As photographers, it can feel natural to use Instagram as a portfolio—posting your most recent work with simple captions like “Loved this session!” or “Isn’t she gorgeous?” But if you’ve been doing that consistently and wondering why you’re not booking clients, there’s a reason: Instagram isn’t meant to be your portfolio.

In this episode of Take It Personally, I'm sharing why using Instagram only to showcase your work keeps you from connecting with your ideal clients and booking sessions. I'm also showing how to shift from treating your feed like a gallery to creating an engaging brand experience—one that builds trust, answers client questions before they ever inquire, and ultimately gets you booked.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated that posting pretty photos isn’t leading to results, this episode will give you a clear strategy to change that.

2:00 The viral Threads post that sparked this conversation

4:15 Why using Instagram like a portfolio keeps photographers stuck

6:50 The difference between good photos and strategic content

10:30 How evergreen content builds trust before clients inquire

13:45 Examples of strategic posts that connect with clients

20:30 The power of sharing your own stories and struggles

23:00 Why confidence is the thread connecting photographers and clients

28:15 How successful brands use storytelling and creativity, not just products

CONNECT WITH MADDIE:

Instagram

Website

LINKS

Join my 21-Day Instagram Challenge happening inside a private IG chat starting September 1st—simple, daily prompts that help you stay consistent and get visible so you can get more inquiries from IG. 👉 DM me “challenge” on Instagram @maddiepeschong to join us!

Rebrand Group Coaching

Ultimate Personal Brand Session Shot List – Free Download

Full show notes

If your Instagram feed is filled with nothing but sneak peeks and “look how gorgeous this session was” captions, we need to talk. Instagram is not your portfolio; it’s the experience of your brand.

When you treat it like a dusty portfolio, you run out of content quickly and blend in with every other photographer. But when you start treating it like an experience, one great brand session can fuel your feed for 30 days (or more).

In this episode, I’m sharing how to stop overthinking, use your sessions more strategically, and turn a single shoot into a month’s worth of posts that build reputation, rapport, relationships, and true embodiment of your brand.

03:00 Why Instagram should be more than just a portfolio

07:10 How consistency builds brand recognition and trust

11:45 Breaking down the Rebrand Framework

15:20 Using behind-the-scenes and reintroductions to build your reputation

22:30 Storytelling strategies that create rapport

30:00 Featuring your clients and weaving their words into your marketing

36:50 Sharing social proof the right way (without Canva templates no one reads)

43:15 Evergreen content ideas

52:20 Embodiment: showing up in your own brand, not just telling your clients to

59:00 Repurposing tips to multiply one idea across multiple formats

1:04:00 Why repeating yourself is actually the whole point of branding

CONNECT WITH MADDIE:

Instagram

Website

LINKS

Join my 21-Day Instagram Challenge happening inside a private IG chat starting September 1st—simple, daily prompts that help you stay consistent and get visible so you can get more inquiries from IG. 👉 DM me “challenge” on Instagram @maddiepeschong to join us!

Rebrand Group Coaching

Ultimate Personal Brand Session Shot List – Free Download

Full show notes

Ever found yourself slammed with client work and thinking, “I don’t need to post to Instagram right now—I’m booked!” …only to be staring at an empty inbox a few months later wondering where everyone went?

Yep. I’ve been there. This is what I call the vicious visibility cycle, and it’s time to break it.

In this episode, we’re diving into:

• Why your fully booked season now could mean crickets later
• The sneaky lag time between showing up and booking out
• Why marketing is a non-negotiable if you want long-term success
• How to stay visible without burning yourself out
• Shifting from “content creation” to documentation marketing

Plus, I’m sharing more about my brand new 21-Day Instagram Challenge happening inside a private IG chat starting September 1st—simple, daily prompts that help you stay consistent and get visible so you can get more inquiries from IG.

👉 DM me “challenge” on Instagram @maddiepeschong to join us!

Links & Resources:

• Join the 21-Day Instagram Challenge – DM “challenge”
• Rebrand Group Coaching
• Ultimate Personal Brand Session Shot List – Free Download

You want to charge four figures for brand photography, whether that’s $1,000 or $5,000. But deep down, if you’re still crossing your fingers that your clients are happy with their photos or treating every session like a guessing game, it’s going to be hard to raise your prices with confidence.

In this episode of Take It Personally, we’re talking about the one mistake that might be holding you back from charging what your work is worth: not having a strategic, repeatable process behind your sessions. I'm walking you through why your clients are looking for ROI, not just pretty photos, and how a thoughtful brand photography process creates results, for your clients and your business.

If you’re tired of feeling unsure about your pricing, nervous on shoot day, or unsure how to talk about the value you provide, this episode is a must-listen.

1:45 The mistake that’s keeping you from charging four figures

4:30 Why your photos need more than “just vibes” to be premium

7:05 My client Roxanne: from unsure to confidently charging $3K+

10:10 What clients really get from brand photography

13:45 Repeatable strategy = premium pricing + better referrals

17:00 Why strategic planning helps your clients (and your time!)

21:00 Three things to focus on to improve your brand sessions

33:30 What’s inside Behind the Shot

36:00 Live call details in BTS + new pricing module

38:20 How to join the course and get $150 off!

CONNECT WITH MADDIE:

Instagram

Website

LINKS

Behind the Shot: the full system of planning, posing, shooting, and delivering, so you can stop feeling like an imposter and start showing up like the expert brand photographer you are. $150 off with code SUMMER25!

• The August summer sprint inside BTS includes live calls, a new pricing module, and the accountability you've been needing to actually finish the course

Roxanne's TIP podcast episode

Full show notes

Lighting can feel so intimidating—especially if you’re used to relying only on natural light. I used to be that photographer who prayed for big windows and white walls and sweated at the thought of using flash. But once I started actually practicing with artificial light, it completely changed my confidence behind the camera.

In this episode, I’m sharing the lighting setups I use most often during brand sessions—from natural light to flash to strobes—and how to know which one to use when. Plus, we’re diving into why lighting isn’t just technical, it’s part of your brand.

Here’s what we’re talking about:

• My journey from natural-light-only to confidently using artificial light
• The exact gear I use on brand shoots (hello, Profoto A10 😍)
• Why modified natural light is my go-to setup
• How lighting helps create a cohesive, elevated brand portfolio
• What’s included in Behind the Shot and why now’s the perfect time to join

✨ Join Behind the Shot and get $150 off with code SUMMER25: maddiepeschong.com/behindtheshot

The August summer sprint inside BTS includes live calls, a new pricing module, and the accountability you’ve been needing to actually finish the course.

Ever wonder what the client experience actually looks like inside a premium brand photography business? In this episode, I'm walking you through the exact workflow I use with every single client—from initial inquiry to gallery delivery and beyond. You’ll hear about the systems, templates, automations, and even the personal touches that make a huge difference. If managing your clients feels messy or exhausting, this episode is your permission to simplify it.

Plus, don’t miss the invite to my free webinar with Colie James where we’ll help you streamline your client experience and charge more with less stress.

02:15 Why every client starts with my contact form

04:50 The first email they get after inquiring

07:05 How I set up calls and book discovery sessions

09:30 The discovery call map that leads to more bookings

12:20 Proposals, automations, and payment reminders

14:45 My onboarding email and when I send questionnaires

17:10 How I outsource shoot guides (and why that’s been a game changer)

19:20 The weekly pre-shoot email series I run

21:00 The day-of experience and shoot structure

23:45 The post-shoot workflow and delivery process

26:15 My offboarding system and how I encourage rebooking

29:40 Why your client management struggles aren’t your fault—it’s your systems

CONNECT WITH MADDIE:

Instagram

Website

LINKS

July 17 Webinar with Colie James: Charge More Stress Less - Learn how to automate the sales process for your luxury brand photography offer. Save your spot now!

Dubsado: 20% off

Honeybook: 25%

Cloudspot: 50% off

Imagen

Evoto credits

My photoshoot planning guide template

Full show notes

If you've ever avoided setting up automations in your business because you're scared something will break, sound robotic, or feel impersonal, this episode of Take It Personally is for you.

In this episode, I’m sharing a little tough love and a whole lot of encouragement for those of you who are automation-curious but stuck in perfectionism. I’ll walk you through real-life examples from my own brand photography business and show you how automations can actually give you more space for personal touch, creativity, and freedom. You don’t have to babysit your inbox forever. Let’s talk about what’s really holding you back—and how to fix it.

01:30 Why I avoided automations too (and what changed my mind)

03:40 What’s really holding you back from setting up workflows

05:15 Automations don’t have to be robotic

07:10 A behind-the-scenes look at how my CRM is set up

09:00 What to do if you’re scared of sending something by accident

11:35 Why human error is not the end of the world

14:00 Strategic automation vs. intentional personal touch

16:15 Why automations create more space for connection

18:10 Final pep talk (plus your invite to the free webinar!)

CONNECT WITH MADDIE:

Instagram

Website

LINKS

July 17 Webinar with Colie James: Charge More Stress Less - Learn how to automate the sales process for your luxury brand photography offer. Save your spot now!

Dubsado: 20% off

Honeybook: 25%

Full show notes

Feeling like your brand photography biz runs you during busy seasons (and disappears during slow ones)? This episode is your permission slip to take a break, without your business falling apart. I'm breaking down the three essential workflows every brand photographer should have in place to run a streamlined, premium-feeling business that keeps booking even when you're off the grid.

These automations will help you simplify your backend, lighten your mental load, and create an experience that gets clients talking (and referring). Whether you’re still sending paper contracts or already dabbling with CRMs like HoneyBook or Dubsado, you’ll walk away from this episode with easy, actionable ideas to uplevel your process.

Want even more help building a premium brand? Colie James and I are hosting a free masterclass: Charge More, Stress Less, on July 17th to help you set up workflows that help you book dream clients, save hours every week, and make your brand feel premium. Grab your free spot here!

1:40 Why summer slow seasons don’t mean your business has to stop

4:20 The power of automations (and what they really do for your brand)

6:15 The inquiry workflow automation and creating a strong first impression

9:20 The onboarding + delivery workflow (think start to finish steps for client)

17:35 Why communication matters more than speed for editing

21:10 The offboarding workflow and increasing rebookings and referrals

26:25 How these automations make you look premium and stand out to commercial clients

29:45 Getting started: simple places to begin automating today

CONNECT WITH MADDIE:

Instagram

Website

LINKS

July 17 Webinar with Colie James: Charge More Stress Less - Learn how to automate the sales process for your luxury brand photography offer. Save your spot now!

Dubsado: 20% off

Honeybook: 25%

Full show notes

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know I don’t shut up about the power of systems, mostly because of Colie and the backend magic she helped me set up in my brand photography business a few years ago.

In this episode, we’re diving into how to build a luxury brand photography business that basically runs itself. We’re talking about proposals that do the selling for you, onboarding workflows that prep your clients before you even show up with a camera, and offboarding strategies that bring in rebookings and referrals on autopilot. Whether you’re still DIY-ing every client touchpoint or already using a CRM like Dubsado or HoneyBook, this episode is packed with actionable ideas to save you time and up-level your client experience.

Plus, we’re hosting a free webinar on July 17 all about this: Charge More, Stress Less. You can save your spot right here.

3:45 Why your proposal is not just a pricing list and how it can literally close the sale for you

9:12 The biggest places photographers lose clients in the booking process (and how to fix it)

17:30 – The onboarding gap no one talks about and why it affects your entire shoot

24:05 – Client prep with workflows, automations, and even video (don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be scary)

36:22 – The secret to better rebooking and referrals: your offboarding strategy

45:40 – Dubsado vs. HoneyBook: what’s actually working right now

56:10 – Why systems don’t have to be “all or nothing” to make a big difference

CONNECT WITH MADDIE:

Instagram

Website

CONNECT WITH COLIE:

Instagram

Website

LINKS

July 17 Webinar with Colie James: Charge More Stress Less - Learn how to automate the sales process for your luxury brand photography offer. Save your spot now!

Dubsado: 20% off

Honeybook: 25%

Full show notes

We are in the heat of summer right now, and if you’re anything like me, you don’t really want to spend your summer working. But you do want your business to keep running—and more importantly, to keep making money—while you’re taking time off.

That’s where systems and automations come in. And today, I’m kicking off a short summer series on the podcast to help you simplify the backend of your brand photography business—starting with the one tool I truly couldn’t live without: a CRM.

If the admin side of your business feels messy, inconsistent, or overwhelming, this episode is going to show you exactly what’s possible when you have the right tool in place.

01:26 How I still make money while working way less in the summer

03:15 What is a CRM, and why does it matter for brand photographers?

05:40 Signs you need a CRM ASAP

09:04 Dubsado vs. HoneyBook: Which one is better?

13:11 The automations I use in my CRM that save me hours every week

17:22 Why great client experience (not great photos) makes you premium

20:33 How to start small and still make a big impact with automations

26:04 My favorite time-saving CRM features (and how to use them)

Links

→ Dubsado Free Trial + Discount

→ HoneyBook Free Trial + Discount

→ Join the July 17 Webinar with Colie James (more details coming soon!)