When DC photographer Mary Catherine Wickman posted on instagram about her fears around being 35 and a family photographer without kids, her followers rallied around her in support, encouragement, and their own stories of relatability. In this episode, we talk about that caption - why she shared it, what happened, and what she (and all of us) can learn from it. 

Read the post here: https://www.instagram.com/p/C3AsIgNOcUj/

We also touch on: 

• The way our vulnerability helps us connect in deeper ways with out clients and other photographers

// CONNECT // 

Mary Catherine Wickman : www.marycatherinephotography.com | Instagram: @marycatherinephoto

Leah O'Connell:

Website: www.leahoconnell.com

Newsletter / The Firefly Letters: https://www.leahoconnell.com/newsletter

Private FB group for photographers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/familyphotogs.behindthescenes/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahoconnell.photo/

Email: [email protected]

The Big picture workbook: https://lofirefly.com/bigpicture

What do you do when you're being hired to make family photos, but you don't feel like picking up a camera? When you don't feel inspired by making photos of your own family? When you feel tired or bored with life but you're preaching about joy in little moments and soaking up the precious people you love? The natural burnout of parenthood and relationship has a unique way of seeping into our work as family photographers because the two are so closely intertwined.

In this episode, I’m going to share 3 things I practice to get re-inspired by my own life - and they have nothing to do with taking pictures. 

Ironically, they often lead to an ignited passion for photographing again and a realignment in my personal life with my contentment, delight, and art that spills over into my work. 

+ ((17:40)) 6 practical experiments *with* your camera that you can try to introduce play and get awake to your love for photographer again. 

// Links and sources mentioned //

Wildly Creative Life Podcast // When you don’t feel like creating anything: 

Wildly Creative Life Podcast // Can’t find any motivation: Try this instead

Book Rec: Do less: A revolutionary approach to managing time and energy for ambitious women 

Rachel Larsen Weaver’s self portrait guide

Artifact uprising:  15% off orders with code FIREFLYPHOTO15

QT Albums: 20% off first order with code FUEL20

The big picture workbook: https://fireflyphotography.myflodesk.com/bigpicture

Website: www.leahoconnell.com

Newsletter / The Firefly Letters: https://www.leahoconnell.com/newsletter

Private FB group for photographers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/familyphotogs.behindthescenes/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahoconnell.photo/

Email: [email protected]

Todays episode features a must-listen conversation for every family photographer! Morgan Miles is my guest and not only is she an incredibly talented family photographer, she is a full time marketing professor and studies consumer psychology at San Diego State University where she’s been teaching for over a decade. She has incredible insight into the growing trends of marketing in general and how it uniquely applies - at one point she brings up how she can’t think of another career that has the same marketing challenges as family photographers, and one of the reasons for that is privacy.

Topics we touch on:

• Predictions about the future of marketing with client images

// NOTES + LINKS REFERENCED //

Blog post - "Do I need instagram for my photography business?" 

Click photo mini classes -

Pew Research Article on privacy:

SAS survey: 

Enzuzo article on privacy statistics

Morgan’s bio: 

Morgan is a mom to two, a marketing professor, and a lifestyle family photographer based in sunny San Diego, CA. She studied art and photography in college but didn't pick up a camera again until she was pregnant with her first child and has now been in business for four years. She is fascinated by the complexity of the parenthood journey and seeks to capture it in a way that feels both beautiful and authentic.

// Connect with Morgan //

• Website: https://www.morganmilesstudio.com

// Connect with Leah //

• The Firefly Letters - https://www.leahoconnell.com/newsletter

Website: www.leahoconnell.com

Newsletter / The Firefly Letters: https://www.leahoconnell.com/newsletter

Private FB group for photographers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/familyphotogs.behindthescenes/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahoconnell.photo/

Email: [email protected]

85% of photographers quit within the first 2 years and a lot of those people don’t actually want to quit. I believe there’s one key factor that you’ve gotta have to succeed as a family photographer and it's totally possible or everyone. But it can't be taught and you can’t buy it and you can't make it... yet it’s the real bones behind your success in this field.

In this episode we'll touch on comparison, the real reason why we share our work, and how to build something you're actually proud of. 

// NOTES // 

Episode 5 - 6 shifts that helped me grow my photography business : https://shorturl.at/bqQSX

The Firefly Letters - https://www.lofirefly.com/newsletter

Lessons in Chemistry TV series - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13911628/

Big picture workbook (free) : https://fireflyphotography.myflodesk.com/bigpicture

// CONNECT WITH LEAH //

Website: www.leahoconnell.com

Newsletter / The Firefly Letters: https://www.leahoconnell.com/newsletter

Private FB group for photographers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/familyphotogs.behindthescenes/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahoconnell.photo/

Email: [email protected]

A lot of times, when people share their business origin stories, we get the beginning hardship and grind then fastforward to the end when it all worked out and they have a happy healthy business. But there's a lot of the story that gets skipped and it's important to learn from both the hurdles and the shifts that helped that growth along the way. 

In this episode, I'll share the 6 major shifts that have made an impact in the growth of my family photography business over the last decade. Walk away with fresh ideas for an open mindset and avenues that could support and accelerate your ability to love what you do and how you do it. 

The Big Picture Workbook (10 prompts for better clarity and direction in your business) https://fireflyphotography.myflodesk.com/bigpicture

Other things mentioned in this episode: 

Sprout Studio (get 20% your plan with this link): https://www.trysproutstudio.com/?via=leah

Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/

The firefly letters: https://www.leahoconnell.com/newsletter

My school photography page: https://www.leahoconnell.com/schools

Episode 1 : Uncover your mission and values as a family photographer

Connect with Leah:

Website: www.leahoconnell.com

Newsletter / The Firefly Letters: https://www.leahoconnell.com/newsletter

Private FB group for photographers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/familyphotogs.behindthescenes/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahoconnell.photo/

Email: [email protected]

I recently got a question in my private facebook group about investing in your family photography business that I thought was worth pulling apart a little -

"How do you know what to invest in and if you can/should? Might be a question for a CPA but haven’t gotten to that level quite yet…Especially for newbies who aren't making a profit yet, investment in business is scary and a bit guilty feeling...at least for me"

This episode will talk about how "spend money to make money" doesn't quite cover the elephant in the room when it comes to investing as solo-preneurs. Look for insights on: 

-what to invest in aka types of education like online vs in-person, gear and tools, etc.

-when to invest

-how to gain confidence when investing

-the real cost of not investing in your business if you're serious about it. 

Connect with Leah: 

Website: www.leahoconnell.com

Newsletter / The Firefly Letters: https://www.leahoconnell.com/newsletter

Private FB group for photographers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/familyphotogs.behindthescenes/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahoconnell.photo/

Email: [email protected]

As a family photographer, it’s pretty common to have a standard checklist running through our heads of the “must-have shots.” It might be something - each parent with each kid, kids together, individuals, etc...

Mentioned in this episode: 

Helen Keller's article in the Hong Kong Standard: https://shorturl.at/BQZ37

Connect with Leah: 

Website: www.leahoconnell.com

Newsletter / The Firefly Letters: https://www.leahoconnell.com/newsletter

Private FB group for photographers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/familyphotogs.behindthescenes/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahoconnell.photo/

Email: [email protected]

What's the point? Why do you want to photograph families? What is the driving factor keeping you in this work? What keeps you coming back when it's hard and you want to quit? 

In this episode, we'll talk about

- why it's important to define your values

- how it can help you influence decision-making 

- a helpful exercise to drill down into what really matters and how you can use that knowledge to fuel more *fun* and excitement in all areas of your business

Mentioned in this episode: 

Origins of The 5 Whys Concept: https://www.mindtools.com/a3mi00v/5-whys

The Firefly Letters: https://www.leahoconnell.com/newsletter

Mentoring with Leah : https://www.leahoconnell.com/education

Connect with Leah:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/leahoconnell.photo/

Private FB group for family photographers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/familyphotogs.behindthescenes/

Welcome to Photo Fuel! This podcast is specifically crafted around the unique business and creative needs of family photographers who want to grow businesses that are both inspiring and profitable. 

Check out some of the topics we'll be covering and the heart behind this podcast through the trailer and subscribe to be notified of new episodes when the drop! 

Connect with Leah: 

Website: www.leahoconnell.com

Newsletter / The Firefly Letters: https://www.leahoconnell.com/newsletter

Private FB group for photographers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/familyphotogs.behindthescenes/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahoconnell.photo/

Email: [email protected]