When preparing for each episode of the podcast, I like to write out a bit of an intro and today was no different until I had a call from Israel about his upcoming interview last week.
Here is my original intro:
I'm rapt to have Israel from Israel Smith Photographers on the podcast today.
To many photographers, it seemed Israel made a meteoric rise through the ranks and quickly became established as a photographer to take note of.
Israel made a conscious decision to do less weddings and focus on portraits – it was a lifestyle and business decision.
I'm pretty sure this rise through the ranks had a lot to do with his photography skills, his very optimistic outlook on EVERYTHING, his involvement in the AIPP and a willingness to mix it with the “Big Boys of Town” right from the start. I also know he has a very supportive and super encouraging wife in Belinda and whenever you see Israel, he is sporting his ever present big smile.
Another reason for me chasing Israel up for this interview was because he made the transition or leap from wedding photogrpahy to portrait photography part way through his already successful career.
In this episode we'll find out the secret to his success, the reason for his transition and how he did it with a mortgage, family and a lifestyle that would be the envy of any up and coming photogrpher.
The follow up call from Israel was a bit of a shock to me
First off, he had to reschedule as things had gone to “s%$t” at the studio and he really needed to be focusing on the issues at hand for a couple of days. No problem, we'll reschedule.
Then came the email where Israel mentions that he understands what I'm really after for the interview – the real truth about running a wedding and portrait photography business today. That said, he decided to scrap the “warm and fuzzy” – everything is going great guns and business couldn't be better rubbish that many people in businesses seem to spew out on auto pilot.
It was the next brief conversation before the interview that I knew this was going to be an interview not to be missed by ANY photographer. Israel agreed to tell his real story and open up about a bunch of things that he's been dealing with through his business, family and personal journey to where he is today and the direction he'll be taking his business and family in the future.
In the interview we cover:
Items mentioned in this podcast:
Israel, Belinda and their gorgeous kids – a great reason to focus on lifestyle over work.
Israel's website – http://israelsmith.com
Israel on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/isphotographers
Israel on Twitter – https://twitter.com/israelpsmith
Drop Box – the application that Israel uses to transfer files between his photo retoucher and back (free up to a limit).
Beyond Blue – the website dedicated to depression.
The E Myth
The AIPP – Australian Institute of Professional Photographers
Amanda Palmer – musician that raised over 1.2 million dollars on Kickstarter
Did you enjoy this podcast or have a question for Israel?
I hope you get as much enjoyment form this interview as I had recording it. If you do have a comment, a story of your own or a question for Israel, get involved and leave a comment below – I'd love your feedback or point of view.
As usual, with every guest, I twist their arm for an extra piece of information to be shared with the premium members of this site and Israel sure came through with the goods today. He reveals a step by step solution to getting portrait clients through the door… week after week. He has been employing this strategy for over three years and after some refining (which he shares) he can now estimate pretty closely what he need to do to fill his booking availability with each promotion. Awesome stuff – don't miss it – go premium.
That's it for this week – have fun in your business and make sure you action at least something you heard today in your business. It's the little things you do today that you will be thankful you started tomorrow.
Speak soon
Andrew
Woo hooooo Israel!
So much I can relate too! We both “started” at around the same time & I remember us being the “new kids” & if I am honest I was jealous of your fast rise in the industry :o) We both did business coaching, but for me I spent $14K to find out I did not want (or could cope with) a large business. And I too suffered from depression after my marriage fell apart. I did take medication and after 5 years, a lot of counselling, reading and just “doing the hard work” I am weening my self off that medication now. But if I find I do need that medication, I will continue and accept that.
Oh man I could just go on & on….but THANK YOU for your honesty, that I am certain will greatly help new photographers!
We MUST catch up some time!
Ben
Thanks Ben!
I’ve responded on FB, but thought I should echo the same comments here for the blog-readers’ benefit – that I really enjoyed the chat with Andrew, and only realised later on just how MUCH I can talk… Wow… No wonder it’s such a long interview! 😉
I’m really glad you could relate to my story, and thanks for the awesome feedback and sharing about your own journey with depression.
I have found being open & honest to be really empowering, especially about my depression – it makes it less of a stigma if you and I and others talk more freely about it.
Totally need to catch up. I’ll buzz you.
Is. 🙂
This is amazing, so honest.
Thankyou for your bravery in sharing your story – your REAL story.
We all go through periods of time which we are not in the best place, myself included. For me not depression but anxiety, but this is just as debilitating. With medication initially and changes in my own lifestyle this has improved greatly but when i am tired or under stress it can rise up again.
We often look at those who are successful and think they have never been there, thank you for being just as human and reminding us that we all need to travel our journey through all the ups and downs.
You are inspirational 🙂
Hi Deb – couldn’t agree with you more about Israel’s honesty and sharing his real story.
I don’t know anything about “medical” anxiety but imagine it would make putting yourself out there as a photographer difficult – it’s tough enough dealing with people, kids, changing light, camera controls, weather and what ever elese is happening at a shoot without any additional stress.
Great to hear you have things under control.
I’m sure Israel will be thrilled to read your comments.
Hey Deb,
Thanks so much for your beautiful words, and thanks for sharing about your own situation with anxiety.
As I’m sure you know, mental health challenges are one of the hardest things we might ever face, because it’s not physical – we can’t open our skulls up and say “There. See that dark grey cloud? That’s depression. That’s anxiety.”…
You’re on the right path yourself, by knowing that stress and tiredness are triggers for you (same here), and obviously knowing what you need to do to manage your own circumstances.
Stay strong and keep shooting! And YOU are also inspirational, because you’re doing the same thing as me – knuckling down and getting on with it.
I just blabbed on for an hour and a half about it to an old mate of mine. That part was easy. The knuckling down part is where the real work is. 😉
Take care,
Is. xo
So good to have both your feedback and comments about each others podcasts!
Ben, I’m totally shocked and surprised you suffer from depression too. Shocked and surprised because you ALWAYS appear happy, content, confident and just loving life – maybe its much more common than I realise or I’m blind to the symptoms?
These interviews have been a real eye opener to me already and I’ve only just begun the journey – I hope every listener is taking something from each of the episodes, not only to improve their businesses but to realise there is possibly more going on behind the scenes than purely creating beautiful images.
Israel, thanks again for having the courage to open up and share your story “on air” – it could have been so easy for you to say no to the interview or put up a load of “fluffy content” about how good everything is – which I feel wouldn’t be so out of place in the wedding and portrait business where most pros are quick to paint a very rosy picture.
Awesome stuff guys and with 100’s of downloads for each of your episodes already, hopefully other listeners will get involved with the conversation.
Andrew, you’re always welcome mate, and when I build my artistic niche to become the Bono of family portraiture, I’ll remember that I got my start right here on Photo Biz Exposed 😉
Thanks so much Andrew for another GREAT interview!
Israel, I really enjoyed your candidness and honesty and it seems you have all the right ingredients to rise above everything and shine and I wish you every success in your new ventures. I just have to say how you blew my mind when you said you shoot in jpeg. You, too, Andrew! I am not a “pro” and everyone tells me that I should be shooting in RAW, but for one reason or another, I don’t want to shoot in RAW. I like jpeg, thank you very much! It was so good to hear from successful professionals that it IS alright to shoot jpeg. Yay!!!! You don’t know how liberated that makes me feel! Now I can hold my head high as I shoot in jpeg! 🙂
Thanks for the great rap Pauline – it’s awesome knowing you are out there listening and enjoying the interviews.
I think you’ll open up a “can of worms” with the JPG V’s RAW discussion but my feeling are; find what works for you and do just that – it’s not often there will be a clear cut “right or wrong” in photography or business. It is nice though, knowing that other photographers are also thinking like you do.
If you listen to Ian Wilkinson, a hugely successful photographer from Brisbane in next weeks interview, you’ll hear his shock at my question of JPG or Raw.
Either way, you hold your head high, liberated and confident in your choice to shoot JPG and I’ll be right behind you waving the flag. (Figuratively, not literally :))
Hi Pauline,
I’m so grateful for your comments and well-wishes. I am really fortunate that my wife is an amazing, superhuman woman who is easily able to hold things together when my mind gets clouded and dark. I do my best to stay positive, and work through my challenges as they come up, and I think that’s the only thing we can do in business and in life, right?
Also, I’ve done some experimenting with shooting RAW again recently, primarily to see if it helps me produce a better quality result for my clients. Honestly, apart from the 0.01% of people who know the difference between 8-bit tonal range and 16-bit tonal range, I’m certain it makes very little difference to the quality of my finished products.
I agree 100% with Andrew – find what works for you, and stick with it for your own reasons. There’s a tool for every job, and there’s no need to use a pneumatic jack-hammer if a simple hand-held hammer will do the trick. (Clunky analogy, but I think you get what I mean.)
For what it’s worth, Jenn & Steve Bebb from Bebb Studios (Canada) also shoot in JPEG. They gave a keynote presentation in August last year for The AIPP Nikon Event in the Hunter Valley. At one point Steve mentioned he shot in JPEG, and I cheered. I was the ONLY person in the room who shot JPEG. We had a laugh about that later….
[…] feedback and the fantastic review in iTunes – I appreciate the time you took and I know Israel and Ben, from earlier episodes will love your comments […]