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Last week we hosted our annual photo marketing roundtable here at The Hive Studios in Phoenix, Arizona.
At this event, a handful of creative professionals (photographers and videographers) sat around together to discuss ideas, strategies, complications and breakthroughs in their business as business owners.
Through the course of this discussion - there were 5 main areas that were brought up as important means to generate additional and predictable revenue as a creative professional.
Connect with me https://jamespatrick.com/
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Peerspace is a brokerage site used for short-term rentals for photo shoots, video productions, events, podcasts, meetings and the like.
Historically, Peerspace made their revenue by taking a percentage off of every single booking done through their website. However, recently Peerspace has instituted a bidding system which allows location managers to pay to have their spaces ranked higher in the site's search algorithm.
What will this do for renters? What will this do for location managers?
Short answer; things are likely to get more expensive for everyone.
https://jamespatrick.com/
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There is one mistake that I've seen photographers, videographers and creatives make over the course of my 20+ year career. This mistake is often what separate photographers who build sustainable and thriving businesses versus those who continue to have peaks and valleys and often find themselves struggling to bring in new business.
For those in Arizona - we are hosting a photo marketing roundtable on May 22nd at The Hive Studios in Phoeninx, Arizona. RSVP at https://www.hivestudiosaz.com/workshops/p/photo-roundtable-2025
https://jamespatrick.com/
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Let's face it - if you expand the timeline long enough - you're going to find there is quite a fair amount of toxicity within the photography community.
From jealousy to envy to downright aggressive competition - no one is immune from it.
So let's break down the actual sources behind the toxic traits of so many creatives and how we can navigate it better as a community.
https://jamespatrick.com/
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I want to be clear, right off the top, that I have personally made every single one of these mistakes myself in my 20+ year career.
The goal is not to shame photograpehrs for making the mistakes that all of us have made - but to shed light (that is a well-placed pun) on these misconcepts, misunderstandings and mistakes so that we can continue to learn and improve on our craft as creative professionals.
https://jamespatrick.com/
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You were asked by a client to bid on a project and either intentionally or unintentionally they did not give you all of the information you need to accurate prepare an estimate that fully reflects your services and value.
Bluntly - you underbid.
So what do you do?
In this episode of the Beyond the Image podcast, host James Patrick deconstructs how to prevent this scenario from happening to begin with as well as suggestions on how to navigate it with clients should the situation arise.
https://jamespatrick.com/
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Photographers - there are two types of clients we need to STOP chasing.
Clients who don't have money. Clients who don't want to spend money.Instead - let's focus on how we find clients who do have the purchasing power and purchasing assets to support our creative endeavors.
https://jamespatrick.com/
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Social media was never particularly easy - but it sure was a lot simpler. The way to achieve engagement has completely shifted (and we've lost count how many times that has happened).
In this episode of the Beyond the Image podcast - we dive into what needs to happen on your social channels now based upon how audiences are consuming content.
https://jamespatrick.com/
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If all you are sending a prospective client is an estimate sheet - then you are drastically under-selling yourself as a creative.
In this episode of the Beyond the Image podcast - I dive into my strategy for crafting and desgining well curated proposals that I send to clients when bidding.
https://jamespatrick.com/
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In today's episode we answer the question "should photographers niche?" YUP!
Yup they absolutely should! In this episode of Beyond the Image, host James Patrick dives into why photographers should carve out their specialty and unique selling proposition as well as unpacking the biggest fear they have when it comes to niching down.
If I niche down, then I won't get hired for other work again!
The reality is - that simply is not true!
https://jamespatrick.com/
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In this episode we answer the question; should photographers also provide video services to clients?
Overwhelmingly yes! Without question.
Either they need to learn how to construct and deliver video files - or it is important for them to form a partnership with a videographer to offer their services to clients.
Client demand for video assets has only been increasing exponentially.
In order for a creative professional to stay competitive - they have to find ways to meet client demands and expectations in today's marketplace.
https://jamespatrick.com/
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I've been hired to do a handful of gigs over the last three decades with zero experience. Everything from selling wedding rings to modeling for an off campus student housing complex.
But what is even more intense is the fact that I built a photography career over 20 decades having no prior experience. That I built a podcast from the ground up never having spoken into a microphone before. That I created not one, but two, best selling books having never published a book prior.
This is not to say that mistakes were not made or that I did not often fail (I did, a lot).
But I never allowed a lack of experience prevent me from trying something. And neither should you.
https://jamespatrick.com/
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As traditional print media scrambles to find firm ground despite crumbling atrophy - the thing I was still so excited about and hopeful for as a creative was the rapid emergence of unique, fresh, bold and innovative independent publishers.
Sure, independent publishers have smaller budgets (if any) and the audiences are certainly a bit more finite. But also, there is far less overhead, the audiences are hyper focused and there is more bandwidth for creative exploration.
Unfortunately… the same greed, which has been eradicating traditional publishers is now infecting independent publishers.
Zero quality control Abysmal editorial standards (if any) and offensively bad designYet these publishers are charging premium sponsored rates for features on the cover and inside their magazines.
If sponsored content is your business model, and I’m not going to argue in favor or against that, you absolutely need to do better for your advertisers, editorial contributors, as well as potential readers.
https://jamespatrick.com/
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In more than 20 years as a photographer, I've had a few photoshop controversies. There have been times my work was accused of being over-edited (it wasn't) and there were times I even got fired because I refused to edit work beyond what I was comfortable with.
The reality is that it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish between what is real and what is art. The abundance of photo editing apps, filters and AI-enhanced manipulations has only added to the confusion of authenticity.
The result is to simply label everything as fake, inauthentic and misleading.
But let's unpack the nuance of photo editing and what can constitute as acceptable manipulation versus what goes too far.
https://jamespatrick.com/
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I honestly thought that just by owning a pack of color gels that my photography career would immediately be transformed and I would instantly be more creative, professional and respected.
Spoiler alert - all I learned at first was that I didn't know squat about how to use gels effectively.
In this episode I talk about the steps I personally took to actually learn how to use gels from lighting backgrounds to creating atmosphere to accenting a subject to actually working as the key light and beyond.
Next week I am going to be hosting a live workshop at The Hive Studios showing you how to leverage gels in your creative portraits.
RSVP at https://www.hivestudiosaz.com/workshops/p/workshop-gels-2025
https://jamespatrick.com/
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As a creative, dealing with difficult clients is inevitable. From unrealistic Photoshop demands to impossible shoot conditions, I've seen it all.
But sometimes, the problem isn't the client—it’s us.
In this episode, I dive into real-life client horror stories, unpack when the client truly does suck, and discuss the critical times when they have every right to be frustrated.
Whether you're a creative professional or a business owner hiring creatives, this episode will change the way you handle client conflicts—on both sides of the transaction.
Tune in to learn how to navigate tough client situations, own your mistakes, and build a business that stands the test of time.
https://jamespatrick.com/
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I am delighted to be joined by the Art Director of Phoenix Magazine, Mirelle Inglefield who I had on the podcast back when we first launched the show.
In this new conversation - we dive into a behind the scenes look at the entire production of the latest issue of the magazine, The Top 100 Dishes of Arizona, which I was grateful enough to photograph the cover.
From the initial conception of the massive editorial feature, to how the magazine hired out various creatives to write and photograph the pieces, to what led to the cover selection for the magazine.
This episode gives valuable insights on how creatives can best position and market themselves to publications for work opportunities.
Check out the latest issue at https://www.phoenixmag.com/
Connect with Mirelle Inglefield directly at https://www.instagram.com/minglefield_v2/
And as always you can find me at https://jamespatrick.com/ or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jpatrickphoto
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I've been looking over my contracts that I send out to clients prior to a commercial campaign and have honed in on two specfic areas that are non-negotiables for me as a professional photographer.
In 20+ years of business, these two sections are vital to reduce client confusion, add clarity to project deliverables and eliminate lost revenue of work we would have done without additional pay.
https://jamespatrick.com/
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I get asked (a lot) about my recommendations for lighting equipment. For most of my career, my answer has always been "just buy whatever you can afford."
And more than two decades into my career, my stance on that has not changed. Get what you can afford and you will find ways to make it work. Also, gear does not make the photographer nor improve the shot if not used correctly.
That being said - I recently have found myself only using a few pieces of gear every single time I shoot on location. In fact, I am using these pieces so often and enjoying them so much that I've actually started to recommend them to photographers building their lighting kits for the first time.
If I had to re-do my entire lighting kit, these are the pieces I would buy first.
https://jamespatrick.com/
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The photography industry is evolving rapidly, and 2025 promises groundbreaking changes!
In this episode of the Beyond the Image Podcast, host James Patrick breaks down his top 10 predictions, highlighting key trends shaping the future of photography.
Discover how AI-enhanced portraits, vintage aesthetics, and mixed-media film are transforming creative expression. Learn why commercial campaigns with bold contrasts and vibrant colors are rising, while paid editorials are on the decline.
Explore how 360-degree immersive content, VR integration, and video add-ons are reshaping client expectations, and why subscription-based pricing models are the new norm for photographers.
Don’t miss these invaluable insights to stay competitive and future-proof your career!
https://jamespatrick.com/
https://www.instagram.com/jpatrickphoto/
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