So you want to be a photographer: Transform your skills and build a profitable photography business

PHOTO 369: Pet photography with guest Jannene Meyer

·1 hr 8 min·5 clips

Gina Milicia reveals how building a gate taught her the same mistake photographers make with manual mode.

The episode opens with host Gina Milicia sharing a humorous anecdote about building a gate, drawing a parallel to overconfidence in photography. Co-host Valerie Khoo discusses her week of networking meetings. Gina introduces the Gold community, her membership program, where she coaches photographers. The main interview features Janine Meyer, a pet photographer from the Gold Coast, Australia. Janine recounts her photography origin story, starting from childhood and evolving through school events and family portraits. She explains how COVID led to losing her corporate job, which became a catalyst for change. Janine describes a pivotal moment using moonology oracle cards that urged her to 'step out of your comfort zone,' leading her to photograph dogs at an off-leash beach. She realized pet photography was her true passion, validated by a past portfolio review with Christina Force that highlighted her dog photos. Janine details her technical approach, emphasizing the use of lighting equipment transported via a custom cart to beach shoots, which differentiates her work. She discusses working with assistants, including her sister, and the importance of client communication. Janine shares marketing strategies like third-party promotions with a pet resort and doggy markets, where she offers a $1,000 giveaway. She talks about in-person sales, selling high-end products like metal prints and timber folio boxes. Janine credits Gina's Gold community tutorials for quickly mastering flash photography and a mindset coach for boosting her confidence. She recounts serendipitous signs, like a student interview question about dog photography, reinforcing her career shift. Gina and Janine conclude by discussing the value of self-belief and pricing. The episode ends with hosts sharing their upcoming plans and promoting their online resources.

As heard by us

A warm, practical conversation about making photography work as part of a creative business.

PHOTO 369 looks at photography not just as a craft, but as something that has to survive contact with real work, real clients, and the pressure of building a business around a creative skill.

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Why you'd press play

You want a photography-business listen with the human detours left in: career shifts, COVID-era pivots, a Gold Coast chat, and Gina's practical lens on building a working creative life.

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