I almost didn’t record this episode.. not because I didn’t want to reflect on the year, but because I was making it bigger than it needed to be. So instead of overthinking it, I sat down with a post-it note and recorded a simple, honest 2025 wrapped: brand photography edition!

This episode isn’t data-driven or trend-heavy. It’s a real reflection on what actually defined my year as a brand photographer, educator, and coach - including what worked, what changed, and what I’m carrying with me into 2026.

Before you plan for what’s next, you have to understand what just happened. This episode walks through the three things that shaped my business in 2025, why returning to the basics made everything easier, and how slowing down created more clarity and capacity.

We’re talking:

1. The three things that truly defined my brand photography business in 2025
2. Why I intentionally booked fewer brand sessions
3. How prioritizing profitability changed the way I make business decisions
4. What hiring more intentionally unlocked in my business
5. Why my content worked better than expected this year
6. What I’m leaving behind in 2025 as I look ahead to 2026

Links & Resources:

1. 📱 Join the free 14-Day Instagram Challenge (starts January 5): maddiepeschong.com/ig
2. 📸 Learn more about working together in Rebrand or Behind the Shot: maddiepeschong.com
3. 📝 Explore free resources for brand photographers: maddiepeschong.com
4. 💬 DM me on Instagram with your biggest takeaway from 2025

Let's Connect:

1. Website: maddiepeschong.com
2. Instagram: @maddiepeschong

If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear.

We all love talking about what worked on Instagram, but what about the posts that totally flopped? In this episode, I’m breaking down my “worst” Instagram content from the year, what those posts had in common, and why I’m actually not upset about any of it.

This is the second part of a little two-episode series - last week I walked through my best content and this episode is taking a looking at my worst performing content. Spoiler: a lot of my “worst” content is also some of the most important for building trust, deepening relationships, and growing my brand long-term.

We’re talking:

• Why my lowest-performing posts are almost all talking head reels
• How longer, more thoughtful content can still be wildly valuable even with low reach
• The difference between content creator goals and business owner goals
• How I’m using my Consistency Cure series, even though it’s not topping my analytics
• Practical ways to improve “bad” posts without scrapping the idea completely
• How to look at your own worst-performing content without making it personal

Links & Resources:

• 📉 See my "worst" performing content stats: on the blog
• 🎧 Check out last week’s episode on my best Instagram content from the year
• 📱 Connect over on Instagram: @maddiepeschong
• 💻 Learn more about twelve month program for brand photographers who want to attract and book more clients: Rebrand

Let's Connect:

• Website: maddiepeschong.com
• Instagram: @maddiepeschong

If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear.

Instagram has been my thing since before I even had a photography business, but this year, my content looked a little different. I hired a social media manager, leaned into more nuanced topics, and started paying closer attention to what was actually working instead of just guessing. And spoiler: my best-performing posts were not the perfectly designed, “Pinterest-worthy” ones.

In this episode, I’m breaking down my best Instagram content from the year and what all of those posts had in common.

You’ll hear what kind of posts actually did the best for my brand photography and education business and how you can also use those patterns to create better, more strategic Instagram content of your own.

We’re talking:

• Why I finally hired help for Instagram, even though social media has always been “my thing”
• How I identified my best-performing posts (and what those posts actually were - see them on the blog!)
• What my top content had in common: 5 main things
• How “I” language and personal stories can still be super valuable for your audience
• Why leaning into hotter topics made my content more fun
• How behind-the-scenes and milestone posts ended up in my top performers

Links & Resources:

• 🏆 See my top performing posts & stats on the podcast blog post
• 📱 Come hang with me on Instagram: @maddiepeschong
• 📸 Learn more about Rebrand and my education for brand photographers on my website: maddiepeschong.com
• 📝 Binge more educational posts, past podcast episodes, and resources for brand photographers on the blog

Let's Connect:

• Website: maddiepeschong.com
• Instagram: @maddiepeschong

If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear.

We’ve all had those moments where we know we need to post something…but have absolutely no idea what to say. In today’s episode, I’m breaking down the simple mindset shift that will help you create better Instagram content without feeling like you have to reinvent the wheel every single time.

Creating great content isn’t about being clever. It’s about being accurate, relevant, and empathetic. And one of the fastest ways to build trust is by speaking to your clients in the same words they use. Today I’m sharing where to find that language, how to use it, and why this approach works so well for brand photographers who want to create content that genuinely resonates.

We’re talking:

• The real reason you get stuck wondering what to post
• Why client language is the foundation of strong messaging
• The exact places to collect content ideas
• How to stop writing for photographers and start writing for your actual brand clients
• Why vague, AI-ish captions don’t convert...and what to do instead
• How to use repeated questions as your content roadmap

Links & Resources

• 💻 Join Behind the Shot: my course that teaches you how to price, plan, shoot, and deliver brand sessions that attract more dream clients: maddiepeschong.com/behindtheshot
• ✔️ When you join Behind the Shot, you'll be able to join the 3-day portfolio-building challenging I'm hosting December 15-17 (live training + replays available!)
• 📸 Grab the Brand Photography Questionnaire Template: www.maddiepeschong.com/shop
• 📝 Blog: More tips and tools to grow your personal brand photography business
• 💬 Questions or episode ideas? DM me on Instagram!

Let's Connect:

• Website: maddiepeschong.com
• Instagram: @maddiepeschong

If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear.

Almost every brand photographer has said it at some point: “My clients only want a one-hour session.” And honestly? I get why that feels true; I used to believe it too. But one-hour brand shoots are keeping so many photographers stuck, exhausted, and wildly underpaid.

In this episode, we’re getting into why short sessions are creating chaos (for you and your clients) and why introducing a signature session is one of the fastest ways to elevate your work, raise your prices, and get clients the results they actually want.

This episode walks through what a signature session includes, how to position it, and what it takes to confidently remove “time” from your packages, so you can finally price based on value instead of minutes on your watch.

We’re talking:

• Why one-hour brand sessions lead to chaos, over-delivery, and burned-out photographers
• The #1 mindset shift photographers need to stop undercharging
• What a signature session actually looks like
• How to confidently push back when clients say they “only need an hour”
• Why time shouldn’t be on your pricing/services page
• A peek inside the brand-new pricing module inside Behind the Shot (and the Black Friday deal!)

Links & Resources

• 💻 Join Behind the Shot: my course that teaches you how to price, plan, shoot, and deliver brand sessions that attract more dream clients: maddiepeschong.com/behindtheshot
• ✔️ When you join Behind the Shot, you'll be able to join the 3-day portfolio-building challenging I'm hosting December 15-17 (live training + replays available!)
• 📸 Grab the Ultimate Personal Brand Session Shot List: maddiepeschong.com
• 📝 Blog: More tips and tools to grow your personal brand photography business
• 💬 Questions or episode ideas? DM me on Instagram!

Let's Connect:

• Website: maddiepeschong.com
• Instagram: @maddiepeschong

If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear.

You’ve probably heard me talk a lot about niching into brand photography... and for good reason. It changed my business and my bookings. But today, we’re zooming out and talking about something I don’t cover nearly enough: what it looks like to simply add brand photography to the services you already offer.

Because here’s the truth: you don’t have to completely niche down to benefit from this work. And for so many photographers (weddings, families, seniors, interiors), adding brand photography in 2026 might be the smartest, most profitable move you make. In this episode, we’re breaking down why.

We're talking:

• Why brand photography helps you avoid burnout
• The income consistency brand photographers see year-round
• The creative side of brand shoots
• Which photographers transition beautifully into brand photography, and why
• How your existing skill set probably already makes you perfect for this niche

Links & Resources

• 💻 Join Behind the Shot: my course that teaches you how to price, plan shoot, and deliver brand sessions that attract more dream clients: maddiepeschong.com/behindtheshot
• ✔️ When you join Behind the Shot, you'll be able to join the 3-day portfolio-building challenging I'm hosting December 15-17 (live training + replays available!)
• 📸 Grab the Ultimate Personal Brand Session Shot List: maddiepeschong.com
• 📝 Blog: More tips and tools to grow your personal brand photography business

Let's Connect:

• Website: maddiepeschong.com
• Instagram: @maddiepeschong

If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear.

If you’ve been trying to grow your brand photography portfolio, you’ve probably thought about posting a model call. But here’s the thing.. model calls can get messy. You lose control of the creative direction, it’s hard to attract the right kind of client, and suddenly you’re shooting something that doesn’t even align with the work you actually want to be known for.

In this episode, we’re talking about how to actually build your portfolio in a way that sets you up for paying clients and better sessions moving forward. I'm sharing my favorite strategy for staying in the driver’s seat and explaining how you can grow your portfolio while still getting paid (or at least still getting massive value).

We're talking:

• Why model calls can do more harm than good for brand photographers
• The difference between a model call and a portfolio-building session
• How to stay in control of your creative direction (and still get your dream shots)
• How to price your portfolio session so you don’t feel resentful
• Why every shoot should pay you, whether it’s money or marketing
• Details about my course, Behind the Shot, and the upcoming live portfolio-building challenge I'm hosting!

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• 💻 Join Behind the Shot: my course that teaches you how to price, plan shoot, and deliver brand sessions that attract more dream clients: maddiepeschong.com/behindtheshot
• ✔️ When you join Behind the Shot, you'll be able to join the 3-day portfolio-building challenging I'm hosting December 15-17 (live training + replays available!)
• 📸 Grab the Ultimate Personal Brand Session Shot List: maddiepeschong.com
• 📝 Blog: More tips and tools to grow your personal brand photography business

LET’S CONNECT:

• Website: maddiepeschong.com
• Instagram: @maddiepeschong

If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear.

You’ve been doing the thing: showing up, marketing, documenting, staying visible... and it’s finally working! Engagement is up, DMs are rolling in, and you’re even getting inquiries.

But then you open one and think… “Ugh. This brand sounds so boring.”

In this episode, we’re diving into what to do when you get an inquiry from a brand that doesn’t seem exciting to photograph and how to reframe those “boring” brands into some of the most profitable, fulfilling work you’ll do.

We’re talking:

• Why there’s no such thing as a boring brand
• How to use storytelling and strategy to make any brand shoot interesting
• The mindset shift from “uninspired” to “opportunity-rich”
• Real-life examples (like dental offices!) and how to find the story within them
• Why “boring” clients are often your most lucrative ones

By the end, you’ll see why the best brand photographers aren’t just camera pros; they’re creative directors and storytellers who can make any business shine.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

• 📸 Behind the Shot: A self-paced course that teaches you how to plan, shoot, and deliver a portfolio-building brand session (now with brand pricing and discovery call modules!)
• 📝 Ultimate Personal Brand Session Shot List: Grab the client-pleasing checklist I always recommend: maddiepeschong.com
• 💻 Blog: More tips and tools to grow your personal brand photography business

LET’S CONNECT:

• Website: maddiepeschong.com
• Instagram: @maddiepeschong

If you loved this episode, leave a review! It helps other photographers find the show and keeps us creating content you actually want to hear.