Well… first live session lesson learned 😅 Today’s live photo critique just ended, and I’m so sorry — I realized after the session that I forgot to hit record so there will be no replay from this event. It also looks like the timing may not have worked for most people — totally okay! I used the time to edit a gallery from culling to full edits, but since we didn’t have a live discussion today, there won’t be a replay for this one. I’ll schedule another Photo Critique + Q&A soon, and I’d love to make it easier for people to join. What time usually works best for you? 👇 Vote below or comment if another time is better.

Tomorrow I’ll be hosting a live photo critique and Q&A inside the community. You can bring one-two family photos, a portrait, or a session image that you’d like feedback on. We can look at light, composition, posing, editing, cropping, storytelling, and small changes that could make the image stronger. You can also bring any photography questions you have — whether it’s about shooting, editing, working with families, prompts, client experience, gear, or workflow. In the meantime, I’ll be editing some photos live, so feel free to tag along, watch the process, ask questions, or just hang out. This is meant to be relaxed and supportive. No pressure to share if you’re not ready yet — you can absolutely come just to listen and learn. Hope to see you there! 😊

Do you deliver value with your photography? I just added a new course inside the community, all about creating real value as a family photographer — not just through the final images, but through the full client experience. In this course, we talk about how to: - prepare clients before the session - make sessions feel easier and less awkward - guide families without overposing them - notice small moments parents may miss - reassure parents when kids are being kids - deliver galleries in a more thoughtful way This course is practical and simple. It is about being more intentional with the experience you already create. Because families may book you because they like your photos, but they will remember you because of how you made them feel. You can find the course in the Classroom section. 😊 Poll: Where do you feel you create the most value for your clients right now?

AI is changing photography. There is no point pretending it is not. People can now generate polished portraits, product-style images, fantasy scenes, headshots, and social media content in seconds. Some of it looks surprisingly good. It has already shifted how people think about images, creativity, and value. So where does that leave photographers? Honestly, I do not think the answer is to panic. I think photographers need to get very clear about what they actually offer. Because the value of photography was never just the final file. It was the experience. The trust. The way people feel in front of the camera. The way we notice small moments before they disappear. The way we guide someone who feels awkward, nervous, tired, excited, emotional, or unsure what to do with their hands. AI can create an image. But it cannot create the real experience of being seen. The photographers who survive will understand their real value. For a long time, many photographers have sold photography by talking about the obvious things: number of images, session length, location, editing, turnaround time, and price. Those things matter, of course. Clients need clear information. But if that is the only way we explain our work, it becomes easy for people to compare us to cheaper options, faster options, or now even AI-generated options. The deeper value is different. Family photographers are helping preserve a time of life that is moving faster than anyone can hold onto. The more AI grows, the more important it becomes for photographers to explain this clearly. Not in a defensive way. Just with confidence. The image matters. But the human reason behind the image matters more! AI can imitate a look, but it cannot replace lived moments! Real photography has something AI cannot fully manufacture: evidence. A real photo says, “This happened.” Your child really smiled like that. Your partner really looked at you that way. You really stood there at that point in your life.

Hey! I wanted to talk about something that comes up all the time, especially when you’re learning: RAW vs JPEG. Most people either feel like they “should” shoot RAW because that’s what professionals do, or they stick to JPEG because it feels simpler and less intimidating. Both are valid, but it just depends on what you’re shooting and what you want out of your images. RAW is basically your camera capturing as much information as possible. It’s not meant to look perfect straight out of camera, because it’s not fully processed yet. The benefit is that when you edit, you have more flexibility. If your photo is a bit underexposed, if the white balance is off, or if skin tones need work, RAW usually gives you more room to fix things without the file falling apart. If you use Lightroom and you care about consistent colour and clean edits, RAW will make your life easier. JPEG is the opposite approach. Your camera processes the photo for you, compresses it, and gives you a finished-looking file right away. That can be great if you don’t want to spend time editing, or if you’re shooting something fast-paced and you just want images that are ready to share. JPEG isn’t “bad” or “lazy.” Just a different workflow, and plenty of photographers use it on purpose. If you’re not sure what to choose, RAW + JPEG can be a really nice middle ground. You get a ready-to-share JPEG, but you still have the RAW file if you ever want to do a stronger edit later. The only downside is it takes more storage space. So here’s my general suggestion: if you’re learning and you want control, try RAW. If you want simple and fast, JPEG is completely fine. The best format is the one that matches your actual life and how you shoot. I’m curious — what do you shoot right now: RAW, JPEG, or RAW+JPEG?