It’s very likely that you didn’t start a photography business with the intention of being “average”, “uninspiring”, or “boring” (if you did then this website is probably not for you!).
Instead, you probably work hard to be the best you can be as a professional photographer, and to give your clients an experience that blows their socks off every time.
In short, I expect you have a passion for photography and you can’t imagine doing anything else.
But, like many people, you might be finding it a lot harder than you imagined at the beginning, with every day feeling like an uphill battle.
If you need some inspiration and motivation, you’ve come to the right place!
I got together with Tim Walden, one of our industry’s top leaders to talk about success, passion, respect for our art, and what it takes to be a successful professional photographer.
For example, here’s one of the many great pieces of advice that Tim had to offer during our chat together:
“One of the big secrets to success is not just knowing what to do, it’s knowing what not to do…”
Very true words indeed, and you’ll love this fact-packed episode that we’ve got for you today!
About Our Guest: Tim Walden
Photography by Tim Walden
Today, I have renowned fine art portrait photographer and business educator Tim Walden from Lexington, Kentucky.
Tim and Bev Walden are self-confessed Apple junkies, and the proud owners of Walden’s Photography, a second generation photography studio started by Tim’s father, Bob Walden.
Stepping outside the boundaries that are normally thought of when you hear the word “photography”, Tim and Bev have each developed their own art forms that are simply amazing.
For Tim, it’s museum level, fine art black and white imagery that captures his imagination and it’s where he honed his skills and continues to do so at every turn.
With a background in art and her love of color and form, Bev’s signature product is mixed media painting. The paintings she does are called Beau Visage, meaning “beautiful face.”
With great attention paid to every detail, each of their images is hand-printed to archival standards, hand-signed, and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
This is fine art portraiture at its highest level.
As Kodak Mentors and members of one of the most elite international photography societies, the society of 25, both Tim and Bev continue to offer the highest level of artistry and service.
Episode Summary
Here are some of the great topics we talked about during our chat in this episode:
- How Tim got started in professional photography…
- What the term “professional photographer” really means…
- How a piece of fine art photography stands out from the rest…
- How Tim’s signature-style black and white fine art portraits came about…
- Tim’s thoughts on specializing in a niche…
- Advice for photographers about branding themselves effectively…
- The importance of separating different specialties as distinct brands…
- Tim’s favorite marketing strategies for attracting new clients…
- How photographers can get more comfortable about their pricing…
- Putting systems in place to ensure everything is consistent and conform to high standards…
- Some of the big sales mistakes photographers make most often…
- Tim’s top 3 tips for new photographers…
- Tim and Bev’s exciting new fine art venture – “The Summit”…
Recommended Reading
Relationship Portraits: Capture Emotion In Black & White Photography
By Tim Walden
Tim Walden’s photographic forte is capturing relationship images—emotionally resonant images that show the connection between subjects.
To achieve this goal, he uses a 3-step portrait process: capture, adjust, and refine. He studies the clients and doesn’t click the shutter until he sees some magic unfold.
If the clients are still “in the moment”, he may make a slight adjustment to the pose or lighting and capture a second, slightly varied image. If the subjects are still enthralled at that point, he makes a further refinement, producing a portrait that, in Tim’s mind, is the pinnacle shot—the dynamic, emotionally evocative, storytelling images he strives for.
In this book, Tim presents over 60 images from some of his most memorable sessions, sharing tips with readers for capturing moments, enhancing the presentation, and truly amplifying the artistry of the capture to produce a fine-art image that will be cherished for generations.
