560: Mallory Morrison – Sacrificing easy profits to build a successful underwater fine art photography business

PhotoBizX The Ultimate Wedding and Portrait Photography Business Podcast

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Mallory Morrison of www.mallorymorrison.com is a US-based underwater portrait photographer, and I have to tell you… her photography is stunning!

I was excited to record this interview because I was introduced to her via Brett Stanley, another incredible underwater photographer, with this message…

Andrew meet Mallory, underwater photography legend!

Mallory started as a dance photographer because of her background as a dancer. However, once she found the freedom offered by the lack of gravity when shooting in water, she was hooked!

Today, her main source of income is from selling fine art underwater prints. Although, she does offer limited luxury underwater portraiture to individuals and couples.

She says one of her biggest regrets in business is undervaluing the sale of her work for so long.

Now, with a demand from collectors she deals with directly, she has taken control of her sales and profits.

In this interview, discover what it takes to build a successful fine art photography business today and why you may need to sacrifice easy profits to stay true to your creative self. Or… take what Mallory shares and use it to attract high-paying underwater photography clients willing to spend big on wall art.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

• Focus on Dance and Underwater Photography: Mallory specializes in capturing dancers and models, seamlessly communicating with subjects underwater using subtle sounds.
• Vision and Shooting Process: Mallory employs natural light and strobes for soft, consistent lighting in underwater dance photography, preferring free diving over scuba certification.
• Artistic Business Growth: Striving to sell art, Mallory faced challenges but generated $80,000 in revenue last year, though she finds balancing artistic and business aspects taxing.
• Balancing Commissions and Artwork: Prioritizing personal art projects, Mallory limits commission portrait sessions and aims for profitable daily print sales.
• Art Pricing and Marketing: Targeting primarily active, fashionable women aged 30-50, Mallory collaborates with Saatchi Art and attends art fairs, ensuring quality prints and transparency in pricing.
• Limited Edition Prints: Mallory signs prints and includes certificates of authenticity, offering limited editions to maintain scarcity and value.
• Custom Framing and AI: By offering custom framing options, Mallory emphasizes customer choice while cautiously exploring AI's role in her art, stressing the importance of transparency.

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What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Mallory shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

If you have any questions I missed or a specific question you’d like to ask Mallory or if you want to say thanks for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google, and you can leave some honest feedback and a rating which will help both me and the show, and I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​

Here is the latest review…

★★★★★ Endless Inspiration and Ideas

Via Google by San Diego Dog Photographer Alexis Heisa, in the USA on April 7th, 2024.

I've been listening to Andrew's podcast actively for over a year now (and a premium member for over 6 months) and it's something I look forward to every Tuesday.

It truly doesn't matter what niche you specialize in; there is more than enough information to gain knowledge and endless inspiration and ideas. The diversity of guests, specifically the niches that exist in photography, is very helpful.

I believe you can learn something from everyone if you are open to it, and the Photo Biz X podcast epitomises it.

Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:

Mallory Morrison Website

Mallory Morrison on Instagram

Mallory Morrison on Saatchi Art

Episode PBX332: Brett Stanley – How to build a successful underwater portrait photography business

Thank you!

Thanks again for listening and to Mallory for coming on and sharing how she has been able to create the most amazing underwater fine art photography, attract a group of buyers looking for the kind of work she is creating and staying true to her artistic self and saying no to what could be an easier, potentially more profitable road in photography.

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks, and speak soon
Andrew

The post 560: Mallory Morrison – Sacrificing easy profits to build a successful underwater fine art photography business appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.