Ben McCoy is the founder of Good Life Portraits, a Perth-based portrait studio that has grown from Ben working out of the back of his car to a seven-person team, around 80 portrait sessions a month and a business tracking towards $2 million in annual revenue. In this interview, Ben breaks down the systems behind that growth, including how he generates leads, why getting prospects onto the phone is still critical, and the numbers he watches closely — around $17 per lead, roughly $105 to acquire a client and an average sale of about $2,400. We also get into his use of AI and Go High Level to nurture leads, answer client questions, book calls and reduce the workload on his team, plus why he believes the real challenge for photographers isn’t taking better photos — it’s building a business that can keep running and growing without the owner doing everything. It’s a particularly useful conversation for photographers who feel capped by their own time, are considering hiring, or want to understand what a genuinely systemised, high-volume portrait studio looks like behind the scenes.

Lucas Z is the founder of The Big Split and has spent more than a decade running a photography business in Aspen, Colorado. Despite having a successful business and good money coming in, Lucas found himself $25,000 in credit card debt, behind on taxes, with no real savings or assets — and at one point calculated he was spending 99.5% of everything he made. That experience led him to develop The Big Split, a simple way of handling irregular income by dividing money into clear buckets for business, tax, lifestyle and paying yourself first. In this interview, we talk about why photographers can be making good money and still feel broke, how irregular income creates the feast-or-famine cycle, the financial leaks that quietly drain a business, and the difference between simply earning more and actually keeping more. Lucas also shares how he cleared $25,000 in debt within five months, built more than $60,000 in savings in his first year using the system, and why the real problem for some photographers isn’t pricing or marketing at all — it’s what happens to the money after it arrives. If your income is inconsistent, your bank balance never seems to reflect how busy you are, or you’re earning well but still don’t feel financially secure, there’s plenty in this episode to think about.

Gabi Kline Leon is a pet and equine photographer who built her business around a very different idea — she doesn’t see herself as simply a photographer, but as a commissioned photo artist. That mindset has helped her build a low-volume, high-value business where clients regularly spend thousands, her average sale is around $6,000, and one client spent $50,000 across multiple sessions and finished artwork. In this interview, Gabi shares how she moved from Israel to the US after seeing another photographer make $62,000 in a month, landed a $5,000 first client, struggled through the early COVID years, and eventually built a business around premium pricing, in-home consultations, multiple sessions, printed products and simple pricing. We also get into the marketing side — including the magazine partnership that generated more than $100,000, the mini-session days that brought in over $10,000 a month, her views on SEO versus Google Business Profile, and why getting in front of real people still matters. There’s plenty here for photographers thinking about pricing, positioning, sales, client experience and how to create a business that relies on fewer, higher-value clients.

Myriam Ménard has built a 17-year wedding photography business around something many photographers are moving away from — real relationships, intentional curation and knowing exactly who she wants to work with. Based in Montreal and photographing weddings across Canada and Europe, Myriam charges up to $22,000 CAD for local weddings and starts at €12,000 for European destination weddings. Yet her approach to attracting those clients isn’t built around funnels, algorithms or constant posting. In this interview, Myriam shares why she’s investing more heavily in offline networking, how carefully curating your portfolio can shape the clients you attract, why she believes other people talking about your work will become increasingly important, and how clarity around who you are can influence everything from your pricing to the weddings you book. It’s a thoughtful conversation about premium positioning, creative identity, relationships and building a photography business that actually feels like you.

Richard I’Anson has spent 40 years building a photography career that has taken him to more than 100 countries and all seven continents. In this interview, Richard shares how he went from shooting weddings and portraits to becoming one of Australia’s best-known travel photographers, why those early years were crucial to his success, how the stock photography market has changed, and why photography tours have become such an important part of his business today. We also talk about print sales, licensing, building a body of work, making money from travel photography, and what it really takes to stay in business for four decades while still loving the work.

AI-generated video has moved well beyond the strange hands, extra fingers and obviously fake imagery most photographers remember. In this interview, filmmaker and Warthog AI founder Brian Levin explains how businesses are now creating photorealistic video content without cameras, actors, large crews or traditional production budgets. Brian shares how AI is turning still photographs into convincing motion, why experienced photographers and filmmakers may have an advantage over people relying on prompts alone, and how these tools could open up entirely new products for portrait, family and commercial photographers. He also discusses the fear and resistance surrounding AI, the importance of keeping real artists involved in the creative process, and why photographers should understand what the technology can do before deciding whether to embrace or reject it. This is a fascinating look at how quickly video production is changing—and what that could mean for photographers who are prepared to experiment.

Before becoming a full-time photographer, Melody Macdonald spent more than 20 years working as a 911 dispatcher, where staying calm, listening carefully and communicating clearly were essential. In this interview, Melody shares what photographers can learn from high-pressure emergency communication, especially when dealing with upset, disappointed or demanding clients. She explains why telling someone to “calm down” rarely works, how to pause before reacting, when it is better to pick up the phone, and why many client complaints are not really about the photography at all. You’ll also hear how clearer expectations, stronger boundaries and more direct communication can prevent difficult situations before they start.

Most photographers are using AI for culling, editing or the occasional social post. Marcin Rafalowicz believes they’re barely scratching the surface. In this interview, he explains how to build a custom ChatGPT trained on your voice, your business, your pricing, your clients and the work you want to be known for. The result is less generic content, faster marketing and an AI tool that becomes more useful the more you refine it. Marcin also shares how custom GPTs, website chatbots and voice-powered AI could change the way photographers create content, answer enquiries and run their businesses.

If you've ever wondered what it would take to build a photography business that keeps growing without you photographing every session, this episode is for you. Mycah Bain has spent the past 15 years building a studio that's now generating around $340,000 a year across weddings, branding and portrait photography, supported by a team of photographers and virtual assistants. In this interview, Mycah shares how she made the transition from solo photographer to business owner, the systems she's put in place to keep clients happy while her team does the shooting, how she hires and manages photographers and VAs, and why letting go of control has been the key to creating more freedom. We also dive into money mindset, leadership, outsourcing, client experience, building a premium brand, and the practical lessons she's learned while growing a business that's on track for the million-dollar mark.

Joanna Kilgore of Jolee Art & Photography has rebuilt her portrait photography business from scratch in multiple new locations — and managed to become known fast each time. In this interview, Joanna shares how she adapted when organic social media stopped working, why networking became her biggest marketing advantage, and how everyday conversations in shops, cafés and local businesses have led to real photography bookings. She also shares how she thinks about showing the work she wants to sell, creating luxury portrait experiences, booking a French castle for destination sessions, balancing digital files with products, and managing business, family and creativity while living with ADHD. For photographers wondering how to stand out in a crowded market, rebuild after a move, or think bigger about what a portrait business can become, this is a conversation full of practical insight and bold ideas.