44: Field Notes – Photography Business Mistakes

When photographers talk about mistakes, the conversation almost always turns to technical problems. We talk about missed focus, poor lighting, bad timing, or equipment failures because those are the mistakes we can see immediately.

Looking back over more than twenty years in business, I’ve realized that the mistakes that had the greatest impact on my career weren’t usually technical. They were business decisions, assumptions, and habits that quietly influenced the direction of my business over time.

In this episode of Field Notes, I share seven lessons that experience taught me—lessons I wish I had understood much earlier in my career.

Photographers spend a lot of time thinking about pricing.

We compare rates. We compare portfolios. We compare gear. And when someone charges more than we do, it’s easy to assume they’re simply a better photographer—or that they’ve somehow convinced clients to pay more for the exact same thing.

But what if clients aren’t paying for the photographs nearly as much as we think they are?

In this episode, we’re looking beyond the finished images to explore the real value clients are investing in every time they hire a professional photographer.

• Why the most expensive mistakes often aren’t technical.
• The cost of waiting too long to make important decisions.
• Why trusting a handshake isn’t always enough.
• How small problems become expensive when they’re ignored.
• The importance of protecting your time.
• Why assuming everyone thinks like you can create unnecessary challenges.
• The danger of focusing on the wrong competition.
• Why success doesn’t eliminate problems—it simply changes them.

The mistakes that shape a business are rarely the ones photographers spend the most time worrying about. Experience has a way of changing what matters, and often the lessons that have the greatest impact aren’t found behind the camera—they’re found in the decisions we make as business owners.

Every photographer makes mistakes. That’s part of learning any craft.

What matters is recognizing that some mistakes cost far more than a missed photograph. The decisions we make about boundaries, relationships, priorities, contracts, time, and business strategy often have a greater influence on our long-term success than any technical skill ever will.

Learning to recognize those lessons earlier can save years of frustration and help build a stronger, more sustainable business.

One of the themes that continues to emerge throughout Field Notes is that photography and business are not the same thing.

Technical ability may open the door, but experience teaches us that running a successful photography business requires judgment, perspective, and a willingness to continually evaluate how we make decisions. As our careers evolve, so do the questions we ask and the lessons we carry forward.

If I could sit down with the photographer I was twenty years ago, I don’t think we’d spend much time talking about cameras.

We’d spend our time talking about decisions.

Because those are the lessons that took the longest to learn—and the ones that ultimately shaped my business far more than any piece of equipment ever did.

The Equine Photographers Podcast features conversations, interviews, and Field Notes exploring the business, craft, and future of equine photography. From workflow and pricing to industry trends and marketing, each episode is designed to help photographers build stronger, more sustainable businesses.

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