One year.Dozens of rants.Millions of opinions.And somehow The Loud Lens became one of Spotify’s top-shared and most-talked-about shows of 2025.
In this anniversary special, I break down what actually happened this year: the wins, the setbacks, the trolls, the breakthroughs — and why I’m only just getting started.

Photographers! the 2025 UK Budget is about to f*ck with your profits. Hard. If you drive to shoots, run a studio, rely on freelance income or price your work like it’s still 2022, you need this episode.

We break down how frozen tax thresholds, rising petrol and travel costs, overhead inflation, business-rates changes, and pension restrictions will hit creative businesses. More importantly: you’ll learn what to do NOW to stop your photography business bleeding money next year.

Blunt, honest, and essential listening for any UK photographer wanting to survive 2026.

This is just my opinion and I urge you to seek advice from qualified professionals, not just some random loud mouth on the internet ok!?

Gear Acquisition Syndrome — GAS — is ruining photographers.
Not because gear is bad, but because we’re being sold the lie that the next camera, lens, or shiny upgrade will magically fix our work, our confidence, or our careers. Spoiler: it won’t.

In this brutally honest Loud Lens episode, Khandie Rees gets real about the psychology, marketing manipulation, and industry bullshit driving photographers into unnecessary upgrades, debt, and disappointment.

She shares her own journey — from shooting her first magazine front cover on a Nikon D90, to slowly upgrading through a D7000, a D750, and now mirrorless — all without falling for hype or ego traps.

• You’ll learn:
  🔥 Why clients don’t give a single hoot what camera you use🔥 How to tell when you’re upgrading out of need vs insecurity🔥 The toxic marketing cycle that keeps photographers feeling “behind”🔥 Why second-hand gear is smart business, not a downgrade🔥 How GAS is actually a confidence issue, not a gear issue🔥 The questions you must ask before dropping cash on new kit🔥 Why skills will always beat specs — always

If you’ve ever said “I’ll be able to deliver better work once I upgrade”…
This is the episode you need.
And it might just save you a LOT of money.

Got your own GAS horror story or your proudest old-camera achievement?

Struggling with bookings? This episode dives into how photographers can use December to boost visibility, prep their marketing, refresh their portfolio, and build strong client pipelines for January. Practical, blunt, and packed with actionable steps.

Everyone’s banging on about “elevating the client experience,” but let’s be honest — most of you don’t actually know what that means. It’s not props, coffee bars, or buzzwords. It’s clarity, communication, and giving a damn from first message to final gallery. In this episode, Khandie rips the fluff off the phrase and breaks down how to actually give your clients a professional experience worth paying for.

#marketing #photography #photobusiness

What happens when you get sick and you’re self-employed?

In this brutally honest episode, Khandie Rees breaks down how photographers can protect themselves from financial and reputational disaster when illness strikes. From contract clauses and client communication to backup plans and insurance — this is the unsexy but essential stuff that keeps your business alive.

🎙 Listen now on The Loud Lens — because pretending you’ll never get sick isn’t a business plan.

Most clients don’t know the bloody difference between a good photo and a strategic photo.
And honestly? A lot of photographers don’t either.

In this brutally honest episode of The Loud Lens, Khandie Rees tears into one of the biggest creative industry blind spots: why “pretty” doesn’t always perform. From influencers chasing aesthetics that don’t sell, to business clients who want Vogue when they need LinkedIn credibility. We’re unpacking why beautiful photos can still be bad strategy.

Expect real talk, real examples, and a bit of tough love about how to stop being “just a photographer” and start being a visual strategist.

Whether you shoot branding, portraits, or creative campaigns — this episode will change how you think about your camera, your pricing, and your purpose.

👀 In this episode:

• The brutal truth about why “nice” photos don’t always make money
• How to educate clients (without doing free marketing work)
• When to say no to ideas that won’t serve their brand
• Real-world examples from influencer shoots, business headshots & rebrands
• How to shift from “good photo” to strategic photography

💬 Join the discussion: Is your biggest client challenge explaining this difference — or are we the problem? Tell me your story in The Loud Lens Facebook group

📸 Follow Khandie on YouTube & Instagram for BTS, mentoring, and more blunt truths about running a creative business that actually pays.

Everyone’s crying that bookings are slow, but few are actually doing the one thing that gets clients — pitching.

In this episode, Khandie dives into the real talk behind pitching your photography to businesses — from understanding what brands actually want, to writing an email that doesn’t sound desperate, to why sitting around waiting for “discovery” is the fastest way to go broke.

Whether you’re in Northampton or New York, the truth’s the same: followers don’t pay your bills — clients do.
And the photographers who treat pitching like marketing (not begging) are the ones still standing when everyone else is panicking.

If you’ve ever said “I just need more visibility,” this episode’s your wake-up call.
It’s time to be seen — because you made them look.

🎧 Listen now for a no-fluff breakdown on how to pitch, who to pitch to, and how to stop underselling your damn self.

Grab tickets for the BIPP bash here: https://www.bipp.com/the-bipp-big-bash-2025/

#TheLoudLens #PhotographyBusiness #FreelanceLife #PitchLikeAPro #CreativeEntrepreneur #PhotographerMindset #UKPhotography #BusinessOfPhotography #MarketingForPhotographers