Have you ever stepped back in your career, whether you’re a visual creator or not, and thought, “Well, shit… is this it? Is this really as good as it gets? Is this what I want to be doing for the next X years of my life?” Don’t worry, that’s a positive thing (despite however dark night of the soul it may feel like in the moment) And, you are definitely not the only one feeling that way.

In the business and corporate world, (yes I know a lot of you will bristle at the very mention of that word, but here me out) there’s a really common expression or phrase that so encapsulates today’s episode – “When you get to the top of the ladder you may find it is propped against the wrong wall.” Today’s episode is all about examining your ladder and things aren’t feeling right, knowing how to jump to the right ladder to take you to the top.

Paul Gero is a portrait and wedding photographer and has been working professionally for over 35 years.

Prior to creating a portrait and wedding business he was a photojournalist for two major metropolitan newspapers (The Chicago Tribune and The Arizona Republic)

and photographed thousands of assignments from pro sports, business portraits, documentary stories to general assignment work. His images have been published in magazines around the world during his career.

He has been a Sony Artisan of Imagery since 2014 and speaks often about Sony mirrorless cameras at professional gatherings.

He and his wife Nicki run their business from their home base in Lake Mills, WI (his home state) after nearly 17 years in Southern California while raising their two children Kate and Sparky. Documenting their lives is his favorite and most personal photography project.

In today’s wide-ranging and beautifully encompassing episode, Paul and I explore his photographic career and transition from staff photojournalist to freelance business owner, how moving from California to Wisconsin taught him about the power of truly local visual storytelling, what mistakes younger photographers are constantly making, and how he created a beautifully simple execution of a personal project safely in the midst of a global pandemic.

Do you as a photographer ever feel like you’re just not connecting with the right clients? Or that you keep getting assignments/work that just doesn’t light you up or bring you any creative joy to work on? Well, you are so very far from the only one. But it is avoidable, by honing your creative style and making work that draws people in. Put simply, Post eye-catching photos, get eye-catching assignments, put up a generic portfolio – get generic work. Pulling from the world of marketing, there’s a great principle that all photographers can take a cue from and it boils down to this. It’s effective to be better, it’s intriguing to be different, but the best creators of all meld these two facets into their work and are both better and different – That’s what catches the eyes of the public, editors, and art directors and gets you hired.

Adam Glanzman is an independent freelance photographer based in Boston and is available for photography and motion work worldwide. He was a Staff Photographer at Northeastern University in Boston where he worked for four years before leaving to expand his own photography business.

Adam's work has been recognized by Pictures of the Year International (POYi), the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), the Boston Press Photographers Association (BPPA), the University Photographers Association of America (UPAA), and College Photographer of the Year (CPOY). He was also selected to attend Eddie Adams XXIX.

In today’s episode with Adam Glanzmann, he and I go through the development process for his eye-catching style, break down how he made the transition from staff to full-time freelance, and walk through one of his memorable personal projects and how that translated to future paid work assignments. Alright, time for me to get out of the way and let you guys into today’s conversation with freelance photographer. Adam Glanzmann.