Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area
Su Kaye of www.sukaye.com was recommended to me by long-time listener and premium member, Helen Spiegl… and after hearing what she had to say, I knew I had to reach out.
Helen told me:
Su is someone you should definitely speak to. She’s been in the industry for decades as a family and dog photographer. She’s helped countless people along the way and was my original mentor when we met back in 2013.
She’s one of the most unassuming and generous people I know… and it was Su who pushed me and gave me the confidence to become the professional photographer I am.
She’s held prestigious roles within multiple UK professional photography bodies and has judged competitions all around the world.
And despite all that… she never shouts about her achievements — she just quietly gets on with helping people along their photographic journey.
Now that’s a pretty strong endorsement!
Additionally, I can see that Su has built a photography business spanning decades — and has a reputation for producing something unexpected — different angles, lighting, perspectives, expressions — rather than standard dog portraits.
I was looking forward to learning so much more about what sounds like a fantastic business with an incredible operator.
In this interview, Su shares how she’s built and evolved a successful UK pet photography business, why she believes client experience is the real thing photographers are selling, how she lifted her average sale, where her best leads are coming from, and why confidence in your pricing can change everything.
Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:
What’s on Offer for Premium Members
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I think so many photographers undervalue themselves because they say, it only costs me X, so I'll charge a small price for it. – Su Kaye
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. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.
My turnover went from £61k to £132k, and the main change was employing someone to do my phone calls. – Su Kaye
In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, hold you accountable, and help you build friendships with other pro photographers who share your goals—to build a more successful photography business.
What is your big takeaway?
Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Su 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, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on today's episode.
By meeting people beforehand at dog shows, I think my average has changed, and we've been a bit more choosy with who we bring in. – Su Kaye
If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Su, or a way to thank her for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.
If you can offer variety — classical, black and white, bright colour — you're obviously going to have a lot more clients to choose from. – Su Kaye
PhotoBizX Premium Membership Holiday Special!
It’s rare to see a special price for the PhotoBizX Premium Membership, but one is available now through Tuesday, June 30th, 2026.
Why the special?
Because it’s holiday time — I’m in Spain and heading to France soon — and it feels like a good excuse to do something a little different.
The 12-Month Premium Membership is normally $200…
NOW $120.
That’s half the price of paying monthly for the year.
Join here: https://photobizx.com/holidayspecial
This is the lowest price you’ll ever find for a 12-month PhotoBizX Premium Membership.
And this year, there’s an extra bonus.
I’ll also be adding a series of photography business courses to the 12-month Premium Membership, giving annual members access to even more training, resources and support inside PhotoBizX, including:
- Photography Pricing Masterclass
- Build a Photography Website that WORKS!
- Boost Your Website’s UX and SEO
- AI Marketing for Photographers
- The Facebook Ad Promo Course
- Lead Ads Training for Photographers
- Facebook Competitions for Photographers
- LinkedIn for Photographers
- Qualify Your Leads Like a Pro
- Sell Your Photography Like a Pro
- Sales Success Course
- The Model Framework for Photographers
- Beyond SEO
- Unlocking Joy & Fun in Your Business
SPECIAL BONUS FOR EXISTING MONTHLY MEMBERS
If you’re currently paying monthly and want to upgrade to the 12-month Premium Membership, you’ll not only save half of what you’re currently paying over the year…
I’ll also refund your most recent $20 monthly payment.
To process the refund, please email me your PayPal email address, which may be different from your regular email address.
Make sure you join the 12-month membership first, then cancel your existing monthly payments.
This way, your Premium RSS Feed URL stays the same.
NOTE: If you are already on the special annual price from last year, there is no need for you to take any action. Your existing membership will automatically renew at the special price. And you will get access to the courses being added too.
iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs
I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons. Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome! Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.
I just decided to have more belief in what I was doing. I don't need to do it for nothing, and I don't need to keep giving things away. – Su Kaye
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 or https://photobizx.com/google. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help me and the show. 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. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.
When I need leads, I can turn on a Facebook ad on Friday evening, get leads over the weekend, and turn it off because I don't need any more. – Su Kaye
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 impacted you and your photography business.
Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:
Su Kaye Photography Mentor on Instagram
322: Bernie Griffiths – The importance of shooting saleable images in your photography business
348: Steve Saporito – How to excite and delight your portrait clients to better sales
I know my system. I know what you need to do. I'm just not the best person to do it. – Su Kaye
Thank you!
Huge thanks to Su for sharing so openly in this interview.
What stood out for me is how much of her success comes back to quiet confidence, constant evolution and treating every client experience as something worth getting right.
She’s built a profitable pet photography business without relying on pressure, postcode assumptions or hard selling.
Instead, she focuses on attracting people who truly value their dogs, educating clients before they buy, offering beautiful products, and believing in her work enough to charge appropriately for it.
I also loved hearing how one of her biggest business shifts came from something simple: getting the right person to handle her phone calls.
It’s a good reminder that growth doesn’t always come from doing more — sometimes it comes from improving the parts of the business that matter most.
I’d love to know what stood out for you.
Have conversations. Tell people you're stuck, and someone might just say, have you thought of this? – Su Kaye
That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!
Thanks for listening—speak soon,
Andrew
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