How To Build A Photography Newsletter

My step-by-step guide to sharing your story on Substack

In 2023, I started this Substack to share my photography stories in an authentic and accessible way. My goal was to write the kind of stories I would enjoy reading and to do it on a regular basis. The aim? To reach a passionate group of photographers and inspire them to go further, faster.

In 2024, I introduced a paid tier for those who wanted to dive deeper into the behind-the-scenes of my adventures. I’ll be honest with you: even with over 50 paying subscribers, this tier isn’t anywhere near turning a profit. But that was never the goal. This offering is about providing actionable insights to elevate photography as a hobby or a business.

The last two years on Substack have been incredible. With over 10,000 monthly readers, this platform has far exceeded my expectations. Most importantly, having a dedicated space to share my most honest thoughts on photography feels liberating. It’s a feeling I think many of you might be searching for as well.

So, as we head into 2025, I’m going to share exactly how I mapped my journey to Substack. Below, you’ll find 25 simple steps to building your own page and sharing your story.

---

The Specifics

Before I dive into the steps, let me emphasize something important: don’t start your Substack journey with profit or accolades as your primary goals. Those outcomes will always be beyond your control. However, if you’re passionate about sharing your voice and building a genuine connection with a community, this might be a space worth exploring.

With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s get started.

1. Create a Substack account

• Pick a name for your newsletter and create an account on Substack. This is pretty self-explanatory and the platform makes it really easy to do.

2. Secure a dedicated URL and redirect to Substack

• Whether it’s through Google, Hover, or another trusted provider, get a dedicated URL for your newsletter and connect it to Substack. There’s a one-time fee for this privilege but it’s well worth it.

3. Build a simple logo and banner image

• Guess what? People still do judge a book by its cover. So whether you build it yourself or hire a designer, make sure you have a logo and banner image to bring some polish to your newsletter.

4. Choose a theme and forget about it

• Substack has a several themes to choose from. Pick something that you like looking at and move on. Don’t overthink this step.

5. Build a solid About Page

• This is the page that’ll give readers context to the journey you’re on. It’s an opportunity to let people know who you are and what you’re building. So, take the time to build something that’s engaging and concise.