Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area.

Aussie country girl,  Edwina Robertson of edwinarobertson.com is all personality and an inspiring entrepreneur who happens to have found photography… first weddings, now family portraits. ‘Eddy' is doing good, being good and really living life as a photographer.

On her about page she starts off with… “Hi, I'm Eddy. You can call me Edwina if you must but by the time your wedding comes, we'll be like sisters…. Or at least good friends!

Eddy is a country girl who was born and bred on a property in northern New South Wales. She was raised on fresh air, horses, homemade biscuits and good country values. Since then, she ventured into the working world, she says, never fearing failure, just excited about new opportunities.

Last year, Edwina decided to share one of her wedding photos on Facebook, with a promise to donate $3 for every share the post received. The post took on a life of its own. By the deadline she set, the post had received 4,974 shares.

She had to come up with $15,000!

Now, she has a brand new project dreamed up!

Here’s some of what we cover in this interview:

  • A snapshot of Edwina's wedding photography business
  • How Edwina found her niche in the wedding photography industry
  • Edwina's average number of bookings each year
  • Maximising destination wedding income by booking family portraits along the way
  • Edwina's average sale and what's included in her photography packages
  • Accommodation considerations when photographing country destination weddings
  • How Edwina attracted destination weddings when her marketing is geared towards country weddings
  • Why Edwina chooses not to generate a profit for her international destination weddings
  • The stress that goes with international destination weddings
  • Why international destination weddings are no longer feasible for business
  • What changes took place once Edwina shifted her focus to photographing country weddings?
  • Blogging weddings outside your niche
  • Why blogging is essential for your business
  • How to respond to clients who ask if you can photograph outside your niche
  • Why you need to be honest when talking to clients about what you do best
  • Why Edwina thinks having a business coach is vital for her business
  • How much it costs to hire a business coach for your photography business
  • What prompted Edwina to donate for charity to help a community?
  • How Edwina ended up donating $15,000 for a photo that went viral through Facebook

Edwina Robertson 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 more of the interview where we dive deeper into some of the earlier topics plus some new ones that I pushed for and include:

  • How to capitalise on instant fame as a domestic photographer
  • How to deal with 1200 wedding enquiries
  • The importance of having a purpose
  • Why Edwina didn't want to cash in on her name with a new project she's working on
  • Why Edwina believed family portrait photography is a more lucrative business model than wedding photography
  • Who usually books the shoots for outback family portrait sessions?
  • What clients are actually paying for when booking family portrait sessions
  • Edwina's reason for charging less for her family sessions
  • What is ‘Rural Tribe' and how it will impact Edwina's business
  • Building a new business from scratch with the perks of having a paid apprenticeship
  • How to get bookings for family portrait sessions while on a wedding destination shoot
  • What is the ‘Wonder of the West' project
  • Edwina's core and personal values

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 Edwina, get access to an amazing back catalogue of interviews and ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

If your heart's in the right place and you know, of course, everyone wants to make money, don't get me wrong. I want to make money just as much as the next person but I want to make money and make a difference at the same time. – Edwina Robertson

Plus, access to a members only Secret Facebook Group where you can connect with other members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take what you hear in each episode and put it into action. You will not find more friendly, more motivated and caring photographers online.

Edwina Robertson Photography Podcast

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything away from what Edwina shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, let me know by leaving your thoughts in the comments below, let me know what your takeaways were, what you plan to implement in your business as a result of what you heard in todays episode.

I think with any business, if you're heart's in the right place you will do well because that's genuine and people see that. – Edwina Robertson

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

Edwina Robertson 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 of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast  and email me your key words or keyword phrase and where you'd like me to link to.

Here are the latest listener reviews for the Photography Xperiment Podcast:

Great Brain Pickin

In iTunes by Murrayville, Georgia Photographer, Les Hanna of Hannah Arts Photography on January 16, 2017

A wonderfully informative podcast dedicated to picking the brains of world class photographers to find what makes them “click.” Andrew gets his guests to open and share their views on the industry, their work and what inspires them.

Fantastic & Inspiring for Photographers

In iTunes by Portland Wedding Photographer, Damian Blacklock of Damian Blacklock Photography on January 12, 2017

A second podcast from the awesome Andrew Hellmich, who also creates the invaluable Photo Biz Xposed show every week.

This one is a departure from the style of the other podcast in that it forgoes the business side of things and delves deep into the thought processes of the guest photographer. If the PhotobizX podcast is like chatting during work hours, then the Photo Xperiment is like beers down the pub afterwards.

The two shows are like the front and back of a mullet. A mullet like I'm sure Ando used to have in his glory days… it's fascinating to hear how and why great photographers think and work the way they do.

Andrew is a stellar interviewer, always asking the questions I have in my head and engaging the guests perfectly. Grab a beer and have a listen.

And here's the latest review for PhotoBizX:

One of the best business decisions you will make

In iTunes by Hertfordshire wedding photographer, Neil Sampson of Neil Sampson Photography on February 1, 2017

My only regret is that I didn't sign up to the premium version earlier. I have doubled my bookings and have only implemented a fraction of the tips in this podcast and am making the transition to go full time with my photography in a few months.

I wouldn't have had the confidence or marketing ideas to be able to do that without PhotBizX. The premium version gives you access to over 200 episodes, less than a dollar each and there's a new episode every week. It's a no brainer. Just make sure you have a pen and notepad.

Simply Amazing!

In iTunes by Bolton wedding and portrait photographer, Ian of Viperia Images in the UK on January 24, 2017

I absolutely love it, it's hands down THE best photography podcast I have heard. Every episode features new & always interesting guests. Andrew's style is so personable and relaxed that every conversation just flows effortlessly.

Superb questions, great content and unbelievable insights into the business….a MUST listen every week!

My favourite photography podcast – hands down

In iTunes by SEO and website specialist, Corey Potter of Ablaze Photography and Fuel Your Photos on January 23, 2017

Not only do I love listening to this podcast for all of the helpful photography ideas and advice, but I also love that Andrew really digs deep to find out what makes people tick. He has a knack for digging past the surface layer and asking the perfect questions to get people to open up and share the best information.

Thanks for being an awesome host Andrew, and keep up the great work!

Edwina Robertson Photography Podcast

The NEW Photography Xperiment Podcast is live and available

Following the success and support shown by listeners after the experimental format of the recent interviews, the new Photo Xperiment Podcast has been launched and is available on this site and in iTunes now.

Interviews are underway and I'll be looking for new guests, not restricted to wedding and portrait photographers. If you have someone you think would be a good fit, let me know in the comment area below or email me, andrew@photobizx.com.

The idea behind these interviews is to get into the headspace of the photographer and find what makes them tick, what drives them, their thought process, philosophy on shooting and how they achieve what they do with their photography. So yeah, a little technique type content too.

These interviews will not focus on the business of photography – that'll be preserved solely for the weekly and unchanging format of the PhotoBizX podcast.

To hear these interviews in your podcast app, you will need to subscribe to the podcast – these interviews will not be delivered automatically if you're subscribed to PhotoBizX. Open your favourite podcast app and search “Photography Xperiment Podcast” or enter the feed URL,  https://photobizx.com/feed/xperiment/ into the search field of your podcast app.

The last episode featured Neale James who is a former BBC Radio 1 broadcaster and his background in sound alongside his documentary photographic style has seen him become the pioneer of wedding photo films. If you’re unfamiliar with the term Photofilm – it’s a combination of stills and sound, recorded on the wedding day at an event or on a shoot.

Think, cinematography meets stills photography where you see the images captured by Neale with the voices and sounds of the real wedding day, portrait session or event interspersed with Neale’s narration as he ties the story together.

One day somebody believed in me. It took that one person to say “I have that”. And that’s the same with everybody who succeeds in life, isn’t it? One day if somebody says “That’s crackin’, we’ll have a bit of that.” And then before you know it, you’re a filmmaker. – Neale James

Check out the interview and learn more about a photographer who is working toward a legacy any photographer would be proud to leave behind.

The interview is available here: Neale James Interview

Edwina Robertson Photography Podcast

In Australia I think there's definitely massive growth for family portraiture that isn't standard. You know, not in a studio. I think it's all very boring, a lot of it. So I just want to create something that's a bit different. – Edwina Robertson
Edwina Robertson Photography Podcast

Smart Slides is Now Available… and on special

In the last episode of the podcast you heard from Daniel Usenko of Pixellu, the company behind SmartSlides.

If you haven't checked out the easiest and most beautifully intuitive slide show builder, now is the time. The software application (Pro Version) is available on a new release special price of $12/month – 25% off – for lifetime. Offer ends Feb 15 2017 (reg. price: 16/mo).

Find out more here: SmartSlides

Here's what listener Jared Lindsay messaged me to say, “FINALLY, a way to make slideshows without spending two weeks making it!!! Thanks for the show!!”

Edwina Robertson Photography Podcast

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

Edwina Robertson Website

Edwina Robertson on Facebook

Rural Tribe on Facebook

Wander of the West on Facebook

Edwina Robertson on Instagram

095: Todd Hunter McGaw – Wedding Photography Business the Way it Should Be

Rob Kropp

Jen Maunder

Episode 182: Kristen Kalp – How to Get Paid and Stay Creative as a Photographer

Episode 054: Nikki McArthur – Reveal Your Personality for Portrait Photography Success

The Kindness of Strangers: Penniless Across America (ebook)

Drought wedding photo goes viral, costs photographer $15,000 in charity donation

Queensland Nuptials That Went Viral For a Cause, Shot by Edwina Robertson

SmartSlides – The world’s simplest slideshow maker

SmartSlides Facebook Group

Fuel Your Photos website

Fuel Your Photos Facebook Group

Edwina Robertson Photography Podcast

Thank you!

Thanks again for listening and thanks to Edwina for coming on and sharing her thoughts and ideas on what is an exciting and growing genre in the world of professional photography.

If tomorrow I died, I'm totally okay with that because I know I've done my best right now to make a difference to other people's lives. Like I've left this world a better place than when I came into it. – Edwina Robertson

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