The Portrait System Podcast

Kristina Svirskaite built her photography business from $150 sessions to an average of about $1,800 per client, all while keeping a full-time corporate career, raising three children, and working without a permanent studio. She joins Nikki Closser to explain how she made part-time photography fit the life she actually wants. Kristina shares what happened when the referrals that had sustained her business slowed down, why she returned to SEO and Google, and how clear website copy and transparent pricing helped attract clients who were already prepared for her rates. The conversation also gets practical about session fees and collections, selling albums and wall art in clients' homes, combining lifestyle and posed newborn work, creating relaxed family sessions, and building a proven pricing structure around limited time. In this conversation: Growing from $150 sessions to an approximately $1,800 client average Balancing a corporate career, three children, and four to eight sessions per month Rebuilding demand through photography SEO, Google, and consistent marketing Showing pricing online and attracting clients who understand the investment Selling albums, wall art, and acrylics without maintaining a studio Build your photography business with PortraitSystem.com. Use code PODCAST7 for your first month for $7. Chapters 00:00 Part-time photography is a real business 01:13 From $150 sessions to a $1,800 client average 02:32 Natural family and newborn photography without a studio 05:34 Balancing a corporate job and four to eight monthly sessions 07:40 Starting a photography business after becoming a mom 10:45 Why referrals slowed and consistent marketing matters 13:54 Photography website SEO and Google leads 15:30 Showing pricing before clients inquire 21:44 Collections, products, and a $1,800 average sale 29:18 Instagram strategy for attracting paying clients 33:40 Creating relaxed family and newborn sessions 42:55 Building a proven pricing model around real life

Rejection, unpredictable income and self-doubt can be harder to manage than lighting or posing. Photographer and filmmaker Ajani Charles joins Nikki Closser to talk about the mental side of building a photography business—and the relationships, routines and practical business habits that help him keep going. Ajani shares the story behind Project T-Dot, his long-running documentary project on Toronto's hip-hop culture, community and history. He explains why he stayed with it for 15 years before monetizing it, how commercial work supported him along the way, and what a personal project can offer beyond an immediate paycheck. The conversation also gets practical about finding photography clients: being useful, solving a client's problem, defining an ideal client and following up. Alongside those business habits, Ajani discusses the role that meditation, therapy, journaling and a trusted support system have played in his own life. In this conversation: Personal photography projects, long-term relationships and creative identity Rejection, financial uncertainty and clearer business goals Remembering your wins and finding support during difficult periods Marketing through usefulness, trust and client problem-solving Ideal client profiles, CRM follow-ups and consistent outreach Build your photography business with PortraitSystem.com. Use code PODCAST7 for your first month for $7. Chapters 00:00 The mental side of a photography business 01:34 Ajani's start in art and photography 04:10 Project T-Dot: photographing Toronto hip-hop 10:11 15 years to monetize a personal project 17:34 Rejection, money and creative-career uncertainty 22:15 Remembering your wins when criticism sticks 27:32 Meditation, therapy and journaling 33:58 Photography marketing: trust and usefulness 37:24 Ideal clients, CRM and follow-ups 39:46 Taking action after a no 45:27 Mentors and a creative support system 47:51 Four final questions: routines, gear and getting started

Drew Forsyth is an award-winning portrait photographer and director based in the North West of England, working with commercial and advertising clients across the UK and internationally. His work centres on people who've given everything to be extraordina

Caroline White has been a professional photographer for 21 years — starting as an actress shooting headshots on the side before a burglary wiped out her equipment and pushed her into photography full-time. Since 2011 she's averaged six figures a year shoo

What happens when a portrait photographer stops thinking like a freelancer and starts thinking like a CEO? Jaren Collins did exactly that — and built JCi Creatives, a nationwide creative agency specializing in conference and event storytelling, with clien