Photo Fuel | Family Photography Education

In this week’s episode of Photo Fuel, I sit down with Annemie Tonken—photographer, educator, and host of the This Can’t Be That Hard podcast—for a thoughtful, no-fluff conversation about what it really takes to run a sustainable photography business in a changing world.

This conversation goes beyond productivity hacks or pricing formulas, because while all those logistics are so important, they are secondary to the heart and brains...

We’re now over 50 episodes into the Photo Fuel Podcast, and I’m coming to you from the messy middle with some real talk. In this episode, I’m sharing a big update on the future of the podcast and why I’m choosing to step back from weekly episodes—for now.

If you’ve been tuning in regularly, you know I’m all about sustainable business practices and aligning your creative work with your actual life. In this episode, I take you behind...

One of the biggest questions that comes up for clients when preparing for their session is "what do I wear?" As the photographer, it's good service to help them with that!  But that doesn't mean you have to become a full-on stylist, stock a client closet, or put them in a cookie cutter formula of "what looks good." Of course, full styling is an option that serves some photographers and clients very well! It's all about your goals a...

Extended family sessions can feel like a whole different ballgame compared to standard family shoots—more people, more potential, and more opinions! In this episode, I’m sharing why I actually love extended family sessions and how you can approach them with confidence and creativity.

We’ll cover:

• Why photographing at home makes a difference and how to make it work

• My philosophy on pricing extended family sessions

• Balancin...

Creating a standout brand and an unforgettable client experience is key to building a thriving photography business, and Christine has mastered both. In this episode, she shares how her bold, playful branding attracts her dream clients and how she ensures stress-free, enjoyable sessions through thoughtful preparation and communication.

From detailed prep guides to surprise gifts and heartfelt follow-ups, Christine’s client experien...

🎉 Happy One-Year Anniversary to Photo Fuel! 🎉

This week marks a full year since I launched this podcast, and I want to celebrate with a special Q&A episode! I asked my email list to send in their biggest questions—about photography, business, motherhood, and more—and wow, you guys delivered.

In this candid, coffee-chat-style episode, I’m answering: 📸 How to handle tricky toddlers in family sessions 🎤 Behind the scenes of th...

Around Black Friday last year, I made a big decision to switch my CRM from Sprout Studio to HoneyBook—a huge move after nearly five years with the same CRM. One of my big goals for Q1 was managing this migration myself, and in this episode, I’m sharing how it’s going so far. 

I’ll walk you through: ✨ Why I decided to make the switch (and why this isn’t a Sprout Studio takedown!!!) ✨ My top three favorite things about HoneyBook as a...

The client booking call—also known as a discovery call or inquiry call—is one of the most debated steps in the photography client experience. Some photographers swear by it as a way to increase bookings and build trust, while others feel it creates unnecessary barriers. So, do you really need to require a phone call before a client books?

In this episode, we’re breaking down: - The pros of booking calls, including stronger client ...

Your client experience is more than just delivering a beautiful gallery—it’s the foundation of a thriving, relationship-driven photography business. In this episode, we break down the four key stages of client experience: Attracting, Nurturing, Serving, and Continued Connection.

A solid client experience isn't necessarily about extreme high touch details or expensive gifts (it can be, but it doesn't have to - nor do those always ...

What happens when you have to rebuild your photography business in a brand-new location? How do you create an intentional client experience that blends your own skills and capacity with your market needs?

In this episode, guest Natasha Sewell helps us explore the challenges and strategies of moving a photography business while maintaining (and improving) your client experience. Pivots can be scary and hard, but Natasha shares fi...

In this episode, I'm tackling a controversial topic: shooting for free.

When is it worth it, and how can it benefit your growth as a family photographer?

I’ll share three instances where free shoots are a great move, plus, I’ll offer tips for handling free sessions with professionalism, creativity, and control (despite the free price tag).

Whether you're just starting out or years into your photography career, this episode will ins...

This week, I'm addressing a question from the Photo Fuel Facebook group about pricing around the common concern -  how do I “convey the value.” 

In this episode, we'll address how to structure a package so it feels good in your gut and your wallet, what to include in it and what to leave behind. I’m going to give you 3 main points to consider when thinking about your package structure and setting your pricing, no matter where you...

In this episode, we’re diving back into my pricing journey and picking up where we left off in Part I. Over the past decade, I’ve experimented with session structures (IPS, virtual, print credits, collections - you name it), along with team fluctuation, revised brand vision, and big mindset shifts. From beginning to scale a team, to navigating 2020, to restructuring again - and navigating having three babies through all of it - I h...

Here it is - THE PRICING TALK. Since I believe storytelling is one of the best avenues of learning, I'm broaching this with simply my experience - which, let's be honest, after 10+ years in business I've seen and tried just about everything. I'm talking —$50 sessions with CDs in plastic sleeves, IPS out of my tiny starter Hawaii apartment, every combination of session fee + collection model imaginable, and eventually moving to an a...

In this episode, I'm kicking off a series on pricing and workflow with a short and sweet entry point around setting your mindset for this kind of work. Pricing tends to bring up a lot of fear and questioning and imposter syndrome and I believe this one question - why not? - is the key to getting out of your own way and staying dedicated to curiosity, trial and error, and building the business you're excited to run. 

// LINKS MENT...

Happy new year and welcome to Q1 where it’s known in the family photography world as kindof a dead zone for bookings and shoots. For wedding photographers, this it usually the start of a busy season of bookings, but in our world I’ve noticed that no matter how I slice it, things tend to slow way down.

If you’ve listened to the last few episodes, you’ve probably noticed it’s been heavy on the reflections and questions so I though...

Wait, this is a family photography podcast - why are you talking about journaling?

Writing and photography are so intertwined - they are both practices centered around noticing. I think the best thing you can do to become more tuned-in and capable of noticing is to record and reflect, so whether that’s with a camera or a pencil, the goal is the same.

Presence, depth, understanding, processing. 

The purpose of journaling it to buil...

As you’re taking some time over the next month to think big and set goals and get down to business on your business, I want propose a temporary pause to think past your gut reactions about what you “need” to do and how you’re going to “get back on the horse.” 

Not every question is going to pull a thread for you, but the right questions just might lead you down a path of discovery that you’ve been waiting for. These 3 questions...

As we're approaching the end of the year, maybe you're looking for a good book to kick back within the new year. So today I'm sharing 5 of the most influential books that have shaped my business, art, and life. Most of them are not even classified as "business books," but somehow, they top the list of books that have shaped the way I do business, how I think, and how I aspire to grow as a person. All of those things influence how I...