We recently connected with Amanda Rae Linas and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda Rae, thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump right into the heart of things. Outsiders often think businesses or industries have much larger profit margins than they actually do – the reason is that outsiders are often unaware of the biggest challenges to profitability in various industries – what’s the biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

Being a full time photographer these days can be tough. Photographers seem to be a dime a dozen. There are a lot of talented folks out there. It can be hard to compete and easy to get discouraged. What I have found to be the biggest challenge to profitability is cutting ourselves short. In the era where everyone has a camera in their back pocket, the art of photography has become somewhat cheapened. However, as an industry professional I have realized that I am not just providing clients with pictures. I am providing them a meaningful, memorable experience. I am solving problems for them and giving them value they won’t get with cell phone photos or from their friend who knows how to use a camera. That being said, the challenge mentioned here is two fold. On one hand the challenge is to educate people about the experience and why it’s beneficial for them. On the other hand it’s understanding what we should sustainably charge as a photographer without undercutting ourselves. I have been in a few industries over the years. Photography is the only one where I consistently see people not charging enough to make a sustainable business that has the ability to grow. This makes profitability hard on an individual level (I’ve been that person). It also makes it more difficult for the entire industry, as consumers grow to expect certain things from photographers that are not sustainable for the business to thrive and grow.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

It took me a while to feel comfortable calling myself a professional photographer. I studied photography on and off since high school, but got my degree in graphic design. I always dreamed of traveling the world documenting what I saw and telling stories visually. I never thought of photography as a career though. I was always an artist, focusing mostly on mixed media pieces along with photography. When I was 28 years old I grew tired of graphic design and decided to become a high school art teacher. The only problem was that I didn’t get a job teaching art. I got a job teaching photography. This propelled me onto a trajectory that I could not have imagined even a few years prior. As I taught, I also learned and fell in love with photography in a new and different way. I fell in love with storytelling through images and saw the impact it could have in the world and on people. I started studying photojournalism in my spare time deciding to eventually transition out of teaching and into a career in photojournalism. It didn’t exactly work out that way. Eight years and a pandemic later, I left teaching. But I didn’t leave teaching for photojournalism. I started a business called Beloved pet and Equine Photography. From as young as I can remember, I have had a real relationship with animals. During college I was a certified pet care technician, groomer, pet sitter and shelter volunteer. Much of my life has revolved around animals. I always found myself drawn to photographing dogs, horses and cats. So, this type of photography made sense. I had a lot to learn to turn this into a valid business. Now, I absolutely love helping people create tangible meaningful memories including their pets and horses. My primary business started out as a boutique style photography studio creating custom photography sessions. The goal of my sessions are to work with each client to produce custom pieces of artwork.This may be a hand crafted album or photo collection or pieces of one of a kind wall art to decorate their homes. Whatever the final product, I help my clients solve the only problem there is with animals. That problem is that they don’t live long enough. If you have ever had a pet or horse, you probably understand the impact they make on our lives. It’s truly special to be able to help people document these relationships and tell their stories. My background in studying documentary photography has helped me to curate more documentary style photo sessions. I also have been branching out into commercial photography recently. I am finding that all of my interests are starting to come together to create something beautiful. With commercial photography I am focusing on lifestyle brands, pet friendly travel and farm brands. I have also begun planning stories and book projects that hone my skill and love for documentary photojournalism. The central theme is still built around the human animal bond and I feel so fortunate for this every day.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

My business started out as less of a side hustle and more of a hobby. My entire life I have been an artist. In addition to photography I also did painting and mixed media art. I realized at some point that most of my work that was getting noticed was my photography work. I would do occasional weddings and family photos for friends, but my heart was in travel and documentary photography. I participated in art shows and showed work in galleries. By default, I started making side money with my photography. So, I formed an LLC in 2018. Even though I had a legal business, I didn’t really do anything different than I had been. In 2019 I learned that pet photography was a growing industry and this peaked my interest. I attended a virtual summit about pet photography and learned more about the industry. In college I had become fascinated by studying the human animal bond and everywhere I went I would find myself photographing dogs, cats, horses and whatever animal was present. So, the thought of launching into this industry stayed in the back of my mind. At the time I was a high school photography teacher. The year 2020 (and all that came with it) came and went. I felt like the time to transition away from teaching in the public school system was coming close. The following school year after returning to hybrid teaching, I decided to make the leap into focusing on full time photography. I finished the school year out and told the school that I wouldn’t be returning the following school year. After considering pursuing travel photography, or photojournalism, I ultimately decided instead to build a business around pet and equine photography. This was a daunting decision to make at the time. A few months later my husband got a new job, which thankfully made the transition a bit easier financially. Since making the leap I have discovered a lot about myself and who I am as a photographer and as a person. I have been full time in my business for a little over a year. I have grown in ways that I wouldn’t have imagined and I realize that running a business is never stagnant. It’s a continual process of growth and discovery.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I will start off my saying that I love my clients. Truly, all of my clients are “my people,” if you know what I mean. They are the people who love their pets and horses to the moon and back. They are the ones I resonate with. That being said, I love staying in touch with my clients. I enjoy seeing what they and their furry best friends are up to. I stay in touch with them in a few different ways. I am active on social media. Most of my clients are on instagram. So, I follow them and interact. (I mean, how can I not when they are posting about their beloved furry family members who are absolutely adorable.) I also have a facebook group where we are fairly active. I stay in touch through emails. I have a general email list. But, I also have a client email list. I try to spoil my clients by letting them know first when special things are happening. I often give them first dibs on new products and sessions I am launching. I also give them special perks for being a client. I organize client events a few times a year like play time meetups for pups and themed get togethers. I usually let them know about these through email. I thrive on creating a community and lifestyle for my clients beyond just photographs. I also like sending them things in the mail like cards for holidays and birthdays. Another thing I have implemented that has been very helpful for staying in touch and creating brand loyalty is offering “Add-on sessions.” When my clients come for their image reveal and ordering session I give them the option to purchase an add-on for a future session that is good for a year. Because they are purchasing it at that time, and as a thank you for being my client it’s offered at a lower rate. This has been a great way to stay in touch and continue to work with them. The clients have really enjoyed it also.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.belovedpetphoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belovedpetphoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/belovedpetphotography
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandaraelinas/

Image Credits
Amanda Rae Linas, Myriam Hunt