Podcast Episode 345 - Photography Predictions for 2025

In this episode of the Flourish Academy Podcast, Heather shares her guest appearance on the PhotoBizX podcast with Andrew Helmich, the world’s leading photography business podcast. Heather discusses her 2025 predictions for photographers, focusing on three transformative forces: the power of technology and AI, the importance of relationship marketing, and the game-changing impact of mindset.

Heather draws on over 22 years of experience and shares actionable strategies to help photographers adapt, thrive, and elevate their businesses. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, this episode is packed with insights to future-proof your photography career.

You can listen to predictions from other photographers by listen to Andrew Hellmich's PhotoBizX podcast by clicking here.

Show Notes:

• Leveraging AI, outsourcing, and tools to optimize your workflow.
• Building meaningful client connections for long-term growth.
• Why success starts with how you think and how to shape your thoughts for growth.
   

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Connect:

Heather Lahtinen: Website, Facebook, Instagram

TRANSCRIPT

You're listening to the Flourish Academy podcast and today I'm sharing a recent clip

from the PhotoBizX podcast with Andrew Helmich. And this is a really big deal

because it is the number one business photography podcast in the world.

And I was invited to contribute to the 2025 predictions episode,

which was an incredible, a tremendous honor and privilege. In Andrew's words,

he asked the best photography coaches in the world to share their thoughts about the

photography market, trends, strategies, et cetera. There were several other amazing

coaches that contributed to his episode. And if this is something that interests you,

then grab the link in the show notes and listen to the two full episodes that he

published. I hope that you enjoy my contribution. My name is Heather Lawton and I'm

a wedding and portrait photographer based outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And I

have dedicated 22 years of my life to solving this question.

Why do some great photographers struggle to build a business, but other mediocre

photographers experience success? Why are some photographers impacted by shifting trends

or the economy, but others are not? I'm a certified business coach for photographers

and I founded the Flourish Academy to help photographers get more clients and make

more money. And I tell you that because that's the lens through which I see

everything. In fact, our flagship program called Elevate is about helping you elevate

your business to the success that you desire. And it turns out that I'm also a

mechanical engineer, well, by trade. And the reason that this matters to you is

because engineering is all about optimizing a process. And the reason this is really

important when it comes to a photography business is because optimizing a process is

all about removing the inefficiencies in order to have an optimal product.

My job, therefore, is to make things as easy and straightforward as possible for

you. And I've helped thousands of photographers grow their businesses. And I've helped

many of those photographers reach $100 ,000 or more per year in revenue.

And because I've been doing this for over two decades, I know what works. I have

three things I'd like to share as we move into 2025. And number one is technology

and trends as tools, which are things like AI and the advancements that are

reshaping our industry. Number two is relationship marketing and how you can define

success by building and nurturing relationships as you move forward. And then number

three, my favorite and what I'm most known for is your mindset and how that is the

super power, and that's because external circumstance do not dictate your results.

How you think about those circumstances is what matters. Number one,

let's talk about technology and trends. The photography industry is evolving faster

than ever and the tools available to us are nothing short of game changing. And of

course, AI is leading the way, making editing, calling, and even marketing tasks

faster and more efficient. I don't think these are just gimmicks. I think there are

opportunities to reclaim your time and focus on what matters most, which is creating

your images, connecting with your clients, and growing your business.

I will say that Nursing is another trend that's gaining momentum. More photographers

are recognizing that they don't have to do it all. And by delegating tasks like

editing, album design, or even administrative work, they're creating space to work on

higher impact areas of their business, again, like marketing and client relationships

here. The key here is to approach these tools with curiosity and confidence.

AI is not replacing photographers. It's just enhancing what we can do.

And outsourcing isn't losing control. It's gaining time to elevate your brand. And

here's the most important part. You have to trust yourself. Technology and trends

will continue to evolve, but your ability to adapt and use these tools to your

advantage will set you apart. Think of these as tools, they're just tools in your

toolbox and they're here to support your vision, not define it. Now let's dive into

number two, and I think one of the most powerful forces in your business,

those are the relationships that you form. In 2025, relationship -centric marketing

will be the key to long -term success. It's no longer just about pushing out content

as fast as you can and hoping for the best. It's about truly meeting people,

building genuine connections, and nurturing those relationships over time. Because you

know this, but it's important to remember that your clients aren't just transactions.

They're people who trust you to capture their most important moments. And the more

you invest in knowing them, understanding their needs and showing up with care and

attention, the more they will feel valued and connected to you,

which means the more they will talk about you. When you focus on these

relationships, you turn clients into Advocates and happy clients are your best

marketing tool because they'll refer you share their experiences and keep coming back

to you Hopefully for years, and I think this is one of the most effective ways to

grow your business Finally, let's talk about mindset, which is the ultimate game

changer if there is one thing I know for absolute certain.

It's that the external world does not determine your success.

Your mindset does. Your way of thinking determines your success.

And as we move into 2025, this will be more important than ever. Challenges in your

business are not coming from the economy, your competition, or The market conditions,

they are coming from your own brain. The thoughts you think, the beliefs you hold,

the stories you tell are what shape your actions in ultimately your results.

And when you take responsibility for your own thoughts, you take control of those

outcomes. And this is incredibly empowering. You don't have to wait for the world to

change for you to succeed. You can create anything you want by shifting your

thinking. The most successful photographers that I work with now and in the future

in 2025 will be the ones who invest in their personal growth, challenge their

limiting beliefs and take ownership of their success. Because the truth is the future

of your business It's determined by any external circumstance. It's determined by the

way you think about yourself, your work and the world around you. If you master

your mindset, you will be unstoppable. So my challenge to you is to invest in your

mind as much as you invest in your camera gear. Get a coach,

do the work on your beliefs, and that will help you to keep moving forward. And

the best part is the more you grow mentally and emotionally, the more your business

will flourish. So there you have it. In 2025, your success as a photographer will

come down to three powerful forces, embracing the tools of technology, focusing on

relationships, and most importantly, mastering your mindset. I mean,

There are so many things that we cannot predict about the future, but I'm not

asking myself necessarily how to future -proof my business. Well,

I guess I am. I'm just asking it differently. How can I future -proof my brain to

support my business no matter what happens? Your business will only grow to the

degree at which you grow. My business has survived five presidential administrations,

the housing market crash of 2008 and a pandemic. And I didn't just survive,

I thrived. But why or how? I watched for trends, but I didn't really pay attention

to garbage in the media. Specifically, I might dig into AI,

but not follow inflation. Because one of these things I can do something about and

the other I cannot. The future of photography is bright and it's in your hands.

You have the power to shape your business, to adapt, to connect and to thrive.

These tools are at your disposal. Your clients are waiting for you. I would say

your clients are ready, willing and able to pay you. And your mindset is the

ultimate key to unlocking your limitless potential. 2025 can be your best year yet,

but it starts with you. So step into the future with confidence, embrace the change,

and know that you are capable of creating anything you desire. You can find me at

heatherjl .com or on my podcast to search for Flourish Academy.

Again, that's www .heatherjl .com or find me on your favorite podcast player at the

Flourish Academy. And my last piece of advice is to remember that business can be

really simple. It's just three steps. All you have to do is meet people, tell them

you're a photographer and make them an offer. I hope that you found this useful and

I hope to see you soon.