Stay ConnectedWelcome to The Bokeh Podcast, where we help photographers build sustainable businesses!
Host Nathan Holritz and his guests will help you build your brand, focus your marketing efforts, refine your workflows, and dial in your photographic technique – all with efficiency in mind.
In the end, we not only want you to succeed as a photography business owner, but to still have a life through it all.
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Running a healthy and successful photography business in 2023 is largely about creating an amazing customer experience! Photographer Jasmine Newton is going to share how to up the ante in the experience you create for your branding portrait clients in today’s Bokeh Podcast episode!
The Bokeh Podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Professional Photographer. You can subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Show Notes:
Jasmine's introduction (4:00)
What is the big principle that Jasmine implements in her business to avoid burnout? (13:56)
What is a big idea or principle that has enabled growth in Jasmine's business? (22:10)
What does "full-service branding photography" mean? (30:18)
What drives Jasmine's desire to connect with clients on a deeper level? (32:16)
What key principles drive successful full-service brand photography sessions? (38:20)
1. Know your worth, and charge accordingly
2. Approach everything with love
3. Keep an open mindset
What would Jasmine say to a photographer who doesn't know how to determine their pricing? (44:02)
How can photographers step out of their shells to approach all situations with love and connection? (48:00)
Links:
https://javonreneeportraits.com
https://instagram.com/javonreneeportraits
Love is the Killer App book
Brand Brilliance book
You can't escape hard work if you want to build a strong business, but how do you balance hard work with enjoying the life you've created for yourself - and minimize the possibility of burnout? Listen in to this important conversation with photographer Sean Oblizalo to learn simple steps you can take to have the business you want while maintaining peace of mind!
The Bokeh Podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Professional Photographer. You can subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Show Notes:
Sean's introduction (2:52)
What is one tip that Sean would share that would allow photographers to create a sustainable business while maintaining some freedom and flexibility (5:40)
What motivated Sean's effort to create more boundaries in his business this year? (13:15)
How would Sean sum up what his motivation is as a photographer? (18:20)
What leads to photographers being so focused on the numbers that they lose their motivation and joy? (21:36)
Boundaries that Sean has put into place for himself and his business in 2023 (25:42)
1. Only working Monday-Thursday
2. Limiting screen time (response time to emails, texts, and social media messages)
3. Capping the number of elopements shot per week
4. Only taking on ideal clients - not chasing after any and all clients
5. Not offering discounts
Links:
https://vowsandpeaks.com/best-place-to-elope-colorado/
https://instagram.com/vows_and_peaks
Sean's previous Bokeh episodes:
https://www.photographersedit.com/bokeh-podcast/episodes/3-elements-of-strong-elopement-photography/
https://www.photographersedit.com/bokeh-podcast/episodes/how-to-photograph-a-first-look/
https://tave.com
In a world where taking a good picture is no longer a differentiator in photography business, creating an amazing client experience is more important than ever! On today's Bokeh Podcast episode, photographer John DeMato shares how he uses strategy calls to take client experience to the next level!
The Bokeh Podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Professional Photographer. You can subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Show Notes:
John's introduction (3:45)
How does John run his business in order to minimize burnout? (5:05)
What key business principle has enabled John to build his business? (9:00)
How do client strategy calls help to create a great experience - prior to the session? (13:10)
1. Communicates care
2. Creates awareness as to what is needed
What is the difference between a general pre-session call and a strategy call? (15:20)
What are the 3 main categories of questions asked on the strategy calls? (20:40)
1. "Who are you?" questions
2. "Who do you serve?"
3. "How do you solve your client's problems?"
How does John gracefully decline sessions if it isn't a good fit between him and the potential client? (25:06)
How does John translate the information gleaned from the strategy call to how he runs the shoot? (37:35)
How does John make his clients feel more comfortable both on the call and in the session? (40:15)
Links:
https://johndemato.com/deliver-magic
https://instagram.com/dematophoto
https://instagram.com/delivermagic
https://www.hbo.com/branson
Being there to meet a client’s need is one thing, but is there a way to actually create desire for your brand in the mind of a potential client? Tune in to this episode with photographers James and Schulze to learn how!
The Bokeh Podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Professional Photographer. You can subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Show Notes:
James and Schulze's Introduction (1:34)
How long did it take James & Schulze to get to the point of being able to charge $50k for a wedding? (5:35)
What is a principle that they have implemented in order to run their business but still have a life? (9:04)
What key principle has enabled success in business for James & Schulze over the years? (19:20)
Does the type of desire vary between the lower-priced photography client and the higher-priced client? (33:50)
How can photographers create want in the mind of their potential clients? (39:50)
1. Create the idea of scarcity with your services
2. Curation of your images - only show images that your potential clients WANT to see
3. Brand Association - connect with vendors, magazines, etc. that represent your ideal client
Links:
https://jamesandschulze.com
https://instagram.com/jamesandschulze
https://sagejourney.co
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebusinessofluxuryweddings
In a crowded market with so many photographers, a clear and distinct brand position will enable us to stand out and capture the attention of potential clients more effectively! Join us for today's Bokeh Podcast episode to learn how to establish, communicate, and leverage a strong brand position in your own photography business!
The Bokeh Podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Professional Photographer. You can subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Show Notes:
Definition of a Brand Position (6:00)
What are the top few reasons why Stacy got into photography? (9:40)
What type of photography does Stacy provide? (16:25)
What makes Stacy's photography unique? (19:44)
Why intention behind both the photographer's business as well as the market is important to consider when creating a brand position statement (32:40)
Analysis of Stacy's competition (44:20)
A template for creating a brand position statement (55:13)
Four ways to stand out in your market and establish a unique brand position (58:05)
1. Offer a new service
2. Be the first to "own" a service
3. Offer a unique variation on a service
4. Offer services to a specific market segment
Links:
https://stacysavagephotography.com
https://instagram.com/stacysavagephotos
https://keywordseverywhere.com
In this bonus episode of the Bokeh Podcast, Helene Boudreau walks us through three ways to “outwork doubt” so that you can build the confidence to achieve what you set out to accomplish. It may not be perfect in the beginning, but taking messy action is the first step. Tune in as we chat about what this looks like and how you can implement this advice into your own business!
The Bokeh Podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Professional Photographer. You can subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Show Notes:
Helene’s introduction (1:10)
Helene’s photography background (2:16)
What big idea does Helene wish she would have known when she started? (6:37)
When did Helene put the practice of “outworking doubt” into her business? (9:14)
3 Ways to Implement How to Outwork Doubt in Your Business (11:15)
1. Research 70%, jump in with 30%
2. Shoot as much as you can, as quickly as you can
3. Getting reviews and client experience
How did Helene go about getting as many sessions as possible in the shortest amount of time? (13:15)
Was Helene charging for her mini-sessions? (13:55)
How did Helene go about getting client reviews? (15:24)
Links:
www.helenephotography.ca
www.instagram.com/helene.b.photography
In a crowded market with so many photographers, a clear and distinct brand position will enable us to stand out and capture the attention of potential clients more effectively! Join us for today's Bokeh Podcast episode to learn how to establish, communicate, and leverage a strong brand position in your own photography business! And bonus: guest co-host Lisa Aihara of Ellette Studio joins us to give design insight as well!
The Bokeh Podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Professional Photographer. You can subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Show Notes:
What is a brand position? (3:00)
The background of Eden's photography business (4:40)
How does Eden sum up the type of photography she offers? (13:07)
What are a few of Eden's target customer's pain points? (19:00)
Two elements to consider when coming up with a brand position statement (24:05)
Analysis of Eden's competition (26:00)
Design analysis and suggestions from co-host, Lisa Aihara (43:00)
Links:
https://edenmitchell.com
https://instagram.com/edenmitchellphotography
https://ellettestudio.com
https://instagram.com/ellettestudio
The primary purpose of your website is to convert visitors to customers. If it's not doing so consistently, it's time for change! Listen in to this conversation with Jeff Brown to learn how to update your website for higher conversion and business growth!
The Bokeh Podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Professional Photographer. You can subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Show Notes:
Jeff's introduction (1:35)
What big principle can Jeff share to help photographers work more efficiently? (5:27)
What big idea helped enable the growth Jeff saw in his photography business? (10:15)
Why does Jeff think photographers tend to focus on the aesthetic of their website vs the goal of conversion? (15:40)
What are the 5 big ideas that will help photographers improve website conversion? (20:47)
1. Have 1 primary purpose and 1 backup purpose for your website
2. Communicate the benefits of hiring you vs just sharing pretty pictures
3. Delete the testimonial page
4. Include pricing on your website
5. Blog with the intention of showing up for indirect searches
Links:
https://thephotographersmentor.com
https://thephotographerssuite.com
https://surferseo.com
https://ubersuggest.com
https://hoth.com
Cameras on phones are just cheap, lackluster wannabes when it comes to professional photography. Or are they? Join us for really important food for thought in this episode with photographer Kim Kovacik, as we talk about the role of phone cameras in the professional photography world! Oh, and spoiler alert: Kim has photographed an ad campaign for a well-known brand...with her phone!
The Bokeh Podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Professional Photographer. You can subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Show Notes:
Kim's Introduction (2:45)
What was Kim's introduction to using her phone for photography? (4:35)
Will it take some time for the professional photography world to accept a phone as a camera? (10:50)
How did Kim snag the opportunity to photograph for Panera - using her phone? (20:45)
What are some of the technical strategies Kim considered when shooting for Panera? (29:50)
1. Photographed in raw
2. Capture the lo-fi aesthetic
3. Locked lighting manually on the phone screen
4. Shot hand-held at times
Links:
https://instagram.com/kimkovacik
https://kimkovacik.com
https://kimkovacik.com/panera
There seems to be a subconscious assumption that being a photography business owner equals chaotic, high-hour work weeks - especially during busy season! But what if that wasn't the case?! Photographer Sara Price is here to share with us how to minimize overwhelm with a more intentional approach to workflow!
The Bokeh Podcast is brought to you by Photographer’s Edit: Custom Editing for the Professional Photographer. You can subscribe to the Bokeh podcast on the Apple podcast app, follow on Spotify, add to your playlist on Stitcher, or listen on Overcast.
Show Notes:
Sara's introduction (1:40)
What is one thing that Sara has implemented that has helped her business to move forward and grow? (7:15)
What is a big principle or idea that helped Sara as she started and grew her business? (19:38)
What did Sara's life as a photographer look like before she made changes that minimized overwhelm? (22:30)
What was the turning point that caused Sara to make change? (25:16)
What were some of the areas of Sara's business that she adjusted in order to minimize overwhelm? (31:03)
3 big ideas that allow Sara to minimize overwhelm? (36:41)
1. " I don't do overwhelm" mantra
2. Filtering what you give your attention to
3. Adapt to the mindset of focusing on fun - both in business and life
Where is the balance between having fun and making sure that you're focusing on your business enough? (48:10)
Links:
https://saralprice.com
https://instagram.com/saral.price
https://upwellphotography.com
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