More Than Photos

Brad & Jen - Creative Business Coaches, Wedding Photographers

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Veteran wedding photographers, Brad & Jen, peel back the curtain on what it takes to not just create beautiful photos, but build a thriving creative business — consider this your this is your go-to for actionable inspiration, practical steps, and the motivation to make your next move.

1 day ago

058 - How to Break Through the Ceiling in Your Market

There’s a frustrating point in business where things are working, but it starts to feel like there’s nowhere obvious left to go. You’re making good work. You’ve raised your prices. You’ve built a reputation. But you’re still being compared to the same photographers, competing for the same couples, and wondering how much further your market will let you go. In this episode, we’re talking about what happens when we hit that ceiling, and why getting beyond it may require us to question some of the expectations we’ve learned to follow. We talk about the fear of doing something differently when the business is already working, why being easy to compare can eventually limit our growth, and how some of the photographers we admire most built permission to work differently over time. Because we can’t become meaningfully different while making sure we never do anything differently. At some point, differentiation has to feel like something. CHAPTERS 00:00 Why being different can feel so personal 02:30 What hitting a ceiling actually feels like 04:53 Why success can make us afraid to experiment 07:20 “I want to grow, but I’m afraid to stop doing what everyone else does” 09:28 Sneak peeks and the fear of breaking expectations 11:47 If we do it differently, we have to bring people with us 13:00 How great photographers earn permission to break the rules 15:20 Why risk often comes before permission 17:23 The other risk we rarely think about 18:32 Which risk are we actually more afraid of? 20:32 The greener pastures might already be in your market READY TO BREAK THROUGH YOUR OWN CEILING? We currently have one spot available inside our Mastermind. If you’re ready to raise your rates, create more demand for your work, and build a business that feels more like you instead of following someone else’s blueprint, we’d love to hear from you. Apply Here: https://learn.bradandjen.com/mastermind-coaching KEYWORDS wedding photography business, photography business, wedding photographer pricing, market ceiling, photography pricing, creative differentiation, standing out as a photographer, wedding photography marketing, creative business, photography competition, raising photography prices, luxury wedding photographer, photographer mindset, photography coaching, wedding photographer mastermind
11 Aug

057 - Raising 3 Kids, Running a Business & Homeschooling: A BTS Look at Our Days

What does it actually look like to raise three kids, homeschool, run a business, work from home, and still have a life? We’re sharing a behind-the-scenes look at what’s worked for us, what hasn’t, and what we’ve learned after nearly 10 years of parenting while running our business. We talk childcare, routines, quiet time, Sunday planning, outsourcing, marriage, decision fatigue, and why we’ve stopped looking for the schedule that will finally “figure it all out.” Chapters: 00:00 Recording from the Trader Joe’s parking lot 02:11 The biggest lesson: flexibility 07:02 What we thought parenting + business would look like 09:26 Can you actually “do it all?” 14:11 Why there’s no perfect schedule 16:38 Creating rhythms that reduce decisions 21:00 Our Sunday meeting + defining a successful week 25:31 Boundaries between work and family 26:15 How we use childcare 27:51 How we divide work when the kids are home 30:16 Outsourcing inside the business 31:40 Why we hired a family assistant 34:00 Protecting your marriage while working together 35:03 Extra grace required 39:47 Good doesn’t always mean right 42:09 Building the family you actually want 43:00 You’re not alone in figuring this out Connect with us: Instagram: @bradandjeneducation @bradandjen learn.bradandjen.com Keywords: working parents, working from home with kids, work life balance, parenting and business, homeschooling, homeschool parents, entrepreneur parents, working mom, family business, childcare, family routines, time management, marriage and business, family rhythms, raising kids, creative entrepreneur
4 Aug

056 - The Truth About Style, Taste & Presets w/ Austin Trenholm

This week Brad & Jen sit down with Austin Trenholm, a wedding photographer of nearly two decades and the co-founder of Good Light Presets. Between shooting weddings across the country and building editing tools with his business partner Cody, Austin has had a rare front row seat to how thousands of photographers edit, the trends they chase, and the styles they grow into. That vantage point makes him the perfect person to untangle a question every photographer wrestles with: what is style, how do you actually develop it, and what is the difference between borrowing a look and building a voice? Austin's throughline is that YOU are the differentiator. We are all shopping at the same retailers, using the same gear and the same presets, so style is less about the ingredients than how you combine them. What starts as a talk about editing turns into decisiveness, boundaries, creative burnout, and the freedom to experiment without blowing up your business. We also explore: Why you, not your gear or your presetsEditing like a home chefFrom a camera at fourteen to nearly twenty years behind the lensHow Goodlight started Why your voice, not one rigid style, is the thing that should stay consistentThe "I could never wear that" story we tell ourselves, and how to drop itA simple reference-card trick to commit to a look and stop second guessingWhy boredom and monotony cause burnout as much as overworkChasing timelessness while working in an industry built on trendsWhy no AI culling: your voice lives in choosing every frame yourself Connect with Austin Website: https://www.trenholmphoto.com/ Instagram: @trenholmphoto Good Light Presets: https://goodlightpresets.com/ @goodlightpresets Connect with Us Join Purpose & Profit – A Roadmap to 10k Weddings Apply for the Mastermind Program - High level 1:1 creative coaching & community. Chapters (00:00) Welcome and why style is a lot like fashion (04:52) A camera at fourteen and a summer in New Mexico (08:12) How Good Light Presets started (10:42) Editing like a home chef (13:01) Why your voice, not one style, should stay consistent (15:33) To find a style, try on every style (21:23) A reference-card trick to commit and stop second guessing (26:06) Decisiveness, film cameras, and a cohesive voice (31:44) Stop worrying about your voice and just work (34:58) Boundaries, creativity, and leaving the 50mm at home (37:46) Burnout, boredom, and keeping it fun for twenty years (42:31) Is it the gear? The onion and the sharp knife (50:32) Chasing timelessness in a trend-driven industry (58:57) Where the industry is heading and the swing back to pretty (01:05:37) How do you know when you are growing? (01:15:02) Developing a voice: cull your own work and know what you love Keywords: wedding photography, photography editing, presets, developing your style, finding your voice, Lightroom, film aesthetic, creative burnout, photographer mindset, decisiveness, wedding photography trends, Goodlight Presets, photographer education
21 July

055 - On Belief, Bold Moves, and 3 Years That Changed Everything w/ Fulton Events

What if the biggest opportunities in your business don't come because you're finally "ready"… but because you've spent years preparing before they ever arrived? This week we're joined by Kellie and Caitlin of Fulton Events for one of our favorite conversations to date. On the surface, it's the story of three years that changed everything. But underneath, it's a conversation about believing in a future before anyone else can see it. About making decisions before there's proof they'll pay off. About saying "yes" when the opportunity feels just a little bigger than you're ready for. Over the course of just 3 years—while raising three young kids—they transformed their business through intentional relationships, strategic investments, countless uncomfortable decisions, and a willingness to build the business they wanted long before they actually needed it. If you've ever wondered whether the work you're doing today is actually leading somewhere… this conversation is a reminder that growth rarely looks dramatic while you're living it. It looks like showing up. Again. And again. And again. Chapters00:00 – Meet Kellie & Caitlin of Fulton Events 04:15 – Building belief before there was proof 11:42 – Why three years changed everything 20:31 – Preparing for the business you want 29:18 – Saying yes before you're ready 37:40 – Relationships that change your trajectory 46:52 – Every next level starts with one step 55:26 – The unseen work behind extraordinary growth 1:05:14 – Advice for creatives chasing their next chapter In This EpisodeBuilding the business before you need itBelief before proofStrategic business growthMaking bold decisionsPreparing for opportunityRelationship marketingReputation and referralsLeadership and team buildingEntrepreneurshipCreative businessWedding industryFulton EventsKeywordsBusiness growth, entrepreneurship, creative business, wedding planner, Fulton Events, business strategy, leadership, relationships, networking, mindset, entrepreneurship podcast, photographer education, business development, creative entrepreneur, premium clients, business mindset, reputation, marketing, long-term growth, intentional business.
14 July

054 - Book More Weddings by Changing This One Thing

This week's episode is a little different. Brad & Jen are recording from the road instead of their usual studio, but the conversation couldn't wait. If you've ever stared at a new inquiry wondering, "Do I send pricing? Do I email first? Do I schedule a call?" this episode is for you. What starts as a conversation about discovery calls quickly becomes something much bigger. Why are photographers becoming more efficient, yet feeling less connected? Why do couples ghost? And what if the problem isn't your pricing at all? Brad & Jen unpack one of the biggest mindset shifts they've seen transform photographers inside Purpose & Profit and the Mastermind. You'll learn why leading with connection instead of efficiency changes the way couples experience your brand, why discovery calls are about serving rather than selling, and how one simple shift can change your confidence, your bookings, and the way you show up as a business owner. Main Points• Why photographers unintentionally make booking harder after an inquiry • The real reason couples ghost (and why it usually isn't your pricing) • Why you're asking couples to judge your worth before they've experienced your value • How AI and automation are increasing the value of genuine human connection • Why discovery calls are about service, not sales • The four ways every discovery call pays you, whether you book the wedding or not • How curiosity replaces defensiveness and changes the entire pricing conversation • Why premium businesses are built by leading conversations, not sending information Chapters00:00 The $5,000 inquiry that sparked this conversation 02:00 Why photographers focus on the wrong questions 05:00 The real reason couples ghost 08:00 Why human connection is becoming more valuable 10:00 Discovery calls are about serving, not selling 15:00 The four paychecks of every discovery call 20:30 A real story about making an impact without booking the wedding 24:30 The mindset shift that changes pricing conversations 29:00 Becoming the kind of business owner people trust 32:00 One challenge for your next inquiry How to ConnectPurpose & Profit Ready to build a business that attracts better-fit couples, increases your confidence, and gives you a clear path forward https://learn.bradandjen.com/purpose-and-profit-course Keywordswedding photography, wedding photographer, photography business, discovery calls, inquiry process, booking more weddings, sales for photographers, photography pricing, client experience, wedding inquiries, photography marketing, premium wedding photographer, business mindset, human connection, photography education, Purpose & Profit, Brad and Jen
7 July

053 - The Making of an Artist w/ Emilie White

This week Brad & Jen sit down with Emilie White, a French wedding and editorial photographer whose life has stretched across seven countries, two careers, and a constant pull toward something more than the photography itself. Before she ever picked up a camera professionally, Emilie spent 7 years in law, working in international law and intellectual property across Paris, Ireland, and the Middle East. When she and her husband left Oman, she traded a comfortable expat life for a shoebox apartment in the south of France, a newborn, and a leap into photography with no formal training and no safety net. What unfolds is an honest look at the long, winding road to becoming an artist: years of imposter syndrome, the slow work of finding her voice, and the grief that shaped her eye. Emilie opens up about losing her father at 15, the family hardships that pushed her work through darker and lighter seasons, and why she believes you have to feed your soul and then trust it to surface in your work when you least expect it. Together, we explore patience, preparation, curation, parenthood, and the discipline of holding your ego loosely while building a career the industry calls successful. We also explore: Trading a seven-year law career for photography with a newborn in towLiving across seven countries and how it taught her to read any roomThe accolades that signaled she was on the right path (and why she keeps them in perspective)Working under pressure when a portrait window shrinks to three minutesWhy preparation, not acceptance, is what makes the hard moments workUsing film cameras to spark curiosity and disarm a tough crowdBuilding teams around strengths and treating hires as investments, not expensesWhy curation is the hardest part, and the one thing she will not hand to AIMaking images that gain value with age, not just attentionHow motherhood reshaped what she shoots and how she protects her timeKeeping her ego in check while her work lands in Vogue, Harper's, and BridesConnect with Emilie Website: https://emiliewhite.com/ Instagram: @emiliewhitephotography Connect with Us Join Purpose & Profit – A Roadmap to 10k Weddings Apply for the Mastermind Program - High level 1:1 creative coaching & community. Chapters (00:00) Welcome and a life across seven countries (08:32) From law school to photography (11:40) Imposter syndrome and owning the artist title (14:15) Shooting a designer's wedding and early validation (18:32) Finding her voice through editing and curation (24:15) Grief, dark seasons, and how life shapes the work (27:14) Patience, process, and time to be bored (30:43) Three-minute portraits and preparation over acceptance (39:46) Cameras as tools to read and disarm a room (44:51) Building teams around strengths (50:10) Why curation is the hardest part (59:00) Empathy in the edit: don't forget the elders (01:03:43) The couple behind the curation: Greer and Dimitri (01:06:16) Accolades, ego, and staying grounded (01:10:38) How motherhood reshaped her work (01:16:14) Movies, inspiration, and what's next
1 July

052 - What Actually Happens Inside Coaching

What actually helps photographers grow? After years of coaching photographers through every stage of business, we've noticed something surprising. The biggest breakthroughs rarely come from finding more information. They come from clarity, community, personalized guidance, and having the confidence to take the next step. In this episode, we're pulling back the curtain on the lessons we've learned from working closely with photographers inside Purpose & Profit and our Mastermind. We talk about the difference between courses, coaching, and community, why so many photographers feel stuck despite having endless free information, and how real transformation happens when you stop trying to build your business alone. Whether you're wondering what kind of support you actually need, or you're simply looking for a fresh perspective on growing your business, this conversation will help you think differently about what moves the needle. LINKS Learn more about Purpose & Profit: https://learn.bradandjen.com/purpose-and-profit-course Apply for the Mastermind: https://learn.bradandjen.com/mastermind-coaching CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome and why we recorded this episode 03:00 What are you really building your business for? 09:30 Why information alone rarely creates growth 18:20 The difference between learning and implementing 27:40 Purpose & Profit and building a business with intention 39:45 Why community changes everything 47:10 Inside the Mastermind experience 58:30 What makes a great coaching student? 1:04:45 Purpose & Profit vs. The Mastermind 1:08:30 Final thoughts and next steps KEYWORDS wedding photography business, photography education, photography coaching, mastermind for photographers, photography community, photography mentor, photography course, wedding photographer marketing, photography pricing, photography business strategy, photography mindset, creative entrepreneur, business coaching, Purpose and Profit, Brad and Jen, More Than Photos podcast
23 June

051 - Building a Life Bigger Than Your Business w/ Perry Vaile

This week Brad and Jen sit down with Perry Vaile, a destination and editorial wedding photographer, historian, educator, and creative whose life stretches far beyond the wedding industry. What begins as a conversation about Perry’s mountain home in North Carolina quickly turns into something much bigger: ambition, success, identity, community, social media, and what it means to build a life that doesn’t depend on your work to fulfill you. Perry shares the story of building a 15-year photography career, the moments she felt like she had finally “made it,” and how her relationship to success has evolved over time. From photographing a Victoria’s Secret supermodel’s wedding to intentionally removing social media from her phone, she offers a refreshing perspective on staying connected to what matters while working in an industry built on visibility and comparison. Together, we explore boundaries, hobbies, community, family, creativity, and the challenge of building a successful career without sacrificing the life around it. We also explore: • Living a “split life” between the mountains and the city, and why each pace feeds the other • Buying land on instinct and building a home designed to last generations • The two moments Perry felt like she had “made it” • Finding the confidence to stand up for her work on a make-or-break deadline • Entering a world of wealth without attaching her worth to it • Why real memories matter more than staged perfection • Removing social media from her phone and creating healthier boundaries • Archery, needlepoint, gardening, reading, and building a life outside the industry • Creating local community on purpose • Holding success open-handedly and defining it on your own terms • Working smarter, protecting rest, and avoiding burnout • Why “going quiet” may be the biggest risk for photographers today Connect with Perry Website: https://perryvaile.com/ Instagram: @perryvaile Connect with Us Join Purpose & Profit – A Roadmap to 10k Weddings Apply for the Mastermind Program - High level 1:1 creative coaching & community. Chapters (00:00) Welcome and the seven-weekend stretch ahead (01:00) A split life between the mountains and Raleigh (03:30) Buying the land and building a forever home (08:45) The long view: who do you want to be at 70? (14:00) Fifteen years in and the moments she “made it” (22:00) Chutzpah, film deadlines, and confidence (24:00) Wealth, worth, and belonging in luxury spaces (27:00) The historian’s approach to photography (32:00) Redefining success and holding it loosely (40:00) Protecting the craft from the industry (42:00) Social media boundaries and bricking the phone (48:00) Hobbies, books, and building community (56:00) Perspective, gratitude, and figure-out-able problems (59:00) Working smarter and protecting rest (01:13:00) What matters now and why going quiet is risky (01:20:00) Books, recommendations, and what’s next Keywords: wedding photography, destination wedding photographer, boundaries, work-life balance, redefining success, building community, photographer mindset, burnout, rest and margin, intentional living, historic preservation, film photography, photographer education

Veteran wedding photographers, Brad & Jen, peel back the curtain on what it takes to not just create beautiful photos, but build a thriving creative business — consider this your this is your go-to for actionable inspiration, practical steps, and the motivation to make your next move.

Creator

Brad & Jen - Creative Business Coaches, Wedding Photographers
Years Active

2024 - 2026
Episodes

58
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© 2025 Brad & Jen - Creative Business Coaches, Wedding Photographers
Show Website

More Than Photos