Photography Breakthrough System

Welcome to the Photography Breakthrough Podcast. I'm your host, Matthew Jordan Smith. This is the place where we turn your lens into a source of confidence, healing, steady clients, and steady income. I'm so glad you are here. Today's episode may be one of the most personal ones yet. It's called, are You a Photographer or a Mirror? How to Reflect the Best in People. I want to invite you to sit with this, not just as a photographer, but as an artist, a human being, someone who holds the power to transform how people see themselves.  Let's begin today. The truth you already know, but maybe you haven't put it into words. \ Most people don't actually like having their photos taken. They come in already bracing for the worst, already holding shame, already carrying stories like I hate how I look in pictures. I know you've heard that. I've heard it so many times. Or maybe they're saying, please don't make me smile too big. I hate my teeth. Or I'm not photogenic. I've never been. If you are a photographer, you've heard all of these things, and I'm sure more than once. Now what they're really saying beneath all of this is this. I've never seen a version of myself I could love. They don't need another photo. They need a mirror. Now, what does that mean? Being someone's mirror doesn't mean flattery. It doesn't mean perfection or performance. It means being deeply present. It means seeing through the self-criticism that so many people have. And looking into the truth that's still there, looking for their strength, their softness, their radiance, really looking into their soul. When someone steps in front of your camera, you're not just capturing their image, you're holding space for them to see themselves differently. That's really what they want. To say, look, this is who you are, even if no one told you, even if you forgot. This is what makes people cry when they see their images. This is also what makes them come back. And this my friend, is what makes them refer you with words. Like She didn't just take my photograph. She reminded me who I am. Um, Now? How do you reflect the best in people? Here's how to get started before you shoot. Before you even lift your camera, ask yourself what's beautiful about this person that they may not know? Hold that thought like it's your camera. Let it shape your tone, your direction, your presence during your photo shoot, and keep that thought in your mind. What's beautiful about this person that they may not know that they don't see about themselves? Then speak what you see. Don't just say, oh, you look great. Say the way your eyes soften when you talk about your daughter. I see you love her. Or there's a strength in your posture right now. Hold that that's real. You see, when your words reflect truth, the truth that you see that they may not see themselves, your lens doesn't have to do all the work. The person begins to shift right in front of you. And you shift too, you start photographing their energy and not just their face. Try this out on your next shoot. Ask real questions while you're doing the photo shoot. Something like, tell me about something you are proud of, or what's one part of you that you're learning to love or something like this? What's something you wish people saw in you? You'll be surprised by the answers. As a matter of fact, their face will change with the answer. Their body will soften, and in that moment when you take that picture. It is not just a picture. You're capturing their truth and yours too. If you've never done this before, yes, it may feel uncomfortable. But here's the business part of all this. When someone feels seen, they remember it. They return, they tell their friends, not just she takes great pictures, but she showed me a version of myself I didn't know was there. You shift in people's mind. You're not just a a service provider. You become a chapter in their healing, a witness to their becoming. Have you ever read that book by Viola Davis Finding me? This is how you help people find themselves. This is how you become booked with without begging. This is how your name spreads in rooms. You are not even in. This is how your work becomes alive. Now, I know this is not for everybody, but maybe it's for you. If you've ever felt like you were meant for something deeper with your photography than this is for you. If you're tired of chasing trends or being just another option, this is for you. If you know your photo sessions have the power to shift people, but you weren't sure how to access that fully, this is made just for you. This is your path. You are not just a photographer. You are the mirror, the reflection, and you're someone who reflects the best in people, not through flattery, but through truth. And when you do that consistently, intentionally, and with love. People feel it. Your business is going to grow in a way that feels right. I know I've given you a lot today, but this is the question I'll leave with you today. What version of your client are you reflecting? Are you reflecting their fears or their fire, their insecurities or their essence? Let your next photo session be your mirror. When that shows them how radiant they really are.  Now if this episode moved you, helped you reframe the way you think about photography, or gave you a new sense of purpose, do me a favor, leave a five star review. It helps more photographers find this kind of support. Subscribe, so you never miss a new episode and come connect with me on Instagram at Matthew Jordan Smith. I had love to hear how you felt about this episode. I want to leave you with this today. When you become a mirror, a true kind, powerful mirror, you don't just build a business, you change lives. And really, that's what you were always meant for. And to be truthful, that's what we're all meant for.  Until next week. Bye for now. Always dream big.   WEBSITE’S Matthew’s latest book: Aretha Cool – On Sale at Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D1GC6JXY   Matthew Jordan Smith Instagram https://www.instagram.com/matthewjordansmith  

Welcome to the Photography Breakthrough Podcast. The place where your photography becomes more than just a service. It becomes a movement, a message, and a source of consistent clients and consistent income. I'm photographer Matthew Jordan Smith, and today's episode is all about confidence. How you see it. How you create it and how it becomes the new way to sell photography without hustling, chasing, or begging for bookings. Let's be real. Most photographers are taught. To sell by focusing on features, high res images, quick turnaround, expert retouching, 10 edited files. But guess what? Your dream clients aren't moved by pixels and packages. They're moved by emotion. And the deepest emotional reason. People book photographers, they want to feel confident again. They want to see themselves through eyes of love, strength, beauty, and power, and that's exactly what your lens can offer. Let's. Shift the frame a little bit. What if your work isn't about deliverables, but about transformation? You see confidence through the lens means creating a session where your client feels safe, celebrated, and powerful. Seeing your client in their highest light Before they can even see it themselves, crafting an experience that says you are worthy of being seen like this. You see when your client walks away. From a session saying, I had no idea I could look and feel like that. That's confidence. And confidence is magnetic. So what's the new way to sell your work? You don't need to convince people to book you. You need to connect with what they want to feel. So start talking about what your work does, not just what it includes. Your website, your captions, your conversations. They should speak to the emotion of confidence. Say things like, for example, . My sessions are designed to help you see yourself in a new way Or. These aren't just portraits, they're mirrors of your power, or better yet, this is for the version of you that's ready to feel unstoppable. You see, because when someone believes that your photos will help them feel more confident, the sale becomes easy. They're not buying pictures. They're buying how they want to feel about themselves.  So how do you start shifting the message?  . Here's your action steps. Look at your website, your bio, and the last few posts you've made on social media. Are they describing files and packages or feelings and experiences? Do this today. Add one confidence focused sentence to your next post, for example. Most of my clients tell me they've never felt more comfortable than during our shoot or create a testimonial script that asks clients, how do you feel before the shoot? How do you feel after what changed for you? Start asking these questions. Their answers become powerful selling tools because they show others what's possible Through your work, I hope you're starting to see your camera isn't just capturing images, it's capturing who someone is becoming. When you offer confidence through your lens, you're no longer competing on price. You are offering value no one else can replicate. This is the new way to sell photography from transformation, not transaction from soul, not scarcity.  Now if this episode made a connection with you, here's how you can support the podcast. Leave a five star review if this is helping you grow. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. And follow me on Instagram at Matthew Jordan Smith. I'd love to connect and hear how you're shifting your photography into this new way of doing business.  The funny thing about confidence, it's contagious and your lens, it can be the spark. Thank you for giving me your time. I love spending it with you. I hope you've enjoyed this. If you have, again, please come back next week. There's so much more to share. Until next week, always dream big. Bye for now. WEBSITE’S Matthew’s latest book: Aretha Cool – On Sale at Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D1GC6JXY   Matthew Jordan Smith Instagram https://www.instagram.com/matthewjordansmith  

Welcome to the Photography Breakthrough Podcast.  The place where you stop chasing clients and start creating experiences that transform lives and build loyalty and consistent clients. A consistent business. I'm photographer Matthew Jordan Smith, and today we're going deep into something that would change your work and your bookings forever.  How to make your clients feel truly seen  and why that. More than marketing, lighting, or posing is the key to steady soul aligned clients.  You probably already know this. Pretty pictures. They aren't enough anymore. Here's the thing. We live in a world overflowing with nice pictures, but people aren't starving for another pretty picture. They're starving to feel something, to feel beautiful, to feel seen, to feel powerful, to feel like they matter.  Most people walk through life feeling unseen, even by themselves. So when someone steps in front of your lens and feels truly witnessed, not judged, not rushed, not reduced, but seen, that moment becomes unforgettable. That moment is what gets remembered, referred and shared. So how do you make people feel seen?  Making your clients feel seen starts before you ever touch your camera.  It starts with your presence, your energy, and your questions. So here's three questions for you to ask every single client before you photograph them. Number one.  What would you like to feel when you see your images? Most people never think about this, but when you ask, it gets them connected to their inner world, not just their outer appearance. You'll hear answers like, I want to feel strong. I want to remember. Who I am. I want to see myself the way my partner sees me Now, you're not just photographing them,  you're photographing a feeling.  Question number two, what part of yourself are you learning to love? Now, this may seem like an odd question, but recently after a photo shoot, the whole crew went to dinner and I photographed a gentleman and a lot of men don't share things like this, but after the shoot, the person who I photographed told me that he, for the first time went through.  A, a change. He changed his hairstyle. He, he bought glasses and he felt like in the pictures he was finally being himself. Now, if you don't know, I live in Japan and during the photo shoot, the gentleman who I photographed, wore a new version of a kimono. It was a kimono that is half kimono and half Western suit, but beautiful.  I photographed him in a way where he felt like a modern day samurai. He told me he felt like his ancestors were with him. It was incredible. So now. Let me ask that second question again. What part of yourself are you learning to love?  Maybe it's the part of you that you've never seen.  Maybe it's the part of you that's hidden deep in your heart.  When you ask these kinds of questions, it helps them feel safe in being real. It shifts the shoot from performance to intimacy, and it gives you powerful insight into how to guide them gently, not just physically, but emotionally. Through the experience of your photo shoot.  Question number three, when was the last time you felt truly seen by someone? Now, yes, this question goes deep. It opens stories, it tells you where the wounds are. And where the breakthroughs can happen. If they say, I don't know, that's your chance to be that person for them today, to truly see them and let them shine.  When you do this, when you help someone feel safe, feel beautiful, feel handsome. Feel seen. They don't just remember their photos, they remember you. They talk about the experience. They refer you not because of your price, but because of how you made them feel about themselves. They come back 'cause they felt something they want to feel again. This is how steady clients happen, how steady bookings happen. This is how your work becomes word of mouth magnetic.  This is how your confidence grows Impostor syndrome vanished because you know you're creating real impact.  So if you want to make your work, stand out. If you want your clients to stay, refer and feel something real. Start here. Ask better questions, create deeper presence and make them feel truly seen.  If this episode spoke to you, truly spoke to your heart, and you're ready to make your photography transformational, take the next step  when you follow me on Instagram.  I'm under Matthew Jordan Smith.  Come join my email list There. You'll find more support and ways to connect it deeper.  And if you loved today's episode, please leave a five star review. It helps other photographers find this work. Subscribe so you don't miss next week's episode. And again, follow me on Instagram. I'm under Matthew Jordan Smith. I share tips behind the scenes moments and connection daily. You're not just a photographer. You're someone who helps people see themselves, and that my friend is extremely powerful.  I'll see you next week. Bye for now. Oh, and don't forget, always dream big.  WEBSITE’S  Matthew’s latest book: Aretha Cool – On Sale at Amazon  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D1GC6JXY    Matthew Jordan Smith Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/matthewjordansmith 

Welcome to the Photography Breakthrough Podcast.  If you're just finding us, welcome, welcome. This is where we turn photography into a deeper calling, a steady business, and an unforgettable experience for both you. And for your clients.  I'm photographer Matthew Jordan Smith, and today we're diving into one of the most important shifts you can make in your photography business. How to move from offering just a photo shoot to creating a life changing experience. If you've ever felt like your work was just getting lost in the noise, if clients treat you like a service instead of like an artist, if bookings feel transactional instead of transformational, this episode is just for you.  Here's the truth. We live in a world overflowing with pretty pictures. There are more pictures today than at any point in the history of photography. Anyone can take a decent photo now.  Phones have portrait mode. Filters are everywhere. AI can retouch better than most people. So if we're only selling pictures, we're competing with everything and everyone. But here's what you can't automate, filter, or copy. The way you make people feel in your presence, the way you make them see themselves.  We're talking about an emotional shift that happens when someone steps in front of your lens and walks away forever changed.  Let me just paint a picture. Your client walks into your space. They're nervous. They're thinking about their flaws. They're hoping they don't look awkward.  They're quietly bracing for judgment, but instead they're met with warmth, curiosity, calm. You ask real questions. You show that you care. You create safety. You help them breathe.  All this happens before you ever raise your camera. When you finally lift your camera to your eye, you're not just looking for flattering angles, you're looking for their truth. You are photographing their energy, not just their face. Later when they see their images, something clicks,  no, let's back up. Before they ever see their images, they feel something during the shoot. It's hard to put it into words, but if you master this, you can feel it. And so can everybody in the room. When they finally see their pictures, they say things like, I've never seen myself like that. That's how I want to feel every day.  You didn't just take my picture, you gave me something special. That's not just a shoot that my friend is transformation.  Now, when you create transformation, not just deliverables, your business changes, you change clients. Remember you. They talk about you, they refer you, not because they need photos, but because they want their sister, their friend, their mother, to feel what they felt. Your pricing, that becomes less of a question.  Your calendar feels more steadily. Your work feels meaningful again.  And here's the most important part, the most beautiful part. You don't need to sell anything because the experience becomes the product.  Maybe you're asking, okay, Matthew. How do I start this? You don't need to change everything overnight.  Just start here before your next shoot. Ask yourself, how do I want this person to feel about themselves before they leave? This is not about you, it's about your clients. Then build everything around that feeling. Your prep, your energy, your words, your pace, your editing. Transformation doesn't come from what you do, it comes from how you do it.  So. If you've been feeling like just another photographer, if you're craving more connection, more meaning, more steady bookings, the path forward isn't louder. Marketing, it's deeper experiences. This is what we're building here together.  When you do that, clients feel special. And yes, during the photo shoot they may shed a tear, not because they're sad, but because they're filled with joy and that joy just overflows through their tears. I've had these experiences over and over again in my shoots. And I want you to experience that too because it is magical.  This is a deeper experience and this is what we're building here together.  You see, you were never meant to just take pictures. You were meant to change lives, starting with your own. Thank you for listening. You're not alone.  This is the Photography Breakthrough Podcast.  . If this episode resonated with you and you want more people to discover this kind of support, here's how you can help.  Please take a moment and rate and review the podcast. Leave a five star review if you found it valuable. It truly makes a difference in helping other photographers find this work and feel less alone. Make sure you're subscribed so you never miss a new episode. We drop a fresh one every single week. Full of clarity, strategy, and encouragement, and come connect with me on Instagram.  You'll find behind the scenes thoughts, live, encouragement, and many more tools to help you thrive. Find me at Matthew Jordan Smith on Instagram. I'd love to hear from you. Until next time, always dream big. Bye for now.     WEBSITE’S  Matthew’s latest book: Aretha Cool – On Sale at Amazon  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D1GC6JXY    Matthew Jordan Smith Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/matthewjordansmith   

Welcome to the Photography Breakthrough Podcast.  Where you don't just learn how to get more clients. You learn how to create photo experiences that change lives, including your own. I'm photographer Matthew Jordan Smith, and today I want to talk about something that used to keep me up at night. Why do some photographers get booked effortlessly?  While many are doing everything they can and just barely scraping by, if that question hits home, if you've ever looked at someone's feed and thought, what am I doing wrong? You're going to want to stay with me today   because today I'm sharing the secret reason some photographers stay fully booked even when they're not posting, constantly running ads or fighting for attention, and it's probably not for the reasons that you think.  Let's start with the truth. Yes. Some photographers really don't hustle the way others do. They're not glued to their phones. They're not constantly chasing leads, but what they are doing is this. They're creating something so emotionally impactful that people talk about it even when they're not around their work.  The sessions make people feel something and that feeling spreads. Maybe they say, I felt seen, I felt beautiful for the first time in years. Or maybe they're saying, oh, she captured the version of me I forgot existed.  When you create that kind of experience. Your clients become your marketing team, not out of obligation, out of gratitude,  Let's be honest, most photographers are taught to think like this, do a great job, deliver pretty pictures. Hope they come back.   But that's not how most working photographers do it. They're not delivering transactions, they're delivering transformations. And here's the part, no one talks about. Transformation doesn't start with your lens. It starts with how you see your client before they ever enter your space, before you ever lift your camera.  When your client walks into your session and you are already holding them in a space of care, presence and belief in their beauty, they eel that. They let their guard down, they stop performing. They put down those guards that keep them from being who they truly are. They let you see them,  And when they see the final images and it reflects back something powerful and true. They may even begin to cry. I'm not kidding. They share. They come back, they tell all their friends. That's the secret.  Now, once again, I'm not just making this up out of nowhere after 38 years of working. As a photographer photographing some of the most famous people on the planet. I've seen how people act when they feel seen. You may think that, oh, the biggest celebrities are used to taking pictures, and yes, that may be true, but how they act in front of the lens is more cautious than the average person because that image in many cases is all that people see.  And with that on the line, there's a lot of pressure. So to get through to the emotional part of your clients where you actually see them, not the celebrity, not the icon, not the sports legend. When you see them, you get to pull out the true essence of that person. That's the secret.  Now, this isn't about being better or more talented, it's about being more intentional. You can start today by asking, what do I want my clients to feel about themselves by the end of this shoot? Try that on your next photo shoot. Before you go in, before you put your lens to your eye, ask yourself, what do you want your client to feel about themself by the end of the photo shoot, confidence, softness, sexy, powerful, radiance, how would you like them to feel and which can you do?  As a photographer to make them feel that way during the shoot. Then design the questions that you want to ask them as you're shooting. It's your shoot. It's your energy around helping them feel that way.  That's how you build a magnetic business, not by just shooting louder, but by connecting deeper.  So if you've ever wondered why am I working so hard and still not getting booked, it's not because you are not enough, it's because no one taught you to create a photo experience that people feel deep in their soul. But that's why. This podcast exists.  Next week I'll be sharing the simple shift that made my clients start crying in the best way when they saw their images and how that changed my business forever.  Until then, I want to leave you with this. You don't need more hustle, you need more heart, and I promise you already have that in you. Thanks for listening.  Always dream big. Bye for now.     WEBSITE’S MENTIONED  Aretha Cool – On Sale at Amazon  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D1GC6JXY    Matthew Jordan Smith Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/matthewjordansmith