In The Frame is Changing Lenses

The changes will help me be more organized, productive, and helpful.

Hi, and welcome to my little Substack corner. I write about photography, art, design, and the craft of living creatively. I am glad you are here. Consider subscribing to keep up with what I am doing. I promise not to bore you. If you would like to support my efforts, that would be amazing and so appreciated. Either way, I am super happy you are here.

It’s getting to be that time of year when I go in search of two lanes on two wheels.

Ch Ch Ch Changes…

The weather is changing.

Seasonally cool weather is quickly subsiding to the warmer factions of our atmosphere.

It’s gonna get hot here in the valley. (We expect 103 on Sunday…)

But that is simply change.

And change is inevitable.

I am making some changes here on In The Frame.

How this came about:

I noticed something about my stats - those numbers that tell us whether we are doing something that is interesting or simply boring the pants of readers.

I am not in favor of pantlsess readers so I asked Perplexity to do an audit of just what the heck I was doing/

What I am doing right - what I am doing wrong.

This was a conversation, by the way, not a one sentence prompt.

After a few hours, bringing in ChatGPT and Gemini for additional research, I had a plan in my hand.

Not going to share it all, but a few things stood out. This is a summary of the discussion on content that I had with my AI friends.

Creators Need a Smarter Publishing Strategy Now

The content landscape is over saturated, creative professionals—especially photographers and visual artists—can no longer rely on passive engagement or one-size-fits-all publishing. Platforms have changed, audiences have changed, and how we show up as creators must evolve too.

The biggest shift is Intentionality over volume.

Substack isn’t really a passive blog—it’s a direct relationship with readers. The audience there wants you, not just your work. They’re showing up for personal insight, artistic philosophy, and creative process. That means posts built around story, perspective, and reflection tend to perform far better than overt tutorials or business tips.

This is an opportunity to stop “teaching at” people and start sharing with them.

At the same time, Medium remains a viable discovery platform. But instead of using it as a publishing primary, the smarter play is to treat Medium like syndication: repurpose your strongest Substack essays into more searchable, standalone articles with new titles and tightened hooks.

Medium gets you reach; Substack gets you relationships.

This dual-platform strategy reduces burnout and increases clarity. With a simple weekly rhythm—four Substack posts a month tied to themes like creative practice, personal galleries, or industry commentary, and a “what’s going on” roundup mid month—you can nurture your current audience while still growing it through Medium’s wider net.

But the real key is a A publishing system.

Not a rigid calendar, but a loose structure that helps you stay consistent and visible without losing your creative edge. Readers don’t just want your art—they want the journey behind it. And when they feel like they’re on that path with you, they’ll subscribe, support, and stay.

I uploaded stats, articles, the ones with the most engagement, and the ones with the least. We analyzed what my followers seem to be interested in.

I have been uneasy for a while now. I feel like I am being more of a scold than a friend, and more “do this, now” than a fellow traveler.

Look, I love the business of creativity, and I am absolutely certain that my approaches to a creative business works. I have plenty of real-world proof.

But that doesn’t mean that everyone wants to hear about how SEO has changed, or how to create cold-call emails that get a response.

There are some that do, and for you, I will still be publishing. But not on Substack.

There will be a link to my business and professional- focused writing on my personal website. I call it “Mentor’s Corner.”

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Mentor’s Corner:
Tired of waiting for the “right clients” to find you? The Dream 50 flips the script. It’s a focused, no-fluff strategy to get your work in front of people who actually matter — the ones who hire, create, and respect great photography. Ready to stop guessing?
Read More

I think this is a satisfactory way to make sure I keep those of you who want this business information and provide a way to see as much as possible. I do have a new book coming out (soon) based on a real-world approach to the business from a 2025 perspective.

So we are going to be publishing “In The Frame” every Sunday, with links to the business stuff. I will be posting a random article as well, and be focused on stuff that is happening in the world of photography from MY perspective.

There will be Premium Content on at least two posts per month, and they will range from new perspectives to IRL challenges with a dash of “Hey, have you tried this!?

So let me know what you think about the changes, if you do think about such things.

Reminders of upcoming events.

Imagine what you can learn from shooting a martini.

We are looking at the world of beverage photography with 8 weekly assignments, live reviews, with an eye toward portfolio building. (A free business class is included for all attendees.) Learn More

Film is not dead… not even close.

This is the yearly analog thing we do for fun. No fee, just a community coming together to shoot some film and make images.
Learn More

One last thing.

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Showing up.

I have always been someone who will fight for my chance to show ‘em what I can do. Woody Allen once said the secret to success at anything was just ‘showing up’.

And he is dead on.

That means being ready to advocate for yourself, fight for your chance to shine, and not let anything stop you if possible.

This guy brought that with him when he went to see a taping of Britain’s Got Talent.

Watch what happens when you stop being fearful of failure and just embrace the opportunities in front of you.

“Hey Simon…”

I do coaching for serious photographers.
When you are ready, here’s how I can help you succeed.

Group Mentorship: a small group of photographers who meet to show images, work on their portfolio, and build their businesses with help from a wonderful group. Lifetime membership for one fee.

One-on-one Mentorship: You and me - working together in an intense 6-month push to get you on the way to over $30K in additional revenue. The work we lay down will help you increase and scale your business for years ahead.

Coming in May, a One-on-One, 6-week plan to get your marketing system in place. You will see results immediately, and by results, I mean assigned work that pays you.