Four Years of Rise Academy

Happy anniversary, Rise Photo Academy!

I can’t believe it’s been four years since I launched this educational platform.

I’ve had the honor of watching so many of you turn your hobby into a thriving business, find confidence in your work, and scale your business to the next level.

When I first started my business, I felt comfortable behind a camera but it took years of trial and error to figure out the business side. I was tired of buying courses that only scratched the surface, or covered just a topic or two, without practical tools or support. I knew there was a better, more well-rounded way to support entrepreneurs. 

Over the last four years, we’ve watched the photography industry massively shift and we’ve had the opportunity to pivot together. Here are a few examples: 

Luxury Weddings & Elopements

COVID has significantly transformed the wedding industry. Couples are increasingly prioritizing luxury experiences and adventurous elopements over traditional weddings. This shift towards unique experiences offers photographers the opportunity to capture a wider variety of occasions. In these scenarios, photography often becomes a top priority for clients, leading to higher investments. As a result, photographers can take on fewer clients, dedicating more time and attention to each one. This allows for a more personalized and intentional experience while enabling photographers to focus on a more specialized niche.

Documentary-Style Photography

Traditional shot lists are becoming a thing of the past, as clients are now less focused on orchestrating posed shots. Instead, they seek natural images that capture the essence of their everyday life together. This shift reduces the pressure and rigidity of shooting, giving photographers more creative freedom. The result is more authentic, storytelling-style images that resonate with the clients' true selves. This creative freedom not only enriches the photographer's portfolio but also provides clients with photos that genuinely reflect their relationship.

Showing Up Online 

There was a time when posting a single photo from a recent shoot with a long caption would generate engagement and inquiries. However, social media trends and algorithms have evolved significantly. While there's less pressure to maintain a perfectly curated feed, there's now an emphasis on showing up more frequently to achieve results. This means posting more often, diversifying your content with reels, stories, posts, etc., and sharing more of your authentic self, including behind-the-scenes moments and everyday life. The good news is that audiences are increasingly drawn to raw, unfiltered content. They appreciate seeing the unscripted version of you, which helps foster genuine connections. Building trust with your audience is now about being real and relatable.

If you're seeking support in navigating the ever-evolving photography industry—from shooting and posing to enhancing client experiences, mastering social media, and building an unforgettable brand—Rise Academy is here for you.

Here's what Rise member, Kylie, has to say about her experience in Rise:

"Seriously, WOW. You have provided an unbelievable amount of information for photographers, on such an easy-to-use and organized platform. All of the lessons within the course are amazing, useful, and so overly informative for ANY photographer-- new or experienced! You could watch the course over and over again and probably learn something new every time, there's just that much information to take in. The editing videos are so helpful and really walk you through what Lightroom can do and what each tool is capable of, which especially as a beginner photographer is incredibly helpful and oftentimes looked over-- but even as an experienced photographer, it's never too late to learn it all!"

Click here to join Rise today for 20% off your first payment until midnight tonight!