The Pet Photographers' Journal

Branding isn’t just about having a pretty logo or the right colours. It’s about creating a consistent experience that builds trust and attracts the right clients.

In this episode of The Pet Photographer’s Journal, Ina sits down with Kate Hendry, founder of Finbo Studio, a UK-based creative studio serving pet businesses. Kate doesn’t just talk theory, she helps pet brands put branding into action through design, visuals, and messaging that actually work.

We cover:

• How to know if your brand is helping you attract clients or pushing them away
• The most common branding mistakes pet photographers and pet businesses make
• Why consistency across your website, social media, and client touchpoints matters more than you think
• Simple, practical steps to audit your brand today
• How Kate helps pet businesses bring their vision to life with design and strategy

This episode is for you if you’ve ever wondered why your marketing feels disjointed, why your dream clients aren’t engaging, or how to finally create a brand that feels aligned and professional without losing your personality.

About Kate

Kate Hendry is the founder of Finbo Studio, a creative studio for pet industry brands. As a pet owner, animal lover, and creative, Kate combined her passion and skills to help pet-obsessed clients achieve the visibility and results their brands deserve.

🌐 Connect with Kate:

• Website: ⁠finbostudio.co.uk⁠
• Instagram: ⁠@finbostudio⁠

Ready to start booking your dream clients without discounting or social media burnout?

⁠⁠⁠Register here

✨ Want to Be Coached Live?

Interested in being featured on a future coaching episode? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apply here⁠

Join me in my free SKOOL community for pet photographers who want to build a thriving and sustainable business. ⁠Join here.⁠

📲 Connect with Ina

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inaj.thepetphotoceo⁠
• Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠
• Mentoring & Coaching for Pet Photographers: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn More⁠

If you love this podcast, you’ll love the conversations happening inside the Pet Photographers’ Collective on Skool — it’s a free community for pet photographers who want to build a profitable, sustainable business with less overwhelm.

Inside, Ina shares:

✨ Practical marketing tips

✨ Business lessons and mindset shifts

✨ Free resources to help you grow

Connect with other photographers who get it and start creating a business that truly supports your life, not consumes it.

Join here → https://www.skool.com/pet-photographers-collective-3125/about?ref=9c7b56d2963f48a791297a43a29109e1

In this episode of The Pet Photographers’ Journal, I sit down with Jessica Wasik, the award-winning photographer behind Bark & Gold Photography in Pittsburgh.

Jessica shares how she built a thriving pet photography business that averages 80–90 sessions a year with sales around $3,500 per client, all while staying true to her love of products, print, and creating boutique experiences.

We dive into:

• Why she’s never been a shoot-and-burn photographer and how she set herself up for profit from the start
• Her streamlined inquiry and email-driven process that eliminates the need for phone consults
• How she educates clients on artwork (without them defaulting to a single small print)
• Transitioning from calendar contests to book projects and what she’s learned from both
• The role of outsourcing and automation in freeing up time and sustaining her 90-session workload
• Her marketing mix: SEO, email marketing, contests, and events and which ones are worth the effort
• The importance of pricing with confidence and structuring offers around tangible artwork

Jessica also talks about her love for email marketing, the power of pre-purchased product credit, and why systems and processes have been key to her success.

This episode is full of actionable insights for pet photographers who want to run a streamlined, profitable, and client-focused business.

Links & Resources

• Website: barkandgoldphotography.com
• Instagram: @barkngoldphotography
• Facebook: facebook.com/barkandgoldphotography

Want to Be Coached Live?

Interested in being featured on a future coaching episode? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apply here⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Ina

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inaj.thepetphotoceo⁠⁠
• Email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠
• Mentoring & Coaching for Pet Photographers: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn More⁠

If you love this podcast, you’ll love the conversations happening inside the Pet Photographers’ Collective on Skool — it’s a free community for pet photographers who want to build a profitable, sustainable business with less overwhelm.

Inside, Ina shares:

✨ Practical marketing tips

✨ Business lessons and mindset shifts

✨ Free resources to help you grow

Connect with other photographers who get it and start creating a business that truly supports your life, not consumes it.

Join here → https://www.skool.com/pet-photographers-collective-3125/about?ref=9c7b56d2963f48a791297a43a29109e1

If you’ve ever finished a consultation call with a potential client only to hear “I’ll think about it” instead of “When can we book?” , then this episode is for you.

In this solo episode of The Pet Photographers’ Journal, I’m breaking down the 5-step consultation call framework that helps you stop losing clients on the call and start booking more sessions with confidence.

You’ll learn how to:

• Build instant trust and connection without sounding salesy
• Ask the right questions that uncover the real reasons clients want photos
• Guide the conversation so clients convince themselves to book
• Handle objections like price or “I need to think about it” with ease
• Turn calls into confident yeses instead of endless follow-ups

This isn’t pushy sales tactics, it’s about service, connection, and helping clients make the best decision for them and their pets.

Ready to start booking your dream clients without discounting or social media burnout?

⁠⁠⁠Register here

📥 ⁠Grab the free Consultation Call Cheat Sheet⁠ with all the key questions and objection-handling scripts mentioned in this episode.

🔗 If you’d like personalised support to master your own booking conversations, you can also ⁠book a free 15-minute strategy call⁠ with me.

✨ If you’re enjoying the podcast, don’t forget to follow, leave a 5-star review, and share it with another pet photographer who’d love the inspiration.

If you love this podcast, you’ll love the conversations happening inside the Pet Photographers’ Collective on Skool — it’s a free community for pet photographers who want to build a profitable, sustainable business with less overwhelm.

Inside, Ina shares:

✨ Practical marketing tips

✨ Business lessons and mindset shifts

✨ Free resources to help you grow

Connect with other photographers who get it and start creating a business that truly supports your life, not consumes it.

Join here → https://www.skool.com/pet-photographers-collective-3125/about?ref=9c7b56d2963f48a791297a43a29109e1

Finding Confidence, Consistency, and Clients with Bree Ruby Photography

What happens when you love photographing pets but struggle with pricing, consistency, and building confidence in your offers?

In this live coaching call, I chat with Bree Colenso of Bree Ruby Photography, a Melbourne-based pet photographer with a background as a vet nurse who specialises in heartfelt end-of-life sessions. Bree is passionate about creating meaningful memories for her clients, but like many photographers, she’s been navigating the challenges of growing her business sustainably.

In this episode we talk through:

• Building confidence in pricing and learning to charge for the full value of your work
• How to avoid projecting money fears onto clients
• The importance of pre-session education and creating an easy “yes” offer
• Why consultations and guiding clients step-by-step leads to stronger sales
• Practical strategies to generate consistent bookings and grow beyond “hustle and hope”

Bree’s honesty and openness in this session will resonate with anyone who has ever questioned whether they’re “good enough” or worried about whether clients will buy. If you’ve been stuck in self-doubt or struggling to bring in consistent revenue, this episode is for you.

Connect with Bree

• ⁠Instagram⁠
• ⁠Facebook⁠
• ⁠Website⁠

Want to Be Coached Live?

Interested in being featured on a future coaching episode? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apply here⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Ina

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inaj.thepetphotoceo⁠
• Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠
• Mentoring & Coaching for Pet Photographers: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn More⁠

If you love this podcast, you’ll love the conversations happening inside the Pet Photographers’ Collective on Skool — it’s a free community for pet photographers who want to build a profitable, sustainable business with less overwhelm.

Inside, Ina shares:

✨ Practical marketing tips

✨ Business lessons and mindset shifts

✨ Free resources to help you grow

Connect with other photographers who get it and start creating a business that truly supports your life, not consumes it.

Join here → https://www.skool.com/pet-photographers-collective-3125/about?ref=9c7b56d2963f48a791297a43a29109e1

What does it really take to step out of being the bottleneck in your photography business and start building a team?

In this episode of The Pet Photographers’ Journal, I sit down with Caitlin J. McColl, pet photographer, business coach, founder of Tails of the World, and host of the Focused on Time Podcast. Caitlin has grown her studio, Ragamuffin Pet Photography, into a thriving business supported by associate photographers and virtual assistants.

We dive into:

• The mindset shift from “my clients only want me” to building a trusted associate team
• How Caitlin trained and onboarded her associate photographers to deliver the same client experience
• Her practical hiring process — from job ads and test shoots to contracts and client feedback
• Outsourcing editing, admin, and other time-consuming tasks without losing quality
• Overcoming fears about client perception, competition, and having enough work for a team
• The freedom that comes from moving into the CEO role and focusing on marketing and client relationships

Caitlin’s journey is both inspiring and practical, proof that you can design a pet photography business that fits your life, not just drains your weekends.

Connect with Caitlin

• ⁠caitlinjmccoll.com⁠
• ⁠Ragamuffin Pet Photography⁠
• ⁠Instagram⁠
• ⁠Facebook⁠
• ⁠Focused on Time Podcast⁠

Want to Be Coached Live?Interested in being featured on a future coaching episode?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apply here⁠⁠

Connect with Ina

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@inaj.thepetphotoceo⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Mentoring & Coaching for Pet Photographers: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn More⁠⁠

If you love this podcast, you’ll love the conversations happening inside the Pet Photographers’ Collective on Skool — it’s a free community for pet photographers who want to build a profitable, sustainable business with less overwhelm.

Inside, Ina shares:

✨ Practical marketing tips

✨ Business lessons and mindset shifts

✨ Free resources to help you grow

Connect with other photographers who get it and start creating a business that truly supports your life, not consumes it.

Join here → https://www.skool.com/pet-photographers-collective-3125/about?ref=9c7b56d2963f48a791297a43a29109e1

What happens when your business plan is built around selling $25 digitals… and then a global pandemic cancels every single dog sports event on your calendar?

For Michigan-based pet photographer Michelle Crandall of Pets in Focus, that reality became the turning point of her career.

In this honest and inspiring conversation, Michelle shares how she:

• Pivoted from dog sports photography to pet portraits during the pandemic
• Faced (and overcame) her fears of working one-on-one with clients
• Shifted from selling cheap digitals to confidently offering in-person sales and high-value artwork
• Navigated money mindset challenges and learned not to project her own money beliefs onto her clients
• Successfully ran a breed-specific Dachshund book project—49 dogs photographed in just 5 months—while turning a deeply personal grief into a powerful business opportunity

We also talk openly about:

• Pricing for profit vs. “charging your worth”
• Finding your real ideal clients (hint: it might not be who you thought)
• Why community and support make the biggest difference when tackling big projects
• How overwhelm and imposter syndrome show up, even for experienced photographers

Michelle’s story is a reminder that you’re not alone in the struggles of running a pet photography business. Whether you’re thinking about raising your prices, starting in-person sales, or tackling a book project, her journey proves that growth is possible with the right mindset shifts.

Connect with Michelle

Website: ⁠petsinfocusphoto.com⁠

Instagram & Facebook: ⁠@petsinfocusphoto⁠ & ⁠Pets in Focus Photo⁠

Want to Be Coached Live?

Interested in being featured on a future coaching episode?

⁠⁠⁠⁠Apply here⁠

Connect with Ina

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@inaj.thepetphotoceo⁠

Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠

Mentoring & Coaching for Pet Photographers: ⁠⁠⁠Learn More⁠

If this episode resonated, please share it with a fellow photographer or leave a review, it means the world and helps more people find the show.

If you love this podcast, you’ll love the conversations happening inside the Pet Photographers’ Collective on Skool — it’s a free community for pet photographers who want to build a profitable, sustainable business with less overwhelm.

Inside, Ina shares:

✨ Practical marketing tips

✨ Business lessons and mindset shifts

✨ Free resources to help you grow

Connect with other photographers who get it and start creating a business that truly supports your life, not consumes it.

Join here → https://www.skool.com/pet-photographers-collective-3125/about?ref=9c7b56d2963f48a791297a43a29109e1

In this solo episode of The Pet Photographers’ Journal, I’m unpacking a recent negative comment from a troll on one of my Instagram reels about marketing for pet photographers. Instead of letting it get under my skin, I took it as an opportunity to have a real conversation about what marketing actually is, why it matters for your photography business, and why the people who “don’t get it” aren’t the ones you’re speaking to.

We’ll talk about the difference between marketing and selling, why marketing is not about being pushy, and how to market in a way that feels authentic to you and your clients. I’ll also share how I approach marketing in my own business, creating content that builds trust.

If you’ve ever worried that marketing feels “salesy” or been put off by unhelpful opinions online, this episode will help you reframe marketing as something you do for your clients, not to them.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How to handle unhelpful or negative comments without losing focus
• How to attract the right clients while filtering out the wrong ones
• How to build desire for pet photography
• Practical examples of authentic marketing you can implement right now

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode especially if you’ve ever had someone misunderstand what marketing really is. Send me a DM on Instagram or email me at [email protected].

Want to Be Coached Live?

Interested in being featured on a future coaching episode?

⁠⁠⁠Apply here⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Ina

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@inaj.thepetphotoceo⁠⁠⁠
• Mentoring & Coaching for Pet Photographers: ⁠⁠Learn More⁠⁠
• 12-Month Marketing Workshop Waitlist: ⁠⁠Join the Waitlist⁠⁠

If you love this podcast, you’ll love the conversations happening inside the Pet Photographers’ Collective on Skool — it’s a free community for pet photographers who want to build a profitable, sustainable business with less overwhelm.

Inside, Ina shares:

✨ Practical marketing tips

✨ Business lessons and mindset shifts

✨ Free resources to help you grow

Connect with other photographers who get it and start creating a business that truly supports your life, not consumes it.

Join here → https://www.skool.com/pet-photographers-collective-3125/about?ref=9c7b56d2963f48a791297a43a29109e1

Today I’m joined by Nicole Begley, former zoological animal trainer turned pet photographer, educator, and the founder of Hair of the Dog Academy and Freedom Focus Formula. Nicole runs multiple businesses, helps pet photographers master both craft and business, and still finds time to run a non-profit supporting wildlife conservation.

In this episode, we dig into:

• Why many photographers lose clients during the inquiry process and how to fix it
• How to follow up without feeling pushy
• Creating urgency in a niche without fixed timelines (like pet photography)
• The one question that reveals what your client really values
• Why premium sales start with your own belief in your value
• The real path to consistent $2K–$3K sales (and why you don’t need $10K sales to thrive)
• Simple, sustainable marketing strategies that work
• When and how to start outsourcing in your business

If you enjoyed this episode, follow The Pet Photographers Journal on your favourite podcast app and leave a 5-star review so more pet photographers can find us.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• Websites: ⁠⁠Freedom Focus Formula⁠ and ⁠Hair of the Dog Academy⁠
• Connect with Nicole on Instagram: @⁠⁠nicolebegleyofficial⁠⁠ and @⁠⁠hairofthedogacademy⁠⁠
• Nicole’s Free Charitable Marketing Guide: ⁠freedomfocusformula.com/charitable-marketing⁠

Want to Be Coached Live?

Interested in being featured on a future coaching episode?

⁠⁠⁠Apply here⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Ina

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@inaj.thepetphotoceo⁠⁠⁠
• Email: [email protected]
• Mentoring & Coaching for Pet Photographers: ⁠⁠Learn More⁠⁠
• 12-Month Marketing Workshop Waitlist: ⁠⁠Join the Waitlist⁠⁠

If you love this podcast, you’ll love the conversations happening inside the Pet Photographers’ Collective on Skool — it’s a free community for pet photographers who want to build a profitable, sustainable business with less overwhelm.

Inside, Ina shares:

✨ Practical marketing tips

✨ Business lessons and mindset shifts

✨ Free resources to help you grow

Connect with other photographers who get it and start creating a business that truly supports your life, not consumes it.

Join here → https://www.skool.com/pet-photographers-collective-3125/about?ref=9c7b56d2963f48a791297a43a29109e1

Feeling stuck competing with $150 sessions? In this episode, Ina redefines what luxury really means in pet photography, and it's not what you think. Discover how to position your business as a premium experience without needing a commercial studio or gold foil packaging, and learn the mindset shifts that helped Ina's clients invest $2,000-$6,000 regularly (with one $11,000 sale!) all from her home studio.

• Why luxury isn't about expensive packaging or fancy studios
• The difference between problem-solving marketing vs. building desire (crucial for luxury positioning)
• The real reason clients invest in premium pet photography
• 5 practical steps to add luxury touches to your client experience without breaking the bank
• How to separate your money beliefs from your clients' reality
• Why "charge your worth" advice can actually be dangerous

Audit your client experience (not your price list!) and ask:

• Where can I add something small but memorable?
• How can I simplify my communication?
• What would make my clients feel more confident and excited?
• Where can I build trust sooner in the process?

Want to Be Coached Live?Interested in being featured on a future coaching episode?⁠Apply here⁠

Connect with Ina

• Instagram: ⁠@inaj.thepetphotoceo⁠
• Email: ⁠[email protected]⁠
• Mentoring & Coaching for Pet Photographers: ⁠Learn More⁠
• 12-Month Marketing Workshop Waitlist: ⁠Join the Waitlist⁠

If this episode shifted how you think about positioning your business, screenshot this episode and tag ⁠@inaj.thepetphotoceo⁠ on Instagram, I'd love to hear what resonated with you!

And if you found this valuable, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It truly helps other pet photographers discover the show.

If you love this podcast, you’ll love the conversations happening inside the Pet Photographers’ Collective on Skool — it’s a free community for pet photographers who want to build a profitable, sustainable business with less overwhelm.

Inside, Ina shares:

✨ Practical marketing tips

✨ Business lessons and mindset shifts

✨ Free resources to help you grow

Connect with other photographers who get it and start creating a business that truly supports your life, not consumes it.

Join here → https://www.skool.com/pet-photographers-collective-3125/about?ref=9c7b56d2963f48a791297a43a29109e1

In this episode, I’m joined by J. Nichole Smith, brand architect, creative strategist, and founder of Joy First World. We explore what branding really means beyond logos and colours, how to stand out in a saturated pet photography market, and why emotional connection is the key to building a business that lasts.

We talk about:

• Why “pet photographer” isn’t a niche anymore
• How to build desire instead of just selling information
• Using your brand to confidently raise prices
• The psychology behind visual branding
• Growing your business through commercial pet photography
• What the future of the pet industry might look like

J. Nichole Smith

• Website: joyfirstworld.com
• Instagram: @joyfirstworld and @jnicholesmith
• Joy First Podcast - Listen here
• Brand Personality Quiz: Take the Quiz
• Commercial Pet Photography Academy: Join Here

Interested in being featured on a future coaching episode?

⁠Apply here⁠

• Instagram: ⁠@inaj.thepetphotoceo⁠
• Email: [email protected]
• Mentoring & Coaching for Pet Photographers: Learn More
• 12-Month Marketing Workshop Waitlist: Join the Waitlist