Kirstie McConnell: Crafting a Niche in Italian Luxury Travel Photography Business with Classico Portraits
Can you please share a brief history about your photography business? What motivated you to start this venture?
I launched my first business in Australia in 2012 as one of the country’s first specialist pet photographers. Launching a new business isn’t easy, and it certainly doesn’t help to have to market an entire niche at the same time. And yet, when I moved to Italy, I chose to do exactly that.
I understood that it would take me quite a while to get my Italian to a professional level, so photographing pets here wasn’t an option for the foreseeable future. I began to consider how I could work exclusively with native English speakers as a photographer.
An idea that had been lingering in my mind since a trip to Santorini years prior resurfaced. Could I combine my love of travel, my experience as a photographer, and my business knowledge to launch a luxury vacation photography brand? Think destination weddings… but for families.
I toyed with the idea for a while as we traveled between lockdowns, even building a website at one point. But other things kept happening, and it was put into the too-hard basket.
I mean, did I really want to compete with the likes of €50 photoshoots at the Trevi Fountain?
Apparently, I did. I found myself going back to that website, redesigning it, renaming it, and building and implementing a marketing plan.
What kind of challenges did you face when building up your portfolio or setting up your studio? How did you overcome these challenges?
My portfolio at the time of launching Classico Portraits consisted of a lot of dog photos, some cat portraits, and quite a few horse and rider shoots. But families without pets? Well… I could count those on one hand, and none had an Italian backdrop!
With the plan to offer photoshoots to luxury tourists throughout the country, part of my marketing plan included establishing myself as the expert on those destinations. As you can imagine, local model calls didn’t really help with that, so I had to get creative.
I launched a book project to photograph fellow expats and marketed these through Facebook groups for foreigners in different cities. The project hasn’t made a lot of money, but it did give me exactly what I needed—a diverse portfolio!
Could you describe the early days of your business? What were the initial reactions and feedback you received?
Given my experience with IPS and knowing that selling products was the easiest way to set myself apart from the high-volume tourist photographers, it made sense to build this new business with that model.
The challenge has not been in selling that concept to my clients, but to my partners.
My best marketing strategy is third-party alliances with hotels and the like, who typically employ local people. I need the concierge team to understand and value what I do, which I found really hard since purchasing heirloom albums and bespoke wall art is just not a thing here!
How did you manage to grow and expand your business? What strategies did you use to attract more clients?
Two strategies have helped me to book clients, neither of which gives a quick return!
SEO. I worked with a PR expert who helped me create a blogging strategy and also a professional copywriter who did my website. Both of these, combined with good SEO practices, have helped to get my site found organically through Google search. I’ve also used paid Google ads but with mixed results.
Third-party marketing. I have one partner in particular who is amazing. She owns a boutique hotel that appeals to my ideal client, and she gives a gift certificate to all her guests prior to their arrival. A small portion of the guests decide to use the voucher, and the spend is always great. I have recently confirmed a few more partners who will implement this strategy for next year, and I’m excited to see how that goes.
In the near future I will be launching Classico Portraits – Australia. Keep an eye out for that!
How has your business performed financially over the years? Can you share some milestones or achievements in terms of revenue?
I’ve really focused on building solid foundations for the business, which has meant slow growth, but I believe it’s been worth it. I hear a lot of “no’s” from inquiries for every “yes,” but the clients who do book spend well, with my average sale currently sitting at €5,600. I recently had my first five-figure sale too, which, for perspective, is almost an annual salary for many Italians.
What are some key lessons you've learned along your entrepreneurial journey? Is there anything you would do differently if given a chance?
Know your audience. I learned that with my first business when I tried to partner with a vet—just because someone has a dog, it doesn’t make them your client as a pet photographer!
I was reminded again with the book project I mentioned of the importance of knowing your audience. I initially thought that “expats” would be the perfect audience—many of whom are American, so already familiar with the concept of professional family photography and buying wall art. Plus, they’ll eventually have friends and family visiting who could become my clients.
But as I got to know this audience better, it quickly became clear that this demographic does not fit within my typical audience in terms of financial means, values, and personality types.
Following these two experiences, I will always keep my client avatar in mind for future marketing endeavors!
Are there any tools or software that have been particularly useful in managing and growing your business? Give us a list of what you use in your kit.
I manage my client data, contracts, and workflows with Studio Ninja. Smartslides allows me to create professional slideshows for sales appointments. With Fundy, I can design a client album in just 15 minutes. I use Canvy for wall mock-ups on my website.
Could you recommend any books, resources, or mentors that have significantly influenced your business journey?
I love the Photobizx podcast hosted by Andrew Hellmich. I’ve also learned a lot by interviewing successful pet photographers for my podcast, most of which can be applied to all niches.
What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs who wish to start their own photography business?
My first question is always, “Do you actually want this?” Because business is not for everyone, and it is totally okay to keep your photography as a hobby. But if you do want it, if you are super determined and believe in yourself, then running a successful photography business really boils down to these three things:
1. Implement a layered marketing strategy (which goes beyond social media).
2. Ensure you’re priced for profit (know how much you want to make, and create a price list with that in mind).
3. Be consistent—both with the quality of your work and with the business side, including client communications.
There is so much education out there these days to help you set up solid business foundations that tick off each of those elements. Start with podcasts or blogs, and then consider working with a coach—you’ll know who is right for you from the podcasts you listen to!
Kirstie McConnell is an Australian family photographer living in Italy, photographing families and couples in Tuscany, Puglia, and throughout the entire country.
Love (of her husband, but mostly of cheese) brought her to Italy. Her husband is Italian and was desperate to be back with his family. And what Aussie girl could pass up the chance to move to the land of gelato?!
Having not only extensively explored the country but also embraced Italian life, Kirstie knows the country and its rhythms and proudly shares these insights with her clients.
Specializing in capturing the magic of Italian vacations, Kirstie crafts stunning wall art that becomes a cherished gateway to reliving those beautiful memories across continents.
She’ll be expanding into France next year and will also be launching Classico Portraits Australia very soon!
About Kirstie
- Country: Italy
Specializes in
- Family Photography
Quote
My first question is always 'do you actually want this?'