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Married to my first love, Momma of 2 (Mason and Weston). Dog mom to Tippon. North Carolina born but Virginia lover at heart. 

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I'm arli.

Small Group Mentoring Session

April 2, 2019

This weekend I hosted another small group mentoring session in my home. I absolutely love this part of my business. I’ve always been told how well I can teach something and how patient I am when doing so. Sharing my experiences and things I’ve learned in the 10 years I’ve been in business is just so fun and rewarding for me. No matter the stage in business for anyone you are always learning new things or ways. I am self invested and taught when it comes to photography and I am no where near done learning and growing. To me that is the wonderful part of the business side is continuing to grow as a person and as a business owner. I am always so excited when I learn a new tip or idea for my business. It’s because I love to serve my people the best that I possibly can and with all that I am.

The absolute first thing I teach during a mentoring session is knowing your worth. This is HUGE for me and anyone that I’m sharing my journey with. It’s also because it was something I struggled with when I started my journey to where I am. Knowing your worth is the number one thing that will help you grow your business and avoid mistakes. Not knowing your worth is the number one thing that will hurt your business and cause mistakes. I whole heartedly believe that. I had 2 wonderful women that attended the small group mentoring session and I like to keep these sessions smaller so that each person can have all of their questions answered and leave time for discussion. In investing in myself with mentoring sessions I’ve been able to sit back and think on what really helped me, what didn’t, what I loved about those sessions, what I didn’t love about those sessions, & most importantly the things that I didn’t know or think to ask that were major mistakes or growing pains in the beginning of my business creation.

We discussed and learned about branding and what makes each person stand out in their industry. Finding your strong points and ideal clientele. Knowing your weak points and how to make them become your strong ones. Setting goals and surpassing those. Camera settings. Pricing. Making changes to your business that improve your experience as well as your clients experience. There was so much great planning and discussion that I was just rambling off all the knowledge I could possibly share. My favorite part, or one of my favorite parts about teaching is the settings and mechanics part. When I first started I would never have thought I would enjoy Manual settings and teaching them. It’s so important to learn those settings as well as what they should be for every scenario that you are are shooting in.

After our morning discussion and lunch we headed out for headshots, because duh, that’s the most fun! I picked out two familiar locations to me with two different settings of light. One harsh direct light and one shaded and splotchy light. Both locations are beautiful and my favorite spots to shoot in around where I live. I have below a few shots in each spot that are my favorite including a shot of each location. I even got a few shots of myself from Audrey… she did wonderful but you will see how much of a nerd I am while shooting and explaining posting and settings.

After we wrapped up headshots and on hand settings we came back to my office to do some hands on editing. I learned something new this week that I was so excited to share and I think Ashley and Audrey both took a lot away from this. The editing portion is something I’ve just included in the mentoring sessions and I’m a huge fan! Editing is one of the first things as a new photographer that you should invest in learning as much as you possibly can. Editing as a new photographer with no guidance and trying to self teach can be the first major mistake you make and I know because I did it!

I hope you enjoy my friends below and a few shots of me (Thank you Audrey). Make sure to check them out on social media:
IG: audreyleaphotography
IG: elizabethryan_designs

Audrey specializes in all things mortgages (so if you are buying a home or thinking about refinancing def. hit her up) and interior photography. She’s also my assistant & second shooter.
Ashley specializes in maternity portraits, birth photography, & lifestyle newborn sessions. She’s a wonderful asset for the expecting and growing family.

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If you enjoyed this post, take a peek at these:

Five ways I improved my detail images
Wedding consults, one month prior
Favorite wedding vendors

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