Profitable Photographer Podcast

This episode felt like such a full-circle moment for me. I’m talking with my former photography mentee, Cortnie Davis, who has grown from an 18-year-old wedding photographer into a thoughtful consultant helping creative entrepreneurs build calmer, more sustainable businesses. Cortnie began her career behind the camera and later added floristry to her creative life. Today she works at the intersect...

You will love this wonderful conversation with my Canadian friend Cristina Sacco — a photographer who has built a thriving career for more than 20 years by staying curious, saying yes to opportunities, and bringing heart into everything she photographs. Cristina is the founder of Boy Girl Photography, where she photographs newborns and families, and Stetati Media, where she works with corporate an...

I had the absolute joy of talking with my friend, Valerie Tabor Smith — one of the most published children’s photographers in the world and a pro at art licensing. Valerie’s career is fascinating. She began in wedding photography, discovered her love for babies and children, and eventually built an international licensing business with her images appearing on greeting cards, calendars, and product...

I can hardly believe this is episode 350. What a gift this podcast has been — listened to in over 110 countries — and I’m so grateful you’re here. In this solo episode, I’m diving into one of my favorite topics: posing people in a way that captures not just how they look… but who they are. Because for me, portrait photography has never been about perfection. It’s about revealing that inner light....

Okay, I need to strongly suggest going to my guest’s website thewaysofthedog.com to see her amazing photography.  Jen Hillenga is creating some of the most beautiful, soulful pet photography in New York City, and I’m completely obsessed with her work. And she shares how she has created both wonderful images and a highly profitable business. Jen is a world-renowned portrait photographer, designer,...

You are going to LOVE “The Queen of Sassy”, Marisa Balletti-Lavoie — A PPA Master Photographer, branding coach, and evangelist for finding your own voice and style. We have a really fun and honest conversation about confidence, and how to show up as your unique self in business. Marisa shares her journey from retail and retouching to photography and coaching, and how she learned to stop playing sm...

This episode is all about Color…the science, emotional responses, and even how to use it in our art and in branding. I had the most interesting chat with J. Nichole Smith — or Nic — about why color affects how people feel about your work, why it matters more than you think, and how leaning into joy and self-expression can make your brand stronger. Nic knows her stuff. As a marketing insider, color...

I’m so excited to share an episode with you I wish I could have listened to her during my 12 year wedding business. I sat down with the incredibly talented Alicia Parks to talk about something we don’t discuss nearly enough in photography: how to stay calm, energized, and grounded on high-pressure wedding days. Alicia made the leap from corporate America into photography, and she’s built an amazin...

This is such an important question I get all the time….When do I tell people my pricing — and how much should I say? If you’ve ever felt awkward, pressured, or unsure when someone asks, “How much do you charge?”, you’re not alone. So I decided to share a lot of my thoughts and strategies with you in this solo episode. I talk about why leading with price too soon can cost you wonderful clients, how...

Okay photographers — if you love people, love creating, and would also really like to make good money doing it, this one’s for you. This is a new interview with the amazing Chip Dizard. We had such a great conversation a few years ago that I reposted it, and everyone loved it so much I knew I had to have him back. Chip is a photographer and entrepreneur who’s amazing at helping creatives build and...

Do you want to sell your travel or scenic photography? You are not alone. So many have this desire, and so few are actually successful and profitable in selling their personal work. My guest is an incredible PPA Master Photographer, an ASP Fellow, and a highly profitable photographer, both with his studio work and his gorgeous, award-winning travel and nature photography. And he shares lots of tip...

Is it time for you to give back? Is your heart calling you to use your talents to help others? My guest, Amina Mohamed, is here to talk about her non-profit called “Cameras for Girls” and her efforts to bring the art of photography and photojournalism to young women across Africa who likely would not otherwise have had the opportunity to explore it.  In 2018, she started an initiative with a missi...

Hey friend. Thought I would do something different since this is dropping on Christmas Eve day. I’m sharing a few of my own holiday memories, just to share more about me personally. In thinking of stories to tell you, I realized how many memories are in my mental vault because there are photographs that anchored them to my experiences and emotions around them. Some things I do remember clearly… an...

Today on The Profitable Photographer, I’m hanging out with Jason Guy, and super successful boudoir photographer based in Sonoma, California. He has spent the last ten years photographing women in a way that’s honest, empowering, and beautifully lit. He says his job is showing clients what they look like from their best angles—but what I loved is hearing how his clients ended up changing him. From...

I have always wanted to sit down with someone that knows all about Facebook/ Meta ads…how to do them, the cost, and the benefits. And my guest today knows all about this. I spent time talking (actually grilling) Brennan Haelig, the founder of Jumpstart ROI—an agency managing millions in ad spend and known for helping creatives (especially photographers) grow with simple, practical marketing. He ev...

After you listen to this amazing conversation with Lori and me sharing all about psychology-based sales strategies... then run, don't walk, and sign up for her "Vision Forward Summit" going on now through Dec 14th, which features 25+ top educators teaching the business of photography.  www.visionforwardsummit.com/ Each day, two photographers share their wisdom about running a successful photograph...

Hi friends, it’s Luci. After more than 200 conversations with photographers and educators, I’ve collected a treasure chest of “aha” moments—some that made me laugh, some that surprised me, and some that completely changed how I look at this crazy, wonderful business. In this episode, I’m sharing ten of the best lessons. Here’s a little sneak peek: Relationships really are the secret sauce. The pho...

This week, my conversation is about two topics…how to get fabulous portrait and weddings, and how to be more inclusive of people with different backgrounds, orientations, and such. The amazing Chip Dizárd is my guess and is a photographer, educator, tech-enthusiast, and someone who builds business with purpose, passion, and people at the center. Chip shares how a Christmas gift — an Atari 2600 — s...

My guest this week, Rob Brown, is super smart and nice and knows how to get things done(and be very profitable) by being efficient and organized. He is such a great example of what can happen when passion meets process.  What started as a hobby has grown into a thriving six-figure business photographing schools, sports teams, and communities across Mississippi. Since 2020, Rob has built a studio t...

This week, I had the pleasure of talking with Shawna Pearce, a fine art photographer who creates charming heirloom portraits that weave together storytelling, history, and emotion. She also love love loves teaching other creatives how to master the art of editing and storytelling so they, too, can create their own legacy images. Shawna started her career about 15 years ago photographing newborns a...

This week, we’re heading to Texas! My guest is Cris Duncan, the new head of the legendary Texas School of Professional Photography—one of the biggest and most loved PPA affiliate schools in the country. Cris and his wife, Deanna, run CJ Duncan Photography in Lubbock, creating beautiful portrait and commercial work. He’s also a PPA Juror, CPP Instructor, founder of Find Your Focus Photographic Educ...

This solo episode is especially meaningful for me because it’s about one of my favorite and most important topics—how to start and grow a photography business that lasts. After more than 40 years as a full-time portrait and wedding photographer, and business coaching, I’ve experienced just about everything this career can bring—the excitement, the challenges, the creative joy, and the ups and down...

Oh my gosh, I learned so much in this episode, and I absolutely loved this conversation all about pets and the pet photography business. My guest, Lisa Francescon, is such an amazing teacher and a wonderful photographer with a huge heart for animals. Based in the Illinois/Iowa Quad Cities, Lisa has been photographing families and children since 2004, and in 2016 she found her true passion — pet po...

I am so excited to share this conversation with the fabulous Renee Bowen on The Profitable Photographer! You may know her for her beautiful senior portraits, but these days she’s also coaching photographers and creatives on how to not only grow their businesses but also rewire their mindset for real, lasting success. What I love about Renee is that she blends her background in psychology and neuro...

I am so excited to introduce you to Kate DeCoste and her thoughts about the importance of storytelling as photographers. In business since 2009, she calls herself a “confidence curator and small-town sparkplug” based in Wahoo, Nebraska. What I love is that she helps people show up authentically on camera, and her sessions feel more like a celebration than a checklist. Her background is really fasc...