Welcome to The Motherhood Anthology podcast: photography education to create a business you love. This podcast will serve as an invaluable resource to guide you in the world of motherhood photography and owning your own successful photography business. Tune in weekly to hear from us and some of our most admired friends and colleagues as we share some of our greatest tools, how-tos, successes, failures, and everything in between.
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Episode 198: What to Do When a Family Photo Session Goes Sideways with Suzy Brown
Season 6 · Episode 198
Tuesday, November 10, 2026 • Duration 38:03
Every photographer has stood in a field or a living room watching a session unravel: the dad who checked out before he arrived, the mom correcting every pose, the toddler who wants nothing to do with the camera. In this episode, Katie sits down with TMA mentor and November Educator of the Month Suzy Brown, who has spent almost 19 years building storytelling family sessions and has a clear-eyed take on what actually goes wrong in those moments. Her first answer about the biggest mistake photographers make is one word: nothing.
In This Episode
Why freezing is the most common mistake when a session starts to fall apart, and how to build the muscle to act instead
How your marketing shapes who books you, and why the fear of being yourself costs you later with the wrong clients
When to photograph a meltdown and when to put the camera down, including the role of parent consent
Why premium all-inclusive pricing only works when the experience backs it up, and how to talk about your pricing without apology
A preview of Suzy’s TMA training on the grumpy dad, the perfectionist mom, and the kid who shuts down
Hard sessions do not stop happening at year five or year nineteen. What changes is whether you have the perspective and the words to move through them. If you want the practical version of what Suzy teaches, this episode is the place to start, and her full training is waiting inside the membership this month.
If you want mentors and a community of photographers who will help you build a business that supports your life, join The Motherhood Anthology Membership: https://membership.themotherhoodanthology.com/offers/iiza3hSs/checkout
Mentioned in This Episode
Suzy’s Family Posing Playbook course: https://simplybysuzy.com
The Motherhood Anthology Facebook Community
Suzy’s November training inside The Motherhood Anthology Membership
About Suzy Brown
Suzy Brown is a family storytelling photographer with almost 19 years in business and a mom of three. Her sessions are built around getting to know each family before the camera comes out, so every session is intentional and every image carries the family’s real story. She is a TMA mentor, November’s Educator of the Month, and the creator of the Family Posing Playbook, a method for posing families with real connection and no memorized prompts.
Website: https://simplybysuzy.com
Instagram: @simplybysuzy
Connect with TMA:
Website | Membership | Courses: www.themotherhoodanthology.com
Free Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/themotherhoodanthology
Our Instagram: instagram.com/themotherhoodanthology
Connect with Kim:
Site: https://kimbox.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/kimbox
Episode 197: AI Contracts, Retainly, and Simplifying Your Client Workflow with Paige Griffith (Part 2)
Season 6 · Episode 197
Tuesday, November 3, 2026 • Duration 24:58
In the second half of her conversation with Katie Lamb and Ali Payne, Paige Griffith of The Legal Paige takes on one of the most tempting shortcuts photographers are reaching for right now: letting AI write their contracts. She explains why polished language is not the same as enforceable language, then shares the story behind Retainly, the contracting and invoicing platform she built after years of hearing the same question from TLP customers. If you have ever paid for a CRM and used a fraction of it, this episode will give you something to think about.
In This Episode
Why AI-drafted contract language sounds legal and polished but routinely contradicts or invalidates other clauses in your agreement
Where AI does belong in a photographer’s business, from brainstorming and marketing to formulating responses to client questions
How Retainly grew out of a gap between buying a contract template and actually sending it to a client, and the two kinds of business owners it serves best
The founding member lifetime rate, white glove onboarding, and the CSV import built for photographers migrating from another CRM
Why Paige recommends the free trial before committing, and where to find her upcoming Legal Paige sales
Paige’s advice on AI and her approach to building Retainly share the same principle: tools should make your business simpler and more protected, not more complicated. Listen for her full reasoning on contracts, then decide whether a leaner client workflow is the next step for your business. If you missed Part 1, start there for the contract, retainer, and model release questions that set up this conversation.
If you want mentors and a community of photographers who will help you build a business that supports your life, join The Motherhood Anthology Membership: https://membership.themotherhoodanthology.com/offers/iiza3hSs/checkout
About Paige Griffith
Paige Griffith is an attorney and the founder and CEO of The Legal Paige, which provides contract templates and legal education for photographers, wedding vendors, and online creatives across the United States and Canada. She started her photography business during law school, clerked for a federal judge, and launched The Legal Paige to serve the industries she had worked in firsthand. She also runs Griffith Law and is the founder of Retainly, a contracting and invoicing platform that integrates with all Legal Paige contracts.
Website: thelegalpaige.com
Instagram: @thelegalpaige
Retainly: getretainly.com
Connect with TMA:
Website | Membership | Courses: www.themotherhoodanthology.com
Free Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/themotherhoodanthology
Our Instagram: instagram.com/themotherhoodanthology
Connect with Kim:
Site: https://kimbox.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/kimbox
Episode 196: Contracts, Retainers, and AI with Paige Griffith of The Legal Paige (Part 1)
Season 6 · Episode 196
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 • Duration 47:23
Paige Griffith built a six-figure photography business while in law school before founding The Legal Paige, and that combination gives her a rare view into where photographers get themselves into trouble. In this first of a two-part conversation, Katie Lamb and Ali Payne bring her the questions TMA members submitted on contracts, retainers, model releases, and AI. Paige answers each one with the specific clause language and workflow changes photographers can apply this week.
In This Episode
Why operating without a contract is the most common legal mistake Paige sees among portrait photographers, and what happens when a dispute arrives and there is nothing to fall back on
The case for collecting final payment before the session, not after delivery
Retainer versus deposit, why the two words are legally different, and the Control F check Paige wants every photographer to run on their own contract today
Non-refundable retainers, liquidated damages, and where the fee clause should sit in your contract
How to structure one contract for a baby plan that spans maternity, newborn, six months, and first birthday
Model releases in an era when more parents want their children’s faces kept offline, and why Paige recommends the conversation happen at booking rather than at delivery
What the recent federal AI case means for photographers who post children’s images publicly
Why an AI disclaimer clause now belongs in every photography contract, and the human-touch threshold that protects your copyright
The clause language that stops clients from uploading your images into AI tools as references or inputs
Every one of these answers comes back to the same principle: clarity at the start of the client relationship prevents the dispute at the end. Whether you are updating a single clause or rebuilding your contract from scratch, this episode gives you the exact places to look. Part 2 continues the conversation next week.
If you want mentors and a community of photographers who will help you build a business that supports your life, join The Motherhood Anthology Membership: https://membership.themotherhoodanthology.com/offers/iiza3hSs/checkout
About Paige Griffith
Paige Griffith is an attorney and the founder and CEO of The Legal Paige, which provides contract templates and legal education for photographers, wedding vendors, and online creatives across the United States and Canada. She started her photography business during law school, clerked for a federal judge, and launched The Legal Paige in 2016 and 2017 to serve the industries she had worked in firsthand. She also runs Griffith Law and has recently founded a contracting and invoicing platform designed as a sister business to The Legal Paige.
The Legal Paige: thelegalpaige.com
Instagram: @thelegalpaige
Connect with TMA:
Website | Membership | Courses: www.themotherhoodanthology.com
Free Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/themotherhoodanthology
Our Instagram: instagram.com/themotherhoodanthology
Connect with Kim:
Site: https://kimbox.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/kimbox
Episode 195: Booked Not Busy Coaching Week, Day One: Photography Business Goals That Fit Your Life
Season 6 · Episode 195
Tuesday, October 20, 2026 • Duration 56:21
Comparison is human, but measuring your photography business against someone else’s life guarantees you will always feel behind. This episode brings you Day One of Booked Not Busy Coaching Week, where Director of Education Katie Lamb walks through how to define success on your own terms before you ever touch a pricing formula.
In This Episode
Why borrowed definitions of success leave you feeling behind, even when your business is doing well
How to name what is truly different about the photographer you compare yourself to
The question that cuts through industry pressure to always make more
How to find your “enough number” and why it works as a floor rather than a ceiling
The difference between chasing more out of fear and choosing more out of ambition
Holding your success markers tightly while letting your methods flex
How profit protects the things that matter most to you and your family
A member’s perspective on why seeing many paths to success reshaped her mindset
Once you know what you are building toward, every price you set and every session you book has a clear benchmark to measure against. If you want mentors and a community of photographers who will help you build a business that supports your life, join The Motherhood Anthology Membership: https://membership.themotherhoodanthology.com/offers/iiza3hSs/checkout
Connect with TMA:
Website | Membership | Courses: www.themotherhoodanthology.com
Free Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/themotherhoodanthology
Our Instagram: instagram.com/themotherhoodanthology
Connect with Kim:
Site: https://kimbox.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/kimbox
Episode 194: Clarity Is Kindness: Pricing, Sales Calls, and a $3,800 Win With Kelsey Krall
Season 6 · Episode 194
Tuesday, October 13, 2026 • Duration 59:40
When Kelsey Krall shared a $3,800 sale in the TMA community, Ali Payne invited her onto the podcast to explain what changed. Kelsey is a newborn and family photographer in Sacramento who built her business from $100 sessions to a full-service, product-based model. She walks through the pricing structure and sales process behind her growth, and she speaks honestly about the difficult seasons that came first.
In This Episode
How the phrase “clarity is kindness” shapes the way Kelsey presents her pricing
Separating the CEO who sets your prices from the person who shares them on a sales call
Introducing artwork from the first planning call so the ordering appointment holds no surprises
Structuring digital files and artwork around clear price points to raise the average sale
Why the hard seasons of a business transition deserve an honest conversation
If Kelsey’s story reflects where you are right now, join us for Booked Not Busy, our live coaching week. Over four days, you will work through what a good year looks like for you, your pricing, your content, and a client experience your clients will want to share. Each session is one hour, finished by noon Central, with a playbook you fill in live. General seats are $15, and the $37 VIP seat adds 30 days of replays and the Booked Business Toolkit.
Booked, Not Busy
Booked Not Busy, our four-day live coaching week, starts today at 11 a.m. Central and walks you through your year, your pricing, your content, and your client experience. Grab your $15 seat at https://themotherhoodanthology.com/coaching-week, or choose the $37 VIP seat for 30 days of replays and the Booked Business Toolkit.
About Kelsey Krall
Kelsey Krall is a newborn and family photographer based in Sacramento, California. She launched her business in 2020 and moved to a full-service, product-based model in 2023. She specializes in in-home newborn sessions and provides wardrobe and styling for her clients.
Website: kelseykrall.com
Instagram: @kelseykrallphotos
Connect with TMA:
Website | Membership | Courses: www.themotherhoodanthology.com
Free Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/themotherhoodanthology
Our Instagram: instagram.com/themotherhoodanthology
Connect with Kim:
Site: https://kimbox.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/kimbox
Episode 193: Photography Pricing Without the "Have To": Laura Esmond's Hybrid IPS Model
Season 6 · Episode 193
Tuesday, October 6, 2026 • Duration 01:00:20
Photographers hear a lot of pricing advice that begins with "you have to." Laura Esmond, a portrait photographer of 26 years and a TMA mentor, believes your pricing should be built around how you want to earn your income and where you want to spend your time. In this conversation with Katie Lamb, TMA's Director of Education, Laura walks through the hybrid pricing model she has been testing with real clients since August.
In This Episode
Why your cost of doing business number is only the starting point, and the questions to ask yourself before you commit to any pricing model
The strengths and weaknesses of all-inclusive pricing and IPS, from a photographer who has used both
How her hybrid model works: a $1,500 package paid up front that includes the first 30 digitals, with upgrades offered at the ordering meeting
What happened when she put her pricing online and let clients book directly, and why newer photographers may still benefit from an inquiry call
How to use the planning call to learn where images will hang in the home, so you can shoot for that space
Your pricing can change as your life changes, and you do not have to work it out alone. Laura is the featured educator inside The Motherhood Anthology Membership this month, with a training on identifying what is holding you back from the change you keep putting off. If you are not yet a member, we would love to welcome you in so you can learn from Laura and the rest of our mentors.
About Laura Esmond
Laura Esmond has been a portrait photographer for 26 years. She is the founder of the Get Rooted group coaching program, the creator of The Art of Selling, and a mentor inside The Motherhood Anthology.
Website: lauraesmond.com
Instagram: @lauraesmondeducation
The Art of Selling: lauraesmond.com/ips
Get Rooted: lauraesmond.com/getrooted
Connect with TMA:
Website | Membership | Courses: www.themotherhoodanthology.com
Free Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/themotherhoodanthology
Our Instagram: instagram.com/themotherhoodanthology
Connect with Kim:
Site: https://kimbox.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/kimbox
Episode 192: Trial Reels for Photographers: How to Reach People Who Don't Follow You Yet
Season 6 · Episode 192
Tuesday, September 29, 2026 • Duration 18:30
Many photographers post reels to the same small group of followers every week and wonder why their reach never grows. Instagram's trial reels send your content to people who have never seen your work. TMA community manager Ali Payne explains how she uses them to test ideas, grow her audience, and book sessions for her own photography business.
In This Episode
What a trial reel is, where to find it, and the setting to check before you post
How testing different on-screen hooks on the same clip can change your results
What realistic trial reel numbers look like and how to measure performance fairly
How to decide whether a reel is meant for photographers, potential clients, or current followers
Why a niche reel that brings in followers can do more for your business than a viral one
Three ways to hold a new viewer's attention: show your camera, use location keywords, and give a clear next step
How AI tools can help you review your insights and plan your next round of reels
Trial reels reward steady, low-pressure experimentation, and Ali makes a clear case for posting often and adjusting as you learn. She closes with a challenge to post one trial reel this week and share your results with her on Instagram at @themotherhoodanthology. If you want ongoing support as you grow your business, join the 800+ photographers inside The Motherhood Anthology Membership.
BTS Mini Course: https://membership.themotherhoodanthology.com/offers/9HuL447o/checkout
ANNUAL EVREGREEN offer: https://membership.themotherhoodanthology.com/offers/iiza3hSs/checkout
TMA BTS STARTER KIT FREEBIE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lhWKUP-JZ-87RyD7sTKWTJ9GNELAAJrg/view?usp=sharing
Connect with TMA:
Website | Membership | Courses: www.themotherhoodanthology.com
Free Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/themotherhoodanthology
Our Instagram: instagram.com/themotherhoodanthology
Connect with Kim:
Site: https://kimbox.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/kimbox
Episode 191: IPS vs. All-Inclusive: Choosing the Right Pricing Model for Your Photography Business
Season 6 · Episode 191
Tuesday, September 22, 2026 • Duration 14:19
If every pricing conversation you hear seems to assume you've already switched to IPS, this episode is your permission slip to step back and ask a better question. Katie Lamb, Director of Education at The Motherhood Anthology, unpacks why the pricing model you choose was never the real driver of profitability, and what actually is.
Topics Covered
Why the "IPS vs. all-inclusive" debate is a false choice, and the full range of pricing structures (hybrid, collections, tiered packages) that exist between the two
What IPS genuinely does well: emotional context, no sales ceiling, and meaningful tangible products for clients
Why revenue is not profit, illustrated with a side-by-side of two $2,500 clients whose hours and cost of goods sold lead to very different hourly rates
The three math mistakes that quietly erode profitability under any model: skipping your cost of doing business, giving away what makes your work valuable, and ignoring how much time each client requires
Why lowering your time investment per client is a legitimate profitability lever that deserves the same respect as raising prices
How to find your minimum per-session number, and how to choose the pricing structure that gets you there in a way that fits your market, your clients, and the business you actually want to run
You don't have to abandon a model you love because someone else earns more with a different one, and you don't have to adopt IPS to be taken seriously. You do have to make the math work. This episode gives you the framework to run those numbers with clarity instead of comparison.
Connect with TMA:
Website | Membership | Courses: www.themotherhoodanthology.com
Free Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/themotherhoodanthology
Our Instagram: instagram.com/themotherhoodanthology
Connect with Kim:
Site: https://kimbox.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/kimbox
Episode 190: How to Break the Awkward First 30 Minutes of a Family Photo Session
Season 6 · Episode 190
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 • Duration 50:46
What does it actually take to feel confident walking into a family session? In this episode, guest host Suzy Brown, a Chicago family photographer nearly two decades into her career, sits down for a real, unscripted coaching call with TMA member Kailey, a photographer just six months into taking on clients. The questions Kailey asks out loud are the same ones photographers are still wrestling with 10 and 15 years in.
Topics Covered
Why the first 30 minutes of a session feel awkward for almost everyone, and the simple walk-in-the-door approach that dissolves the wall for you and your families
How to handle the family member who does not want to be there, and why setting the tone before you lift the camera changes the whole session
Whether you can show up as your full self on your business account when you do not feel like your own ideal client, and how sharing "from a scar, not a wound" attracts the people who want exactly you
Why an exceptional client experience will outperform pure artistry financially, and what that means for photographers early in their journey
The mindset shift Kailey reached at six months in that many photographers take decades to find: you do not have to be perfect, and imperfect work is often the work families treasure most
When to use a pre-session Zoom call in your booking process, and how a 15-minute conversation gets families on board before you ever arrive
This conversation is a reminder that the people side of photography is learnable, that the pressure to be perfect is what stands between you and the work you want to make, and that none of us have to figure this out alone. Press play to listen in on the full coaching call.
About the Suzy Brown
Suzy Brown is a family photographer based in Chicago with nearly 20 years behind the camera. She has built her career on transforming family photos from a dreaded obligation into an experience families look forward to, and today she teaches other photographers how to lead family sessions with confidence. Suzy will be TMA's guest educator this November, going deep on leading a family session no matter who shows up or what mood they are in. Find her on Instagram at @simplybysuzy.
Connect with TMA:
Website | Membership | Courses: www.themotherhoodanthology.com
Free Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/themotherhoodanthology
Our Instagram: instagram.com/themotherhoodanthology
Connect with Kim:
Site: https://kimbox.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/kimbox
Episode 189: How to Plan a Styled Photography Session from One Simple Idea
Season 6 · Episode 189
Tuesday, September 8, 2026 • Duration 19:46
Ever wonder what actually goes into those breathtaking styled sessions you see other photographers pulling off? In this episode, Ali Payne sits down with TMA mentor Marie of Marie Elizabeth Photography to get nosy about her Becoming Styled Sessions, an afternoon of four fully styled shoots she opened up to fellow photographers. From a nautical romance session on a sailboat to blue Portuguese tiles in a historic farmhouse kitchen, Marie shares how one small detail can grow into an entire creative vision.
In This Episode
What a styled session actually is, and why it is far more achievable than most photographers assume
Why building at least one styled session a year keeps your creativity fresh and prevents your work from going on repeat
How styled sessions play the long game for your business, bringing in client inquiries years after you shoot them
Marie's process for planning a session from one simple idea, like a scarf, a location, or a feeling, into a complete mood board
How to stretch into trends while keeping the core of your brand intact
Leading a room of photographers: giving attendees creative autonomy while holding your vision
Why a styled session event is the perfect low-lift entry point if hosting a workshop or retreat feels intimidating
Whether you are dreaming up your first solo styled session or feeling called to invite other photographers into your vision, this conversation is proof that it all starts with one simple idea. Press play and get inspired to create something just for the joy of it.
About Marie
Marie is a motherhood, newborn, family, and maternity photographer serving DC, parts of Maryland, and Northern Virginia. Now in her tenth year of business, she taught for 13 years while building her photography business on the side before going full time nearly five years ago. She is a TMA mentor and the creator of the Becoming Styled Sessions.
Website: https://marie-elizabethphotography.com/home/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marie.elizabeth.photo
Blog post: https://themotherhoodanthology.com/styled-session-for-photographers/
Marie's Becoming styled session waitlist: http://marie-elizabethphotography.com/waitlist-the-becoming
Connect with TMA:
Website | Membership | Courses: www.themotherhoodanthology.com
Free Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/themotherhoodanthology
Our Instagram: instagram.com/themotherhoodanthology
Connect with Kim:
Site: https://kimbox.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/kimbox
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