Sometimes it's just a pleasure to sit back and listen. This is one of those moments - for me, certainly, but hopefully for you too. I had the pleasure of sitting and chatting with two icons of the industry - Sean Conboy and the inimatable non

EP151 What Does It Take?

14 days ago 47m 6s

So what does it take to be successful (at least as a portrait photographer?) In this episode I muse on the key building blocks that every successful photographer I've encountered seems to exhibit, at least to varying degrees!This episode also

EP150 Sign Your Work | Your Signature Is Your Certificate Of Quality

Apr 3rd, 2024 23m 30s

Ever wondered why you should sign your work? Well, in this, our 150th episode, we have chat about it.But before that, a quick catchup with Charlie Kaufman of Click Group at The Photography Show - head to https://www.clickliveexpo.co.uk/ to se

EP149 Your First Strobe | Use What You Love, Love What You Use

Mar 24th, 2024 25m 31s

In this episode, I get to very briefly chat with Louis Wahl, CEO of WEX Photo Video. Turns out he is a really nice guy (and with luck, I'll get to chat to him in a full-length interview at some point in the future.) It's the great thing about t

EP148 Clarity Is King | Don't Confuse Your Clients With Woolly Wording!

Mar 19th, 2024 47m 19s

Well, I'm back on the road with a microphone - but this time in my wife's nippy little Peugeot! There are so many aspects of customer service but one of them is how you explain what you're going to deliver and how you're going to do it and,

EP147 Image Competitions: The Only Way To Fail Is To Fail To Enter

Feb 23rd, 2024 26m 55s

Yay! Other than a crappy cold, a very good week. Won a Gold Bar with the Guild Of Photographers a couple of days ago which got me to thinking about competitions: why we do them, how to do them and the fear of failure (when in fact, the only fa

EP146 The Art Of Contentment

Feb 13th, 2024 22m

Suddenly it washed over me - that odd euphoric sensation of contentment. No idea what triggers it, but it's well worth holding onto! Also in this episode, a quick review of ACDSee 10 (the Mac version). If you'd like to try it yourself, pleas

EP145 Yvonne's Law | Shooting For Dough vs. Shooting For Show

Feb 9th, 2024 28m 58s

Mastering Portrait Photography Podcast: Land Rover EditionThis is one of our "Land Rover Editions" which is to say, slightly noisy. I'm on my way to and from the Hearing Dogs for a shoot, which is always lovely. Various topics, but mostly "Y

EP144 Your Words May Trigger A Thousand Pictures

Jan 29th, 2024 22m 40s

I am recording this having just spent the day running one of our workshops with some of the nicest people imaginable. A top day (though I am now shattered!) at the end of a top month (January has been amazing) and who knows? Maybe it's the st

EP143 It's Up To You To Walk The Energy Into The Room

Jan 22nd, 2024 13m 31s

Well we're back from The Societies Convention in London and it's been a blast (though I am a little weary!)However, no matter how tired I am, I am going to have to find the energy for my clients - just as we all need to. And that is the topic

EP142 Building Your Business One Client At A Time

Jan 15th, 2024 26m 51s

Hi all! I am sitting writing this late on a Sunday evening with a glass of whisky in one hand (a small glass I hasten to add) and typing with the other. It's already a business year and we're only a week or two in!In this episode, I have been

EP141 New Year, New Adventures | Our Thoughts On The Year Ahead

Jan 8th, 2024 45m 18s

So we're kicking off 2024 with a slightly random podcast from the cab of my Land Rover (thank you Craig from New Zealand for telling me he quite likes the rawness - pretty much gave me permission to once again strap on my Madonna-esque headset

EP140 Perfection Is A Luxury You (And Your Clients) Can Ill Afford

Nov 21st, 2023 26m 13s

At this time of year, more than any other, I find myself chasing my tail to complete everything I need to get done before the seasonal deadlines (otherwise our clients will be disappointed!) Of course, I want everything I do to be perfect but,

EP139 The Judging Is Done (And So What Have I Learned?)

Oct 2nd, 2023 48m 54s

The judging for the BIPP 2023/2024 International Print Awards is done and dusted and there some simply stunning images have been on the lightbox.The results come out later in the year, but I thought I'd muse on some of the things I learned alo

EP138 Interview With Toastmaster Simon Shirley | Simple Steps For A Successful Client Business

Aug 20th, 2023 38m 20s

In this interview with an old friend of ours, Simon Shirley, Toastmaster extraordinaire, we end up chatting about some of the simple things that make for a successful client-facing business for responding quickly, to getting a crowd onside (eve

EP137 Habit Hackers: Supercharging Your Studio with Good Habits

Jul 3rd, 2023 25m 5s

Pick up any book on business in your local bookstore, and it will almost certainly talk about processes. Yawn. But what if we thought about processes as good habits? The things you do every day that you don't need to think about.As a business

EP136 Interview With Margaret And Peter Aldington OBE | On Creativity And Relationships

May 30th, 2023 53m 20s

Peter Aldington OBE, world-renowned architect and garden designer, with his wife Margaret - whose energy and partnership have been as fundamental to his success as any other creative's, though she professes to not being a designer of any kind.

EP135 Winning (Or Not) And Finding Positives - Whatever The Outcome

Mar 18th, 2023 24m 38s

Well, this weekend has two big events: Mother's Day and the Societies Of Photographers Annual Convention In London. Sadly I wasn't able to make the Convention this year - though I was there in spirit! That didn't stop me entering the print c

EP134 The Power Of Thank You!

Feb 27th, 2023 27m 57s

Photographers are supremely visual, right? Of course. But have you ever wondered about the power of words? Two words, in particular, can have a bigger impact than any image ever can (and I am speaking as someone whose entire life is living a

EP133 Dealing With The Year Ahead With Joy And Positivity!

Jan 15th, 2023 34m 37s

So it's 2023 already! What happened to 2022? This episode says a big thank you for 2022 and kicks off the year ahead with some thoughts on how to deal with so much negativity in the years and the media. We're hitting it all with positivity,

EP132 Interview With Michele Jennings, Former CEO Hearing Dogs UK

Dec 21st, 2022 1h 18m

We are a lucky business. OK, I know you make your own luck to a greater or lesser degree, but we really are a lucky business. Every day I work with people I love - from our team in the studio to our clients across the UK and further afield.

EP131 National Print Competition | Notes From The Judging

Nov 11th, 2022 49m 21s

A couple of weeks ago, we judged the British Institute Of Professional Photographers (BIPP) 2022 national print competition.I have always loved being a judge and now, in my role as Chair Of Qualifications And Awards for the BIPP, I couldn't be

EP130 Invest In Things That Benefit Your Client

Oct 28th, 2022 39m 32s

I recorded this podcast at 7am while sat in the studio, waiting for a new TV to be delivered. Luckily it actually arrived when they said it would! The TV is for our Client Reveal Room as we want our customers to have the best possible experie

EP129 - What Is Your Inner Energy Source?

Oct 9th, 2022 23m 46s

At the end of a long week, the exhaustion can creep up on you. Fatigue is not an unusual feeling for a professional photographer. But finding your source of energy, whether it's your work, your clients, your colleagues or just some time out w

EP128 Stay Positive: That ’No’ Might Just Be A ’Yes’ For A Later Date

Sep 30th, 2022 28m

I have honestly grown to love the sales process - from pitch to payment, it is something I never thought I'd get my head around but have surprised myself.One key aspect is understanding that a 'no' may not be all it seems. In this episode, Sa