LEVEL UP: A Wedding Photography + Videography Podcast

There are some conversations that are just too good to keep behind closed doors. In this special episode, recorded live at Hybrid Conference, we're answering real questions from wedding photographers and filmmakers who are navigating the same challenges you probably are. From posing plus size couples with confidence, to creating better work-life balance as a business owner, to staying consist...

Success in business is rarely about one big breakthrough. More often, it's the result of hundreds of small decisions, years of consistency, and a willingness to keep growing long after you've figured out the basics. In this episode, Kelley sits down with Shauna Cooney of Shauna & Jordan Photography to talk about the journey of building a business alongside your spouse, navigating the...

What happens when a wedding photographer walks off the job? Or when a photographer shows up to a wedding dressed completely inappropriately? Or when a client demands their gallery while their photographer is grieving the loss of a parent? In this episode, we're trying something completely different. We dove into some of the wildest wedding industry stories we could find and gave our honest ta...

Most wedding professionals spend years trying to figure out how to stand out. They tweak their websites. They refine their portfolios. They spend hours creating content. But often the thing that creates the deepest connection with clients isn't another perfect image or beautifully curated post. It's you. In this episode, Kelley sits down with Steve Sinclair of Sinclair & Moore to tal...

What does it actually take to move from the middle market to the luxury market? In this special live Q&A episode recorded at Hybrid Conference, we sit down with wedding photographers and filmmakers from across the country to answer some of the biggest questions about growing a profitable, sustainable business. We cover everything from creating a luxury client experience and building stronger p...

What if the thing holding your business back isn’t your talent… but your workflow? 👀 In this episode, we’re sitting down with wedding photographer turned tech founder James Broadbent, the creator of Narrative, to talk about AI, business growth, workflow optimization, and how photographers + filmmakers can stop spending countless hours stuck behind a computer and start creating more freedom in the...

In this episode, we’re sitting down with internationally recognized wedding photographer Samm Blake to talk about what it really takes to build a long-term, creatively fulfilling career in the luxury wedding industry. From shooting her first wedding for $500 and losing money on the job to now starting at $40,000 per wedding, Sam shares the mindset shifts, creative risks, and intentional decisions...

Today on The Level Up Podcast, we’re answering your questions straight from Hybrid Co. and diving into everything from networking at luxury events, building real connections in the wedding industry, handling pricing pushback, creating an elevator pitch that actually reflects your brand, and knowing when it’s time to diversify your income beyond weddings. One of the biggest mindset shifts we’ve lea...

Your business can only grow as far as your team can carry it. In this episode, we’re diving into what it actually looks like to build a high-level team that supports your growth, elevates your client experience, and allows you to show up at your highest creative level. Because the truth is, your second shooters, your assistants, your team… they are not just extra hands. They are a direct reflectio...

We’re recording live from Hybrid in Charleston, and this conversation turned into a real, honest look at what it actually takes to grow in today’s wedding industry. From the power of getting in the room and building real relationships, to the behind-the-scenes decisions we’re making as we head into the 2026 season, this one is packed with perspective shifts that can change the trajectory of your b...

In this episode, we’re unpacking one of the simplest but most overlooked shifts you can make in your business. Start saying what you actually want. The bookings you’re after. The markets you want to step into. The rooms you want to be in. Because the moment you speak it, things start to move. We talk about what it looks like to go from waiting… to taking action. From playing small… to actually put...

What actually separates a luxury wedding brand from everyone else charging less? Spoiler: It is not just prettier work. In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, we are breaking down the real differences between standard service and true luxury hospitality by pulling examples from our own experiences with Disney VIP tours, five-star hotels, and other high-end brands outside the wedding industry. Be...

If you’ve ever wondered what actually happens inside rooms like Engage! Summit and whether they are really worth it, this episode is a full, honest debrief. We’re taking you behind the scenes of three days spent surrounded by some of the top planners, designers, photographers, and filmmakers in the luxury space and sharing what actually matters once you’re in the room. Because yes, the details are...

We recorded this episode in the car on the way to Santa Barbara, and it turned into a conversation that completely shifted how we think about marketing. For the longest time, we believed ads were for mainstream businesses. Not luxury. Not high-end. But what if we were wrong? In this episode, we’re unpacking how ads actually fit into the luxury market, why brands like Chanel still use them, and how...

In this episode, we’re back in the car for another Car Chats… which means it’s a little unfiltered, slightly chaotic, and honestly just feels like you’re sitting in on one of our real-life conversations. And today, we’re talking about the things we genuinely can’t live without as wedding creatives. Not the obvious gear… but the small, often overlooked things that make your days smoother, your clie...

In this episode, we’re doing something a little different. We’re recording together from the car for episode two of our Car Chats series… slightly unhinged, a little all over the place, but still packed with the kind of conversations we know you actually need to hear. And today, we’re diving into a concept that has shaped so much of our growth over the years… the idea of “overpaying” in your busin...

In this episode, we’re doing something a little different. We’re recording together from the car for the very first time as we kick off a brand new series on the podcast: Car Chats. And to start things off, we’re sharing the story that so many people in our community have asked us about… how Level Up actually began. The truth? It didn’t start with a big strategy session or a perfectly mapped out b...

Many wedding photographers and filmmakers hit a frustrating ceiling in their business. Your work is strong. Your clients love you. But somehow… your pricing, bookings, and growth feel stuck. In this episode, we sit down with Chicago wedding filmmaker Kyrie Copeland to talk about the mindset shifts, branding changes, and business strategies that helped her raise her average booking from around $3,5...

So many wedding photographers and filmmakers believe there’s a ceiling on their income. That $7,500 packages are “just how it is.” That planners are gatekeepers. That luxury clients aren’t for them. In this episode, we sit down with Alyssa and Matt, a husband-and-wife photography team who shattered that belief. They went from hoping for a $7,500 booking to landing a $15,000 wedding before Mastermi...

We can shoot more. We can post more. We can work harder. But if we never refine what we’re building, growth eventually stalls. A rose garden doesn’t flourish just because it gets sunlight and water. It flourishes because it’s pruned with intention. The same is true for your wedding photography or filmmaking business. In this episode, we’re talking about what it actually takes to elevate: archiving...

We can work hard. We can set big goals. We can stay consistent. But if we’re constantly sharing those goals with people who doubt us, downplay them, or don’t understand them, it slowly chips away at our confidence. We are the product of the energy around us. In this episode, we talk about building a business village that pushes us forward instead of pulling us back. Because wedding photographers a...

So many creatives set goals that feel safe. Goals that won’t rock the boat. Goals that guarantee you won’t fail… but also won’t grow. In this conversation, we’re unpacking how playing small quietly limits your income, your opportunities, and your confidence—and what actually happens when you decide to aim higher. We talk through real examples of saying yes before you feel ready, making strategic m...

In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, we talk about what momentum really looks like at different stages of business and why the strategies that once worked stop working as you raise your prices and take on fewer weddings. The goal isn’t to stay busy. It’s to stay growing. We break down the shift from volume based momentum to intentional momentum. Why fewer weddings require more strategy. Why co...

So many photographers and filmmakers are doing all the “right” things and still feel stuck. You’re booked, but not excited. Busy, but not progressing. Your goals feel safe. Too safe. And more often than not, that safety is rooted in fear. Fear of saying no. Fear of raising prices. Fear of outgrowing the market you’re in. Fear of believing you’re capable of more. In this episode, we talk about the...

In this episode, we are pulling back the curtain on the wedding industry and share the real conversations that usually only happen behind the scenes. From unhinged client requests and early-career mistakes to red flags, pet peeves, and the boundaries that actually protect your creativity and your income, this episode is equal parts honest, educational, and entertaining. We’ve both been there. Sayi...