Over the last 2 months, I have got to spend 2 mentoring sessions with this lovely woman, owner of 3 Boys and a Camera Photography  here in Central Illinois. There are few business things I love more, truly, than doing coaching and educating other photographers and small business owners.  After teaching in the HS Choir Classroom for 8 years, it just feels right.  So when Amber approached me about doing a 2 part mentoring where she would come once to work through some front end business ideas and brainstorming, and then come back a month later to touch base on those changes and work on her actual shooting, I was SO excited.  If calendars were a bit easier in life, this is how I think ALL photography education should go- a time to learn, and then a time to touch base and really check in to see how it is all going.  I love that I do get to do a little of that with all the people who do workshops and mentoring with me through a facebook group- but it isn’t the same as seeing them face to face twice to work through it all!

Amber has been in business for a while, and is doing absolutely amazing things.  Her photography itself is truly beautiful- she clearly has a great understanding of what she is doing with her camera, and that is so fun to see!  It is the work flow and marketing pieces that we really worked through.  In some ways, I feel like I gave her the same thing Katelyn James gave me at my coaching session with her last year: permission.  She is worth so much as a photographer AND a mom (to 3 boys, if you couldn’t tell by the name of her business), and has such potential for growth!  So I gave her permission to dream those big dreams and also give herself some better systems so that she can live more of her LIFE outside of her business!  I know she is going to continue to do amazing things with her business and can’t wait to see it all!

There is a lot more information about the mentoring and workshop sides of my business on the new education page.  I am booking mentoring sessions for photographers and small business owners for 2017 now!  Details an be found here under details!  Also, since this is an education post, I wanted to share quickly about the 2nd JGP Workshop that is coming up on February 5th- registration opened last week and there are a few spots left that I would love to fill!  I will be working with DSLR owners of many levels in a group workshop focusing on:

How to use your camera (and what in the world all those buttons are for!) ????

Shooting in full manual mode

Choosing the right settings in various lighting situations

How to use shutter speed, aperture, and ISO

Introduction to white balance

How to focus

Ideal Camera settings

There is group learning time and a session to practice also included that gives me one on one time with each participant!  Click here for many more details and to register!

Amber, thanks SO much for joining me and asking me to be a voice into your business! It is SUCH an honor! Here are a few of my favorite head-shots of her! 🙂

All my mentoring sessions can include a shooting demo with me to get a first row view to how I approach client interaction, posing, and shooting – love these couple of our sweet model Kiersten!