Turn your food photography from an expensive hobby to a sustainable and profitable business
with jena carlin
Ready to Turn your Food Photography Side Hustle into a Profitable, Thriving Business?
Now is the time to join the Portfolio to Profit Program
get the support, feedback, training and community you need with Portfolio to Profit
Want to hear more about their journey?
food photographers:
It’s Time to Stop Undercharging and Start Booking Top Brands for 4-and-5-figure Shoots
(even if you don’t have a big following)
It starts when you stop neglecting the highest converting asset of your business
does this sound familiar?
You invested in a good camera...
You went ahead and got the Canon 5D mark IV, a solid lens, a speedlight, a tripod, some memory cards, a decent camera bag... Pretty quickly this turned into an expensive venture, but you were confident you could recoup the cost.
Then you booked your first shoot and you realized you needed even more equipment
Back to B&H or Amazon for a softbox, a Profoto set, a color balance card, a tethering cable, and a few more things for good measure.
Now you've spent over $5,000, your spouse is questioning the validity of your entire business...
And you only bid $450 for this shoot
Oh yeah, after you got on set, set up your equipment, texted your photog friend six times with questions and mini-freak outs, the client casually asked you to deliver 25 images, instead of the 15 you'd agreed on.
You said SURE! but you didn't convey it would be more money, and that's not spelled out in your agreement. Oops...
let me guess, you're...
- More than a little embarassed that your portfolio looks like a kaleidoscope of styles because you still haven’t figured out your signature style yet
- Spending hours and hours reaching out to brands but never hearing back, not even a simple “no, thank you”
- Sending leads your portfolio and they ghost you (and when you follow up, you get a vague response like, “we’ve gone another direction…”)
- Taking any client that will hire you but ending up with images that while proficient, don’t light you up inside and really aren’t portfolio-worthy
- You were up for a contract for a dream brand but they ended up going with someone who charges three times what you do and you have no clue why
how great would it be if
- You went from the occasional $500 day rate booking to 5-figure 3-day shoots?
- You only had to book 3 or 4 shoots a month and still provide for your family (plus that dang Disney vacation your kids keep asking for)
- Your work was instantly recognizable and your style and voice so clear brands were falling all over themselves to book you
- Your work was featured in a national magazine because baby, it's just that good
- You knew exactly how to steer a client conversation so they trusted you on how many images and sets they need, and never questioned your pricing
- You could pull together an estimate for a brand shoot in no time, even if you needed to hire a stylist, travel to the set with the equipment you’d need to adapt for the changing light throughout the day, book an assistant and a digital tech? Add licensing on there? No problem. Client wants to buy the copyright? Sure, I can price that.
The Portfolio to Profit Program is perfect for food photographers who are ready to craft a powerful portfolio that reflects their voice, their skill and their value
Stop second-guessing every pitch, every price estimate, every shoot setup, every portfolio image
and instead, benefit from having 15 years worth of experience in your back pocket
Portfolio to Profit
is a revolutionary course and group coaching program for food photographers that want to find their unique photography style, navigate the murky waters of pricing and licensing, and create a jaw-dropping portfolio that has brands begging to work with you.
You'll learn how to:
Craft a masterful portfolio that reflects your unique style so stunning that brands won't bother question your pricing
Tune into your why and let it lead you to find your unique voice and style, so you can stop worrying about “the competition” because no one can shoot the way you do
Master advanced techniques like artificial lighting, effortless composition, skillful editing, and how to adapt to challenging conditions on set
Never leave money on the table again after a stressful “pricing negotiation” by learning how to confidently craft an estimate for a photo shoot
factoring in licensing, location, staffing needs and all the other little details, even if numbers and spreadsheets give you a headache
→ WHAT’S INCLUDED
Portfolio to Profit curriculum centered around the VSV Framework
- Includes lessons, detailed behind the scenes trainings, and live jobshadows to take your lighting and composition to the next level
- Assignments and exercises to help you find your unique photographic voice, while adding high quality images to your portfolio
- Tackling pricing and estimates the logical way, even if you’re as “right-brained artist” as they come
Bi-weekly Q&A style group coaching calls with Jena
Ever take a course and find you’re left with more questions than answers? Yeah, we hate that too. In Portfolio to Profit, you’ll have every opportunity to get Jena’s feedback on any aspect of your food photography business, from proposals and estimates to selecting the lighting you’ll bring to a shoot and prepping for that tricky outdoor ice cream shoot you just booked. Get the specific and actionable next steps to keep your business moving forward.
→ WHAT ELSE?
Bi-weekly Expert Reviews and Critiques
Not sure if that photo needs a little more work, your lighting plan for that upcoming dreamy shoot is just right, or if you’re charging enough for that magazine shoot? Feedback is just a click away. You’ll have the opportunity to submit photos, videos, lighting and composition plans, and proposals for expert review, so you can sleep soundly knowing you didn’t just sell yourself short or send off a final image that wasn’t quite ready.
Private P2P Community
Never worry again about asking dumb questions or celebrating that latest booking alone. We’ll be there in the private Facebook group to give you feedback, support, a little nudge, and to celebrate with you (hello, GIF dance party!) when you’ve booked that amazing brand and handled that pricing negotiation like a boss.
First Access to Live Events
All active Portfolio to Profit clients will join me as VIPs at the upcoming Master the Art of Food Photography Summit, and all the juicy bonuses that come with it, as well as replay access to the Price Like a Pro workshop series. They’ll also have first access to tickets to in-person events like photography workshops at my farmhouse studio, exciting photography retreats and more.
a year of support, guidance, and education for the cost of
a few day's work
doing what you love
MEET THE VSV FRAMEWORK
The basis of the curriculum, trainings and really the backbone of your food photography business. If you're missing just one in your business, you'll find you're always coming up short on clients, struggling to find your style or to shake off imposter syndrome, or frustrated with low-paying clients.
VOICE
When you hone in on your why, your values and your story, you alight on your artistic voice and signature style.
Photographers spend years, even decades trying to find their unique style, but this framework will save you years of searching and help you identify it and champion it with your work, naturally attracting clients whose brand and values align with yours.
SKILL
Learn how to consistently widen your skill set, which advanced techniques are worth trying, and how to convey your skill to clients.
Elevate the quality and richness of your photography by expanding your skillset with advanced composition, lighting, styling and editing training. You’ll also learn how to adapt to challenging set locations and conditions and how to arrive prepared.
VALUE
Good business and good photography should go hand in hand, but for many, the business side of food photography is often considered the most challenging.
Learn how to deftly dealing with complex estimates, hiring and managing a team on set, and determining usage fees. This framework will provide you all the tools you need, along with feedback on your estimates, to ensure you never leave money on the table again.
Master these three and you won't have to spend 12 years to build a portfolio that attracts dream clients and closes 5-figure deals for you
without
spending years struggling to find your unique photography style and artistic voice, putting your business on the backburner, staying stuck in a photography rut without pushing yourself to learn new techniques, or taking any gig at any rate "just for the experience"
Portfolio to Profit includes a full year of training, templates, tools, support and feedback
Everything you need to scale your food photography side hustle to a full time, FULL INCOME business
curriculum
The Portfolio to Profit Program is not just group coaching and feedback. We'll dive deep into twelve modules, as follows:
modules 1-3
VOICE: finding your artistic voice, identifying your why, exploring your emotional brand.
SKILL: Composition and styling, shoot setup toolkit and checklist, art direction, mood boards.
VALUE: Pricing lessons and goal setting, discovery call sheets, creating pricing estimates
modules 4-6
VOICE: Building your brand: your artistic and business perspective.
SKILL: Flash and light modifiers, natural vs artificial light, hard light, drink, bottle and splash photography
VALUE: Expanding your team and networking: how to do model, stylist, and assistant outreach with swipe copy
BONUS: 1:1 milestone call with Jena
modules 7-9
VOICE: Intentional brand building for your website and online presence, LinkedIn marketing training. About Me and Elevator Pitch
SKILL: Outdoor shoots, lifestyle photography shoots, job shadow
VALUE: Treatments, brand outreach, portfolio storytelling, estimates that convert, pitching and negotiation strategies
BONUS: 1:1 milestone call with Jena
modules 10-12
VOICE: Goal setting, mindset, and creating your project matrix
SKILL: advanced packaging photography for bags, cans, jars and more, lighting for high glare situations, post production and editing, self-portraits
VALUE: Upsells for estimates, how to hire and position your team for a shoot, shoot prep workflow checklist
bonuses
because who doesn't like a little something extra?
BONUS: TWO 1:1 CALLS WITH JENA
Need expert advice or a little one-on-one guidance? Say no more
You deserve to make a good living from your photography and Jena is committed to helping you design a portfolio you’re proud of and craft a business you love. While enrolled in the program, you’ll have two opportunities for a call with Jena to review your portfolio, identify or refine your emotional brand and elevator pitch, help you work through the assignments, navigate a tricky estimate, or hire the right team for a shoot.
BONUS: LIFESTYLE PHOTOSHOOT JOB-SHADOW
Step outside the studio to capture moments and tell a story with food
So many of life’s moments happen around food and brands love a good story - think of the last time you carved a turkey or sliced into a cake. Go on-site with Jena for a multi-generation lifestyle shoot in a blueberry patch. Learn how she handles shifting light and shadows, shooting indoors and outdoors, packing for a location shoot, posing group, pair and individual people for photos, and close-ups of the produce in the field and well as landscapes to tell the whole story.
BONUS: THE FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER’S TOOLKIT
Take a peek into Jena’s toolkit and learn how to prepare your own
Even very experienced food photographers can get thrown a curveball on set, from dusty or bright conditions, shifting light, wilting or poor product, to high heat and melting ice cream, having the right tools on hand is crucial to success. Learn the tools Jena uses to handle every obstacle on set, from lighting, lens and camera, prop styling, to workflow and tech tools.
BONUS: SUMMIT VIP PASS
Join Jena as a VIP at the upcoming Master the Art of Food Photography Summit
As a summit VIP, you'll have access to all the replays, incredible speaker bonuses, and live events such as the networking call where you can meet some of the summit speakers face-to-face and network with other food photographers and stylists.
BONUS: PRICE LIKE A PRO WORKSHOP SERIES
Tackle pricing with confidence with the trainings and workbook from this workshop
Pricing is just plain complicated for food photographers, but this workshop series is jam-packed with the actionable workshops, mindset breakthroughs, detailed training, and fillable workbooks you need to Price Like a Pro, plus an expert "tell-all" Q & A session where six-figure food photographers spill their secrets on pricing, usage fees, their highest earning shoot, and their negotiation strategies.
The Portfolio to Profit Program WAS MADe for food photographers who need to create a professional, cohesive portfolio that will bring them thousands of dollars for years to come
the investment
PAY IN FULL
save an additional $800 and get a bonus one-on-one call with Jena
Group coaching with Jena twice a month
Monthly Portfolio Photoshoot Assignments and Accountability
Personalized feedback on your work and materials twice a month
Templates, Scripts and Calculators
Private community for networking, encouragement and peer support
First access to live events, including a free VIP Pass to the next Food Photography Summit
BONUS: Two 30-min one-on-one calls
BONUS: Lifestyle photoshoot job-shadow
BONUS: Photographer’s Toolkit
+ BONUS: 30 Minute 1:1 Call with Jena
PAYMENT PLAN
quarterly and monthly options available
Group coaching with Jena twice a month
Monthly Portfolio Photoshoot Assignments and Accountability
Personalized feedback on your work and materials twice a month
Templates, Scripts and Calculators
Private community for networking, encouragement and peer support
First access to live events, including a free VIP Pass to the next Food Photography Summit
BONUS: Two 30-min one-on-one calls
BONUS: Lifestyle photoshoot job-shadow
BONUS: Photographer’s Toolkit
hold up, I have questions...
How do I know this program will be right for me?
This is a good fit for photographers who are tired of taking any client who will have them, ready to treat their business like a business and not a hobby, and want expert guidance so they don’t waste time or money on costly mistakes.
What kinds of work can I submit for critique?
You name it! Submit a photo you’re working on for a client, a photo for one of your assignments within the modules, an estimate you’ve written, your internal pricing sheet, call sheet, new portfolio website… need we go on? Anything from your food photography business as relates to this program that you need support or feedback on, we’ve got you..
Are there any camera or schooling requirements?
You don’t have to have gone to art school! We ask that you have a DSLR and have some experience shooting with it. You don’t need to be an expert, but we do expect you to know the basics of how to work your camera as we won’t be diving deep into camera features.
How quickly will this program pay for itself?
By booking only a few days of commercial photography work, you’ll have more than earned back your program investment, and everything after that is just pure profit, with the bonus of expert support for the entire year and high-end photography skills to last a lifetime.
hi, i'm jena
I had fought hard for a promotion from assistant to lead photographer for 5 years, but by the end of my first day, I was bawling and pretty sure I was totally blowing it.
I was given a shot list of 28 items including glassware, silverware, serveware and basically ALL the shiny, reflective, super-hard-to-shoot things you can imagine, and I was in way over my head.
I stopped another photographer who was on site as he was heading out for the day to get some help and feedback on my setups and *maybe* just a little sympathy.
He said, "wow, they really threw you in the deep end for your first day, didn't they? Sink or swim..." and left.
I had watched LOTS of photographers shoot glassware and silverware before and knew how tricky it could be, but this time it was solely up to me and I was panicking.
- Can I even do this?
- Did I bite off more than I can chew?
- Am I not as good as I thought I was?!
After everyone had left, I buckled down and GOT DOWN TO BUSINESS.
The next morning, the art director stopped by and casually said, "nice job, those are hard to shoot," and I was hired back the next week... and again and again for the next 7 years.
The only problem was, the longer I spent shooting content I wasn't passionate about, the longer it took me to find my signature style and create a portfolio that reflected my artistic voice.
but you don't have to.
There is a better way to fast-track your growth as a food photographer so you can earn a living from your passion without having to arm-wrestle every client into paying you a decent rate
...without compromising your artistic vision and unique photography style
...while building your portfolio with images you love
...and only needing to work 4-6 days a month
Let’s be honest: creating a thriving, profitable food photography business takes courage and heart
There are technical considerations like camera equipment, lighting, and editing, artistic considerations like finding your unique style and showcasing it with a strong portfolio to attract brands, and the need for business savvy that ultimately will decide if your food photography is an expensive hobby or a lucrative business.
There are a lot of missteps and challenges to finding the perfect balance of voice, skill and value, and lots of dark and twisting roads that can take you in the wrong direction creatively or financially.
Would you rather spend the next ten years nursing this hobby, unsure if your photos are attracting or repelling brands, second-guessing your styling and composition, and undercharging your sporadic clients…
Or know for a fact that you’ve:
- built a strong foundation for your food photography business
- created a glowing asset that does ALL the selling for you, a powerful, unique, high quality portfolio that makes brands DYING for the chance to work with you, instead of the other way around
- honed your style and created work that conveys your voice and value so clearly that clients will not question your pricing
YOUR SUCCESS DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON YOUR OWN EFFORT, MOTIVATION, COMMITMENT AND FOLLOW-THROUGH. WE CANNOT PREDICT AND WE DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL ATTAIN A PARTICULAR RESULT, AND YOU ACCEPT AND UNDERSTAND THAT RESULTS DIFFER FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL. EACH INDIVIDUAL’S RESULTS DEPEND ON HIS OR HER UNIQUE BACKGROUND, DEDICATION, DESIRE, MOTIVATION, ACTIONS, AND NUMEROUS OTHER FACTORS. YOU FULLY AGREE THAT THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES AS TO THE SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR RESULTS YOU CAN EXPECT FROM USING THE INFORMATION YOU RECEIVE ON OR THROUGH THIS WEBSITE OR PRODUCT. When you purchase our product, you understand that there is no guarantee that you will achieve any particular result or outcome using any of the ideas, tools, strategies or recommendations presented. We make no promises or warranties concerning your likelihood of success, performance, future earnings, business profits, marketing performance, customer growth or results of any kind. You understand that with any business endeavor there is an inherent risk, including a loss of capital and loss of customers and therefore you assume all responsibility for any such risk.
EARNINGS DISCLAIMER.
ANY EARNINGS OR INCOME STATEMENTS OR EXAMPLES SHOWN THROUGH OUR WEBSITE ARE ONLY ESTIMATES OF WHAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE NOW OR IN THE FUTURE. THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCE AS TO ANY PARTICULAR FINANCIAL OUTCOME BASED ON THE USE OF OUR WEBSITE. YOU AGREE THAT I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR EARNINGS, THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF YOUR PERSONAL OR BUSINESS DECISIONS, THE INCREASE OR DECREASE OF YOUR FINANCES OR INCOME LEVEL, OR ANY OTHER RESULT OF ANY KIND THAT YOU MAY HAVE AS A RESULT OF INFORMATION PRESENTED TO YOU THROUGH OUR WEBSITE. YOU ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR RESULTS.
TESTIMONIALS.
I PRESENT TESTIMONIALS AND INSIGHTS ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE’S EXPERIENCES WITH MY WEBSITE FOR PURPOSES OF ILLUSTRATION ONLY. THE TESTIMONIALS, EXAMPLES, AND PHOTOS USED ARE OF ACTUAL CLIENTS. THEY ARE NOT INTENDED TO REPRESENT OR GUARANTEE THAT CURRENT OR FUTURE CLIENTS WILL ACHIEVE THE SAME OR SIMILAR RESULTS; RATHER, THESE TESTIMONIALS REPRESENT WHAT IS POSSIBLE FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY.
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