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, and photography educator with over 25 years of experience. She’s a PPA Master Craftsman and longtime WPPI print judge who reinvented her career into a wildly successful pet photography business built around joy, simplicity, and dogs.
In this episode, we talk about pivoting your career, building a profitable business model, and designing a photography life that actually feels good.
We cover:
How Jen built a pet photography brand in NYC
Reinventing yourself at any stage of your career
Pricing, value, and knowing your numbers
Photographing dogs in a way that captures feeling
Part inspiration, part business strategy, and a whole lot of dog love. Perfect if you’re craving a fresh direction in your photography.
Connect with Photography Business Coach Luci Dumas:
New episodes drop every week — make sure to subscribe so you never miss an inspiring guest or a powerful solo episode designed to help you grow your photography business.
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 small and start leaning into her real personality. We talk about what it actually means to be “sassy” (hint: it’s confidence, not attitude), why women are often told to tone it down, and how that mindset shows up in our branding.
It’s a mix of laughs, real talk, and practical ideas you can use right away.
In this episode, we cover:
How to uncover your true brand words (and ditch the generic ones)
Using vision boards and identity mapping to clarify your message
Why Google reviews might be your most powerful marketing tool
If you’ve ever felt like you needed to shrink, soften, or filter yourself to fit in, this episode is your reminder that your personality is the brand — and that’s exactly what the right clients are looking for.
New episodes drop every week — make sure to subscribe so you never miss an inspiring guest or a powerful solo episode designed to help you grow your photography business.
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 psychology expert, and former photographer who’s spent over 20 years helping creative entrepreneurs understand how color shapes emotion, connection, and the way people experience their brands. She’s brilliant, grounded, and brings so much heart to everything she teaches.
You are going to learn about…
• How color psychology influences trust and buying decisions
• Why photographers shouldn’t play it safe with their brand
• Finding a visual style that feels like you
• Thoughts about Pantone’s color of the year and why is controversial and a disappointment
Nic is also the host of the Joy First Podcast, where she shares conversations about purpose, creativity, and building a life and business that actually feel good.
New episodes drop every week — make sure to subscribe so you never miss an inspiring guest or a powerful solo episode designed to help you grow your photography business.
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 amazing career by pairing beautiful work with a strong mindset and wellness practices. She is one of those people who brings a calm, steady energy into every room — and every wedding day.
Alicia is a California-based wedding photographer whose work has been featured in California Wedding Day and Vogue. She was also named Northern California’s Best Wedding Photographer by California Wedding Day Magazine, and she just landed her very first magazine cover, which hits Barnes & Noble this spring (and yes, she still blushes when she says it out loud).
She’s also a certified yoga instructor, which shows up in the way she approaches both life and photography.
She shares a six simple habits she swears by on the wedding day to show up relaxed and ready, including showing up early — give yourself time to decompress, hydrating all day, and a stretching routine after the event
In this episode, we go deep into: • How Alicia stays calm and focused during long, intense wedding days • Why mindset and body care matter just as much as gear and technique • How yoga and mindfulness have changed the way she shows up for clients • Simple ways to help your couples feel relaxed and supported
If you shoot weddings or portraits or any other type of photography that takes energy and focus, I.E. want a career that feels good as well as successful, I think you’re going to love this conversation.
New episodes drop every week — make sure to subscribe so you never miss an inspiring guest or a powerful solo episode designed to help you grow your photography business.
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 your business model should guide your pricing strategy, and how to talk about money with more confidence and ease.
I walk through how I personally handle pricing on the phone and by email, why I don’t list my prices publicly, and how I invite clients into an experience instead of a simple transaction. I also share a simple way to think about pricing based on your income goals and the kind of clients you want to serve.
Along the way, I share a favorite analogy, a mindset shift around value, and why stretching a client’s budget — when done thoughtfully and with integrity — can actually help them love what they purchase even more.
Listen for:
Why answering pricing questions too early can lose great clients
When it does (and doesn’t) make sense to put pricing on your website
A simple script for confident, comfortable pricing conversations
How to think about pricing based on your goals and business model
If pricing feels confusing or uncomfortable, I hope this episode helps you see there’s no single “right” answer — just the right strategy for your business.
And remember: people don’t just buy photography. They buy the experience, the relationship, and how it makes them feel.
Connect with Photography Business Coach Luci Dumas:
New episodes drop every week — make sure to subscribe so you never miss an inspiring guest or a powerful solo episode designed to help you grow your photography business.
A big, exciting and maybe a little scary dream to have a successful, profitable and creative photography business doing exactly what you love for wonderful, grateful clients? Or do you want to bring your business to the next level of fun and profit.? If so, then this Podcast is for you.
For over 36 years, I have made a great living as portrait and wedding business, Luci Dumas Fine Photography, with no other source of income. No rich husband or lottery winnings, through the ups and downs of the industry and economy.
Now as a business coach with Insight Training for Photographers, I love love love to support photographers who want to do the same. This podcast is full of practical business info, and insights gained from my years in business, plus interviews with amazing people. My desire is to help you along on your joyful journey to success, however that looks to you.
