Episode 12
Jeff Richardson – Episode 012 – A Photographer Podcast Interview
Today’s podcast features Jeff Richardson (@Richardsonstudios), who has been in the industry for 24 years and considers himself a maverick. Listen in to learn about Jeff’s upbringing and how that’s translated to his business, such as how being homeschooled caused him to question everything. He’s all about attention to detail and creating extremely good, high end content; including content for ourselves. We need to show what we do, tell our story too. Make sure you catch why Jeff thinks there won’t be a photography industry in the next 24-36 months. Jeff also says it’s important to start and end the day right and he uses the 5 minute journal, morning and night. Jeff’s parting advice is to find one thing to improve, then get after it. Then you can move onto the next thing.
Resources:
5 minute journal (https://amzn.to/2EC872C)
App: We Croak (https://www.wecroak.com/)
Book:
Jordan Peterson – 12 Rules for Life, An Antidote to Chaos (https://amzn.to/2EC89rg)
E-Myth (https://amzn.to/2S8Ulr9)
Transcription was done by Temi.com which means it’s an AI generated transcript. The transcript may contain spelling, grammar and other errors, and is not a substitute for watching the video.
Matt: [00:01] Hey guys, this is Jeff Richardson and you are listening to from nothing to profit.
Speaker 2: [00:06] Welcome to from nothing to profit, a photographer’s podcast with Matt and Kayak where each week they talk to photographers about what is working in their business now so you can swipe those ideas and grow your business faster. Welcome to
Kia: [00:23] from nothing to profit. We are so excited today to be interviewing one of my very closest friends in the photography industry. I feel like he’s kind of my brother Jeff Richardson and Jeff and I met many years ago, probably 20 years ago when we were like probably just out of college and I remember an image that he had photographed and it was at the national senior photographers convention and it was a couple standing on in front of a railroad and they were just draped all over each other super provocative image and jeff was dressed very conservatively and I was like, oh my gosh, I have to get to know this guy. And so anyway, we’re excited to introduce jeff to you. He would call himself a maverick in the photography industry. He’s been a photographer for 24 years and I know he did that. He specializes in luxury portrait photography. So Jeff, we are so excited to have you here today.
Jeff: [01:21] I am pumped to be here. This is super exciting. And Are you hearing me right now?
Matt: [01:26] Yeah, you’re coming through just fine. So I have known each other for a number of years as well. We spoke at some conferences together and uh, yeah, he’s an amazing person to be around and I don’t. Jeff, I don’t know if I’ve ever. If I ever appreciate you while I’m with you, that’s amazing actually. But I know I appreciate you when you’re not around me because the mental game that you cause when I’m not around you, like from conversation, like we’re having a conversation at a conference and I’m like, yeah, yeah, yeah. And then I leave and my mind is going a million miles an hour. Is this still weird?
Jeff: [02:05] You’re like, wait, what did he say? Oh crap. Oh my God. Yeah, that’s A. Oh, I would say we have a very rich history in the photography industry would be put in it. We put it mildly. Right, right. I’m, uh, I’m, I’m very passionate about our history. I think it’s fantastic and lots of good things in the future, that’s for sure. So yeah, I’m pumped to be on this with you guys. I see what you guys are doing. It’s very cool. The consistency is already starting to show and uh, we’re uh, excited to be part of it. Um, I would say I’m very, I don’t want to sound like a Douche, but I’m very selective on my photography education where I, where I throw that out at night and I don’t yet know why, but I’m excited to be honest with you guys. I think it’s Super Fun. So anyway, how do we, how do we start this thing? What do you want? What do you want to know from me?
Matt: [02:49] Yeah, I’m just. Any other expertise? Is there any expertise that you want to share that Kinda didn’t share in terms of what you want?
Jeff: [02:55] Well, I mean we’d be happy to jump when do we want to keep this somewhat, but I mean we’ve got. So I was actually thinking about when, when Kira was just give me the introduction, it’s, I think it’s been right at 20 years since I met Kyle was trying to think. So we installed our phase one digital system in actually onset nine slash 11, 2001, which is a whole other story. But. So I had. So I think you guys had switched just prior to that. I feel like go ahead. Gone faith. So I think we met in 1998 at sp, which is be exactly 10 years from now and that’s when I first week. So we had them like maybe the next following year we had like dueling portfolios that were up for like senior photographer of the year are kind of like we’re in the higher competition thing and I’m like wait, this girl’s work.
Jeff: [03:40] It’s really good too. Dang it. So what is this person who is this person? And we instantly just kind of with our family history of photography, we kind of instantly kind of became like I guess almost like brother sister, kind of like, um, what are you doing? What are you doing now? What are you doing now? What are you doing? This is working, this is not working. Just all this constant back and forth, and then obviously a huge evolution through seniors, our suits, spi which is senior for their national one and spa and there’s just so much, so much history that’s just rich. Anyway. So, um, uh, so you, when you say expertise for me, I mean, so a little bit about me. I was raised pentecostal because Kai was talking about me and concern that was raised pentecostal. I was homeschooled. So those, those two items in my early childhood, I think looking back, give me a kind of a strong appreciation for tradition and odor.
Jeff: [04:33] And yet then they also kind of the juxtaposition of that, they also, the homeschooling causes me to kind of question everything and why is this happening and why are we doing it like this? So that’s kind of developed my personality I guess. So to speak, in, in, in the industry, if you were asking me what my expertise is, I would say that posing humans very naturally and flattering and almost like in an emotionally woking kind of way of finding the best light for face shape, body shape, and then moving a step further and how to break down kind of family dynamics and expose, underline relationships and emotions in portrait photography is probably what I seek out and probably enjoy the most and then translating that into kind of an upscale consumer portrait photography experience. So you take some of those skills and knowledge of the industry and then you move that into kind of a brand and kind of really translates into where I’m at right now is Richardson studio in my, in my career.
Jeff: [05:28] So anyway, [inaudible] I give you a little bit of kind of my insight on quote expertise and you’re definitely, you’re definitely known for your senior portrait work. I mean, I know you and your wife do other stuff as well, but yeah, it’s funny you say that because we’re. We’re actually in the process of trimming that down to a very home because I just, and that’s when we might circle back around to that at some point, but right now positioning yourself with the industry being something for everybody is, is not awesome. I we’re know we’re, we’re merging baby family, we’re merging that into one kind of category and then senior in portrait, so senior family, edgy lifestyle, senior family photography. Upscale is where we’re at with the portrait side and then we have the. We have the corporate commercial side, so we’re basically going family, senior corporate is what we’re going with our with our brand. Really kind of narrowing down to well just content. So I guess for, for people
Kia: [06:25] content. Yeah, I think that’s a perfect word. And then the other thing too, Jeff, is your second generation for photography, is that right? Or third?
Jeff: [06:33] At least second. I would say probably third would be more accurate. My grandpa had a. my dad’s dad had a print shop slash tabloids, like local tabloid, so he was a printer slash photographer sorta so to speak, and then of course my dad was a full time commercial and portrait photographer for instill is and then then I of course. So yeah, I would say third would be would be. It would be a fair assessment. Yeah, I think I was looking, I think except for maybe a couple thousand bucks that I made when I was roofing houses in high school. Every single dollar that I have ever made in my entire life has come from photography. It’s really wild when you look back at it, like know there’s no, there’s no other source of income except for creating a photograph. Someone liked it and they purchased it. Bizarre. Completely. Completely bizarre. Yeah. That’s really cool.
Kia: [07:24] So on that note then, talking about, you know, every single dollar that you’ve made in your life has come from photography. Obviously. You’ve been through all kinds of changes over the years. So what would you say is the story of what you think is working now for your business? You started to talk about it a little bit. Yeah,
Jeff: [07:43] sure. Yeah, yeah. It’s narrowing down is where we’re getting to artist specific genre. I would say attention to detail is what’s working and making it really, really good and then once you make it good, make it a little better. Like I’m old and I’m very self critical, but right now I’m like dammit, my work just needs to be better. I need to see something better out of myself and so I wake up everyday kind of like trying to improve the experience and what’s missing and where the gaps are at and then how is our client reacting to what I’m creating and then then you can kind of follow the market changes a little bit. Sorry, I feel like I interrupted you as you.
Kia: [08:22] No, no, no, no. That was perfect. But. So what, what’s an example of like a, a thing you’ve seen that you’ve changed or something that you’re like, okay, I need to work on this?
Jeff: [08:30] Well, I mean I recently just went through in the beginning of the year, I just flushed. I just sold all my camera gear and got rid of all of it and bought all new Nikon gear, new new lenses. I thought, well, this is resolved. I bought all new pro photo photos like I need a better. I need better light, better consisting better tools to do my job and I just want to stand out. It has to be. And then and then now it’s like locations, I don’t know, you kind of just thrown away all my everything I’m looking at in the industry and go into like what, what, what does art look like? What are people investing in when it comes to content and art? What do they need and what’s happening. So can we give you a backstory? So there’s this, like it was randomly on facebook the other day, just one morning getting up, doing my morning routine, going through things that inspire me.
Jeff: [09:13] And I came across the face on facebook of all places. A band called Joe Bonamassa. Have you guys ever heard of this fan? No, I haven’t. And it’s like this like old school luxury, high end. He’s got a girl plays this like, I’m not even sure. It’s like a, it looks like a violent. It looks very Middle Eastern of and he’s doing like remake of like conway twitty, the rows and it is the like the visual and the visual work, the visual video content. He’s performing like the Chicago theater. It’s just really, really good and I’m looking at it in the soil. I’m listening to it and I’m playing online but this is incredible. So I’m like, so I tap over so it’s a sponsored link on facebook so I tap over into it. I get up on. So I felt if I go all the way through and listen to some of his music to checking out where like he’s in Chicago, Chicago theater on our anniversary and it’s like, oh my gosh, Michelle and I would love this to go to Chicago Day.
Jeff: [10:04] This would be super cool. Didn’t do it, but literally followed his content all the way to almost clicking by on $800 tickets at Chicago theater. And I’m like, wait, what? What has happened? And it literally came from extremely good, high end content and so that’s kind of my position is if we’re going to stand out, we just got. This has got to be better. I’m sorry, we just got, we got, we got, we got from stand out from mom dogs and I mean you can bleep this out or shit or whatever you want to call them to talk because we’ve. Because we’ve got to stand out the quality as professional. We have the resources, we actually have the resources to make our work better. So I think it’s starting to make our work better
Kia: [10:45] as future portrait professional portrait photographers and account.
Jeff: [10:52] I mean that’s in a sense that you’re, you’re right. I mean we’re going to raise the game a little bit. That’s why I agreed to do this. Yeah. And, but you felt like this for awhile. I mean obviously you’re, you’re working on different things right now, but I mean this has been an ongoing conversation because I’ve known you for like four or five feet is about as I add adhd, dyslexia, whatever. I get super bored in a hurry.
Kia: [11:17] Well, I seriously, well some friends and cousins and all my head that so many people I know are and I think just being able to self direct what you’re learning and what you’re doing, I think that’s now you’re like, this is what I’m going to do next, this is what I’m gonna do after that, and the next thing. I think that’s part of that.
Jeff: [11:37] It tends to leave a trail of destruction sometimes in your path, so you have to be a little careful. Your inner circle isn’t. Oops, sorry about that. I still love you. I promise I didn’t mean to like walk completely overused. Well, and I think another thing known you for awhile, I think
Matt: [11:54] that your view on risk is higher than a lot of people. Like you’re willing to like Israel gear and invest in new stuff and just see if it works out.
Jeff: [12:04] Yeah. I actually bought soda. I bought all Sony gear and it was cool, but I just couldn’t get past the whole. I’m the single rental single lens reflex. I had to see my subjects in real time, so actually took it off, took it all back $20,000 a year, took it all back up and Roberts. I’m like, Hey, uh, yeah guys, I, I can’t use this. So it’s like a. So you’re inside the window at school. So no problem Jeff. And so yeah, they were great. But yeah, that was super risky. So anyway, so yeah, so kinda like, so Paul, my pattern, I basically, I had my part quit working in like 2011. I was born with congenital defects so the whole like you’re going to die probably kinda hits you. So then I’m handling, let’s just do this little, this little little and uh, let’s, let’s do it.
Jeff: [12:46] Right. So that, that, that kind of transitioned me from the, like when I started Richardson Studio 2007 to like this, like 180 seniors a year and get them in as much as you can see in your models, you know, just Bam, Bam, Bam. Cranking it out to more like the do a little better job. What if we tried to raise the order average? You know, it’s possible, so and, and, and it succeeded. I mean I went from shooting 160 170 seniors a year at a, you know, a $1,700 average to shooting like 70, 80 senior. My target is 80 seniors at 3000. That’s my goal. Target all the time. So 20, 16 we hit that and it’s a better place.
Matt: [13:25] Definitely a better place. Yeah, it’s definitely a better place. So that’s awesome. So way off track. Sorry. No, no, no, you’re perfectly on track. So what is. So what’s one thing that you’re fired up about? Like in the industry or like you know, when you talk to people about the industry, what do you hold true or what are you excited about telling me what’s going on? I don’t know man. It’s tough. I think that might be a better option for me.
Jeff: [13:48] I don’t know that I’m actually fired up about anything in the, in the photography industry, what, what I am. What I do see though is the rapid change has given me some energy, like the fastest. It’s, I mean it’s, you know, I don’t think there’s going to be a photography industry in 24 to 36 months. I think there will be incredible content creators and really, really, really good artist. And so that’s, that, that math, that fast paced change is given me a ton of energy right now because I’m processing, you know, what digital files look like and how to, how to market those as a product and I mean like really market those as a product and that kind of transition. So yeah, I mean I’m, I’m fired. I’m fired up about the change, the economies bustling. So if we can really find our niche and our expertise, uh, there’s some big things that are happening. It’s not so much in like photography but it’s, but it is, it’s in, it’s in graphing with light, with photons and creating work for people. So it’s kind of a roundabout. I guess I’m evading the question but,
Matt: [14:48] but you and I’ve had conversations about this for years about where the is going and stuff and I think we’re starting to hit another like inflection point where it feels like it’s moving faster and there’s more people adopting this idea and a 100 percent agree. Yeah. And I. and it’s just so sometimes you know, those inflection points can be scary, but also sometimes you just have to put your head down and just go into them and figure it out. You know,
Jeff: [15:11] it is. It’s making content for the one inside tip on where I’m, what I’m working on and what I’m excited about is something that photographers are not doing for themselves and in teens and instagram photographers or are just it. This is. We’re not making content for ourselves and for our own cells and 20, 19 my schedule is already filling up. I am. I just got off the phone with, just got a phone just a little bit ago with a photographer. I’m flying and he’s coming to shoot content for us. We are going to create new work for ourselves. We’re going to show what we do and this is just crazy, so we have content that’s, that’s what I’m fired up about is creating it. It’s showing what we do and why it’s better and how much knowledge and how much, how much energy and how much passion goes into the work that we create.
Matt: [15:59] Because you’re. You’re going to start...
