We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Austin Trenholm a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Austin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with what makes profitability in your industry a challenge – what would you say is the biggest challenge?
My industry is one that scales much like an eco system. Koi fish will grow as large as their pond allows. For wedding photography often times people think they’ve hit the ceiling of what is possible. When in fact they just need to look close by for a bigger pond. Or better yet, look for some bigger fish to see where they swim. An enormous challenge to profitability is simply breaking through imaginary pay ceilings that we impose on ourselves.
When I first started my career I would never have believed that someone could charge eight, ten, twenty thousand dollars to photograph a wedding. But here I am today doing just that. How? I’m going to ignore the obvious factors like my photographic style, and improving my craft. I think that goes without saying. But assuming you do those two things then the rest is all about the ecosystem you live in.
When I first moved to Florida and I wanted to gain clients I thought hard about who my ideal client would be. 26-37 year old females with an upper class income, a keen sense of style and an appreciating for aesthetics. Instantly yoga came to mind. I found the most expensive yoga studio in Naples and started going 3 days a week. Fast forward 11 years and still some of my best clients and referrals stem from people I met at that yoga studio.
We often think in terms of our own spending habits. To become more profitable we need to free ourselves of that. We need to realize that many people happily search out high end luxury services that cost an exponential premium. And we can offer those services.
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?
I’m a wedding photographer that serves SWFL, NY, New England, and anywhere people want to fly me. I started photographing at 14 years old and 20 years later I’m still doing it. I started assisting for photographers in New Hampshire, where I am from. Today I photograph 45 weddings a year all over the east coast and beyond.
One thing that sets me apart is that I take a genuine interest in my clients’ experience. It doesn’t matter how beautiful the photos are if I annoyed them all day. To the contrary I try to be as helpful as possible even outside photography. I bustle dresses, provide bandaids for sore feet, I pin veils in and offer emotional support when my clients are nervous or frustrated. So much of my success is based on things outside of holding a camera. I’m a person first and a photographer second.
Another difference is that I really try to grow as an artist. My style is distinct, but never stagnant. I don’t want to wake up one day and discover I’m the guy with dated style and stuck in my ways. I’m always practicing, meditating, and exploring new techniques.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
The classic “How To Win Friends And Influence People” is the most helpful book I’ve ever read, even today. It’s easy, especially as a creative, to get wrapped up in the dressings of your job. The business cards, websites, office spaces, etc. But none of that will actually sell someone on you. The best thing you can do is forget entirely what it is you do for work and take genuine interest in others. Then from there the business will come. I get asked a lot of questions about how I’ve gained a large social media following, or what kind of SEO strategy I have. The truth is that I have never taken an interest or executed any strategy on social media or with SEO. I’ve just taken interest in others and put out my genuine personality. That’s it.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
A lot of people assume that I must have some kind of artistic mind, or that arts and photography must require an abstract thinking. The reality is that anyone performing at the pinnacle of their profession has to exercise the same kind of creativity and artistic thought. My work requires practice, focus, and repetition. Just like learning a sport, or pitching sales meetings. It’s all trial and error with improvement over time. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you are, or are not creative. If you are determined, disciplined, and even slightly detail oriented you can learn to work in the arts, or a creative field like photography.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.trenholmphoto.com
- Instagram: https://www.trenholmphoto.com/home