Photographic Collective Podcast || with Miles Witt Boyer

On this one Jared and I sat down with our friend Ryan Teague from Feather and Finch Photography all the way on the Gold Coast of Australia. Ryan is one of those rare photographers who has been wildly “successful” on paper, shooting 120 plus weddings a year, and still had the courage to ask if any of it actually lined up with the life he wanted.

We talk about falling in and out of love with photography, what it does to your heart to be a dad to a son with special needs, why surfing every sunrise might be a better business plan than your current workflow, and how much more powerful your work becomes when you stop trying to impress the internet and start trying to really serve the people in front of your lens.

If you have ever looked at your own work and thought “this came too easy, is it really worth what I am charging” or felt that quiet little pull to slow down and be more present, this episode is going to hit you in the best way.

In this episode we get into:

• The 120 weddings a year season
  How Ryan built a fast growing brand on the Gold Coast, what it felt like when the work was almost too easy, and why that started to mess with his sense of value.

• Falling out of love and finding it again
  The honest side of running your own business for years, the seasons where you could not care less about picking up a camera, and the small shifts that brought him back.

• Rethinking “candid” and “documentary”
  Ryan talks about how couples use these words, what they actually expect on the wedding day, and how he now has very specific conversations up front so the experience matches the marketing.

  
  

• Empathy first, ego second
  We talk about the difference between being the entertainer at the center of the room and being the quiet presence that makes the room feel safe, and why he is willing to sacrifice a perfect frame if it means his couple stays grounded.

  
  

• Meditative portraits and quiet frames
  How music, stillness, and silence shape the way Ryan shoots portraits, why he chases “quiet” images, and what it looks like to invite a couple into a slower, more intentional moment on their wedding day.

  
  

• Parenting, disability, and a very different true north
  Ryan shares how being a dad to a ten year old with cerebral palsy and autism has completely changed his priorities and made it very hard to care about the little vanity games we all get sucked into in this industry.

  
  

• Designing a slower life on purpose
  Sunrise surf sessions, short office days, training, and building a rhythm that actually supports his health and his family instead of constantly demanding more from them.

  
  

• Aftercast preview inside PHOTOCOIn the Aftercast for members we dig into the actual questions Ryan asks his couples, how he prepares them for a more meditative experience, and how he is thinking about storytelling over an entire wedding day as his style shifts.

Episode Description

Jared and I sat down with Jeff Chang from The Apartment and it felt like talking shop with an old friend who still wakes up excited to make pictures. We dig into how to protect the art, why composition is really about proportion, and how trust with your couples unlocks the best frames.

If you are tired of rinse and repeat, this one is a reset. PHOTOCO members get an Aftercast where Jeff lays out simple steps to last a full career without losing joy. Join us at mileswittboyer.com/photo for the Aftercast and all the perks.

Guest
Jeff Chang of The Apartment

What we cover

• The artist struggle and how to keep your work fresh after nearly two decades

• Composition as proportion and the bento box way to see a frame

• Why connection comes first and direction works better after that

• Partnership in the field and how a trusted teammate lifts everything

• Burnout myths and the habits that make room for joy

• Chasing trends with taste including direct flash and when to move on

Join PHOTOCO for the Aftercast with Jeff
Members get a bonus episode with Jeff’s practical roadmap for longevity, portfolio evolution, and upgrades to client experience. Grab access at mileswittboyer.com/photo and listen today.

Links

Jenny Day from Jenny Pearl Photography joins Miles and Jared for a conversation that hits every photographer in the sweet spot. From growing up off the grid in Montana to building a sought-after wedding brand in Utah, Jenny shares how curiosity became her greatest tool, why she refuses to live in one visual box, and how moms and new photographers can build real momentum with simple systems and brave creativity. We dig into lighting beyond golden hour, clean color and skin tones, time blocking, Patreon education, and turning imposter syndrome into a challenge that actually fuels growth. Stay to the end for the Aftercast preview where Jenny walks through starter camera settings and business basics.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
• Curiosity as a superpower to keep your work fresh
• Lighting beyond golden hour (harsh light, shadows, uneven light)
• Composition prompts that move you past “safe” poses
• Systems that buy your time back (HoneyBook, editing flow)
• Education with receipts (monthly styled shoots, BTS, full edits)
• Mindset shifts to turn comparison into a useful challenge
• A client intake that tailors the experience to every couple

CONVERSATION HIGHLIGHTS
• Off-grid beginnings and learning tech with ChatGPT
• Variety over niche and a monthly concept engine
• Canon R5 color and skin tones, plus DSLR backup workflow
• Word of mouth + consistent Instagram as growth engines
• Editing faster and overthinking less with Imagen AI
• The exact pre-wedding questions Jenny asks to customize direction and timeline
• Managing travel, parenting, and business with time blocking
• Choosing fewer, higher-level weddings while expanding education

TACTICAL TAKEAWAYS
• Build a monthly creative theme for yourself or your community
• Schedule your brain: deep work by day, light cull/polish while you unwind
• Use a couple questionnaire to clarify direction, priorities, and style
• Practice hard lighting on low-stakes shoots so wedding-day stress drops
• Treat envy as data: reverse-engineer what you admire and train that skill

IMPORTANT LINKS

Preston Luke went from small-town senior photographer to creator, educator, and creative director with an audience of 1M+ across Instagram and TikTok. In this conversation, Preston breaks down the practical steps behind turning your photo brand into a creator business—while staying sane and protecting your love for the craft.

We cover:

• The photographer → creator pivot (and why he paused client work to open new doors)

• Content systems, editing help, and posting cadence that fueled rapid growth

• Pitching and delivering for brand partners (Nikon, Adobe, SanDisk, Best Buy)

• Building a business that goes beyond sessions: presets, workshops, and Slate Studios

• The senior-model team engine he built across 30+ school districts

• Mental health, a 250-lb weight-loss journey, and taking a strategic break when growth got heavy

• Confidence vs. imposter syndrome (and why “showing up” as the brand matters)

🎧 Stick around to the end for how Preston prices seniors at the high end, the full year-round senior playbook, and why delayed posting keeps him present on shoots.

💬 AFTERCAST: Members get Preston’s tactical deep-dive on building a luxury senior offer, annual calendar, and pricing strategy. Join PHOTOCO below.

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Hosted by Miles Witt Boyer & Jared Mark Fincher on the Photographic Collective Podcast.

Preston Luke