Podcast Episode 14- The Mindset Shift That Tripled My Photography Income
So how much are you charging for your photo sessions?
Do you feel like you're giving your work away?
If so, this episode is made just for you.
Welcome to the Photography Breakthrough Podcast.
I'm so glad you are here today.
We all need help. Sometimes it's with something tangible, and sometimes it's more about the mind shift.
Today we're talking about the mindset shift that tripled my photography income, and it's the same shift that can completely change the trajectory of your business.
It starts with recognizing that your value, your true value, has nothing to do with props, special effects, edits, or gimmicks and everything to do with how you serve your clients.
If you are a photographer, yes, it is about you serving your clients and being paid very well to do that.
I recently spoke with a photographer who told me she didn't believe her photography was worth more than $100 a session. You heard me right. This photographer is charging $100 to do a photo shoot. That's it.
When I pressed her about why, she said, unless I add a smoke machine or some other prop, then maybe I could charge $200. She didn't think her photography was worth more than that.
Here's the hard truth. At that price, she was paying her clients to take pictures. Her time, her gear, her editing, her energy. All of these things cost her more than what she's charging.
But even when I tried to explain this, it didn't click. Why? Because the barrier wasn't pricing strategy. The barrier was her mindset. She didn't believe in her value, and until that changes, no amount of props, editing skills, or discounts will save her business.
I'm not giving up on this photographer. I'm going to keep talking to her. I've taken it as my personal mission to help train her.
Now she's in her early twenties and new to photography. But this is not the first time I've heard this story. Every time I do, every time I hear a story like this, it hurts my heart to the core.
This photographer learned everything she knows for free on YouTube. And let's talk about the trap of free.
Here's what's happening for many photographers today.
Most of what they've learned, they learned for free on YouTube or some other free resource.
And here's the problem. When everything you consume is free, it's easy to unconsciously believe your work also has no value. After all, you didn't pay to learn. Why would anyone pay you to create?
But this is a false belief.
Learning something for free doesn't mean what you're creating has no worth.
Think about it. Do you pay for sunshine? No, but is it valuable? Absolutely.
What matters isn't what you paid to learn, but the transformation you bring to someone else's life.
You do need to learn how to create that transformation.
But I know for many, it's baby steps. And this is why I made this free guide, to help you in your transition to finding your worth.
Language matters. If you are doubting what you're worth, you need better words to describe your value.
Let's get back to that mindset shift.
This is the shift that tripled my income. I stopped asking, what will people pay for? And started asking, what is the transformation worth to them?
The transformation when you help them feel seen, sometimes for the first time.
Let's break this down.
A client isn't paying for an hour of your time. They're paying for how they will feel when they see themselves confident and radiant.
It's not about time. They're paying for memories preserved, legacies captured, and identities celebrated.
They're paying for an experience that says, you matter. You deserve to be seen.
When you realize this, your price stops being about your costs and starts being more about their results.
And people will pay far more for the results than they will for your time.
If you are struggling with doubt, here are three practical steps to turn things around.
- Audit your cost.
Stop pretending your time and energy are free. You don't get any more time. The second that just passed will never come back again. Add up your true cost and you'll see you can't survive at $100 a session. - Reframe your offer. Instead of selling a one-hour shoot, sell the confidence, sell the joy, or the connection your clients gain by working with you. Lead with their transformation, how they'll feel after the shoot.
- Test belief, not price. Raise your prices today and watch what happens. Often the only thing holding you back isn't your client's willingness to pay. It's your willingness to believe that those clients are out there who will pay your price. It is also your willingness to believe you are worth it.
Your time, your energy, your investment. You are worth it, but you have to know that first.
Here's the truth I want you to take home with you today.
Your photography is worth more than you think, baby.
You are not selling pixels.
You are selling identity, self-worth, and legacy.
When you shift your mindset from cheap photos to life-changing experiences, everything changes.
That's how I tripled my income and how you can too.
If today's message hits home for you, share this episode with a friend, someone who needs to hear it today.
Remember, your pictures are not cheap snapshots. They're priceless transformations. They are a moment in time that's not coming back.
Own your value. The clients who matter will pay for it.
Today, the transformation is about you, your mindset, and understanding that you are worth it. Stop giving your work away.
Do me a favor. Play this episode again until it really hits home.
Thank you for your time.
I'm here to help you grow, help you see your value, and help you change lives.
I am photographer Matthew Jordan Smith saying always dream big.
Dream big about who you are and the work that you do.
Believe in you because I do.
Until next week, always dream big.
Bye for now.
Before you go, Iβve got a free resource for you , my β10 High-Converting Messaging Linesβ guide.
Itβs designed to help you attract more of your ideal clients and turn conversations into paid sessions.
Grab your free copy here:
https://www.freephotohelp.com/
WEBSITES MENTIONED
Grab Your Free Guide: 10 High-Converting Messaging Lines to Land More Clients
https://www.freephotohelp.com/
Aretha Cool β On Sale at Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D1GC6JXY
Matthew Jordan Smith Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/matthewjordansmith
