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Artwork for Photo Fuel

Photo Fuel | The Vision, Art, and Business of Family Photography

Leah O’Connell
Family Photography
Photography
School Photography
In-Home Photography
Marketing
Photo Fuel Retreat
In-Home Family Photography
Pricing
Photography Education
Photo Fuel
Outdoor School Photography
Lifestyle Photography
Honeybook
Mentoring
Client Communication
Pricing and Boundaries
Documentary Photography
Lydia Fine
Story Filters
Brand Photography

This is a podcast for family photographers about the swirl of vision, art, and business. Through stories, interviews, and nearly 20 years of experience in the family photography industry, host Leah O’Connell will help pack your creative toolbox and build confidence to fuel your sessions, your business, and your life. We’ll tackle family photography education with topics around the logistics and th... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes86Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EntrepreneurshipArtsBusiness

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Artwork for Photo Fuel

Latest Episodes

What do you do when your calendar is full, your clients are happy, but you're starting to resent the business you worked so hard to build?

Today, we're talking with Sadie Peterson who was part of the spring 2026 Photo Fuel Retreat and Mastermind coh... more

"Oh by the way can you make me look 30 lbs thinner?" "I forgot to mention this but can you turn around our images in 24 hrs, or even if it's just like a couple good ones?"

🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠

If you're used to handling a post-session requests like these, t... more

You're a family photographer, and like it that way... so where does school photography actually fit into your business — and is it worth the time?

This is part 2 of my school photography series, and today we're getting into the numbers. I'm sharing ... more

Over time, we've decided as an industry that the way to make a school photos is to line a hundred kids up against a vinyl backdrop and give them 10 seconds to say cheese. We can do better!!

This episode is all about how I became so passionate about ... more

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Recent Guests

Sadie Peterson
Family photographer with a lifestyle and documentary approach focused on family connection
Sadie Peterson Photography
Episode: Behind the Scenes of The Photo Fuel Retreat & Mastermind with Sadie Peterson
Erin Wissig
Chief Sanity Officer and system strategist for photographers
Erin Wissig (independent consultant)
Episode: Ditching Duct Tape Systems in Favor of Connection and Peace with Erin Wissig
Jamie Bugbee
Portland-based photographer, photography educator, and SEO/website specialist
Jamie Bugbee Photography
Episode: Putting in the website work to get found online with Jamie Bugbee
Rebecca Lueck
Becca Jean Photography founder, family photographer
Becca Jean Photography
Episode: Falling for Lifestyle, Session Prep, and Playing the SEO Long Game with Becca Lueck
Lydia Fine
Photographer and educator; mentor to other photographers
Apollo and Ivy Photography / Education side
Episode: Thoughtful growth & the power of mentoring with Lydia Fine
Rebecca Hunnicutt
Lifestyle photographer; educator; organizer of kids photography camps
Honeycutt Photography / Rebecca Hunnicutt Education
Episode: Kids Photography Camps, School Photos, and Creative Offers to Support Your Business with Rebecca Hunnicutt
Dave Herring
Photographer, founder of VeryGood Co
VeryGood Co
Episode: One Step at a Time: Curiosity, Generosity, and the Creative Life with Dave Herring of VeryGood Co.
Nicole Hodgson
Former marriage and family therapist turned lifestyle branding photographer
Independent photographer based in Northern California
Episode: From Families to Brands | How Nicole Hodgson Reinvented Her Photography Business
Brooke Schultz
Founder of Heartful Magazine and The Love Soaked Method; multi-disciplinary photographer and educator
BrookebSchultz.com; Emotive Bootcamp
Episode: Messy Action, The Artful Pivot, and Creating from the Inside Out with Brooke Schultz

Host

Leah O'Connell
Host of Photo Fuel series; founder/leader in photo education and community building for family photographers; long-running presence overseeing multiple shows and educational offerings.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 36 ratings
  • Beyond amazing!

    Leah’s podcast is amazing. The way she deconstructs ideas and shares them feels both incredibly simple and genuinely profound. She’s so relatable, and her perspectives on photography, creativity, and life always give me something new to think about. Every episode leaves me with a fresh perspective and a little more inspiration.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LoveInShutter Photography
    United Statesa month ago
  • Life-Changing

    This podcast has been exactly what I needed. It’s helped me push through mindset blocks I didn’t even realize were holding me back, while also teaching me so much along the way. Every episode gives me something new to think about, and I walk away feeling both challenged and motivated. I can’t recommend it more—if you’re looking for a podcast that will make you reflect, grow, and learn, this is it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Olivewins
    United States2 years ago
  • Sooooo good!

    I love Leah’s podcast! She’s so transparent. I especially appreciate the pricing podcast episode where she walks us through her thought process through her years of photography experience.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Allie1715
    United States2 years ago
  • Great, thoughtful podcast!

    I came across Leah’s podcast after hearing her on another podcast I listen to. I immediately liked her vibe, and enjoyed how real and down to earth she is. She has years of real life experience, and as a mom myself trying to balance family life and growing my own photography business, I appreciate her advice and practical/actionable insights. I always end her podcast feeling uplifted and encouraged!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JennaHerscha
    United States2 years ago
  • Just what I needed!

    Photo Fuel is just what I needed to really dive in to the world of photography as a business! Leah’s voice has offered me comfort, wisdom, and encouragement to keep going. I get excited when I see a new episode has been released because I know it will always be packed full with great advice!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Miranda.aubrey
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Feedback highlights the balance of marketing, pricing, and client experience.
Audience notes a strong focus on community, retreats, and mentoring as growth levers.
Listeners appreciate down-to-earth storytelling and real-world strategies.
This host/guest mix is praised for practical, actionable photography business advice.
Fans value the cadence of new episodes with tangible takeaways for both craft and business.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Behind the Scenes of The Photo Fuel Retreat & Mastermind with Sadie Peterson
Q: So when you went home after this, like where or when do you feel like things really started to kind of shift for you as you took some of this stuff into your business?
The changes happened gradually. She began offering more in-home sessions, carried the approach into outdoor work, experimented with new angles and foreground, and became more comfortable letting sessions feel imperfect and personal.
Behind the Scenes of The Photo Fuel Retreat & Mastermind with Sadie Peterson
Q: Take me back to before you joined, what did your business look like? How did it feel? Maybe what was even frustrating you about it that led you to look for something else to begin with?
Her business was busy and established, but sessions felt repetitive and creatively draining. In a saturated market, she wanted her photographs to feel more distinctive and meaningful than simply delivering consistent portraits.
Putting in the website work to get found online with Jamie Bugbee
Q: What does it mean to have strong SEO, and what are the main pillars?
Strong SEO means building a solid on-page foundation (clear page purpose, keywords, and structure) plus off-page signals (backlinks and mentions), with a focus on user experience and local signals to help Google understand and rank your site for relevant searches.
Strategic, Seasonal Booking and Creative Evolution in Family Photography with Lyndsay McNiff
Q: What practical steps does she take to prevent burnout and maintain creativity?
She stresses recharging through outdoor activities, reading, maintaining family time, and deliberately taking time off after busy periods to reset, which keeps energy and creativity available for future shoots.
Strategic, Seasonal Booking and Creative Evolution in Family Photography with Lyndsay McNiff
Q: What role does off-camera flash play in her workflow and client results?
Off-camera flash gives her the flexibility to shoot in challenging home environments, enables full-room lighting, and lets families stay engaged without being constrained by natural light, which also broadens the locations she can use.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Photo Fuel

What is Photo Fuel about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A practical show for family photographers that blends craft, business strategy, and personal growth. Episodes frequently cover pricing, client rapport, session flow, and marketing aligned with creative vision, often weaving in retreats, education, and community-building as core growth levers. Noteworthy is a steady emphasis on authentic, filmmaker-like storytelling, hands-on workflows, and in-person learning experiences that extend beyond listening to doing. Listeners likely value sustainable, relationship-driven approaches to photography business and creative development, with a clear tilt toward education, mentorship, and community.

Where can I find podcast stats for Photo Fuel?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Photo Fuel. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Photo Fuel and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Photo Fuel get?

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What are the audience demographics for Photo Fuel?

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How many subscribers and views does Photo Fuel have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Photo Fuel has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

How many episodes of Photo Fuel are there?

Photo Fuel launched 3 years ago and published 86 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Photo Fuel?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Photo Fuel?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Photo Fuel from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Photo Fuel. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Photo Fuel?

Recent guests on Photo Fuel include:

1. Sadie Peterson
2. Erin Wissig
3. Jamie Bugbee
4. Rebecca Lueck
5. Lydia Fine
6. Rebecca Hunnicutt
7. Dave Herring
8. Nicole Hodgson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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