Off the Memory Card: A Photographer’s Podcast

Black Friday is coming, and if you're a photographer you've probably wondered if you should be running a deal. My honest answer? I'm not a fan. In this episode I'm sharing why we don't do Black Friday deals: they train clients to wait for a sale, they aren't fair to the people who happily pay full price, and they attract clients who booked you for the price instead of your style (I learned that one the hard way). Then I'm sharing what to offer instead, from gift cards and print credit to holiday minis and bundles you can offer all year. No judgment if you do run deals...just another way to think about it.

• The Camera Confidence Club is coming soon. Want to be first to know when the doors open? Join the waitlist: https://usethatcamera.com/community-waitlist

• Website: https://www.usethatcamera.com

• Podcast: https://www.offthememorycard.com

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/burnsexposures (come tell me: what's one thing you could add this season instead of discounting?)

If this episode helped you, I'd be so grateful for a quick review...it really does help the show grow. Be kind, work hard and stay humble.

The first wedding we shot after Benji was born was a 16-hour day across about ten locations...and I was pumping in the car between every one of them, away from my baby for the first time, quietly dealing with postpartum depression. In this episode I'm getting honest about running a photography business while raising a kid: why preschool helped but full-day school changed everything, what a normal day looks like now, what Benji really thinks about coming to work with us, and why some weeks my schedule still feels like a game of Tetris. Plus the juggling quote I keep coming back to: know which balls are plastic and which ones are glass.

• Postpartum depression is common, and you don't have to push through it alone. In the US you can call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline any time, free and confidential: https://usethatcamera.com/community-waitlist

• Website: https://www.usethatcamera.com

• Podcast: https://www.offthememorycard.com

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/burnsexposures (come tell me: what are the glass balls you're protecting right now?)

My very first job, at 17, was at a photography studio...lugging camera gear and stuffing envelopes for five dollars an hour. The other day, 23 years later, I caught myself doing the exact same thing at my own studio. My 17-year-old self would have cried, because she was going to anchor the Today Show! In this episode I'm sharing the winding road from that first job, to a truly horrible first photo, to nearly a decade in news, to the photography business I have today. Plus my three big takeaways: dream big and actually go for it, changing paths doesn't mean you failed, and keep dreaming no matter what you accomplish.

• The Camera Confidence Club is coming soon. Want to be first to know when the doors open? Join the waitlist: https://usethatcamera.com/community-waitlist

• Website: https://www.usethatcamera.com

• Podcast: https://www.offthememorycard.com

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/burnsexposures (come tell me: what's one dream you're chasing right now?)

Our first weekend of fall minis is in the books...and we've got five more to go. Six straight weekends of mini sessions (two fall, four Christmas) means this is the season when it's easiest to feel like you're drowning. In this episode I'm sharing the five things I actually do to keep my head above water when things get crazy: planning ahead while taking it day by day (including the nightly habit that saves me), staying organized, not procrastinating on editing, saying no when I need to, and remembering to breathe and enjoy the work.

• The Camera Confidence Club is coming soon. Want to be first to know when the doors open? Join the waitlist: https://usethatcamera.com/community-waitlist

• Website: https://www.usethatcamera.com

• Podcast: https://www.offthememorycard.com

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/burnsexposures (come tell me: how many sessions are on your calendar this season?)

If this episode helped you, I'd be so grateful for a quick review...it really does help the show grow. Be kind, work hard and stay humble.

This weekend, Jeremy and I photographed an elopement for a friend...and it reminded me that one hour is the perfect dose of wedding bliss for us. We used to be full-time wedding photographers, and we loved it. So why did we walk away? In this episode I'm sharing the whole story: the exhaustion after Benji was born, the weekend we shot three weddings in three days, how hard it was to give up something we were really good at (and that made us a lot of money), and the client we were sure we'd lose for good...who came back to us years later. Plus my two big takeaways: trust your gut, and being good at something doesn't mean you have to keep doing it.

• The Camera Confidence Club is coming soon. Want to be first to know when the doors open? Join the waitlist: https://usethatcamera.com/community-waitlist

• Website: https://www.usethatcamera.com

• Podcast: https://www.offthememorycard.com

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/burnsexposures (come tell me: what are you holding on to that doesn't fit anymore?)

If this episode meant something to you, I'd be so grateful for a quick review...it really does help the show grow. Be kind, work hard and stay humble.

Almost 11 years ago, I left my full-time job as a TV news reporter to do photography full time...before I'd even hit my one-year mark behind the camera. It was a total leap of faith. In this episode I'm sitting down with my year-one self and telling her the three things I wish someone had told me: that photography isn't the hard part, the business is (including the B&O tax audit that caught me completely off guard), charge what you're worth (and what our "pay what you can" headshots taught me about it), and the big one...it's going to be okay. Plus why confidence is what got me through, and why that's exactly what the Camera Confidence Club is built on.

Fall is one of my favorite times of year for photography, so in this episode, I'm sharing five of my favorite fall photoshoot ideas!

From pumpkin patches and farm sessions to chasing fall color, shooting downtown, and adding a little spooky magic with gels and haze, these are all ideas Jeremy and I have actually tried ourselves.

And the best part? You don't need a fancy studio or a huge budget. Sometimes the best locations are already sitting right outside your door.

Plus, I'm sharing a little reminder for photographers who are heading into one of the busiest seasons of the year: don't get so caught up in the work that you forget to enjoy the season, too.

Grab your camera, pick an idea, and go make some fall magic! 🍂

If you walked into my studio right now, you'd think I'd lost my mind. There's a whole area filled with Christmas trees for my tree farm set, holiday props stacked in piles everywhere, and it's September. But that beautiful chaos is how the magic starts. In this episode I'm pulling back the curtain on how I actually dream up and build my seasonal sets, and more importantly, how I do it without spending a fortune. We'll talk about starting with one feeling instead of a whole Pinterest board, shopping what you already have before you buy a thing (my Hobby Lobby January tree habit is literally how the tree farm exists), why thrift and antique stores are gold (I have a whole herd of rocking horses to prove it), why a few hero pieces and a tight crop do all the work, and building everything to reuse for years. But here's the part I care about most: the set is just the doorway. What we're really making is a feeling people get to keep. So if a big seasonal set has ever felt out of reach, this one's for you. Pick one corner...and let your creativity grow like kudzu.

After months of hints, it's finally out loud: I'm building a membership. In this episode I share the why behind it (years of mentorships, workshops, and our online course, and the itch to make something affordable that helps as many photographers as possible), what I've been head-down building since late July, and everything that's inside The Camera Confidence Club: curriculum, coaching, community, library, and bonuses. The whole thing is built around one word: confidence, which comes from knowing your craft and knowing how to sell it. A small beta kicks off in November, and we launch right after Christmas.

Want to be first to know when the doors open? Join the waitlist: usethatcamera.com/community-waitlist

Be kind, work hard and stay humble.

What if your mini session launch day could actually feel...easy?

In this episode of Off The Memory Card, I’m sharing how planning ahead turned my Christmas mini session launch from what used to be a stressful, chaotic morning into something I actually get to enjoy...with a blanket, a cup of coffee, and my booking notifications rolling in.

I’m breaking down the four things I did before launch day to make it happen: planning my season, setting up my booking system, writing my emails ahead of time, and front-loading the work so launch morning required almost nothing from me.

If you’re a photographer who loves mini sessions but hates the last-minute scramble that comes with them, this episode is for you. We’re talking mini session planning, booking systems, marketing, client communication, and why being proactive can make such a huge difference in your photography business.

And if you want to take this process even further, check out my mini course, Mini Sessions Made Simple, designed to help photographers create profitable mini sessions without letting them take over their lives.

Learn More: https://usethatcamera.app.clientclub.net/courses/offers/777bdb3f-3daa-499e-9894-509ca8cafee6