“Your energy is a luxury item—and not everyone can afford it.”

When Taylor Swift said this, it hit Lisa right in the gut. Because it’s true: your energy, presence, and emotional labor aren’t disposable. They’re rare, valuable, and worth protecting.

In this episode, Lisa shares how she’s learned to guard her energy in her photography business and life. From saying no to summer sessions that drained her, to slowing down during newborn shoots, to setting boundaries that honor her time and creativity, you’ll see how important it is to reframe the value of your energy for yourself and your clients.

What’s in this episode:

• [00:35] Why your energy is not cheap or disposable
• [02:12] How energy leaks show up in photography work and life
• [06:45] A personal story about saying “no” to client sessions for rest
• [12:20] How calming energy transformed a stressful newborn shoot
• [16:40] Practical ways to protect your energy as a photographer

Tune in to learn how protecting your energy helps you show up more fully as a photographer, create sustainably in your business, and live with intention.

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/

What happens when a self-proclaimed perfectionist swaps carefully posed newborn photography for the chaos of in-home lifestyle sessions? For Natasha Sewell, it meant rethinking everything she knew about photography.

In this episode, Natasha tells the story of how she transitioned from posed newborn photography to in-home lifestyle sessions. She shares how she prepares for the unexpected, helps clients feel at ease, and ensures every session flows naturally. 

Plus, she’s breaking down the biggest mistakes photographers make in client communication, how to use your website to bring in more business, and the lesson she wishes every photographer would learn earlier in their career.

If you want to communicate and create stronger connections with your clients, this episode with Natasha is for you!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[02:00] Why and how Natasha transitioned from newborn to in-home lifestyle photography

[05:36] How Natasha plans for the unexpected and prepares her clients ahead of time in each of her in-home sessions

[10:15] How Natasha helps her client to feel comfortable and creates opportunities for natural moments to occur

[11:30] How photographers can use their websites to create more business and client opportunities

[16:55] Some of the biggest mistakes Natasha sees other photographers making in their client communication

[18:55] Personal projects and other ways that Natasha reinvigorates her creativity

[26:15] One lesson that Natasha wishes photographers would learn earlier in their careers

[30:22] Natasha’s lightning round

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/

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“If I’m not tired and busy, I’m probably not doing enough.”

Sound familiar? So many of us as photographers are grinding ourselves down with work and stress because that’s just what it takes to run a successful business, right? And if we’re struggling with it, it’s because we’re just not dedicated enough? 

No friends. That’s not right. Burnout is NOT a normal state of being. 

And in this episode, I’m explaining why. I’m also sharing some of the sneaky ways that burnout can show, how we can come back from burnout, and what burnout actually says about us as photographers.

Let’s dig in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[00:35] Why burnout isn’t a badge of success

[01:44] Some of the different ways that burnout can show up

[04:46] Some steps we can come back from burnout

[06:30] What burnout says about you and your life AND what it doesn’t

Tune in to this episode to learn what burnout does and doesn’t say about us as photographers and business owners!

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/

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Have you had this thought? “I’m so overwhelmed. Maybe it would be better just to walk away from this work entirely.”

If you have, you’re not alone. So many of us find ourselves in this position: overworked, overbooked, and with no end in sight. And we don’t know how to get ourselves out without giving up completely.

So in this episode, I’m sharing my own personal story of finding myself in this tough spot, what I did to climb out of the hole I’d dug for myself, and the steps I’m taking to avoid this in the future. Just because we need rest, it doesn’t mean that we’re a failure… and taking a break doesn’t mean that we have to be done forever.

Let’s dig in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[00:35] That moment when we just want to quit and walk away and the gentle truth we need to hear about these moments

[01:39] A personal story about reaching my own breaking point

[03:35] What happened when I pressed pause on parts of my business

[05:00] How to tell if it’s time to rest or actually move on from certain parts of your business and steps you can take to find clarity

[08:35] Some personal news about my business (and this podcast!)

Tune in to this episode for advice on how to give ourselves time to rest instead of giving up!

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/

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Slowing down isn’t always easy—but for Tiffany Crenshaw, it’s become essential. As a photographer, mentor, and mom of four, Tiffany has learned how to build a business that aligns with her life instead of competing with it. 

In this episode, she shares how her priorities have shifted in recent years and how she’s helping other women create businesses that actually support their families. Tiffany opens up about building sustainability into her schedule, why pricing is about more than numbers, and how she’s navigating slower seasons and a changing economy with creativity and care. 

She also shares practical tools for automating and eliminating tasks, the power of community, and how she uses simple, personal marketing strategies that go far beyond Instagram.

If you’ve ever felt like hustle culture doesn’t work for your life—or your values—this conversation with Tiffany will feel like a breath of fresh air. Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[01:51] How Tiffany’s life and priorities have been shifting lately

[03:51] How Tiffany finds ways to slow down and manage her life and business without regret

[09:52] Tiffany’s advice for time and schedule management

[11:34] How Tiffany thinks about navigating the difficulty in the current economic landscape

[18:51] How Tiffany helps other women find and create their own communities 

[21:03] Tiffany’s thoughts on marketing without solely relying on Instagram

[25:02] Tiffany’s lightning round

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/

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We’ve all felt that pang—a new photographer that’s blowing up right in our home town, a beautiful session at a location you’re just dying to shoot, or maybe something small like seeing more comments or compliments on another creative’s work instead of yours.

This jealousy doesn’t often feel good, bringing shame, guilt, and resentment if we don’t address the root causes. But jealousy doesn’t mean that we’re bad or heartless. It’s an opportunity for us to grow and learn more about ourselves.

In this episode, I’m sharing why we all experience this jealousy at some point in our photography careers, how to harness our jealousy into something useful instead of harmful, and my own personal story of jealousy. We don’t have to let it take over our lives, friends.

Let’s dig in!What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[00:30] Why everyone—photographers included—experience jealousy sometimes 

[01:42] The quote that shifted my perspective on jealousy 

[03:18] How we can harness jealousy as a tool to grow instead of letting it turn into resentment

[04:49] How getting curious can help us pinpoint what’s underneath jealousy

[05:15] A personal story of navigating my own jealousy

Tune in to this episode for how to navigate these sticky, jealous feelings that come with comparison and creativity!

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/

Grab your spot for the 2025 Online Newborn Retreat!

We all come to photography from different angles, but for Melissa Barnes, loss and love cemented her affection for the medium. But photography isn’t her only love. Melissa is also a full-time architectural designer and doesn’t plan on giving up either career anytime soon. 

In this tender episode, Melissa shares her family history, how it’s shaped her love of photography, why she has no plans to become a full-time photographer, and how her cultural heritage shapes her art and work. She also shares how she captures those tender, romantic moments for her clients and why these connections give her so much joy.

If you’re ready to give deep into capturing those romantic moments on camera, this episode with Melissa is one you can’t miss! Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[02:05] The family tragedies that propelled Melissa into her love of photography

[04:56] Why Melissa isn’t—and doesn’t want to be—a full-time photographer

[06:14] How Melissa captures love and romance in ordinary places

[09:46] How Melissa’s cultural heritage influences her photography work

[13:00] Where many styled shoots fall flat and how Melissa thinks they could be more equitable

[15:38] How being a multi-passionate person has affected Melissa and her work

[19:34] Melissa’s lightning round

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/

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Some photographers find their passion after becoming a parent—but for Cally Petersen, photography came first. And over the years, her love for it has only grown deeper. Now a decade into her business, Cally has built a creative life that reflects her values, honors her limits, and stays true to her “why.”

In this episode, Cally shares how she found photography before motherhood, how her confidence and presence have grown over time, and what helps her genuinely enjoy showing up online. She walks us through how she approaches branding sessions with intention, how she structures her calendar to align with her energy, and why certain sessions bring her back to the heart of her work.

If you’ve ever felt pulled between business growth and a slower, more grounded life, this episode with Cally is one you can’t miss! Let’s dive in.

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[02:16] How Cally found photography pre-parenthood and how she has grown more grounded in her “why” over time

[09:14] What has helped Cally to enjoy showing up online

[13:56] How Cally approaches her branding photography sessions

[19:23] How Cally keeps her calendar aligned and stays booked throughout the year

[24:21] The types of sessions that remind Cally of her “why”

[30:00] Cally’s lightning round

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/

Grab your spot for the 2025 Online Family Retreat!

We’ve all had those moments of feeling stuck in-between something. Either we’re waiting for a new stage of life or we’re on the verge of a breakthrough and what we’re doing currently just isn’t working quite right. 

It can be a deeply frustrating place to find ourselves both in life and in our photography businesses. But it doesn’t have to last forever, and we can come out the other side of this messy middle stage stronger and more invigorated.

So in this episode, I’m sharing what the messy middle is for many photographers, why it can be so overwhelming when we’re in it, and some practical steps for navigating through this stage just a little bit faster.

Let’s dig in!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[00:30] What the “messy middle” is when it comes to our businesses

[02:29] How this messy middle causes us to question ourselves and our businesses

[04:22] What this in-between stage actually means about our business

[05:00] Some steps you can take to move through this messy middle stage

[10:20] An encouragement for anyone currently navigating this stage

Tune in to this episode for how to navigate being in the messy middle of your photography business!

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/

Grab your spot for the 2025 Online Newborn Retreat!

In photography circles, influencer marketing sometimes gets a bad rap. From getting ghosted after photographing a session or having filters applied to your hard work, it can feel intimidating to step into this realm.

But in this episode, Cydnee Jex is here to walk through her whole process of working with influencers. She shares how she finds influencers to work with, how she sets expectations and boundaries, how she approaches the whole process from a very practical angle, and why, at the end of the day, she loves working with influencers!

Plus, she’s giving us a sneak peek at her upcoming Maternity and Newborn Summit, including  why she loves making in-person connections and how potential educators can apply to teach.

If you’re ready to start adding influencers into the marketing plan for your photography business, this episode with Cydnee is one you can’t miss!

What’s in this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[02:12] All about the upcoming Maternity and Newborn Summit 

[10:51] Why in-person connection is so important

[16:24] How Cydnee started working with influencers

[20:23] Common mistakes when photographers try out influencer marketing for the first time

[22:44] How to approach the dreaded “filters” conversation with influencers

[30:18] How to talk about payment in collaboration with influencers

[31:39] Cydnee’s lightning round

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/

Grab your spot for the 2025 Online Family Retreat!