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!)

In this episode of Take It Personally, I’m chatting with Nicole Hodgson, a branding photographer based in Northern California, who made the leap from family photography to brand photography. As a mom of three and a former marriage and family therapist, Nicole shares the moments that led her to pursue brand photography and how Rebrand helped her elevate her business.

Nicole talks about her initial hesitation in offering branding sessions and how her passion for education and growth led her to Rebrand. Since joining, she’s gained the clarity, confidence, and tools needed to position herself as a sought-after brand photographer. She's also made an additional $6500 in revenue in just a couple months.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Nicole transitioned from family photography to branding photography and the struggles she faced along the way
• The key differences between the Behind the Shot course and the Rebrand program, and how Rebrand took her business to the next level
• Why positioning yourself as a brand photographer is crucial for business growth, and how Nicole found the confidence to niche down
• The impact of learning how to use flash in branding photography, and how Nicole pushed herself to grow in new areas
• How the Rebrand community and support system helped Nicole gain clarity and actionable steps to grow her business
• The power of discovery calls and how Nicole is now booking her highest packages with confidence

Links & Resources:

• Join Rebrand
• Nicole’s Instagram

If you’re ready to gain clarity and confidence in your business, join us inside Rebrand, where we provide you with the tools, strategies, and support to become a booked out brand photographer.

In today’s episode of Take It Personally, I'm featuring my client Tori Kelner, a talented wedding photographer who made a smooth and strategic transition into brand photography. Tori shares her journey of moving from wedding photography to branding, how Rebrand helped her sharpen her strategy, and the powerful lessons she’s learned along the way.

If you’re a photographer considering a shift toward brand photography, Tori’s story is filled with valuable insights. From navigating burnout to embracing a new niche, she shares the tools and confidence she’s gained to position herself as a brand photographer—and not just someone who "does brand photos occasionally."

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Tori decided to pivot from weddings to brand photography (and why it felt like the perfect move)
• The strategic changes she implemented right away to get her business set up for success
• The power of positioning yourself as a brand photographer and why it’s key to attracting the right clients
• How Rebrand’s resources—like templates, questionnaires, and group coaching—accelerated her growth and confidence
• The importance of building a portfolio that reflects your unique approach to brand photography
• Tori’s thoughts on blending multiple photography niches and why it doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing choice

Links & Resources:

• Join Rebrand
• Tori’s Instagram

If you’re ready to take the next step in your photography business and pivot to brand photography, join us inside Rebrand where we help photographers like you build a strategy, find their niche, and gain the confidence to charge premium rates for their services.

If you’ve been doing brand photography for a while but feel stuck at that $1,200–$1,500 price point, this episode is for you!

Catie has been a pro photographer for 15 years—weddings, seniors, and then a pivot into brand photography when her son started preschool. Even though she was booking solid sessions, she knew her work was worth more. She just didn’t know how to get clients to see that.

In this episode, Catie breaks down:

• How she restructured her packages so price wasn’t tied to time
• The pricing differentiator that made discovery calls effortless
• The confidence shift that turned a $1,500 average into a $3,500 booking—without a single pushback
• What happened when she leaned into positioning herself as the expert
• Her top networking move (it wasn’t cold-DM’ing!) that brought in referrals
• How the Rebrand community and coaching kept her accountable and inspired

00:00 Introduction & Catie's journey from weddings to brand photography

02:15 The “good but not great” plateau at $1,200–$1,500 sessions

04:10 The moment she decided she needed more than referrals

06:05 Why she finally joined Rebrand—trusting a current photographer, not a retired one

08:22 Restructuring packages: moving off “hourly” pricing

11:45 Discovery calls that sell strategy—not just pretty photos

14:30 Booking her first $3,500 session in just 4 weeks

17:50 Leveraging referrals and coffee chats for client attraction

20:05 The mindset and positioning shifts that made it all click

22:40 How the Rebrand community fueled her momentum

25:15 Advice for experienced photographers on leveling up

Links & Resources:

• Join Rebrand (doors close Friday!): https://maddiepeschong.com/rebrand
• Catie Ronquillo Photography: https://catieronquillo.com/
• DM Catie about her Rebrand experience: https://www.instagram.com/catieronquillo/

If you’re navigating a pivot in your photography business, or wondering how to actually get traction with brand photography, this episode is for you!

Kayla shares what it looked like to walk away from weddings, embrace a brand new niche, and finally build a business that fits her life as a military spouse and mom of two young boys. She talks about the unique challenges of moving every few years, how Rebrand helped her feel equipped and supported through her transition, and what gave her the confidence to start showing up consistently and signing brand clients.

In fact, since joining Rebrand, Kayla booked two brand clients in just two weeks and made back her investment in less than two months, even while offering portfolio-building rates. She also shares how she overcame imposter syndrome and created a content system (with a little help from our new AI assistant, Rebecca) that skyrocketed her Instagram reach and helped her connect with aligned clients.

00:22 Transition from Wedding to Brand Photography

01:18 Challenges of a Military Spouse Photographer

02:49 Pivoting to Brand Photography

04:37 Mindset Shift and Booking Differences

08:39 Joining the Rebrand Program

14:15 Initial Steps and Portfolio Building

17:34 Leveraging Content with Rebrand Custom GPT Rebecca

21:51 Gaining Confidence in Social Media

22:47 The Impact of Consistency

31:55 The Power of Rebrand Community Collaboration

CONNECT WITH MADDIE:

Instagram

Website

CONNECT WITH KAYLA:

Instagram

Website

LINKS

Join Rebrand: My 12-month transformative brand program for photographers who want to book their highest paid sessions EVER (and feel damn good doing it). Become a booked out brand photographer when you join Rebrand. Enrollment is open!

Full show notes