Today Maria shares her philosophy on creating photography packages that ensures her business is profitable, her clients feel pampered and her artistic soul is fulfilled.

Introduction (3:32)

Tips on being organized (5:52)
I have ADHD, so being organized is really hard. I recommend the book “The One Thing”. I try to remember that just because something is urgent, doesn’t mean it’s a priority. I choose one theme for a day: “Marketing Mondays”, “Finance Fridays”, etc. I also put non-negotiables onto my schedule first.

How have you structured your fine art photography packages to be both profitable and rewarding? (16:40)
Editing - I started physically setting a timer to limit the time spent editing each image. I also started editing from further away and not zooming in so close, rather focusing on impact.

I also structured my photography packages so I could charge well and have less clients, and give each client more quality time. I know exactly what my max clients per months are.

How many images do you provide? (25:43)
20.
My standard photography package includes an 8x8 album for $1800, and then digitals for $700 more. You can overdeliver in other ways than just providing more photos. You can perfectly prepare your clients for their sessions by creating structures in your business to best serve them. I create regular videos to keep the excitement levels up. It’s not about the number of pictures they get. There are clients out there who want a one-stop shop.

How do you draw inspiration when you’re feeling low? (32:47)
When I am planning the session with clients, I ask them to write down how they want to feel when they see their images. I draw inspiration and motivation from their answers and strive to create that for them. I always try to create at least one “goddess image” or a set of images I do just for myself.

What is your process when you have a new idea? (39:03)
I get a lot of ideas from music videos. These artists can take the story of a whole movie into a 3-minute video. I then see how I can take that video and translate it into one image, one photo that tells the whole story. I keep idea lists in Pinterest and on Youtube, and find that those ideas influence the end products I deliver.

Lightning Round! (42:02)

What are you artistically curious about? (47:48)
I want to make documentaries about the women that I photograph and how it changes how they see themselves.

Discover more about Maria Arellano

Website: http://www.maribellaportraits.com
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maribella_portraits
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MaribellaPortraits
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maribella_portraits

Bio: Maria Arellano is a Fine Art Photographer who has a successful studio in Houston, Texas. She has been a photographer since 2015 and specializes in creating portrait artwork for families who want to be a part of the artistic development of their portraits.
Her specialty is children's fine art and women's portraiture. Whether in the studio or outdoors, Maria emphasizes the value of a great portrait experience, artistic portraiture, and fine luxury products. 

Resources shared in this episode:
The One Thing Book - https://the1thing.com/