The Price of Status: What It Really Takes to Get Published with Sandra Åberg
Release Date: 10/16/2025
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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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,...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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 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 creative business. We also dig into the soul of the work: why connection with your couples matters more than a logo, and how to protect your creative magic in a content-driven world.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you should pay to play, whether that “Vogue cover” on Instagram was an ad, or how to define success on your own terms—this one’s for you.
In this episode, we cover:
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The myth of arrival: Why “as seen in…” is social proof—not a finish line.
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Paid vs. earned press: Advertorials, vendor lists, and “Top Photographer” roundups—how they really work and what they’re good for.
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Integrity lines: Finding your yes/no around paying for placements, ads, and algorithms.
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From fashion to weddings: Sandra’s Milan years, mentorship, and the moment that shifted her values.
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When the dream feels empty: Sandra’s Vogue Japan cover—and the unexpected loneliness on the other side.
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What books/awards/followers really signal: The strategy behind best-seller lists and big platforms.
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Connection over clout: Why knowing (and liking!) your couples changes the images—and the experience.
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Working with planners: How to keep creative chemistry when gatekeepers run the process.
Creator vs. content creator: Guardrails for protecting your artistry in a metrics world.
Defining success: Visibility, vulnerability, and being seen for who you are—not what you’ve published.
Part two lands soon: “Be a Creator, Not Just a Content Creator”—plus details on our intimate Italy experience designed to rekindle your artistry (and yes, we’ll talk smart, values-aligned pathways to publication).
Question for you: Where’s your line between integrity and appearances—and what does “playing it brave” look like in your visibility strategy right now?
Meet Sandra
Sandra Åberg is an internationally acclaimed photographer known for her ethereal style, poetic storytelling, and deeply emotional imagery. With over 15 years of experience, she has photographed for Vogue, captured celebrity weddings, and built a reputation as one of Europe’s leading names in luxury destination wedding photography. Founder of both Atelier Åberg and her namesake brand, Sandra is not only a visual artist but also an educator and mentor, inspiring photographers and creatives worldwide to dream big and build a life they love.
Connect with Sandra