Mastering Portrait Photography Podcast

I am recording this having just spent the day running one of our workshops with some of the nicest people imaginable.  A top day (though I am now shattered!) at the end of a top month (January has been amazing) and who knows?  Maybe it's the start of a top year.  Don't want to tempt fate though... This episode was triggered by a shoot I did last week, when just a few words seemed to change the course of a shoot. Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode. PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.  Full Transcript: [00:00:00] Can you believe it? January has nearly gone. We are almost into February, the second month of o

Well we're back from The Societies Convention in London and it's been a blast (though I am a little weary!) However, no matter how tired I am, I am going to have to find the energy for my clients - just as we all need to.  And that is the topic of this episode. Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode. PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.  Full Transcript:   [00:00:00] Just got back. From the Society's Convention in London. Four days of hugging, laughing, talking photography, talking crap as well, I think, drinking, eating, not sleeping, running workshops, meeting suppliers, having conversations with editors, mo

Hi all! I am sitting writing this late on a Sunday evening with a glass of whisky in one hand (a small glass I hasten to add) and typing with the other.  It's already a business year and we're only a week or two in! In this episode, I have been pondering how you build your business and how, in particular, you do it one client at a time. It's the Societies Convention in London next week and I spent much of today figuring out exactly what I'm going to be doing.  It's been a lot of fun, but it has highlighted my lack of liner thinking, that's for sure! The Superclass and Masterclass we will be running at the Societies Convention 2024 can be found at https://thesocieties.net/convention/speakers/paul-wilkinson/ and we would love to see you there - either at the workshops or just for a well-deserved pint! Finally, all of our workshops at our studio can be found at https://www.paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk/photography-workshops-and-training/  Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering

So we're kicking off 2024 with a slightly random podcast from the cab of my Land Rover (thank you Craig from New Zealand for telling me he quite likes the rawness - pretty much gave me permission to once again strap on my Madonna-esque headset mic and ad-lib my way through the first episode of the year!) This episode is a blend of a summary of 2023 and some ideas for 2024.  If anyone is curious, the lighting I mention is the Aputure LS60x and LS60d (tunable, focussable LED spotlights), the Aputure Accent B7c and the Phottix TR200R RGB Tube Lights.  All brilliant. The Superclass and Masterclass we will be running at the Societies Convention 2024 can be found at https://thesocieties.net/convention/speakers/paul-wilkinson/ and we would love to see you there - either at the workshops or just for a well-deserved pint! Finally, all of our workshops at our studio can be found at https://www.paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk/photography-workshops-and-training/  Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head ove

At this time of year, more than any other, I find myself chasing my tail to complete everything I need to get done before the seasonal deadlines (otherwise our clients will be disappointed!) Of course, I want everything I do to be perfect but, as I have learned time and again, perfection is something that is unattainable and it is bad business too - finding the sweet spot balancing quality and time is the trick here.  In the end, if you spend limitless hours reaching for something that cannot be reached, it would be tough to find clients who could afford it!   I mention an EP that a friend of ours recorded and created a vinyl record as well as uploaded to Spotfy.  The EP can be found here on Spotify. I only played on "I Think We're Alone Now" and "Teenage Dirtbag" but let me know what you think!   The Superclass and Masterclass we will be running at the Societies Convention 2024 can be found at https://thesocieties.net/convention/speakers/paul-wilkinson/ and we would love to see you there - either at the work

The judging for the BIPP 2023/2024 International Print Awards is done and dusted and there some simply stunning images have been on the lightbox. The results come out later in the year, but I thought I'd muse on some of the things I learned along the way by listening to the judges as well as some observations of my own.  Some of these you've heard me mention before, but one or two may be new to you (and to me for that matter - who knew that all judges have the same problem when it comes to picking out their own competition images?!) but all of them are useful. Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode. PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulw

In this interview with an old friend of ours, Simon Shirley, Toastmaster extraordinaire, we end up chatting about some of the simple things that make for a successful client-facing business for responding quickly, to getting a crowd onside (even when the odds are stacked against you!) I mention a few workshops we'll be running, so here are the links: Sunday 10th September 2023 The Guild Of Photographers Photohub Event Oxford Mastering Off-Camera Flash https://photohubs.photoguild.co.uk/the-oxford-belfry-photohub/ Thursday 28th September 2023 The Guild Of Photographers Photohub Event Peebles, Scotland Mastering Available Light https://photohubs.photoguild.co.uk/peebles-hydro-photohub-2/    Monday September 11, 2023 Full-Day Workshop At Our Studio near Oxford Mastering Dog Photography From Shutter To Print https://www.paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk/store/workshops/mastering-dog-photography-from-shutter-to-print-11th-september-2023/    Monday October 9, 2023 Full-Day Workshop At Our Studio near Oxford Mastering

Pick up any book on business in your local bookstore, and it will almost certainly talk about processes. Yawn.  But what if we thought about processes as good habits? The things you do every day that you don't need to think about. As a business, you need good processes: doing the right things, at the right time in the right way is the foundation of any successful studio. And besides, it gives you more time to do the things you love! Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode. PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk. 

Peter Aldington OBE, world-renowned architect and garden designer, with his wife Margaret - whose energy and partnership have been as fundamental to his success as any other creative's, though she professes to not being a designer of any kind. I have wanted to record this interview for a long time. Peter is a world-renowned architect, having achieved no less than 9 (yes, you're reading that correctly, 9) listed buildings in his lifetime. Each of the nine houses he designed while working as an architect, along with the garden that he created in the eighties, is listed (aka protected) by English Heritage.   Some record.  He's also a charming guy. We have based our photography business in the original studio where he began his architectural practice, Aldington, Craig and Collinge, a building we have completely fallen in love with in the past 11 years. As you can imagine, I wanted to record an interview with him; in particular, I wanted to ask him about creativity and how he turned his influences into something t

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 out on a fantastic convention with photographers who I love to spend time with (FOMO anyone?) and also not getting the scores I would have loved for my entries. It's all part of the puzzle when it comes to entering photographic competitions. Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode. PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to

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 upcoming workshops: 6th March, Mastering Essential Studio Lighting 20th March, Mastering Available Light 3rd April, Mastering Headshot Photography 17th April, Mastering Your Creative Workflow From Shutter To Print 15th May, Mastering Advanced Studio Lighting 5th June, Mastering Available Light On Location In Oxford These can all be found on our website. Every workshop is limited to six delegates so we can fine-tune the content for the attendees.  They're an absolute blast! If you're a portrait photographer, whether a pro or looking to break into the industry, these workshops are perfect for you.

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 put a little faith in us and asked us to be ambassadors: Graphistudio (they create the best photographic albums on the planet!) https://www.graphistudio.com/en/  Pixellu (we use their brilliant Smart Albums application to do the heavy lifting for all of our album designs) https://www.pixellu.com/  Panasonic Eneloop Batteries (not as sexy maybe as let's say, a camera but massively important!) These guys have very kindly helped with a little funding for the podcast - useful given that we entirely fund it, write it and produce it ourselves.  A little help like this goes a long way - just like the life of their AA batteries

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 gingerbread, thanks to our Christmas candles!) as clients come to pick up their last-minute gifts as well as albums and frames they ordered during the year.  The shelves have creaked under the weight of the boxes; each bowed with our distinctive ribbons and tags.  Today, with just a few days to Christmas, the shelves look empty, with just a few items left to be picked up. Every client through the door has brought joy and festive cheer and taken away photographs it has been a joy to create. Like I said, we are a lucky business. And so it is that I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked with my guest for this interview for the past decade.  Michele Jennings was, up until a coupl

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 episode, I step through the rigour of judging, how it is done, and how we ensure it is fair. In the second half of the episode,  I go through some of the notes I made while the judges assessed and commented on each of the entries. If you are curious about image competitions or fancy entering one - not just the BIPP competition - some of the things we spotted might be of use to you! Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode. PLEASE also subscribe and

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 your client, that's where! In this episode, I mention a couple of different things.  Firstly, a reminder of the colour correction tool I love: Imagen AI If you use this link: https://www.imagen-ai.com/start?ref=paulwilkinson the lovely guys at Imagen AI will give you 1500 free (yes 1500 FREE) file corrections.  I get some as well, so feel free to use the link, and we BOTH get a freebie! We have just announced a brand new workshop: Mastering The Essentials Of Studio Lighting.. This workshop is very anyone who is venturing into studio lighting and wants to get to grips with creating stunning images with simple techniques and easily a

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 this episode can be found at: https://photohubs.co.uk/product/oxford-light/ This is a hands-on, three-hour workshop for no more than ten people and is all about the thing that I love doing most: finding and using available light for fantastic portraits! Would love to see you there! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode. PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have qu

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 'yes' but learning that there are grades of success when it comes to selling, helps me not worry about those who've said 'no'. During this episode, I mention a piece of software we're now using to expedite our colour correction.  It's called ImagenAI and it uses machine learning to learn how YOU like YOUR colours, and then applies them.  It's very fast, it's very cool, it's incredibly accurate and it's cost-effective.  And, no, I am not in any way being paid to say that - it's just that this podcast was always meant to be helpful to other photographers and this is one of those moments when software is part of that value.   It can be found at https://www.im

Had a chance this week to go and enjoy some incredible sketches and watercolours at the Ashmolean in Oxford.  The artists?  The Pre Raphaelite Brotherhood - one of my favourite groups of artists.  Somewhat uncharacteristically, we also developed some Ilford XP2 film (our daughter wants a film camera) and I've been testing a few old boxes we've had laying around for the past 20 years or more. The results, if I was being charitable, weren't a disaster.  But they weren't great either. And that's in stark contrast to the camera I am using daily: the Nikon Z9.   This camera is so utterly good that it is literally changing everything I have believed in since I first picked up a DSLR.  Have a listen and see if you agree with me (or not!) Would love to hear your thoughts. Also, a quick reminder, if you're listening to the BEFORE 20th September 2022, Sarah and I will be presenting on the Graphistudio stand at the Photography Show at 1pm - grandstanding as usual - and you can also catch us on the BIPP stand, doing busi

After a little bit of a break from recording over the summer, this episode is a quick update and reflects on the experiences we had while visiting the beautiful Tuscany area of Italy.  As with so much in business, it's the experience that completely won us over (though the product was delicious too!) Huge shout to the Buglioni Winery (and, in particular, to Lorenzo, who could not have made us feel more special! We'll be back!) We have also been announced as ambassadors for three different top-flight companies (so these links are going to become familiar territory!) Graphistudio The best photographic albums in the world! Pixellu Smart Albums If you design albums, this is a lifesaver! Panasonic Eneloop Our whole studio has these rechargeable batteries powering it! It is an honour to be associated with all of these products as we already use them all (because they're the best!) Wouldn't have it any other way for our clients! If you're reading this before Tuesday 20th September, 2022, Sarah and I will be talking

In this week's episode, I am talking about how we set up the sale in the shoot - not in the salesroom; the salesroom is where we close the deal.  I love this process, and it works, too: happy clients, great images and consistent (and high-value) sales.  Perfect.   Also, this episode is kindly sponsored by Pioneer Eneloop Batteries.  Once again, I am extolling the virtues of replacing all those single-use batteries with eco-friendly, long-life rechargeables.  I did the same thing last year and enjoyed using the batteries (and charger) so much that I went out and bought a complete set of them.  The Zoom recorder I used for this episode has Eneloop Pro batteries in it.  Love them.   You can get them on Amazon at https://amzn.to/3utOdzg    Also, I get carried away and end up chatting about the new headphones I bought - brilliant things!  Was always jealous of Sarah's AirPods Pro that I bought for her (https://amzn.to/3upRhMH), so as I headed off to work in Ibiza a few weeks ago, I bought some Sony equivalents. Li