Mastering Portrait Photography Podcast

Well, I finally managed to persuade my beautiful wife Sarah to don a microphone and give me her view on what it's like co-running our business and being married to me all at the same time. We talk about bits and pieces but mostly things that we've learnt about putting a successful portrait photography business and how to cope with some of the stresses and strains. The interview starts on a hill and ends in a pub (well, why woudln't it?), so also includes sound effects from aircraft, wildlife and pub revellers. In that order. Along with that, having read various threads around the place lamenting the state of the industry (since when did negativity ever help anyone?!), I am having a whine of my own. Well, strictly speaking it's a WINE of the week (d'you see what I did there?) Sarah has a phenominal memory, is a super-taster and flew her Wine And Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 exams with a mere 98%! Which means I get to drink really nice wine. I thought I'd capitlise on this in-house supremem talent and

Ah, in this episode I have a chance to sit down with an old friend of ours, Jeremy Price, the Managing Director of Graphistudio UK. Graphistudio is the biggest album supplier in the world and the inventor of the original 'lay-flat' wedding book - something we have built our business around here.  We mostly talk about the industry, what is happening and how photographers can get more out of Graphistudio and their products. We have worked with Graphistudio for many years now and have built a great relationship with them but when you're starting out it can be daunting. Jeremey gives some advice on how to get information and start your journey with them. Oh yes, and Jeremy ignores a call from his partner and I get cross about bank accounts. Hey ho. If you like this podcast, head over to Mastering Portrait Photography where there are articles and videos about this wonderful industry.  You can subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, PodBean and Spotify. If there are any topics you would like to hear, have questions we

In today's digital age of photography it's impossible to avoid conversations about selling files.  In this podcast (from the deepest depths of beautiful Cornwall I might add, with sounds of birds tweeting in the background) we discuss the pressures on photography businesses to sell their files and give up copyright.   As a rule we don't sell high-resolution files (by high-resolution I mean the same pixel resolution as the camera sensor - full size files) but we do sell files that can be printed up to about 10x8".  I'll try and explain the logic! This podcast is one of the series from Mastering Portrait Photography by Paul Wilkinson. Enjoy!

Welcome to episode 21 of the Mastering Portrait Photography Podcast! It's been a busy week here with portrait shoots (both family and commercial) and a wedding thrown in for good measure!  But it's not all been work, it's also been our local Summer Beer Festival which is a glorious celebration of all things summer with some ale, cider, Pimms, gin and laughter for good measure: plus it was the World Cup with England playing Sweden so it was always going to be a lively affair! And it's the football that set me thinking about coaching (or as we, in the photography fraternity prefer to call it: mentoring) - it's importance and benefits. This week also saw one of our shoots rearranged on the fly and I talk a little about the psychology of dealing with a dramatic change in the schedule while still (somehow) satisfying the brief.  All in all, a busy week! Oh, and we're now prepping the Mastering Portrait Photography site (www.masteringportraitphotography.com) to go live at the beginning of August. Can't wait! Enjoy!

James Musselwhite is one of the most exciting portrait photographers working in the UK: with his iconic monochrome portraits of wrestlers, he has built a global fan base who prize his imagery. In this interview (in a noisy pub in southern England!) we chat about life, passion, encouragement and the state of the photography industry. And we laugh. Quite a lot.

England are playing in the FIFA World Cup today and so I am avoiding the tv and radio - I am not good around anything competitive (it really does bring out the worst in me!) However, with a lot of help from my mentor (we all should have one) entering print competitions is a worthwhile exercise in spite of what it brings out in me! This podcast talks about mentors and competitions and why they are both worthwhile!

It's a question we're often asked: "Do you need a studio to succeed [in portrait photography]?" I am not sure there is one, single, satisfactory answer to that question but, well, you know I have to try.  In this podcast I describe the setup we have here, the setup we used to have (a converted garage) and, prior to that, how I survived without a studio at all.  Do you need one? Have a listen and see if you agree with me.

This week's episode is mainly a Q&A in response to a young photographer. Oh, and I have a rant about service: the WAY you create pictures is just as important as the pictures you create!    To view more content, visit Mastering Portrait Photography!

We all have a bag of some sort: big, small, with wheels, with back-breaking straps, modest, flamboyant, chock full or half empty. We ALL have a bag. This is what's in mine from bodies to brushes, gizmos to gum.    To view more content, visit Mastering Portrait Photography!

Sometimes you have to make the best of the time you have and today, well, today I have spent the day on the road - just me, the satnav and my trusty Land Rover Defender.  This podcast (with a healthy dose of TD5 engine noise) talks about some of the things I've heard judges comment on when judging photography print competitions - either at Camera Clubs or International Competitions. So if competing is your thing, grab a notebook and see if any of the tips I offer might apply. And, even if you don't ever compete, the things I've heard apply nearly as much in general! Enjoy!   You can view articles, videos and a heap more content at Mastering Portrait Photography. Enjoy!

Whether or not you like it, the modern portrait photographer is going to spend a not insignificant amount of time sitting in front of Lightroom and Photoshop. Setting up your workspace to make this as painless as possible is critical (or you're going to need the Aspirin!) Here I chat about some of the things I have done to make my edit workload as palatable as possible: it's all about the comfy chair!

I am frequently asked to advise on what would I buy if I started from scratch so, as I drink a last coffee (decaf of course!) before heading out to shoot a glorious, sunny wedding, I ponder on those initial purchases: what and why.  And it includes good shoes. Who knew?

Someone asked me about developing your own distinctive portrait photography style: if I'm honest, I was never certain I had one but, well, I guess I probably have these days. These are just a few musings on the steps to developing your own style, selecting images for marketing and why it's often best to plough your own furrow (to use an old idiom!)

Your photography production workflow is supremely important, though it is often an overlooked component. Thinking it through, however, will bring benefits in the long run. Being kind to yourself is even harder - I talk about why I recommend it!

In this podcast, we muse a little on whether qualifications from the big photographic associations have any relevance in the current marketplace. Enjoy!

Still answering questions here at Mastering Portrait Photography - mostly about business factors and what it takes to make a successful photography business.

In this Mastering Portrait Photography podcast, I chat through a series of questions we were sent by a student in Maryland, USA (there are quite a few so it is split over two podcasts!) Hopefully she will find the answers illuminating!  

Mastering Portrait Photography Podcast 007. In this podcast, we discuss the merits of talking a lot. Oh, the irony.

This podcast talks about plagiarism - but of the right kind - and why it's a useful skill to think like a photography judge!

In this episode, I explain why truth is so important to me and what it was like to co-author the book Mastering Portrait Photography with Sarah Plater. Enjoy!