mentoring faqs

Why do you want to mentor others?
We decided to become teachers all those years ago because helping others makes us happy, and we wanted to make a difference.  As young teachers, we had a “we can change the world” mentality.  It was one of the biggest common denominators we shared.  We feel the same way today about mentoring other photographers.  We want to help, to share our hearts, to use our years of experience as a tool to encourage personal and professional growth among our fellow photographers.  It’s an awesome feeling to watch others succeed at what they love to do!

Do I have to be a professional photographer to mentor with you?
No, definitely not.  Anyone of any skill level can benefit.  All you need is the desire to learn and grow!

Do I have to live in Buffalo to mentor with you?
Nope.  Some of our favorite mentoring/coaching sessions were done via Skype or over the phone with photographers who live all over the country.  Isn’t technology amazing?!

Where do the sessions take place?
Mentoring sessions will take place at our home/studio in Hamburg, NY, or via Skype.

I just want to learn to take better photos of my kids.  Can you help me with that?
Absolutely!  We can customize a session to work on anything that you’d like to improve about your photography.

Do you take my photo during our mentoring session?
We plan a lifestyle headshot session into all of our in-person mentoring sessions.  Being on the other side of the camera is a very important part of becoming a better photographer.  We have learned so much from doing this ourselves!

What will we discuss during my session?
Every session is customized to your specific needs.  You decide what areas you want to focus on, and that’s what we’ll discuss during your session.  We’re open to questions about photography, business, and life in general – no topics are off limits!  These are a few examples of topics we’ve discussed in past mentoring sessions:

How to grow your business
How to find your focus as a photographer
How to use flash and/or general off camera lighting skills
How to bust through a creative block
How to thrive in an oversaturated market
Blogging
How to develop a brand
Finding your voice
The best lenses/equipment to use for wedding photography
Portfolio critique
How to create an engaging “about” page
How to know when it’s time to go full time with your photography
Pricing/Charging what you’re worth
How to get your work published

Below are a few of our mentoring testimonials!