05/29/2026
The first time a couple asked that I not share their photos publicly, I got nervous. What if I miss out on referrals, because I can’t share the photos? What if every client starts requesting it, and then I have no way to show potential future clients my work?
But then I thought about my personal privacy. Personally, I can be very private, with the occasional personal thought dump. I find value in my privacy, and it makes sense that my clients would too. Birds of a feather, right?��If I could make a prediction, I would guess more and more clients will want this.��So how do we market without showing our favorite photos? Privately sharing photos to future clients (with the clients’ permission), having clients pre-approve images they’re ok with sharing, and sharing images that don’t show faces are good options—but I think in my gut—I have a feeling it’s going to be about sharing our personalities online, showing our quirks, and giving more behind the scenes content.��I share this so you can plan ahead and not be blindsided, and so that you can lovingly serve your clients better when they come to you with this request.
If your first response is fear—fear of losing your business, fear of being controlled by your client, fear of whatever—take a moment to breathe and remember you’re safe, and keep in mind that this is just an opportunity to do what you do best: get creative and be kind. You got this!
