One on one coaching
Honest, practical coaching for wedding photographers who are ready to move up. Sixty minutes, just the two of us, on whatever is standing between you and the business you want.
- Photographing weddings since 2004
- 800+ weddings
- Luxury & destination
It started with asking
Before I was a photographer, I was a diver. I grew up in the gym and on the board, spent my summers at diving camps in Tucson, and got to the University of Virginia by doing something simple: I asked if they needed divers. They did. I competed there from 2002 to 2006 and was part of ACC championship teams.
Then I asked another question. Did the yearbook need someone to shoot sports? That put a camera in my hands on the pool deck. A friend saw the work and asked me to photograph his wedding. That was 2004, and I have been photographing weddings ever since.
My first year out of college I hoped to make $100 a day. I took every job I could find and kept saying yes. Twenty two years and more than 800 weddings later, most of my work is luxury and destination weddings, and most of it comes through planners I have built relationships with over many years. Along the way the work has been featured in Harper's Bazaar, Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides and The New York Times.
None of that came from one big break. It came one ask, one relationship and one wedding at a time. That is what I want to help you build.
Let's start. Let's go. Let's be.
Athletes don't wait to feel ready. You show up, you take the correction, and you do the dive again. I bring that to coaching. I'm not here to make you "better" than somebody else. I'm here to help you become the photographer and business owner you are already working toward, starting with the next step you can actually take this week.
Built around you
No set curriculum
Everyone comes in at a different place. We figure out yours on the first call and build the game plan from there.
Real feedback
I'll look at your gallery, your pricing guide, your Instagram and what you send planners, and tell you what I see. Kindly, and honestly.
Clear next steps
Every call ends with specific things to do before the next one. Calls are on Zoom and recorded, so you can go back to them.
Bring your hardest questions
- Pricing & your value
Raising your minimum, quoting with confidence, and knowing when to walk away from a job that undervalues you.
- Planners & relationships
Where most of my work comes from. How to meet planners, follow up without being pushy, and become someone they trust with their clients.
- Instagram & visibility
Your top line, your lead images, collab posts with vendors and couples, and getting the right eyes on your work.
- Destination & luxury
Building a portfolio for where you want to work, using the off season well, and getting hired outside your home market.
- Inquiries & sales
Consultations, follow up, and turning the inquiries you already get into booked weddings.
- Systems, seasons & team
Workflow, second shooters, delegating, and planning for the busy and the slow parts of the year.
A few of my convictions
Ask. The worst you'll hear is no, and you didn't have it to begin with.
Give without expecting anything back. The relationships that have brought me the most work started that way.
There are enough weddings. Other photographers can be your friends, your sounding board and your safety net.
Pick up the phone. A real conversation clears up what ten emails can't.
Honor your gut. If a job feels wrong at the price, it usually is.
This season won't last forever. Slow seasons are when the roots grow.
Working photographers ready for the next level
Most of the photographers I coach charge somewhere between $5,000 and $12,000 a wedding and want to be booking $15,000 to $20,000 weddings consistently. Some are moving into a new market. Some want the planner relationships they don't have yet. All of them want honest feedback from someone who has done it.
Book your sessions
- Choose how many calls. Bundle sessions and save $50 on each additional call.
- Check out securely. Payment is handled securely at checkout.
- Fill out the questionnaire. It takes about ten minutes and helps me prepare for you.
- Pick your times. I'll email you to schedule each 60 minute call.
Start with the questionnaire
Tell me where your business is, where you want it to go and what's in the way. I read every one personally and will get back to you.
Fill out the questionnaireGood to know
Is there a set curriculum?
No. Everyone starts in a different place, so we decide together on the first call what matters most and build from there. You bring the questions; I bring twenty two years of answers, and some honest opinions.
How many sessions should I start with?
One call is great for a specific question or a second set of eyes on your pricing. If you are working on a bigger change, like raising your prices or building planner relationships, a few calls spread a few weeks apart give you time to act between them.
How are the calls held?
On Zoom, one on one. I record our calls so you can go back to them.
How do I schedule?
After checkout you'll be asked to fill out a short questionnaire. Once I have it, I'll email you times for your first call. Multi-session packages are scheduled at whatever pace suits you.
Other questions?
Email eric@erickelley.com and I'll get back to you.