[00:00:00] Before we dive in today, I have some exciting news. Creative Biz Launch is open for just two more days. This program teaches you how to start and scale your business to six figures guaranteed. Check out the link in the show notes to enroll today. Remember, we're just open for another two days until we close for this round of students.
Now back to the podcast. I went to college for chemistry and now I run a six figure pro photography business. While photography and chemistry may seem like they have nothing in common, I actually believe that the skills I learned getting a chemistry degree were instrumental in my success as a photographer.
This episode is breaking down the skills I learned while playing with test tubes and how they've shaped my photography business. The good news for you is that you don't have to spend four years of your life with your head buried in textbooks. I'm breaking down all the lessons I've learned right here in this episode.
Starting off with lesson number one, this is a big one for all photographers, business owners and chemistry majors. Lesson number one is problem solving. If you want to succeed as a photographer, you need to be able to problem solve. [00:01:00] You can watch all those tutorials you want and try and replicate what they show you, and most of the time this will be good enough, but there are going to be a lot of situations where there isn't a guide to what you're facing in these situations.
You're going to need to problem solve.
Welcome to the Creative Biz Launch Podcast, where we talk about how to grow your creative business and scale to six figures. Whether you're a photographer, filmmaker, or designer, you'll find something of value here and photography. A lot of situations come up where there isn't a guide for what you're facing.
Maybe you're a pro photographer and you're working with a new client. Let's say a wine company. This is going to be your first time photographing glass bottles. There are a lot of issues that come up when photographing glass. You might try your usual lighting setup and see reflections from the light and they don't really look that great.
And then there are all these other reflections from the room showing up on the wine bottle as well. It's time to give up. Tell the client you can't do this job and try and find an easier product. No, obviously not. You're not giving up. You're going to try and problem solve. Maybe you'll reposition the lights, maybe you'll switch out the diffuser for a [00:02:00] bigger soft box so that the light on the product is softer.
Maybe that won't work. So you'll try using double diffusion by using two diffusers. You'll realize how nice the light looks on the final product, and you're actually happy with the results. You'll learn a new skillset for yourself. And you'll deliver an amazing product for the client. You had a problem, you experimented with ideas, and you finally landed on solution.
Problem solved. When I was getting my chemistry degree, I was problem solving every single day.
Whether that was me trying to create a new compound into the lab or just me stuck on an organic chemistry problem, I was learning to problem solve. I was learning to think critically, and it's paid off. These days when I have an issue inside my photography business, I'm able to think critically through it.
When I wasn't getting as many clients as I wanted, I reassessed my approach. Were my cold emails not compelling enough? Was it something wrong with my landing page? Was my dkm not set up properly? So was I landing in spam? The spam folder is the last place you ever want to be yet. Most photographers sending cold emails, land and spam all the time because they [00:03:00] don't know how to set their emails properly.
They don't warm them up. They don't do the right things to actually set them up properly. By the way, we teach the proper way to send cold emails inside Creative Biz Launch. This program is now open for just two more days, so enroll today if you're interested. And this is really only accomplished through a lot of practice.
What about lesson than number two? What's the second parallel between getting a chemistry degree and my photography attention to detail? Every photographer needs to have great attention to detail. When I was in school, I needed a fantastic attention of detail. Every single time I measured compounds or followed procedures, I had to be precise and everything had to be accurate.
As a photographer, let's use that wine bottle example again. Maybe this time you're pouring the wine into a glass. Sounds like a simple shot, but there's so much that can go wrong if you're not attentive. Did you wear gloves so that you didn't leave fingerprints on the glass or the bottle? When you're looking at the photo in post, are you looking for these minor things that can ruin your photo?
Now, I'm not saying you need to have the perfect photo, but you can't be making glaring mistakes like this. When you're [00:04:00] opening that bottle. You make sure that there's no cork that gets into the wine when you're setting up your camera. You're gonna make sure that your flashing camera settings are synced so that the motion of the wine ends up Rosen.
When you're editing the final set of photos, you need to ensure even in accurate colors of the scene and the product. There are so many situations where the attention to detail that I picked up in college has led me to success in the photography world. The same thing applies to business. You can't have typos on your landing pages.
You can't be mistaken with an invoice amount. Your contracts need to be simple, yet capture everything involved in the shoot. Attention to detail is key here. Another crucial parallel between getting a chemistry degree and succeeding in photography is the importance of continuous learning. Let's say that again, the importance of continuous learning.
You might think that once you've mastered the fundamentals of photography and business, you're good to go, but the truth is both chemistry and photography are constantly evolving fields.
In chemistry, there's always new research, new techniques, new applications being discovered. [00:05:00] On the same note in photography, there are always new tools, methods, and styles to explore. Take my experience. For instance, even though I've been doing photography for years now, I'm always on the lookout for fresh ideas and techniques to enhance my work, whether it's watching online tutorials or simply experimenting with different equipment and genres.
I make sure to stay on top of the latest industry trends. By doing so, I've not only sharpened my skills, but also kept my work fresh and relevant in the ever-changing landscape of product photography. Right now everyone is talking about ai and rightfully so, will AI replace proc photographers? It's too early to tell, but by equipping myself with the knowledge of AI photography, I can both educate my clients on this and potentially use this with my clients and also teach this to all my students Inside Creative Biz Launch.
My mission is to make this the best program online for creative business and by teaching my students. To be well equipped with all this new industry knowledge, they'll be set up for long-term business success. So it's up to me to stay on top of all the [00:06:00] new trends so I can teach them to all my students.
All right, next up here, lesson number four, experimentation and adaptability. Let's dive deeper into how these concepts have shaped my photography business. In chemistry, we often needed to try different approaches or make adjustments when an experiment didn't go, has planned. The mindset of being adaptable and open to change is incredibly valuable in the world of photography.
To truly excel in photography, you need to be willing to explore new techniques and styles. This might involve experimenting with different lenses, new lighting techniques, or post-production software by pushing the boundaries of your creativity. You'll discover new ways to capture stunning product images that set you apart from the competition.
One example from my own experience involved a particularly challenging shoot for a jewelry brand. The client wanted a unique look that would emphasize the intricate details of their pieces. To achieve this, I experiment with new ways to use my 24 to 70 millimeter lens. I actually learned that it's easier to just use a higher megapixel camera [00:07:00] than a macro lens for this specific shoe.
Because of this, I didn't have to focus stack, and through this process, I not only learned in new skills, but also delivered exceptional results that exceed the client's expectations. By being adaptable and willing to experiment, I was able to rise to the challenge and grow my own photography business.
All right, lesson number five, time management and organization. Running a successful photography business is not just about taking great photos, it's also about managing your time and staying organized. This is where the skills I owned while getting my chemistry degree come into play. My core schedule was honestly brutal.
I pulled way too many all-nighters, cramming for exams and writing lab reports. But this did teach me some great things about time management in the lab. We had to manage multiple experiments simultaneously, often with really strict deadlines. This required effective planning, prioritization, and organization.
On the same note in the photography business, managing multiple clients [00:08:00] shoots and deadlines can be a juggling act to keep everything on track. I use a combination of time management and organization strategies like number one, creating a detailed shoot schedule. This helps me allocate sufficient time for each project and ensures that I can meet deadlines without sacrificing quality.
Number two, using a project management tool like Notion. By keeping track of progress, setting milestones and assigning tasks, I can stay organized and even collaborate with my team members effectively. Number three, establishing a clear post-production workflow. This one's big. Streamlining. The editing process allows me to deliver final images to clients.
Faster and more consistently. Number four, setting aside dedicated time for business development. This ensures I'm always working on growing my client base and staying connected with peers. Number five, prioritizing self-care and work-life balance. Taking breaks and saying boundaries helps prevent burnout.
And ensures I'm always at my best, both creatively and professionally. By applying these time management and organization [00:09:00] strategies, I've been able to scale my photography business consistently and deliver high quality work, maintain a healthy work-like balance, and really grow my business over time.
Remember these skills you develop in one area of your life can quickly adapt into other areas as well. I can adapt my chemistry degree skills into my photography business, something I didn't expect. Looking back at it. Embrace these principles and you'll be well-equipped for success in your photography career.
That's all I got today. My name is Chris Pieta. Remember Creative BIS launch closes for enrollment in just two days here. Thank you so much for listening, and I'll see you in the next episode.
