Today I caught up with my friend Aylah to find out how she grew a successful family photography business while caring for her three young kids. She is truly a superwoman, so I was excited to ask her all my burning questions and get her perspective on balancing life as a mum and photographer.

If you want to connect with Aylah online you can find her on Instagram @aylah.oneill

It was so awesome to talk to Maggie Dion about how photography can be an awesome tool for reducing stress and getting back your purpose in life.

Maggie and I connected over a shared belief that as working women and mothers, we can lose ourselves in the day-to-day (the hampster wheel) of life, sometimes without even knowing it!

In this episode we talk about how to recognize if you are heading towards a breakdown, how to avoid it, and what to do if you are feeling like you just don't know how to get off that hampster wheel.

The awesome part is that (spoiler alert) photography can be an awesome way to help you de-stress and bring more fun and happiness into your life.

If you want to connect with maggie, check her out on instagram here: @rejuvinnatenutrition

You may have noticed I'm in the process of re-branding my podcast! Yay! I kinda decided to focus on more areas of photography since I have so much experience as an Air Force photographer that I want to bring to the table.

In this episode I talk all about the different learning styles we all have and how you can improve your photography faster by embracing your own learning style.

If you have ever struggled with learning photography maybe you are trying to learn using a learning style that's not right for you.

I was a ski instructor for a season, and that was the first time I learnt that we all have different ways that we learn best. And now I realise as a photographer that the way I learn best is by doing. It makes a lot of sense now when I look back and see why sometimes I have struggled to learn photography, and other times I have come away jumping up and down like a little kid with the most epic photos.

If you are excited to grow as a photographer this year, join the waitlist for my free workshops that I'll be running throughout the year. Places are limited so sign up now to be the first to know when registration opens https://www.femalephotographersociety.com/f/membership-waitlist

Have you ever noticed how getting out into nature with your camera reduces your stress levels?

In this episode I talk about how getting outside with my camera helps me connect to the present moment and clear my mind.

Meditation isn't the only form of mindfulness and photography is an awesome way to practice mindfulness if meditation isn't working for you. It's all about connecting to the present moment.

If you're anything like me, the weather has rained on your landscape photography parade more than once.

So what do you do about it, and how do you guarantee you get good photos, especially if you have traveled from further afield?

In this podcast I'll give you my top 3 tips for dealing with unpredictable weather when shooting landscapes.

Don't forget to sign up for my FREE workshop - How to create jaw-dropping landscapes: https://www.femalephotographersociety.com/workshop

Have you ever fallen into a dangerous spiral of self doubt? Compared your photography to others and felt like maybe you're just not good at this? You'll probably be happy to know that self doubt is completely normal, and we all fall into that deep dark hole every now and then. The thing is, sometimes it's just part of the process. In this episode, I talk about how I struggled with self doubt and what it made me realize.

It's getting to that time of year again when you realize the year has almost gone and you start reflecting back on what you've achieved.

Lately, I've been thinking about what I would do if I was starting my photography career from scratch.

To be honest, I kind of fell into photography by accident and ended up doing a 2-year diploma in photography. But looking back I think I would've done things differently.

Has having a diploma helped me in my career? Yes, at times. And maybe I wouldn't have got into the Air Force as a photographer without it. BUT I feel like experience, and learning from those who are where you want to be in your career might just be more valuable than spending 2 years learning in a classroom environment and playing by the rules.

No, it's not a piece of equipment. And it might not be what you think! But this one realisation I had changed EVERYTHING.

I feel so much more empowered and uplifted now. It's my secret weapon for getting out of that rut of self doubt, and pushing myself to be the best photographer I can be.

In this episode I dive into why connecting with other photographers who just "get you" is one of the most valuable things you can do for your success as a photographer.

If you want to connect with an amazing group of women who "get you", don't forget the Female Photographer Society is open for enrollment 4x a year. If you want to be the first to know when the doors open, sign up for notifications here: https://www.femalephotographersociety.com/f/membership-waitlist

Rachel Mataira is an amazing New Zealand landscape photographer. Some of her most recognizable work is her aerial shots of the New Zealand landscape which give a unique perspective of the land.

I really enjoyed chatting with Rachel about where she gets her inspiration, if she plans her shoots, and how she gets her aerial shots.

It really got me excited about doing some landscape photography with a drone!

Entering photo competitions can be an emotional rollercoaster, and working up the confidence to enter can be tough. Choosing the right photo to submit is another daunting task. I hadn't entered a competition in about 15 years until last year when I decided to take the plunge into the Iris Awards, a prestigious photography competition in New Zealand.

The most eye-opening experience was attending the judging process at the Iris Awards. It provided me with unique insights that helped me grow as a photographer.