More Than Photos

If Josh Helton is going to create something, it has to answer bigger questions: What’s life about? What matters most?That instinct has shaped A Little Long Distance since Josh and his wife, Jess, began making wedding films in 2013. Their films reach beyond the wedding day into home movies, family history, loss, memory, and the people who made a couple who they are.Eventually, those same questions followed Josh beyond the edit and into his business.After years of travel, moves, children, and a growing career, Josh realized the way he was working no longer fit what his family needed. Every yes was costing something. For 6 months, he stopped taking new work without knowing what would come next.In this conversation, Brad sits down with one of his closest friends to talk about artistry, originality, family, faith, ambition, and changing a business that was technically working. Josh shares what it cost to ignore the signs, why his wife’s peace became the line he could no longer cross, and how he is rebuilding A Little Long Distance around a team and a different definition of success.This is not about giving up ambition. It is about letting the bigger questions decide what the work is allowed to become, what enough looks like, and where business belongs in a full life.WHAT WE COVERMaking work that answers bigger questionsFinding a voice that feels like your ownHome movies, family history, and deeper storytellingBuilding a family culture around presence and slownessRecognizing when work no longer fits your seasonWhat every yes costsChoosing family peace over predictable incomeThe fear of losing momentum, relevance, and identityWhy ambition and a slow life can coexistDefining enough before more becomes the goalRebuilding A Little Long Distance around a teamMoving from filmmaker to creative directorKeeping work from becoming your identityFaith, stewardship, and controlWhat Josh hopes his children rememberCONNECT WITH JOSHA Little Long Distance:https://alittlelongdistance.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/alittlelongdistance/CONNECT WITH USBrad & Jen Education:https://learn.bradandjen.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/bradandjeneducation/Mastermind:https://learn.bradandjen.com/mastermind-coachingPurpose & Profit:https://learn.bradandjen.com/purpose-and-profit-courseKEYWORDSJosh Helton, A Little Long Distance, More Than Photos podcast, Brad and Jen, wedding filmmaking, wedding videography, wedding films, documentary wedding films, nostalgic wedding films, wedding filmmaker, wedding film storytelling, home movies, family history, family legacy, artistic voice, originality, creative identity, creative direction, life-first business, family-first business, slow living, intentional living, work-life balance, business pivot, filmmaker burnout, creative team, defining enough, healthy ambition, faith and business, stewardship, family and career, fatherhood, sustainable wedding business, creative longevity, meaningful work, presence over productivity

Most success stories are told years after the climb. When a photographer has already reached the pinnacle of their journey. This one is a little different.Dalton & Breanna Upchurch are in the middle of a season that's changing the trajectory of their business, and we had a front-row seat to the last year of it.When they joined our Mastermind, they were already making beautiful wedding films and running a good business. But they were also beginning to feel the weight of a demanding schedule, constant travel, and a business that wasn't quite supporting the life they wanted to build.Over the next year, they began making some pretty significant changes. Raising their prices, moving into a higher-end market, pursuing new relationships and opportunities, and becoming more confident in the work they were already creating.But what makes their story special isn't just the business growth. It's how deeply rooted they've remained in their family, their values, and their love for filmmaking.In this conversation, we talk about the decisions that changed their direction, learning to trust your artistic voice, the role of mentorship and community, and why building a bigger business doesn't have to mean giving up the things that matter most.And perhaps our favorite part...is that so much of what they've been working toward is still ahead of them.We're getting to hear their story while it's still unfolding.ThemesBuilding a life-first businessMoving upmarket without losing yourselfThe power of mentorship and borrowed beliefKnowing yourself before knowing yourself as an artistThe growth nobody can see yetMarriage, creativity, and building something togetherFalling in love with the pursuitLinksBrad & Jen Mastermind: https://learn.bradandjen.com/mastermind-coachingApply for the Mastermind: https://learn.bradandjen.com/mastermind-applicationDalton & Breanna: https://daltonandbreanna.com/ & https://www.instagram.com/daltonandbreannaKeywordsWedding filmmaking, Dalton and Brianna Upchurch, More Than Photos podcast, Brad and Jen, Forma, wedding photography business, wedding videography business, moving upmarket, high-end wedding clients, luxury wedding filmmaking, raising wedding photography prices, wedding filmmaker mentorship, photography business coaching, wedding photography Mastermind, creative entrepreneurship, building a life-first business, work-life balance for photographers, artistic identity, creative confidence, personal growth, intentional business growth, pricing strategy, wedding industry relationships, sustainable wedding business, filmmaker burnout, building a business around family, creative direction, finding your artistic voice

You want to make better work.So you save photographs. Study photographers you admire. Build mood boards. Buy the camera. Try on editing styles...And somehow, you still feel stuck.In this episode, Brad shares his own journey of trying to grow creatively, including the mentoring experiences that changed how he saw his work, 3 days in Brooklyn with Ritual Collective, and the realization that his creative voice wasn't something someone else could hand him.This is an episode about inspiration, taste, mentorship, creative resistance, trusting your own work, and learning to hear the quiet voice that says: Go there.CHAPTERS00:00 — When wanting to grow keeps you stuck02:40 — Inspiration vs. participating in your own creativity04:41 — When successful work stops feeling like your work07:00 — Looking for mentors to help me “see the ants”09:09 — Three days in Brooklyn with Ritual Collective11:31 — The good photographs I didn't actually need13:31 — What if creative growth is about removing, not adding?14:45 — Changing how I photograph to stay connected to myself15:55 — Joel Bedford and “go to the balcony”17:57 — Your creative voice whispers19:28 — Arriving creatively uncluttered20:19 — The man behind the glass door22:43 — Did any of this actually fix the stuckness?24:06 — The walking reveals the mapLINKSMore Than Photos episode w/ Joel & Justyna: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2xYjmcfls4e1OoBG01u9qJ?si=6d81e69289ce4e17Brad & Jen Education: https://learn.bradandjen.com/Holger/Ritual Collective: https://ritualcollective.net/KEYWORDScreative voice, creative growth, photography inspiration, photographer creativity, finding your photography style, photography style, creative block, photographer burnout, photography mentorship, Ritual Collective, Holger Thoss, creative resistance, artistic voice, photography education, wedding photography, wedding photographer, photography inspiration, finding your style, developing your style, creative confidence, trusting your work, comparison, photographer mindset, artistic growth, making better photographs

A few years ago, Sav & Cam found themselves in a place a lot of photographers know well.The business was working, but the work didn’t feel like where they wanted to stay. That realization started a pretty massive shift.In this episode, we talk with Sav & Cam about what changed over the last few years, from the weddings they were photographing and the work they were making to the opportunities, relationships, and clients that followed.But this isn’t really a conversation about “making it.”It’s about giving yourself permission to want something different. Getting serious about your work. Learning to say no to opportunities that don’t fit where you’re going. And realizing that even when things are working, you might still need to stop and ask whether they’re taking you where you actually want to go.We also get into creativity and taste, working together as a married photo + video team, their relationship with social media, the unexpected connections that changed their career, and why some of the photographers who appear to have “made it” are still figuring it out too.THEMES• Changing direction when your business is technically working• Getting out of the box you’ve built around yourself• Developing stronger taste and creative conviction• Why better-fit work often requires saying no• The invisible relationships and decisions behind growth• Film, imperfection, and making photographs that feel honest• Documentary photography and creating space for real moments• Social media, attention, and protecting your creativity• Working together as a married photo + video team• Ambition, determination, and the myth of finally “arriving”CHAPTERS00:00 – Meet Sav & Cam07:30 – Hawaii, home, and building a life together15:00 – Working together as a married creative team24:00 – Photography, filmmaking, and finding their roles32:00 – The breaking point that started a bigger change40:00 – Getting out of the box and believing something different was possible48:00 – Film, creativity, taste, and making work that feels like you57:00 – The unexpected relationships that changed their career1:05:00 – Saying no, better-fit weddings, and protecting what you actually want1:14:00 – Documentary photography and making room for real moments1:22:00 – Social media, attention, and the wedding industry1:30:00 – Ambition, success, and why nobody really “arrives”1:38:00 – What Sav & Cam are questioning and chasing nextLINKSSav & Cam:https://www.savandcam.com/Purpose & Profit:https://learn.bradandjen.com/purpose-and-profit-courseKEYWORDSSav and Cam, Sav & Cam, wedding photography, wedding photographer, wedding videography, wedding filmmaker, film photography, documentary wedding photography, creative growth, photography business, wedding photography business, photography career, destination wedding photographer, luxury wedding photography, photographer mindset, creative process, artistic voice, photography style, working with your spouse, husband and wife photography team, social media for photographers, photographer relationships, wedding industry

What makes a photograph last? Reni Maria has spent years thinking about that question, both through her own work as a documentary wedding photographer and as the founder of Counterpart Photos, a collective celebrating some of the most distinct voices in wedding photography today.In this conversation, we talk about learning to notice, trusting your instincts, finding your own way of seeing, and why Reni isn’t necessarily looking for beautiful photographs. She’s looking for photographs that surprise her.We also explore what weddings look like when you stop trying to manufacture moments, why Reni believes fewer photographs can sometimes tell a better story, and the responsibility we have as photographers to decide which images deserve to survive.Reni takes us inside the thinking behind Counterpart, including why she places contemporary wedding photography alongside photographs from Magnum archives and generations past. It opens up a much bigger conversation about weddings as historical documents and the role our photographs may play long after the trends, clothes, and aesthetics of today have passed.And ultimately, we come back to the photographer. Who are you? What do you notice? What photographs actually feel like you? Because as Reni says, “People should book you for how you see the world. Not because you take beautiful photographs.”THEMESArtistic voice and originalityDocumentary wedding photographyThe art of noticingTrusting your instinctsCuration and editingFewer, stronger photographsCounterpart PhotosWedding photography as historyTimelessness vs. trendsFinding yourself in your photographsCreating work beyond InstagramCHAPTERS00:00 – Meeting Reni and the life behind her photography06:28 – Photography as a practice of noticing13:52 – Culture, travel, and letting weddings surprise you18:30 – Recognizing meaning instead of manufacturing it22:51 – Finding a way of photographing that feels like you27:21 – How Reni recognizes distinct photographic voices33:50 – The story behind Counterpart Photos43:19 – Why fewer photographs may matter more48:05 – You are the photographer AND the editor55:18 – Getting booked for how you see the world58:15 – Wedding photography in the larger frame of history01:02:42 – What actually makes a photograph timeless?01:06:46 – How to find yourself in your own photographsConnect with ReniWebsite: https://www.renimaria.comCounterpart Photos: https://www.counterpartphotos.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/renimariaphotosCounterpart Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/counterpartphotos/Connect with Brad & JenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradandjen/Education: https://www.instagram.com/bradandjeneducation/KEYWORDSCounterpart Photos, wedding photography, documentary wedding photography, wedding photographer, artistic voice, photography curation, timeless photography, photography inspiration, wedding photography trends, documentary photography, editing, photography portfolio, creative growth, photography mentorship, wedding photography history, photographer creativity

There’s a frustrating point in business where things are working, but it starts to feel like there’s nowhere obvious left to go.You’re making good work. You’ve raised your prices. You’ve built a reputation. But you’re still being compared to the same photographers, competing for the same couples, and wondering how much further your market will let you go.In this episode, we’re talking about what happens when we hit that ceiling, and why getting beyond it may require us to question some of the expectations we’ve learned to follow.We talk about the fear of doing something differently when the business is already working, why being easy to compare can eventually limit our growth, and how some of the photographers we admire most built permission to work differently over time.Because we can’t become meaningfully different while making sure we never do anything differently. At some point, differentiation has to feel like something.CHAPTERS00:00 Why being different can feel so personal02:30 What hitting a ceiling actually feels like04:53 Why success can make us afraid to experiment07:20 “I want to grow, but I’m afraid to stop doing what everyone else does”09:28 Sneak peeks and the fear of breaking expectations11:47 If we do it differently, we have to bring people with us13:00 How great photographers earn permission to break the rules15:20 Why risk often comes before permission17:23 The other risk we rarely think about18:32 Which risk are we actually more afraid of?20:32 The greener pastures might already be in your marketREADY TO BREAK THROUGH YOUR OWN CEILING?We currently have one spot available inside our Mastermind.If you’re ready to raise your rates, create more demand for your work, and build a business that feels more like you instead of following someone else’s blueprint, we’d love to hear from you.Apply Here: https://learn.bradandjen.com/mastermind-coachingKEYWORDSwedding photography business, photography business, wedding photographer pricing, market ceiling, photography pricing, creative differentiation, standing out as a photographer, wedding photography marketing, creative business, photography competition, raising photography prices, luxury wedding photographer, photographer mindset, photography coaching, wedding photographer mastermind

What does it actually look like to raise three kids, homeschool, run a business, work from home, and still have a life?We’re sharing a behind-the-scenes look at what’s worked for us, what hasn’t, and what we’ve learned after nearly 10 years of parenting while running our business. We talk childcare, routines, quiet time, Sunday planning, outsourcing, marriage, decision fatigue, and why we’ve stopped looking for the schedule that will finally “figure it all out.”Chapters:00:00 Recording from the Trader Joe’s parking lot02:11 The biggest lesson: flexibility07:02 What we thought parenting + business would look like09:26 Can you actually “do it all?”14:11 Why there’s no perfect schedule16:38 Creating rhythms that reduce decisions21:00 Our Sunday meeting + defining a successful week25:31 Boundaries between work and family26:15 How we use childcare27:51 How we divide work when the kids are home30:16 Outsourcing inside the business31:40 Why we hired a family assistant34:00 Protecting your marriage while working together35:03 Extra grace required39:47 Good doesn’t always mean right42:09 Building the family you actually want43:00 You’re not alone in figuring this outConnect with us:Instagram: @bradandjeneducation @bradandjenlearn.bradandjen.comKeywords:working parents, working from home with kids, work life balance, parenting and business, homeschooling, homeschool parents, entrepreneur parents, working mom, family business, childcare, family routines, time management, marriage and business, family rhythms, raising kids, creative entrepreneur

This week Brad & Jen sit down with Austin Trenholm, a wedding photographer of nearly two decades and the co-founder of Good Light Presets. Between shooting weddings across the country and building editing tools with his business partner Cody, Austin has had a rare front row seat to how thousands of photographers edit, the trends they chase, and the styles they grow into.That vantage point makes him the perfect person to untangle a question every photographer wrestles with: what is style, how do you actually develop it, and what is the difference between borrowing a look and building a voice? Austin's throughline is that YOU are the differentiator. We are all shopping at the same retailers, using the same gear and the same presets, so style is less about the ingredients than how you combine them.What starts as a talk about editing turns into decisiveness, boundaries, creative burnout, and the freedom to experiment without blowing up your business.We also explore:Why you, not your gear or your presetsEditing like a home chefFrom a camera at fourteen to nearly twenty years behind the lensHow Goodlight started Why your voice, not one rigid style, is the thing that should stay consistentThe "I could never wear that" story we tell ourselves, and how to drop itA simple reference-card trick to commit to a look and stop second guessingWhy boredom and monotony cause burnout as much as overworkChasing timelessness while working in an industry built on trendsWhy no AI culling: your voice lives in choosing every frame yourselfConnect with AustinWebsite: https://www.trenholmphoto.com/ Instagram: @trenholmphoto Good Light Presets: https://goodlightpresets.com/ @goodlightpresetsConnect with Us Join Purpose & Profit – A Roadmap to 10k Weddings Apply for the Mastermind Program - High level 1:1 creative coaching & community.Chapters (00:00) Welcome and why style is a lot like fashion (04:52) A camera at fourteen and a summer in New Mexico (08:12) How Good Light Presets started (10:42) Editing like a home chef (13:01) Why your voice, not one style, should stay consistent (15:33) To find a style, try on every style (21:23) A reference-card trick to commit and stop second guessing (26:06) Decisiveness, film cameras, and a cohesive voice (31:44) Stop worrying about your voice and just work (34:58) Boundaries, creativity, and leaving the 50mm at home (37:46) Burnout, boredom, and keeping it fun for twenty years (42:31) Is it the gear? The onion and the sharp knife (50:32) Chasing timelessness in a trend-driven industry (58:57) Where the industry is heading and the swing back to pretty (01:05:37) How do you know when you are growing? (01:15:02) Developing a voice: cull your own work and know what you loveKeywords: wedding photography, photography editing, presets, developing your style, finding your voice, Lightroom, film aesthetic, creative burnout, photographer mindset, decisiveness, wedding photography trends, Goodlight Presets, photographer education

What if the biggest opportunities in your business don't come because you're finally "ready"… but because you've spent years preparing before they ever arrived?This week we're joined by Kellie and Caitlin of Fulton Events for one of our favorite conversations to date. On the surface, it's the story of three years that changed everything. But underneath, it's a conversation about believing in a future before anyone else can see it. About making decisions before there's proof they'll pay off. About saying "yes" when the opportunity feels just a little bigger than you're ready for.Over the course of just 3 years—while raising three young kids—they transformed their business through intentional relationships, strategic investments, countless uncomfortable decisions, and a willingness to build the business they wanted long before they actually needed it.If you've ever wondered whether the work you're doing today is actually leading somewhere… this conversation is a reminder that growth rarely looks dramatic while you're living it.It looks like showing up.Again.And again.And again.Chapters00:00 – Meet Kellie & Caitlin of Fulton Events04:15 – Building belief before there was proof11:42 – Why three years changed everything20:31 – Preparing for the business you want29:18 – Saying yes before you're ready37:40 – Relationships that change your trajectory46:52 – Every next level starts with one step55:26 – The unseen work behind extraordinary growth1:05:14 – Advice for creatives chasing their next chapterIn This EpisodeBuilding the business before you need itBelief before proofStrategic business growthMaking bold decisionsPreparing for opportunityRelationship marketingReputation and referralsLeadership and team buildingEntrepreneurshipCreative businessWedding industryFulton EventsKeywordsBusiness growth, entrepreneurship, creative business, wedding planner, Fulton Events, business strategy, leadership, relationships, networking, mindset, entrepreneurship podcast, photographer education, business development, creative entrepreneur, premium clients, business mindset, reputation, marketing, long-term growth, intentional business.

This week's episode is a little different. Brad & Jen are recording from the road instead of their usual studio, but the conversation couldn't wait.If you've ever stared at a new inquiry wondering, "Do I send pricing? Do I email first? Do I schedule a call?" this episode is for you.What starts as a conversation about discovery calls quickly becomes something much bigger. Why are photographers becoming more efficient, yet feeling less connected? Why do couples ghost? And what if the problem isn't your pricing at all?Brad & Jen unpack one of the biggest mindset shifts they've seen transform photographers inside Purpose & Profit and the Mastermind.You'll learn why leading with connection instead of efficiency changes the way couples experience your brand, why discovery calls are about serving rather than selling, and how one simple shift can change your confidence, your bookings, and the way you show up as a business owner.Main Points• Why photographers unintentionally make booking harder after an inquiry• The real reason couples ghost (and why it usually isn't your pricing)• Why you're asking couples to judge your worth before they've experienced your value• How AI and automation are increasing the value of genuine human connection• Why discovery calls are about service, not sales• The four ways every discovery call pays you, whether you book the wedding or not• How curiosity replaces defensiveness and changes the entire pricing conversation• Why premium businesses are built by leading conversations, not sending informationChapters00:00 The $5,000 inquiry that sparked this conversation02:00 Why photographers focus on the wrong questions05:00 The real reason couples ghost08:00 Why human connection is becoming more valuable10:00 Discovery calls are about serving, not selling15:00 The four paychecks of every discovery call20:30 A real story about making an impact without booking the wedding24:30 The mindset shift that changes pricing conversations29:00 Becoming the kind of business owner people trust32:00 One challenge for your next inquiryHow to ConnectPurpose & ProfitReady to build a business that attracts better-fit couples, increases your confidence, and gives you a clear path forward https://learn.bradandjen.com/purpose-and-profit-courseKeywordswedding photography, wedding photographer, photography business, discovery calls, inquiry process, booking more weddings, sales for photographers, photography pricing, client experience, wedding inquiries, photography marketing, premium wedding photographer, business mindset, human connection, photography education, Purpose & Profit, Brad and Jen