From Hobby to Full Time: The Photographer’s Blueprint - Will Weeks
Create what you wish existed—then charge like a pro. Photographer Will Weeks shares how he turned a hobby into a full-time career by niching down, productizing sessions, and building a referral engine on top of client experience and consistent storytelling.
About the Guest
Will Weeks is the founder of Stone’s Throw Productions, a Denver-based photography studio. He moved from an aerospace path to full-time creative, building his business around clear packages, strong client experience, and an online lead engine powered by SEO, platforms, and community relationships.
Standout Quotes
“Your niche isn’t a prison—it’s a promise. It tells clients exactly what they can count on.”
“Price the experience, not just the shutter click.”
“Consistency beats inspiration. Show up with a system and the work compounds.”
Key Themes & Takeaways
1) Choose a Clear Niche & Promise
Pick the subject and style you can deliver every time. A tight promise simplifies marketing, referrals, and pricing—and makes your portfolio read as one coherent answer to a client’s problem.
2) Productize Your Services
Turn time-for-money into structured packages (scope, deliverables, timeline, usage). Productized offers remove friction and help you raise rates with confidence.
3) Great Client Experience = Growth
Pre-shoot checklists, mood boards, shot lists, and same-day sneak peeks create delight—and referrals. Small process upgrades stack into reputation.
4) Consistent Content, Simple System
Publish on a schedule. Reuse pillar content (BTS, before/after, client stories) across platforms. Consistency builds trust faster than sporadic perfection.
5) Pricing, Rights & Upsells
Quote usage and licensing separately. Add upsells clients love (extra edits, reels, prints). Raise rates after each fully booked quarter.
Interactive Guide: 30 Days to a Booked Photo Business
Set a 25-minute timer; complete each step in order.
- Define your one-line promise (subject + style + outcome).
- Build 3 packages (Starter / Standard / Signature) with clear deliverables & usage.
- Design a 1-page pricing sheet and a simple inquiry form.
- Create a 10-shot “hero” portfolio that proves the promise.
- Publish 2 posts/week (BTS + final set) for 4 weeks.
- DM/email 30 past contacts with a specific offer and booking link.
- Ship same-day sneak peeks for booked clients; request 1 testimonial each.
- Collect 8 testimonials; add 3 to your pricing sheet.
- Raise rates 10% once the month fills to 80% capacity.
- Retrospective: what booked? Double down there.
Transcript Topic Call-out Timeline
Minute marks are approximate; tweak to your player if needed.
- 00:00 — Intro & Will’s journey from aerospace track to photography
- 06:45 — Finding a niche and style that clients recognize
- 14:20 — Productized packages, pricing & licensing
- 23:10 — Client experience playbook & referrals
- 32:00 — Lead gen: platforms, SEO, and community
- 41:30 — Content cadence & social proof
- 50:30 — Wrap & next steps
Book Recommendations
- The Photographer’s Eye — Michael Freeman. Composition fundamentals that make images feel intentional.
- Best Business Practices for Photographers — John Harrington. Pricing, licensing, contracts—the business side done right.
- Light, Gesture, & Color — Jay Maisel. Seeing and timing—turning ordinary scenes into portfolio shots.
Call to Action
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