When Paige first started out in senior photography, she spent… more time than you’d think explaining that it was for teenagers, not senior citizens. But that comes with the territory when you’re building a brand new niche in your area!

In this episode, Paige Puglisi sits down with me to explain what led her to senior photography in the first place. She shares her top tips for building a strong brand in a specific niche, what it’s like working with teens (including how she builds trust with them), and how she maintains the relationships she’s built throughout her client’s lifetimes.

If you’re thinking of diving into senior photography, this episode will get you started! Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[02:13] What led Paige down the path to senior photography

[06:56] How to build a strong brand in a niche market

[14:29] How to navigate potential pitfalls and connect with teenage clients at photoshoots

[20:17] How Paige incorporates a variety of locations into her photography business

[26:39] How Paige creates and maintains strong client relationships

[36:19] The best business advice Paige ever received

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/creating-a-brand-new-market-how-to-build-a-photography-niche-that-fits-your-dreams-with-paige-puglisi/

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We all have that thing, perhaps we’ll call it a dumpster fire. This fire is something that we know we should take care of, put to rest, deal with, etc, but we just… don’t. 

Maybe we’re scared or it just feels too big, but whatever the reason, this fire haunts us, saps our energy, and distracts us from the work that we could be doing. 

So in this episode, I’m sharing four steps we can take to identify and address our dumpster fires, and avoid this kind of self-sabotage in the future! Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[01:08] How little problems that we ignore instead of fix sap our energy over time

[02:49] How to identify where we’re losing time and energy

[05:20] My own story of facing the “dumpster fire” and taking back my time and energy

[08:20] How to identify self-sabotage and then do something about it

Tune in to this episode for a little pep talk on how to confront our problems head on and avoid self-sabotage!

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/whats-tripping-you-up/

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When it comes to our photography careers, things can get complicated fast. Adding more sessions, more price tiers, more options and locations, etc. And while that can be good for building your business in the short term, it can also be a fast-track to burnout.

In this episode, I’m joined by Ingvild Kolnes who is sharing how she keeps her business simple and sustainable. She is offering some great advice on how she sets (and holds) boundaries in her photography business, how she stays connected to the parts of photography that she loves the most, and how all of that helps her to avoid burnout.

She’s also sharing a little about her mentorship program and how she teaches other photographers to build stable business too!

If you feel like you’ve been getting lost in your photography business, this episode is for you. Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[02:03] How Ingvild found herself becoming a mentor to photographers

[05:41] Ingvild’s advice on not overcomplicating your photography business

[07:00] How to avoid burnout and find the joy in photography again

[15:10] How photographers can set boundaries and avoiding the “yes” trap

[19:04] Ingvild’s advice for building confidence in your photography work

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/simplicity-systems-and-sustainability-how-to-keep-your-photography-brand-stable-and-consistent-with-ingvild-kolnes/

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As creatives, it’s so easy to fall into the trap of tying our self-worth to our work. Our creative work is so meaningful and special to us… But what happens when we have to step back from that work?

In this episode, I’m sharing how I’ve had to work through this myself, as I’ve stepped back from being a full-time photographer in the last few years. We’re diving into all facets of this: external validation, identity, balance, and more. Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[00:30] How I’ve struggled with my identity as my life has changed in the past few years

[03:08] What happens when we don’t get external validation for our work

[05:46] What happens when you embrace being more than your job

Tune in to this episode for a little kick in the pants if you struggle with your identity outside of your work!

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/separating-work-from-worth/

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When it comes to building a photography business, you need a camera, some clients, and a little bit of hustle, and you’re good, right?

Well, while you do need all those things, Kristina Mack would argue that you need one more essential piece: your business fundamentals. Planning your workflows, creating detailed and well-crafted experiences for your clients (even if you have a basic budget), and understanding how to price for profitability can make or break your business.

So today, Kristina is sharing the steps she took to create a sound, profitable photography business that has lasted decades–without burning out! She’s giving us her best tips for new photographers in the industry including how they can develop their own unique style and how other photographers can join her mentorship program and start making positive changes in the industry.

If you’ve been hustling, but never feeling like you’re getting anywhere in your photography career, you can’t miss this episode. Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[02:38] How Kristina’s career plan changed from commercial to newborn and maternity photography

[07:26] Kristina’s advice for photographers still trying to figure out their unique style and perspective

[16:42] Why new photographers have to spend time building their business fundamentals, from client management to pricing and workflows

[26:53] How Kristina thinks about outsourcing and the process she uses to find and train her editors

[30:46] The mindsets and philosophies that Kristina teaches in her photography business school

[34:53] Kristina’s lightning round

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/tiny-posers-how-to-build-a-long-lasting-newborn-photography-brand-with-kristina-mack/

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If I can be frank for a moment: as creatives, we sometimes get too precious about our process of creating art. We need the right conditions, the best lighting, the perfect mindset, or else we feel like we can’t create because it might not be perfect or even good.

The problem is, we can get so hung up on this that we never end up creating at all as we wait for all the stars to align. So in this episode, I’m sharing how I’ve started letting go of this ideal standard of creativity to just get back to creating. 

I’m sharing thoughts from some of my favorite authors on all the different ways they push through roadblocks and just start doing. Because at the end of the day, done is better than good. And to get there, sometimes we just have to start and let go of the outcome. Let’s get started!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[01:06] A common tendency that keeps creatives from creating

[03:00] How resistance keeps us from doing our work

[05:52] How to loosen our grip on perfectionism and get back to creating

Tune in to this episode for a little pep talk on taking our creative process off a pedestal and getting back to just creating!

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/stop-putting-your-creativity-on-a-pedestal/

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Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “I wish I could have a luxury brand, but…”

Well today, Lindsay Walden is here to address those “but”s. Because you’re probably not lacking talent or clientele or even location, the first thing you need to address is your trepidation. When it comes to luxury, confidence and willingness to step into the space in the first place is what keeps most photographers on the outside.

In this episode, Lisa chats with Lindsay all about her workflow for luxury clients, how she structures her sales, and why positioning in the luxury market matters as much (if not more) than anything else. We also dive deep into the money hang-ups that keep many women from even attempting to break into the luxury photography space.

If you’ve been trying to establish a luxury brand, but are struggling to find clients, this is the episode you need. Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[02:21] How Lindsay went from snapping scenes underwater to maternity photography and how the photography landscape has changed during her career

[06:37] What a luxury photography experience looks like with Lindsay (and why she focuses on digital image sales)

[11:14] The key elements you need to cultivate a luxury photography brand

[17:25] How Lindsay tailors each session to her clients

[22:12] How Lindsay structures her pricing to expenditures like props, wardrobe, etc

[25:17] Pricing mistakes that photographers make over and over

[34:57] The fears photographers make up for themselves (ie. luxury clients are harder to work with)

[40:10] The market doesn’t care and how that can be freeing for photographers

Tune in to this episode for the encouragement you need to start cultivating your luxury photography brand!

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/expertly-crafted-experiences-and-top-tier-service-how-to-build-a-luxury-photography-brand-with-lindsay-walden/

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We all have thought patterns we fall into from time to time. Things like self-doubt, procrastination, perfection are all classics for many creatives. One might say we even indulge–or over-indulge–in some of these emotions to our own detriment.

Because while we can’t prevent ourselves from feeling the whispers of these emotions, letting them linger too long ultimately hurts our energy and creativity.

So in this episode, Lisa is sharing how she’s learned to break free from indulging in negative emotions and the positive impact it’s had in her life and career.

Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[00:24] The different emotions we might be indulging in

[02:36] Why we indulge in these sometimes unhelpful emotions

[03:40] How to break the loop of overthinking

[05:43] Why we get stuck indulging in self-doubt and what positive self-talk can do for us

[07:12] How to start finding joy and excitement in creativity again

Tune in to this episode for a little pep talk on the emotions we should and shouldn’t be indulging in!

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: [LINK]

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Between the two of them, Jenny and Allison have decades of experience as luxury photographers. And this year, after being friends and colleagues for much of that time, they’ve finally launched a brand new program together to empower photographers to take control of the business side of their work.

In this episode, Lisa sits down with Jenny and Allison to chat all about what exactly The Profitable Portrait Society is, some of the biggest hurdles they see photographers face over and over again, and how to break through the pricing and marketing mindset issues that keep many photographers unprofitable. 

No matter where you are in your photography career, this episode is going to give you some food for thought! Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[02:29] How Jenny and Allison started working together and how The Profitable Portrait Society was born

[05:38] How to break out of the head-in-the-sand mentality when it comes to your pricing as a photographer

[13:08] Why photographers get lost in “busy work” and how to break out of that cycle

[21:26] What marketing should actually look like for a photographer (hint: it’s not one boosted FB post)

[36:49] How creatives and photographers can avoid burnout while balancing the constant need to market and create content

[49:13] The best business advice Jenny and Allison have received

Tune in to this episode for a little kick in the pants to start running your photography business like a real business!

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/stop-selling-yourself-short-how-to-price-and-market-yourself-to-be-a-profitable-photographer-with-jenny-cruger-and-alison-craig-of-the-profitable-portrait-society/

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Baking often gets described as a science instead of an art, which might be true to some degree… But while we can get a recipe from someone else, we still have to adjust to the unique environment we’re working in, whether it’s dry, humid, using different brands of flour, etc. We have to experiment and test and trial it until we find the recipe that works best for our own environment.

And it’s not just baking that’s subject to this. As it turns out, creative success works pretty much the same way.

In this episode, Lisa sits down to address her recent podcast break, her success (finally!) at baking sourdough, and how that taught her that creativity is something we all have to hone through experimentation, trial and error, and persistence.

Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[00:21] Why we needed a podcast break

[01:43] A personal baking success story (after a string of less successful experiments…)

[03:27] Why following someone else’s photography “recipe” won’t work for you

[05:20] Why practice and repetition are necessary for greatness when it comes to creativity

Tune in to this episode for a little pep talk on creative persistence!

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/kneading-creativity-sourdough-and-the-photographers-journey/

Grab the replay for the 2024 Online Newborn Retreat!