In this episode of Hot Takes by H&H Color Lab, host Sal Cincotta is joined by industry leaders Jeff Edwards, David Borom, and Shawn Cantrell to discuss what it really takes to grow a successful school photography business. From building a consistent sales process and setting measurable growth goals to creating scalable systems, hiring the right team, and making smart investments, the panel shares practical strategies that help studios move beyond staying busy and start building a business designed for long-term growth.
Meet Your Host: Sal Cincotta
Sal Cincotta is an award-winning photographer, educator, and entrepreneur with a passion for helping photographers grow thriving businesses. As the host of Hot Takes by H&H, Sal brings his no-nonsense approach to the biggest challenges in the photo industry—cutting through the fluff to deliver actionable advice from real pros in the field. With decades of experience running his own successful studio and speaking at conferences around the world, Sal knows what it takes to stand out in a competitive market
Meet the Guests
David Borom
President of Empire Photography based in Madison, WI
Jeff Edwards
Owner of Jeff Edwards Studio in Milwaukee, WI
Growing a School Photography Business Today: The Strategies
Growing a school photography business is about much more than taking great photos. As schools expect more, parents demand convenience, and competition continues to increase, successful studios are separating themselves by thinking like business owners instead of photographers.
If you want to build a sustainable school photography business, the strategies below can help you create consistent growth while avoiding some of the common mistakes that keep studios stuck.
Commit to Sales, Not Just Photography
One of the biggest breakthroughs for growing a school photography business happens when you stop spending all of your time behind the camera and start investing time in sales.
Many photographers fill their schedules with shoots, editing, and day-to-day operations, leaving little time to bring in new accounts. The studios that continue to grow make sales a non-negotiable part of their business.
That means consistently reaching out to schools, building relationships with decision makers, and following up on opportunities. Sales activity should be scheduled just like photo days. Even during the busiest season, it cannot be pushed aside.
Adding one new school account often has a greater impact on profitability than spending months trying to reduce expenses.
Set Growth Goals and Measure Progress
Saying you want to grow is not enough. Successful studios create measurable goals and track them throughout the year.
Instead of hoping for more schools, determine exactly how many new accounts you need to reach your revenue goals. Break those targets into monthly or quarterly objectives so you always know whether you’re on pace.
Growth becomes much easier when you know the numbers behind your business. Whether you’re planning to hire another photographer, purchase equipment, or expand into new markets, understanding the financial impact of each decision allows you to grow with confidence.
Stop Trying to Be Everything for Everyone
One of the most effective strategies for scaling a school photography business is creating systems that can be repeated.
Many photographers slow themselves down by offering endless custom requests for every school. While personalization has value, too much customization makes it difficult to grow efficiently.
Successful businesses develop standardized workflows that still provide a great customer experience without reinventing every project.
Systems save time, improve consistency, and allow your team to handle more schools without sacrificing quality.
Think Like a Business Owner
As your business grows, your role has to change.
Many photographers naturally want to control every detail because they care deeply about quality. While that mindset helps produce excellent images, it can become a barrier to growth.
Learning to delegate is one of the most important strategies for scaling. Trusting your team, documenting processes, and allowing others to handle daily operations frees you to focus on sales, leadership, and long-term planning.
The businesses experiencing the most growth are typically run by owners who spend more time working on the business than working in it.
Invest Before You Feel Ready
Growth often requires making investments before you immediately see the return.
That could mean hiring a salesperson, adding photographers to your team, purchasing equipment, or expanding your operational capacity.
While those decisions can feel risky, successful business owners calculate what those investments need to produce. For example, understanding how many new schools or portrait packages are required to cover the cost of a new employee makes hiring a measurable business decision instead of a guess.
The key is planning your growth rather than reacting to it.
Build a Marketing Strategy That Reaches Parents
Strong participation rates remain essential for profitability, especially as family budgets become tighter.
Rather than relying on a single communication method, many successful school photography businesses use multiple marketing channels to increase awareness before picture day.
This can include:
- Online ordering reminders
- Paper order forms
- Email campaigns
- Social media posts
- School communications
Reaching parents multiple times increases participation and ensures fewer families miss ordering opportunities.
Offering products at a variety of price points also helps make school photography accessible for more families while increasing overall participation.
Growing a School Photography Business Starts With Better Business Decisions
The most successful school photography businesses are not necessarily run by the best photographers. They are run by owners who embrace sales, create systems, understand their numbers, and make intentional decisions about growth.
If you want to continue growing a school photography business, focus on consistent sales activity, measurable goals, repeatable systems, and strategic investments. When you shift from simply operating a photography business to leading one, sustainable growth becomes much more achievable.
