Adam and Lori Carroll, owners of Harbour Light Photography in Auburn, Michigan, know what it takes to scale a portrait studio into a thriving volume business. Along with their production manager, Kim Werner, they’ve transformed school portraits and sports photography into a reliable, repeatable revenue stream.
In this behind-the-scenes webinar, they share the systems, strategies, and lessons that helped them grow from a two-person portrait studio into a trusted provider for schools and leagues across their community.
Whether you’re an established portrait photographer or looking for a new way to stabilize your income, their playbook offers a practical, replicable path into volume photography.
Say Yes to Opportunity
Harbor Light Photography opened in 2006 in a small town of about 2,000 people. Like many studios, they began with seniors, weddings, and families. But when their local district asked them to take on school portraits in 2015—serving over 3,500 students—they said yes.
That decision marked a turning point. Volume photography became a cornerstone of their business, even as traditional portrait sales slowed. By 2019, Lori left her corporate job to join full-time, boosting both sides of the studio. And when the pandemic hit, their school photography arm grew even stronger.
Their advice? Don’t be afraid to say yes—even if you have to figure out the details later.
Systems that Scale
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For Adam, Lori, and Kim, volume photography comes down to one thing: systems. They break their workflow into three clear stages:
- Pre-Picture Day – Scheduling schools by May, locking in both main and makeup days, and ensuring data is clean and complete. Every student, staff member, and even class pet makes it into the system.
- Picture Day – A fast, consistent setup that allows them to photograph 500–600 elementary students in under two hours without sacrificing quality. Dedicated gear, backup equipment, and a three-light system give their images a portrait-quality look that stands out from flat corporate photos.
- Post-Picture Day – Proofing instead of prepay, streamlined online ordering, and outsourcing IDs to ACI for speed and reliability.
It’s these repeatable processes that keep them efficient while maintaining a high level of polish.
Competing with Big Companies
National companies may dominate the school and sports markets, but Harbor Light Photography leans into their local advantage. Schools know their money stays in the community, and parents appreciate the flexibility.
Highlights of their approach include:
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- Offering homeschool picture days and in-studio makeups for late transfers.
- Partnering with therapy centers to serve students with autism and special needs, taking extra time when it matters most.
- Building relationships through chambers of commerce, volunteering, and supporting local sports programs.
- Their professionalism, care, and consistency set them apart in a market where schools are often treated like numbers.
Streamlined Sports-Photography
Volume isn’t limited to classrooms. Harbor Light Photography also runs a highly efficient sports program across three categories:
- Rec Leagues – Hundreds of kids photographed in a single day with streamlined setups, printed backdrops, and a dedicated “wrangler” keeping teams on track.
- Travel Sports – Studio or on-location sessions using digital backgrounds like Ben Shirk’s Game Changers, often paired with free banners for teams that hit order minimums.
- School Sports – Consistent backgrounds year after year for volleyball, football, basketball, and more.
By simplifying setups and offering add-ons, they’ve turned sports into another steady revenue stream.
Key Takeaways for Photographers
If you’re considering volume photography as part of your business model, Harbor Light Photography’s success offers a clear roadmap:
- Say yes to new opportunities, even if you need to learn as you go.
- Build systems for pre-picture day, picture day, and post-picture day.
- Emphasize consistency in lighting, posing, and workflow.
- Use proofing, not prepay, to meet parents where they are.
- Leverage your local advantage—relationships, flexibility, and care matter.
Volume photography isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about combining professionalism with personal connection. When you get the systems right, it can be one of the most dependable and scalable parts of your business.
