Luxe & Legacy Podcast

By Marie Elizabeth and Amber CourtneyBusiness

Luxe & Legacy Podcast episodes

October 22Stop Chasing New Clients: The Power of Repeat Bookings
Want a calendar that doesn't depend on constantly chasing new bookings? This week we're talking all about repeat clients: why they're the backbone of a sustainable luxury business, and how to create an experience that keeps your favorite families coming back year after year.
In This Episode We Cover
Why repeat clients are easier to book, and how their referrals snowball
Why clients come back for the experience, not just the photos (styling help, wardrobe, and making mom feel taken care of)
Getting to know kids before the session and turning posing into imaginative play (hello, T-Rex dad)
The sweet moments that make moms tear up, and giving families a little emotional rest during a session
How collections and memberships help you document more chapters of the same family's life, plus the VIP perks that make them special
Why artwork sales grow with trust over multiple sessions, and why you should never write anyone off as digitals-only
Staying in touch without being salesy: nurture emails, genuine check-in texts, and engaging on social
Penciling in the next session at the ordering appointment
Not taking it personally when a client doesn't come back
A Few Things We Mentioned
Amber's full posing course, including her entire client experience and how she works with kiddos: https://lightlivinphotography.com/education-page
The Becoming Retreat, August 2 to 4 at a historic farmhouse on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Only 10 spots and registration is open: https://marie-elizabethphotography.com/the-becoming-retreat
How I'd Book 5 More Clients in the Next 30 Days: https://luxeandlegacypodcast.podbean.com/e/how-id-book-5-more-clients-in-the-next-30-days/
Your Assignment This Week
Reach out to five past clients you absolutely loved working with who haven't booked in a while. Send a genuine, personal message, no discounts or marketing speak, just checking in on them and the kids. Then pick one part of your client experience to level up, like your styling guide, your questionnaire, or your ordering appointment.
Takeaway
Beautiful photos might get someone to book you the first time, but an incredible experience is what makes them excited to come back.
Connect With Us
Marie: @marie.elizabeth.photo | https://marie-elizabethphotography.com
Amber: @light_livin_photography | https://lightlivinphotography.com/education-page
Loved this one? A quick review helps other photographers find the show. See you next week! 💛
33 min
October 155 Tips to Get Through Busy Season
In This Episode
It's officially busy season. Calendars are full, galleries are piling up, and we're still trying to be present moms and keep our creativity alive. This week we're sharing our best tips for not just surviving busy season, but actually thriving in it.
In This Episode We Cover
Prepping at the start of the week: batch steaming wardrobe, formatting memory cards, and screenshotting client questionnaires
Amber's jewelry organizer trick for storing labeled memory cards until galleries are delivered
Scheduling social posts so you stay visible for winter bookings
Filling your cup on purpose, from sound baths to date night celebrations
Self-care basics: water and snacks at sessions, a hard stop on editing, and client message hours
Setting one creative goal per session to break out of autopilot
Why automated 17hats workflows save so much brain power
A sneak peek at our upcoming Instagram challenge 👀
A Few Things We Mentioned
The Becoming Retreat Waitlist: https://marie-elizabethphotography.com/waitlist-the-becoming
17hats for client workflows
Amber's free posing guide: comment "cake" on her latest posing post at @light_livin_photography
Balancing Business & Family in Summer: https://luxeandlegacypodcast.podbean.com/e/balancing-business-family-in-summer/
Coming Next Summer: The Becoming Retreat
An intentionally small retreat at a historic farmhouse on Maryland's Eastern Shore, with styled sessions, savory meals, and space to reconnect with your creative vision. Spots open 10/20, so join the waitlist to be first in line:
https://marie-elizabethphotography.com/waitlist-the-becoming
Your Assignment This Week
Pick one tip and put it into practice before your next session. Then give yourself one small creative goal at that shoot.
Takeaway
Busy season is a sign your business is working!
Connect With Us
Marie: @marie.elizabeth.photo | https://marie-elizabethphotography.com
Amber: @light_livin_photography | https://lightlivinphotography.com/education-page

Got a favorite busy season tip? DM us or share this episode and tag us both. And if you loved it, a quick review helps other photographers find the show. See you next week! 💛
20 min
October 08The Art (& Skill) of Curation
An image doesn't have to be bad to bring down the value of everything around it. This week we're talking curation, which is very different from culling, and how to do it in your client galleries, on your website, and on Instagram.
In This Episode We Cover
Culling vs. curation, and why "technically fine" isn't enough
Marie's story of turning a less-than-ideal session into share-worthy work
Why fewer, more flattering images make a stronger client gallery
Using your brand words as a filter for your website
Composition tips: balance, depth, and Marie's triangle trick
Telling a story on Instagram with subjects, location, and family dynamic
A Few Things We Mentioned
How I'd Book 5 More Clients in the Next 30 Days: https://luxeandlegacypodcast.podbean.com/e/how-id-book-5-more-clients-in-the-next-30-days/
Your Assignment This Week
Go through your homepage and last 12 Instagram posts. If an image doesn't fit your brand words, take it down.
Takeaway
Every image you share is an advertisement, not a scrapbook. Have the confidence to leave things out.
Connect With Us
Marie: @marie.elizabeth.photo | https://marie-elizabethphotography.com
Amber: @light_livin_photography | https://lightlivinphotography.com/education-page
Loved this one? A quick review helps other photographers find the show. See you next week! 💛
40 min
September 30How I'd Book 5 More Clients in the Next 30 Days
Marie's out this week spending time with family, so Amber's flying solo. If your fall calendar has more open spots than you'd like, here's exactly what she'd do to book five more clients in the next 30 days. No discounting, no desperate energy, just smart short-term moves that work.
In This Episode We Cover
Reconnecting with past clients who loved their photos (plus the exact text Amber sends)
Starting an email list with a freebie your ideal client actually wants
Using Claude or ChatGPT to write a re-engagement sequence for your ideal client avatar
Creating one showstopper seasonal highlight reel with a trending audio and a scroll-stopping cover
Instagram SEO now that hashtags aren't king, and tagging blogs like The Kindred Path
Auditing the "prime real estate" at the top of your homepage and investment page
Amber's gentle posing cue for avoiding double chins when parents lift their kids
Why your investment page should lead with the experience, not the price
Following up with quiet inquiries (assume it went to spam!)
What Amber covers on consult calls, and why 98% of them turn into bookings
Keeping a sense of scarcity, and why discounting is never the answer
A Few Things We Mentioned
The Kindred Path / GATHER Workshop: Https://thekindredpath.com/gather-2026
Claude and ChatGPT for nurture email sequences
CapCut and Edits for syncing reels to music
Our Actual Numbers: Exactly What We Charge and Why: https://luxeandlegacypodcast.podbean.com/e/our-actual-numbers-exactly-what-we-charge-and-why/
Your Assignment This Week
Text or email 10 to 15 past clients you loved working with and let them know your fall dates are filling up. Then send one friendly follow-up to any inquiries that went quiet.
Takeaway
We're not just filling calendars. We're building sustainable businesses that let us create beautiful work and have a life outside of it. Skip the discounts, show up with your best work, and make it easy for the people who love it to say yes.
Connect With Us
Marie: @marie.elizabeth.photo | https://marie-elizabethphotography.com
Amber: @light_livin_photography | https://lightlivinphotography.com/education-page
Loved this one? A quick review helps other photographers find the show. See you next week! 💛
28 min
September 23Our Actual Numbers: Exactly What We Charge and Why
In This Episode We Cover
Our actual session fees and what they do (and don't) include, plus Marie's luxury membership that bundles a client's whole first year
Why we both went a la carte, and how one $9,500 sale can equal 43 shoot-and-burn sessions
How we price albums, wall art, and digital files, with our real per-image and markup numbers
The threshold trick: pricing digitals so clients are rewarded for investing in tangible artwork instead of a hard drive
Incentivizing vs. discounting, and small moves (like a same-day artwork credit) that get clients to actually decide on the call
The pricing psychology piece: why a $2,000 digital gallery makes a $2,000 album feel like a steal
Why artwork can never be a last-minute upsell, and how cost of goods should shape every number you set
What to do with the thought "my clients would never pay that"
A Few Things We Mentioned
Musea, wall art and framing
The Photographers Framer, framing
Our deeper dives on the a la carte transition and the breadcrumb method (linked in earlier episodes)
Your Assignment This Week
Don't touch a single price yet. First answer the why. What does it actually cost you to serve one client in time, energy, and expenses? What do you most want clients walking away with? How many sessions do you realistically want to shoot in a year? Then look at whether your current structure supports those answers. That clarity comes before any number.
Takeaway
There's no one right way to price. Amber and Marie's structures aren't even the same. What matters is understanding the strategy behind your numbers so you're serving your clients, not just selling to them. Sometimes growing your business isn't about booking more people. It's about giving the clients you already have more ways to invest in the art you made for them.
Connect With Us
Marie: @marie.elizabeth.photo | https://marie-elizabethphotography.com
Amber: @light_livin_photography | https://lightlivinphotography.com
Loved this one? A quick review helps other photographers find the show. See you next week! 💛
31 min
September 16Vibes Don't Lie: How Your Energy Shapes Your Bookings, Sales, and Sessions
In this episode:
Ever get on a call with someone and just know they're confident in what they offer? That's energy, and this week we're getting into how it shows up in your business whether you realize it or not. Clients can feel when you're desperate for a booking or uncomfortable with your prices, and they can feel when you're grounded and genuinely there to serve them. We're talking scarcity versus abundance, how your own money beliefs shape your sales, and why the way you make people feel is just as much a part of your client experience as the service itself.
In This Episode We Cover:
Why trying too hard to book someone can actually repel them, and how detachment shifts your energy
Serving over selling, and letting go of your attachment to a specific number at ordering appointments
How your own money beliefs get projected onto clients (and why you never really know what someone values)
Why your nervous system sets the emotional temperature of every session
Practical ways to reset before a consult, session, or ordering appointment
Your Assignment This Week:
Before your next consult or session, pause and ask: "What energy do I want this person to feel from me?" Then do one small thing to get there, whether that's a few slow breaths, dropping your shoulders, or Amber's go-to of popping in headphones and listening to a calming frequency on Spotify. Notice what shifts.
Takeaway:
You can only control yourself, but that's a huge part of the client experience. People aren't just experiencing your photographs, they're experiencing you. That energy becomes part of the experience, and ultimately, part of the art.
Connect With Us:
Marie: marie-elizabethphotography.com | @marie.elizabeth.photo
Amber: lightlivinphotography.com | @light_livin_photography
If this episode spoke to you, we'd love a review. It helps other photographers find the show. We'll see you next week ✨
29 min
September 10The Art of Baby-Led Newborn Posing with Danielle Hobbs
Newborn Sessions Behind the Scenes with Danielle Hobbs
This week we're joined by Danielle Hobbs, a DC and Northern Virginia newborn photographer known for her natural, timeless, baby-led posing. It looks effortless, but there's serious intention behind every frame. Danielle walks us through her whole newborn workflow, from inquiry to posing to knowing when to call it.
In This Episode We Cover
Why she keeps pricing on a hidden page and how it filters for qualified leads
Which leads actually book, and why she stopped answering her phone
Booking the due date as a flexible placeholder to hit that 2 to 3 week window
Her go-with-the-flow philosophy and why she never promises specific poses
Managing 300+ dresses and embracing the baby you actually get that day
Her session flow: family and siblings first, then each parent, then baby solo
The no sugar or snacks rule, and the one snack that's camera-safe
Posing for connection with the photography triangle, keeping baby in the middle
The back-of-the-head trick for nervous new parents
Sibling prompts that work, plus the Cheerio trick
Calming a fussy newborn and catching those quiet pauses
Shooting for the album, not one perfect wall portrait
A Few Things We Mentioned
Danielle's one-day newborn workshop at her Virginia studio in January
Her Dallas workshop next April with Elizabeth Dugan (stylized editorial maternity)
Your Assignment This Week
Pick one thing in your newborn workflow you're overcomplicating and simplify it. Then next session, when the baby won't settle or a sibling goes rogue, practice leaning into it instead of fighting it.
Takeaway
The magic of newborn work isn't forcing the perfect pose, it's letting the session be what it is. When you chase connection instead of perfect, the images take care of themselves.
Connect With Danielle
@daniellehobbsphotography | https://daniellehobbsphotography.com
Connect With Us
Marie: @marie.elizabeth.photo | https://marie-elizabethphotography.com
Amber: @light_livin_photography | https://lightlivinphotography.com
Loved this one? A quick review helps other photographers find the show. See you next week! 💛
45 min
September 01 You’re Never Done Learning (Even When You’re the One Teaching)
In This Episode We Cover
Why workshops and retreats are so good for us as creatives, especially when we spend most of our day-to-day working alone in our own little void
The connection and community piece, and how being around other photographers reminds you that you're not the only one wrestling with the same wins and struggles
Marie's recap of the Kindred Path workshop, from the two horse sessions running at once to the very real Virginia summer humidity that the out-of-state folks were not ready for
Watching another photographer work and stealing that one tiny thing they do differently (like the relaxed way Marie's friend Tiffany would adjust dresses)
What you can learn from photographers whose work looks nothing like yours, because different light, posing, colors, and genres all hold ideas you can make your own
Amber's goal to get messier and less linear with posing, moving away from everyone smiling at the camera toward natural, unposed moments that still have that geometric design underneath
The mindset shift that being really good at what you do and still having tons to learn are allowed to be true at the same time
Adapting vs. learning, and the AI tools Marie has folded into her business and editing workflow
Why the business changes felt scarier than the creative ones when this is your primary income, and doing them anyway because the market and your clients (who keep getting younger) are always shifting
Playing with trends like high f-stop, Dutch angles, and direct sun without letting them take over, so you stay relevant but still anchored in your romantic, whimsical, dreamy brand
Being less judgmental of your own work, and letting yourself post the beautiful session that happened to be in cloudy or harsh light even when it isn't your signature look
A Few Things We Mentioned
The Kindred Path / GATHER Workshop: thekindredpath.com/gather-2026
AI tools Marie uses in her business and editing: Claude, ChatGPT, Imagen, and Evoto
Your Assignment This Week
At your next session, get all your safe shots first (the must-haves, the combos, the ones you know your client is expecting), and then give yourself full permission to try one thing that scares you a little. A weird angle, a trendy technique, an unposed prompt, whatever. If it flops, that's not a sign to quit. Take what you learned, tweak it, and try it again next time. That little experiment is where the real growth lives, and the pressure is low because the essentials are already in the bag.
Takeaway
There's no shame in still learning. If anything, wanting to get better is exactly what makes you a good photographer, a good artist, and a good businesswoman. Keep experimenting, keep watching how other people work, and be a whole lot kinder to yourself while you do it. You can be proud of your work and still leave room to grow.
Connect With Us
Marie: @marie.elizabeth.photo | marie-elizabethphotography.com
Amber: @light_livin_photography | lightlivinphotography.com
Enjoyed this episode? We'd love a review, it helps other photographers find the show and join this community. And if this one hit home, DM us the last new thing you tried in a session. We'd love to cheer you on. See you next week! 💛
24 min
August 25Beating Creative Burnout: Where We Actually Find Inspiration
In This Episode We Cover
Why the opposite of inspiration is burnout, and how undercharging and over-shooting quietly drain your creativity
Making margin: why you need both the time and the mental space for ideas to grow (same reason boredom is so good for kids!)
The two ways inspiration hits. Sometimes you've got the vision first and go hunting for the pieces, and sometimes one piece like a location or a dress finds you and the whole shoot forms around it
Inspiration vs. imitation, and how to pull the thread out of another photographer's work instead of copying the image
Art museums, little boutique galleries, and using a hidden Pinterest board to collect what you love and spot your common threads
Fashion magazines and ads for editorial posing, that effortless, powerful, "something behind her eyes" energy
Goddess and divine feminine imagery as a feeling to chase, not an aesthetic to recreate
Nature as a bottomless source: the golden ratio, natural color palettes, and echoing shapes (a tree branch, dahlia layers) in your posing and wardrobe
Collaborating with florists, and how to give direction and creative freedom so everyone wins
Movies and cinematography: screenshotting scenes as your own self-paced course (and yep, inspiration outings can be tax-deductible, so ask your accountant!)
Architecture: arches, lines, and texture that lead the eye right to your subject
Travel and just breaking your routine to reset your brain and raise your vibration. Big trips or little ones like a garden picnic or a Resort Pass day
A Few Things We Mentioned
Pinterest for building inspiration boards (art, jewelry, editorial, whatever lights you up)
Movies for cinematography: Pride & Prejudice (2005), Atonement, and anything by Wes Anderson
Resort Pass for day passes to fancy hotels when you need an easy reset
Lowe's / Home Depot because it's dahlia season, so go grab a few for a shoot 🌸
The Kindred Path / GATHER Workshop, where we've done this exercise with real magazines: thekindredpath.com/gather-2026
Your Assignment This Week
Make a Pinterest board that has nothing to do with what you think you're supposed to photograph. Only rule: you have to love, love, love everything you save. A painting, a dress, a weird editorial layout, some architecture, a ring, whatever. Don't overthink it. Then step back and find the thread running through it all. The colors, the textures, the emotions, the movement, the environments. You'll probably learn way more about your artistic voice from that board than from scrolling 100 photographers on Instagram.
Takeaway
Inspiration lives everywhere, but you've gotta create enough space in your life and your business to actually notice it. It's less about hunting it down and more about learning how to see it. So give yourself permission to go to the museum, take the trip, watch the movie, buy the magazine. It's not a distraction from your work. It is the work.
Connect With Us
Marie: @marie.elizabeth.photo | marie-elizabethphotography.com
Amber: @light_livin_photography | lightlivinphotography.com
Enjoyed this episode? We'd love a review, it helps other photographers find the show and join this community. And if this one sparked something for you, DM us where you find your inspiration. We'd love to reshare it. See you next week! 💛
37 min
August 18Albums & Wall Art: The Simple Way to Sell More
We bring it up basically every other episode, so it's finally getting its own deep dive: artwork. Albums, wall art, the tangible pieces that turn a digital-only business into a profitable one. If you've ever wondered how photographers are actually making real money on artwork sales — or you've been too nervous to try — this is your episode.
We break it into three parts:
1. Introducing artwork into your workflow (start small!)
The key is keeping it simple so you're not overwhelmed and — more importantly — your clients aren't either. We talk through our minimal starting lineups (one album size, a few frame sizes in small/medium/large/XL), why a one-page pricing guide beats a giant product catalog, and the labs we personally love and trust for quality that sells itself.
2. The breadcrumb method (aka the part so many photographers miss)
Artwork should never be a surprise at the ordering appointment. Think Hansel and Gretel — you're leaving a trail of breadcrumbs at every single touchpoint: your website (every page, not just one buried "artwork" tab), Instagram, the inquiry stage, welcome and planning guides, the questionnaire, the session itself. We also walk through sped-up mock ordering appointments for both wall art and albums so you can hear the actual words that come out of our mouths.
3. Mindset (the hardest part)
You can't sell what you don't believe in. We get into the money mindset shift: your clients already spend freely on sofas, vacations, and things they value — the money is there. Your job isn't to convince anyone; it's to convey the emotional value and the legacy. Because a hard drive (or a wedding CD you can't even open anymore 👀) is not a legacy.
Your action step this week: Pick one album size, three frame options, check that your digitals are priced level with your artwork, and add one new breadcrumb to your workflow.
Labs & tools mentioned:
Indie Print Co — albums (Marie)
Red Tree Albums — albums (Amber)
Musea — wall art & framing
The Photographers Framer — framing (Amber)
Swift Galleries & Pro Select — wall gallery design/mock-ups
Fundy — album design
Loom — album design walkthroughs
Pic-Time — proofing & album comments
Connect With Us
Marie: @marie.elizabeth.photo | marie-elizabethphotography.com
Amber: @light_livin_photography | lightlivinphotography.com
Enjoyed this episode? We'd love a review — it helps other photographers find the show and join this community. See you next week! 💛
43 min

About Luxe & Legacy Podcast

From the publisher's feed

The podcast for photographers ready to rise into the luxury market—without the gatekeeping. Hosted by Amber Courtney, a leading photography educator, and Marie Elizabeth, a…