Hello! I attended the @bellybabysummit in Orange County, CA this past weekend. Ana Brandt was the mastermind behind this summit, she’s done it for many years and I wish I have been going prior to this year.

I want to first start off by talking about how nervous I was to attend this summit. I originally learned about it when Esther from EstherKayPhotography posted that she was going to be teaching at it. I’ve been following Esther pretty heavily for a few years now and am always amazed by her work. She is an amazing and very talented, well known, fine art maternity photographer here in the Bay Area. Honestly, just knowing she was going to be there is what drove me since I knew ONE person.

As a photographer, we are in an artistic industry where we need to continuously learn and educate ourselves to grow our art and our businesses.

Ana was absolutely amazing! All the teachers were! If you're a photographer, you know that the portraiture industry is heavily saturated and is very competitive. So much to the point that  a lot of photographers don't sit and build each other up or create community, they are more focused on not sharing or teaching, not helping one another for fear of losing clientele and competition. That was NOT what this summit was all about. This summit was to help other photographers like myself learn more and grow within themselves as business owners and as artists.

All the teachers were so willing to answer all and any questions, they were an open book, sharing secrets, and business practices, different ways to speak to your clients, speak to future and repeating clients, ways to change the experience your client has with you, ways to better your lighting skills, and how you see things in camera. It was hands on. I felt like I could ask anything and my questions were always answered with above and beyond answers that were detailed, and helpful.

Not only did I learn more about my specific sessions I offer such as newborn, maternity, and holiday minis, and cake smashes, but I also had the amazing chance to learn how to photograph under water, as well as a worship about birth photography. Kristen was an amazing teacher who resonated with me so much because she too LOVES to shoot holiday minis back to back, and Ana loves photographing everything and anything and has this amazing business that she has built for many years and is so successful at what she does! Veleska taught me some different ways of how to change my newborn work flow and posing techniques, Jane has a new business that is geared directly towards photographers called picsello, Alaina is such a talented birth story telling photographer and her passion for it really shows in how she speaks about it. Lastly I learned so much as well from Tristene and Monica especially about how safety plays a huge part in water photography.

I just cant speak enough about how much I truly took away from this summit.

And I cant forget all the amazing women (and man) who attended this summit, everyone was very transparent and open and willing to talk and made me feel comfortable. As photographers we have to remember we need to be here for one another and build each other up not tear one another down, especially just because someone may do something different or have a different view on something. Looking forward the new friendships I

Thank you Esther for checking on me a few times the first day and second day to make sure I was ok and feeling more comfortable.

Thank you to all the teachers, especially Ana for not only holding this summit and letting us take over your studio, but also being an open book and sharing all the amazing information you have learned over the years with being a photographer and business woman. K lee