Kate DeCoste Photography

06/24/2026

Have you ever built a successful photography business... only to realize you weren't actually happy?
👀
My next guest on The One Behind the Lens has one of the most fascinating photography journeys I've heard.
Jen Hillenga has been a portrait photographer, photography educator, creative director, studio owner, and creative entrepreneur. Today, she's one of New York City's leading pet photographers.
At one point, she ran a thriving photography studio with employees, a business partner, and over a million dollars in sales.
And then she realized:
"I had spent my entire late twenties and thirties building a business, but I hadn't built a life."
In this episode, we dive into:
📸 Photographer burnout and finding balance
📸 Growing and scaling a photography business
📸 Leaving a successful photography studio behind
📸 Niching down into pet photography
📸 Instagram marketing for photographers
📸 Reinventing your photography career
📸 Redefining success as a creative entrepreneur
This conversation is for every photographer who's ever wondered:
✨ Is a bigger photography business really better?
✨ What happens when your goals change?
✨ Can you pivot your photography niche without starting over?
✨ How do you build a photography business that supports your life—not the other way around?

Coming Friday on The One Behind the Lens.
🎙️ The One About Pet Photography, Instagram Marketing & Redefining Success with Jen Hillenga

06/23/2026

POV: You’re in the middle of a senior photo session and the weather changes in real time. 🌩️

This is one reason I always tell my senior photography clients to trust the process. The sky can look completely different from one minute to the next, especially during outdoor senior pictures in Nebraska.

As this storm rolled in, we watched the clouds, light, and colors change right before our eyes. While we eventually had to take cover, these dramatic skies created some incredible moments and a behind-the-scenes look at what really happens during a senior photo session.

Senior photography isn’t always perfect weather—sometimes it’s adapting, being creative, and capturing the experience along the way.

📍Nebraska Senior Photographer
🎓 Class of 2027 Senior Photos
📸 Outdoor Senior Sessions | Omaha, Lincoln & Wahoo

SeniorPhotoSession BehindTheScenes

06/23/2026

Raise your hand if you've ever opened Instagram or Facebook to post something for your business and immediately thought...

🤦‍♀️ "What am I even supposed to post today?"

I've been there.

That's one of the biggest reasons I created Marketing Backstage.

Not because you need another course.

Not because you need another expert telling you to post 5 reels a day.

But because sometimes you just need someone to hand you a plan.

Each month inside Marketing Backstage, you'll get:
✔️ Content ideas
✔️ Hooks and captions
✔️ Email prompts
✔️ Monthly marketing roadmaps
✔️ Seasonal opportunities
✔️ A Coffee Chat with me

So instead of spending hours figuring out what to say, you can spend that time serving clients, creating, and growing your business.

Because marketing shouldn't feel harder than the thing you're actually selling.

If you've been looking for a simpler way to stay consistent, I'd love to have you join us.

Drop a ☕ below and I'll send you the details.

06/20/2026

You know what’s exhausting?

Trying to run your business while also figuring out what to post, what to email, what Reel to create, and how to stay consistent with your marketing.

That’s exactly why I created Marketing Backstage.

Each month, I give you a marketing roadmap complete with content ideas, captions, email inspiration, trends, and strategy so you’re not starting from scratch every single month.

And no…you do NOT have to be a photographer to join.

This is for photographers, creatives, makers, service providers, boutique owners, realtors, and small business owners who want marketing to feel a little easier and a lot more intentional.

If you’ve ever stared at your phone wondering, “What should I post today?” … Marketing Backstage was created for you.

✨ Founding member pricing is available now.

Comment BACKSTAGE and I’ll send you the details.

06/19/2026

🎙️ NEW PODCAST EPISODE + SOMETHING NEW I'VE BEEN BUILDING 🎉

For months, I've been hearing the same thing from photographers, creatives, and small business owners:
👉 "I know I need to market..."
👉 "I just don't know what to post."
👉 "I don't have time to keep up with everything."

I get it.
Marketing can feel like a full-time job all by itself.

That's why in this week's solo episode of The One Behind the Lens, I'm walking you through a simple July marketing plan AND sharing something I've been working on behind the scenes...
✨ Marketing Backstage ✨

Marketing Backstage is my new monthly membership designed to help you stop staring at a blank screen wondering what to post.
Each month you'll get:
✔️ A marketing roadmap
✔️ Content ideas and prompts
✔️ Hooks and captions
✔️ Email ideas
✔️ Seasonal opportunities
✔️ A monthly Coffee Chat with me
✔️ A growing library of marketing resources

Think of it like having a marketing friend sitting beside you saying, "Here's what I'd focus on this month."

Because you don't need more overwhelm.
You need a plan.
And you definitely don't need to market perfectly.
You just need to stay visible.

🎧 Listen or watch the episode now and get all the details on Marketing Backstage.
🔥 Founding Member pricing is available now, and those who join early will keep their rate.

Feeling Behind on Marketing? Let's Build Your July Plan Together.Raise your hand if you've looked at your social media lately and thought:

06/18/2026

Friendly reminder: those “I’ll book my senior photos later” dates are turning into “Oops, they’re gone” dates. 👀

Only a few senior session spots remain for August, September, and October.

Let’s get your date on the calendar. 🎓📸

06/17/2026

Want more natural senior photos? Stop worrying about what to do with your hands. 😉

The secret isn’t standing perfectly still and smiling at the camera.

It’s movement.

Walk. Spin. Adjust your jacket. Play with your hair. Toss the volleyball. Laugh at something ridiculous I say (and trust me… there will be plenty 😆).

The best photos happen in the moments between the poses—the genuine smiles, the natural movement, and the little moments that actually feel like YOU.

As a photographer, my job isn’t to make you pose like everyone else. It’s to help you move, interact, and create images that feel authentic.

Save this for your senior session and send it to a friend who says, “I don’t know how to pose.” 👇

06/16/2026

Have you listened to the first episode of Season 3 yet? 🎙️

One of the biggest mindset shifts from my conversation with Jana Osofsky was this:

👉 You don't have to create more content.
👉 You need content that works harder.

As photographers and creative business owners, we're often told to post more, blog more, create more, be on more platforms...

But what if the answer isn't more?

What if it's creating one strong piece of content and repurposing it in a way that continues to bring people back to your business weeks, months, or even years later?

In this episode, Jana shares practical strategies for:
✨ Creating high-leverage content
✨ Improving your SEO
✨ Using AI without sounding like everyone else
✨ Turning one idea into multiple pieces of content
✨ Avoiding content burnout

If content creation has felt overwhelming lately, this conversation might be exactly what you need.

🎧 Listen to: *The One About Blogging That Actually Gets Clients with Jana Osofsky*

What's one piece of content you've created that continues to work for your business long after you posted it? Let me know below 👇