Website’s UX and SEO
• AI Marketing for Photographers
• The Facebook Ad Promo Course
• Lead Ads Training for Photographers
• Facebook Competitions for Photographers
• LinkedIn for Photographers
• Qualify Your Leads Like a Pro
• Sell Your Photography Like a Pro
• Sales Success Course
• The Model Framework for Photographers
• Beyond SEO
• Unlocking Joy & Fun in Your Business

SPECIAL BONUS FOR EXISTING MONTHLY MEMBERS

If you’re currently paying monthly and want to upgrade to the 12-month Premium Membership, you’ll not only save half of what you’re currently paying over the year…

I’ll also refund your most recent $20 monthly payment.

To process the refund, please email me your PayPal email address, which may be different from your regular email address.

Make sure you join the 12-month membership first, then cancel your existing monthly payments.

This way, your Premium RSS Feed URL stays the same.

NOTE: If you are already on the special annual price from last year, there is no need for you to take any action. Your existing membership will automatically renew at the special price. And you will get access to the courses being added too.

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 clients drive from Spain, England, Poland and Austria for a dog photography session. I always thought I’d have to travel to them, but now they travel to me. – Kim Jongen

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 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 stock photo side is beautiful because the photos already exist. You don’t have to shoot them again to earn from them. – Kim Jongen

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…

★★★★★ Fantastic Photography Podcast!

Via Apple Podcasts by Oklahoma City Photographer, Missy Mayo, who focuses on families and senior photography on June 28th, 2026 from the USA.

Andrew is a fantastic podcaster who consistently offers great interviews, inspiration and real-life stories in the photography industry.

I have listened to him for several years and always learn a good nugget or two of information!

Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:

Mother Puppers Website

Mother Puppers on Instagram

Mother Puppers on Facebook

570: Kim Jongen – Mother Puppers… The power of unique branding and original marketing ideas

Clients are buying more wall art after their sessions, and I’ve started doing coaching calls. Those things help me make the same amount of money while working a little less. – Kim Jongen

Thank you!

Huge thanks to Kim for coming back and sharing so openly in this interview.

What stood out for me is how much her business has matured since we last spoke. She’s still creating the bold, colourful dog portraits that made Mother Puppers Studio so recognisable, but now she’s thinking more strategically about pricing, wall art, outsourcing, coaching and creating income that isn’t tied to shooting more clients every week.

I loved hearing how she’s reduced the number of sessions she photographs, made more space for herself and still found ways to grow the business.

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

Because the mini session is paid when they book, by the time they see the photos a month later, they’re more likely to buy more. – Kim Jongen

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 675: Kim Jongen – Turning Viral Dog Photos Into Wall Art, Stock Sales and Coaching 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

Su Kaye of https://sukaye.com/ was recommended to me by long-time listener and premium member, Helen Spiegl… and after hearing what she had to say, I knew I had to reach out.

Helen told me:

Su is someone you should definitely speak to. She’s been in the industry for decades as a family and dog photographer. She’s helped countless people along the way and was my original mentor when we met back in 2013.

She’s one of the most unassuming and generous people I know… and it was Su who pushed me and gave me the confidence to become the professional photographer I am.

She’s held prestigious roles within multiple UK professional photography bodies and has judged competitions all around the world.

And despite all that… she never shouts about her achievements — she just quietly gets on with helping people along their photographic journey.

Now that’s a pretty strong endorsement!

Additionally, I can see that Su has built a photography business spanning decades — and has a reputation for producing something unexpected — different angles, lighting, perspectives, expressions — rather than standard dog portraits.

I was looking forward to learning so much more about what sounds like a fantastic business with an incredible operator.

In this interview, Su shares how she’s built and evolved a successful UK pet photography business, why she believes client experience is the real thing photographers are selling, how she lifted her average sale, where her best leads are coming from, and why confidence in your pricing can change everything.

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

•

Why Su Kaye believes photographers need to keep evolving — even after decades in business

•

How growing up in a family portrait studio shaped Su’s obsession with simplicity, quality and getting every detail right

•

Why moving into dog photography gave Su a fresh creative challenge and a profitable point of difference

•

How one unexpected, award-winning dog portrait helped position Su as a recognised name in pet photography

•

Why Su refuses to judge clients by postcode, income or perceived wealth — and what she looks for instead

•

How payment plans help clients invest in photography without discounting or devaluing the work

•

Why your clients aren’t just paying for prints — they’re paying for the full experience

•

How Su lifted her average sale by improving belief, client care, pricing and pre-sale communication

•

Why employing someone else to handle phone calls became one of the biggest turning points in her business

•

How in-person sales, product education and room-view software help clients make better buying decisions

•

Why dog shows have become one of Su’s strongest sources of qualified pet photography leads

•

How Facebook ads, referrals and competitions fit into Su’s lead-generation mix without relying on one channel

•

Why offering variety in your photography can increase sales without losing your creative identity

•

How Su balances running a successful studio business with mentoring photographers and sharing what works

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 think so many photographers undervalue themselves because they say, it only costs me X, so I'll charge a small price for it. – Su Kaye

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.

My turnover went from £61k to £132k, and the main change was employing someone to do my phone calls. – Su Kaye

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, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—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 Su 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 today's episode.

By meeting people beforehand at dog shows, I think my average has changed, and we've been a bit more choosy with who we bring in. – Su Kaye

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Su, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

If you can offer variety — classical, black and white, bright colour — you're obviously going to have a lot more clients to choose from. – Su Kaye

PhotoBizX Premium Membership Holiday Special!

It’s rare to see a special price for the PhotoBizX Premium Membership, but one is available now through Tuesday, June 30th, 2026.

Why the special?

Because it’s holiday time — I’m in Spain and heading to France soon — and it feels like a good excuse to do something a little different.

The 12-Month Premium Membership is normally $200…

NOW $120.

That’s half the price of paying monthly for the year.

Join here: https://photobizx.com/holidayspecial

This is the lowest price you’ll ever find for a 12-month PhotoBizX Premium Membership.

And this year, there’s an extra bonus.

I’ll also be adding a series of photography business courses to the 12-month Premium Membership, giving annual members access to even more training, resources and support inside PhotoBizX, including:

• Photography Pricing Masterclass
• Build a Photography Website that WORKS!
• Boost Your Website’s UX and SEO
• AI Marketing for Photographers
• The Facebook Ad Promo Course
• Lead Ads Training for Photographers
• Facebook Competitions for Photographers
• LinkedIn for Photographers
• Qualify Your Leads Like a Pro
• Sell Your Photography Like a Pro
• Sales Success Course
• The Model Framework for Photographers
• Beyond SEO
• Unlocking Joy & Fun in Your Business

SPECIAL BONUS FOR EXISTING MONTHLY MEMBERS

If you’re currently paying monthly and want to upgrade to the 12-month Premium Membership, you’ll not only save half of what you’re currently paying over the year…

I’ll also refund your most recent $20 monthly payment.

To process the refund, please email me your PayPal email address, which may be different from your regular email address.

Make sure you join the 12-month membership first, then cancel your existing monthly payments.

This way, your Premium RSS Feed URL stays the same.

NOTE: If you are already on the special annual price from last year, there is no need for you to take any action. Your existing membership will automatically renew at the special price. And you will get access to the courses being added too.

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 just decided to have more belief in what I was doing. I don't need to do it for nothing, and I don't need to keep giving things away. – Su Kaye

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 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.

When I need leads, I can turn on a Facebook ad on Friday evening, get leads over the weekend, and turn it off because I don't need any more. – Su Kaye

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:

Su Kaye Website

Su Kaye on Facebook

Su Kaye on Instagram

Su Kaye Photography Mentor on Instagram

322: Bernie Griffiths – The importance of shooting saleable images in your photography business

348: Steve Saporito – How to excite and delight your portrait clients to better sales

I know my system. I know what you need to do. I'm just not the best person to do it. – Su Kaye

Thank you!

Huge thanks to Su for sharing so openly in this interview.

What stood out for me is how much of her success comes back to quiet confidence, constant evolution and treating every client experience as something worth getting right.

She’s built a profitable pet photography business without relying on pressure, postcode assumptions or hard selling.

Instead, she focuses on attracting people who truly value their dogs, educating clients before they buy, offering beautiful products, and believing in her work enough to charge appropriately for it.

I also loved hearing how one of her biggest business shifts came from something simple: getting the right person to handle her phone calls.

It’s a good reminder that growth doesn’t always come from doing more — sometimes it comes from improving the parts of the business that matter most.

I’d love to know what stood out for you.

Have conversations. Tell people you're stuck, and someone might just say, have you thought of this? – Su Kaye

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew

The post 674: Su Kaye – From $81k to $175k by Believing in the Photography Experience You Sell appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.