Shifting Focus with John Bunn

What do you do when bookings feel a little slower and you start questioning your pricing?
In the first episode of Walk It Out, I'm taking you with me on a walk while I work through something I've been wrestling with in my own business: whether there are times when it makes sense to lower my price to get the right booking.
I talk about where my 2027 bookings currently stand, a recent Lake Como inquiry that made me question my approach, and a $5K destination wedding I took years ago that ultimately led to a $30K booking.
This isn't a polished lesson or a step-by-step strategy. It's me thinking out loud about pricing, momentum, dream clients, imposter syndrome, and the reality that business doesn't always move up and to the right.
Walk It Out is a new Shifting Focus series of shorter, less-produced episodes recorded while I'm out walking. Real thoughts. Further clarity.
New episodes Thursdays.

Mentorships with John: https://john-bunn.com/shop 
What if the thing keeping you from charging more isn't your market, your work, or your clients?
What if it's your own mindset around money?
In this episode of Shifting Focus, I sit down with photographer and educator Erin Blackwell to talk about money blocks, pricing, premium clients, and what it actually takes to get unstuck from the middle market.
Erin has been a professional photographer for more than 16 years. She started her business with a Canon 20D she bought with her tax refund while living in her parents' basement with three young kids. Over the years, she built a six-figure photography business, raised her prices, drastically reduced the number of sessions she shoots, and became one of the highest-priced photographers in the branding space.
We talk about why creatives struggle so much with money, why you don't have to be able to afford your own prices, and why you have to stop deciding what your clients can afford before giving them the opportunity to decide for themselves.
Erin and I also dig into the reality of moving into the premium market, why getting more "no's" can actually be a good thing, how knowing your numbers changes the way you sell, and why higher-paying clients can often be easier to work with than clients in the middle market.
We also talk about positioning yourself as the expert. Premium clients aren't looking for someone who constantly asks them what to do. They want someone they can trust to walk into the room, take control, solve problems, and deliver an incredible experience.
If you know your work is good but you still feel uncomfortable charging more, this episode is for you.
CONNECT WITH ERIN BLACKWELL
Instagram: www.instagram.com/iamerinblackwell 
GRAB THE FREE "CALLING YOUR SHOTS" GUIDE HERE:
https://callingyourshots.com/ 
 
IN THIS EPISODE:
• Breaking through your money blocks
• Why you are not necessarily your ideal client
• How to know when it's time to raise your prices
• Why you need to stop deciding what clients can afford
• Getting comfortable hearing "no"
• The problem with being stuck in the middle market
• Creating value instead of simply raising prices
• Why premium clients can actually be easier to work with
• Positioning yourself as the expert
• Charging more while working less
• Building a business around time freedom
• Creating a sustainable business that can evolve with your life
 
👋 Join My Circle Community: https://shifting-focus-with-john-bunn.circle.so/ 
🎧 Listen to the podcast on your favorite platform: https://bit.ly/4owsWiM 
📱 Instagram:
John Bunn - http://bit.ly/2AYTiE2 
John Bunn Films: https://bit.ly/43S3866 
Get in Touch:
✅ Brand deals, promotions, podcast info, etc., email john@johnbunnfilms.com
Sponsors and Affiliates:
⭐️ Bride and Groom Video - John's Personal Editor for Video: https://bridengroom.video/johnbunn/  - $100 off the first project of $400, promo code JOHNBUNN100
⭐️ Get 1500 Free Edits with Imagen.ai: https://imagen-ai.com/?ref=johnbunn
⭐️ Vidflow - Deliver your films and photos with the best - Try it free here https://signups.vidflow.co/ref/johnbunn
⭐️ Musicbed - The Best Place to License Music: https://bit.ly/45HQjhC - 14 day free trial
⭐️ Inly - CRM for creatives: https://bit.ly/41Akxkf - 10% off with promo code JOHN
⭐️ Lemlii -  CRM for creatives: https://bit.ly/45rhAnl Promo Code - JohnBunn25 (25% off any plan for 12 months)
⭐️ Multiply Media - https://bit.ly/46OdZCe - 15% off with promo code JOHNBUNN
⭐️ PlotLine Pro - AI Powered, Story First Filmmaking Tool - 3 Free days - https://www.plotline.pro/?via=john
⭐️ WedTrack - Timeline GENIE https://wedtrack.app/r/shiftingfocus
⭐️ Honeybook - CRM for creatives: https://bit.ly/4lmrKvf - 30% off
⭐️ Gamut - Color Presets and LUTs: https://gamut.io/product/luxe/?gamut=johnbunn
⭐️ Flodesk - Emails Made Easy: https://bit.ly/4md3ltE - 50% off
⭐️ Second Society - The best place to find second shooters https://my.secondsociety.io/signup?via=john-bunn
⭐️ Pic-Time 1 Free Month Annual Plan : https://johnbunnfilms.pic-time.com/referral
 
The Shifting Focus Podcast, all rights reserved. All links are affiliate links and result in a commission for John Bunn Films if used. I appreciate the support. Help me by supporting my sponsors.
#weddingvideography #weddingphotography #shiftingfocuspodcast

What does it actually take to build a $500K+ photography business?
Helena Wong went from working in corporate tech at companies like Oracle, Lyft, and Uber to building a multi-six-figure wedding photography business in just a few years. In this episode, we unpack what allowed her to grow so quickly and why she believes mindset, marketing, and sales are just as important as the work itself.
Helena shares how she thinks about pricing, knowing when it's time to raise your rates, tracking conversion rates, getting comfortable with hearing "no," and building the courage to take action before you feel completely confident.
We also get into why surrounding yourself with people who think bigger can completely change what's possible for your business, how Helena buys back her time through outsourcing and automation, and one of her biggest pieces of advice for photographers trying to move into a higher-end market: stop sending the pricing guide first.
In this episode, we talk about:
• How Helena went from corporate tech to a $500K+ photography business
• Building a business with $12K–$22K wedding packages
• Why knowing your numbers gives you confidence to raise your prices
• The difference between courage and confidence
• Why your environment and network can change what you believe is possible
• How to know if you may be underpriced
• Why booking every inquiry isn't necessarily a good thing
• The importance of sales calls in a premium market
• Why Helena doesn't send her pricing guide first
• Buying back your time through outsourcing and automation
• Why great work is only the baseline
• Taking action, failing fast, and getting comfortable being uncomfortable
One of my favorite ideas from this conversation is Helena's definition of courage: the ability to walk with fear. You don't have to wait until you feel completely confident to make the next move. Sometimes you have to take the action first and allow the confidence to follow.
CONNECT WITH HELENA WONG
Instagram:
www.instagram.com/helenawongphotography  
Education + Coaching:
www.helenawongphotography.com/education 
FREE RESOURCE:
Helena's Marketing Blueprint that helped grow her business to $400K+:
www.creativeceo.kit.com/marketingblueprint 
 
👋 Join My Circle Community: https://shifting-focus-with-john-bunn.circle.so/
🎧 Listen to the podcast on your favorite platform: https://bit.ly/4owsWiM
 
📱 Instagram:
John Bunn - http://bit.ly/2AYTiE2
John Bunn Films: https://bit.ly/43S3866
Get in Touch:
✅ Brand deals, promotions, podcast info, etc., email john@johnbunnfilms.com
Sponsors and Affiliates:
⭐️ Bride and Groom Video - John's Personal Editor for Video: https://bridengroom.video/johnbunn/ - $100 off the first project of $400, promo code JOHNBUNN100
⭐️ Get 1500 Free Edits with Imagen.ai: https://imagen-ai.com/?ref=johnbunn
⭐️ Vidflow - Deliver your films and photos with the best - Try it free here https://signups.vidflow.co/ref/johnbunn
⭐️ Musicbed - The Best Place to License Music: https://bit.ly/45HQjhC - 14 day free trial
⭐️ Inly - CRM for creatives: https://bit.ly/41Akxkf - 10% off with promo code JOHN
⭐️ Lemlii -  CRM for creatives: https://bit.ly/45rhAnl Promo Code - JohnBunn25 (25% off any plan for 12 months)
⭐️ Multiply Media - https://bit.ly/46OdZCe - 15% off with promo code JOHNBUNN
⭐️ PlotLine Pro - AI Powered, Story First Filmmaking Tool - 3 Free days - https://www.plotline.pro/?via=john
⭐️ WedTrack - Timeline GENIE https://wedtrack.app/r/shiftingfocus
⭐️ Honeybook - CRM for creatives: https://bit.ly/4lmrKvf - 30% off
⭐️ Gamut - Color Presets and LUTs: https://gamut.io/product/luxe/?gamut=johnbunn
⭐️ Flodesk - Emails Made Easy: https://bit.ly/4md3ltE - 50% off
⭐️ Second Society - The best place to find second shooters https://my.secondsociety.io/signup?via=john-bunn
⭐️ Pic-Time 1 Free Month Annual Plan : https://johnbunnfilms.pic-time.com/referral
The Shifting Focus Podcast, all rights reserved. All links are affiliate links and result in a commission for John Bunn Films if used. I appreciate the support. Help me by supporting my sponsors.
#weddingvideography #weddingphotography #shiftingfocuspodcast

What actually makes someone sought after?
In this episode, I sit down with wedding photographer, educator, coach, and host of the All Angles Podcast, Claire Hunt.
Claire went from working as a pediatric trauma nurse to building a six-figure photography business, eventually booking $10K–$15K weddings and coaching hundreds of photographers and videographers along the way.
But this conversation isn't really about how quickly she grew. It's about what she did to become someone people already wanted before they ever submitted an inquiry.
We talk about building a personal brand, consistently showing up in your marketing, and creating messaging that connects what you do with what your ideal clients actually want.
Then we go deep into one of my favorite parts of the conversation: the inquiry-to-booking process.
Claire walks through how she responds to inquiries, why she loves discovery calls, how she keeps those conversations relational instead of transactional, and how she uses the "yes ladder" to help couples confidently move toward a decision without making the conversation feel pushy or salesy.
We also talk about what happens when all of this starts working together: better clients, higher bookings, more confidence, stronger work, and the momentum that eventually allows you to become truly sought after in your market.
If you feel like your work is good but you're still competing on price, packages, and deliverables, this episode is for you.
In this episode, we talk about:
Claire's journey from pediatric trauma nurse to six-figure photographer
What actually makes someone "sought after"
Why your personal brand matters just as much as your portfolio
Showing up consistently even when your audience is small
Desire-based messaging and selling through emotion
Warming up potential clients before they ever inquire
Why sending every piece of pricing information immediately can work against you
Turning the inquiry process from transactional to relational
How Claire structures discovery calls
Asking better questions instead of pitching yourself
Building the "yes ladder" throughout a sales conversation
How to handle a lead who is already ready to book
Why relationship-focused sales can lead to higher bookings
Building momentum with better clients, better work, and better pricing
Claire's Website: http://education.clairehunt.co
Find Claire: https://www.instagram.com/itsclairehunt 
Freebie: https://freebie.clairehunt.co/hook-inquiries 
Discovery Call Script: https://products.clairehunt.co/discovery-call-script 
👋 Join My Circle Community: https://shifting-focus-with-john-bunn.circle.so/
🎧 Listen to the podcast on your favorite platform: https://bit.ly/4owsWiM
📱 Instagram:
John Bunn - http://bit.ly/2AYTiE2
John Bunn Films: https://bit.ly/43S3866
 
Get in Touch:
✅ Brand deals, promotions, podcast info, etc., email john@johnbunnfilms.com
 
Sponsors and Affiliates:
⭐️ Bride and Groom Video - John's Personal Editor for Video: https://bridengroom.video/johnbunn/ - $100 off the first project of $400, promo code JOHNBUNN100
⭐️ Get 1500 Free Edits with Imagen.ai: https://imagen-ai.com/?ref=johnbunn
⭐️ Vidflow - Deliver your films and photos with the best - Try it free here https://signups.vidflow.co/ref/johnbunn
⭐️ Musicbed - The Best Place to License Music: https://bit.ly/45HQjhC - 14 day free trial
⭐️ Inly - CRM for creatives: https://bit.ly/41Akxkf - 10% off with promo code JOHN
⭐️ Lemlii -  CRM for creatives: https://bit.ly/45rhAnl Promo Code - JohnBunn25 (25% off any plan for 12 months)
⭐️ Multiply Media - https://bit.ly/46OdZCe - 15% off with promo code JOHNBUNN
⭐️ PlotLine Pro - AI Powered, Story First Filmmaking Tool - 3 Free days - https://www.plotline.pro/?via=john
⭐️ WedTrack - Timeline GENIE https://wedtrack.app/r/shiftingfocus
⭐️ Honeybook - CRM for creatives: https://bit.ly/4lmrKvf - 30% off
⭐️ Gamut - Color Presets and LUTs: https://gamut.io/product/luxe/?gamut=johnbunn
⭐️ Flodesk - Emails Made Easy: https://bit.ly/4md3ltE - 50% off
⭐️ Second Society - The best place to find second shooters https://my.secondsociety.io/signup?via=john-bunn
⭐️ Pic-Time 1 Free Month Annual Plan : https://johnbunnfilms.pic-time.com/referral
 
The Shifting Focus Podcast, all rights reserved. All links are affiliate links and result in a commission for John Bunn Films if used. I appreciate the support. Help me by supporting my sponsors.
Chapters
00:00 – Claire Hunt's Journey from Nurse to Photographer
01:07 – Building a Profitable Photography Business
03:01 – What Makes a Photographer Sought After?
04:36 – Going From Zero to Six Figures
07:00 – Building a Personal Brand
11:13 – Consistency, Omnipresence & the Marketing Funnel
15:44 – From Inquiry to Booking
19:45 – Desire-Based Messaging
24:57 – Making Discovery Calls Relational
27:37 – Building the "Yes Ladder"
33:59 – Guiding Clients Toward the Next Step
35:25 – What to Do With a Hot Lead
38:43 – How Better Sales Create Better Bookings
41:24 – Building Momentum in Your Business
43:16 – You Can Become Sought After
44:12 – Claire's Resources & What's Next
 
#weddingvideography #weddingphotography #shiftingfocuspodcast

Should you put your pricing on your website? This week I took mine off my site for the first time in about 2 years. But why?
In this week's episode I break down why I decided I needed to take my prices off my website for now. I also dig through some thoughts about why you should or shouldn't have prices on your site. This episode will provide some practical tools to help you decide whether or not YOU need your pricing on your site or not.
Let me know in the comments what you do and why. I would love to start a conversation!
The Shifting Focus Experience, 10/27 and 10/28 in Tulsa OK: https://john-bunn.com/the-shifting-focus-experience 
 
👋 Join My Circle Community: https://shifting-focus-with-john-bunn.circle.so/
🎧 Listen to the podcast on your favorite platform: https://bit.ly/4owsWiM
📱 Instagram:
John Bunn - http://bit.ly/2AYTiE2 
John Bunn Films: https://bit.ly/43S3866 
Get in Touch:
✅ Brand deals, promotions, podcast info, etc., email john@johnbunnfilms.com
 
Sponsors and Affiliates:
⭐️ Bride and Groom Video - John's Personal Editor for Video: https://bridengroom.video/johnbunn/  - $100 off the first project of $400, promo code JOHNBUNN100
⭐️ Get 1500 Free Edits with Imagen.ai: https://imagen-ai.com/?ref=johnbunn 
⭐️ Vidflow - Deliver your films and photos with the best - Try it free here https://signups.vidflow.co/ref/johnbunn 
⭐️ Musicbed - The Best Place to License Music: https://bit.ly/45HQjhC  - 14 day free trial
⭐️ Inly - CRM for creatives: https://bit.ly/41Akxkf  - 10% off with promo code JOHN
⭐️ Lemlii -  CRM for creatives: https://bit.ly/45rhAnl  Promo Code - JohnBunn25 (25% off any plan for 12 months)
⭐️ Multiply Media - https://bit.ly/46OdZCe  - 15% off with promo code JOHNBUNN
⭐️ PlotLine Pro - AI Powered, Story First Filmmaking Tool - 3 Free days - https://www.plotline.pro/?via=john 
⭐️ WedTrack - Timeline GENIE https://wedtrack.app/r/shiftingfocus 
⭐️ Honeybook - CRM for creatives: https://bit.ly/4lmrKvf  - 30% off
⭐️ Gamut - Color Presets and LUTs: https://gamut.io/product/luxe/?gamut=johnbunn 
⭐️ Flodesk - Emails Made Easy: https://bit.ly/4md3ltE  - 50% off
⭐️ Second Society - The best place to find second shooters https://my.secondsociety.io/signup?via=john-bunn 
⭐️ Pic-Time 1 Free Month Annual Plan : https://johnbunnfilms.pic-time.com/referral 
The Shifting Focus Podcast, all rights reserved. All links are affiliate links and result in a commission for John Bunn Films if used. I appreciate the support. Help me by supporting my sponsors.
#weddingvideography #weddingphotography #shiftingfocuspodcast