That Photography Girl

Ever wondered how wedding photographers get invited to New York Bridal Fashion Week? How do they connect with luxury bridal designers, photograph runway shows, and get access to some of the biggest names in the wedding industry?After attending New York Bridal Fashion Week for the second year, Rachel Traxler is sharing exactly how she got there, the designers she photographed, and what she's learned about creating opportunities through networking and industry relationships.From her first connection with Berta to photographing collections from designers like Galia Lahav and Netta, Rachel takes you behind the scenes of Bridal Fashion Week and explains why these experiences can be valuable for wedding photographers looking to expand their portfolios, build authority, and make meaningful industry connections.In today's episode, we're diving into:- What New York Bridal Fashion Week is and the difference between runway shows, presentations, and private designer sessions- How Rachel landed her first opportunity to photograph Berta- How to reach out to bridal designers and PR teams for Fashion Week access- Rachel's favorite designers and experiences from this year's shows- Why hearing "no" is a normal part of building industry relationships- How to make the most of networking opportunities beyond taking photos- What to do after Fashion Week to turn your experience into lasting professional connections- How to explore opportunities with bridal publications, boutiques, and other wedding industry brands**Ready to grow your wedding photography business?**If you're an established wedding photographer looking to create stronger industry relationships, attract more aligned clients, and build a business that supports your next level of growth, Rachel's coaching program is designed to help you do just that.Apply for coaching: https://racheltraxler.com/applyFollow Rachel on Instagram for behind-the-scenes Bridal Fashion Week recaps, designer highlights, and more wedding photography business education.**Keep shining!** 👉 Shop my low-ticket education resources → https://racheltraxler.com/shop🧡APPLY for high-level Photography Business Coaching → https://racheltraxler.com/apply📸Join That Photography Group for FREE live masterclasses + resources → https://www.skool.com/that-photography-group-2871/about🦄Try Aftershoot for your culling, editing, retouching, and gallery program → https://aftershoot.com/friends/?ref=racheltraxlerCode: RACHELTRAXLER⬇️ My wedding photography gear list: ⬇️▸ Camera Body: https://amzn.to/44pB4sd ▸ Canon g7x mark iii: https://amzn.to/4b1IZzJ ▸ Fuji x100vi: https://amzn.to/3JyuXLL ▸ Most Used Lens: https://amzn.to/44iY6B0 ▸ Canon 35mm f1/4: https://amzn.to/4oE7SHv ▸ Meta Glasses: https://amzn.to/4vl7jES ▸ Camera Harness: code: TRAXLER26: https://spiderholster.com/products/spiderpro-dual-camera-system-v3 ▸ My Camera Bag: https://kamrette.com/?rfsn=8967723.56f4bf&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=8967723.56f4bf ▸ Most Reliable SD Cards: https://amzn.to/3SkL17J ▸ Most Reliable SSD: https://amzn.to/4eSq9gL▸ Most Reliable HD: https://amzn.to/4eSq9gL🎞️ My Wedding Presets → https://www.gpresets.com/product/rachel-traxler-presets/

Featuring the Owner of Stonehaven Event Venue Want to photograph more high-end weddings? Getting on a luxury wedding venue's preferred vendor list could be one of the most valuable relationships you build in your photography business.But here's the thing: Taking beautiful photos doesn't automatically make you a photographer a venue wants to recommend.In this episode of *That Photography Girl Podcast*, I'm sitting down with the owner of Stonehaven Event Venue to talk about what actually matters when building relationships with high-end wedding venues, how to stand out as a wedding photographer, and what it takes to become someone a venue wants to work with again.If you're an established wedding photographer looking to attract more luxury weddings, strengthen your referral network, and become a trusted name among high-end venues, this conversation is for you.We're talking about the business relationships that can continue working for you long after the wedding day is over.What You'll Learn in This Episode- How to get on a wedding venue's preferred vendor list and what photographers should understand about the process.- What makes a wedding photographer stand out to the owner of a high-end wedding venue.- How to approach luxury wedding venues and start building meaningful professional relationships.- The communication practices that matter most when working with venue owners and their teams.- What to do the week after photographing a wedding to strengthen your relationship with the venue.- How to become a photographer venues want to recommend instead of just another vendor they've worked with.- The importance of professionalism and the overall vendor experience when positioning your photography business in the luxury wedding market.- How to build long-term venue relationships that support a more referral-driven photography business.One of the biggest shifts you can make as an established wedding photographer is thinking beyond how to get your next inquiry.Because when you're trying to move into higher-end weddings, it's not just about being seen by more couples. It's also about being known and trusted by the right people in the wedding industry. Whether you're looking to break into the luxury wedding market or become a preferred photographer at venues you already work with, this episode will help you think more intentionally about your venue relationships. Resources Mentioned- Stonehaven Event Venue: https://stonehavenevent.com https://www.instagram.com/stonehavenweddings/Ready to build a photography business that attracts more premium inquiries without relying on constant social media marketing?Explore my photography business resources, programs, and tools to help you build a more strategic, sustainable business.👉 Shop my low-ticket education resources → https://racheltraxler.com/shop🧡APPLY for high-level Photography Business Coaching → https://racheltraxler.com/apply📸Join That Photography Group for FREE live masterclasses + resources → https://www.skool.com/that-photography-group-2871/about🦄Try Aftershoot for your culling, editing, retouching, and gallery program → https://aftershoot.com/friends/?ref=racheltraxlerCode: RACHELTRAXLER⬇️ My wedding photography gear list: ⬇️▸ Camera Body: https://amzn.to/44pB4sd ▸ Canon g7x mark iii: https://amzn.to/4b1IZzJ ▸ Fuji x100vi: https://amzn.to/3JyuXLL ▸ Most Used Lens: https://amzn.to/44iY6B0 ▸ Canon 35mm f1/4: https://amzn.to/4oE7SHv ▸ Meta Glasses: https://amzn.to/4vl7jES ▸ Camera Harness: code: TRAXLER26: https://spiderholster.com/products/spiderpro-dual-camera-system-v3 ▸ My Camera Bag: https://kamrette.com/?rfsn=8967723.56f4bf&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=8967723.56f4bf ▸ Most Reliable SD Cards: https://amzn.to/3SkL17J ▸ Most Reliable SSD: https://amzn.to/4eSq9gL▸ Most Reliable HD: https://amzn.to/4eSq9gL🎞️ My Wedding Presets → https://www.gpresets.com/product/rachel-traxler-presets/

ou don’t need millions of followers to make social media valuable for your photography business. But you do need to know what you’re trying to get from it.In this episode, I’m sitting down with Preston Luke to talk about monetizing your social media as a photographer and what actually helps you get noticed. We get into the questions photographers have when they see other creatives landing opportunities online: Are they pitching? Are brands finding them? Is follower count the goal? And what should you actually be working toward?This conversation is especially relevant if you’re already putting energy into social media but want that effort to lead somewhere. Because the goal isn’t necessarily to become an influencer or chase a massive following—it’s to understand how to use the attention you’re building in a way that supports your photography business, creates opportunities, and ultimately generates income.What You’ll LearnWhat it really takes to get noticed on social media as a photographerHow photographers can start thinking about monetizing their online presenceWhether Preston pitches himself for opportunities or takes a different approachWhy simply chasing more followers may not be the best goalWhat you should actually be trying to accomplish with your social media presenceHow to think beyond likes, views, and vanity metricsWhat can make a photographer’s online presence stand outHow to approach social media more intentionally when you want it to create real opportunitiesA different way to think about the relationship between visibility, photography, and income👉 Shop my low-ticket education resources → https://racheltraxler.com/shop🧡APPLY for high-level Photography Business Coaching → https://racheltraxler.com/apply📸Join That Photography Group for FREE live masterclasses + resources → https://www.skool.com/that-photography-group-2871/about🦄Try Aftershoot for your culling, editing, retouching, and gallery program → https://aftershoot.com/friends/?ref=racheltraxlerCode: RACHELTRAXLER⬇️ My wedding photography gear list: ⬇️▸ Camera Body: https://amzn.to/44pB4sd ▸ Canon g7x mark iii: https://amzn.to/4b1IZzJ ▸ Fuji x100vi: https://amzn.to/3JyuXLL ▸ Most Used Lens: https://amzn.to/44iY6B0 ▸ Canon 35mm f1/4: https://amzn.to/4oE7SHv ▸ Meta Glasses: https://amzn.to/4vl7jES ▸ Camera Harness: code: TRAXLER26: https://spiderholster.com/products/spiderpro-dual-camera-system-v3 ▸ My Camera Bag: https://kamrette.com/?rfsn=8967723.56f4bf&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=8967723.56f4bf ▸ Most Reliable SD Cards: https://amzn.to/3SkL17J ▸ Most Reliable SSD: https://amzn.to/4eSq9gL▸ Most Reliable HD: https://amzn.to/4eSq9gL🎞️ My Wedding Presets → https://www.gpresets.com/product/rachel-traxler-presets/

When Kelly first came into my world, she was doing a little bit of everything. Newborns. Seniors. Families. Weddings. You name it.At the same time, she was working full-time as a social worker, pursuing her master’s degree in clinical social work, becoming a new mom, and figuring out how the heck to run an actual photography business.She knew pretty quickly that what she was doing wasn’t sustainable.What she needed wasn’t more random information or another person telling her to “just post more.” She needed direction.Over the years we’ve worked together, Kelly has built the foundations of her business, narrowed her focus to weddings, refined her brand, learned how to generate and convert leads, elevated her client experience, raised her wedding photography prices, and intentionally positioned herself for the clients and venues she wanted.Today, she’s booking $7,000 weddings and she recently booked two of them in a row. But one of my favorite parts of Kelly’s story is that her growth goes so much deeper than the number on the invoice.She has learned how to make strategic decisions for her own business, create a brand that actually feels like her, build meaningful industry relationships, and confidently step into each new level of growth.Because becoming a sought-after wedding photographer isn’t just about taking pretty photos. It’s about building a business that knows how to attract, nurture, and convert the right people.Kelly Friday Photography: https://kellyfridayphotography.comYour Next Steps🧡 Apply for coaching: https://racheltraxler.com/applyIf you’ve already built a wedding photography business but know you’re capable of more, you probably don’t need more noise. You need a clear path.Maybe you’re ready to raise your wedding photography prices but aren’t confident your current lead flow can support it.Maybe you’re getting inquiries, but they aren’t from the clients you actually want.Maybe you’re ready to position yourself for higher-end weddings, strengthen your conversion, or create better lead generation systems instead of constantly wondering where your next inquiry will come from.Or maybe your business is working, but you know the way you’ve been growing it isn’t the way you want to keep growing it.That’s the work we do inside my coaching.We look at your business, your market, your ideal clientele, your positioning, your lead generation, your funnels, your conversion, and your client experience to figure out what your next level actually requires.Because you don’t need to copy someone else’s business.You need the strategy that makes sense for yours.🧡 Apply for coaching: https://racheltraxler.com/apply👉 Shop my low-ticket education resources → https://racheltraxler.com/shop🧡APPLY for high-level Photography Business Coaching → https://racheltraxler.com/apply📸Join That Photography Group for FREE live masterclasses + resources → https://www.skool.com/that-photography-group-2871/about🦄Try Aftershoot for your culling, editing, retouching, and gallery program → https://aftershoot.com/friends/?ref=racheltraxlerCode: RACHELTRAXLER⬇️ My wedding photography gear list: ⬇️▸ Camera Body: https://amzn.to/44pB4sd ▸ Canon g7x mark iii: https://amzn.to/4b1IZzJ ▸ Fuji x100vi: https://amzn.to/3JyuXLL ▸ Most Used Lens: https://amzn.to/44iY6B0 ▸ Canon 35mm f1/4: https://amzn.to/4oE7SHv ▸ Meta Glasses: https://amzn.to/4vl7jES ▸ Camera Harness: code: TRAXLER26: https://spiderholster.com/products/spiderpro-dual-camera-system-v3 ▸ My Camera Bag: https://kamrette.com/?rfsn=8967723.56f4bf&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=8967723.56f4bf ▸ Most Reliable SD Cards: https://amzn.to/3SkL17J ▸ Most Reliable SSD: https://amzn.to/4eSq9gL▸ Most Reliable HD: https://amzn.to/4eSq9gL🎞️ My Wedding Presets → https://www.gpresets.com/product/rachel-traxler-presets/

What happens when you know you’re good at photography… but realize being good behind the camera isn’t the same thing as knowing how to build a business?In this episode, I’m sitting down with my coaching client Hannah Ellis to talk about exactly that transition from charging around $1,800 for weddings and piecing together free marketing advice to building a more intentional business, raising her pricing, and completely changing the way she handles inquiries and sales calls. And yes, we need to talk about her 100% call conversion rate since applying what she learned inside the program. When Hannah joined my coaching program in November 2025, she was navigating pricing, marketing, her website, inquiry flow, and how to turn photography into a sustainable business. She had exhausted a lot of the free resources available to her and realized she didn't just need more information, she wanted strategy, feedback, accountability, and someone who could help her diagnose what was actually happening in her business.What You’ll LearnHow Hannah went from accidentally photographing her first wedding to deciding, “I want to do this for the rest of my life.”Why turning photography from something fun into Hannah’s sole income exposed completely different gaps in her business.The moment Hannah realized she had exhausted the free resources available to her—and why more YouTube videos weren’t going to give her what she actually needed.Why education alone wasn’t enough, and how ongoing feedback, audits, accountability, and support helped her actually implement what she was learning.How Hannah moved from roughly an $1,800 starting point to packages in the $3,000–$4,000 range, even while working in a smaller, highly competitive market.The surprisingly simple reason potential clients were falling off before Hannah ever had the chance to sell them.Why adding more personalization to your inquiry process can sometimes create more friction, not a better client experience.How simplifying the path to a phone call changed Hannah’s sales process.What Hannah changed about the structure of her calls and why being naturally good at talking to people wasn’t enough by itself.How Hannah reached a 100% conversion rate from calls after applying the program to her business, based on the inquiries she reviewed. Hannah Ellis Photography — https://hannahellisphotography.comYour Next StepsIf you’re an established wedding photographer who knows your work is strong but your marketing, inquiries, pricing, or bookings still feel less predictable than they should, this is exactly the kind of work I help photographers refine. You don’t necessarily need more content, more hustle, or another pile of disconnected tactics, you need to know where your business is actually getting stuck and build the systems to support the next level. https://racheltraxler.com/apply👉 Shop my low-ticket education resources → https://racheltraxler.com/shop🧡APPLY for high-level Photography Business Coaching → https://racheltraxler.com/apply📸Join That Photography Group for FREE live masterclasses + resources → https://www.skool.com/that-photography-group-2871/about🦄Try Aftershoot for your culling, editing, retouching, and gallery program → https://aftershoot.com/friends/?ref=racheltraxlerCode: RACHELTRAXLER⬇️ My wedding photography gear list: ⬇️▸ Camera Body: https://amzn.to/44pB4sd ▸ Canon g7x mark iii: https://amzn.to/4b1IZzJ ▸ Fuji x100vi: https://amzn.to/3JyuXLL ▸ Most Used Lens: https://amzn.to/44iY6B0 ▸ Canon 35mm f1/4: https://amzn.to/4oE7SHv ▸ Meta Glasses: https://amzn.to/4vl7jES ▸ Camera Harness: code: TRAXLER26: https://spiderholster.com/products/spiderpro-dual-camera-system-v3 ▸ My Camera Bag: https://kamrette.com/?rfsn=8967723.56f4bf&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=8967723.56f4bf ▸ Most Reliable SD Cards: https://amzn.to/3SkL17J ▸ Most Reliable SSD: https://amzn.to/4eSq9gL▸ Most Reliable HD: https://amzn.to/4eSq9gL