379: Craig Cooper – How to build a photography business for profit, passion, lifestyle and fun

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area. Craig Cooper of www.cooperstudio.com.au has been a long time PhotoBizX Premium Member but it wasn't until he participated in the recent Daily Vlog Challenge that I had a glimpse into the success he's achieved. His studio – known as “The Birdhouse” is simply amazing. An architecturally designed, three-level dedicated studio and office space that offers both natural and studio lighting options, with a look that will blow clients away upon arrival for their photography session. After a little more research, I learned the following… Craig has been a professional photographer since 2000 and started shooting weddings in 2003. He opened a studio in Western Australia in 2007 and transitioned from weddings to studio portraits only, by 2009. In the last year of shooting weddings, he had a five-figure sales average and people thought he was mad to give up weddings. Craig opened the Bird House Studio in September 2019. He only works about 30-35 hours per week, in total and says he's a lazy photographer. Over an eleven-year period, Craig and his team have averaged 450 shoots per year. And… they don’t make outgoing sales or marketing calls. In this interview, Craig shares how to build a photography business for profit, passion, lifestyle and fun… by following the numbers and photographing what he loves to. It turns out, all portrait genres are equally profitable, so you may as well focus on what you love to photograph. Here's some more of what we cover in the interview: What’s on Offer for Premium Members If you’re a premium member, you should have received an email with links to your version of this interview – the full length and more revealing version where you hear the absolute best tips and advice from every guest. If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, get access to an amazing back catalogue of interviews and ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet. Plus special member-only interviews. What people spend really depends on how emotional the experience is for them. – Craig Cooper You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. There are also FB live video tutorials, role-play interviews and special live interviews happening in the group. You will not find more friendly, more motivated, caring and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all. In addition to everything above, you'll get access to and instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable and build friendships with other pro photographers with similar motives to you – to build a more successful photography business. What is your big takeaway? Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything away from what Craig shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, let me know by leaving your thoughts in the comments below, let me know what your takeaways were, what you plan to implement in your business as a result of what you heard in today's episode. I think this is actually really important point in business, that you look at people who are successful and you think...