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Paul Gero of www.paulfgero.com is a proper photojournalist. For the first 19 years of his career, he worked as a staff photographer for the Chicago Tribune and the Arizona Republic. He also shot freelance work for magazines including Sports Illustrated, Time, People, Fortune and others.

He's photographed everything from Presidents, political conventions, civil unrest in Haiti, and professional sports amongst thousands of assignments for publications.

I heard him interviewed by past guest Dan Milnor and was surprised to hear he now photographs weddings and family portraits.

I was more surprised to hear him mention names like Sue Bryce and Tero Sade then go on to talk about book projects and marketing campaigns to attract his ideal clients and generate terrific sales.

Why surprise?

I think it's because it helped me see that what we strive to do and create as wedding and portrait photographers is truly worthy as a photographic pursuit.

And, that someone so skilled, so established in the photojournalistic world can be the same as you and me when it comes down to the business of photography… running ads and marketing campaigns to keep the enquiries coming in and the income ticking over as we do what we love.

In this interview, Paul shares how and why he went from work as a photojournalist staff photographer to self-employed and why he wouldn't change a thing.

Here's some more of what we cover in the interview:

  • Looking back at Paul's past career as a journalist photographer
  • Paul's past opinions on wedding or family portrait photographers
  • Shifting focus to become a full-time wedding photographer
  • How to measure performance as a photographer
  • Weighing in on being a photographer and being a businessperson
  • The difference between news photography and commercial photography
  • The real difference to portrait photography against other niches
  • The importance of adding value in what you do
  • Can we really eliminate marketing while attracting clients
  • What is the charity book project and how it works
  • Paul's book projects
  • The notion of average sales
  • Getting comfortable when speaking about price and value
  • Why Paul's California based business model didn't work in Wisconsin
  • What changes Paul had to implement to run his photography business in Wisconsin
  • Using the book projects as a lead generation process
  • Paul's reasons for working on his book projects
  • Using Mixam to publish Paul's book project
  • Paul's photobook pricing
  • Why Paul is interested in doing videos for photography clients now
  • Paul's photography sources of income today
  • How clients are finding Paul
  • Is there a pressure to produce content for Sony
  • Paul's photography business marketing strategies
  • Figuring out the right balance and what works after relocating to a different state
  • Where Paul sees his business in the future
  • The need to find and create a market for your style of photography
  • Why Paul is grateful he is self-employed and not tied to a corporate job

Paul Gero 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 interview – the full length and more revealing version where you hear the absolute best tips and advice from every guest.

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

Plus special member-only interviews.

I just think about myself as not a wedding photographer, not a portrait photographer, just as a photographer because I do everything and I want to do everything and I want to do everything well. – Paul Gero

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. There are also FB live video tutorials, role-play interviews and special live interviews happening in the group. You will not find more friendly, more motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to and instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable and build friendships with other pro photographers with similar motives to you – to build a more successful photography business.

Paul Gero Photography Podcast

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything away from what Paul 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 today's episode.

I just want to make photographs that I want to look at. – Paul Gero

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

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For more info and to sign up, click this link —>> https://photobizx.com/sms

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Paul Gero 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 mean 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.

You always have to be creating something of value that people are going to want and you have to put it out there and share it. – Paul Gero

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 keywords or keyword phrase and where you'd like me to link to.

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has made a difference to you and your photography business.

Paul Gero Photography Podcast

Thank you!

Thanks again for listening and thanks to Paul for coming on to share his thoughts and ideas on what it's like to go from a salary based photojournalist job to working for yourself as a wedding and portrait photographer AND moving across the country to restart and rebuild his photography business.

I'm going to survive no matter where I go. And that's one of the things that when you leave two perfectly good jobs, and you end up on your feet, you know you can survive. – Paul Gero

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