A Camera, A Hustle, And Forty Years Of Reinvention with Kirk Voclain

Have an idea or tip? Send us a text! Ever wonder how a “boring” photo of a metal part could move a seven-figure sale? Gary Pageau of the Dead Pixels Society sits down with veteran photographer Kirk Voclain to unpack four decades of pivots, from a cereal‑box Instamatic to seniors that paid the bills, then into commercial, industrial, and real estate work that sells outcomes, not megapixels. Voclain’s story is part grit, part curiosity, and entirely practical: market directly when gatekeepers want kickbacks, promise ROI to businesses who must buy, and turn every shoot into downstream print revenue with albums, cards, and smart lab integrations. He also digs into the moments that changed his trajectory: a teenage wedding that proved passion can pay, a decision to bypass school-volume politics, and a 2016 read of the curve when senior orders softened. Voclain lays out how he reframed photography as a business asset—product images that drive revenue, corporate visuals that recruit, listings that convert—and how he kept margins healthy by bundling design, using pro labs for direct fulfillment, and charging real money for files. His guide for the next generation is refreshingly blunt: avoid debt, make gear pay for itself, and price for the value you actually deliver. You’ll also hear how he bridged film and digital by testing, showing clients one perfected digital image per session, and letting demand justify the switch. And because creativity doesn’t stop at the studio door, Voclain shar Photo Imaging CONNECT The Photo Imaging CONNECT conference, March 1-2, 2026, at the RIO Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas, NPodMatch PodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For Interviews Mediaclip Mediaclip strives to continuously enhance the user experience while dramatically increasing revenue. Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! Start for FREE Independent Photo Imagers IPI is a member + trade association and a cooperative buying group in the photo + print industry. Photo Imaging CONNECT The Photo Imaging CONNECT conference, March 1-2, 2026, at the RIO Hotel and Resort in Las Vegas, N Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show Sign up for the Dead Pixels Society newsletter at http://bit.ly/DeadPixelsSignUp. Contact us at gary@thedeadpixelssociety.com Visit our LinkedIn group, Photo/Digital Imaging Network, and Facebook group, The Dead Pixels Society. Leave a review on Apple and Podchaser. Are you interested in being a guest? Click here for details. Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau Edited by Olivia Pageau Announcer: Erin Manning