Building Volume Photography Communities: Ian Hatch's Journey from Corporate to Entrepreneur
The Dead Pixels Society podcast
The Dead Pixels Society podcast
Building Volume Photography Communities: Ian Hatch's Journey from Corporate to Entrepreneur
Apr 24, 2025 Season 6 Episode 215
Gary Pageau

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After dedicating 30 years to school photography and rising to Head of Sales at the UK's largest school photography company, Ian Hatch found himself unexpectedly redundant at age 54. Rather than retiring or changing careers, he channeled what he candidly calls his "revenge" into something extraordinary – a thriving school photography business that's grown from a single school to 66 in just three years.

One of the secrets to Hatch's continued success lies in his innovative "Moving Memories" technology. By linking printed photographs to videos through augmented reality, he's solved a persistent industry problem: low conversion rates on group photos. When parents purchase a print, they receive a QR code that, when scanned and held over the image, brings their child to life in video form. The genius lies in the exclusivity – the video content is only accessible to those who own the physical print. This approach has transformed typical sales rates from 8-10 per class to nearly 100%, with some classes recording more sales than there are students due to split households wanting their copies.

Alongside his photography business, Hatch has built MOFOTO, a thriving online community that's grown from just two members to nearly 2,600 photographers worldwide. This Facebook group fills the void left by the decline of traditional industry associations, offering support, advice, and camaraderie to volume photographers at all levels. Hatch extends thi

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Hosted and produced by Gary Pageau
Edited by Olivia Pageau
Announcer: Erin Manning

Episode Artwork Building Volume Photography Communities: Ian Hatch's Journey from Corporate to Entrepreneur 41:22 Episode Artwork The Healing Power of Smartphone Photography, with Joe Van Wyk 37:24 Episode Artwork Preparing Your Business for a Successful Exit, with Tom Gledhill 22:15 Episode Artwork From Invisible Inks to Baseball Bats: The World of UV Printing with Lon Riley, DPI Laboratory 31:15 Episode Artwork Unlock Effective Sales Strategies with David Fastuca, Growth Forum 38:46 Episode Artwork Less Hopeful, More Engineered: A Fresh Look at Marketing ROI, with John Watson 30:23 Episode Artwork Unlocking Team Performance with Brenda Neckvatal 37:16 Episode Artwork Why More Traffic Doesn’t Mean More Sales: A Digital Marketing Deep Dive with Matt Bailey 35:12 Episode Artwork Capturing the High Seas: Patrick Condy's Journey in Sailing Photography and Drone Adventures 30:37 Episode Artwork Unlocking Online Engagement with Philippa Gamse 30:10 Episode Artwork From Molecular Biology to Photography: Jasmeet Singh’s Journey in Corporate Headshots 31:30 Episode Artwork Innovative Pathways to Work-Life Balance and Success, with Lorene Cowan 28:15 Episode Artwork Preserving Personal Narratives: How Remento is Transforming Family Storytelling 28:42 Episode Artwork Unlocking the Stories Behind Our Possessions: The Artifcts Innovation with Ellen Goodwin 31:25 Episode Artwork The Art and Business of Photography with Lesle Lane 26:30 Episode Artwork Berti Skenderasi's Journey from Albania to School Photography Innovator in America 43:16 Episode Artwork Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurial Skills, with Peggy Beauregard 26:13 Episode Artwork Unlocking Business Growth with a Fractional CFO: Insights from Stewart Ervin 28:31 Episode Artwork Neuroplasticity: The key to aging gracefully and succeeding in business 48:04 Episode Artwork Mastering Google Ads: Strategies, Compliance, and Trends with John Horn 29:29 Episode Artwork From Photographer to AI Innovator: Justin Benson's Journey with Aftershoot 27:21 Episode Artwork From Journalism to Trails to Tech: Wendy Bounds on Innovation and Personal Transformation 34:25 Episode Artwork FastEditor's Journey in Europe's Tech Scene, with Rick Molenaar 27:32 Episode Artwork Navigating SEO Challenges for Business Growth with Senthil Kumar 31:09 Episode Artwork Secrets to superior cash flow management, with Shena Marie White 27:23