We had the opportunity to host world-renowned wedding photographer, Jose Villa, for one of our most popular Maroo webinars a few years back. Jose joined us and the response from our Maroo members was overwhelmingly positive — his insights were so well-received that we've kept coming back to them ever since. If you know Jose, you know he's an open book. Refreshingly, he doesn't hold back. Having been in the business for over 25 years, Jose has extensive wisdom and experience to share (and really this webinar could have easily been 2 hours long!). If you missed it, here are 5 takeaways that are just as relevant heading into the rest of 2026!
Jose shared that he personally responds to every lead that comes his way. He doesn't use any type of CRM or management system to keep track of leads. Instead of automating the process, he immediately replies back and shares his availability and pricing.
"Sometimes even one-liner inquiries have been some of my biggest and best clients!"
While 90% of the time he doesn't hear back once he shares his pricing, he told us that he never takes any inquiry for granted––giving every lead the attention it deserves.
Money can be a sensitive topic for many clients (no matter the price point). In his case, Jose will talk about pricing during the negotiations process. That typically involves guiding his clients on booking the right number of hours and photographers, as well as sharing cost estimates on travel and per diem. That said, after the contract is signed, there is no additional money talk. To his mind, it doesn't create a very luxurious experience when a wedding professional attempts to talk about "overtime" or any other costs after the contract has been signed. Instead, he makes certain that these conversations always happen prior to the event and the signing of the contract.
At least 15% of Jose's overall business comes from album sales. "Once we shoot the wedding, that's when our job actually starts," he says. After a wedding, Jose and his team will spend over two years working on photo selects, prints, and albums. He uses the seasonal downtime between January and March to remind his clients to purchase and put together their albums — and if you haven't tapped into this window yet this year, there's still time. If the client is local, he'll even work with them in person on album selections.
Jose is inarguably one of the most sought-after wedding photographers in the world. That said, he shared that sometimes even he loses out on jobs and that the FOMO he experiences is a normal, human feeling. Recognize that it's a normal feeling but keep your head in the game!
As Jose put it, consistency is key to growth. In other words, as a wedding pro looking to level up, you need to have an incredible track record of delivering quality work, having a great personality, and communicating in a way that makes your clients feel special. Do it this way and every planner, designer, and couple will know what to expect out of you (and will pay for it as well). What would he do if he were just starting out again? Create content as often as possible! Whether it be styled shoots, second shooting, or taking a camera on a walk, staying focused on creating content is a must to perfecting the art.
These 5 lessons are just the tip of the iceberg. Jose's insight into running a successful wedding photography business goes deep — from how he handles NDAs and celebrity clients to the way he structures his team and communicates with every single prospect. If you found this valuable, don't miss our full roundup of his advice in 6 Takeaways from Jose Villa For Wedding Businesses — it's well worth the read.
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