One big lesson or simple message is becoming apparent to me when interviewing successful photographers from around the world; go your own way for photography business success. The more they do what they want, instead of listening or following others, the quicker success comes. James Day is one photographer that is definitely doing things his way and finding great success, even if it isn't the norm.

I knew very little about James Day before this interview but can honestly say that I'd love to have him photograph my wedding following our call. In fact, I had that feeling after about 5 minutes. Now I'm unsure whether it's his photography, personality or honesty that has me feeling this way.

One thing I am sure of, couples would love to book him for their weddings… And they do. James is shooting 60 weddings per year, charges to shoot and for files only and has albums as an optional upgrade.

Interestingly, 80% of his couples walk away with an album. An album that they designed and upgraded themselves. No hard selling here. Listen in to find out exactly how he does it.

Here's some more of what we cover:

  • Why you should be increasing prices until you see a limit has been reached then back it off a notch
  • Why you need to outsource your colour work and album design if you want real creative freedom
  • How you can find the right outsourcing company and what it can do for your life
  • If you want to sell albums, you need to be putting albums in the hands of your clients
  • A very old school approach to album designing with a very cool modern twist that works like a charm
  • Learn how to have your clients up-sell to themselves. This is seriously cool!
  • Why James supplies his clients with the “Full Resolution files”  and how they trump the Hi Res Files you're offering
  • Learn what James did to get noticed early in his career and how it's affected everything since
  • Sharing a studio space with other photographers, good idea or bad…
  • Learn why James doesn't offer wedding packages and how his approach works so well
  • Everything went wrong on James very 1st wedding shoot which didn't affect business the way you may think it should
  • Social media strategies with a difference and how they are working so well for James

Following this interview, I'd be surprised if you're not looking to outsource more of your work to free up more time to do the things you like.  You may also finish listening with the feeling that you can affordably outsource in your own country without resorting to going offshore for cheap prices and often bad experiences.

The big question will then be, what are you going to do with your extra time?

James Day Wedding Photography Business Interview

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 implementable content from James where we dive deeper into some of the earlier topics plus some new ones that I pushed hard for including:

  • Why the best marketing opportunities for photographers is other photographers
  • Venues are the untapped resource according to James who shares his new approach to getting them onboard
  • Why Instagram is the new Facebook for booking weddings and getting seen
  • How to use Instagram to book more weddings and not look like a spammer
  • A very simple strategy to stay fully booked
  • Why James' new favourite camera is the Fuji XT1

James Day Wedding Photography Business Interview

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview with James Day, 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 he had to share? 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 or if you just want to say thanks for coming on the show, feel free to add them below.

If you'd like an easy way to show James your thanks, and support for the show at the same time, click the link to create a tweet and automatically let him know you're listening: https://photobizx.com/tweet

Are you taking action like these guys?

This week I received an email from Newcastle photographers Greig and Gaelene, of Pix In A Click who are podcast listeners and premium members that really are taking action as a result of what they hear on the podcast. I always make a point of stressing that the podcast interviews are only entertainment if you aren't implementing what you hear. I was as happy as 6 year old on Easter morning to read the following message:

Hi Andrew

Gaelene and I did our first “Lone Ranger” (ie. Not as second shooters, strictly for our business) wedding during the week and it was a destination wedding in Townsville – How's that for a first up wedding!!   Cyclone Ita seriously threatened it there for a few days and we even had our flights delayed for a day so we were lucky we built a little bit of fat into the schedule allowing for hiccups along the way. Thanks for the destination wedding tips Micheal Steingard in Episode 47.

We implemented the business and shooting systems that we learnt in a 3 day workshop that we first heard about on the podcast. Thanks to Matt and Katie in Episode 17 for those tips, having a system sure takes the stress and worry out of a lot of things and provides us with predictable results.

Although we have a long way to go with our website and marketing material, we have recently had a chat with David Watson who was interviewed in Episode 51 and will look to engage him a lot more in the future. David provided us with some excellent tips to help us throw our hat in the ring and attract clientele.

At the end of the wedding on Wednesday, we produced a mini album for the bride and groom and 2 x framed 6 x 4’s for the bride and groom to give to their parents and what a hit that was!!

The reaction of the Bride was priceless and the groom was full of praise about his whole day in front of the camera which has led to some fantastic testimonials from not only the Bride and Groom but also from the family.  We even had the Brides mum call us the following day, thanking us for our efforts. Priceless advertising for us and all it cost us was about $50 and an hour of hectic mayhem getting it all together.  Pix In A Click Photography Newcastle

Thanks to Brian Caporicci from Episode 28, for that little gem. By the way, How cool is the Canon Selphy, I can watch that thing forever – it’s magic.

Last but not least, we have based all our pricing using the spreadsheet from “That Spreadsheet Guy”…………… A big thanks to Michael Rammell who you interviewed in Episode 27.

I’m sure there are other little gems we’ve picked up but the ones above are the most prominent at this point.

As you can see, we’ve picked up heaps along the way and look forward to even more to come.   Enclosed is a photo from our first wedding, we are really proud of the job we did and I’m sure it was all easier due to the fantastic coaching we have received along the way through the podcast.   We both keep looking at this photo and it reminds us that we can really do this.

Thanks Andrew for everything you do, your podcast is the most wonderful resource out.

Kind regards,

Greig Terry

The Winner of A New Camera Strap from Lucky Straps

In the last episode I mentioned a camera strap giveaway from Lucky Camera Straps in Australia. I'm happy to announce the winner of the “Brown” strap is Anais from New Zealand of http://anaischaine.com. I'll be packing the strap and sending it off tomorrow.

Congrats Anais 🙂

Send in your questions for Matt and Steve

In an upcoming episode I'll be having both Steve Saporito and Matt Ebenezer (of Matt and Katie Photographers) back  on the podcast to answer YOUR questions.

Steve, better known as the Portrait Doctor is a working studio transformer who knows his stuff when it comes to turning a studio into a profit making machine.

Matt and Katie have been one of the most popular interviews I've done on the show and are working photographers and workshop hosts.

This is your chance to ask them your questions and you can do that via email, the comments below or leave a voicemail. I'll collate the questions and ask both Matt and Steve the same questions on different episodes to get a different perspective from both. Neither of them will have heard the others answers. Should be fun.

James Day Wedding Photography Business Interview

The Resources Page

Remember the ever expanding resources page that has a listing of products, programs, hardware, books and directories mentioned in each episode of the show. If you’re looking for something that a guest has mentioned on a previous episode but just can’t remember who or what it was – you’ll find it listed in order on the resources page.

iTunes ratings, reviews and Shout-Outs

Each week before recording the podcast I check iTunes for any reviews and each week I'm excited to see what you've had to say about the podcast. This week there was a great review from Brendan of Happily Ever After Films in the USA – the first podcast review from the videography side of business.

Brendan, I just saw one of your wedding films and it's just awesome, loved it!

Sincerely, thanks so much for your rating and review, I appreciate the time you've taken and it's a big help for the show. It's these iTunes reviews that make a big difference to the podcast being ranked well and found in the iTunes store. If you have the time and are happy to leave an honest rating and review, head over to iTunes.

iTunes Reviews for PhotoBizX

Don't feel your comments have to be long, involved or gushy, an honest opinion is all I ask. Don't be shy about leaving your business name in the review either – that way I can add a link in the show-notes and show my appreciation with a proper thanks and a Google loving back-link to your website.

Get in Touch or Leave a Voicemail Message

If you'd like to get in touch, ask a question or make a suggestion for the show, you can email me andrew@photobizx.com, find me on Twitter https://twitter.com/andrewhellmich or on Facebook at https://photobizx.com/facebook – I'd love to hear from you!

James Day Wedding Photography Business Interview

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

James Day – the website

James Day on Facebook

James Day on Instagram – @jamesdayweddings

The video of James falling into a pool in Bali while shooting a wedding!

Raw Digital and Film Lab – the lab that James uses and recommends for all his outsourcing

Vision Art – Album suppliers for James Day

Instaproofs – where James uploads his wedding files for clients

Smart Albums by Pixellu – album design software

Scott Surplice Photography

Mr Edwards Photography

Fujifilm X-T1 Camera

Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R Lens

Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 Camera Lens

James Day Wedding Photography Business Interview

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

If you've been enjoying the podcast, I'd love for you to tell another photographer about it – it could be in a Facebook Group you're a part of, a photography forum, with a photographer friend or on twitter.

If you do have a twitter account, simply click here: https://photobizx.com/tweet or use the share buttons below.

Thanks and speak soon

Andrew