In this powerful and personal episode of the Food Photography Corner Podcast, Rosslyn and Mikyla sit down with Linda and Marta from Focus and Flourish to talk about the real struggles behind building a creative business. From burnout and self-doubt to scarcity mindset and the pressures of success, the four commercial food photographers open up about their individual journeys, the moments they wanted to quit, and how they found purpose, joy, and community on the other side. This episode is packed with honest reflections, mindset shifts, and tangible insights for anyone navigating the creative entrepreneur path.

🔑 Key Takeaways: 

• How to reframe burnout and use it as a growth opportunity
• How to build community as a creative entrepreneur
• How to overcome self-sabotage and scarcity mindset
• How to embrace delayed gratification and trust your business timeline
• How to find your “creative superpower” and lean into your strengths
• How to create sustainable income through strategy and mindset
• How to transition from studio to restaurant photography with confidence
• How to find emotional and professional support systems as a solo creative
• How to celebrate small wins and avoid toxic productivity
• How to navigate combining part-time work with creative business ownership

🔗 Links, Tools, and Resources Mentioned:

• The Mountain Is You by Brianna Wiest
• Focus and Flourish Podcast (hosted by Linda & Marta)
• ClickUp – recommended for creative business organization
• Follow us on Instagram: @foodphotographycorner | @rosslynmaria | @flaxandsugar

In this episode, Rosslyn and Mikyla dive deep into the essential software that every food photographer needs to stay organized, wow clients, and scale their creative business with confidence. From CRM tools and gallery delivery platforms to editing software and video production tools, they cover exactly what’s working for them in 2025—and what’s worth investing in now to land higher-paying clients. If you want to work smarter (not harder) and build systems that support your growth, this episode is for you.

Key Takeaways:

• How HoneyBook helps streamline proposals, payments, and client tracking
• How to simplify your social media scheduling with free tools like Metricool 
• How ClickUp supports team collaboration, project planning, and creative shot prep
• How Pixieset helps you protect and professionally deliver photo galleries
• How QuickBooks makes tax season easier for creative freelancers
• How your choice of video editing tools depends on your business goals
• How building systems in advance can help you attract higher-paying clients
• Why consistency matters more than constantly switching platforms

Helpful Links:

• HoneyBook – CRM for managing contracts, proposals, payments, and automation
• Metricool – Social media planning and scheduling
• ClickUp – Project management and task tracking
• Pixieset – Gallery delivery and image licensing
• Lightroom Classic – Photo editing
• Photoshop – Photo retouching and cleanup
• QuickBooks Self-Employed – Business expense and tax tracking
• Premiere Pro – Advanced video editing
• CapCut – Social video editing
• InShot – Mobile video editing
• TubeBuddy – YouTube SEO and keyword research
• Your Money or Your Life (Book) – Referenced in time tracking discussion

In this episode, Rosslyn & Mikyla are joined by the talented photographer Roberta Dall'Abla from Italy. The episode delves into the importance of color grading, Lightroom's essential tools, and the common mistakes photographers make. Roberta also shares valuable insights on presets and the significance of following one's passion in the creative industry. Listeners will gain tips on using Lightroom more effectively and the importance of aligning their photography style with their true passion. 

Key Takeaways:

• Roberta's career journey from food to travel photography
• The significance of color grading in Lightroom
• Introduction to Lightroom's essential tools: masks, color grading panel, and tone curve
• Common mistakes food photographers make in Lightroom
• The role of presets and why understanding editing tools is crucial
• The importance of following your passion in photography

Helpful Links:

Retreat Replay > Advanced Color Grading in Lightroom by Roberta Dall'Abla
Camera Gear > Amazon Storefront

In this episode, Rosslyn and Mikyla dive into one of the most foundational aspects of food photography: camera angles. Whether you’re shooting for fun or trying to book paid gigs, knowing how to work your angles can completely change the final image.

We break down the three essential angles every food photographer should master — from the versatile 45° to overhead flatlays to the powerful straight-on perspective. You’ll also hear real-life examples of when and why we use each angle, how we create depth, and some honest behind-the-scenes chaos from our recent branding photoshoot. If you’ve ever struggled with setting up your scene, choosing an angle, or holding up your backdrops (yep, we’ve been there), this episode is for you.

Key takeaways:

• How to easily hold up your backdrop for straight-on shots without fancy equipment
• Smart ways to maximize natural light in a small space
• How to transform tight or shared spaces into functional shooting zones
• Our go-to tips for keeping your gear organized and accessible
• Creative hacks for shooting overhead when you don’t have room for a C-stand

Helpful links:

📌 Gear on Amazon
📌 Connect with us on Instagram
📌 Browse our Resources (including FREEBIES!)

In this episode, hosts Rosslyn and Mikyla, founders of Food Photography Corner, discuss how Mikyla generated $72K in revenue from local restaurants in Spokane, Washington. They explain the importance of positioning oneself as a strategic marketing partner rather than just a photographer, and offer insights on building long-term client relationships.

The episode details Mikyla's strategy for identifying opportunities, providing valuable consulting services, and making the process effortless for busy restaurant owners. The discussion includes practical tips for food photographers looking to expand their business with small restaurants.

Key Takeaways:

• Challenges and Strategies in Small Towns
• Building Long-Term Partnerships
• Strategic Planning for Restaurants
• Offering Comprehensive Services

Helpful Links:

• Connect on Instagram
• Landing Restaurant Work Pocketbook
• Negotiating with Small Businesses – Apple, Spotify 

Tired of manually tracking your pitches and follow-ups? In this episode, we’re breaking down our step-by-step process for automating our pitching funnel using Honeybook. We’ll walk you through how we structure our pipeline, set up automation, and ensure no lead falls through the cracks—all while keeping things personal and customizable.

Key Takeaways:
✔ The exact stages we use to track potential clients—from first pitch to signed contract.
✔ Using Honeybook to schedule emails and update pipeline stages automatically.
✔ How to keep your outreach warm and engaging while still leveraging automation.
✔ Eliminating manual tracking and follow-ups to stay consistent without the overwhelm.
✔ Steps to set up your own automated pitching funnel and start converting more leads.

Helpful Links:
📌 Try Honeybook for Free + Get 30% Off
📌 Follow Us on Instagram
📌 View FPC Resources

Not all brand partnerships are created equal! In this episode, Rosslyn & Mikyla break down the biggest red flags that signal a brand isn’t worth your time—and the signs that indicate a brand is serious about investing in high-quality content. If you’re a food photographer struggling with brands that don’t have a budget or don’t value creative work, this episode will help you confidently choose the right partnerships and avoid wasting time on the wrong ones.

Key Takeaways

• Learning when to be cautious 
• How to navigate the budget conversation
• The red flags that scream ‘run!’
• What makes a brand actually worth working with
• How to research brands before pitching
• The secret to standing out in your pitches

Helpful Links

• Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodphotographycorner/
• Resource shop: https://foodphotographycorner.com/resources 

In today's episode, we’re diving into pre-production planning with Becca Maffett from @terragoldphoto! Becca recently led a phenomenal workshop at our advanced food photography retreat, and in this episode, she’s sharing her expert strategies to help you streamline your shoots, improve communication with clients, and execute professional commercial shoots—even from home! If you missed the retreat, don’t worry! You can check out the retreat replay video in the show notes.

Key Takeaways:

• Key client communication tips for a smooth shoot
• The most overlooked pre-production step that makes all the difference
• How to set up a commercial shoot efficiently from home
• Lessons learned from our own pre-production experiences
• The impact of streamlining pre-production on time, energy, and final results

Helpful Links & Resources:
🎥 Workshop Replay: https://foodphotographycorner.com/pre-production-planning
📌 Follow Becca on Instagram: @terragoldphoto

Connect with Us:
📷 Instagram: @foodphotographycorner
💌 Join Our Newsletter: https://foodphotographycorner.myflodesk.com/get-on-the-list

Thanks for tuning in! Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe for more food photography tips. See you next time!✨

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Nate Crawford of Crawford Captures, a food photographer and marketing expert who recently led a powerful workshop at our Advanced Food Photography Retreat. If you missed the retreat, don’t worry—you can grab the full replay in the show notes! We’re diving deep into how to attract your dream clients, the importance of personal branding, and how to make clients come to YOU instead of constantly chasing them down.

Key takeaways:

✔️ How to find and attract your ideal clients
✔️ The power of strategic branding for food photographers
✔️ Common mistakes photographers make when it comes to being discoverable
✔️ How to market yourself so clients reach out to you—without constantly cold-pitching

Helpful links:

📌 Get access to Nate’s full retreat workshop replay: https://foodphotographycorner.com/from-sell-to-sign
📌 Join Food Photography Corner community: https://www.instagram.com/foodphotographycorner/
📌 Connect with Nate on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crawfordcapturesphoto/

We hope you found this episode helpful! Please leave a star rating so we can share this information with as many creative entrepreneurs as possible.

Welcome back to the Food Photography Corner Podcast with Rosslyn & Mikyla! In this episode, we're diving into effective strategies for building your restaurant photography portfolio while ensuring you’re not working for free.
Key Takeaways:

• Identifying Unicorn Clients: Understand how to find restaurants that align with your creative style and business goals.
• Tips on how to approach restaurants via Instagram DMs and emails for collaboration opportunities, while still maintaining professionalism.
• Why offering a free meal in exchange for a professional photoshoot benefits both you and the restaurant.
• How to leverage your existing photography work if you don’t yet have restaurant-specific imagery.
• Strategies to transition from portfolio-building shoots to paid gigs by offering value through business cards, QR codes, and follow-up emails.

Helpful Links:

• Flodesk: Use our affiliate link for 50% off! 
• Pixieset: Use our affiliate link for $20 off your first bill! 

If you’ve been wanting to build your restaurant portfolio without giving away your images for free, this episode will guide you through a method that not only helps you create stunning imagery but also establishes a solid relationship with local restaurants and puts money in your pocket. We’d love to hear how you try this out! Feel free to DM or email us with your experience!

Thanks for tuning in!