If you were to ask Dean how he would measure success, I have a good feeling he would respond with: less hours and more lifestyle is the best measurement of photography business success. Following this episode of the photography podcast, I think you’ll be nodding your head and agreeing.
Dean Dampney of Cloud Face Photography is a small town documentary wedding photographer who shoots in a style that suits him, attracts clients that suit him and lives a lifestyle the envy of many. In this interview, he explains how he can work 2.5 days per week for 9 months of the year, surf the other 3 months, have a house, a family and keep attracting clients with minimum work or fuss. His simple approach will leave you to re-evaluate your life and your business.
I’m the first to admit that Dean’s approach will not suit everyone and may not be a viable option with your current expenses and lifestyle – but that’s the whole point! Dean has pursued a simple life filled with spare time, family, surfing and photography… it’s his dream and he’s living it. That’s the point, that just may be your takeaway from this interview.
Here’s some of what we cover in the interview:
- Shooting 40 weddings per year
- Working 2.5 days per work
- Having 3 months off every year
- Work/life balance and achieving the lifestyle you want
- Attracting clients from out of area with smart SEO strategies
- Streamlined work-flow and systems
- Wedding day nightmares and a bad memory
- Price lists and why Dean has had 19 different versions
- Shooting the way you want to shoot
- Paranoid moments – will the wedding bookings come?
Following my chat with Dean I promised myself to go back and listen again – I was asking myself the question; Do I have this life/work balance thing sorted or am I working too hard? I don’t think I could sustain the lifestyleI have working the way Dean does but I guess that’s the whole point.
Either way, it became obvious that Dean had a very cool approach to his wedding photography business and I’ll definitely be making some changes in mine – will you?
What is your big takeaway?
Following this episode with Dean, let me know one thing that you’d like to implement in your business as a result of what you’ve heard. If you think Dean has struck gold or got it all wrong, I’d love to read your views below in the comments section.
In the last episode with Rachel, it seems her Facebook stalking strategies were something that will be put to good use by listeners and are the perfect way to make a quick and relevant connection with your prospective clients.
Comment Luv – get links to your contentIf you haven’t felt the desire to leave a comment after an episode to date, that should all change after I installed the Comment Luv plug-in that will reward you for getting involved.
After leaving 2 approved comments on the website, any future comments you leave will provide DO FOLLOW links to your website or blog AND give you the option to promote one of your five most recent blog posts.
A ‘do follow’ link is like an endorsement from this website for your website and will have a positive affect on your SEO through an active back-link to your website and content. The more comments you leave, the more links you receive to your website – it’s a win, win situation.
Give it a try and improve your SEO by simply adding a comment below.
iTunes ratings and reviews targetI’ve set a goal that I’d love to see reached with your help. That goal is 50 ratings and reviews in iTunes by the start of the 21st episode of the podcast. If you haven’t already, can you please leave a comment and rating in the iTunes store – it helps the show get found by other photographers and helps attract the very best photographers, marketers and business people for future interviews?
To leave a review, head to: http://photobizx.com/itunes
A big thanks this week to Joey Joiner from Joey Joiner Photography for your generous review – thanks mate!
Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:
Cloudface Photography on Facebook
Wedding Photojournalist Association
Fer Juaristi – Mexican Wedding Photographer
Sommerton Photography – Megan Sommerton
Iris Book – wedding album supplier from Canada
Where is Lake Tabourie - Google Maps
What’s the premium content?
For some reason I’ve almost felt embarrassed to promote the premium content for fear of being seen as a salesman. Although I don’t want to come across as pushy, after reviewing the quality of content available for Premium Members it really isn’t a question of whether or not you can afford the premium content it has become a question of can you afford not to be?
If you aren’t a Premium Member, you need to start asking yourself, do I really want to succeed in my business or am I just listening to pass time and for entertainment? If you want to succeed with your photography, listen to what successful photographers are sharing for members and start acting on it. Or, continue as you are and… see if things magically improve. They might but they probably won’t.
New gear is always fun!
I mentioned I was excited and happy to have a Nikon D4 on the way for my wedding and portrait photography but I was probably more excited about my new family/fun camera  - the  Fuji X100s. It’s funny how new gear can get us motivated and inspired to go shoot but that’s exactly what’s happened.
Right after this recording I was off to a light painting night shoot with a future bride. I promised a photo or two and have added one below.
That’s it for me this week, stay safe and have a great one.
Speak soon
Andrew
Trial the premium membership content - FreeThe post 019: Dean Dampney – Less Hours and More Lifestyle is the best Measurement of Photography Business Success appeared first on Photography Business eXposed - Have Your Own Successful Portrait and Wedding Photography Business.
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