In a world often fixated on youth and perfection, there's something genuinely inspiring about embracing our strength at any age.

Today, I want to share the remarkable story of a courageous woman who defied stereotypes and stepped into the gym for a transformative portrait session. Meet Brooke, a vibrant 60-year-old whose journey through gym portraits captured her physical strength and symbolized a more profound journey of self-discovery and empowerment.

As a traveling brand photographer, I've witnessed countless individuals step before my lens, each with their own story. But there was something uniquely special about Brooke’s session.

Nervous yet determined, she arrived at the gym, ready to embark on a new adventure. Like many, Brooke hesitated to prioritize herself in the past, but today was different – today was about celebrating her journey, resilience, and confidence.

Branding for your business (no matter how big or small it is) has never been more important than it is today. That’s because the online world, where we do most of our promotions, is so visual. Just “any old photo” won’t work anymore. Having great, branded photos is the key to your success.

Here are five compelling reasons why you must have several great, up-to-date brand photos at your disposal for promoting yourself or your business online:

My greatest honor as a photographer is when clients trust me enough to allow themselves to be vulnerable and step in front of my camera. It’s something I never take lightly. I know that my job is to ensure that my clients feel safe and nurtured in that space so that they feel beautiful and confident. Sometimes that’s a huge leap of faith. Often it means working with them to help them overcome a lifetime of limiting beliefs (just like I did). 

As an entrepreneur, you probably hear how important your “personal brand” is all the time. Having a personal brand that allows you to stand out has many benefits, from helping you connect with your ideal clients and people who need what you’re offering to help to build your reputation in your industry. A great personal branding photograph can communicate who you are, and what you stand for, and help you truly stand out from your competitors.

If you’re an entrepreneur who’s still using an outdated headshot, there are probably several reasons why. It’s possible that you don’t love having your photo taken (this is most people, by the way, so you’re not alone). It could also be that you’ve changed quite a bit since your last professional photos were taken (maybe your hair is grayer or you’ve put on a few pounds). This might also be something you just haven’t invested the time or money into, feeling like your current headshots are “good enough,” or still look enough like you that they’re fine.

Whether you are a chef, photographer, real estate agent, fitness coach, or marketing manager. your personal brand and your image are more important than ever. Branded photographs that are creative, artistic, modern, and eye-catching help your business stand out by telling your brand’s story and providing an authentic experience to your ideal clients.

Chances are good you’ve spent good money with an expert who’s helped you define your business brand. If so, you know which fonts, images, and colors define for the world exactly what your business does and who you are as the “face” of that business.

Chances are good you’ve spent good money with an expert who’s helped you define your business brand. If so, you know which fonts, images, and colors define for the world exactly what your business does and who you are as the “face” of that business.

It seems like the whole world is on Zoom, especially in the past two years. For a while, we were all living our lives on Zoom, from business meetings to family gatherings.

No matter what you use Zoom for, I’m guessing you’d like to look nice doing it. I know I do. Here are a few simple things you can do to show up as your best self on your next Zoom call:

Pay Attention to Your Appearance

Be Aware of your Lighting

Manage Your Background

Look Your Laptop Camera In the Eye

I’m sure you’ve been hearing about “branded” professional photos. This is not a new concept, but in the past few years, what’s “acceptable” or “expected” in a headshot has changed. People are more and more creative, and their photos have begun to be more about expressing who they are than making sure they fit into some sort of “professional photo” mold.

As a branding photographer, I love this trend, not only because it makes the photos I capture with my clients more interesting but because it allows my clients to truly show who they are through their photos. Here are a few tips for ensuring your next photo is a window into your personality.

But life happens … and we have very little control of it. I experienced this truth HEAD-ON when I was being taken by ambulance to the emergency room a few weeks ago.

Shannon Loy of The Social Ginger and Mary Foley, an entrepreneur business coach for women, share 12 actions you can take today to still be open for business tomorrow.

Your personal brand photos should reveal your authentic self.

Age is a PLUS for your personal brand. These four women are living proof.

I learned a painful business lesson last year and I am hoping you can avoid my mistake by sharing this blog post.

I love photographing my amazing clients who are game-changers in their categories. One of the reasons my clients are superstars is that they’re always looking to create more value for their audiences. That’s why I wanted to write this article on creating irresistible services to attract new clients.

As a professional branding photographer, I work with CEOs, high profile realtors, public figures and amazing entrepreneurs all over Central Virginia. So it’s not uncommon for me to see my clients’ names and images in news articles. But it’s always a thrill to see my clients get the recognition they deserve.

I love my work because I get to connect with people who have a passion for making an impact. I work with amazing entrepreneurs, coaches, authors and leaders in Richmond and all over who get up every day to help others to do more, be more and have more.

Hi you! I’m not a “fan” of New Year’s resolutions. But I AM a fan of New Year intentions. Being intentional means being focused. Being intentional means being on purpose.