Todays episode is for the creative photographer seeking to generate a sustainable income through creative and self fulfilling photography work. Already successful wedding and portrait photographer, Karen Alsop shares everything you need on how to build a successful fine art photography business today. She also shares some marketing gold for portrait and wedding photographers looking to build their business.

Before listening to this interview, you need to see an example of Karen's work, it'll blow you away with creativity, flawless attention to detail and pure fun. A true artist in every sense of the word, her conceptual work is amazing but difficult to describe easily so let me say…  it will transport you.

Now here's something I found totally interesting when preparing for this interview – Karen never used to think of herself as an artist – to her, artists were painters, sculptors or people who could draw… not photographers. It has taken her more than 20 years to realise she was in fact an artist herself.

Here’s some of what we cover:

  • How Karen is guarantees a $1500 sales from clients every time
  • How having kids changed Karen's business
  • Why it's so tough to have a wedding photography business while raising kids
  • Finding the right balance between business and your family life
  • Karen's business and marketing strategies and how they've developed and altered
  • Different workflow for different businesses partnerships
  • What marketing channel led to the best exposure of Karen's photography business
  • How Karen gets her bookings today
  • Why Karen doesn't push to market her new business
  • What Karen did to dramatically cut overhead expenses
  • Why Karen thinks it's so easy to market wedding and portrait photography compared to fine art
  • Why Karen limits wedding and portrait photography bookings
  • Pricing and how clients perceive Karen's rates
  • The voucher system and how it can work in your business
  • Choosing clients who are willing to spend within your ideal price range
  • The importance of knowing exactly what you want to do with your business
  • How to reach out to clients willing to pay for your work
  • Fine art photography packages
  • How to book private commissions for your fine art photography projects
  • The struggles involved in creating individual projects for clients
  • Finding a solution that is profitable based on one piece of art
  • What Karen does to market her business to bring awareness to clients
  • The process involved in creating Karen's images
  • How to make your images look and feel realistic
  • How long it takes Karen to finish her images
  • The viability of using reprints for extra income in a fine art photography business
  • Proven and tested marketing strategies that works for Karen's business
  • Photography contests – will they help your business
  • Ideas to generate more income for your business
  • Tips for photographers to get more clients
  • Karen's top-secret marketing project
  • Thoughts on people copying your photography work
  • What Karen would do differently if she is to start over again
  • The best thing Karen has done for her business
  • What Karen does to get better at business
  • How Karen handles unhappy clients
  • How Karen found her style and niche

Karen Alsop Photography Podcast

What’s on Offer for Premium Members

If you’re a premium member, you should have received an email with a promo code to give you 50% off some pretty special offerings from Karen. You can also find the promo code in the Premium area of the site.

If you're on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the same promo code from Karen, get access to an amazing back catalogue of interviews and ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your podcast app.

Karen Alsop Photography Podcast

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know what your biggest takeaway is – what is the one thing that you’d like to implement or learnt from what was shared? Let me know by leaving your thoughts in the comments below.

If you have any questions that I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Karen or if you just want to say thanks for coming on the show, feel free to add them below.

Want more from Karen… International Workshops and Specials!

Karen will be presenting compositing workshops around the world from May to July in 2016. If you'd like to learn what they're all about and how you can be there head to – Fine Art Photography Compositing Workshops.

Karen as also put together a special bundle for PhotoBizX listeners (3 tutorials plus her ‘Once Upon a Time Book') for $90 (normally $135). http://storyart.com.au/downloads/special-bundle/

Her ‘Once Upon a Time Book' book is also available on it's own for $20 – http://storyart.com.au/downloads/once-upon-a-time-book/

Karen Alsop Photography Podcast

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

Each week I check for any new iTunes reviews and it's always a buzz to receive these… for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they really are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes is the biggest search engine when it comes to podcasts and it's your reviews and ratings that help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners means more interviews and ultimately a better show.

If you have left a review in the past, thank you!

If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes and you can leave some honest feedback and a rating which will help both me and the show and I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL.

Karen Alsop Photography Podcast

Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:

Emerald Eye Photography

Story Art

Story Art on Facebook

Story Art on Instagram

Cinderella photo and blog post

Karen's Worldwide Workshops for 2016

Story Art special bundle for PhotoBizX listeners

Once Upon A Time book on Karen's Techniques

Kylie Foley

Adventure Wings

Mark Clarisse

Creative Live

Josh Rossi

Adrian Sommeling

ServiceSeeking.com.au 

Wed Folio – Directory of wedding couples seeking service providers in the USA

Equipment

Epson Stylus Pro 3880 Color Inkjet Printer (CA61201-VM)

Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art DG HSM Lens for Canon EOS DSLR Cameras

Karen Alsop Photography Podcast

Thank you!

Thank you again for listening to the show and thanks to Karen for being a fantastic guest and showing what can be achieved if we're prepared to work for it!

If you have any suggestions, comments or questions about this episode, please be sure to leave them below in the comment section of this post, and if you liked the episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post!

That’s it for me this week, hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks and speak soon

Andrew