with the information being shared has been astounding and is the driving force behind the show. I received an email from Mike Seaman in the UK last week to say he’ s just gone full time with his photography after only recently discovering the podcast. His email message is not out of the ordinary. That kind of thing continues to blow me away.
The Photography Xperiment Podcast is a little different. The focus here is to get inside the head of the photographer and learn what makes them tick. Why they do what they do, how they approach their photography, how they achieve what they do. There’ s a bigger focus on the creativity behind the photography and a lot less about the money making side.
One listener described the two podcasts beautifully, he said; PhotoBizX is like an intensive business workshop each week where you go to learn, improve and grow as a business operator. The Photography Xperiment Podcast is more like sitting around with your photographer mates over a beer or two after class and talking photography.
You’ ve interviewed a real mix of people from photographers to marketing and social media experts, if a reader was wanting to get serious about wedding photography, what would you advise them to get in place first... what I mean is do they ensure they have the right gear, the right training or understanding of photography and what about the business and marketing side?
The mix of guests on the PhotoBizX podcast has been super varied and funnily enough, it’ s not always the big name photographers who share the best content to help the listener get ahead with their business. Often it’ s the lesser known photographer, scrapping away in the trenches fighting to be profitable that share the real gems.
In regard to getting started as a pro, my feeling is you need to know how to shoot first. A photographer should be able to create great photos no matter the conditions they face. Sure, some of this will come with experience and you can’ t learn everything before you give business a try BUT, a photographer has to be confident in delivering something worth paying for, from every shoot.
Once here, it’ s all about the business. And by business, I’ m talking about pricing, marketing, branding, advertising, networking and being able to get the phone ringing and people booking. Without bookings and sales, you won’ t have a business for long and you’ re certainly not
a professional wedding or portrait photographer.
The biggest hurdle I see for new photographers is building that consistency of bookings, shoots and sales. That doesn’ t happen by owning flash camera gear or even being the best photographer. Anyone trying to profit from photography must work on their business, there’ s no way around that unless you work for another photographer.
One thing to add... being a pro photographer isn’ t for everyone. Some of the happiest, best photographers I see have a full time job and shoot for fun. To a lot of pro photographers, that looks and sounds pretty attractive. Running a business can be tough and takes a lot of work.
In saying that. I wouldn’ t swap!
Are you teaching too or plan to?
My teaching is limited to writing books and courses based on the interview content and helping PhotoBizX members succeed with their businesses.
My most recent course on Facebook Ads has been a great success but it was all knowledge learnt from an interview guest( Bernie Griffiths) that members, listeners and I have
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