We were lucky to catch up with Madison Lumbert recently and have shared our conversation below.
Madison, appreciate you joining us today. Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?
Mad Shot Photography formed in 2021 when I had several friends and family members having trouble finding an affordable photographer. The job market was also heating back up after the first round of the global pandemic, and a lot of people were wanting updated headshots for job-seeking reasons. At the same time, I had a camera that was collecting dust, a creative itch that I needed to scratch, and an excuse to be outside much more. Thus, I started learning the in-and-outs of my camera gear, different forms of editing software, and exploring different venues in my city for photoshoot locations. Suddenly, Mad Shot Photography was born.
The name just popped into my head, and I loved it. “Mad” is a part of my name, and is also synonymous with “insane” (because I planned to really stand out with my affordable package prices). “Shot” was a double-meaning word that meant photograph, but also a shot of Espresso! I pictured making my photo package menu like a coffee shop menu. I pictured Tall, Grande, and Venti packages, and short ones called Espresso Shots. My brain started flooding with ideas. I really liked the coffee theme because it felt so down-to-earth and accessible, which was the whole point of starting the whole photography thing! I’m a lover of puns and I wanted to incorporate my sense of humor into my business. So, I did! I began drafting packages and menus and started social media pages. I recruited friends and family to pose for me so that I could start practicing with my gear and new software. I truly wasn’t sure it was going to work, but I decided to take the leap and try anyway. I have a habit of making sure all of my ducks are in a row before I take the first step on projects, but this time, I realized that the best way to start, is simply just to start!
At one point in time, when I was living paycheck to paycheck, I was only able to save about $30 every few months for anything extra on top of bills. So I wanted to make sure that my photo packages started at that same $30 mark. I also offer FREE photoshoots and discounts a few times per year. I think that everyone deserves to have nice photos, and sometimes the cost is the only thing that keeps us from being able to have them. Right now, I keep my prices relatively low on purpose to eliminate that financial barrier.
Since 2021, I’ve had the pleasure of capturing all kinds of moments in time, from graduations, to first family photos, to newborn sessions, to engagements, to parties, to products, and more! Most of my clients started as friends and family, and then word of mouth spread, and I started meeting new people in other circles of my community. Eventually, brand new clients who discovered me via my social media pages started reaching out to me too! It’s truly been a blast and an adventure. Jobs have been landed, businesses have grown, and peoples’ work stretches farther simply because they had nice photos to share online and with their employers. Nice photos are a gift that keep on giving, and I have experienced unique joy in being able to be a part of others’ success stories.
Mad Shot Photography was a little dream that was worth the efforts for me, even if it failed, because I truly had the passion just to try. I’m so glad that it has taken off!
Madison, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
How I started: I first started living part-time behind a camera lens as a 16-year old who wanted to see the world with a different perspective. I was told that I had “an eye” for capturing beautiful things. This hobby evolved into helping friends in college capture nice headshots for their career debuts. Eventually, it unfolded into a full-on side hustle where I’ve helped all kinds of members in my community shine and treasure priceless moments in time.
Why I stand out: My process is easy, the photoshoots are a blast, and my lower prices are on purpose. Photoshoots in general may feel a bit intimidating or awkward, and I pride myself in being able to help people feel “at home” and “like themselves” behind my lens.
What I’m most proud of: Boosting peoples’ confidence in themselves. A moment in time that really stands out to me was when a business owner had a photoshoot with me last year. She was very shy and self-conscious both about how she looked and about her products. She had never done something like this before. However, after a few minutes of working with me, she really began to loosen up and come out of her shell. We were laughing together and finding all of these cool spots for her to pose. She told me, “You know, I usually hate pictures of myself. But being with you makes things easy, and I actually feel beautiful. I truly love the photos that you’re taking.”
What I want people to know about my work: The backbone of Mad Shot Photography is empathy. I care about people, and I want to serve a useful role in my community. At one point in time, a nice headshot could have done a lot for my career, but I didn’t have an affordable photographer to help me. My hope is that I can be that photographer that I once wanted, to help others achieve their goals.
We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.
As a minimalist and introvert, I am most easily “sold” on products that aren’t annoyingly in my face all the time, LOL. My least favorite businesses crowd my inboxes with spam, blow up my phone constantly, and basically beg for my money or time on a consistent basis. It’s exhausting. So ironically, I let clients come to me on their own time and their own desire, and I don’t really bother them beyond that! Again, the backbone of Mad Shot Photography is empathy. I take pride in communicating very clearly with my potential clients about what they can expect while working with me, as well as no surprises with pricing, and I NEVER pressure anyone to purchase my services. Because I’d want a business to do the same for me! In fact, if there’s a photography need that I can’t meet for whatever reason, I actually refer people to other local photographers that I’ve worked with to ensure that the client gets their needs met. I never want anyone to book a session with me simply because they felt pressured. I have found that simply keeping my doors open and letting people enter on their own accord has kept people coming back for more sessions with me. Over time, this has fostered authentic relationships with clients who keep returning for more services. What a privilege for me!
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Other than word of mouth from friends and family, Instagram! Most people send me a message via Instagram to ask lots of questions and book photoshoots with me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://madshotphotography.myportfolio.com/
- Instagram: @mad_shot_photography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madshotphotography
Image Credits
The action shot of me on the ground with my camera is by Dennis Hecht (another local photographer, founder of Dennis Hecht Photography). The headshot of me in the orange pants was taken by Lauren Popcheff, a sweet friend of mine who is growing in her photography journey too. All other photos were taken by me, Madison Lumbert of Mad Shot Photography.