Motherhood Anthology: Photography Education for a Business You Love

What does it actually take to feel confident walking into a family session? In this episode, guest host Suzy Brown, a Chicago family photographer nearly two decades into her career, sits down for a real, unscripted coaching call with TMA member Kailey, a photographer just six months into taking on clients. The questions Kailey asks out loud are the same ones photographers are still wrestling with 10 and 15 years in.

Topics Covered

Why the first 30 minutes of a session feel awkward for almost everyone, and the simple walk-in-the-door approach that dissolves the wall for you and your families

How to handle the family member who does not want to be there, and why setting the tone before you lift the camera changes the whole session

Whether you can show up as your full self on your business account when you do not feel like your own ideal client, and how sharing "from a scar, not a wound" attracts the people who want exactly you

Why an exceptional client experience will outperform pure artistry financially, and what that means for photographers early in their journey

The mindset shift Kailey reached at six months in that many photographers take decades to find: you do not have to be perfect, and imperfect work is often the work families treasure most

When to use a pre-session Zoom call in your booking process, and how a 15-minute conversation gets families on board before you ever arrive

This conversation is a reminder that the people side of photography is learnable, that the pressure to be perfect is what stands between you and the work you want to make, and that none of us have to figure this out alone. Press play to listen in on the full coaching call.

About the Suzy Brown

Suzy Brown is a family photographer based in Chicago with nearly 20 years behind the camera. She has built her career on transforming family photos from a dreaded obligation into an experience families look forward to, and today she teaches other photographers how to lead family sessions with confidence. Suzy will be TMA's guest educator this November, going deep on leading a family session no matter who shows up or what mood they are in. Find her on Instagram at @simplybysuzy.

Connect with TMA:

Website | Membership | Courses: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.themotherhoodanthology.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Free Community: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/themotherhoodanthology ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Our Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/themotherhoodanthology⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Kim:

Site: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimbox.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/kimbox ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ever wonder what actually goes into those breathtaking styled sessions you see other photographers pulling off? In this episode, Ali Payne sits down with TMA mentor Marie of Marie Elizabeth Photography to get nosy about her Becoming Styled Sessions, an afternoon of four fully styled shoots she opened up to fellow photographers. From a nautical romance session on a sailboat to blue Portuguese tiles in a historic farmhouse kitchen, Marie shares how one small detail can grow into an entire creative vision.

In This Episode

What a styled session actually is, and why it is far more achievable than most photographers assume

Why building at least one styled session a year keeps your creativity fresh and prevents your work from going on repeat

How styled sessions play the long game for your business, bringing in client inquiries years after you shoot them

Marie's process for planning a session from one simple idea, like a scarf, a location, or a feeling, into a complete mood board

How to stretch into trends while keeping the core of your brand intact

Leading a room of photographers: giving attendees creative autonomy while holding your vision

Why a styled session event is the perfect low-lift entry point if hosting a workshop or retreat feels intimidating

Whether you are dreaming up your first solo styled session or feeling called to invite other photographers into your vision, this conversation is proof that it all starts with one simple idea. Press play and get inspired to create something just for the joy of it.

About Marie

Marie is a motherhood, newborn, family, and maternity photographer serving DC, parts of Maryland, and Northern Virginia. Now in her tenth year of business, she taught for 13 years while building her photography business on the side before going full time nearly five years ago. She is a TMA mentor and the creator of the Becoming Styled Sessions.

Website: https://marie-elizabethphotography.com/home/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marie.elizabeth.photo

Blog post: https://themotherhoodanthology.com/styled-session-for-photographers/

Marie's Becoming styled session waitlist: http://marie-elizabethphotography.com/waitlist-the-becoming

Connect with TMA:

Website | Membership | Courses: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.themotherhoodanthology.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Free Community: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/themotherhoodanthology ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Our Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/themotherhoodanthology⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Kim:

Site: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimbox.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/kimbox ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Kim Box has said before that spotting talent is one of the few things she'll claim to be good at. This week, she gets to prove it. Katie Lamb, longtime TMA mentor and educator, has officially joined the team as Director of Education, and the two sit down to talk about what she has already built, what members have been asking for, and where TMA education is headed next.

In This Episode

Why Katie said yes, and what a dedicated education role makes possible that no one person can do alone

The redesigned member dashboard: seven years of education, now searchable by topic, mentor, and need

The shift from selling information to delivering results, and why "less, but better" is the goal

What it means for a membership to feel like home, from the community to the education library

The education members are requesting most right now, including behind-the-scenes sessions, Fresh 48, product-based business transitions, and CRM workflows

How the community itself has become one of the most valuable parts of the $49 membership

A peek at what the team is exploring for members who want smaller groups, accountability, and support beyond the basics

Katie's vision is simple: you focus on the art you're making, and TMA makes sure you always know what you need to know. If you're already a member, she wants to hear what you're stuck on. That feedback goes straight into what she's building. If you've been thinking about joining, enrollment opens quarterly, and you can add your name to the waitlist at themotherhoodanthology.com/photography-mentoring/.

Connect with Katie Lamb

Katie Lamb is a photographer, educator, and longtime mentor inside The Motherhood Anthology, now serving as TMA's Director of Education.

Website: https://www.katielamb.com/

Instagram: @katiebethlamb

Connect with TMA:

Website | Membership | Courses: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.themotherhoodanthology.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Free Community: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/themotherhoodanthology ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Our Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/themotherhoodanthology⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Kim:

Site: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimbox.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/kimbox ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Your Google Business Profile might be doing more for your business than your Instagram, but only if it shows signs of life. In this solo episode, TMA mentor and SEO expert Melissa Arlena of Picture Perfect Rankings shares her simple monthly maintenance routine for keeping your profile active, accurate, and working to book you clients, all in about 20 minutes a month.

In This Episode:

Why an abandoned Google Business Profile signals to Google (and clients) that you may be out of business

The five-move monthly rhythm: posts, photos, reviews, performance check, and profile accuracy

What to post weekly and how to reframe blog shares so clients actually care

Using the performance tab as free keyword research for future blog content

Why Google changes your profile without asking and which rogue services to remove

A bonus tip on holiday hours that proves your business is alive and legit

Grab the Checklist

Melissa created a free printable checklist with all five monthly moves in order. Grab it at pictureperfectrankings.com/GBP, then make the first Monday of every month your marketing Monday.

If you're a TMA member, the replay of Melissa's full Google Business Profile setup workshop is waiting in the new TMA dashboard, and she's inside the membership year round answering your SEO questions. Not a member yet? Get on the VIP list so you're first to know when enrollment opens.

Connect with Melissa:

Google Business Profile Monthly Checklist: pictureperfectrankings.com/GBP

Picture Perfect Rankings: pictureperfectrankings.com/TMA (code TMA250)

Melissa's podcast: Get Booked

Connect with TMA:

Website | Membership | Courses: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.themotherhoodanthology.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Free Community: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/themotherhoodanthology ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Our Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/themotherhoodanthology⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Kim:

Site: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimbox.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/kimbox ⁠⁠⁠⁠

Private Santa sessions are one of the most beloved offerings a portrait photographer can add to her calendar, but building them into a smooth, fully booked experience takes more strategy than most people expect. In this episode, Ali sits down with Kate Grabowski of Kate Marie Portraiture, an eight-year Santa session veteran based just outside of Dallas, Texas, who has refined her process from zero bookings in year one to selling out 24 spots in a matter of days.

In This Episode

Why early marketing (we're talking July) is the single most important factor in booking out Santa sessions, and why you shouldn't panic when spots don't fill immediately

How Kate structures a tiered launch, from a VIP client list to a "Nice List" sign-up to a public release, and why that sequence creates genuine urgency

The case for private, unhurried sessions and why marketing the experience (not just the photos) is what sets boutique Santa offerings apart

What Kate has learned about session length, scheduling logistics, and why she scaled back to one day after two exhausting back-to-back event days

Creative gifting ideas that elevate the client experience, from homemade gingerbread Play-Doh to jingle bells tied with velvet ribbon

How to get strong promotional images before you've ever run a single session, including working directly with your Santa for a pre-season shoot

Whether you're considering Santa sessions for the first time or looking to refine what you're already doing, Kate's honest, experience-driven perspective is exactly the kind of practical guidance that makes the difference between a stressful day and a magical one.

If today's episode has you thinking about adding Santa sessions to your calendar and doing them well, the TMA membership is where that planning gets real support. Every month goes deep on one piece of the photography business, with live coaching calls, featured educators, and a community of photographers working through the same questions. Join the waitlist at themotherhoodanthology.com/photography-mentoring/ and you'll be the first to know when enrollment opens.

Connect with Kate Marie Portraiture:

Kate Marie Portraiture: https://katemarieportraiture.com/

Kate's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katemarieportraiture/

The Motherhood Anthology Membership: themotherhoodanthology.com/photography-mentoring/

Connect with TMA:

Website | Membership | Courses: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.themotherhoodanthology.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Free Community: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/themotherhoodanthology ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Our Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/themotherhoodanthology⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Connect with Kim:

Site: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kimbox.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

IG ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/kimbox ⁠⁠⁠⁠