
How Jerry Hughes built a volume cheer photography business
Have an idea or tip? Send us a text! A lot of people can take a great photo once. The hard part is building a photography business that can deliver great photos all day, on schedule, under pressure, and with customers who expect a flawless experience. That’s why our conversation with Dallas photographer Jerry Hughe s hits so hard, because he’s lived the leap from beginner to high-volume pro and he’s honest about what it really takes. Hughes walks Gary Pageau of The Dead Pixels Society through his second-career pivot, starting with a single digital photography elective and a bargain camera, then learning at warp speed through CreativeLive, conferences, and nonstop practice. He unpacks how he found his edge by specializing in competitive cheer photography, a niche that demands both technical skill and sport knowledge. From team and individual photos inside gyms to action photography at competitions and print-on-site products, Hughes explains the systems that turn event photography into a scalable operation with crews, process, and consistent delivery. Hughes also discusses the uncomfortable modern reality of AI in photography, including watermark removal and copyright infringement. He shares a practical fix that boosted sales while keeping picture day inclusive: A refundable deposit to unlock galleries, powered by PhotoDay automation. He also shares his views on AI tools (retouching, glare removal, cleanup over gimmicks), why adaptability is the real competitive advantage, and what he’s building next with Photo Mafia video education platform to teach the “real stuff” without gatekeeping. The Dead Pixels Society Podcast is powered by ScanMyPhotos, serving the photo industry for more than 30 years. ScanMyPhotos ScanMyPhotos provides professional digitization services for photos, negatives, slides, and more Energize your sales with Shareme.chat , the proven texting platform. ShareMe.Chat ShareMe.Chat platform uses chat-to-text on your website to keep your customers connected and buying! 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 2027, 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 Announcer : Erin Manning















