Caeli Richter shares her journey from working in the corporate world to becoming a family photographer. She had always been interested in photography and started taking pictures as a hobby. After having her second child during COVID, she began experimenting with photography and realized she could turn it into a business. Caeli started by doing model calls and taking photos of friends and family. She then had the opportunity to do school photos, which gave her the confidence to pursue photography full-time. With the support of her husband, she made the decision to leave her corporate job and focus on her photography business. In this conversation, Caeli Richter, a family and school photographer, discusses her journey in building her photography business and the importance of community and support. She shares how her husband played a crucial role in encouraging her to pursue her passion and how having a team and a community of photographers has been instrumental in her growth. She highlights the benefits of in-person networking and the power of connecting with local communities. She also emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself and not trying to be everything to everyone.

Niki Jones Photography

Photographers often face the challenge of raising prices without increasing overhead. This episode explores five ways to add value to photography services without incurring additional costs. The strategies discussed include extending image archiving & bundling galleries, offering video services, providing free wall gallery design, waiving travel fees for special destinations, and practicing wardrobe creation for clients. These value-added services not only enhance the client experience but also justify price increases and contribute to the photographer's profitability.

Software & Courses Mentioned:

Pixieset

Families in Motion (course on taking video)

Ash of Ashley Kaplan photography shares her journey into photography and how she developed her distinct style. She emphasizes the importance of location and how it can add layers of meaning to photographs. Ash encourages photographers to think creatively and intentionally about their backdrops, even in seemingly ordinary or less visually interesting locations. She also discusses the mistakes photographers make when choosing locations and offers advice for photographers who don't have access to grand landscapes. The conversation focuses on the importance of adding value to photography services and creating a strong business. It emphasizes the need to bring more value to photography offers to avoid being seen as a commodity. The guest shares her experience of building a successful photography business by creating something that feels incredibly valuable to her clients. The conversation also delves into the details of the guest's upcoming course, which is designed to help photographers improve their skills in environmental portraiture. The guest emphasizes the importance of investing in oneself and one's business to achieve growth and success.

Use the code JILL75 for $75 off Ash's new course:

A Sense of Place

Becca Lueck, owner of Becca Jean Photography, shares her journey from starting as a teenager taking fashion portraits to becoming a successful family and couples photographer and videographer. She discusses how she incorporates adventure and movement into her sessions, the importance of location scouting and styling, and the challenges and rewards of adding video to her services. Becca also talks about her comprehensive course on family films and offers a discount code for listeners.

Becca's Shop

Becca's Courses (Use the code JILL50 for $50 her course "Families in Motion")

In this episode, Jill discusses the importance of offering true mini sessions in photography and how to structure them effectively. She emphasizes that mini sessions should be quick, efficient, and profitable and provides tips on differentiating mini sessions from full sessions. She also highlights the opportunity for upselling and maximizing profitability. Jill shares her own experience and offers resources for pricing and learning more about mini sessions.

Use the code BUSINESSFIRST15 for 15% off my course.

Profitable & Efficient Mini Sessions

Mini Session Pricing Calculator

Russ Bratcher, a high touch portrait photographer, shares his journey of starting a photography business and the importance of investing in education. He credits Elena S. Blair for inspiring him to pursue photography professionally. Russ also discusses his experience with different photography education programs. He has found value in in-person sales and the personal touch in his photography business. Russ shares his success in partnering with local businesses and giving back to the community. He also talks about the challenges of the early stages of running a photography business.

Russ Bratcher Photography Instagram Page

The Elena S. Blair Mastermind

Sandra Coen Education

Imaging Conference Information

Shannon O'Malley, owner of Shannon Kathleen Photography, shares her journey into the photography industry and how she transitioned from landscape photography to portraiture. She discusses the importance of self-portraiture and how it helped her discover her own identity and self-worth. She shares her experience of overcoming a toxic relationship and how self-portraiture helped her heal and connect with others on a deeper level. In this conversation, Shannon discusses the importance of self-portraiture and how it can be a therapeutic and empowering process. She also shares tips on gear and lighting for self-portraits, highlighting the importance of starting with what you have, as well as the challenges, including self-image and self-judgment, and who can benefit from learning the self-portrait process. Shannon provides a sneak peek into her brand new course on self-portraiture and shares where listeners can find more information about her work.

Freebies

Self Portrait Masterclass

Deb Schaefer's Work

Christine Johnson, a successful and profitable photographer with 26 years of experience, shares her insights on building a thriving photography business. She emphasizes the importance of caring about people and delivering a consistent style that stands the test of time. Christine believes in providing the best experience for clients, rather than focusing solely on the quality of the photographs. She highlights the significance of organization, both in storing and delivering images, as well as maintaining a reliable and consistent workflow.