Reinventing Your Photography Business at Any Age with Natasha Sewell
Release Date: 07/24/2025
Is AI Destroying Art or Saving It? with Noella Andres of Imagen
Play It Brave Podcast
On this episode of Play It Brave, we’re diving into one of the biggest conversations happening in photography right now: AI. The excitement. The skepticism. The “Is this going to replace us?” energy. All of it. I brought on Noella Andres from Imagen AI to talk about what AI in editing actually is (and what it isn’t). Noella has spent over 20 years supporting photographers in finding more freedom in their workflows, and her move into Imagen fits perfectly with that mission. Together, we unpack how AI can support your artistry instead of threaten it, how it integrates into Lightroom, how...
info_outline
The Infinite Ways to Photograph a Woman with Elizabeth Messina
Play It Brave Podcast
There are episodes that feel like a permission slip… and this one is exactly that. If you’ve ever thought, “I’m a wedding photographer,” or “I’m a family photographer,” or you’ve let a label quietly box you in—this conversation is for you. I’m bringing back my dear friend Elizabeth Messina to the podcast, and every time she’s here, I’m reminded why her work has moved people for decades: she doesn’t just take photos—she sees women. We talk about what it actually looks like to evolve across genres without losing your signature. How to stay curious even after years...
info_outline
Building a Brand That Attracts the Right Opportunities with Gary & Kim Evans
Play It Brave Podcast
On today’s episode of the Play It Brave podcast, I’m sitting down with one of my favorite creative power couples in the photography industry, Gary Evans and Kim Evans. We talk about what it really looks like to rebrand with intention, build a cohesive identity, and grow multiple businesses together without losing alignment—or your relationship—in the process. This conversation weaves together the emotional and practical sides of entrepreneurship: branding beyond logos, finding your voice in the education space, building an email list that actually converts, and creating offers like...
info_outline
The Sales Call Mistakes Costing You Luxury Clients: Live Coaching with Jasmine Ortiz
Play It Brave Podcast
This week on the Play It Brave podcast, I’m doing something a little different — I’m bringing you behind the scenes for a real coaching session with one of my favorite photographers (and one of my trusted second shooters), Jasmine Ortiz. This episode is for every photographer who has ever thought: “I know my work is good… so why do I get weird and wobbly the second it’s time to talk about pricing?” Because that moment — where you’re ready to raise your rates, step into a higher tier of client, and be paid like the artist you actually are — requires more than updating a...
info_outline
Talking to Trees and Dealing with Depression: D’Arcy’s 2025 Reflection
Play It Brave Podcast
Welcome to the final episode of 2025 — the year of the snake, the year of shedding skins that no longer fit. If this year felt like a raw unraveling, a call to deeper truth, a refusal from the Universe to let you live inside half-truths or “good enough,” this episode is for you. As has become tradition, I invited one of my wisest, most grounded friends — Casey — to interview me about my year. She’s someone who’s seen my behind-the-scenes, the unglamorous parts, the sacred parts, the parts that never make it to Instagram. And because this was a year of immense change, grief,...
info_outline
The Art of High-End Weddings with Dawn Weisberg of Tularosa Flowers
Play It Brave Podcast
In today’s episode, I’m talking with my friend Dawn Weisberg of Tularosa Flowers about what it actually takes to create and book large-scale luxury weddings — not just from a “pretty” standpoint, but from a strategic, energetic, and logistical one. Dawn and I both came to the wedding industry later in life with long creative careers behind us — mine in directing and acting, hers in costume design for film and television. We get into how those backgrounds shaped the way we approach weddings as world-building: cinematic, intentional, immersive, and deeply rooted in storytelling. We...
info_outline
Live Coaching: When Marketing Feels Like Too Much (And What to Do Instead)
Play It Brave Podcast
On today’s episode of Play It Brave, I’m bringing you behind the scenes for Part Two of my coaching call with photographer Staci Addison. In Part One, we focused on nervous system safety, trauma, and getting her out of chronic fight-or-flight so she could actually show up for her business. In this Part Two, we shift into strategy – creating a marketing plan that feels simple, sustainable, and true to who she is, instead of a giant pile of “shoulds” that leave her frozen and overwhelmed. I walk Staci through how to narrow her focus to just a few key marketing channels, how to build...
info_outline
Live Coaching: When You Want to Grow, But Your Body Says No
Play It Brave Podcast
Today I’m sharing something different: a real coaching call with my client, Staci Addison. Instead of jumping straight into marketing, we start where sustainable growth actually begins—helping your nervous system feel safe after grief, burnout, and a long, hard season. Most creatives don’t get stuck because they lack strategy; they get stuck because fear, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and old money stories keep their bodies from feeling safe enough to take action. When we rebuild safety and self-trust, the execution part finally clicks. On this call, I guide Staci to separate the...
info_outline
The Price of Status: What It Really Takes to Get Published with Sandra Åberg
Play It Brave Podcast
Today I’m joined by my brilliant friend, fashion-and-wedding photographer Sandra Åberg, for a real talk we’ve both been having off-mic for years: does being “published” (Vogue, Harper’s, Martha) actually mean you’ve arrived—or is it another industry illusion that keeps creatives chasing validation? We swap origin stories (Milan fashion sets, Sports Illustrated mayhem, and stumbling into weddings), talk integrity lines, and share the unseen mechanics behind advertorials, vendor lists, and “top” roundups—what’s paid, what’s earned, and what actually moves the needle in a...
info_outline
The Myth of the Perfect Leader with Jessica Drogosz
Play It Brave Podcast
If you’ve ever paused on your next chapter because you think you need to be “more ready” or “more perfect,” this one’s for you. My dear friend, multi-hyphenate creative and mentor Jessica Eileen Drogosz joins me to dismantle the myth that leaders must have it all together before they lead. From building associate teams and separating brands to launching a heart-led coaching offer, Jessica shares the real (and often messy) middle—where clarity, courage, and connection are forged. So many of you are standing on the edge of your next season—coaching, teaching, creating a course,...
info_outlineToday on the Play It Brave podcast, I’m joined by the ever-inspiring Natasha Sewell—a photographer, educator, and expert in creating heartfelt client experiences. Natasha started her photography business at 41, and if you’ve ever thought you were “too late” to pivot or start something new, you need to hear this story.
We talk about making bold moves at any age—whether you’re transitioning from studio to lifestyle sessions, from family photography to branding, or just feeling creatively stuck and needing a reset. Natasha shares how she built a successful newborn photography business, got bored, and decided to pivot toward something that lit her up: documenting motherhood in a way that feels honest, emotional, and artful.
We also go deep on client experience—the real kind. Not just prep guides and gifts (though those are great!), but the full journey: from the first click on your website to long after the gallery is delivered. Natasha breaks down how she uses automated emails, product videos, intentional communication, and smart follow-up to create a seamless experience that serves her clients—and sells more albums without pressure.
This episode is part pep talk, part business masterclass, and packed with takeaways for photographers who want to create more meaning (and money) in their work.
In this episode, we talk about:
-
Starting a business at 41 and why age is actually a gift
-
Making intentional pivots when your creativity is on life support
-
Personal projects that inspire, including black & white film and motion blur
-
How lifestyle sessions unlocked new levels of joy (and growth) in Natasha’s work
-
Why client experience is more than prep guides and presents
-
Building “What’s Next” pages and video libraries to educate clients with ease
-
The real reason your clients don’t order albums—and how to change that
-
The power of automation to create consistency and free up your brain
-
The value of community and not doing this work alone
-
A reminder that your photos (and your life) don’t have to be perfect to be powerful
Whether you’re new to photography or 10 years in, this conversation will spark something in you. It’s a love letter to bravery, creativity, and honoring where you are—while still dreaming bigger.
Meet Natasha:
Natasha started her photography business in 2013 at 41—after years of raising kids and a past life as a teacher. In 2019, she scrapped posed studio sessions for in-home newborn and family photography, chasing meaning over perfection. It pushed her creatively—and she’s never looked back.
Three years ago, she added education into the mix. Now, she mentors photographers who are tired of guessing their way through business and want straight answers, honest feedback, and a more thoughtful way to grow.
Connect with Natasha:
Website
Instagram
Photography Prompts for Happy Kids
AI Email Prompts