122: Mastering Brand Photography with Amanda Mendenhall

Sabrina: On today’s episode of the Shoot It Straight podcast, I’m interviewing my friend Amanda Mendenhall. We are talking all about mastering brand photography. This is something that you’re probably noticing in the photography industry is that more and more photographers are adding brand photography into their offerings.

Now, Amanda is my personal brand photographer, but she’s also just so dang good at what she does. And in our chat today, we are talking about common mistakes that we see brand photographers making. And we’re also really diving into what makes a brand photographer exceptional at what they do as opposed to just mediocre.

And I don’t know about you, but when I have an offering in my business, I want to be exceptional. So if you are already offering brand photography, or maybe you’ve been considering dipping your toes into this genre, today’s episode is going to be a great listen for you. Let’s dive in. Welcome to the shoot it straight podcast.

I’m your host, Sabrina Gephardt. Here I will share an honest take on what it’s like to be a female creative entrepreneur while balancing business, motherhood, and life. Myself along with my guests will get vulnerable through honest conversations and relatable stories because we’re willing to go there. If you’re trying to find balance in this exciting place you’re in yet willing to talk about the hard stuff too, the shoot it straight podcast is here to share practical and tangible takeaways to help you.

Welcome to the shoot it straight podcast. My friends today is the final week in a series where I’ve been featuring the expertise of new educators. And I’m really excited with where we are wrapping up this series today. I’m joined by my friend, Amanda Mendenhall, Amanda and I met at reset conference. In 2022, is that right?

I think it was 2021. Was it 2021? One, one of those several, several years ago. Since then, I feel like I’ve known you longer than that, uh, because we’ve done a lot of things together, which has been so fun. First of all, Amanda has become my official branding photographer. I will not hire anyone else. She’s literally the best.

Uh, and we’ll talk about this in today’s episode, but she’s also done a little bit of coaching with me and she was the guest retreat expert at root to rise earlier this year when we were in Destin, which was so fun. Uh, she also did branding sessions for all of the other Education Blueprint girlies at our retreat this past summer.

So basically I have Amanda in my pocket and I’m using her all the time for all the things. She’s a great human and basically my friend, you’re stuck with me at this point. Before we get really far into this chat today, I’m going to let you introduce yourself to the audience. Well, I’m going to let your introduction speak for itself, so just tell the audience who you are.

Amanda: Yeah. Okay. Well, thanks for having me. I’m so excited. I am Amanda. My last name is Mendenhall. Legally. It should be Hernandez. Got married. We didn’t change it. Here we are. But I am a mom to three and a step mom to three. So six in all, we have a bunch of chickens. We have some ducks, we have dogs, we have all the things.

I’m basically like a wannabe homestead, slow living mom, but I also really love being a business owner. We own several businesses. My husband and I own a coffee shop that has two locations. I own my brand photography company, and then I also own a studio. We have our hands in a little bit of everything, but brand photography is truly my deepest desire, passion.

Really? I was a wedding photographer for six years and then, uh, was just really missing everything that my kids did. Uh, as they got older, they started doing sports. They were doing soccer games and baseball games and stuff. Those are on the weekends. And if you’re in the wedding industry, you know that your weekends are just gone.

Like you, you do not have anything. You don’t plan anything in the fall for the weekends because that’s wedding season in Texas, at least. So I switched from weddings to brands and I have never looked back. It’s been the best thing ever. I love getting to tell women’s stories through photography and through videography.

We do video as well. And yeah, that’s, that’s it. That’s basically me.

Sabrina: Yeah. You have a lot of moving parts. Uh, you also forgot to mention that you are a homeschool mom, which is huge. Yeah. And that’s a lot of time to your plate. You guys also moved this year. I mean, it’s been a lot. It’s been a lot. You are so busy and you carry it all in stride, which is so cool.

It’s just so beautiful to watch. Okay. So we’re talking about brand photography today. This is a genre that has been really gaining popularity over the last few years. I’ve seen more and more photographers start offering it for many of the reasons that you just mentioned. And, uh, we’re going to dive into this today, which I’m really excited about.

So on this podcast, we start at the very beginning to make sure everybody’s like on the same page. So tell me Amanda. In this case, in case this terminology is new to them, like, how is brand photography different than traditional headshots?

Amanda: Yeah, so tradition, this is like, this is a topic that I still feel like I have to educate people on when they come to me for, like, through an inquiry.

They’re like, oh, I need, uh, brand photography, but maybe they just need a headshot, or oh, they need a headshot, but they actually need brand photography. So it’s, it’s definitely a thing that’s becoming more common, but still have to educate on it. Headshot, when I think of headshot, I think of like, arms crossed, standing in front of a background, looking straight into the camera, lit with artificial lighting, great for what you need it for, great for business cards, great for even like billboards and stuff like that, what, those, they have a place in the industry and they’re very necessary.

Brand photography, my, my definition is telling the story. So instead of just standing, you know, in front of a black or white wall, taking a photo straight on with lit with lights, very staged, very posed, every hair, uh, you know, in place, brand photography is more telling the story of how your brain got started.

what your product is or what you’re selling, what your service is bringing people into it, bringing props into it, that kind of thing.

Sabrina: Yeah. A lot more movement, a lot more storytelling, uh, obviously way more variety. I mean, like you said, a traditional headshot definitely has its place and it’s important for a professional to have that.

But like, It only goes so far, you know, it’s

Amanda: got

Sabrina: one use. It’s got one use. And then it is retired and brand photography is filling in the gap for all of the other places that you need visual graphics for your business and your brand. I’m curious, why do you think so many photographers are starting to dip their toes into brand photography?

Amanda: I think it’s like the natural progression of photography where you start out and you like really, really love families. And then you dip your toes into shooting for other, you know, photographers or something. And it’s like, Oh wait, I really enjoy this. I like this. And I think it’s more, people are not so much going from families to brands, but they’re adding brands to their current offerings, which I think is so fun and so exciting.

Cause they get to add that. little aspect and maybe if they have kids that are playing soccer, they get to say no to some weekend gigs and some weddings to replace that with brands. Uh, but definitely I think shooting during the week, cause most people are not homeschool parents. and they can shoot during the week.

And I, I don’t, but that’s a big appeal of brand photography. They can shoot during the week. They have their weekends free and it’s also just really fun.

Sabrina: Yeah. I feel like it, it serves a creative itch that like you said, families, you’re not really getting that. Yes. You can tell stories, but it’s, it’s different.

It’s a different type of storytelling. And yeah. Okay. I love that. I have seen it a lot. I think I’m, I think I’m one of the only photographers that I know that has not dipped their toes into brand photography. Um, and I don’t know, I don’t know why that is. That’s probably another discussion for another day, but I feel like most of the photographers I know have at least tried it or they’re interested in it.

For all the reasons you said, the hours, the days, the creativity, getting to support other local business owners, which is really fun. Um, you’re not just connecting with like a mom at a family session, but you’re like really connecting with another business owner, which is like the community building part of being an entrepreneur.

That’s really hard and missing. You know, I’m probably going to ruffle some feathers with this, but I don’t think all brand photographers are created equal. I am saying that from experience because before hiring you, I had worked with three other photographers and I was happy with those sessions at the time.

Like I have no complaints there, but then I had my first experience with you and I was like, Oh, okay. This is different. And I have now vowed to not hire anyone else at this point. We’ve worked together twice and I’m already like, okay, when are we planning the third one? So I’m curious. I’m curious, what are some of the things that you think are super important, like would be key for branding photographers that are want to like master the art of what they’re doing and rise above everybody else?

Like, I don’t know. I, like I said, I loved working with these other photographers and I love the experience. But I also didn’t know what I didn’t know, you know, and now working with you, somebody who has mastered this, who is an expert, who is above the rest, like, what do you think sets you guys apart?

Amanda: I think really it’s the planning.

I feel like as we see more photographers that are jumping from families or from weddings into brands. They’re missing the step of planning and like deep diving and obsessing over their clients. I joke that I stalk my clients before a session and I like it’s borderline stalking. Like I read every blog post.

I read every piece of their website. I read their about me on their website. I dive into their social media. I sign up for their email lists. Like I, I’m across the board covering every basis. So that I can really get to know their brand and plan a session accordingly. Like I can come up with like seven things that you need right now for our future brand session for your new, like what you’re doing now versus what we, we did a year ago or whatever, whenever our last session was, because I know your brand.

And that’s because we work together, but also because I have borderlines talked to you. And I feel like that, I feel like that’s, what’s missing from a lot of the newer brand photographers that are emerging. They’re like, okay, I want these really beautiful editorial looking. Like the, the style right now is very like.

white backdrop with the stand showing or with the the like rolling walls the wooden pieces showing like very behind the scenes looking not polished which i i love but if it fits the brand and the planning piece is what’s missing i feel like where your people are not diving into the brand and Getting to know the brand.

Sabrina: So there’s a couple of things that jumped out at me that you just said. First of all, the last thing you just said, if it fits the brand, I think that is huge because in my experience, not everyone does that. They create work that fits their brands. Version of that brand. So maybe it’s editing style. Maybe it’s posing style.

Maybe it’s props or lack thereof. They’re putting their own spin on a brand. And I don’t think that’s the right way to approach that because your whole goal is to be accurate to the brand. And if that means that you have to shoot a little bit differently or edit a little bit differently or style a little bit differently, you need to be willing to do that because The brand that you’re working for is the client that needs to be happy in the end.

Um, and so I think that’s a really key piece that some of the other brand photographers are, are missing because there’s, and I, and I get it. They’re so used to from the wedding space or from the family space, they’re used to, I need to have a cohesive body of work. And that is true. But when you’re working with brands, it’s more about cohesion for the brand than for yourself.

Amanda: Yeah, absolutely. I feel like coming from weddings to, uh, to brands was I, I had that issue for a long time. I was like, well, I want this super bright and airy aesthetic where I came from with weddings. And I, we had several, uh, wedding clients back in the day that wanted us to edit differently. And what do you do?

You say, no, like you, that’s your, that’s your style. But as a brand photographer, It’s completely different. It’s like flipped on its head. It takes a minute to get used to it, but that is the goal. It’s it’s not to have a cohesive looking like Instagram feed or a portfolio or any of that. It’s does this fit into the brand’s cohesive storyline and Instagram grid and billboard and all of that stuff.

Sabrina: Yeah. Yeah. Which I think is.

And I think that’s something that there that brand photographers will have to learn and kind of come to grips with that, like this work may not 100 percent align with the rest of your work, but that’s not the goal. If you really want to become one of these brand photography masters, it’s matching. It’s being able to morph yourself and match the brands needs, you know, you know, The other thing you said, um, is just about stalking your brand and really getting to know them.

And it’s so funny because you are so good at that. And you go so far beyond just like preparing for the one session in front of you. I think you’re so good at building that longer relationship. That’s why you have so many clients come year after year. And when new clients come in, they’re not coming in for a one off session.

They’re coming in to stalk you. Start a relationship with you, which is so unique, but it’s because you really prioritize getting to know them as opposed to just like, okay, let me learn 10 things so I can plan for this session and then I move on and I’m done with them and I don’t really care. I think that’s so unique that the other time recently that I’ve seen this.

And when you said, when you talked about stalking, I was like, Oh my gosh, I’ve experienced this one other time recently. And it really paid off was, I don’t know if the listeners have heard, but I’ve been sharing this kind of behind the scenes process on Instagram lately, where I have hired a personal stylist.

And I was really, really nervous about How is this going to work? How is this person who literally does not know me going to come in and tell me what I’m trying to figure out about myself? You know, I, because there’s like with brand photography, there’s this whole get to know you questionnaire process.

And sure, you can deep dive and answer questions, but. It’s goes beyond that, right? Like, especially when I’m answering questions about my own personal style and the questions I’m answering are like, I don’t know who my style icon is. I don’t know. The last time I felt really pretty, I don’t know. Like I literally have the questionnaire.

I was like, I’m not sure. I don’t know. And I’m thinking to myself, how the heck is she going to get me from this? Well, part of her prep process is stalking. And so she’s like, I, and I’m like, Obviously I am somebody that has a fairly accessible online presence. And so she like really dove deep into my Instagram and my highlights and my website and articles and podcast interviews to really get me.

And when we started the first process of her, like presenting what she thinks my image should be, I was like jaw on the floor. I’m like, how did you know that about me when I didn’t even know that about me? You know? But it’s, it was that commitment to really learning who I am and reading between the lines and that’s so impressive and I think it probably takes a lot of time.

Amanda: It does, yeah. I, it’s like, it’s fun though, for me at least. Like, it’s really fun to get to know, if I feel like I’m like sitting on the couch just like learning about somebody and that’s, that’s fun. Again, stocking. I need a better word than stocking because that’s like going to get me in trouble one day.

But like, it’s so fun to get to know a brand so well that like I can on the spot come up with like 10 things that somebody needs in their, in their Instagram or in their, uh, bio or whatever, like she can probably, she, I followed her on Instagram and I’m obsessed with her now. Yeah. I love her. Um, your stylist, but she could probably look at your stuff and be like, okay, she’s kind of sporty.

She likes to be athletic. So we’re going to do like these 10, you know, like she knows those things about you. I can do that at brand sessions. And I feel like that’s not. There are people that look at it and be like, I could never do that. I had to learn how to do that. Like, that’s not a thing that I just like automatically knew how to do.

You, you learn through deep diving and learning about, you know, different marketing tactics and different brand, what works and what doesn’t and that kind of thing, so,

Sabrina: Yeah. And I also think, and maybe we’ll get into this in the conversation, but I think there’s a piece of this attached to like, that does take a lot of time and being willing to take that amount of time and pour into the prep for each of your brands and really getting to know them.

Part of that probably has to do with how you’re pricing yourself, because if you’re pricing yourself too low, you don’t feel like you have the time or the bandwidth, or you should be putting that time and energy in. Whereas when you are pricing yourself in top tier, really sustainable pricing, you know, that like you can take the time to luxuriously just casually stock these clients and spend all this time and get really creative.

You don’t feel rushed. You don’t feel like you have to work fast because you’ve priced yourself so low. So I feel like that probably has Has a little something to do with it too. Oh yeah, totally. I’m curious, are there some common mistakes that you see brand photographers making? Something that you see people doing that you’re like, Ugh, why are they doing that?

Or this is going to get them in trouble? Or they could be doing better? I don’t know, I would love to know your thoughts.

Amanda: There’s so many. So like five just like came to the top of my head. So first the biggest thing and my biggest pet peeve ever in brand photography world is not getting permission to shoot places.

And I don’t, I feel like nobody talks about this, like this weird, like coveted secret that you, you need to get permission if you’re shooting at an Airbnb or if you’re shooting even at like a, um, a rented space, like a peer space or something like that. If it’s a home, you need permission for it to be a commercial shoot.

I like to have people sign things, the location owners sign things, because if they see a photo that’s on a billboard somewhere and they say, that’s my space. I did not agree to that being on a billboard. I did not give the commercial rights to them renting this space to use for a commercial shoot or if they see it in like a national commercial or something crazy like that.

You have to always have permission, you have to have the legal things put in place. I’ve been a part of shoots where that has not happened and it’s been really anxiety inducing and I was not in charge of any of that. So, uh, that’s my, my biggest thing. My other, this is such a small, really, really small detail.

When you’re, when people are shooting with coffee mugs or cups or anything like that and there’s not anything in the cup, it makes me crazy . Like, I will see that on a TV show and then be like, there’s nothing in that coffee mug. did that? And so I always try to have like, even if it’s We’re shooting coffee and I don’t have coffee.

I’ll have like a Coke in there or something that creates the weight of the mug. But then also if you’re shooting from above, you see, you know, liquid and not just like an empty cup, because that’s

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And yes, the approval to shoot at locations. I mean, I can totally playing devil’s advocate here. I can totally see how some relatively new brand photographer is going to be thinking like, Oh, my stuff’s never going to end up in a magazine or on a commercial. You don’t know. Okay. You don’t know when this person’s going to blow up or go viral or how they’re going to show up.

You do not know. Okay. Okay. So you’ve got to prepare for best case scenario in this situation of like national coverage, because, oh my gosh, you don’t want a lawsuit. I mean, how horrible would that be? You know? And the

Amanda: lawsuit, the lawsuit wouldn’t even be on you. It would be on your clients. Like your client would be the one in trouble and then they would come back to you.

It would be a whole thing. A whole thing. Yeah.

Sabrina: A whole thing. Yeah. So if somebody today is listening to our chat and they’re like, okay, well, this sounds really interesting. I like storytelling. I like getting to know brands. I think I would enjoy some weekday work. doing brand photography and they kind of want to get started.

Like where do they start? Where, where does somebody, let’s say they’re just a family photographer. Where do they start dipping their toes into working with brands?

Amanda: It’s usually right under their nose. Usually they have like a local coffee spot or a favorite nail salon or somewhere like that that they can pitch themselves to and just say, Hey, I really want to do some photography.

I’m just getting into it. Can I do this session for free for you? Uh, I, this is taboo because so many photographers are like, Oh no, don’t ever offer your services for free. I love doing things for free. I really, I think it benefits me and it benefits them and I just really have always had a heart for helping women, uh, in business.

And so like, if I go, and I live in a small town, so I’ve had to do a lot of things for free to get my portfolio going. If I go to a brand and I say, Hey, I really want to shoot your stuff. Like it’s either a hundred dollars, like something really, really entry or it’s free. You’ll get the photos. You can use them however you want.

I just really need the practice. And I want to do it. Uh, I w I would tell them to do that, to pitch themselves in a way that they are authentic and they know the brand, they love the brand, they already go to this nail salon, they already drink the coffee at this place, that way they already are like entry level into the storytelling process, they already know what the coffee shop is about, that kind of thing.

Products are another way, like I just would walk around my house and pick products to photograph, like in my house, you don’t even have to have like a studio, you don’t have to plan a bunch. Just find a, like a pen, just photograph a pen. This is a church pen. So I would put a Bible or, you know, a coffee mug or something like that with it and photograph it.

Just start, just practice.

Sabrina: I do want to back up to when you said photographing and working for free. I also am a huge advocate of that. I can tell you right now, all of my best work, all of my best work has come from when I have photographed someone for free, whether it was for creative purposes or growth purposes, or because I wanted to gift someone something.

But when I am photographing for free, I just had, it like unlocks this creative license and this freedom. And I’m telling you, it is always just straight up fire. I leave those sessions and I’m like amazing. And here’s what I want the audience to hear about this. When you are doing these sessions, there is a difference between photographing people or work or whatever for free with the intention of growing versus doing things for free because you think that you can’t charge.

Those are two different scenarios. Okay. Obviously in the latter, we’re talking about mindset issues. You cannot photograph everything for free. If you want to be in business, you have to be profitable, period, end of story. But if you are already profitable and in business, and you decide to take on work here and there occasionally to fulfill a creative Or to grow your expertise in a new area and doing it for free is 1000 percent okay.

And also instead of looking at it as free, let’s look at it as a marketing investment because that’s what it is. You’re literally giving your time away instead of paying, like paying for something so that you then have images to market this new part of your business with, or this new offering with. So I’m a huge advocate of that.

I do it several times a year, still 14 years later in business. And it’s always the, just the best work. So I love that you said that I think you’re right. Pitching something or someone that’s already in your circle, uh, that feels like you said, authentic to you. It’s something you already know and love is going to serve you really, really well, especially if it’s a small business that you already engage with, you know, the owners probably know you, they probably recognize you and.

I’ll tell you right now, I don’t think any small business would say no to an opportunity like that. Definitely

Amanda: not.

Sabrina: Yeah. Definitely not. Yeah, definitely. I’m curious, um, when you were talking about photographing products and things around your house, this is something I’ve heard before, um, and I, I love it.

Where do you fall with like reaching out to the brand or tagging them? Do you just tag them? Do you say, Hey, I took these photos. Would you like them? Or do you just do it for practice?

Amanda: Like a mix of all three. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever photographed a product and not sent it to the brand. And I tagged them also.

Um, I did photos when I was just, just starting of, uh, a beauty counter set. It’s this really pretty pink, like Beautiful skincare line. And I photographed it on a pink background. I went and sourced props and I did this whole thing. And it was so much fun. And I emailed the company and I was like, Hey, I took some photos of this stuff.

If you want them, here’s the gallery. Obviously you don’t have to use them, but they use them. And it was really cool. They didn’t pay me, but like, I didn’t ask to be paid. It was a, Hey, I did these. I want them to be out into the world there. It was really fun to shoot. Here’s the download, you know, code. Um, and then I posted them as well and I tagged them.

And then it was for practice. So like all three together.

Sabrina: Yeah, that’s so cool. I love that. I love that. Okay. So now let’s say on the flip side, somebody’s listening and they have been dabbling in brand photography, or maybe they’ve been doing it for a little while, but they are realizing and listening to our conversation that maybe their brand photography business is not as up leveled as it could be and what advice would you give them to kind of really fine tune it and take it to the next to the next level?

Amanda: I would tell them to work in reverse. So try and plan a session that it doesn’t even happen have to happen. So think of a place that you want to photograph or a person that you want to photograph and plan it in reverse. Start at the beginning and use a shot list or a prep guy or whatever you want to use.

And plan it out and see if that helps your process. Because I feel like a lot of, a lot of brand charters, new, newer brand charters that come to me asking for advice are like, well, how do you get these so on brand images for these companies? Like, how is this. perfectly aligned. Like, how is her dress exactly the color of her mug or exactly the color of the background or whatever?

And I’m like, well, because we sourced that location to be exactly what we needed it to be based on her wardrobe. And we, I told her to bring a pink cup because that is on brand for her. And. So it’s, it’s very, Bram Sharper’s want to get from, they want to jump from like, okay, we booked the session, let’s do the session, but they’re missing this whole gap right here of planning the session.

So I would encourage people to plan a session and really write out everything, stalk your clients, do all the things.

Sabrina: That is perfect because I was just going to tell our listeners that if they’ve enjoyed this discussion today, you have a free brand session prep guide that you have for them. And I’m really excited because this is Well, I know what it is because I’ve seen it.

It’s fantastic. So Amanda, why don’t you tell the listeners what this guide is about and maybe why they should grab it?

Amanda: Yeah. So this is what I do for all of my clients. This is like a culmination of different things that I’ve tried over the last four years of like, okay, what do I actually need to set at a session?

What do I actually need to write down for the client? Um, what shots do I actually need to put in here? Do I actually need a mood board? Yes, you do. And all together in one template. And it’s, I’m a visual person, so I print it out. I also send it to my clients. I print it out and I bring it with me. I need to look and see what our inspiration is.

I need to look and see what props we brought so that I can cross reference, that kind of thing. I think it’s really, really valuable to have it there at the session so that you don’t get. Excited and overwhelmed and think like, Ooh, let’s do this. Let’s do this. Let’s do this. And then before you know it, your hour is up at the studio or whatever location you’re at.

And you haven’t checked off the really, really, really important things that you were supposed to get for the entire brand session. So the guide is a canvas, an edit of editable Canva template. That you can go in, change the pictures to your pictures or stock images, whatever. And you, it has a place for props.

It has a place for the shots that you need. It has a place to put a little mood board. And with like color samples, it has a little place for locations and the addresses for those locations, because it can get really confusing if you’re doing multiple locations and you need the address for something and you’re on the way and you’re like, Oh, my gosh, where are we going?

So, uh, and it has the times, the timestamps of things. I, uh. I’m a type A photographer for sure, not a type A person, but type A photography, which is crazy. But I like to look at things and say, okay, from one o’clock to two o’clock, we’re shooting this set. Uh, from 2. 15 to 2. 30, we’re shooting this specific photo.

That may not work for everybody. You can take it out if you want to take it out, but it’s, it’s overall my, My brand for Bible of like bringing to a session. This is what I work on.

Sabrina: I just am obsessed with this listeners. If you are even remotely interested in brand photography, get the, the link’s going to be in the show notes.

You need to grab it. You definitely want it. I will say something that has impressed me both times we’ve worked together. Well, let me back up both times you have photographed me, but also I have seen you photograph. Another brand as the guest educator at a retreat. I’ve also seen you photograph six brands at, um, our education blueprint retreat.

So I’ve seen you in action over and over and over again. And it just always impresses me that you know, exactly what you’re doing. Every moment of the session. It’s literally, you’re like, okay, this is what we’re doing first. You need this props, this outfit. This is what we’re going for. Here’s where we’re doing it.

Okay. Now the next little series, we’re doing this, this, this, with these props, this outfit, like it’s so specific and you have such an incredible plan and vision before we even start. It’s, it’s truly, it’s truly mind blowing. I’m, I’m like obsessed. So, um, yeah. So I hope the listeners will grab this guide because it’s super duper valuable.

Okay. We have reached. The end of our chat about brand photography, but I love to end every episode with four kind of fun, different questions for the listeners to get to know you a little bit better. So let’s dive into those. Amanda, I’m curious, what is your current favorite guilty pleasure?

Amanda: You know, I read this earlier and I was thinking about it and I never thought I think really it’s okay, but I do have one now I have to be dairy free because my seven month old is allergic to dairy and I’m breastfeeding him.

So. Uh, my current guilty pleasure is dairy free Ben and Jerry’s, like any flavor, any of it because it tastes like real ice cream. And so like two or three times a week, I’ll, I’ll get, and I won’t eat the whole thing, but I’ll get different flavors and I’ll like indulge on the couch for a little bit.

Sabrina: That’s now tell me how is the texture?

Amanda: Okay. It’s hard to tell because I’ve been dairy free for like four months, so I, I don’t know if I, I could like go from. Eating a scoop of real ice cream and then eating a scoop of that. I could probably tell the difference, but to me. It tastes amazing. It tastes the same.

Okay. Now it’s full of other junk, right? It’s dairy free. So yeah, yeah, yeah. Definitely.

Sabrina: It fills the, it fills the itch. I, okay. I’m gonna have to try that. I am also, I I’m dairy free 99 percent of the time. I’m definitely like fully milk free, like yogurt, milk, most cheeses. No, but. Every once in a while, I will have like a bite, like a singular bite of like Bluebell, Bluebell, because the family will have it.

And immediately like the next day, I’m like that one bite, I’m dying. But anyway, so I will get dairy free ice cream from time to time. And The flavor is fine. Like, like it fills the gap when you’re really craving like a frozen something or other, but the texture is never right. So I’m going to need to try the Ben and Jerry’s.

Okay. That’s, yeah, that’s really good to know.

Amanda: That’s the best one. Cause I did try a couple of other, like, Dairy free brands that are healthier, you know, they’re not as full of junk, but it’s, it’s been in Jerry’s.

Sabrina: Yeah. Okay. Okay. That’s interesting. Noted noted. I will add that to our grocery list for next week.

Um, okay. I’m curious. Do you guys have a vacation planned?

Amanda: Okay. We have a trip plan.

Sabrina: Right.

Amanda: Totally. When you’re taking six kids, it’s not a vacation. It’s a trip. Right. We’re going to Arkansas next week. For Thanksgiving for my family, but, uh, vacation, vacation, I’m taking my son, my 10 year old to Harry Potter world in January.

And I’m so excited.

Sabrina: Oh my gosh. Is it going to be just the two of you?

Amanda: Yeah. It’ll be me and him and my mom. So yeah. And you know, we have six kids altogether. So like, one on one time is very coveted and this is his 10th birthday gift to go to a thing so every year every kid that turns 10 gets to go to some, you know, somewhere really awesome with their parent and do one on one time and Harry Potter World is where he chose and I’m freaking out like I’m I don’t know if I’m more excited or he’s more excited.

Sabrina: So that’s definitely vacation. Okay. That’s going to be so fun. And yes, the one on one time, especially with a 10 year old, because they’re like coming into being little, little teens, little adults, and they don’t need naps. They don’t need downtime. They can blow and go and stay up late and appreciate things that like toddlers don’t.

And it’s so fun. Oh man, you’re going to have a blast. I’m so excited. I’m so

Amanda: excited.

Sabrina: Yeah. Okay. I’m curious. So this is airing at the very, very end of the year in December. So I’m going to tweak this question a little bit. Do you have something up your sleeve for next year?

Amanda: I do. I have a couple of things.

Obviously when this airs, I will have launched the, um, brand photography framework, which is a framework, essentially walking people through how to shoot a brand, how to plan a brand, how to book a brand, how to execute a brand, how to deliver a brand, how to have client communication, client experience, all the things that will have launched, but I am planning on launching it every quarter.

So that’ll happen in 2025. Um, and then I’m also launching an online store where you can actually buy the things that I have created over the last six months. Um, so lots of different things in the works and, um, hopefully it all goes well.

Sabrina: It’s going to go well. It’s going to go well. That’s super exciting.

I’m, I’m really excited for you to get these things out into the world because I have seen again, people working with you, people learning from you, and everybody just loves the experience all the way around. So I know that, that you have a lot to offer in the education space. So that’s really exciting.

Okay. Last question. Is there a business tool or a business hack that you are really loving right now?

Amanda: I don’t know if it’s a business hack, but outsourcing.

Sabrina: Oh

Amanda: yes. That’s my answer to everything. Like, People are like, wow, how do you do so much with homeschooling and six kids and chickens and all it’s outsourcing.

That’s it. That’s like, I think I outsource every single thing that I can possibly outsource. We even bought out Roomba the other day to outsource vacuuming. Other than that, it’s, it’s definitely HoneyBook or any CRM of any kind that you can automate things on. Yeah.

Sabrina: Yeah. Uh, there is no such thing as a high achieving woman.

Who does not outsource and or automate as much as possible, and that’s something that like newer photographers don’t want to hear because when you’re newer, you want to keep costs low. You don’t want to invest anything. You’re nervous. You want to keep all the money you’re making to yourself because you’re not really making all that much.

Um, but you cannot get from point a, the beginner to point Z, the high achieving multi six figure go, go, go has their hands in lots of different things. You cannot get from one to the other. Without outsourcing and automating as much as possible.

Amanda: No, it’s impossible. I’ve tried. It’s impossible.

Sabrina: Yeah. Every year I add more and more to the plate, right?

Like I’ve always been really big in outsourcing. I mean, I’ve had an assistant for over 10 years. Okay. So like I’ve outsourced things way in the beginning, but every single year that this business grows and changes, and I add things like I’m adding people to my team and to my back pocket and It’s quite a lengthy list at this point.

The amount of people that I work with that I have supporting me. But, um, that’s the only way that I get as much done. That’s the only way that I can have a podcast and education and retreats and speak and also photograph clients and be a mom and do all the things.

Amanda: Yeah. Like volleyball games. Like that’s, you know, like the only way.

And it’s, I always tell people you’re giving up something if you decide to not. So like, what are, what, what are you willing to give up? Are you willing to give up the volleyball games to sit and edit? Or are you willing to outsource that so that you can go to the volleyball game and be present?

Sabrina: Exactly.

Yeah. Uh, we can always make more money friends. You cannot make more time. So I’m a huge advocate of give your money to other people to help support you so that you can free up your time. Yeah. Yeah. I love that. Okay. Amanda, this was such a great chat. I knew it was going to be, thank you so much for being here today.

Yeah. I’m really excited for everybody to give us kind of some feedback about this episode and to grab your free guide, but my friends, that’s it for today. We’ll see you next time. Thank you. Thanks so much for listening to the shoot it straight podcast. You can find all the full show notes and details from today’s episode at sabrinagebhart.

com backslash podcast. Come find me and connect over on the gram at Sabrina Gebhardt photography. If you’re loving the podcast, I’d be honored if you hit that subscribe button and leave me a review. Until next time, my friends, shoot it straight.