You Don’t Have to Find Your Niche — You’ve Already Lived It: A Guide for Rural Photographers

If you’re a rural photographer trying to figure out your “niche,” you’re not alone.

For years, I thought my niche was something I had to go out and “find.”
I knew deep down it had to come from me — from who I was and what I cared about.
But there were always other thoughts crowding in: Will it be sustainable? Will it actually work?

That question of sustainability sent me chasing every idea I could find.
I read all the marketing books.
I filled out all the ideal client worksheets.
I tried modeling myself after successful photographers I admired.

And somewhere along the way, I forgot to trust what was already right in front of me.

No matter how much research I did, it always felt like something was missing.
I was still looking outside of myself for answers that could only be found inside.

Just lately, after a lot of reflection, I realized: your niche isn’t “out there.”

Your niche is already inside the life you’ve lived.

And if you’re a rural photographer — someone who grew up with dirt under your fingernails, who knows what a branding smells like, who understands the weight of carrying on a family legacy — you have more to draw from than you probably realize.

This post is going to help you find it.

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THE MISTAKE WE ALL MAKE

When I first started building my photography business, I took all the courses that were supposed to help me understand who I was — and how that could translate into my niche.
But in the background, there was always this thought about figuring out who the “market” wanted me to be.

I would scroll through Instagram, see someone’s beautiful brand, and think: Maybe I should do that too.

I tried being trendier.
I tried being more polished.
I tried niching down into things that looked good on paper but didn’t really feel like me.

And every time, it felt really off.

The work didn’t light me up.
It wasn’t just the work — it was the marketing I struggled with the most. It just didn’t feel natural.

Because when you build your work around something that isn’t you, it doesn’t matter how good it looks from the outside — it’s exhausting to maintain.

And the truth is, the best clients aren’t looking for perfect. They’re looking for real.

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MY LIFE ALREADY GAVE ME MY NICHE

I didn’t realize it at first, but everything I needed to know about my niche was already woven into the life I’d lived.
And I was pretty much already doing it — I was just afraid to let go of the other things that didn’t really apply.
I was afraid to market the most specific parts of what I loved most.

For example, I was already photographing families on their ranches.
I was already taking senior pictures of kids with their 4-H animals and their rodeo horses.
But I didn’t think anyone would be willing to pay for what I truly wanted to do.

What I eventually learned is that you can take all the little pieces of yourself —
the hobbies you love, the major life events (good and bad), even the secret interests you don’t always talk about —
and when you let them all mix and match together, they start to give you real clues about the direction you want to take your business.

For instance, I looked at:

• Raising my kids as my top priority.
• All the years I spent working with horses and now training dogs.
• The sourdough bread I bake from scratch because it makes a house smell like a home.
• Healing old wounds and spending decades on self-work.
• Walking through a divorce.
• Learning the rhythm of rural life — and what it really means to care for land and livestock.
• The pride I take in decorating my home so it feels warm and welcoming when people walk in.
• Serving in my community through 4-H, the school board, and the town council.

None of these things seemed “business-related” at first.

But together, they built the backbone of who I am as a photographer — and what kind of people I naturally connect with.

The “you” who’s already lived a full life has everything you need to attract your right clients.

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THE SELF-DISCOVERY PROCESS (AND A PROMPT TO HELP YOU START)

If you want to find your real niche as a rural photographer, it’s not about looking around at what other people are doing.
It’s about looking inward.

When I finally sat down and wrote out all the skills, experiences, passions, and values that shaped me, the picture became clearer than it had ever been.

And you can do the same.

I learned about this ChatGPT prompt from Nicolas Cole in his Substack newsletter called “Write with AI.”
I took his original idea and modified it for rural photographers.

(If you want to see his original or learn more from him, check out his Substack!)

Here’s the customized ChatGPT prompt to help you:

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Copy and paste this into ChatGPT and let it interview you:

You are an elite creative strategist who has helped hundreds of rural photographers discover their true niche — the combination of life experience, creative passion, and real-world knowledge that makes them one of a kind.

I want you to interview me and help me uncover my niche — the intersection of my experiences, passions, skills, and values.

Here’s how I want you to run the interview:

• Ask me one question at a time, and wait for my answer before continuing.
• Start broad about my background, then go deeper into hobbies, work, skills, dreams, experiences, and personal growth.
• Ask follow-up questions if needed.
• Don’t summarize my answers until I tell you I’m ready.
• Then summarize my niche: what makes me different, who I’m best able to serve, and how I could use it creatively.

Focus on helping me see connections between my rural life, creative talents, personal growth, and passions.

Let’s begin whenever you’re ready!

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A few tips before you start:

• Answer honestly. No overthinking. No trying to “sound good.”
• Just tell the truth about your real life.
• Use your phone and voice-to-text.
• Just speak. Let it all roll out.
• Don’t worry about grammar, punctuation, or even complete sentences.
• You’re not writing an essay — you’re letting it all flow out.

When you’re done, you’ll be amazed at how much clarity you already have.

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WHAT TO DO WITH WHAT YOU FIND

Once you map out all the pieces of your life, you’ll start to see patterns.

You’ll realize you’re not “just” a photographer.
You’re someone who’s spent a lifetime gathering skills, passions, and experiences that actually mean something.

Maybe you understand why your quirky side gigs and odd jobs have given you a different way of seeing things.
Maybe you’ve learned how to take seemingly unrelated passions and tie them together into something that feels like yours.
Maybe you bring a kind of creativity that couldn’t have come from a traditional path — because you lived it, and earned it.

Whatever your story looks like, it’s not random.
It’s all been shaping you — and it’s all worth bringing into the work you’re here to do.

Your niche isn’t a genre. It’s your point of view.

And the more you own it, the more naturally the right people will find you.

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FINAL THOUGHTS:

Finding your niche as a rural photographer isn’t about putting yourself in a smaller and smaller box.
It’s about realizing all the beautiful little nuances of yourself that make up an incredible package.

It’s about gathering up all the pieces of your life — the quirks, the hardships, the passions, the skills — and realizing that’s your story.

That’s your niche.

The world doesn’t need another perfectly branded “content creator.”

It needs more people willing to just be themselves — and bring ALL their gifts and abilities to the table.

More people who live what they believe and love what they do.
More people who can help others remember these real things about themselves too.

And that, more than anything else, is what makes you irreplaceable.

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If this resonated with you, I would love to hear from you!
If you’ve had a similar experience trying to find your niche — whether you’ve figured it out or are still in the middle of it — I’d love to hear your story.
Hit reply and let’s talk!

If you’re looking for more photography tutorials, check out my BLOG POST titled Mastering Golden Hour Photography: How I Captured Three Shots in Six Minutes