In this episode, I have an awesome chat with the super-talented Pete Coco, a successful headshot and portrait photographer. We dive into the nitty-gritty of starting your photography business, and yeah, it can be overwhelming. But Pete’s advice? Don’t worry—just start!
Pete specializes in headshots and portraits and is based in Garden City, New York, providing high-quality photography services to individuals from various industries, including business professionals, realtors, lawyers, doctors, actors, and models.
He also is a mentor and has a YouTube channel with 30,000 subscribers, where he talks about photography, gear reviews, and all sorts of things.
Pete shares so much valuable wisdom, including:
• The importance of finding a mentor who truly understands your vision.
• Staying passionate about the type of photography you want to do every day and creating work you love and want to be paid for.
• Embracing failure as a learning tool, instead of fearing it.
Pete also introduced us to his “CoCo Trio”—the perfect blend of work, business, and mindset. Mastering all three is essential for success. Plus, he drops some book recommendations like The Motivation Manifesto by Brendon Burchard, Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, and the Tao Te Ching for extra inspiration.
His final gem? It’s never too late to start, and your photography doesn’t have to be the best in the world—it just needs to get started. You can catch Pete live at the Imaging Expo in Texas through Professional Photographers of America.
Bonus: Download any of Pete’s free videos, and he’ll share five of his all-time favorite portrait tips!
Hey lovely listeners! I am delighted to share my conversation with the fabulous Tanya Goodall Smith.
She has been on the show two other times and this time, she has a wonderful new book we are going to chat about, “The Introvert’s Guide To Personal Branding: How To Put Yourself Out There Without Changing Who You Are”. It is a great read and wow, did it open my eyes to the power of introverts in the photography world!
It also goes deep into the topic of personal branding, which is a great tool to be seen and known without having to do what the extroverts do to get positive attention
You can trust her guidance as the founder of WorkStory Creative, an agency that helps introverts who are evolving their business create an elevated brand vision and bring it to life. She has 20 years of experience at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, designing for with international brands like HP, Disney and GUESS. And is a Brand Builder’s Group Certified Personal Branding Strategist.
Key takeaways from our conversation:
• Introverts as Superstars: How introverted tendencies can be turned into advantages for success.
• Famous Introverts: Even some well-known performers and photographers are introverts who’ve learned to thrive.
• Overcoming Fear: The fear of being on camera or criticized can be tamed by focusing on the value you’re bringing.
• Feel the Fear & Do It Anyway: Tanya’s mantra for introverts looking to step out of their comfort zones.
• Power of Personal Branding: How a strong brand can communicate for you when you’re not keen on the spotlight.
As always, thanks for subscribing, commenting, and sharing your thoughts.
Hey everyone, it’s me again, Luci Dumas, and in this episode of The Profitable Photographer, I had the pleasure of chatting with architectural photographer Jack Zigon. We dug into the fascinating world of architectural photography and the business side of things that makes it all work. Let me tell you, it was such an insightful conversation, it almost made me want to start a new career/ specialty.
He is a photographer based in Philadelphia who specializes in photographing architecture. One of his loves is capturing the built environment, and also has a passion for landscape and nature photography, and loves to use light and composition to create beautiful photos with that “wow” factor that makes your clients want to stop and stare.
He has had an “illustrious career” working in sales, online marketing and photography for 30 years,In a previous life, as VP of Internet Marketing, he grew Comcast Business’ online marketing division from $76 million/year to $1.6 billion annually, In other words…he is very smart and has had a lot of success before starting this new business.
Here’s what else we covered:
• Real Estate vs. Portfolio Photography: While real estate photography can bring in a steady but moderate income, Jack explained how portfolio photography for architects is where the real long-term value is.
• Marketing Strategies: Jack gave us a peek into how he markets his business using tools like LinkedIn, email newsletters, and even printed portfolios sent to hot prospects.
• How Jack Approaches a Job: It all starts with learning the story behind the building from the architect.
• Starting in Architectural Photography: Thinking about diving in? We chat about where to start and skills needed to get going successfully.
• The Gear Game: Jack also talked about what high-end equipment needed for architectural photography
• Pricing Your Services: Pricing can be tricky! Jack emphasized how essential it is to price your work correctly. Finding that sweet spot is an art in itself.
Whether you’re thinking of getting into architectural photography or just curious, this episode is packed with practical tips and advice. I hope it gets you excited to grab your camera, explore the beauty of buildings, and start experimenting.
Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe to The Profitable Photographer on YouTube and your favorite podcast platform. It is the encouragement I need to keep sharing and interviewing amazing guests.
We all have them, right? Clients that are beyond challenging, can not be pleased no matter what, and make us question ourselves. Or create sleepless nights trying to come up with just the right response to a criticism. Did we do something wrong, are we not good enough, should we change our policies?
In this episode, I explore a crucial topic that every photographer faces: how to set and keep policies that help us effectively deal with difficult clients. Inspired by the wisdom of Anna Taylor, “Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious, and you get to decide how you use them,” we’ll delve into how to navigate challenging situations while maintaining your sanity and business integrity.
The first piece of advice is to evaluate the situation and see if there is something that is our fault and search for remedies. The second is to realize that there is a very small percentage of our clients that are just plain impossible to please…or are purposely being difficult so they can get more from us than what we offer.
In this episode, we’ll cover:
Understanding Difficult Clients: Why some clients just aren’t the right match and how to recognize the red flags early on.
Real-Life Experience: I share a personal story of a challenging client who crossed boundaries, teaching me valuable lessons in protecting my work.
While most clients are wonderful, it’s the .1% who can cause headaches. Learn how to handle them without losing your cool.
Setting Boundaries: How being self-employed taught me to confidently establish and enforce boundaries in both business and personal life.
Six important steps that help avoid or resolve misunderstandings. Whether you’re just starting out or have been in the business for years, this episode will give you the tools you need to set boundaries that protect your business and your well-being. Tune in and take control of your client relationships!
Connect with Photography Business Coach Luci Dumas:
In today’s episode of The Profitable Photographer, I had the pleasure of chatting with Ruth Annan, and we had a rich and thought-provoking conversation about two very different topics: the importance of intentional diversity in our businesses and the pure joy of event photography. Ruth shares her insights on how embracing diversity can lead to richer experiences, deeper connections, and more interesting stories in both our personal and professional lives.
As a bonus, she shares how, as a business owner and a mother, she is able to rock both roles.
Here’s a glimpse of what we covered:
• Intentional Diversity: Ruth and I talk about how being intentional about diversity can transform our photography businesses, teaching methods, and overall approach to life. She encourages us to reach out and include people we might not interact with regularly, making our lives and work more vibrant and fulfilling.
• The Joy of Event Photography: We explore why corporate events can be both educational and profitable. Ruth’s successful business in corporate events, headshots, and video production showcases the potential of this niche, especially when combined with a diverse team and client base.
• Balancing Motherhood and Business: I investigate some of the challenges, solutions, and rewards while navigating life as both a businesswoman and a mother. She emphasizes that it’s okay to seek help and that integrating business responsibilities with family life can benefit everyone involved.
This episode is packed with actionable advice and inspiration for anyone looking to build a more inclusive and profitable photography business. I am honored to have had this frank conversation with a very inspiring and brilliant person.
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.
