EPISODE #034
Protecting Your Artist’s Heart
Guest: Lara Blair
Owner of Lara Blair Photography
Vancouver, WA
www.larablairphotography.com
DATE: February 15, 2022
This podcast episode is the second in a four part series featuring graduates of the ReWork’s Art of Selling Art Business course. These students have spent the last six months ReWorking their businesses and applying the concepts they’ve learned in the course.
As a part of each interview in the series, I ask each Art of Selling Art Graduate three questions:
1) How did principles in the Art of Selling Art course change your business or mindset?
2)If a genie appeared, what is something you wish you could fix in your business?
3) And what advice or encouragement do you have for struggling photographers?
Their answers will enlighten you and inspire you to ask tough questions of your own.
Next up is Lara Blair, another long-time photographer who literally wrote the book on pet photography, had a successful portrait studio on both the east and west coasts BUT after a few years of not charging enough and working so much that she wasn’t there for her kids, she burned out and quit the industry entirely.
Fast forward to today and Lara’s business is thriving, she’s shooting projects that she absolutely loves and has some sage advice for photographers thinking about throwing in the towel. It’s all about protecting your artist’s heart. In today’s episode Lara shares the important lessons she learned, and some valuable advice about finding your ideal clients, letting go of projects that don’t thrill you, and bringing in people to help you!
Here’s a glance at this episode…
- [01:51] Why photographers are so susceptible to burn-out.
- [03:50] Where Lara’s photography journey began, and what the next 13 years looked like.
- [05:07] The driving forces behind Lara’s choice to leave the photography industry, and what she did for a few years instead.
- [06:22] What Lara’s re-entry into the photography industry looked like.
- [08:28] The realization Lara had which now forms the foundation of her business.
- [11:16] Types of sessions that Lara loves doing, and why she is no longer afraid to charge what she thinks they are worth.
- [16:11] A recap of how Lara has progressed as a photographer over the past 18 months.
- [17:37] Advice from Lara for how to determine who your ideal clients are, and what to do once you’ve figured that out.
- [22:26] What an ideal month for Lara would look like in terms of work.
- [25:11] Changes Lara has made in her business to turn it into a luxury brand.
- [29:37] Two of the biggest lessons that Lara learned during the Art of Selling Art course.
- [32:18] A mistake that Lara made in the past, and what it taught her.
- [36:42] How Lara ensures that her clients get their money’s worth when they hire her.
- [37:43] The importance of protecting your “artist heart,” and examples of how to do so.
- [42:12] Questions you need to ask yourself if you are struggling to build a photography business that you really love.
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