EP135 Winning (Or Not) And Finding Positives – Whatever The Outcome

EP135 Winning (Or Not) And Finding Positives - Whatever The Outcome Well, this weekend has two big events: Mother's Day and the Societies Of Photographers Annual Convention In London. Sadly I wasn't able to make the Convention this year - though I was there in spirit!  That didn't stop me entering the print competition though.  I didn't come away with any gongs this year and that always stings just a little.  Somehow, I have to convert the feeling of missing ...

EP134 The Power Of Thank You

EP134 The Power Of Thank You! Photographers are supremely visual, right?  Of course.  But have you ever wondered about the power of words?  Two words, in particular, can have a bigger impact than any image ever can (and I am speaking as someone whose entire life is living and breathing pictures).  The words? "Thank You".  These two words, when given or received, can bring a huge amount of joy.  Trust me. In the podcast, I mention the dates of our ...

EP133 Dealing With The Year Ahead With Joy And Positivity!

EP133 Dealing With The Year Ahead With Joy And Positivity! So it's 2023 already!  What happened to 2022?  This episode says a big thank you for 2022 and kicks off the year ahead with some thoughts on how to deal with so much negativity in the years and the media.  We're hitting it all with positivity, energy, creativity and laughter!  Well, you wouldn't expect anything different from us would you? We also say thanks to some incredible brands who have ...

EP132 Interview With Michele Jennings, Former CEO Hearing Dogs For Deaf People

EP132 Interview With Michele Jennings, Former CEO Hearing Dogs For Deaf People We are a lucky business.  OK, I know you make your own luck to a greater or lesser degree, but we really are a lucky business.  Every day I work with people I love - from our team in the studio to our clients across the UK and further afield. As we run into the festive holidays, our studio has been full of laughter (and the smell of ...

EP131 National Print Competition | Notes From The Judging

EP131 National Print Competition | Notes From The Judging A couple of weeks ago, we judged the British Institute Of Professional Photographers (BIPP) 2022 national print competition. I have always loved being a judge and now, in my role as Chair Of Qualifications And Awards for the BIPP, I couldn't be happier!  I get to see so many incredible images and sit with so many incredible photographers.  It's one of the best gigs imaginable. In the first half of the ...

EP130 Invest In Things That Benefit Your Client

EP130 Invest In Things That Benefit Your Client I recorded this podcast at 7am while sat in the studio, waiting for a new TV to be delivered.  Luckily it actually arrived when they said it would!  The TV is for our Client Reveal Room as we want our customers to have the best possible experience when they come back to see their pictures. But exactly how do you figure out where to spend your limited budget?  On things that benefit ...

EP129 – What Is Your Inner Energy Source?

EP129 - What Is Your Inner Energy Source? At the end of a long week, the exhaustion can creep up on you.  Fatigue is not an unusual feeling for a professional photographer.  But finding your source of energy, whether it's your work, your clients, your colleagues or just some time out with family, is crucial. For me?  Well, for me it's always been about people in one form or another! The details of the Photo Hubs Oxford workshop mentioned in ...

EP128 Stay Positive: That ’No’ Might Just Be A ’Yes’ For A Later Date

EP128 Stay Positive: That ’No’ Might Just Be A ’Yes’ For A Later Date I have honestly grown to love the sales process - from pitch to payment, it is something I never thought I'd get my head around but have surprised myself. One key aspect is understanding that a 'no' may not be all it seems.  In this episode, Sarah and I have stood out in the weather at Thame Food Festival, pitching to prospective clients.  Not everyone says ...

EP127 – Things Change (The Z9 Has Changed Them)

EP127 - Things Change (The Z9 Has Changed Them) Well, I admit it; I never thought I'd hear myself say it, but I am now shooting as much in Auto (well, Aperture-Priority anyway) as much as I am in Manual.  I have spent my entire life both shooting and teaching manual control of your camera, and here I am in a world of auto exposure.  Why?  Well, the Nikon Z9 has changed absolutely everything for me! Have a listen to ...

EP123 Interview With Street Photographer Ross Grieve

EP123 Interview With Street Photographer Ross Grieve This episode was recorded in a bar - possibly my favourite but, in contrast to our studio garden - not the quietest place to record audio.  But it makes me happy.  It was at this year’s incredible Societies of Photographers Convention in London where I spent the week judging and, well, generally feeling liberated from the previous two years of lockdown! The interview is with one of the nicest guys in the industry ...