Color, Composition, and Income Diversification | My Interview on the Freedom Focus Podcast

I recently had the pleasure of joining Nicole Begley on the Freedom Focus Podcast (formerly the Hair of the Dog Podcast), and we dove into one of my favorite topics—building a photography business that’s both sustainable and creatively fulfilling.

As a family and school photographer here in Portland, I’ve learned firsthand how important it is to balance artistry with strategy. It’s not just about creating beautiful images—it’s also about designing a business that supports your life, your creativity, and your long-term goals.

In this episode, “Color, Composition, and Income Diversification with Rebecca Hunnicutt”, we talked about everything from the role of color and composition in developing your signature style to practical ways to diversify your income as a photographer.

Here’s some things I shared in my episode:

• Diversifying income streams through family sessions, school photography, and teaching to create a steady, reliable business.

• Discovering your style by practicing consistently and reflecting on the kind of work that lights you up.

• Leveraging seasonal work so that income flows year-round (think: school portraits in the fall and creative camps in the summer).

• Starting small and scaling—like turning driveway pop-ups into larger offerings that fuel long-term growth.

• Creativity beyond the camera, and how business design can be just as innovative as your photography.

• Overcoming creative blocks with experimentation in color, composition, and new approaches.

• Balancing work and family, and structuring your photography career to support your lifestyle.

This conversation was such a rich mix of business strategy, creative exploration, and the very real-life side of making photography work alongside family. If you’ve been curious about new ways to structure your business, find inspiration in your art, or simply hear the behind-the-scenes of how I got started, this episode is full of encouragement and actionable ideas.

You can listen to the full episode on the Freedom Focus Podcast with Nicole Begley here.

I’m so grateful to Nicole for having me on the show and giving me the chance to share my journey. If you enjoyed this conversation, I’d love for you to join my email list where I share more resources, behind-the-scenes insights, and encouragement for photographers building sustainable businesses. When you join, you’ll also get a copy of my photography blog organizer—a tool that helps keep your content consistent and intentional. You can sign up for that here.