Welcome to a super informative episode of The Profitable Photographer with Luci Dumas! This week, I’m joined by longtime friends, industry icons, and master photographers Bert and Cindy Behnke — and oh, what a fun and insightful conversation we had!
Bert and Cindy ran a 68-year-old, three-generation portrait business in the Chicago suburbs until they passed the torch in 2024. Specializing in fine portraiture and corporate work (with a big love for photographing families and women!), they’ve impacted countless lives — not just through their lens, but through their warmth, wisdom, and connection.
Now they’re jet-setting across the globe, leading international photo workshops in dreamy destinations like Italy, Scotland, Ireland, Mexico, and Croatia. And you can join them!
In this episode, we dive into:
The power of connection and relationship-building in portrait photography
Why making clients feel seen, heard, and truly cared for is at the core of a thriving business
How asking the right questions unlocks emotional impact and deeper client engagement
A reminder that craftsmanship matters — solid skills + solid relationships = magic
And so much more!
There is so much value in listening to photographers with decades of success. And this episode is a big, beautiful reminder that our greatest success comes when people know, like, and trust us. I know you are going to feel this way about Bert and Cindy
Thanks for tuning in, beautiful humans! Your support means the world to me. Until next time, sending you a big heart full of love — and as always, keep doing what you love, loving what you do, and making this world a better place one portrait at a time.
With gratitude, Luci Dumas
Connect with Photography Business Coach Luci Dumas:
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I loved this conversation with Ethan Herrold because he is such a great example of what can happen when you finally stop trying to photograph everything and decide to become known for one thing.
Ethan founded Colorado Maternity Photography in 2019 after years of photographing landscapes, commercial work, and editorial images. Today, he specializes in fine art maternity photography in Denver—and has built a premium business around it.
In our conversation, we talk about:
Why niching down can actually mean more opportunities—and more money
How Ethan uses the built-in urgency of pregnancy to sell premium photography
Why your ideal clients need to fall in love with your work before they worry about price
How he handles being a male photographer in a mostly female industry
The simple change to his inquiry form that increased his booking conversion by 20%
I especially loved talking about the idea that choosing a niche doesn’t mean giving up everything else you love. Sometimes it’s simply about deciding what you want to be known for.
If you’ve been trying to figure out your specialty—or wondering if specializing could help you build a more profitable photography business—I think Ethan’s story will give you a lot to think about.
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 solo podcast episode is about partnering with other businesses and non-profits to draw amazing photography clients to us, by creating alliances. I share a photography “thank you gift” program that benefits the other business that has a similar perfect client base, and brings them right to your door. Woo hoo!
The number one question I hear over and over, from new photographers and those in the business for many years, is how to attract ideal clients… people that will love what we do, be wonderful to work with, and “show us the M O N E Y”…ie…happily invest well in what we offer. Where the heck are these people? Well, they are shopping, enjoying services like spa treatments, dining at gourmet restaurants, buying homes, traveling, having their pets groomed, planning events, and such.
I go over the steps in this photography marketing strategy to determine -what businesses might share your ideal client base -what to offer the business as a thank you gift to their best patrons -the importance of presentation -and details to help this be a big win for everyone
So many of my super smart guests have talked about the power of Direct Response Marketing and this is one example of how to create this type of program that really works. Don’t miss it!
Wishing you continued success, Luci
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.
In this episode of The Profitable Photographer, I reconnect with master photographer and educator Courtney Ranck-Copher to explore why so many photographers resist selling wall art and how to move through that fear.
Courtney shares her journey from acting and the military into photography and education, and how stepping into teaching has pushed her outside her comfort zone. Together, we unpack the biggest roadblocks to wall art sales—intimidation, not knowing what products to offer, confusion around pricing, lack of a sales system, and deep-seated self-doubt—and contrast them with the emotional, financial, and marketing benefits of having printed artwork in clients’ homes.
Courtney also introduces her Art of AI Fusion concept, where AI-generated interiors are built around real product photos to help clients visualize wall art in their own spaces, and we talk about how understanding a bit of interior design can give photographers more confidence and authority when designing and selling custom wall portraits.
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.
One of my favorite things about hosting this podcast is meeting photographers who remind me why I fell in love with portrait photography in the first place. My conversation with William Laurence Bell did exactly that. William has such a heart for serving people through his art, and I know you’ll be inspired by the way he creates portraits that help people see themselves with greater confidence, purpose, and dignity.
About My Guest
William Laurence Bell is a portrait artist, educator, and speaker based in Memphis. He creates museum-quality commissioned portraits that blend fine art with identity and storytelling, helping people see themselves in a whole new light. William is a member of the Camera Craftsmen of America (which is a big big deal!) and the creator of the Mirror Method, where he teaches photographers how to create deeper client connections while building a more profitable business.
In This Episode We Talk About:
Why serving people first creates both meaningful portraits and a thriving business.
How building deeper relationships with clients leads to more profitable photography.
The power of helping people see themselves with greater confidence and purpose.
Finding the deeper “why” behind your photography and bringing more heart into your work.
One of my biggest takeaways from this conversation is that the more we truly connect with the people we photograph, the more meaningful our work becomes—and, interestingly enough, the more successful our businesses often become. Whether you photograph families, seniors, weddings, business owners, or even fine art, I hope this episode encourages you to dig a little deeper into why you do what you do and to let that purpose shine through every client experience.
Thanks so much for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, I’d be so grateful if you’d subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your photographer friends.
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.
