What we cover in this interview

James and I sat down for a proper, no-filter conversation about what it actually took to build a portrait business from scratch after years in weddings. No highlight reel. Just the real version, including the part where everything went wrong mid-campaign and he nearly walked away for good.

Here’s what we get into:

👉 Why his wedding experience didn’t transfer the way he expected – and the moment he realised he was essentially starting a brand new business from zero, not picking up where he left off.

👉 The lowest point – James shares what it felt like to have no leads, no bookings, and no clear path forward. Including the conversations with his wife, the job listings he was scrolling through, and the email he was about to send to his web designer before we talked.

👉 What the plan actually looked like – how we reverse engineered his income goal, built his first Facebook ad campaign, and why getting something imperfect out the door was the most important move he made.

👉 The campaign that went sideways – tech failures, high lead costs, a moment where he was ready to pull the plug. And the one small creative change that dropped his cost per lead from $59 to $1.35.

👉 The sales side – how he went from doubting anyone would spend $600 to consistently averaging $1,200 to $1,300 per session, and exactly what changed in how he was talking to clients before they arrived.

👉 What his week looks like now – four shoots, $3,800 in a week working just 5 hours during the school holidays with his daughter, and a business he actually wants to show up for.

If you’re a portrait photographer feeling stuck, inconsistent, or like you’re doing all the right things and still not getting results – this one’s worth watching!