6 Photography Business Myths That Keep You Broke

Sarah Petty September 8, 2025
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About

FREE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS TRAINING 👇🏼 Hey, I’m Sarah Petty! I help portrait photographers work fewer hours, get paid more, and build a business they love. If you’ve got clients but not the income you want, I’ve got you. I’m a mom of three young adults. I love orange, the show Friends, traveling with my hubby and kids, business nerd-outs, and shopping locally. I founded the Photography Business Institute (formerly Joy of Marketing) 20 years ago to help photographers make full-time income with part-time hours (while still putting family first). Since 2019, our students have sold over $33 million in portraits! Before that, I worked at Coca-Cola, earned my MBA, and have run a profitable photography studio for 27 years. Professional Photographers of America even named me one of America’s Most Profitable Photographers. Oh—and I co-wrote the NYT best-seller Worth Every Penny. You can learn more about my courses and coaching at photographybusinessinstitute.com

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Want to grow your photography business in 5 minutes a week? Sign up for my FREE weekly newsletter: https://pbinewsletter.com I spent $3,000 to study with an award-winning photographer who had a second job because he couldn't make money from his photography. This wake-up call taught me that talent doesn't equal profit—and revealed the brutal myths that keep most photographers broke. If you think being a better photographer is the answer to your money problems, this reality check will change everything. To contact us about our coaching programs, email us at [email protected] 0:00 The $3,000 Wake-Up Call 1:06 The Talent Trap 2:58 Working Harder Isn’t More Valuable 4:40 The Exposure Illusion 7:11 Build a System, Not Just a Portfolio 8:41 Full-Service, Not Freebies 10:29 Charging Without Apology 11:39 The Hard Truth & Your Next Move