FAQs

The Strategy Session is designed for photographers or creatives trying to work through a specific challenge, opportunity, or decision. It’s a focused 90-minute working session built around immediate clarity and practical next steps.

The Portfolio & Positioning Intensive is a deeper strategic review focused on how your work, website, positioning, and overall presentation are actually being perceived. This process is designed to help you better understand what may be helping—or holding back—your ability to attract the clients and opportunities you want.

Coaching is ongoing support designed to help you implement changes, build momentum, strengthen your business, and create long-term growth over time.

This coaching is primarily geared toward photographers pursuing commercial, advertising, editorial, or freelance careers, but much of it also applies to videographers, DPs, directors, and other creatives working in similar spaces.

Some people are trying to land their first real clients. Others are established creatives looking to improve their positioning, strengthen their portfolio, break into new markets, or better understand the business side of the industry.

I also work with photographers and creatives interested in assisting and learning how the commercial world actually operates behind the scenes—from estimates and treatments to productions, creative calls, and client relationships.

Not at all. In fact, many photographers reach out because they feel unclear, stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of what direction makes the most sense moving forward.

You don’t need a perfect portfolio, polished positioning, or a fully formed plan before starting. Most of this work is about gaining clarity on what matters most next.

Absolutely. Portfolio development, positioning, and presentation are central to much of the work I do with photographers.

That said, I’m typically less interested in simply telling you which images to remove and more interested in helping you understand how your work is being perceived, what your portfolio is communicating, where disconnects may exist, and how to better align your work with the clients and opportunities you want to attract.

Absolutely. In fact, many Strategy Sessions happen because a photographer is navigating a real-time opportunity and needs experienced outside perspective quickly.

That might include responding to a client inquiry, preparing an estimate, handling pricing questions, getting ready for a creative call, reviewing treatment direction, navigating portfolio requests, or simply trying to avoid making costly mistakes early in the process.

The earlier you reach out, the more helpful these sessions tend to be. Often photographers wait until they’ve already responded, underbid, overexplained, or created unnecessary confusion. Sometimes a quick strategic conversation early on can completely change the trajectory of an opportunity.

My perspective comes from actively working in the commercial industry—not just talking about it from the sidelines.

For more than two decades, I’ve built a career shooting commercial and advertising campaigns for global brands, tourism organizations, agencies, and active lifestyle companies. I still navigate the same challenges photographers face today: marketing, pricing, positioning, production, client relationships, creative calls, estimates, slow seasons, rejection, and adapting to an evolving industry.

My coaching is built around real-world experience, honest feedback, strategic thinking, and helping photographers better understand how the industry actually works—not generic motivation or one-size-fits-all advice.

Most sessions are scheduled Monday–Friday between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM CST, though I occasionally offer flexibility depending on schedules, travel, and project demands.

I get it. Things come up, and when paid gigs call, you answer. It’s all about mutual respect. Given the time I put into planning and blocking my own schedule, I ask you give me 48 hours notice if you need to reschedule our call. No-shows or last minute cancellations will result in forfeiting the session. 

A lot of consultants talk about the industry from the outside. I’m still actively working in it every day.

I’m shooting, pitching, marketing, adapting, getting told no, adjusting strategy, and navigating the same industry shifts you are. That matters, because the business is constantly evolving.

My coaching isn’t based on theory or recycled advice. It’s based on real-world experience building and sustaining a commercial photography business over the long haul.

Feel free to reach out at coaching@miketittel.com and I’ll point you in the right direction.