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All you need is good light and emotion. And tea. Must have tea.

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Next week I am going to focus on overcoming the fear that surrounds showing up online.
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Often, we see other photographers showing up in their marketing and we get a little ping of “oh that seems fun!” And then we immediately back off as our minds cloud with “I have nothing to say” “I don’t know where to start” “I don’t like my voice” “I don’t like how I look”.
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I 1000% get allll of that. I do. But I want to nudge you to show up anyway. Your voice is lovely, as is your face. You have stories and knowledge and tips and help to offer that belongs to no one else. We want to hear. And see.
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“For in this life, you will find winding paths through endless rows of trees, and you will also find when you get to the river, the unknowns do not keep you from knowing peace.
The water is still flowing.
You are still growing.
You are not out of sight of endless, boundless, Glorious Light.
Notice the way the sun rays flood the leaves. Notice where the shadows disappear. Notice where you feel free.
Free.
You are free.
You are free to keep traveling. Free to keep going. For you have already come so far. You are more prepared for the journey than you think.” Morgan Harper Nichols
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This platform and others are here for your voice, too. ❤️

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In my stories, I asked what people wanted to know and one question was “how to get real emotions from families”.
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I’d say that how you set the tone from the start of the session is key to this. You need to be relaxed and happy, not uptight and nervous. The best way to feel relaxed and happy is by pre-planning.
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I always get to sessions early and walk my route. Now here is where I may differ from a lot of family photographers: at my sessions we walk a lot. So I generally create a loop at a location. In my head, I work out a basic plan for each spot within the loop. Once my brain had done that work, I can chill and be relaxed and happy with the family.
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Instead of posing, I give general ideas and ask for lots of snuggles. (Siting on the ground, kiddos on shoulders, family walking together, kiddos spinning, running to mom and dad) You don’t want your clients to feel uncomfortable and waiting for direction from you. Movement is key.
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- fussy kid? Let’s keep walking
- pose/game/idea ran its course? Let’s keep walking
- someone got hurt? Scoop them up and let’s keep walking
-Kiddo thinks your posing idea is dumb? Let’s keep walking
- mom and dad in a little tiff? Let’s keep walking
- little one had to pee but actually dropped a huge turd on dad’s boot? Wipe it off with grass and keep walking 😂😂 yes- that has happened.
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You, as the photographer, must be ok being vulnerable and silly. They kids may be wary of you at first. That’s ok! Let them be! Kiddos not wanting to leave mom and dad to do solo shots? That’s ok! Get close ups on mom’s lap! Having trouble getting any smiles? You best believe I’ve faked walked into a tree to get one.
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My self consciousness leaves me during a session. I stick to my loop, keep a smile on my face no matter what and let my own silly side shine through.
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Don’t go in with super strict expectations. Walk, chat, snuggle, be silly, repeat. Keep it simple. Play games. Bark like a dog. Snort. Make a fart noise. It’s a very grown up job! 😂
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If you want to see me behind the scenes, a behind the scenes video is included in my family course! (in bio).

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First, that’s one happy dad 😍
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Also- welcome to marketing Monday!
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When I asked you all in my stories which marketing avenue you were most curious about it was Pinterest by far! I’m going to put together a resource that goes more in depth but in the mean time here are so important steps to take:
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1. Turn your account into a business account (keep your older account if you can instead of making a new one)
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2. Delete/hide old boards
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3. Link Pinterest to your website
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4. Create boards that are HELPFUL to your target audience. This shouldn’t be about only showcasing work, it should be about being a resource.
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5. Pin these things every week:

•all the content you created (ig posts, helpful stories, reels, videos)
•old blogposts that are still relevant
•old, but favorite images as single pins leading to your site or Instagram
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6. Engage with other pins on Pinterest. Comment on other posts, re-pin.
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7. This one more time: aim to be helpful! If you wrote a blogpost about how to help families style a session, share that too- not just image heavy posts!
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8. Aim for these things: vertical images or vertical collages. Vertical videos and vertical slideshows.
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Have any other good tips to share? Share below 👇🏻Have questions or are struggling? Dm me ❤️

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“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine” -John C. Maxwell.
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This quote is incredibly true but I’ll add something to it: the secret to your success is found doing something regularly that scares you.
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This year so far (all 8 days of it that is) have been full of quite a few new and fearful things. One- I joined clubhouse where I challenged myself to speak up and host rooms from the first week! (Clubhouse is an invite only audio app- small group podcasts where everyone can chime in on a wide variety of topics).
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My clubhouse experience reinforced my absolute love of teaching, learning and listening. I’ve learned more from that app in the two weeks I’ve on there than any other source in the last 6 months. If you are on there, come find me: fionamargo. But the first time I spoke to a group I didn’t know, my voice shook. Now it’s calm and steady.
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So I have a challenge! 🗡 Do something (a reel, a live, reach out to someone on IG, a collaboration, put an idea into the word) related to your business that scares you this week.
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Be brave. You are after all, made of magic 🪄
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If you have questions on ideas or what to chat about this topic, I’m just a dm away ❤️

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This is my favorite pose because it looks like I have a jawline. That’s all.

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Have you ever had a failed New Year's Resolution? Probably because 80% of resolutions fail.
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The ones that succeed do so because the maker of that resolution has started a habit that they stick to tied directly to that resolution.
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Eating better, working out more, sleeping more, reading more books- ALL of those would need to be tied to a new habit to really make meaningful change in your life.
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So how can we start new habits this year directly tied to marketing our businesses? (hi! welcome to Marketing Monday btw). Here are some of the marketing habits I do:
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I try to do a meaningful IG post at least 3 times a week. This exact post is the result of a habit: I dedicate Monday's post to marketing. You could easily pic days of the week and post themed content (Monday: family portraits, Tuesday: dads and babies, Wednesday: moms and babies, Thursday: a pic of YOU.) If you are unsure about what to write in your captions, stick to this-tell stories and/or give helpful advice.
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It’s become an unconscious habit to not let my stories go dormant. I want there to always be a story to watch for anyone who visits my page. I don’t even think about it, I just keep an eye out for good story content as I move though my day. If I run out, I post inspiring art.
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Once a week, I also pin ALL the content I have created for week. Ideally, to grow Pinterest you should pin a couple times a day at least but START the habit by pinning all your the content you created on fridays, for example.
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On another day of the week, I blog. Blogging makes GREAT pinnable content and brings people right to your photography store front.
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You could have a habit where every time you log in to instagram, you first support others BEFORE posting your own content.
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The bottom line is that the key to lasting change is creating a habit that becomes mindless. The very best way to be the best boss of YOURSELF, is to use your magical brain to make your life easier.
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Do you have any marketing habits you do each day or week? Share below! ☀️

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