The Loud Lens: Photography's Middle Finger

* I say pepper spray. I mean the gas used. Most people assume its pepper. Thats illegal in the UK. Photographing protests is one of the most powerful things a photographer can do — and one of the most dangerous. From the viral moment of a photographer throwing his Leica to another person as he was being kneeled on by police in the US, to increasing censorship, legal intimidation, and hostility tow...

What happens when photographers get too comfortable online? In this episode of The Loud Lens , Khandie dives into the most unhinged, out-of-pocket, and jaw-dropping confessions photographers openly admit in Facebook groups, comment sections, and behind-the-scenes industry spaces. From leaving weddings early. To turning up hungover… To openly admitting they hate their clients… Yes — photographers a...

Photographers love to say Facebook is dead. It isn’t. They’re just using it like Instagram — and that’s the problem. In this episode of The Loud Lens , photographer, author, and industry speaker Khandie Rees explains how Facebook actually works for photographers, why it’s one of the strongest trust-building platforms available, and how it quietly converts clients when used correctly. This episode...

Evoto’s AI headshot feature sparked intense backlash — not just because of AI, but because of how trust, transparency, and communication were handled. In this episode of The Loud Lens , Khandie examines publicly visible product features, marketing language, and industry reaction to unpack why photographers felt blindsided — and what this moment reveals about the fragile relationship between tech p...

Why Instagram Isn’t Working for Your Photography Business (And It’s Not the Algorithm) Instagram isn’t dead — but the way most photographers use it absolutely is. In this episode of The Loud Lens , photographer, author, and industry speaker Khandie Rees breaks down the biggest social media pitfalls photographers fall into on Instagram — from follow-for-follow and engagement pods to chasing viral r...

Photography courses and mentors are everywhere right now from Instagram ads and free webinars to high-ticket masterminds and group coaching programmes. In this episode of The Loud Lens , photographer and mentor Khandie Rees takes a calm, honest look at the rise of photography education and what photographers should actually check before spending their money. This isn’t an anti-course episode but a...

This is allegedly as the issue is ongoing and is my opinions. A US photographer as been issued a cease and desist by Amy Louise Taylor of Amyl and the Sniffers over the alleged exploitation of her image — and photographers everywhere should be paying attention. In this episode of The Loud Lens , Khandie Rees breaks down the lawsuit without hype, without misinformation, and without legal myths . We...

Every January, photographers swear this will be the year everything changes: more bookings, better clients, more money, less burnout. And every year… most of them end up exactly where they started. In this episode of The Loud Lens , Khandie Rees delivers a brutally honest New Year reality check for photographers who are tired of spinning their wheels. This isn’t a motivational pep talk. It’s a dee...

Clients don’t just ask for photos — sometimes they ask for tax fraud, fake invoices, unpaid labour, and “just one more thing” until the job triples .\n\nIn this episode of The Loud Lens , Khandie reads real, anonymised submissions from photographers who’ve been put in wildly uncomfortable positions by clients — from being asked to take work off the books, to cash “discounts”, to turning up for one...

Are you tired of shelling out cash for “business events” that feel more like cult meetings than actual marketing? In this brutally honest episode of The Loud Lens , Khandie tears into the world of networking breakfasts, empowerment brunches, “boss babe summits,” and overpriced marketing retreats — exposing exactly why so many photographers walk away inspired… but still broke. You’ll learn: How to...

A recent Vanity Fair photoshoot of the Trump administration sparked backlash — not for policy, but for appearance . In this episode of The Loud Lens , photographer and author Khandie Rees digs into the ethics of realism in photography, misogyny disguised as critique, and why audiences are deeply uncomfortable with unfiltered imagery. Is it wrong to show people as they actually appear? Or are we so...

One year. Dozens of rants. Millions of opinions. And somehow The Loud Lens became one of Spotify’s top-shared and most-talked-about shows of 2025. In this anniversary special, I break down what actually happened this year: the wins, the setbacks, the trolls, the breakthroughs — and why I’m only just getting started.

Photographers! the 2025 UK Budget is about to f*ck with your profits. Hard. If you drive to shoots, run a studio, rely on freelance income or price your work like it’s still 2022, you need this episode. We break down how frozen tax thresholds, rising petrol and travel costs, overhead inflation, business-rates changes, and pension restrictions will hit creative businesses. More importantly: you’ll...

Gear Acquisition Syndrome — GAS — is ruining photographers. Not because gear is bad, but because we’re being sold the lie that the next camera, lens, or shiny upgrade will magically fix our work, our confidence, or our careers. Spoiler: it won’t. In this brutally honest Loud Lens episode, Khandie Rees gets real about the psychology, marketing manipulation, and industry bullshit driving photographe...

Struggling with bookings? This episode dives into how photographers can use December to boost visibility, prep their marketing, refresh their portfolio, and build strong client pipelines for January. Practical, blunt, and packed with actionable steps.

Everyone’s banging on about “elevating the client experience,” but let’s be honest — most of you don’t actually know what that means. It’s not props, coffee bars, or buzzwords. It’s clarity, communication, and giving a damn from first message to final gallery. In this episode, Khandie rips the fluff off the phrase and breaks down how to actually give your clients a professional experience worth pa...

What happens when you get sick and you’re self-employed? In this brutally honest episode, Khandie Rees breaks down how photographers can protect themselves from financial and reputational disaster when illness strikes. From contract clauses and client communication to backup plans and insurance — this is the unsexy but essential stuff that keeps your business alive. 🎙 Listen now on The Loud Lens —...

Most clients don’t know the bloody difference between a good photo and a strategic photo . And honestly? A lot of photographers don’t either. In this brutally honest episode of The Loud Lens , Khandie Rees tears into one of the biggest creative industry blind spots: why “pretty” doesn’t always perform . From influencers chasing aesthetics that don’t sell, to business clients who want Vogue when th...

Everyone’s crying that bookings are slow, but few are actually doing the one thing that gets clients — pitching. In this episode, Khandie dives into the real talk behind pitching your photography to businesses — from understanding what brands actually want, to writing an email that doesn’t sound desperate, to why sitting around waiting for “discovery” is the fastest way to go broke. Whether you’re...

Every photographer and their bloody ring light is selling Christmas Minis right now — but are you actually making money, or just burning out for mince pie money? In this episode, Khandie rips open the truth about mini sessions: how to market them properly, why most photographers get them wrong, and how to make real profit without wrecking your sanity. She dives into pricing, burnout, scarcity mark...

Struggling to get clients? Feel like your photography business is invisible? In this episode, I’m breaking down EXACTLY how I’d market my photography business right now if I was flat broke, had no clients, and no budget — just pure hustle and strategy. This is a real, blunt, no fluff 7-day plan that actually works in 2025 — especially if you’re a UK-based photographer trying to build your name loc...

Congratulations! You’ve been selected as one of the Top 50 Visionary Creative Innovators of 2025! …Just send us £250 and we’ll email your certificate. Yeah. We’re going there. In this episode of The Loud Lens , I’m calling out the bullshit behind pay-to-play photography awards, the fake prestige machine, and the obsession with being “award-winning.” Let’s talk about the money, the ego, and the mar...

It’s been one year since I wrote Take The F*cking Lens Cap Off * . The book that pissed some people off, empowered others, and reminded me exactly who the hell I am. In this honest anniversary episode, I’m unpacking why I wrote it, what it cost me, and why I’m still not going anywhere . This is my love letter to the loud, the defiant, and every creative who’s ever been told to stay small. We’re ta...

Specially requested episode from The Loud Lens facebook group . How do you market your photography business when you have no money and very few clients. So after some thought and planning, here is a 7 day plan that might help. I hope it does. I dont have all the answers but this HAS worked for me before. Feel free to request any episodes yourself and let me see if you impliment any of the tips! #p...

I only went and got myself another swanky guest! This time it is Matt Curtis who is an award winning photographer and big deal at The BIPP who is massive believer in heirloom photography work over the dispoable imagery the algorithm seems to thrive on. Have prints had their day or should we push them more? Find out more about Matt here: www.mattcurtisphotography.com www.facebook.com/mattcurtisphot...