Listen In for the Best of KT Merry

When I was starting out in my photography career, it was a different world.

There was no Instagram.
There were no podcasts. We simply called it “the radio.”
People weren’t blogging about their business advice.
And there certainly weren’t online digital courses for every topic under the sun.

There was school, there was real-life experience, and there was apprenticeship. That about sums up the options I had for learning. When it came to photography business tips, I didn’t even know to look, much less where to look. Most of my learning happened in photography school (for technique) and on the job.

If I had had a fraction of the information and resources that are available to photographers now, there’s no telling where I might be. But there’s no sense stewing on the past!

The good news is—we have those resources now and podcasts are one of my very favorite ways of digesting information and ideas. I usually listen to one or three each day on my 5-mile morning run.

I’ve also had the complete pleasure of getting to be a guest on some of my favorite photography podcasts. I have been able to share my story, my journey to becoming a globally-recognized destination wedding photographer and my best photography business tips and lessons.

I’ve rounded them all up for you below, as well as everything you can look to learn!

IN THE EPISODES BELOW, YOU’LL FIND:

> Growing your photography business from amateur to luxury
> The best ways to gain experience as a new photographer
> My biggest mistakes starting out in photography + what you can do to avoid them
> The keys to attracting your ideal client and booking the work you want
> How to work with luxury wedding planners and get invited back again and again
> Why giving back and making an impact in the world fuels everything I do

—and so. much. more! You won’t want to miss a single episode.

Take a listen below and if you’re ready to dive deeper, check out my digital program for photographers. My tips below (and they’re good!) are just the tip of the iceberg for growing your photography business. 

Click here to join my waitlist and be the first to know about my next enrollment.

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Musea Podcast with Michael Howard

Episode 75

My laid-back, down-to-earth conversation with Musea founder Michael Howard covers everything from starting out as an amateur photographer to the vital keys to serving the most high-end luxury wedding clients. You’re going to find a lot of gems in this one…

You’ll learn:

> My take on formal education vs. learning on the job and which one you should do! (You might be surprised by my answer.)
> Which type of shoots I find most challenging, creative + powerful for my portfolio
> Why focusing on your marketing is NOT focusing on your business
> The question I always ask myself when I’m composing an photo
> The KEY to serving luxury clients successfully
> What I would tell myself if I could go back in time to the beginning of my career!
> Which camera + lens I will use for the rest of my life.

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Stylish Bride Podcast with Julie Sabatino

EPISODE 50: WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE TIME OF CORONA

Tune into this 38 minute chat with Julie Sabatino on why choosing your wedding photographer might be THE most important aspect of your big day, what it’s like to handle the nuances of celebrity weddings, and how smaller weddings due to COVID-19 restrictions give you the freedom to make your wedding day exactly what you want it to be. 

You’ll learn:

> How I deal with the intense physical demands of wedding photography
> The unique challenges of celebrity weddings with logistics, timing, and expectations
> The most important considerations for brides in choosing a wedding photographer
> What to make sure is included in your photography contract

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The Brand Strategy Podcast
with Bonnie Bakhtiari

EPISODE 158: BUILDING A LUXURY PHOTOGRAPHY BRAND FROM SCRATCH WITH KT MERRY

It was such a joy to put heads together with branding expert Bonnie Bakhtiari of The Brand Strategy Podcast. We uncovered a lot of important insights around moving in the luxury market. If you’re looking to elevate your brand and client experience, you need these 27 minutes of gold!

You’ll learn:

> How I found my niche, manifested my dreams, and built my business from the ground up
> The KEY to moving into the niche you want to serve + why personal projects are vital
> The biggest lesson I learned when looking to move into the luxury space
> The ONE thing you have to do to prepare your brand to serve luxury clients

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Who’s Saving the Planet? with Lex Kiefhaber

PICTURING A BETTER WORLD WITH KT MERRY

I get to speak about my absolute favorite thing—and personal passion project—Render Loyalty with hosts Lex Kiefhaber and Jessica Miles in this chat on the Who’s Saving the Planet? Podcast. 

You’ll learn:

> How this work fuels everything single thing I do in my wedding photography business
> What happened the moment I decided I was done waiting for my circumstances to change + took action
> How to look at revenue as a tool for impact to fuel your own project to ‘do good’ 
> What I’ve learned about dedication from the conservation partners of Render Loyalty

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Brands That Book with Davey Jones

Episode 93:  “Balancing Business and Creativity”

It was such a pleasure to be a guest on the Brands That Book podcast, as Davey and Krista Jones are one of the most thorough and valuable resources in the industry. I truly appreciate everything they offer, and we had a wonderful conversation. With Davey, we cover the basics of getting experience early in your photography career, as well as setting up goals and attracting your ideal client…

You’ll learn:

> The mistake I made for the first seven years of my career
> The goals that held me back and how to think bigger
> How to appeal to luxury destination wedding planners

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Play It Brave Podcast with D’Arcy Benincosa 

“From Rancher to Celebrity Wedding Photographer”

I had the most fun speaking with fellow photographer and marketing guru D’Arcy Benincosa on her Play It Brave podcast—don’t you just love that title? It’s right up my alley, and BRAVE happens to be my “word” for 2020!

We started at the very beginning, with my journey from a guest ranch wrangler to a celebrity wedding photographer. I dive into building a business from the ground up and all the many lessons I’ve learned along the way.

You’ll learn:

> How I went from a saddle-slinging ranch hand to a luxury destination wedding photographer
> What I think is the first step to becoming successful (hint: it’s not technical, it’s a personal habit)
> My best practices for a luxurious client experience

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The Real Reel Podcast with Natalie Barbu

Episode 73:  “Building a Career in Your Passion, Growing A Team as a Photographer, and Hiring Right”

As a creative entrepreneur, building a team to support my growing business has been a vital and indispensable part of the process. I spoke with YouTuber, podcaster and business owner Natalie Barbu on her podcast about building my business from one entrepreneur to a full team of support.

You’ll learn:

> The high school event that set me on a professional photography course
> The first and most important thing to figure out when starting your business
> The secret to a unique photography style (hint: it’s not technical

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Find Your Focus Podcast with Logan Fahey of Cole’s Classroom

Episode 19:  “More Than Just Photos:
The Importance of Photography Passion Projects”

As a huge fan of Cole’s Classroom (and Cole), it was so much fun to join them for a great conversation on passion projects! If you are yearning for a way to start your passion project or to give back through your business, this is the podcast for you. You don’t have to wait until you have more time, money or resources…

You’ll learn:

> How to start small to get your passion project off the ground
> How your passion project can complement and enhance your photography business
> My first-hand experience working with wildlife conservancies in Africa and the joy of giving back to the planet

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The Love Club Podcast with Kate Robinson

Episode 23:  “Connecting meaningfully when you work & live together”

I almost never get to bring my husband and business partner, Chad Keffer, along on interviews or podcasts, so it was a treat to have him join me on The Love Club podcast. We talk about how we met, our own wedding day and what we would have done differently. And of course, we dive into working together as business partners and life partners—and how to juggle everything in-between!

You’ll learn:

> Our secret to clocking out of work-from-home for the day 
> How to balance your personal life with your professional work on social media
> Why we don’t plan a date night!

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The Love Light Podcast with Sarah Jane Ethan

Episode 16

Sarah Jane Ethan has to be one of the most joyful people I have ever met, and it was a pure delight to share some quality time with her. We talk about my passion for profits and building a successful photography business step-by-step. I also got to share about my other passion—giving back to wildlife with my fine art print shop Render Loyalty.

You’ll learn:

> How to say no to the wrong type of clients and YES to the right type
> How to run a business that pays
> The importance of building giving into your business and how it fuels me

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Looking for more photography business tips? Go deeper with me and my students in my business program for photographers, The Abundance Plan.