It's not often a photographer contacts me about coming on the podcast but that's exactly what todays guest Craig George did. So I did what I normally do and had a bit of a dig around online.

I found Craig is based in the UK, shoots there and away (especially in France), does great work, has a distinct and notable style with a heavy emphasis on black and white. His wedding photography packages start at $5000 dollars.

From the outside looking in – it appears Craig is doing amazingly well as an international wedding photographer after being in business only a few years. So I asked in a follow up email, why do want to come on the Photo Biz Xposed podcast?

Craig replied, “I'm challenging myself this year, people seem to have put me on a pedestal and so I want to share my ethos. It's a progression thing to me.”

That was enough to get me intrigued and I'm happy it did!

This interview shines a whole new light on wedding photography success, it takes more than you think.

Here’s some of what we cover:

  • Becoming the best photographer you can be
  • If you're going to “do” photography, do it with a purpose
  • Should your clients dictate your photography style?
  • First impressions of a wedding photographer
  • Why you should shoot for free to build your portfolio
  • The importance of using social media to promote your business
  • If wedding photography is simply check box strategy you're doomed for failure
  • Craig's marketing strategies which led to full calendars
  • How to transition from free shoots to charging big dollars
  • Are you failing in your photography business because you're not working hard enough?
  • How to attract bookings all year round
  • Why it shouldn't be about the money but where you want to be
  • You don't have to be better than anyone else to succeed as a wedding photographer
  • Your photography can suck and you can still be a success
  • Will using Groupon to market your photography hurt your business?
  • Why Craig shoots in black and white
  • Photography is subjective – it always has been and always will – thats a good thing for you
  • How to react to someone who says they don't like your style of photography

Craig George Photography Podcast

What’s on Offer for Premium Members

If you’re a premium member, you should have received an email with links to your version of this episode where you can hear lots more content from where we dive deeper into some of the earlier topics plus some new ones that I pushed hard for that include:

  • Seeking help from wedding planners to promote your business
  • How wedding planners work today
  • Offering cheap rates to target clients in different destinations – good strategy or not?
  • Why Craig thinks he works harder than most photographers who ask him why he's so busy
  • How to easily manage social media engagement
  • Wedding photography pricing
  • Second shooters and assistants – good or bad?
  • The best thing Craig has done for his business
  • What Craig would do to kick things off if he was to relocate
  • How to handle an unhappy wedding photography client or complaint
  • What value is formal photography training for a wedding photography business?

If you're on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interview with Craig George, get access to an amazing back catalogue of interviews and ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, access to a members only Facebook group where we take learning and community to a whole new level.

Craig George 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.

I'm not scared of any hard work because I know that it's about muscle memory, it's about shooting as hard as you can, and working as hard as you can – Craig George

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

Craig George 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 like I have with the reviews below:

What Every Photographer Should Be Listening to!

In iTunes by Tori Pintar of Tori Pintar Photography in Montana USA on October 28, 2015 

I just stumbled across this podcast and am only a few in but like other reviewers, it is fantastic.

Andrew is the real deal. He is a kind, thoughtful and helpful person. He wants us all to do well and to succeed in our businesses and our lives.

I wrote to him asking for help with something related to his podcast and he was so gracious in his response. We actually wrote a little and he gave me some incredible advice that was so timely and helpful.

Thank you for being such an incredible member of our community!

Craig George Photography Podcast

Just find a way because there is always a way. You just have to be trusting that you can find it yourselves. Don't take the easy option to work on – Craig George

Wedding Photography Pricing – Spencer Lum

Long time listeners will be familiar with Spencer Lum, he's been interviewed twice before on the podcast and is a master tactician in the area of wedding photography sales and pricing – something I am constantly asked about via email from listeners.

Spencer has released a FREE resource on the topic and it's perfectly simple to understand and apply to your business. He has a very cool knack of taking a seemingly complicated subject and breaking it down into easy to understand chunks – I love how he does this!

Click here to get Spencer's ebook, Pricing For Profit. It is free but you will have to give your email address. It's a small trade!

Also, I mentioned last week, Spencer has a series of Webinars in the lead up to the launch of his new sales course  – Momentum Sales.

I watched all three Webinars on the weekend and can highly recommend them! There were a couple things he mentioned I'm already doing in my wedding consultations like asking open ended questions to get the bride and groom involved in the consult then, he blew me away with the psychology of how to use those open ended questions to seal the deal and take more bookings.

Click here to see the wedding sales webinars by Spencer.

I have feeling. I've got soul. I've got care and compassion for the world. I'm passionate about what I do completely – Craig George

New Facebook Group for Premium Members

Members have been asking about a private Facebook Group for a long time and I've resisted for a number of reason, some selfish and some rational.

Selfishly, I was worried about the time to monitor the group and keep things on track while answering a barrage of questions which to me are more manageable via email or in the comments area.

I was (still am) worried the number of comments will drop off after each episode and those comments are a reassurance to future guests that listeners are engaged and getting something from the interviews. I won't lie either… Comments are good for SEO and getting found. The more comments, engagement and shares the search engines see, the better https://photobizx.com will rank organically. Like I said, selfish.

Lastly, I was worried about a bunch of photographers in a Facebook Group with a whole lot of pent up keyboard courage ready to shout their opinions at other members. I've seen this way too often in other photography groups and it's not a nice environment.

All that aside, I could see the benefits and felt the time was right. Premium members will have received a link to join and looking at the initial comments and replies, it's going to be a great thing!

Here's just one thread:

Hi all

I'm in Dorset in the UK, I have been in business I guess for about a year just doing a few jobs here and there and quite a bit of wedding second shooting. I gave up my full time job a week ago as I was Marketing Manager for European Tour and Ryder Cup and it was pretty time consuming!!

Now I'm going to work part time for a friend and try and build up the photography business with the aim of going full time at it next summer. That's the plan anyway.

I'm taking on board everything I'm learning on the podcasts and following the ad suggested a few weeks ago I now have 15 bookings!!

God knows when I'm going to fit them in! 

My website is http://buttons.photography if you fancied a gander! 🙂

Homepage of Buttons Photography, family and lifestyle photographer from Blandford Forum, Dorset.
BUTTONS.PHOTOGRAPHY 
You, Nixz KerrSevim Dogan OzkanByron Rivers and 5 others like this.
Comments
Louise Rogers I suddenly feel like a beginner again though and am wondering what the hell I'm doing thinking I can make it as a photographer but I will keep on trucking on and see where it goes! 🙂
Matt Wardle Imposter syndrome. I've had it all my life! Gorgeous work, best of luck Louise!
Louise Rogers Just looked that up and it is TOTALLY me! Thanks for the luck! smile emoticon
Teowai Ratahi App Way to go Louise! Im sure the podcast will help with ideas and tips to reach your dream.
Louise Rogers Thanks Teowai – it is excellent, I get so much from it.
Helen Green Hi Louise, you have a beautiful website and images
Louise Rogers Thank you so much Helen!
Amanda Lee Schulz I really like the letter on the cover of your website smile emoticon
Louise Rogers Thanks Amanda, my hope is that it sounds like the way I talk! smile emoticon
Andrew Hellmich Oh wow – you just quit – go you! 
Just so you know, that imposter syndrome Matt mentioned – it doesn't go away for a LONG time and is TOTALLY normal.
Your photography is terrific, you are a photographer. 
Oh… and congrats on the 15 bookings, fantastic! Love to hear how the sales sessions go for you.

It's so nice that I'm able to do it with a feeling that I'm providing for somebody and I'm creating another feeling for somebody else. It's all about the soul of it – Craig George

Craig George Photography Podcast

Facebook Re-marketing Offer from Kerry Fitzgibbon

Following the last episode with Kerry Fitzgibbon which was heavily focussed on Facebook Advertising and remarking, there have been a lot of comments, emails an messages abut the technical aspect of what Kerry was teaching.

As good as Kerry was at explaining how to set up remarking yourself it was technical and there were a lot of steps. In saying that – there is no doubt the power of remarking will help any photographer improve their bookings.

I did ask Kerry if she had some specific training for listeners and she has come through… Big time!

She has made her remarking training available to listeners for $197 (normally $500!) to you.

Click here to get the training – Social Media Plus One – Remarking Training

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

Craig George Website

Craig George on Facebook

Craig George Wedding Photography on Facebook Page

Groupon

Momentum Sales – the wedding sales course by Spencer Lum

Social Media Plus One – Remarking Training – by Kerry Fitzgibbon

Equipment

Canon EOS 5D Mark III 22.3 MP Full Frame

Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8 Tilt Shift Fixed Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Medium Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Craig George Photography Podcast

Thank you!

Thank you again for listening to the show and thanks to Craig for sharing so much about getting started and building a great wedding photography business.

I avoid my faults like a plague and just concentrate on what I'm good at – Craig George

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