Breakout class
Ashley Baumgartner is a hybrid photographer and calligrapher based in Northern California. A romance and color lover, Ashley crafts joyful photographs to capture client love stories. Since she started as a calligrapher, Ashley loves styling the details her clients choose for their day. She has a shop for brides featuring tanks and mugs. With a background in public outreach, Ashley also leads her local Rising Tide Society Tuesdays Together chapter and teaches photographers how to elevate their flatlays. In her free time, you can find Ashley biking to froyo, watching The Office, or snuggling with her husband and her grumpy bunny Murph.
Ash Baumgartner
ashbaumgartner.com
Ben Finch is a Destination Wedding, Commercial and Editorial Photographer and the CEO of Finch Creative Education. Though most well known in the creative community as a wedding and commercial photographer, continual learning and education has always been at the heart of Ben’s diverse career story. Pre- wedding world, Ben was a professional musician in pursuit of a PhD in Strategic and Organizational Leadership and was later hired by a consulting firm to teach medical professionals how to run healthy businesses. With the success of this training, for several years he traveled the US teaching this content for other companies until 2008, when his desire to pursue his own creative interests and implement these business strategies led to founding Finch Photo.
In 2020, at the height of Covid-19, and at the request of numerous business owners, Ben revisited his role as consultant and began helping Creative Business owners learn the core aspects of running healthy and profitable businesses. What started as a select group of 15 applicants grew exponentially, resulting in the creation of Finch Creative Education. It seemed to be a natural extension of his desire to invest in others. His signature course, “Business Rhythm,” was released as a means to help creatives learn business principles in a way they can easily understand.
Ben Finch
finchphoto.com
specialized learning...
cassiclaire.com
Cassi Claire
As a photographer, Cassi Claire is sought after for her joyful personality and her ultra-personal approach to weddings. She firmly believes that life is better with bubble tea, kitten therapy, a closet full of dresses, and eating sushi at least once a week!
As an educator, Cassi loves to focus on the tangible. Some of her favorite dirty phrases are organizational systems, focused finances, workflow hacks...ooh baby. She loves to share practical steps that can be implemented the second you return home. Her completely transparent and a little bit silly teaching style has given hundreds of students the tools, but also the motivation, for success. Her work has been featured on Style Me Pretty, BRIDES, Martha Stewart Weddings, The Knot and more.
brittanyelise.com
Brittany elise
Brittany Elise is pioneering the full-service photographer movement teaching photographers how to implement services and finished products to build a multi-six figure business that not only serves their clients but fulfills their hearts and their bank account. Brittany’s mission is to call service hearted photographers into action to be more for their clients providing an amazing experience and leaving their work finished with luxury products. Her approach is to provide intentional strategies and actionable plans to build a steady stream of income consistently booking clients who value more than just digital images.
With how busy life can be, Brittany keeps her approach to everything authentic yet refined with a mission to always come alongside her students and clients allowing them to connect authentically while creating beautiful outcomes.
Brittany is also the co-founder and curator of The Photographers Framer, a fine art print and custom framing lab delivering archival products in the simplest way possible direct to clients.
By making every experience as luxurious as the last, Brittany has garnered a loyal client and student base that trusts she is always giving 110% and keeping what they value at the core of all that she does.
charlastorey.com
charla storey
Charla Storey is a destination wedding photographer, believer in community, total Ennegram 7, and passionate about helping others break their own glass ceilings. From being a single mom living paycheck-to-paycheck while working multiple jobs to being hired (and paid!) by the biggest brands in the industry—including Harper’s Bazaar, Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides, Vogue, and People—and earning her spot on numerous “Best Of” lists, it’s safe to say she’s walked down every road of the photographer’s journey.
With her positive mindset, witty personality, tenacious spirit, and 19+ years of experience, Charla has been coaching photographers towards achieving their biggest goals since 2008. She’s passionate about helping students build profitable, fulfilling businesses and break through their barriers—and have hella fun doing it!
When Charla isn’t photographing weddings around the globe or educating photographers, you can find her spending time with her family and two boxer pups, caring for her mom and sister, watching movies, or exploring a new city.
invision.events
courtney wolf
Courtney Wolf, Invision’s principal planner and a founder of Educate | Empower | Encourage is a business and life coach wrapped up in a wedding planner’s body. She's been dubbed a “personal trainer for your small biz” and a “small business therapist." Her background includes a degree in Marketing as well as her MBA and with this lens she views our industry objectively and runs all things operational and client facing for Invision. Consider her your personal cheerleader and someone who will transform you into part of the "get it done" crew. Twice named by BRIDES as a Best Wedding Planner in America, Courtney serves high end couples from coast to coast.
davidabel.co
David abel
Revered by international clients, publications and planners, David is an award-winning fine art wedding photographer. He marries the worlds of editorial and romance with an approach based on savoring life and art. He has a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and an intimate understanding of the European affairs couples ask him to document. Other photographers now learn under David’s mentorship with workshops and coaching. David is drawn to the small delights of life, keen to learn new craft cocktail recipes and discover new dishes at restaurants nearby, and abroad. Home is the DMV area where he is a father of two who loves hosting meals on the outdoor patio under the cafe lights. Along with Kristy, he is slowly renovating the home of his dreams one room at a time, while planning to retire in Tuscany surrounded by the rolling hills of wine country.
jainekershner.com
jainÉ kershner
Jainé Kershner started her photography education series “Tea with Jainé” to share advice, resources, and lessons learned over the last 10 years as a wedding photographer. Tea with Jainé includes an Instagram TV series, blog, bi-monthly podcast, meet-ups, 1:1 coaching, and the marketing intensive workshops for wedding photographers.
Jainé Kershner Photography has been featured in several wedding publications including Martha Stewart Weddings, Style Me Pretty, Brides, and The Knot. She was handpicked as one of NYC’s Best Wedding Photographers to know by BRIDES and voted Best Brooklyn Wedding Photographer in 2018!
jamiefindlayphotography.com
Jamie Findlay
Serial entrepreneur Jamie has run multiple successful companies over the past 18 years. She not only is a destination editorial photographer, but a business coach to some of our industries top leaders, helping them scale their business beyond 6 figures into full on legacies. In addition to that she is also the CEO of Evolve, an international educational company for creatives like you.
She is also a single mom to 4 amazing kids and 3 pretty cute dogs, travels more than is humanly acceptable, and is a recovering Oreo addict.
developeacademy.com
Jennefer Wilson
Jennefer is a destination wedding and portrait photographer, a natural strategist, photo editing ninja, and Ennegram 6. Jennefer is passionate about connecting with people, championing equality, and being a force of positive change wherever she goes. Known for her kindness and compassion, Jenn brings peace, and joy.
Her clients have taken her around the world to capture their story, and after 14+ years of experience, she's earned a reputation for her unique storytelling abilities. A true Jill-of-all-trades, Jennefer filled a void in the photography industry by creating editing tools and a community inspired by joy and driven by empathy. Jennefer has been mentoring photographers of all experience levels, guiding them to find both professional success and personal joy in their work, since 2016.
When not capturing memories behind her camera, Jennefer sings professionally, is an excellent cook, and has a "healthy" obsession with cooking in general. She lives in Dallas with her husband, young daughter, and three fluffy dogs, and she's in the process of renovating and decorating her 1930s Tudor-style home.
pharrisphotos.com
Joshua & Kariss Farris
Joshua & Kariss started madly in love with barely any knowledge about photography and building a creative business. After graduating and working in corporate America for a few years, Joshua & Kariss turned their passion into one of the most successful, fastest growing photography businesses in America’s fourth largest city! They’ve photographed numerous celebrity weddings, had their work featured in People, Huff Post, VH1, and many other national and international publications and media outlets.
But if you ask them, they’d tell you achieving their own dreams doesn’t come close to motivating and inspiring others to reach theirs!
jenniferlawrencephotography.com
Jennifer lawrence
Jennifer is a film lifestyle photographer known for her clean, colorful, and happy images. She believes that you don't have to be "Fine-Art" to be high end and clients agree. Her work takes her all over the country to document families, seniors, and couples in their homes and favorite places. She is truly one of a kind in her work and approach to her business.
invision.events
Julie Bunkley
Invision Events is a nationally celebrated design and plan firm based in Birmingham, Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia and was recently named by BRIDES as a Best Wedding Planner in America.
Julie Bunkley, the owner & creative director of Invision Events, is a PR and design maven as well as a longterm, strategic visionary. With a degree in Public Relations and self taught in In Design, Julie’s aesthetic and passion for building a brand is well over a decade in the making. Her eye is always on the long game, reminding us that a sustainable and successful business is a marathon and not a sprint. Her work has been featured on countless occasions in Martha Stewart Weddings, BRIDES, People, The New York Times, Fortune, InStyle, Bridal Guide and Southern Living, among others.
kir2ben.com
kir tuben
Kir Tuben is a hybrid wedding photographer who is inspired by authenticity. Her degree in Documentary Studies blends with her passion for Fine Art to create her unique brand. Kir is a Florida girl at heart and resides in Washington D.C. with her husband and two cats, Tuna and Lobo. Although the East Coast is her home, she shoots weddings all over the globe and has been featured in publications including Martha Stewart Weddings, The Knot, Inside Weddings and Brides. Kir is all about being direct, honest and upfront and encourages you to come to introduce yourself or grab a glass of whiskey with her!
layleeemadi.com
laylee emadi
Laylee is an educator, speaker, and conference host with a heart for serving clients and fellow entrepreneurs through her coaching work, as the host of the So, Here’s the Thing Podcast, and as the founder of The Creative Educator Academy and Conference. She believes in leading with heartfelt encouragement and honest guidance. As a longtime entrepreneur, she’s not afraid to dig into tough topics or transparently share her own experiences—the good and the bad. Laylee is passionate about her goal to equip you in your ability to make a difference, create impact, and to build a life doing what you love.
Kristine Herman is a hybrid photographer based in Northern California. Creating timeless and joyful images for her clients, Kristine’s goal is to capture each couples love story through both film and digital mediums. With a background in coaching, Kristine loves to share her love of film with photographers. She has a love for landscape photography, where she began her journey, which she incorporates in her work. In her free time, she loves to travel with her husband, shopping, playing basketball, hanging with friends with wine, and cuddling with her pups, Teddy and Dany.
kristine herman
kristineherman.com
Octavia Elease is a Showit website designer and HoneyBook Pro based in Atlanta, Georgia. She fuses brand storytelling with a modern aesthetic to create conversion-focused brand visuals for creative entrepreneurs. As the Rising Tide Leader in Atlanta, Octavia is on a mission to educate and inspire the creative community to chase their dreams. She’s a Disney obsessed, charcuterie board enthusiast who loves to FaceTime with a cup of coffee!
Octavia Elease
octaviaeleasedesigns.com
magifisher.com
Magi Fisher
Magi’s journey has taken her from photographing professional surfers while swimming in some of the world’s most epic waves to receiving a Juris Doctorate from Rutgers Law. If she’s not photographing a wedding with her husband, Scott, in a remote locale, managing her team of Associate Photographers, or providing legal counsel to creative business owners, she’s probably eating an acai bowl, chasing her pup, Arti, around the beach, or watching SVU reruns in her bungalow.
As Magi’s brand and businesses have grown, she has had the opportunity to create a space that helps creatives achieve success with foundational business practices and legal resources, share her favorite tools and tips, and even include a sprinkle of what’s currently inspiring, and helping, her manage all the things.
This guide lays out everything you need to know about partnering together. From social stats to heartfelt testimonials, let this brief inspire you to sign on the dotted line.