Mastering Portrait Photography Podcast

Well, this episode is recorded from my nearly-finished workshop which, while it is ultimately built for making things, also seems to have great acoustics!  That wasn't a design choice but it makes for a coincidentally glorious recording studio! It's great at the studio right now, as everything is opening back up and the business is returning to its familiar buzz.   This episode, sponsored by Panasonic Eneloop Pro Batteries, discusses entering and learning from image competitions: you cannot win if you don't enter - and there may be other rewards beyond the obvious prizes! Besides, if you're careful about which ones you enter, they're completely anonymous unless you win something!  How scary can it be?  And yet, they are just that: scary.  But if you can find a way past the fear, the rewards make the nerves worthwhile.   Enjoy! Cheers P.   If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscr

Have you ever wondered how just a few words can make your day or break your heart?  In this episode I ponder on how words are the backbone of portrait photography: during the shoot, they're the only thing you have! From the minute your client arrives, to the moment you're saying your goodbyes and waving them from your doorstep (you do actually make the effort to see them to their card don't you?!), it's your words and what you say with your body language that is going to make or break the shoot.  Yes, the images will ultimately be the thing you sell, but the experience and the way your client feels during the shoot are so much important than any pixels can be. Words.  It's all in the witchery of the words. I mention a piece of software called FoCal in the episode - this is a fantastic app for calibrating your lenses if you happen to own a Nikon or Canon camera (sorry Fuji, Sony, and Olympus users!)  It was recommended by one of our Mastering Portrait Photography members - Bob Foyers (https://foyers.photogr

It's been an amazing week and you can really feel the change in energy as the Covid lockdown is gradually eased.  Emails coming in, the phones are ringing, shoots are happening (rather than perpetually postponed) and in-person sales sessions are back and in full force! Yay! On the other hand, everything feels rusty, unfamiliar and slightly unnerving.  Weird. Getting back up to speed is going to be an exciting process for us here at the studio!  Every day is a school day huh? As long as we're laughing all the way, things will be just fine! Cheers P.   If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  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.  If you'd like to use one of the othe

After the last episode's interview with Sarah (my one-and-only!), this week, I am talking to another husband and wife team - Terrie and Colin Jones from The Societies Of Photographers. I have been a very happy member of The Societies (when I joined it was still just The Society Of Wedding And Portrait Photographers - The SWPP) and so it so good to sit and chat - remotely I might add - with two of the nicest, hardest working people in the industry. The Societies provides a range of benefits for photographers from mentoring, training, networking, promotions, negotiating discounts for members, magazine subscription, qualifications, competitions and so much more. If you're interested in the benefits mentioned by Colin, head to this page and you can see the various links there. As always, I ask my interviewees for a book nomination for our ever-growing library of things to fascinate photographers.  Terrie and Colin nominated Mastering Lighting & Flash Photography by our good friend, and incredible photogra

Well, it's been 99 episodes to date, and now this, the 100th!  Whoever thought we'd get to that milestone?  Well, it's entirely down to you amazing people, our subscribers and the feedback we get: that and the cathartic effect of chatting about life as a professional portrait photographer. Over the past 99 episodes, some of my favourites have been the various interviews with many more to come, and there isn't anyone I'd rather be chatting with than my amazing wife and co-director Sarah.  So I thought this episode would be a nice moment to grab a glass of wine and look forward to the lockdown restrictions being lifted.  Oh, and to reminisce about some of the things that have gone wrong over the years! All while trying to silently consume olives, peanuts, ciabatta and wine! Ah, you gotta love a romantic Friday evening; just the two of us and microphones. Enjoy! Cheers P.   If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautifu

One from the Land Rover this week - I recorded it while heading over to photograph puppies at the Hearing Dogs UK Charity.  Tough gig huh? A bit of a rambly update, I admit, but the excitement of being out in the sunshine had taken hold. I was later to find that the sunshine belied just how cold it was!  That'll teach me not to forget my coat!  Anyway, that was later.  In this podcast, there is a short update on life, broken websites, flat batteries and scrubbing the studio spotless like a surgical theatre ready to be open for commercial clients. The actual subject of this mobile recording, is "Who Buys All The Ugly Cars" (or, with a more business-style paraphrase, "There is a market for everything.") Please do subscribe to the podcast and leave a review - it's a nice thing to do and we really appreciate it! Enjoy! Cheers P.   If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leav

I admit this is a shorter episode than some - I am multitasking and getting prepped and rehearsed for the Graphistudio Live Lounge over the weekend - details can be found at https://www.graphistudio.com/en/accademia/ I'm on stage (as much as there is a stage of course) at 15:40 UK time (16:40 European time, 10:40 US Eastern) talking about shooting for album sales.  Would love to see you all there!  We could all go out for a drink at the bar afterwards... ....oh.... ...wait... nope, sadly not. This podcast is about something I've always believed: keeping it simple!  Complexity rarely helps you, your photography or your business.  Keeping things nice and simple helps the shoot to flow and for your clients to enjoy their experience as much as possible.  At least that's true for portrait photography - it may not be so true if you're someone who shoots detailed products where a focus-stacking, light-stacking and hours of retouching are the norm! For me?  Well I'm at my happiest when it's just me, my client, my

Things are definitely looking up! Today, I had my vaccine, and I cannot help but think things are (gradually) appearing more positive.  At the end of the day, vaccines are the only way out of the pandemic, so it feels good to not only have done my bit but also to see what an amazing job the NHS and all those volunteers are doing getting it out there - and it's all being done with huge smiles and a ton of love. Graphistudio is running a Live Lounge on the 6th / 7th March, so I thought it would be a great time to get Graphistudio UK's Managing Director into an interview to talk about the state of the industry, the future of social photography and to get excited about what's going to be broadcast during the event. As always, I asked for a book to add to the library - and this one is an absolute stunner (it's smart, inciteful and tells exactly what it's like to be the wife of an MP.) It's called "The Diary Of An MPs Wife" by Sasha Swire and it's a great read, though a bit depressing if you think politics should

Photographers - or, more precisely, photography trainers -  talk about muscle memory - creating habit and comfort in what you do.  But have you ever thought it might hold you back? In this caffeine-fueled, bleary-eyed podcast recorded early on a Friday morning,  I ponder on how to break out of your self-imposed limitation - one that we constantly refer to as a necessary thing: your muscle memory.   BE WARNED: there is a modicum of rudeness and one or two swear words at the beginning.  Should you happen to be listening to this in the background while doing a little homeschooling with the kids, I suggest you pause it (the podcast, not the homeschooling) until you have a glass of wine and no youngsters around! Enjoy! Cheers P.   If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  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

In this interview, I get a chance to talk with the incredible photographer, Sanjay Jogia.   To quote from Canon's website (he is a Canon Ambassador): Sanjay Jogia is one of the world's most decorated wedding photographers, with a clutch of awards from both the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers (SWPP) and Wedding & Portrait Photographers International (WPPI). The Briton is known for capturing a mix of posed and unposed images, all bursting with emotion and charm. He also shares his expertise, travelling the world to deliver lectures and workshops. Serving the luxury wedding market, Sanjay's company, Eye Jogia Photography, specialises in wedding photography of the most demanding kind: destination weddings all over the world, and Indian weddings, which pose distinct challenges compared to other types of ceremony. "Indian weddings are more intense and much longer: a typical day can be 12 to 16 hours," says Sanjay. "There are many separate rituals on the day of the main ceremony, and all the da

Ever wondered if you're your own worst enemy? Your very own, personal, TROLL?  Well, stop it at once!  It really isn't helping!   I mention a couple of things in this podcast - here are the links for the curious: The camera I am talking about is the Nikon Z7ii - you can read about it on Nikon's site.  The focus checker is the Datacolor SpyderLensCal Of course, remember that my book Mastering Portrait Photography is still very much available on Amazon (it's still in the top 20 photography books after all these years!)   Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  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. 

So why do people think it's OK to criticise HOW you do something?  In this episode, I am more or less muttering about something that is prevalent in our industry: snobbishness about how you create your images rather than the celebration of what you've created. I may have uttered an expletive during the recording of this podcast.  Sorry - don't judge me.  I've left it in because I think a little passion is a good thing. Besides, bleeping it out wouldn't have hidden the fact I said it.  Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  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. 

In a podcast last year, I lamented that I had lost a little mojo - the penalty for having a massively busy season prior to that.  This triggered a couple of threads of conversation, one of which is this interview with Trevor Long PhD. To quote from his bio: "Trevor brings an extensive experience in education and consultancy to this work, from many different countries and cultures, with a primary interest in individual development as a means of building long-term growth and well-being.  Working with several business schools, including Cambridge, Duke, Henley and Warwick, he has designed and delivered programmes on strategy, leadership, change, personal development and cultural awareness. He focuses on the educational content of the charity. "With a strong interest in the benefits of personal motivation, Trevor’s research is rooted in the personal experience of engagement and its application in leadership and business growth.  He has a PhD, an MBA and other qualifications involving coaching and psychology."

I think I recorded the previous episode on a cold, crisp day.  Well, the cold has remained, but instead of 'crisp' it is now grey, gloomy and damp (though quite how it is still damp when the temperature is hovering around freezing, I have no idea!) We're closing 2020 and opening a whole new chapter, bright and clean, as yet unsullied by Covid, Brexit, politicians or social media.  I doubt it'll stay that way but let's enjoy the moment, just like stepping out into fresh white snow: it is clean and white, with only your footsteps to be seen, though you know it'll soon be brown and yellow, slushy and melting away.  But right now?  Clean, white, untouched and exciting. You never know, maybe it will stay that way! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  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 questi

This question was asked by our model on a recent masterclass: "Why do you take pictures?" she enquired of me and our attendee.  I suspect a pro, and an amateur may give slightly different answers but it's a simple and yet profound question: indeed, what on earth fuels our desire to create images? In this episode, recorded on a cold, crisp Christmas Eve, I ponder on that and look forward to a couple of days of laughing with my family and,well, maybe consuming a little sherry along the way! Happy holidays one and all! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  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. 

Well, it's only gone and happened again: we're back in lockdown from this Thursday.  Finding out on a Saturday night that you have five working days left in what is normally the busiest month of the year, is not ideal, to put it mildly.  Still, we have to find ways of coping, ways of staying positive.   This is a quick podcast I recorded to talk about the things we're doing here to stay in the right frame of mind to see our way through what is undoubtedly going to be a tough end of this year and, probably, beginning of next. There are no silver bullets in here - just the things we're planning right now. In the end, I have to think of this time as an opportunity: an opportunity to finish the jobs I never have time for; an opportunity to find new avenues for revenue and an opportunity to reach out to our clients when they, too, will be feeling low. Taking control of what I CAN be in control of and figuring ways around everything I CAN'T be in control of is the only thing I can do. I hope you're all OK and

In this episode we look at ways of seeing your images as your clients will.  When I used to work in recording studios, we would dump a copy of the music track onto cassette (yes I am that old) and walk it out into the car park and sit in a band member's car, listening to the audio.  It was the best way to make sure it sounded good somewhere other than in a sophisticated mixing room!  Making sure your images look great to your end client is much the same - but you don't need an old Ford Capri, a Sony Cassette deck and five sweaty musicians! In this podcast I also mention (well, someone has to blow my trumpet!) the award we won a couple of weeks ago at the Master Photographers Association International Photography Awards - I won the title of 'Portrait Photography Of The Year' with this image of Carol. You can read the story on the BBC News website. Enjoy! If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLE

Well this is one of those catchup episodes (I have discovered that our studio microwave has a grill!) but it also deals with one of those odd bits of human nature: that as you develop your talents and knowledge, the insecurity never seems to leave you. Funny ol' world isn't it?! Enjoy! If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  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. 

I don't know quite what inspired me for this podcast, but I thought it would be interesting (and so it proved to be) to invite someone onto the podcast that really does understand relationships and the language that people use. Every day in a portrait photography business, we're facing families and couples, watching their behaviour, listening to their conversations and creating beautiful images of them and their loved ones.  I wondered if there were techniques we could use to improve their experience - in particular, ways of diffusing the natural tensions that are present when a family arrives for a portrait session. Kate Nicolle is a long-standing friend and client of the business and, as it happens, is also a qualified relationship counsellor.  The way she views a couple is going to be distinctly different from the way we see things through the viewfinder, but there is plenty to be learned in this conversation. We mention the portrait session that Kate and her friends, Karen and Rachel, had a few years

In this episode, I get a chance to talk to the team of qualification judges that I am privileged to be a part of for the British Institue of Professional Photography. I thought it would be interesting (and so it proved to be) to ask each of them before and after the judging, what they would love to see, what (after the fact) was a highlight and what they would say to anyone thinking of getting themselves qualified. The two days of judging are really intensive - you can hear the fatigue in the judges' voices later in the podcast - but what they have to see is inciteful and priceless. The judges in this episode are: David Stanbury - https://www.stanburyphotography.co.uk/ Catherine Beltramini - http://www.catherine-beltraminiphotography.com/ Sean Conboy - http://seanconboy.com/ Saraya Corteville - https://sarayacortaville.co.uk/ James Musselwhite - https://www.portraitofawrestler.com/ and me - https://paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk The chair of judges is Scott Johnson -https://www.theedgephotography.c