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The Portrait System Podcast

The Portrait System Podcast

Sue Bryce Education 395 Episodes Sep 28, 2026

Join in as Nikki Closser, a mentor in the Sue Bryce Education community, interviews photographers who manage successful portrait photography businesses from around the globe using the business model Sue Bryce teaches. Subscribe to hear stories that will fast track your success and transform you as a photographer and business owner.

Episodes

Part-Time Photographer, $1,800 Client Average, No Studio | Kristina Svirskaite
Part-Time Photographer, $1,800 Client Average, No Studio | Kristina Svirskaite Sep 28, 2026 3557 Kristina Svirskaite built her photography business from $150 sessions to an average of about $1,800 per client, all while keeping a full-time corporate career, raising three children, and working without a permanent studio. She joins Nikki Closser to explain how she made part-time photography fit the life she actually wants. Kristina shares what happened when the referrals that had sustai
15 Years Before His Passion Project Paid | Ajani Charles
15 Years Before His Passion Project Paid | Ajani Charles Sep 14, 2026 3238 Rejection, unpredictable income and self-doubt can be harder to manage than lighting or posing. Photographer and filmmaker Ajani Charles joins Nikki Closser to talk about the mental side of building a photography business—and the relationships, routines and practical business habits that help him keep going.Ajani shares the story behind Project T-Dot, his long-running documentary project
Photographing World Leaders to $2K Day Rates: Inside a Corporate Photographer's Business | Drew Forsyth
Photographing World Leaders to $2K Day Rates: Inside a Corporate Photographer's Business | Drew Forsyth Aug 10, 2026 4511 Drew Forsyth is an award-winning portrait photographer and director based in the North West of England, working with commercial and advertising clients across the UK and internationally. His work centres on people who've given everything to be extraordinary at what they do — from dancers with English National Ballet and musicians of the BBC Philharmonic and the Hallé Orchestras, to Nobel
Caroline White: The Pricing Strategy That Built a Six-Figure Photography Business
Caroline White: The Pricing Strategy That Built a Six-Figure Photography Business Jul 13, 2026 3465 Caroline White has been a professional photographer for 21 years — starting as an actress shooting headshots on the side before a burglary wiped out her equipment and pushed her into photography full-time. Since 2011 she's averaged six figures a year shooting personal branding for women entrepreneurs and coaches, and more recently has pivoted into a passion project: underwater portrait ph
The Corporate Photography Blueprint: Build a Team, Land Big Clients & Scale Past Six Figures | Jaren Collins
The Corporate Photography Blueprint: Build a Team, Land Big Clients & Scale Past Six Figures | Jaren Collins Jun 1, 2026 3138 What happens when a portrait photographer stops thinking like a freelancer and starts thinking like a CEO? Jaren Collins did exactly that — and built JCi Creatives, a nationwide creative agency specializing in conference and event storytelling, with clients including AT&T and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.In this episode, Jaren breaks down:How he quit his corporate job (with almo
How Meg Loeks Built a Photography Business Around Family, Art, and Education
How Meg Loeks Built a Photography Business Around Family, Art, and Education May 11, 2026 3150 In this episode of The Portrait System Podcast, Nikki sits down with photographer and educator Meg Loeks to talk about how she built a photography business rooted in storytelling, color, and creativity. Meg shares how she went from a corporate marketing job to running a thriving portrait business, and how life circumstances eventually led her to focus fully on photography education.They t
How Photographers Can Increase Sales with Branding Photography Packages
How Photographers Can Increase Sales with Branding Photography Packages Apr 20, 2026 3271 In this episode of The Portrait System Podcast, Nikki sits down with South Africa–based photographer Simone Dorfman to talk about real-life marketing strategies that actually work. Simone shares how she built a photography business with a $2,000 average sale in a small town by offering personal branding photography, product photography, and content creation services for small businesses.T
Photography Pricing & Marketing: Stop Chasing Leads and Build Real Profit (Vanessa Joy)
Photography Pricing & Marketing: Stop Chasing Leads and Build Real Profit (Vanessa Joy) Mar 22, 2026 3209 Most photographers don’t fail because of their photography, they fail because of pricing and marketing. In this episode of The Portrait System Podcast, Nikki sits down with Vanessa Joy (working photographer + educator, in business since 2008) to talk about what it really takes to keep a photography business profitable and sustainable.In this conversation, Vanessa breaks down:Why “I need m
Tax Tips for Photographers: Deductions, Mileage, and Year-Round Prep (with Heather Lacey)
Tax Tips for Photographers: Deductions, Mileage, and Year-Round Prep (with Heather Lacey) Feb 24, 2026 3016 Taxes don’t have to be the thing you avoid until April. In this episode of The Portrait System, Nikki sits down with Heather Leicy (tax prep educator + bookkeeper + working photographer) to break down photographer tax deductions, year-round tax prep, and the biggest “can I write this off?” mistakes.You’ll learn:What to do monthly so you’re not scrambling at tax timeA simple system for set
From Rock Stars to Real People: Building a Lasting Photography Career
From Rock Stars to Real People: Building a Lasting Photography Career Feb 3, 2026 4367 What does it really take to photograph celebrities and musicians and build a photography career that actually lasts?In this episode of The Portrait System Podcast, Nikki Closser sits down with Jim Wright, a renowned photographer who has worked with iconic musicians, A-list celebrities, and major publications. Jim pulls back the curtain on the real business of celebrity and music photograp
From Full Time Job To Successful Photography Business Within 1 Year with Damien Carter
From Full Time Job To Successful Photography Business Within 1 Year with Damien Carter Dec 22, 2025 3567 Get a FREE Posing eBook from The Portrait System here: https://the-portrait-system.lpages.co/podcast-pose-funnel/Today, on The Portrait System Podcast, our guest is portrait & lifestyle photographer Damien Carter. Listen in as host Nikki Closser interviews Damien about how he built his business for success in less than a year after being laid off from his full-time job. Damien tells u
How Ivan Weiss Infuses Uniqueness & Creativity Into His Headshots (Re-Release)
How Ivan Weiss Infuses Uniqueness & Creativity Into His Headshots (Re-Release) Dec 19, 2025 3432 Get a FREE Posing eBook from The Portrait System here: https://the-portrait-system.lpages.co/podcast-pose-funnel/On today's special re-release of The Portrait System Podcast, our guest is portrait photographer Ivan Weiss. Listen in as host Nikki Closser interviews Ivan about his process, his business and how he infuses creativity and uniqueness into his headshot sessions. If you're lookin

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