Life in Full Frame - Family Photography Education

Ep 21: Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Relationship with Instagram Oct 02, 2024

Hi friend!

As a photographer, it can feel like having some presence on Instagram is vital to our success. And I hear you. But we have to understand how to do so in a way that protects our mental and emotional health!

I've been back on the platform for a little over a month now, and I've been pleasantly surprised by the healthy relationship I've been able to maintain with it.

In today's episode, I'm sharing exactly how I use the app and what tips, tricks and boundaries I've implemented in order to maintain that healthy relationship.

You may want to copy and paste some of these tips and others you may want to tweak to make your own!

Either way, I hope this episode encourages you to use Instagram in a way that actually serves you well in all ways - in your business but also personally!

Next steps:

Learn more about Opal

Join the waitlist for Flourish

Related episodes:

Ep 17: What I learned in 2.5 months off of Instagram

Ep 19: The Gift of Being Banned from Instagram - a conversation with Hannah Mann (pt. 2)

Ep 7: Why I Deleted Instagram as a Photographer

Ep 20: Are mini sessions right for you? Sep 17, 2024

Hey friend!

Mini sessions tend to be all the rage in the photography world come Fall! And while I do think they make sense in some situations, I don't think we should all default to doing them.

In this episode, I'm sharing five reasons I no longer offer mini sessions. After trying to make them work for years in different ways, I finally concluded that they simply don't make sense for me.

My hope is that understanding why I don't do mini sessions anymore may help you in looking at them from a different perspective. Perhaps they do work for you, but if they don't, I hope that this episode gives you the permission you need to step away from them!

In this episode, you will learn:

5 reasons I no longer offer mini sessions
An alternative solution if you offer them for financial reasons
Why offering mini sessions may actually be hurting your business in the long run
Questions to consider to determine whether or not mini sessions make sense for you

Enjoy, friend!

xo, Morgan

Next steps:

Free family posing guide: ⁠https://morganwilliamsphoto.com/sketching-freebie⁠

Ask me anything to be answered in a future episode! - ⁠https://forms.gle/BxHkc1bs8tcNC7UX9⁠

Related episodes:

⁠Ep 9: Understanding Your Creative Purpose -a conversation with Leah O'Connell⁠

⁠Flourishing in All Areas of Your Life: How a Healthy Business Supports a Healthy Life⁠

Ep 19: The Gift of Being Banned from Instagram - a conversation with Hannah Mann (pt. 2) Sep 10, 2024

Hi friend!

If you use Instagram to market your business, the thought of being banned from the platform is terrifying - and rightfully so.

My guest, Hannah Mann, was wrongly and unexpectedly banned from Instagram this summer. What initially seemed like a curse, though, turned out to be a gift, as she stepped into the freedom of being an artist and living her life without the pressure of social media.

So much so that she took additional time away from Instagram after getting her account back.

In this episode you'll hear about:

Hannah's experience with being banned from Instagram
ways to market yourself outside of social media
freedom you can find in your work when you're away from Instagram
creating for your clients vs. creating for your Instagram audience
contentment in all areas of your life without social media
and so much more

This is the second part of my conversation with Hannah (the first part is episode 18), and this is easily my favorite part of what we talked about. I hope you enjoy!

xo, Morgan

Connect with Hannah

Instagram: @hannahcmann

familyphotographyeducation.com

hannahmann.com

Connect with Morgan

Instagram: @morganwilliamsphoto

https://morganwilliamsphoto.com/education/

Free family posing guide: https://morganwilliamsphoto.com/sketching-freebie

Related Episodes

Ep 18: 3 Steps to Take if You're Stuck or Struggling in Your Photography Biz - a conversation with Hannah Mann (pt.1)

Ep 17: What I learned in 2.5 months off of Instagram

Ep 7: Why I deleted Instagram as a Photographer

Ep 18: 3 Steps to Take if You're Stuck or Struggling in Your Photography Biz - a conversation with Hannah Mann (pt.1) Sep 03, 2024

Hi there, friend!

We've all felt stuck at one point or another. Whether it's in how we're running our businesses or in the art that we're creating, it happens to every artist at some point.

In this episode, Hannah Mann joins me as a guest and shares her three step process for getting out of this place of feeling stuck as a family photographer, and it is GOLD.

Come listen in to part 1 of this conversation with Hannah. In this episode, you will:

get to know Hannah and learn her story as it pertains to her photography business starting in 2014!
hear Hannah's experience of running a successful photography business as a mom to four kids.
learn about raising your prices and enhancing your experience in ways that make the most sense for YOU.
gain a 3 step process to implement into your business immediately if you're feeling stuck at all!

...and honestly, SO much more!

This episode is jam-packed with goodness, and not to worry - we'll finish out this conversation next week where we go in depth on our individual experiences with pulling away from Instagram!

Connect with Hannah:

Instagram: @hannahcmann

familyphotographyeducation.com

hannahmann.com

Connect with Morgan:

Instagram: @morganwilliamsphoto

https://morganwilliamsphoto.com/education/

Free family posing guide: https://morganwilliamsphoto.com/sketching-freebie

Related Episodes:

Four Reasons You Should Raise Your Prices

Ep 15: Marketing Methods for a Sustainable Photography Business with Leah O'Connell

Ep 17: What I learned in 2.5 months off of Instagram

Ep 17: What I learned in 2.5 months off of Instagram Aug 27, 2024

Hey friend!

Today marks the end of a 2.5 month break from Instagram!

To say I learned a lot would be a gross understatement. There were some things I could have anticipated learning but others I never saw coming.

As photographers, we've been trained to think that we need Instagram; that it's vital to the success of our businesses. And while it can be a good marketing tool, it is not the end all be all.

And even if we do choose to use it, we need to do so in ways that are not negatively affecting our mental health.

In this episode, I'm unpacking ALL of the things I've learned during my 2.5 months off of Instagram (everything from how it impacts my mental health to contentment to how I parent) and what boundaries I'm putting in place as I return to the platform.

I pray that this blesses you, gives you a new perspective on social media and encourages you to make a shift to use it in a healthy way!

xo, Morgan

Next steps:

⁠Join my email list for photographers⁠

⁠Join my email list for clients, potential clients, and to hear me talk about parenthood!⁠

⁠Find me on Instagram @morganwilliamsphoto⁠

Related Episodes:

⁠Ep 7: Why I deleted Instagram as a Photographer⁠

⁠Ep 15: Marketing Methods for a Sustainable Photography Business with Leah O'Connell⁠

Ep 16: My (Non-Salesly) Approach to IPS for Family Photographers Aug 20, 2024

Hey friend!

If the thoughts of an IPS pricing structure immediately makes you cringe and want to hide today's episode is for you. I've felt this way about IPS in the past as well, so believe me when I say, I GET IT!

At the beginning of 2024, though, I transitioned to an IPS pricing model, and surprisingly to me, I love it! Part of what has enabled me to love it is how I approach it, which involves NOT being salesy or pushy.

In today's episode, I'm unpacking several different aspects of my experience with IPS:

Why I decided to transition to an IPS/a la carte pricing model
Two things I love the most about it (it's probably not what you think!)
How I approach it in a way that isn't salesy or pushy
What I did wrong when I initially tried in person sales five years ago

I hope that this helps you to see IPS in a different light, and gives you an alternative view on how you can incorporate in person sales as a family photographer and serve your family photography clients well!

xo, Morgan

Next steps:

Free family posing guide: ⁠https://morganwilliamsphoto.com/sketching-freebie⁠

Related Episodes:

⁠Four Reasons You Should Raise Your Prices⁠

⁠Flourishing in All Areas of Your Life: How a Healthy Business Supports a Healthy Life⁠

Ep 15: Marketing Methods for a Sustainable Photography Business with Leah O'Connell Aug 13, 2024

This conversation with Leah O'Connell is packed with goodness! If you've been itching to find methods of marketing that are sustainable for the long term rather than flashy (and sometimes exhausting) in the moment, you'll find this conversation so encouraging... because there are absolutely marketing methods for your photography business that are sustainable when you're in it for the long haul!

In this conversation you'll learn about:

the ripple effects of our artistry as photographers
the positive and negative effects of social media on photographers
slow growth methods of marketing + slow growth over time
intentionally building a business around your life
shifting your business in response to different life events
...and SO much more!

This is such a rich conversation filled with endless nuggets of wisdom, and I'm excited for you to listen!

xo, Morgan

Where to find Leah:

Leah's podcast: Photo Fuel

Website: https://www.leahoconnell.com

Instagram: @leahoconnell.photo

Related Episodes:

Ep 9: Understanding Your Creative Purpose -a conversation with Leah O'Connell

Flourishing in All Areas of Your Life: How a Healthy Business Supports a Healthy Life

Ep 14: Lessons Learned in Nine Years as a Mom & Photographer Aug 06, 2024

Hey friend!

Today's episode is all about being both a mom and a photographer. Not coincidentally, today is my oldest son's ninth birthday, and I have learned a lot about being both a mom and a photographer and balancing both roles in those nine years.

When he was first born, balancing both roles was honestly a huge struggle for me. All I could see was the potential I wasn't seeing come to fruition because of my lack of time due to having a child (and a full-time job).

Suffice it to say, I've come a long way since then and feel more at peace about the two roles of mom and photographer I've been given to live into. Yes, even though I have four kids now, I feel more at peace with it than I did when I had one!

In this episode, I'm sharing seven lessons I've learned in nine years as both a photographer and mom. I'm so excited to share this with you, and I hope you find it helpful on your journey as a parent and photographer!

Next steps:

Learn more about Preserving Everyday Magic: https://preservingeverydaymagic.morganwilliamsphoto.com/

Free family posing guide: https://morganwilliamsphoto.com/sketching-freebie

Related episodes:

Four Reasons You Should Raise Your Prices

Flourishing in All Areas of Your Life: How a Healthy Business Supports a Healthy Life

Ep 13: 4 Reasons You're NOT Booking In-Home Family Sessions Jul 30, 2024

Hey hey, friend!

Are you undeniably obsessed with in-home family photo sessions but can't seem to get anyone to book them? Despite your love for them, all of your clients are opting for family photos in a field outdoors somewhere.

I've been there too, and it can be really frustrating to not be able to create the work that you feel called to create. In a matter of a few years, I went from shooting outdoors 75% of the time to shooting in-home exclusively.

In the time in between, though, I learned a few things about how exactly to get current and future clients on board with the idea of in-home family photos.

Whether you're wanting to make 25% or 100% of your business dedicated towards in-home photos, this episode will shed some light on four things that you can do differently to make it happen - including some tough love I'm sharing with the fourth point. 🫣

I hope and pray this is helpful for you, and that you find yourself photographing inside of your clients' homes more often in the future!

xo, Morgan

Preserving Everyday Magic is officially open for enrollment! Preserving Everyday Magic is a group coaching program focusing on in-home family sessions for photographers who want to consistently and effortlessly create connected in-home photos that tell a story - and elevate their imagery to attract their higher paying dream clients while doing it! Enrollment will be open through August 6, 2024. APPLY HERE!

Related episodes:

Ep 10: 5 Tips for Better In-Home Photos

Ep 11: How my Student Stopped Playing it Safe with In-Home Family Photos & Pushed Herself Creatively

Ep 12: 5 Reasons Your Family Photography Prep Process Matters

Ep 12: 5 Reasons Your Family Photography Prep Process Matters Jul 23, 2024

Hi friend!

Have you ever considered how much your family photography prep process affects your final images and how your client feels about their final images?

All too often we put way too much emphasis on what happens at the family photo session itself while paying little to no attention to how we're pouring into our clients leading up to the session.

And YES, what happens at the session matters! But what happens leading up to it matters just as much.

So today on the podcast, we're talking about five reasons why your family photography prep process matters.

What may surprise you is that it doesn't only impact what the images themselves look like, but it also impacts how your client feels about the images.

How we serve our photography clients REALLY matters, and how we prep them is a big part of that!

I hope you find this helpful and that it changes (even if ever so slightly) how you prep yourself and your clients!

xo, Morgan

Next steps:

Learn more about Preserving Everyday Magic: https://preservingeverydaymagic.morganwilliamsphoto.com/

Email me: hello@morganwilliamsphoto.com

Free family posing guide: https://morganwilliamsphoto.com/free-guide

Listen to related episodes:

Ep 10: 5 Tips for Better In-Home Family Photos

Four Ways Understanding In-Home Lighting can Change Your Photos + Your Business

Ep 11: How my Student Stopped Playing it Safe with In-Home Family Photos & Pushed Herself Creatively Jul 16, 2024

Hi friend! Have you ever wondered how to stop playing it safe with the in-home family photos you're creating? Or how to really push yourself creatively within the in-home scenario? Or maybe you're just DYING to use light creatively but are simultaneously terrified to try it?

If any of these sound like you, I have a treat for you! Today on the podcast, Preserving Everyday Magic graduate, Natasha Sewell of NPS Photography is here to share her experience and testimonial inside of the in-home family photography group coaching program.

Gain insight in to the program itself while learning what to do to stop playing it safe and push yourself into a creative space where you can thrive as the artist you were created to be.

I hope you find this helpful!

xo, Morgan

Next steps:

Learn more about Preserving Everyday Magic: preservingeverydaymagic.morganwilliamsphoto.com

Join the PEM waitlist: morganwilliamsphoto.com/PEM-waitlist

Find Natasha on Instagram: instagram.com/npsphotography

Natasha's website: https://npsphotography.com

Email me: hello@morganwilliamsphoto.com

Listen to related episodes:

Four Ways Understanding In-Home Lighting can Change Your Photos + Your Business

Ep 8: 3 tips for shooting film in-home

Ep 10: 5 Tips for Better In-Home Family Photos

Ep 10: 5 Tips for Better In-Home Family Photos Jul 09, 2024

You know you're OBSESSED with in-home family photos. There's just something next-level authentic and real about them. When you go to create them, though, you feel like you're falling short. Despite the burning desire you have to create these effortless, soulful images of family inside of their homes, the reality isn't quite stacking up to what your dreams are made of.

Something just isn't clicking.

I've been there, and I know all too well about this frustration.

Inside of this episode, I'm sharing the 5 step framework I use to photograph all of my in-home sessions. These are THE foundational principles to creating those genuine in-home family images that you're yearning to create. I'm laying them all out for you here, so that you can take them and begin weaving them into your own sessions and creating the magical in-home family images you know you're capable of creating!

I hope this episode opens your eyes to something new and gives you new tools to use in your sessions!

xo, Morgan

Next steps:

Download your free family posing guide: morganwilliamsphoto.com/free-guide

Join the waitlist for Preserving Everyday Magic: morganwilliamsphoto.com/PEM-waitlist

Learn more about Preserving Everyday Magic: preservingeverydaymagic.morganwilliamsphoto.com

Ep 9: Understanding Your Creative Purpose -a conversation with Leah O'Connell Jul 02, 2024

As photographers, it's so easy - too easy - to be clones of one another. We're constantly exposed to what other photographers are doing, how they're shooting, what the trends are, and the list goes on. And it's ok to be influenced by this, but we also have to mesh this influence with who we are as artists in order to create something unique!

When I was a guest on Leah O'Connell's podcast, Photo Fuel, this is one of the topics we dove into, and I'm sharing that conversation today on my podcast!

We also discussed how I infuse my unique perspective into my session, how I arrived where I am within the photography industry and balancing being a mom to four boys with a successful business.

It was a wonderful conversation, and I hope you enjoy it!

Leah's podcast: Photo Fuel (Spotify) (Apple)

Educational offerings mentioned in this episode:

Preserving Everyday Magic - group coaching program focused on in-home family photography

Flourish - 6 month mastermind and retreat for photographers wanting to discover their unique creative purpose and begin flourishing in all areas of their lives

Lit Up - a self-paced course on mastering in-home lighting

Connection Creation - a guide to creating authentic family images

Ep 8: 3 tips for shooting film in-home Jun 25, 2024

Shooting film can feel scary in and of itself if you've never done it before. Shooting film in-home, though, can feel so much more daunting because of the lack of light in the space.

When we're photographing outside, there's typically an abundance of light. Inside of a home, the same can't be said. We're limited by a combination of windows, color palettes, and even trees outside blocking the light.

That being said, there is a way to shoot film in-home and to do it well. And when you can do it well, the images you produce can be so incredibly beautiful.

In this episode, I'm sharing three tips for shooting film in-home, so that you can begin using film indoors with confidence!

Lit Up - an course on mastering in-home lighting

Preserving Everyday Magic - a group coaching program for taking in-home family photography to the next level

Ep 7: Why I Deleted Instagram as a Photographer Jun 18, 2024

After a 7 month hiatus, I'm resurrecting the podcast! HOORAY!

The reason for bringing the podcast back has a lot to do with the topic of this episode: I'm a photographer, and I DELETED INSTAGRAM.

Inside this episode, I talk about what led me to my decision to delete the app, how it was affecting my mental health and creativity negatively and what the future looks like for me in terms of social media.

Instagram can be a useful tool for our businesses, but as creatives, it's a slippery slope that leads to comparison, doubt and addiction. We begin drowning out our own God-given creative purpose and voice because we're so inundated with content on what everyone else is doing.

Tune in to learn more!

Join the MWP list to stay in touch!

Find additional educational resources here!

Instagram

Ep 6: Black Friday Sale Ideas for Photographers Nov 07, 2023

Offering deeply discounted sessions to your clients as a Black Friday offer will likely only leave you feeling resentful in the future. Instead try one of these ideas for your Black Friday sale that will serve your clients well while still taking into account how you benefit as a business owner!

Find Morgan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morganwilliamsphoto

Learn more about Flourish, a retreat and mastermind for photographers: https://morganwilliamsphoto.com/flourish

Learn more about in-home family photography group coaching: http://preservingeverydaymagic.morganwilliamsphoto.com/

Lit Up - a course on in-home lighting: https://morganwilliamsphoto.com/lit-up-1

How to live in a state of abundance Oct 24, 2023

What do abundance and photography have in common? Oh, I'm so glad you asked! In this episode, we unpack what it means to have a life and business that are both flourishing.

The first layer to this process is living in a state of abundance, and in this episode we talk about what that means and how it impacts our art, our businesses and our lives.

To join us for day 2 of Bloom, REGISTER HERE!

Learn more about Flourish HERE.

Apply for Flourish HERE.

Four Reasons You Should Raise Your Prices Oct 19, 2023

As a photographer, raising your prices can be scary. I get it. I've been there! But the ways in which it benefits your business, your art and your personal life are profound, impactful and should not be ignored.

From finding clients who value photography more to shooting less to creating better work, there's actually no excuse to *not* raise your prices.

In this episode, we look at four reasons you should raise your prices and the overall impact of those reasons on your life and business.

Resources for improving your work to accompany a price increase:

Preserving Everyday Magic Group Coaching Program: http://preservingeverydaymagic.morganwilliamsphoto.com/
Connection Creation Family Posing Guide: https://morganwilliamsphoto.com/family-posing-guide
In-Home Lighting Course: https://morganwilliamsphoto.com/lit-up-1

Four Ways Understanding In-Home Lighting can Change Your Photos + Your Business Oct 11, 2023

In-home lighting is undoubtedly THE biggest struggle I hear from other photographers when discussing in-home family photography.

In this episode, I'm uncovering how to find the best light to work with in every home and discussing how understanding light and mastering light can completely transform not only your images, but also your business and your LIFE. At the risk of sounding overdramatic, I'm standing by this one!

If you want to take a deeper dive into in-home lighting, understand how and where to find the best light in every home, how to use the light in the most beautiful and creative ways, and totally transform your images to save yourself time and attract a more high-end client, enroll in Lit Up today for less than the cost of your next trip to Target: https://morganwilliamsphoto.com/lit-up-1

Flourishing in All Areas of Your Life: How a Healthy Business Supports a Healthy Life Oct 11, 2023

If your business isn't healthy, it will spill over into your personal life. In this episode, we're discussing three reasons why a healthy business creates a healthy life and a healthy life supports a healthy business...because they do work in tandem with one another!

This type of business is usually a results of charging too little, working too much and leaving no margin in your business or your personal life. It can result in burnout, zero time to spend with the people you love most or doing the activities you enjoy most and a complete drought in creativity.

If you would like to take a deeper dive into this topic and learn how to create art and a business that supports your personal life in a beautiful way, join us for a FREE live training on October 23 and 24! Bloom is a free workshop for photographers with a burning desire to build a creatively fulfilling and lucrative business that works with their personal life, not in competition with it. Register here: https://morganwilliamsphoto.com/bloom

Welcome to Life in Full Frame! Oct 09, 2023

Imagine living a life where your creativity as a photographer, your business and your personal life were all thriving. Doesn't sound too bad does it?!

Introducing Life in Full Frame, where we talk about all things family photography, creativity, mindset and business with a little bit of motherhood sprinkled in.

In this episode, I'm giving you a glimpse into what my photography career and personal life has looked like up until this point. From $100 sessions as a side hustle shooting a little bit of everything to shooting weddings to now shooting in-home exclusively, it has been a journey. It's one I'm thankful for, though, and one I'm excited to tell you more about!

Educational offerings mentioned in this episode:

Connection Creation: https://morganwilliamsphoto.com/family-posing-guide

Preserving Everyday Magic: http://preservingeverydaymagic.morganwilliamsphoto.com/