A Private Photography Mentorship Built Around Your Work
Every photographer comes with a different set of experiences, preferences, and challenges. Some have a clear idea of what they want to create but struggle to achieve it consistently. Others have a portfolio of photographs they like, yet find it difficult to understand what connects them or where they want to go next.
Studio Mentorship is an opportunity to look more closely at your own photography, identify what you want to work on, and explore those questions through practical experience.
The program includes three private one-on-one meetings: two in-person sessions at my Toronto studio and a final online review. Each meeting builds on the previous one, giving us time to examine your existing work, photograph together, and then focus on your own creative process.
Unlike my one-day workshop, this program doesn’t focus exclusively on how I photograph. We begin with my process, but gradually shift the attention to yours.
Each stage is shaped around your current work, experience, and creative interests.
How It Works
01. Your Work & My Process
Private studio session | Approximately 4–5 hours
Before we meet, I’ll ask you to share a selection of your photographs and tell me a little about your experience, interests, and the areas you find challenging.
We begin with a conversation about your work. We’ll look through your portfolio, discuss the images you’re most drawn to, and consider what is already working well and what you would like to approach differently.
I’ll also walk you through my own preparation and decision-making process, explaining how I approach a portrait session, from the initial idea to working with a woman in front of the camera.
We’ll then photograph a model together in my studio. You’ll have the opportunity to observe how I work, ask questions, and shoot alongside me, with individual guidance throughout the session.
By the end of our first meeting, we’ll have a clearer idea of what you want to focus on during your own shoot.
02. Your Vision, Your Shoot
Guided studio session | 2 hours
This time, the creative direction is yours.
Before your second session, you’ll prepare a creative brief outlining your ideas, visual references, model, wardrobe, and the goals you’d like to work on. You’ll send it to me in advance, and I’ll provide one round of personal feedback to help you refine your direction and prepare for the shoot.
We’ll go over any remaining questions together at the beginning of your studio session.
These goals will depend on your individual needs. You might want to work on directing a model more confidently, explore a different approach to composition, become more intentional with natural light, or develop a particular visual idea.
You’ll have two hours in my studio to conduct your own portrait session, with me present throughout.
I’ll pay attention not only to the photographs you’re creating, but also to how you work: how you communicate with your model, make decisions, respond when something isn’t working, and guide the session from one moment to the next. These are often the things that reveal the most about a photographer’s process, and they aren’t always visible in the finished images.
I’ll observe, offer suggestions when useful, and help you recognize details or possibilities you might otherwise overlook.
The intention isn’t to reproduce my photographs. It’s to give you space to explore your own ideas while having an experienced photographer beside you.
03. The Final Review
Private online meeting | 60–70 minutes
Once you’ve had time to select and edit the photographs from your session, we’ll meet online to review the results.
We’ll return to the intentions you established before the shoot and look at how they translated into photographs.
We’ll discuss your image selection, visual consistency, technical decisions, and the relationship between what you wanted to create and what you actually achieved.
Because I’ve also observed you working during the session, I can offer feedback that goes beyond the finished photographs. We can look at how your decisions, communication, and approach to directing influenced the results, including things you may not have noticed yourself.
I’ll share my observations about your strengths, recurring challenges, and the areas I believe deserve more attention in your future work.
The goal isn’t to leave with a perfect portfolio or a completely defined photographic style. It’s to finish with a more informed understanding of your own work and some practical direction for what to explore next.
A Personal Approach
I don’t follow the same teaching plan with every photographer.
Your experience, portfolio, interests, and questions will shape what we focus on. Some photographers need more attention to the technical side of their work. Others are comfortable with their camera but want to become more deliberate in their creative decisions.
My role is to share what I’ve learned through my own practice, offer an outside perspective, and help you examine the choices you make as a photographer.
I won’t ask you to adopt my aesthetic. I’m much more interested in helping you understand and develop your own.
What’s Included
- Three private one-on-one meetings
- An individual review of your existing portfolio
- A private 4–5 hour workshop and guided shoot with me
- Help developing a creative brief and individual goals for your second session
- Two hours of studio time for your own shoot, with my guidance and observation throughout
- A final 60–70 minute online image review
- Individual feedback on both your photographs and your working process, with recommendations for your continued practice
The mentorship is arranged around three separate meetings, allowing time to prepare and work on your photographs between sessions. All three meetings are to be completed within 45 days of the first session.
Location: Nomad Studio, Toronto, with the final meeting online.
Investment
$1450 + HST
FAQ
Do you hold workshops in other cities?
Yes, I occasionally run workshops in other cities. Please contact me for details and availability.
How is Mentorship different from your one-day workshop?
My one-day workshop focuses on the portrait session itself. You’ll learn about my approach to portrait photography, with the opportunity to observe and photograph alongside me.
Mentorship builds on that experience but places more attention on your own work. We’ll take a closer look at your portfolio, discuss your individual goals, and explore where you’d like to take your photography in the longer term.
In addition to our first session, you’ll plan and conduct a shoot under my guidance, followed by an individual review of your photographs and working process.
What level of experience do I need?
You’re welcome to join as a beginner, and you don’t need to be a professional photographer. However, you should feel comfortable using your camera, as we won’t be covering camera basics or technical settings.
The mentorship is tailored to your current experience and the areas you’d like to develop.
Do I need to arrange my own model for the second session?
Yes. A professional model is provided for our first session. For your second shoot, who you choose to photograph will depend on your creative interests and what you’d like to explore.
We can discuss who might be a good fit for your ideas, but you’ll make the arrangements with that person directly.
Will you help me prepare for my own shoot?
Yes. After our first meeting, you’ll prepare a creative brief with your references, ideas, and goals. I’ll review it and provide one round of individual feedback before your shoot.
We’ll also discuss any remaining questions at the beginning of your second studio session.
How far apart are the sessions?
We’ll arrange the dates together based on availability, allowing enough time for you to prepare your shoot and edit your photographs before our final review.
All three meetings should be completed within 45 days of the first session.
Can I book Studio Mentorship if I’ve already attended your workshop?
Absolutely. If you’ve already attended my one-day workshop, we can discuss building on that experience without repeating the first session. Please get in touch so we can arrange an appropriate format.
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If you would like to join a workshop, feel free to get in touch. We will discuss the format, schedule, and details.