Vicki and Jed Taufer have been involved in the photography industry for over 20 years. They co-founded their studio, V Gallery, in Morton, IL in 1998. With a focus on artistic portraiture, Vicki specializes in photographing people, pets, and commercial shoots. V Gallery has been everything from a small home based studio, to a large storefront with …

I would describe myself as a down-to-earth creative who isn’t afraid to be honest. I like to have fun and act like a weird-o sometimes. I strongly believe that having killer photos of yourself, no matter who you are, can work wonders on your confidence and I love being able to create that imagery for teens as they begin the journey of stepping out …

Anj Olson is the owner and photographer at Lav & Lime Studio, a children and family photography studio located in Ankeny, Iowa. The studio specializes in modern storytelling photography with an emphasis on a custom experience with every client. Alongside the studio, Anj is a mama to 3 beautiful boys that provide inspiration, insight, and a necessar…

Kristina Guerrero, Cards + Press Product Owner, Client Success Program Manager, and Marketing and Events Manager. Highly creative marketer with over 15+ years experience at WHCC. She has transformed business initiatives that continue to propel revenue growth and produce brand exposure on a multitude of ever-changing platforms. She is a trade show v…

Laretta Houston was born in Angeles City, Philippines. From struggle and poverty evolved an inspirational vision of beauty and life all around her. Laretta’s story could easily have taken such a different turn if not for her determination and strength. Born the daughter of a military father and a Filipino mother who traveled a lot, she spent most o…

Matt’s career has been centered around the world of professional photography. Owning and operating a studio for over 20 years along with coaching and educating photographers on the importance of product sales and studio design have been his long term passion. Matt joined WHCC a little over 3 years ago as their Client Success Manager to extend custo…

Audrey Wancket owns the high-end portrait studio, Wancket Studios in Spring Grove, Illinois. Audrey’s portraits have earned her numerous awards at the state and national levels, which has made here a sought after speaker to amateur and professional photography groups across America and as far away as Korea. Degrees and Certifications: · Master of P…

Natalie Keyssar is a documentary photographer whose work focuses on inequality, youth culture, and the personal effects of political turmoil and violence, in the Americas. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting and illustration from The Pratt Institute, has taught New Media at the International Center of Photography in New York and ha…

Dorie Howell is a published photographer serving the Northern Virginia and Washington, DC Metropolitan area. She loves serving her clients in all genres but specializes in Newborn, Family and Corporate Headshots. As well as running her photography business, she has also become a top photography mentor to other photographers all over the world. Her …

Allison English Watkins specializes in capturing family portraits that will be treasured heirlooms for generations. For over 25 years Allison has been creating portraits for her beloved clients and celebrating their lifetime milestones. Living in the beautiful mountains of Park City, Utah, Allison loves incorporating the gorgeous landscape into her…

Vanessa Joy is a Canon Explorer of Light that has been an influential speaker in the community for over a decade. Starting her photographic journey in 1998, she has since branched into public speaking, earned 5 college degrees, received a PPA Photographic Craftsman degree, been named a WeddingWire Education Expert, sponsored by Canon, Profoto and A…

William Branson III M. Photog. Cr., Fellow - ASP, A-BIPP, A-RPS, MPP-MPI “As a portrait artist, I help families hold onto time by creating portraits from their dreams. I write their story and the story begins with their family – their journey – their dreams. I create a world around them, a world beyond a photograph. It is a portrait that will becom…

Mark Rossetto is an international award-winning Double Master Photographer with the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP), an international keynote speaker and a qualified Photography Business and Life Coach. Mark is highly regarded and has coached hundreds of photographers from beginners to seasoned professionals all over the wor…

Brooke Shaden is a conceptual fine art photographer specializing in self-portraiture. After graduating college with degrees in film and English, she turned to photography to tell the stories she always wanted to let loose. Photography provided a medium that was faster than film with the richness of story that writing had, and she built a career fro…

Gary Hughes covers being a Girldad, the Hobby Paradox, and much more as we discuss how one must Learn to Play. As the child of photographer parents it would have been natural for Gary to step right in to the family business, but he had to go out and try pretty much everything else before finding his way back to photography. In the 13 years since pi…

Marc Silber is a 3-time bestselling author, photographer, filmmaker, and producer of the very popular YouTube series Advancing Your Photography, where he has interviewed scores of some of the biggest names in photography. He started out learning darkroom skills and the basics of photography at the legendary Peninsula School in Menlo Park, CA, in th…

David Hume Kennerly is an amazing PJ photographer based in LA with years of experience going back to the Vietnam war. He was the presidential photographer for Gerald Ford and has published several books of his work including “Seinoff: The Final Days of Seinfeld.” David is a wonderful story teller not only with his pictures, but also in casual conve…

Don’t miss the CTRL-ALT-DEL RETREAT with Mary Fisk-Taylor and Kira Derryberry on August 15th and 16th 2021 at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas! Go to www.getyourshoottogether.com for more information and to sign up! For almost 25 years Mary Fisk-Taylor has owned a portrait and wedding business with her business partner, Jamie Hayes in Richmond, Virg…

Julia Woods is an expert On Relationships. In part 4 of a 4 part series, we discuss Creatives and Depression. You can find Julia @beautiful_outcome on Instagram. Hi, I’m Julia. I am passionate about helping couples stop fighting for themselves and instead fight for the marriage they long for. After 30 years of marriage to my husband Jeff, and nearl…

Julia Woods is an expert On Relationships. In part 3 of a 4 part series, we discuss The System Julia has developed for reconstructing ourselves so that we can be known by those we love the most. This is the “now what” part of the series. You can find Julia @beautiful_outcome on Instagram. Hi, I’m Julia. I am passionate about helping couples stop fi…

Julia Woods is an expert On Relationships. In part 2 of a 4 part series, we discuss Three Mistakes often made in relationships. You can find Julia @beautiful_outcome on Instagram. Hi, I’m Julia. I am passionate about helping couples stop fighting for themselves and instead fight for the marriage they long for. After 30 years of marriage to my husba…

Julia Woods is an expert On Relationships. In part 1 of a 4 part series, we discuss Connection and Disconnection. You can find her @beautiful_outcome on Instagram.

Allison Tyler Jones interviews two fellow photographers in Part 4 of her four-part series “From Pixels to Products”. Allison Tyler Jones spends her days capturing spontaneous portraits of children and their families in her Main Street studio in Mesa, Arizona. Committed to the art of the photographic print, Allison works with her clients and their i…

Allison Tyler Jones talks about Sales in Part 3 of her four-part series “From Pixels to Products”. Allison Tyler Jones spends her days capturing spontaneous portraits of children and their families in her Main Street studio in Mesa, Arizona. Committed to the art of the photographic print, Allison works with her clients and their interior designers …

Allison Tyler Jones talks about Pricing Your Work in Part 2 of her four-part series “From Pixels to Products”. Allison Tyler Jones spends her days capturing spontaneous portraits of children and their families in her Main Street studio in Mesa, Arizona. Committed to the art of the photographic print, Allison works with her clients and their interio…

Allison Tyler Jones talks about developing a product line in Part 1 of her four-part series “From Pixels to Products”. Allison Tyler Jones spends her days capturing spontaneous portraits of children and their families in her Main Street studio in Mesa, Arizona. Committed to the art of the photographic print, Allison works with her clients and their…

It has been said that photographer and educator Gregory Heisler possesses “the eye of an artist, the mind of a scientist, and the heart of a journalist.” Renowned for his technical mastery and thoughtful responsiveness over a career spanning more than 35 years, his enthusiasm, curiosity, and drive are manifested in his hands-on approach to all aspe…

Annie Marie tells her story, addresses the challenges she’s faced, and talks about Kindimosity, a term she coined that describes how she looks at life and treats others. 0:40 - About Annie 9:49 - Awards 14:23 - Two Markets 19:52 - The Burnout 24:48 - Positivity is a Choice 34:18 - Viewing 2021 I began my photography journey as a child following my …

Jessica Robertson talks about what we actually do as photographers. It’s so much more than you might think. 0:40 - About Jessica 3:16 - What We _Actually_ Do 20:00 - The Impact of Senior Photographers 24:59 - What Can Somebody Do? 35:29 - The Road Ahead 38:42 - Finding Jessica Jessica Robertson has been a professional photographer for over 20 years…

Simon Bruty talks about the importance of concentration when you’re in a position to capture a moment that might exist for a mere second…or less. Originally from the U.K., Simon Bruty now lives in Washington D.C. During his career, Simon has traveled extensively to work on large sporting events such as World Cup Soccer, Super Bowls, and the Olympic…

Julie Collins is an award-winning portrait photographer and the artist behind Julie Collins Photography, based in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Julie is a Certified Professional Photographer through Professional Photographers of America and her studio specializes in family, newborn, and senior portraiture. Her images are characterized by bold color and au…

Lynsey Weatherspoon knows Something Greater is out there, and she’s determined to work hard to get it. “Suddenly this camera, this thing, allowed me to move around the world in a certain kind of way, with a certain kind of purpose.” Carrie Mae Weems Lynsey Weatherspoon’s first photography teacher was her late mother, Rhonda. Like her mentor-in-her-…

Jai Mayhew is a portrait & fashion photographer currently residing in St. Louis. Her work has been published internationally, featured in galleries and commissioned by public figures. Growing up in Germany, Jai was first introduced to portraiture in the form of romantic paintings and marble statues. This influence has evolved into the style she’s b…

Cris and Deanna Duncan have a passion for people. Their greatest joy comes in seeing others succeed. Cris is often labeled “Mr. CPP” as he is only one of a few PPA (Professional Photographers of America) approved CPP instructors and he often brags about his students’ passage rates. He’s the geek that loves the technical side of photography and his …

World renowned child photographers, Regis and Kahran Bethencourt are a husband and wife duo and the imaginative forces behind CreativeSoul Photography. The pair gained global recognition with their AfroArt series. The collection, which showcases the beauty and versatility of afro hair, was conceived as a way to empower kids of color around the worl…

Spanki Mills lives life on her own terms. From Spanki: Hey y’all. I’m just a girl named Spanki. Yep, that’s my real name…long story short, it was a dads nickname (Spanky from the Little Rascals), my mom was clearly so blinded by love she wasn’t thinking and in the end there was a baby girl who looked like her dad… named SPANKI! I am an ENFP and an …

Sarah Petty, MBA, is a highly-acclaimed speaker, best-selling author of Worth Every Penny, and photography business teacher, inspiring thousands to use the boutique model to build their dream business. Her expertise is based on 20+ years of helping build the Coca-Cola brand, meeting client goals at a top regional advertising agency, and building he…

Jamie attributes the success of their studio, along with business partner Mary Fisk-Taylor, to their sound management and business skills combined with their love and passion for photography. His commitment to creating priceless portraits, wedding albums and commercial imagery has earned him an extremely loyal clientele as well as a sterling reputa…

Born in Staffordshire, England. Lara Jade first picked up a camera at the early age of fourteen - influenced by self-portraiture and conceptual photography. Growing up with the rise of social media and digital techniques enabled Lara to see the bigger picture of an international industry. After graduating college she made the move to London, where …

Well everyone, here we are. 2020 is behind us. And now 2021 lays outstretched before us. We’ve called this episode An Unforgettable 2020…for obvious reasons, I hope. I just wanted to say thanks for listening these past few years. This last one was…well, it was something else. This next one, I hope is much, much better for all of us. We’ve put toget…

As 2020 comes to a close, the last This Conversation episode for the year is a classic podcast from the "early days". This episode featuring Teri Fode was originally released on April 23, 2018. Teri Fode is an award-winning photographer specializing in fashion-inspired teen and senior portraits that also grow into family portraits, boudoir and head…

As 2020 comes to a close, This Conversation will be featuring two classic episode from the "early days". This episode featuring Brooke Shaden was originally released on January 8, 2018. Brooke explores the darkness and light in people, and her work looks at that juxtaposition. As a self-portrait artist, she photographs herself and becomes the chara…

Darren McBurnett “McB” (SEAL) Ret. is a combat veteran, professional photographer, author, corporate speaker, and ambassador. His 24-year SEAL career included numerous combat zone deployments for which he earned 53 individual, unit, and campaign honors, including a Bronze Star. During his time as a military free fall instructor, he taught himself p…

Peter Hurley’s haphazard way of moving through life has had him cruising the seven seas on a sailboat while training for the Olympics, thrown him in front of a camera modeling for the likes of Polo, Hanes, Wrangler, and Abercrombie, and had him recognized as the premier headshot photographer in the world after having over 30,000 faces 3 feet in fro…

Clay Blackmore was blessed to have worked with a photographic legend in Monte Zucker and one of the things he learned was how to bat 1.000 with his clients. Clay is an enthusiastic leader in the photographic industry. Not only is he revered for his development of innovative lighting and portrait techniques, but he is highly sought after as an instr…

Campli photography was born in 1990 to become a leader in the neighborhood. Today the studio handles family portraits, weddings, seniors and commercial accounts. The studio is a brick and mortar operation with client service at the forefront. With a staff of 3 in the studio, and 3 additional part time photographers, this busy place is still the pla…

It’s great when your passion becomes your career but if you don’t fuel that passion, eventually it’s just going to die. Your community is very similar in that it’s built, not found. It needs to be constructed and nurtured and cared for…not merely discovered or stumbled upon. This episode features Chicagoland videographer, Aaron Bean. Aaron describe…

Marcus Bell is a multi-award winning and highly acclaimed photographer. Best known for his wedding photography, Marcus’ original passion for the grandeur of landscapes and story-telling of documentary photography saw Marcus defy scope and created something that had never been done before; placing couples in expansive, dramatic landscapes, shooting …

Zabrina Deng’s episode is called “Persevering” because that’s the word that comes to her mind when thinking about how she wants her kids perceive her. She wants them to see that she fought and continued to grind through difficult times.