Dave Herring is a photographer, educator, and founder of Very Good CO. He’s also a creative nomad and a long time friend.

In this episode of Photo Fuel, I chat with Dave about how curiosity led him to a whole new career as a photographer and educator. From leaving the East Coast and relocating his family to California with no concrete plan, to working with brands like Leica and Hasselblad, Dave shares how paying attention to what felt meaningful—and staying generous along the way—shaped his career and a life that supports his ultimate measure of success: being in charge of his time.

We talk about blending past experience into creative work and how free content and generosity have become foundational to his business. This conversation is packed with stories that will inspire you and leave you feeling hopeful for all that’s possible.

Even though Dave is primarily a landscape photographer, this episode offers new perspective we all need on the value of metrics, making decisions in your business, and what it really means to make art your work—one thoughtful step at a time.

// LINKS MENTIONED //

Blog Post: "Generosity changed everything:" https://dave.online/writings/how-generosity-changed-everything

Very Good CO: shopverygood.com

Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/

STEPHEN SHORE Photo books:

Stephen Shore by STEPHEN SHORE - Book: 9781633450486 | Rizzoli Bookstore

// CONNECT WITH DAVE // Dave’s youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@davidherring DAVE’S WEBSITE: Dave.online // CONNECT WITH LEAH // Leah's website: https://www.leahoconnell.com Leah's IG: https://www.instagram.com/leahoconnell.photo

What if you didn’t need to burn down your photography business to feel better in it?

In this solo episode of Photo Fuel, we'll explore the idea of micro-pivots—small, intentional changes that can bring more clarity, energy, and alignment to your work without rebranding, quitting, or announcing a brand-new niche.

This conversation is for family photographers who still love what they do, but feel a quiet sense of restlessness. Maybe sessions feel heavier than they used to. Maybe your creativity has shifted before your business has caught up. Or maybe you just know something needs to change—but you don’t know what yet.

We talk about:

• What micro-pivots are (and what they’re not)

• Signs you may be craving a small shift, not a big overhaul

• Creative, structural, and offer-based micro-pivots you can try

• How to experiment without risking your income or identity

• Why sustainable change often happens quietly

If you’ve been wondering whether it’s possible to evolve without starting over, this episode offers permission, perspective, and practical ways forward.

// LINKS MENTIONED //

Episode 61: From Families to Brand Photography with Nicole Hodgson

Episode 59: Messy Action, The Artful Pivot, and Creating from the Inside Out with Brooke Schultz

Episode 56: The Missing LInk to your Photography Marketing with Michelle Franzetti

The Micro-Pivots Journalling Workbook : https://leahoconnell.myflodesk.com/pivot

// CONNECT //

Leah's website: https://www.leahoconnell.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/leahoconnell.photo

In this episode, we’re kicking off a short series all about pivoting, evolving, and exploring new creative seasons as a photographer. It’s so easy to stay siloed inside the same family photography conversations, hearing the same strategies and the same voices. But there is so much to learn from photographers who step outside the familiar and build something new.

Today’s guest—Nicole Hodgson—is the perfect guest to kick it off.

Nicole is a former marriage and family therapist turned lifestyle brand photographer based in Northern California. She began her business photographing families, but over time, her sessions started filling with women who were also building businesses of their own. That pattern nudged her toward a new direction, and eventually, a full pivot into brand photography.

In this warm and candid conversation, we talk about:

• The early signs that her niche was shifting
• The first steps she took to bring a new direction to life
• The identity work behind rebuilding a business from the ground up
• The honest pros and cons of family photography
• How her past career shaped her perspective as an artist and entrepreneur
• The confidence it takes to be the face of your brand
• The power of journaling for capturing new ideas and having confidence with executing on them

Nicole shares her approach to a new pricing model for brands vs what made sense for her family clients and the financial logic behind marketing to brands versus families—an incredibly helpful lens for anyone curious about expanding their services.

Whether you’re considering brand photography, navigating your own pivot, or just wondering what else is possible in this industry, this episode is a reminder that your identity, your opportunities, and your creativity are bigger than any niche.

// LINKS MENTIONED //

• Rebrand with Maddie Peshong: https://www.maddiepeschong.com/brand-photography
• Episode 18: The benefits of being an introverted photographer switching careers, shooting multiple genres, and more with Caitlin Alohilani
• Free Resources for Family Photography Education: https://www.leahoconnell.com/learn

// CONNECT //

Nicole Hodgson

Website: www.nicolehodgsonphotography.com

Instagram: @nicolehodgson.photography

Leah O'Connell

Website: https://www.leahoconnell.com

Instagram: @leahoconnell.photo