Take It Personally

It’s easy to feel like you’re constantly behind on your marketing, especially during busy seasons of life and business. When client work piles up, marketing often becomes the thing you promise you’ll “get back to later”… until later never comes. In this episode, we’re talking about why your photography business needs a real marketing system and how something as simple as a weekly Marketing Monday...

I almost didn’t record this episode.. not because I didn’t want to reflect on the year, but because I was making it bigger than it needed to be. So instead of overthinking it, I sat down with a post-it note and recorded a simple, honest 2025 wrapped: brand photography edition! This episode isn’t data-driven or trend-heavy. It’s a real reflection on what actually defined my year as a brand photogra...

We all love talking about what worked on Instagram, but what about the posts that totally flopped? In this episode, I’m breaking down my “worst” Instagram content from the year, what those posts had in common, and why I’m actually not upset about any of it. This is the second part of a little two-episode series - last week I walked through my best content and this episode is taking a looking at my...

Instagram has been my thing since before I even had a photography business, but this year, my content looked a little different. I hired a social media manager, leaned into more nuanced topics, and started paying closer attention to what was actually working instead of just guessing. And spoiler: my best-performing posts were not the perfectly designed, “Pinterest-worthy” ones. In this episode, I’...

We’ve  all  had those moments where we know we need to post something…but have absolutely no idea what to say. In today’s episode, I’m breaking down the simple mindset shift that will help you create better Instagram content without feeling like you have to reinvent the wheel every single time. Creating great content isn’t about being clever. It’s about being accurate, relevant, and empa...

Almost every brand photographer has said it at some point:  “My clients only want a one-hour session.”  And honestly? I get why that feels true; I used to believe it too. But one-hour brand shoots are keeping so many photographers stuck, exhausted, and wildly underpaid. In this episode, we’re getting into why short sessions are creating chaos (for you  and  your clients) and wh...

You’ve probably heard me talk a  lot  about niching into brand photography... and for good reason. It changed my business and my bookings. But today, we’re zooming out and talking about something I don’t cover nearly enough: what it looks like to simply  add  brand photography to the services you already offer. Because here’s the truth: you don’t have to completely niche down t...

If you’ve been trying to grow your brand photography portfolio, you’ve probably thought about posting a model call. But here’s the thing.. model calls can get  messy . You lose control of the creative direction, it’s hard to attract the right kind of client, and suddenly you’re shooting something that doesn’t even align with the work you actually want to be known for. In this episode, we’re t...

You’ve been doing the thing: showing up, marketing, documenting, staying visible... and it’s finally working! Engagement is up, DMs are rolling in, and you’re even getting inquiries. But then you open one and think… “Ugh. This brand sounds  so boring. ” In this episode, we’re diving into what to do when you get an inquiry from a brand that doesn’t seem exciting to photograph and how to refram...

You know those “what’s in my bag” peeks we all love? Same. I’m endlessly curious about how different photographers get similar results with totally different setups. And while I’m  not  a gearhead, I’ve learned what’s worth investing in for ease, speed, and consistency... without pretending you need every single shiny thing. In this episode, I’m walking through my current brand-session k...

It’s busy season. Your camera is glued to your hand, your editing queue is packed, and marketing? Yeah, that’s probably collecting dust. But here’s the thing—what you post today is what fills your calendar tomorrow. If you tend to see a slowdown in bookings come December or January, it’s probably because your marketing fell off the map in September and October. It happens every year. But this time...

Doors to Rebrand close TONIGHT and I'm breaking down all the systems inside the program to make sure you don't slip through the cracks, plus the mindset shift you need to make to get results inside a new program every single time. Join Rebrand: https://maddiepeschong.com/rebrand

So many brand photographers struggle with what to post on Instagram. Some go completely quiet because they feel stuck, while others show up daily but still aren’t booking clients. The truth? It’s not just about consistency. It’s about posting the right kind of content that actually converts. In this episode of Take It Personally, I’m sharing the five types of content that booked-out brand photogra...

I will never stop sharing my love for social media. Why? Because it’s one of the most powerful tools we have as business owners. And yet, so many photographers I work with are afraid of it. They worry about being vulnerable, about what showing up online says about them, and as a result, they hold back. But here’s the truth: these limiting beliefs are keeping you from booking clients on Instagram....

You’ve been told you need to show up consistently on Instagram...so you do. But instead of clients rolling in, you’re left wondering if posting is even worth it. Maybe your consistency hasn’t paid off, or maybe you’ve been ghosting your account altogether. Either way, if Instagram isn’t bringing in new bookings, it’s not about the app. It’s about your content strategy. In this episode of Take It P...

As photographers, it can feel natural to use Instagram as a portfolio—posting your most recent work with simple captions like “Loved this session!” or “Isn’t she gorgeous?” But if you’ve been doing that consistently and wondering why you’re not booking clients, there’s a reason: Instagram isn’t meant to be your portfolio. In this episode of Take It Personally, I'm sharing why using Instagram only...

If your Instagram feed is filled with nothing but sneak peeks and “look how gorgeous this session was” captions, we need to talk. Instagram is not your portfolio; it’s the experience of your brand. When you treat it like a dusty portfolio, you run out of content quickly and blend in with every other photographer. But when you start treating it like an experience, one great brand session can fuel y...

Ever found yourself slammed with client work and thinking, “I don’t need to post to Instagram right now—I’m booked!” …only to be staring at an empty inbox a few months later wondering where everyone went? Yep. I’ve been there. This is what I call the vicious visibility cycle , and it’s time to break it. In this episode, we’re diving into: Why your fully booked season now could mean crickets later...

You want to charge four figures for brand photography, whether that’s $1,000 or $5,000. But deep down, if you’re still crossing your fingers that your clients are happy with their photos or treating every session like a guessing game, it’s going to be hard to raise your prices with confidence. In this episode of Take It Personally, we’re talking about the one mistake that might be holding you back...

Lighting can feel so intimidating—especially if you’re used to relying only on natural light. I used to be that photographer who prayed for big windows and white walls and sweated at the thought of using flash. But once I started actually practicing with artificial light, it completely changed my confidence behind the camera. In this episode, I’m sharing the lighting setups I use most often during...

Ever wonder what the client experience  actually  looks like inside a premium brand photography business? In this episode, I'm walking you through the exact workflow I use with every single client—from initial inquiry to gallery delivery and beyond. You’ll hear about the systems, templates, automations, and even the personal touches that make a huge difference. If managing your clients f...

If you've ever avoided setting up automations in your business because you're scared something will break, sound robotic, or feel impersonal, this episode of Take It Personally is for you. In this episode, I’m sharing a little tough love and a whole lot of encouragement for those of you who are automation-curious but stuck in perfectionism. I’ll walk you through real-life examples from my own bran...

Feeling like your brand photography biz runs  you  during busy seasons (and disappears during slow ones)? This episode is your permission slip to take a break,  without  your business falling apart. I'm breaking down the three essential workflows every brand photographer should have in place to run a streamlined, premium-feeling business that keeps booking even when you're off...

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know I don’t shut up about the power of systems, mostly because of Colie and the backend magic she helped me set up in my brand photography business a few years ago. In this episode, we’re diving into how to build a luxury brand photography business that basically runs itself. We’re talking about proposals that do the selling for you, onboarding workflow...

We are in the heat of summer right now, and if you’re anything like me, you don’t really want to spend your summer working. But you  do  want your business to keep running—and more importantly, to keep making money—while you’re taking time off. That’s where systems and automations come in. And today, I’m kicking off a short summer series on the podcast to help you simplify the backend of...