Photo Fuel | The Vision, Art, and Business of Family Photography

What business owner doesn't want to get found through Google and AI search? Jamie Bugbee spent over 20 years as a dental hygienist before postpartum depression led her back to a camera and a way to come home to herself. And once she put herself fully into learning and tackling SEO for family photographers, she was able to grow her photography business by 400% and leave her day-job to go full-time....

Becca Lueck has been photographing families in the Portland, Oregon area for 16 years, but she didn't find lifestyle photography until year seven. Once she did, everything changed. We talk about the before and after of learning to fall in love with the work you're doing, how it changes, and how to keep it interesting.  Becca is the founder of Becca Jean Photography, a membership for family photogr...

You're halfway into a session, things are flowing, and then — nothing. The energy drops, your brain goes blank, and you're thinking - WHAT NOW.  This is the final part of the four-part in-home family photography series, and I'm giving you eight specific moves to pull out when a session stalls or you need to jolt yourself in to a new perspective.  Stay to the end for a preview of what's coming this...

In Part 1, we prepped. In Part 2, we got the ball rolling. This episode is all about how to open your dang eyeballs, guide with your heart, and sink into a session that is less pose and more honest family gold. If you often leave sessions feeling like you checked the boxes but you never really GOT anywhere emotional, this is your next-level.  I originally learned the concept of "elements of family...

You've done your prep. You've watched the walkthrough video. You knock on the door - now what? The first 10 minutes of an in-home session do more than most photographers realize. They're where trust gets built in person, the tone is set, and where you either make it feel like an experience or a performance. I'm walking through five things that shift the energy in those opening minutes and two thin...

If you're working on improving your process for in-home family photography or adding home as a location this year, this series is for you! This first episode is one of four that kicks off a short, practical series on in-home family photography, starting with the one thing I do before every session to walk in feeling prepared. This is the biggest asset to preparing for an in home shoot - without re...

A few weeks out from the first PhotoFuel Retreat and Mastermind, this episode is the honest debrief — what I got right, what surprised me, what I'd do differently, and one big decision I made about the future of the program. Regular reflection is tool I use often in my photography business so I want to model what that looks like and how it can lead to purposeful alignment. If you're curious about...

Have you ever wondered what working with a mentor actually looks and feels like over time? Lydia Fine is back as our first-ever returning guest. She's a purposely part-time photographer with a full-time marketing career and two kids, and over the past few years she and I have worked together across just about every format. In this episode, she breaks down exactly what that journey has looked like:...

The last thing you as a photographer want is for your family photo sessions to feel stiff or overly posed. That's why I believe in exploring the idea of creative play inside your sessions. We just hosted the very first Photo Fuel Retreat and Mastermind, where we got to do exactly that. We not only found ways to bring more of each photographer into their businesses, but we also got to play with how...

What if the next step in scaling your business isn’t just about adding something new, but about building something that finally matches what you’ve believed all along? For a long time, I thought being a photography educator meant I needed a shop full of templates, mini-courses, and downloadable resources. While I've found that courses and digital products have their place, what I was longing for i...

Have you ever looked at your work and thought, This is fine… but something feels off? In this episode, I’m talking about the sneaky middle season no one prepares you for—the growth plateau. It’s not burnout or failure. You’re seeing success, booking clients, and producing solid work. Deep down, though, you know what got you here isn’t going to get you there - wherever there may be for you. I’ve be...

Building a photography business doesn’t always mean choosing just one lane and staying there forever. For many photographers, the most sustainable paths are layered, seasonal, and shaped by the realities of life. That’s exactly the story of my guest today, Rebecca Hunnicutt, a lifestyle family photographer based in Portland, Oregon. Rebecca and I first connected in real life at Reset Conference, a...

If you have ever felt overwhelmed by how loud and crowded it feels online with the constant posting, optimizing, and trying to stay visible, you are not alone. Over the past few years, I have found myself quietly moving toward something slower, more personal, and more sustainable: analog marketing. This shift started with my newsletter, The Firefly Letters. It became a space where I could be more...

Does your quiet January inbox have you spiraling about your prices? You’re not alone. This time of year has a way of bringing out the darkest corners of our business fears.  Questions like, “Did I price myself out of my market?” or “Will I ever get inquiries again?” swirl in the silence of a post-holiday lull. If we can learn to spot the pattern, we can break the cycle and make better decisions fo...

Dave Herring is a photographer, educator, and founder of Very Good CO. He’s also a creative nomad and a long time friend. In this episode of Photo Fuel, I chat with Dave about how curiosity led him to a whole new career as a photographer and educator. From leaving the East Coast and relocating his family to California with no concrete plan, to working with brands like Leica and Hasselblad, Dave sh...

What if you didn’t need to burn down your photography business to feel better in it? In this solo episode of Photo Fuel, we'll explore the idea of micro-pivots—small, intentional changes that can bring more clarity, energy, and alignment to your work without rebranding, quitting, or announcing a brand-new niche. This conversation is for family photographers who still love what they do, but feel a...

In this episode, we’re kicking off a short series all about pivoting, evolving, and exploring new creative seasons as a photographer. It’s so easy to stay siloed inside the same family photography conversations, hearing the same strategies and the same voices. But there is so much to learn from photographers who step outside the familiar and build something new. Today’s guest—Nicole Hodgson—is the...

This episode is releasing on the week of Thanksgiving, which is also a big time for holiday deals and making purchases for your business. This is a short and sweet chat to share my Top 4 Essentials as far as software for running my business. This powerful combo is the nuts and bolts of my marketing, sales, communication and delivery - the tech stack of dreams.  If you're thinking of upleveling you...

In this episode, I chat with the wise and wonderful Brooke Schultz — photographer, educator, and creative force behind Heartful Magazine— for a deep dive into the art and evolution of a career in family photography.   Brooke Schultz is a Utah based family photographer + industry educator who helps family photographers create their own unique style instead of mimicking trends. She is the founder of...

WHAT EVEN IS A MASTERMIND?! In today's episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on my upcoming Retreat + Mastermind: what it is, who it’s for, how it works—whether or not it could be your next best yes if you're ready to step into a new chapter of growth for your business and art. We’ll explore: Why doing solo courses and tutorials work great until they don't anymore. How hands-on work and meaningful...

This week's Photo Fuel is time to get candid and answer some of your direct questions! From the reality of avoiding burnout (is it even possible?!) to the behind-the-scenes of school photography, I've got some THOUGHTS. We’ll talk about setting yourself up for success in your first years, film vs. digital (gasp) how to handle feedback or rejection when it comes to things like magazine submissions,...

In this episode of Photo Fuel, I’m joined by Michelle Franzetti for a conversation that will knock your socks off, make you laugh, and make you think. It's part marketing lesson, part mindset shift, and all about building a family photography business that actually works in today’s world. Michelle shares how her background in marketing shaped the way she approaches her photography business, and wh...

Today's episode is coming in short and sweet with a pep talk / tough love about a trend I've been seeing in the family photography industry. If you've been frustrated about working with families who aren't showing up and looking or acting the way you hoped, you need to take a listen. Have an open mind and humble spirit for this one, friends. We are the vision casters and it's time we set a table t...

In this episode, I’m joined by the incredibly talented Lyndsay McNiff of Lyndsay Hannah Photography. This one’s packed with the kind of perspective that only comes from learning through the doing (for a very long time!) and so much knowledge about creative growth in family photography.   We talk about what it really looks like to fill a calendar season by season—not just chasing bookings, but shap...

Fall photography season can feel like a whirlwind. Once you're in it, it's full steam ahead. Sure it's typically the most profitable for family photographers, but it can also be the most overwhelming. In this episode, I'm candidly breaking down four common fall pitfalls that can derail your season, plus practical strategies to set yourself up for success.  The four traps we unpack are The Overbook...