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Well, I'm back in the shed for this episode - love the acoustics in here.  Also, the peace and quiet as no-one disturbs me. This week's episode is inspired by an email we received from Bob and Sylvia (two of our lovely listeners) who described how they dragged out their wedding album and what they felt when going through it after fifty years of marriage. Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk. 

This episode was recorded in a bar - possibly my favourite but, in contrast to our studio garden - not the quietest place to record audio.  But it makes me happy.  It was at this year’s incredible Societies of Photographers Convention in London where I spent the week judging and, well, generally feeling liberated from the previous two years of lockdown! The interview is with one of the nicest guys in the industry - Ross Grieve - who is a street and portrait photographer as well as a videographer and Panasonic Ambassador.  He is also the host of the Talking Shot podcast - details of which he gives in the interview. As always, I asked my interviewee to nominate a book that would make us smile and what a choice it is! The. Far Side, by Gary Larson is one of those books you just can't put down and can't help but feel better for reading.  Well, it is choc-full of funny cartoons after all! Of course, being in a bar, we had bought ourselves a pint or two and we commence with the obligatory cheers… During this episode, I also mention the workshops we've introduced here at our studio.  Details of these can be found here on our website. Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk. 

It's late and I'm driving back from a beautiful spring wedding, shot in uncharacteristic April sunshine.  I am, to put it mildly, hot and tired.  in spite of this, I thought it would be an idea to record a quick podcast on my way home, so here it is - various musings on finding freedom in the studio and the joy of using the Z9  as a wedding photographer. Oh, and I got to photograph some fireworks which is always a lot of fun! During this episode, I mention the workshops we've introduced here at our studio.  Details of these can be found here on our website. Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk. 

I think I may have mentioned this before, but I LOVE creating portraits.  The past couple of days have been all about headshots - part corporate, part creative branding.  Either way, these are just portraits. And that is something that I cannot stress enough: if you're a portrait photographer, creating cool, engaging headshots is no different to creating fine-art portraits - and you get to meet some incredibly interesting people along the way.   When you're designing your photography business, it is worth remembering that there is more than one way to generate revenue if you have a talent for capturing portraits! During this episode, I mention the workshops we've introduced here at our studio.  Details of these can be found here on our website. Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk. 

So it's been a month since recording the last podcast.  A busy month. A very busy month.  But during that time I did manage to get some time out with Sarah and our trusty spaniel, Rufus, and go for a walking holiday in South Wales.   Wales is my home country so it is always a real joy to be back - there is something about the country, its ruggedness and its friendliness in equal measure: a week of walking, enjoying the sights and laughing.  Glorious. During the week, I had a chance to experience customer service in all its glory (and otherwise) and I took the opportunity of paying attention to see if there is anything we could learn.   During this podcast, I mention some  workshops we've introduced here at our studio.  Details of these can be found here on our website. Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk. 

If there is one skill I have, it's recognising an opportunity when it bops me on the nose.  Today was one of those moments.  Helen May actually came to the studio to update her headshots but the minute we sat and talked about her work on diversity and inclusion, I knew she would be perfect to have on the podcast.  Luckily both of our diaries had some time after her session and so we sat, chatted and laughed about her life, her work, her new book and how photographers (like me) can learn and improve our approach both as company owners and as people who interact with people on a daily (or hourly!) basis. Helen's new book Everyone Included is available on Amazon: Diversity and inclusion (D&I) isn’t just an HR exercise – it can make a real difference to your team performance too. By making everyone in your team feel like they belong, you’ll be able to boost motivation and productivity. Everyone Included helps you make inclusion, belonging and wellbeing central to your team. By helping everyone feel that they belong, your team will foster genuine inclusion and be ready to adapt and evolve in the future. With a step-by-step plan to design and implement a diversity and inclusion plan that brings results: Where are you now? – Understand your team profile now by conducting a belonging Audit to identify how inclusive your team is. What do I do next? – Design a D&I plan, including a business case to win support, and identify key metrics to measure its effectiveness How do I keep going? – Ensure your programme continually improves and remains relevant by creating measurements and feedback loops Everyone Included is your comprehensive, step-by-step guide to creating a diversity and inclusion strategy that delivers results for your team. As always, I asked my interviewee for a book recommendation for our little library and she recommended The Art Of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli - and can be found here on Amazon. It was a very funny, very informative hour or so and well worth a listen.  Of course, I would say that but have a listen and see what you think!   And if you're thinking that Helen and I hit it off immediately?  Well, you'd be absolutely right! Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk. 

It's 2022 and I have to say it's starting off in a very positive mood!  Admittedly New Year didn't go quite to plan, thanks to Covid and family injury, but other than that all good. And besides, my Nikon Z9 has arrived and I am now having a ball with what can only be described as the best camera I've ever had the pleasure to use.  More on that in this and future podcasts! We had a wonderful email today from a client saying how happy she was with everything we'd done - a truly lovely email to receive!  But here's the thing: during this particular job, a mistake had crept in.  They sometimes do; we are a team of humans!  But how we dealt with it, how we managed it, how we reacted to that client and made sure we did everything possible to apologise and fix it, well that made all the difference. And we have an email to prove it! Running a business is never going to be easy but dealing with mistakes has to be at the very heart of what you do.   Just remember: Admit It, Own It, Fix It. Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.  If you'd like to use one of the other players out there, why not try Vurbl?  

Well, this is the last episode of 2021.  Unless I find a moment to drag myself away from the turkey, pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, cheese, Quality Street, sherry, wine, stuffing, more turkey, more cheese and maybe just a tad more sherry.  Oh go on then, if I must, best make it a small one. In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Grays Of Westminster - a legendary shop of all things Nikon.  I am speaking with Becky and Kon from the shop who not only run rings around me with their knowledge of Nikon gear but are two of the nicest people you can imagine!  It is a lovely interview, irrespective of the camera brand you use. Mostly we chat kit, customer service and the imminent Z9! In the interview, I ask them both for the book recommendations. Kon recommended Wonderland, by Annie Leibovitz:  ‘Looking back at my work, I see that fashion has always been there,’ Annie Leibovitz observes in the preface to Wonderland. ‘Fashion plays a part in the scheme of everything, but photography always comes first for me. The photograph is the most important part.  And photography is so big that it can encompass journalism, portraiture, reportage, family photographs, fashion ... My work for Vogue fueled the fire for a kind of photography that I might not otherwise have explored.’  Becky recommended The Real Deal, by Jo McNally 'Joe writes about everything from the crucial ability to know how to use (and make!) window light to the importance of creating long-term relationships built on trust; from lessons learned after a day in the field to the need to follow your imagination wherever it takes you; from the random and lucky moments that propel one s career to the wonders and pitfalls of today s camera technology. For every mention of f-stops and shutter speeds, there is equal discussion about the importance of access, the occasional moment of hubris, and the idea of becoming iconic. Before Joe was a celebrated and award-winning photographer, before he was a well-respected educator and author of multiple bestselling books, he was just Joe, hustling every day, from one assignment to the next, piecing together a portfolio, a skill set, a reputation, a career. He imagined a life and then took pictures of it. Here are a few frames.' I'll be adding them to the library! If you'd like to see some of their videos, they can be found on YouTube (or just search for 'Grays Of Westminster') Have a wonderful Christmas, one and all and here's to a happy New Year! Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.  If you'd like to use one of the other players out there, why not try Vurbl?  

Suck, squeeze, bang, blow: four words that drive an engine.  OK, so maybe an obtuse analogy but a business is much like a power unit - once it's running, it doesn't take too much to keep it going but you need to keep it fuelled and maintained.  Ignore these things at your own peril! Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.  If you'd like to use one of the other players out there, why not try Vurbl?  

So it's Sunday as I both record and write this and I'm having a frankly chilled day.  Not that this is in any way your worry, but I thought I'd tell you. This episode is a rebuttal of my own grumpy podcast (EP113) when I seem to have spent most of it muttering about my Z7ii and how it isn't quite there yet.  Well, this one is the other extreme - here are the reasons I think mirrorless and, by extension, the Nikon Z9 is about to come of age.  If the spec of the Z9 is correct (I don't have my hands on one yet - it's ordered and paid for but could be a while) then this camera won't just be the pinnacle of mirrorless as we know it, it will be the start of a whole new generation of cameras and capability.  Seriously.   I also give a shameless (and, just to be clear, unpaid) plug for the wonderful institution that is Grays Of Westminster - simply the best Nikon shop in the world.  I should add, I don't know if there are other dedicated Nikon shops in the world.  I don't care if there are: Grays would still come out on top. It is truly like Ollivander's Wand Shop in Harry Potter. But with lenses not wands. And customer service that is every bit as personal. If you're curious they can be found at https://www.graysofwestminster.co.uk/ and they also have a fabulous range of 2nd hand kit in their online store.  Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.  If you'd like to use one of the other players out there, why not try Vurbl?  

When I first set out in this crazy, camera-carrying career, I had mixed views about working in the studio - I much preferred being outside in natural light with the environment as my backdrop.  Over the years, that changed as I realised much of my cynicism was partly because I didn't understand it and partly because many of those who had taught me didn't excite me. Now?  Well, now I think of studio portrait photography as some of the finest, most inspiring imagery you can imagine. In this podcast, I try to explain why. Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.  If you'd like to use one of the other players out there, why not try Vurbl?  

Switching to a mirrorless system was always going to happen - SLRs (and their requisite mirrors) are slowly heading the same way as film, dark rooms, Black Forest gateaux, prawn cocktail and sandals with socks. Though I happen to love Black Forest gateaux. And film.  And the darkroom.  Prawn cocktails and sandals with socks, well they can stay in the history books! Anyway, James Keen DM'd me on Instagram and asked for an update on my move to mirrorless and so, while clattering my way home in the Land Rover from a perfect Oxfordshire wedding, here are my thoughts.  With a few rattly sound effects in the background just for authenticity. Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.  If you'd like to use one of the other players out there, why not try Vurbl?  

I knew this would be an entertaining podcast and so it proved to be: Julia Fensom, author of With Sleep I Can Do Anything: The First Year - A Manual is always funny, energetic and full of ideas.  So this interview was always going to be interesting - and long!  When the two of us get together it is always a very funny hour or two, laughing about life, having families and running a small business.   While, admittedly, we do talk a bit about babies (and photographing them), mostly the interview is about life, business and what it takes to work well with clients (some of whom are only a few weeks old!)   As usual, I asked Julia to nominate a book - or maybe two - that could be added to the ever-expanding library of interesting reads:   Cribsheet By Emily Oster A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschool https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1788164490/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_QMAF854F9DEE3JCQ8QVY Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0141983760/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_1TYQTNRNTM1PX0JYZ81X   Both these links will take you to the Amazon book store but I am sure they are available elsewhere!   Also, it would be remiss if I didn't include Julia's own book: With sleep, I can do anything: The first year - A manual https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1983378925/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_C8XC47XMX02A5NRK4VKA   So with 90 minutes of listening time, this might not fit within your regular commute but, hopefully, it'll be interesting enough to pick back up on the way home!   Enjoy!   Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.  If you'd like to use one of the other players out there, why not try Vurbl?  

I am so sorry it's been a couple of months since I last published an episode - a very busy few months here at the studio!   In this episode, numerous conversations at The UK Photography Show 2021 started me thinking about whether technique is more important than imagination (or vice versa).     What do you think?  Let me know in the comments or drop me an email (paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk) - I'm genuinely curious!   Enjoy!   Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.  If you'd like to use one of the other players out there, why not try Vurbl?  

Every day new clients, new stories, new laughter. That is the joy of a portrait photographer.   At the end of a recent headshot session, it seemed a shame to stop the laughter. So we didn't. Instead of packing up and going home, we plugged in some microphones and recorded a podcast. The portrait session had been sunny and full of stories and the interview is much the same!   I love when that happens: you meet someone new and the session flies past, with as much chat as creativity. Serendipity, karma, the luck of the righteous; whoever is looking after me, it is true that I get to meet and talk to some amazing people!   And Eni Obi, best-selling author, speaker and coach is one of those people.   The podcast touches on her life, her career, her book, her energy and her positivity.   If you're curious, her bestselling book, Your Life Is Calling: How To DO YOU And Live Without Regrets is available on Amazon.   Enjoy!   Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.  If you'd like to use one of the other players out there, why not try Vurbl?  

Dad was always right. Of course, it took me a decade or two to acknowledge that fact, but dad was always right.   Of many pearls (of the wisdom variety) he threw in my direction, is this: if you want something doing, give it to someone who's already busy.   I don't know if I believed it at the time. That's the thing about fathers: you don't like to tell them they're right. But he always was.   And on this one, he was spot on.   If you want something doing, get someone who's already busy to do it.   Dad's wisdom extends to your business. The busier you are, the more you will get done. And, more importantly, the more people will book you.   Life is funny like that.   Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.  If you'd like to use one of the other players out there, why not try Vurbl?  

Have you ever stood back and thought about how you feel when your suppliers forget that, while you may be one of the thousands of customers to them, they are the ONLY supplier to you?  It has always irritated me that companies forget themselves and send out blanket messages that remind me that I am just one of their masses, yet another annoying customer - possibly the worst message you can possibly receive.    The asymmetry of that relationship between a client and a company is really at the heart of customer service: making sure that your clients feel truly unique is one of the keys to a successful business. Enjoy! Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.  If you'd like to use one of the other players out there, why not try Vurbl?  

As a kid, I hated polishing my shoes.  Every week, on a Sunday evening before school, I would be sent out, brushes in hand, to put some shine on my trusty (and boring) Clarke's shoes. These days, I do it religiously before each and every wedding.  And I do it willingly. In this episode, I muse about that and why such inconsequential details matter so much. Enjoy! Cheers P.   If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.  If you'd like to use one of the other players out there, why not try Vurbl?  

In this episode, sponsored by Panasonic eneloop Pro Rechargeable Batteries, I am pondering on the difference between being 'proud' and 'taking pride' in everything you do.  A subtle but important distinction - particularly if you're British and have been brought up that pride always comes before a fall! Some ideas about how to get around that familiar feeling of not wanting to brag about your images - tell the client how amazing they look instead!  Much more comfortable for us Brits and has the added bonus of making the client feel great too! Enjoy! Cheers P.   If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.  If you'd like to use one of the other players out there, why not try Vurbl?  

In this episode I'm back in the Land Rover Defender heading out to buy our evening's supper: fish'n'chips!  We were due to go and sit on a hill side and eat them with a pint of beer but, sadly, the brassic weather has other ideas.  Instead, I am pootling through Midsommer Murders territory on a wet and wild Friday evening. In this episode, sponsored by Panasonic Eneloop Pro Batteries, I have an idea about how you might use your own portfolio - the images that you've taken that you love - to inspire you and keep you energised ready for whatever walks through the door. Enjoy! Cheers P.   If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, where there are articles and videos about this beautiful industry.  PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.  If you'd like to use one of the other players out there, why not try Vurbl?