In this episode of The Portrait System Podcast, host Nikki Closser speaks with New Zealand native Tony Carter about the evolution of his 30-year career and how shooting weddings, documentary, photography and portraits all naturally evolve from one to another.

Carter, who is a judge in The Portrait Masters Awards & Accreditation Competition and has been named New Zealand Professional Photographer of the Year seven times, got his start in photography after sustaining a knee injury in motocross dirt bike riding. To stay involved, Carter began photographing the sport. From there, he entered an apprenticeship with a wedding photographer with failing eyesight.  

Carter says, “I found that to be a great grounding. You know, when you turn up at a wedding, you have to just keep thinking on your feet. As a documentary photographer, you have to be an organizer. . . weddings are such a big theatre, so you’re sort of like the conductor.” Moving from weddings to portraits was a natural transition for Carter. He also found it to be an easier way to make money and with better hours, too.

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Carter has built his portrait business around creating legacy products for his clients. Folio boxes, albums, and wall art are all he sells—no digitals! While he prefers to shoot out of doors or in a client’s home, he maintains a studio that showcases the products and types of work that he sells. Carter says, it’s crucial for photographers to show what they want to sell and to understand the value of what they provide if they are going to be successful in this business. He says, “Portraits are such a valuable thing to clients. So, it’s really about valuing what you do, believing in it, and being able to really put that across to people.”

The documentary photographer is in the process of moving from Taranaki, New Zealand, to Christchurch, where he is opening a new portrait and documentary photography business with his partner Katherine Williams. His new website is still under construction, so the best place to learn more about his work currently is on his Instagram: @TonyCarter67.

The Portrait System Podcast helps portrait photographers navigate the world of photography, business, money, and much more. Hosted by Nikki Closser, the podcast is powered by The Portrait System, a comprehensive, online educational platform that teaches all aspects of running a successful portrait photography studio.