Photography Marketing Coach
Your work is beautiful. Let’s make sure people find it.
I’ve been photographing Indianapolis-area families for 25 years. The same clients come back year after year — their babies become the seniors I photograph almost two decades later. That didn’t happen by accident. I learned how to market a photography business that people trust. Now I teach that to other photographers, one-on-one.
Let’s Talk About Your Business
Some of my clients have been with me since the very beginning.
These are real families I’ve photographed for decades. The babies in those early portraits are now teenagers and young adults — and many are still coming back to my studio. This is what 25 years of building trust looks like.
Hey friend. I’m Leah.
I’m a Southern Indiana girl who dreamed of one day opening my own portrait studio. Back in 2002, I took the leap, quit my full-time job as a television news producer, and opened my studio. A year later, my husband quit his job to help me run it full-time.
For the first several years, business was great — and I was constantly experimenting with every marketing strategy I could find. Referral programs that turned happy clients into my biggest advocates. Display marketing that put my portraits in doctors’ offices, pediatric waiting rooms, and dental offices all over Indianapolis. Silent auction donations that introduced my work to hundreds of new people. Social media before most photographers even knew what it was.
Then in 2008, our phone nearly stopped ringing. New clients weren’t finding us on Google anymore. So I taught myself SEO — and got us back to page one. That experience made me realize just how powerful a complete marketing strategy could be — not one thing, but all of it working together.
Twenty-five years in, my studio is still running strong. And now I teach other photographers everything I’ve learned — every online and offline strategy that has kept my studio fully booked across two decades and a recession.
Let’s make it happen for you.
Let’s Talk About Your BusinessYou pick what you want to learn.
Every coaching session is tailored to your business and your goals. These are the topics on the table — we focus on whatever is most important to you right now.
Social Media Marketing
What to post, how often, and how to create content that actually leads to bookings instead of just likes.
SEO
How to get your website to the top of Google so clients who are already searching for a photographer like you can find you.
Google Business Profile
How to set up and optimize your Google Business Profile so you show up in local searches and on Google Maps.
Referral Marketing
How to turn happy clients into your best marketing tool — getting them to send their friends and family straight to you.
Display Marketing
One of my most effective strategies — getting local businesses to display your portrait work in their offices, waiting rooms, and lobbies. When the right people see beautiful portraits every day, they think of you when it’s time to book.
Other Ways I Market
From silent auctions to community partnerships, 25 years in business means I’ve tested a lot of strategies. I’ll share the offline and online approaches that have worked best for my studio and show you how to apply them to yours.
Choose the format that works for you
Both options are fully personalized — no scripts, no generic advice. Just a real conversation about your real business.
Online Coaching
We meet over Zoom — you can be anywhere. I review your business beforehand so we hit the ground running from minute one.
- 1-on-1 Zoom session
- Pre-session questionnaire so I know your situation
- Review of your website, social media, and current marketing
- Specific action items you can implement right away
- Written follow-up notes after our session
In-Person Coaching
Meet me at my studio in Carmel, Indiana for a deeper, more immersive experience. We can cover much more ground together in person.
- In-person at my Carmel, Indiana studio
- Multiple time options available
- Hands-on review of your portfolio and marketing materials
- Live website and social media audit together
- Detailed written action plan to take home
What’s this going to cost?
We meet via Zoom once a week to completely optimize your website and Google Business Profile, build a successful social media plan, and deep dive on every way — online and offline — to market your business.
At my Carmel studio or via Zoom — the most comprehensive experience
Online or in-person — deep dive into your marketing strategy
Online via Zoom — focused, fast, and actionable
Simple from start to finish
Reach Out
Send me a message — tell me where you are in your business and what you most want to work on.
I Review Your Business
Before we meet, I look at your website, social media, and anything else you share so our time is completely focused on you.
We Coach Together
Online or in person — we dig into your specific situation with honest, practical, experience-backed guidance.
You Take Action
You leave with a clear written plan — specific things to do that will actually move your business forward.
Real results. Real photographers.
These are photographers at every stage — some just starting out, some established and looking to grow. What they all have in common is that they left with a plan that actually worked.
“Working with Leah has been nothing short of phenomenal. She is incredibly knowledgeable and truly invested in your success — but let me be clear: she does not let you coast. Leah will lovingly kick your butt into SEO shape and hold you accountable in the best way possible. She doesn’t just tell you what to do — she teaches you how to do it correctly, with intention and confidence. If you are serious about improving your website and actually understanding SEO instead of guessing your way through it — reach out to Leah. She’s absolutely outstanding.”
Kimberly Austin Kimberly Austin Photography“Leah did a fabulous job explaining the nuts and bolts of SEO and Google Business, instructing how to take action to climb in rankings, and giving us time to work with her supervision. I went from dreading any kind of work on SEO and Google Business to excited about doing the work with a clear understanding of what I’m doing.”
Misti White Misti White Photography“Literally Leah is a game changer for my business. She knows everything about SEO, Google optimizing, social media marketing, and so much more. I took a year and a half off and came back to crickets — now my business has completely changed. Emails galore, my SEO ranking continues to grow, social media keeps getting messages. I highly recommend her!”
Caitlin Serrano C. Marie Photography“Leah Severson is an extraordinary marketing coach and a complete game-changer for my website’s SEO. After moving from Florida to Tennessee and losing all visibility, she helped me climb to the top of my area within a week of hard work. I highly recommend her services — one-on-one mentoring or small group coaching is absolutely worth it!”
Angie Vincent Heart to Art Photography“I started working with Leah six weeks ago and it’s one of the best investments I could have made for my photography business. She has taught me the proper way to set up my Google Business Profile and how to continue optimizing. My website has made incredible progress already. Leah always takes the time to explain everything in detail and gives you the tools to keep improving on your own.”
Tracy Perry Tracy Perry Photography“Leah had such a wealth of knowledge that I was sad when her time was up! She speaks in terms that are easy to understand and gives you ideas you’ve never even thought of. If you ever have the opportunity to attend a workshop where she is speaking, or to have a one-on-one with her — take it. You won’t regret it.”
Tammy Dageaux Dageaux PhotographyBefore you reach out, a few answers
Let’s talk about your business.
Send me a note — tell me where you are, what’s frustrating you, and what you want your photography business to look like. I’ll get back to you personally. No sales pitch, no pressure.