The Photography Mentor

The Photography Mentor Sustainable growth.

Helping photographers & small business owners grow online. ✨
📸 13+ years full-time photographer
🎥 Content Studio Owner & Business Coach
🚀 Teaching content, Meta Ads & sold-out mini sessions
🤍 Real strategies.

26/07/2026

I was photographing a beautiful extended family session when Mum came over and asked if we could do one last photo.

She pointed to Grandma and said, “Can you get Mum to walk off into the distance, then turn around and give us a little wave?”

I remember thinking, that’s an unusual request…Then she explained why. She told me that she was a funeral director and one day, when Grandma eventually passes away, she wanted a photo they could use at her funeral. Not one of her sitting in a chair or smiling at the camera… but one that felt like she was walking away, turning back one last time to say goodbye.

We all watched as Grandma walked off into the distance, turned around with the biggest smile and gave us the sweetest little wave.

It was one of those moments that reminds you photography isn’t just about today…it’s about creating something your family won’t truly understand the value of until years later.

Every time I photograph them now, I ask, “How’s Grandma?” And every single time they smile and tell me, “We still haven’t had to use the photo.”

It reminded me that the photos we take today often become the memories we hold onto tomorrow. And that’s a responsibility I’ll never take lightly.

What’s one photo you’re so grateful you have? Drop the image in the comments if you can 🤍

23/07/2026

This is the reason I took the leap and started my own business over a decade ago.

Yes, I wanted to make money.

Because money gave me choices.

It gave me the chance to create a life for my children that my younger self could never have imagined.

Family holidays I only ever dreamed of as a child.

A mum who was there every morning to drop them off at school and every afternoon waiting to pick them up.

School holidays together instead of asking for time off.

A home that felt safe and stable.

Two parents who were present.

That dream became the reason I kept going on the hard days.

Every late night.
Every risk.
Every setback.
Every moment I questioned whether I could actually do this.

Because I wasn’t just building a business.

I was changing the story for my family.

Looking back now, I’m so grateful I took that leap.

Not because of the money itself, but because of what that money has allowed us to experience together.

If you’re building a business to create a different future for your family, don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for wanting financial success. Sometimes making more money isn’t about having more things it’s about having more freedom, more choices, and more time with the people you love. 🤍

If you’re ready to start building that life but don’t know where to begin, comment COACHING below. I’d love to help guide you on the journey. ✨

23/07/2026

Life has a funny way of making us believe we’re either in the best season or the hardest one. But when I really stop and think about it… most of life is lived somewhere in the middle.

Some days, running a business feels incredible. You hit your goals, enquiries come in, and you remember exactly why you started.

Other days, it feels heavy. You question yourself, compare yourself to everyone else, and wonder if it’s ever going to work.

But most days?

Most days are just ordinary.

They’re answering emails, creating content, serving clients, fixing problems, showing up when no one is clapping, and doing the same things over and over again.

I’ve realised that’s not the part to wish away.

Because businesses aren’t built in the big, exciting moments. They’re built in the ordinary ones. The quiet, consistent days that don’t feel remarkable at the time but slowly become the reason you succeed.

Keep going. The season you’re in won’t last forever, but the person you’re becoming through it will.

🤍 If you run a small business and want real honesty from someone who gets it, follow along. I share the wins, the failures, and everything in between.

22/07/2026

For most of my life I thought I was just someone who couldn’t switch off.

I’d be halfway through one idea before my brain had already started planning the next three. I’d wake up at 2am with a business idea, completely redesign my studio in my head while driving, start a new project before I’d finished the last one, and constantly feel like my brain had 47 tabs open.

Then, as an adult, I was diagnosed with ADHD.

Suddenly, so much made sense.

It didn’t change who I was, but it gave me a better understanding of how my brain works. That busy mind I’d spent years trying to quiet was also the same mind that built a business I love, came up with creative ideas, solved problems differently and always saw opportunities where others didn’t.

Don’t get me wrong… it can be exhausting. Sometimes I wish I could just switch it off for a little while.

But I’ve also learnt that not everything about ADHD needs to be “fixed.” Sometimes it’s about learning how to work with your brain instead of constantly fighting against it.

I’m curious… if you were diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, what was the biggest thing that suddenly made sense? 🤍

22/07/2026

Life isn’t meant to feel exciting every single day.

Some seasons are incredible. Some are really hard. But most of life is built in the ordinary… the quiet days where you keep showing up, even when it feels like nothing is happening.

The same is true in business.

Everyone sees the “overnight success” moments, but they don’t see the months of creating content, learning new skills, testing ads, making mistakes, refining systems and simply not giving up.

The photographers and business owners who build businesses that give them freedom aren’t usually the most talented… they’re the ones who stay consistent through the ordinary.

If you’re in that season right now, don’t mistake slow progress for failure. Keep going. The life and business you’re working towards are often built in the days that feel the least remarkable.

If you’re ready for someone to guide you through those seasons instead of trying to figure it all out alone, comment COACHING and I’ll send you the details. 🤍

19/07/2026

I’ve heard some weird things in 13 years as a photographer… but WTF was this?!

People always ask me who the weirdest client I’ve ever photographed was… and this dad wins. By a mile.

From the moment he walked into the studio he gave me the creeps.

He kept making comments like, “Bet you think I look gorgeous,” and, “You’re pretty lucky you get to look at me all day.”

Mate… I’m here to photograph your newborn, not gas you up. 😳

I just awkwardly laughed, ignored it and kept the session moving.

Then mum was feeding bub and he asked, “Can we get a feeding photo?”

I thought, “Sure.” It’s usually mum’s idea, but maybe he was just being thoughtful and knew she’d want to remember that moment.

So I grabbed my camera.

Then he looks at me, completely serious, and says…

“Can I feed on the other side and you take a photo of that?”

…

I’m sorry… WHAT?!

Mum and I just looked at each other in complete disbelief.

She goes, “Why would you even say that?!”

Without even thinking I replied,

“Nah… you’ll have to find another photographer for that kind of photography.” 😂

Honestly… in over 13 years of photographing newborns, I still don’t think anything has topped that comment.

Please tell me you’ve had an interaction with someone that made you think… what on earth is wrong with people? 😂

18/07/2026

These don’t always mean someone’s going to be a difficult client… but after 13 years, I’ve learnt to trust my gut.

🚩 They book the cheapest package… but expect the experience of the most expensive one.

They’ve booked for one outfit and a handful of combinations, but before the session they’ve planned four outfit changes, every possible family combination, and a Pinterest shot list a mile long. It’s usually the first sign that they don’t value the boundaries of what they’ve actually purchased.

🚩 They ask for the RAW files.

This is a huge one for me. You’re not just paying for someone to press a shutter. You’re hiring an artist for their editing, style and finished product. Asking for RAW files tells me they don’t fully understand or respect that.

🚩 They try to negotiate your availability.

My working hours are clearly listed before anyone books. If someone immediately starts pushing for evenings, weekends or times I’ve specifically said I don’t offer, it often tells me they’ll continue pushing boundaries throughout the whole process.

The biggest lesson I’ve learnt?

You don’t have to book every enquiry.

In the early days I said yes to everyone because I was scared to lose work. Now I know that protecting my peace, my family time and the experience I provide my clients is worth far more than one booking.

Some of my best clients are the ones who respect my process from the very first email.

Trust your gut. It’s usually right.

👇 Fellow photographers… what’s a client red flag you’ve learnt to never ignore?

17/07/2026

This $10/day Meta Ads strategy booked my photography business out 4 months in advance. 🤯

For years I thought you needed a huge budget to make Meta Ads work.

You don’t.

That’s exactly why I created my free guide.

Inside, I break down the 5 biggest mistakes I see people make with Meta Ads and how to fix them so your ads actually start bringing in enquiries and sales.

Comment META below and I’ll send it straight to you. 👇

17/07/2026

About 6 years ago, mum casually says to me, “just a heads up, she’s really gassy… like really gassy.” I laughed it off thinking, how bad can it be?

Not even 5 minutes later… I hear the most insane noise come out of this tiny human. I pause, look at mum and go, “I think she might have done a poo…” and mum goes, “no no, that’s just wind, she does it all the time.”

…ma’am.

I slowly look down and see green stuff leaking out the sides… and I mean everywhere. All through the wraps, pooling underneath, just absolute chaos.

We rush over to the change table and as we’re trying to clean her up… she keeps going. And going. And GOING. Mum wasn’t wrong about one thing though 😳 I have never smelt anything like it in my life. I’m standing there trying to be professional while quietly dry reaching and questioning all my life choices.

Eventually, we get her cleaned up, reset, and keep going. Session runs a bit over but we got there in the end.

Now here’s where it somehow gets worse…

I had to rush straight to school pick up. I’m standing there chatting to another mum, casually telling her this exact story, feeling very proud of myself for surviving the situation…

And then I look down.

And I freeze.

There is baby poo. On my stomach. On my shirt. Just… sitting there like it’s been there the whole time.

HOW did I miss this?! I had even changed my shirt?!

I eventually worked out it must’ve been on the change table and I leaned against it at some point… but honestly, I don’t even want to know.

Safe to say… that was a once in a lifetime experience.

Please tell me I’m not alone l… drop your craziest newborn poo stories in the comments 😂

17/07/2026

I see this all the time when photographers start newborn photography…

They think more setups = better session.
More outfits = more value.
More changes = more variety.

So they spend the entire shoot:
unwrapping
redressing
resetting
resettling

…and the baby?

Overstimulated.
Unsettled.
Harder to pose as the session goes on.

And suddenly what should feel calm and natural…
feels stressful and chaotic.

Here’s the shift that changed everything for me:

I do the opposite.

I dress and wrap baby once at the beginning.
And my entire workflow is built around that.

So instead of constantly changing baby…
I slowly unwrap as the session goes on.

Which means:
✔ baby stays settled
✔ transitions feel seamless
✔ the whole session flows

By the end, I’ve created variety…
without ever disrupting the baby.

This is what most photographers don’t realise:

It’s not about doing more.
It’s about doing it intentionally.

When your workflow makes sense…
everything becomes easier.
For you, and for the baby.

If you want to learn exactly how I structure my newborn sessions from start to finish, my full newborn guide is in the link in my bio 🤍

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