How to Get Photography Clients (The Hard Way, Then the Right Way)

For a good chunk of my photography career, I worked for another photo company as a newborn and family photographer. I had my own business on the side too, with a website that (I thought) looked pretty, in a cool, artsy kind of way.

I had no idea that nice photos arranged in a cool way wouldn't actually get me clients. (Who knew??)

I had no clue about SEO, website analytics, website copy, keywords, mailing lists — any of it. I just thought word of mouth and referrals would get me clients. So I did the same thing, year after year, hoping that at some point I'd have enough clients to quit working for that company and rely on my own photography business for 100% of my income.

That went on for way too long.

What I Didn't Know About Getting Photography Clients

I'd get families here and there — mainly friends of friends, or actual friends and family. But they were so few and far between. And I was always wondering: where were other photographers getting their clients?

Many of them had a steady stream of inquiries, even when their work wasn't great. Meanwhile, my work was good, and my pricing was low — which I thought would help me get clients. (I later learned just how wrong that assumption was.)

So why weren't the inquiries flowing in?

The Turning Point: Educating Myself as a Photographer

It wasn't until I started educating myself — taking courses, joining masterminds with photography educators who actually knew what they were doing — that I finally understood why I wasn't getting clients.

Once everything clicked, I put in the work to overhaul my business and my website, got to know WHO exactly I was marketing to, increased my prices (yes, increased — and by a lot) and inquiries did start flowing in. I was consistently booked. And not just booked with any old family — I was booked with my ideal families. Not through referrals. Not through luck. I was getting found and booked through Google.

Moving to Amsterdam and Starting Over — On Purpose This Time

Fast forward to now: my family and I moved to the Netherlands, and I'm starting over. But this time, I know exactly what to do.

I immediately got to work updating my website copy and SEO, and did some model shoots here in Amsterdam. And wouldn't you know it — after 2 months, I landed on the first page of Google for "Amsterdam newborn photographer," and received an organic Google inquiry for a newborn session.

The day I got that inquiry, we celebrated by going to our favorite neighborhood burger place — shoutout to The Happy Bull in Amsterdam Zuid.

How I Realized I Wanted to Coach Other Photographers

I didn't think I wanted to be a photography educator. But then I started thinking about how many photographers must be feeling exactly how I once felt — not knowing where to start, or how to start. And I realized I could help them with the exact same things I once needed help with myself

I kept writing off the idea. But then I noticed something: I genuinely loved talking with other business owners about SEO, ideal clients, and running a business.

Before moving here, I had coffee with a friend who's also a photographer, and we talked about her rebranding and changing her pricing and package structure. I realized afterward how into the conversation I'd gotten — giving her my input, trying to help her figure it out. I really wanted to help her with things I knew could move her business forward. Whether she'd asked for my help or not (she did not), I was giving it to her. 😅

After moving to Amsterdam, we were hanging out with friends, casually chatting while our kids played at a playground — about ideal clients, and attracting the people you actually want to work with. These friends are tattoo artists, not even in the photography industry at all. But the same strategies apply, no matter the business.

Why I Decided to Help Other Photographers Get Clients Too

It was after that hangout that I decided I wanted to learn more about becoming an educator. So I took a 5-week course on course creation, from a photography mentor I'd worked with in the past.

And here I am.

I want to help fellow photographers get the inquiries they deserve, and learn how to put real systems in place to run their businesses — the same systems that changed mine. If I could do it, you can too.

Want the Same 3 Shifts That Changed My Business?

If any of this sounds familiar — if you're doing good work but wondering why the inquiries aren't matching it — I put together a free guide with the exact 3 shifts that turned things around for me: knowing your ideal client, building trust fast on your website, and one simple SEO fix that helps you actually get found.

Stay tuned because I’m working on a whole course that really dives into it all coming soon! ✨


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No fluff, no hustle required. Just the shifts I wish someone had handed me years ago.