Out of office and *off the grid!* After the craziest (in a good way!) Q1 we've ever had, we're taking a full week off from work + taking Felix to school to catch up on some quality time as a family. With how warm the weather's getting, I cannot WAIT for a few adventures outdoors with Matt and Felix, soaking up all the sunshine, and breaking out all those cute outfits I've set aside for Felix that he rarely wears (because let's be honest- "school clothes" are a real thing, and are never your favorite pieces).⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ I'll catch y'all in a week, 'gram fam!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ (Obviously no passports involved, but I couldn't resist pulling this fave from my archives! Shooting flat lays with items around the house is one of my FAVORITE ways to use up the last couple shots on a roll of film remaining after a session!) 
This is it!! Doors for the first ever launch of Brand Photography Academy are CLOSING today at 6pmET! So... are you in or out? Creating scroll-stopping brand photographs doesn't come down to luck or pixie dust, it comes down to having a solid PLAN- the sort of repeatable plan that yields fresh, CREATIVE results at every shoot! A friend recently called me "the It Girl" of the brand photo realm, and I will happily accept that title and wear it like a crown! But I'm also NOT the only person who's capable of these kind of standout results- that plan I mentioned? I'm not the only person it works for- I'm not a unicorn, I promise! The difference is that I'm INTENSELY intentional about how I approach each branding session, adopting the mindset of a STRATEGIST, not just a portrait photographer. It's been a *whirlwind* of a week- we have 220 new students (and counting!), and seeing the feedback and testimonials starting to pour in from folks who've already managed to complete the course literally brings me to tears (swipe to see some of my favorites!). We're closing doors tonight at 6pm, and if you're on the fence and want to chat it through? Shoot me a DM- I'd love to help you figure out if it's a good fit for where you are. For those already inside Brand Photography Academy, I cannot tell you how THRILLED I am to have you there! For those that'll join us today just in the nick of time, I can't wait to see where BPA leads you Link in bio to enroll- let's go!! 
It's official: doors to Brand Photography Academy are OPEN!!! This brand-new curriculum is a comprehensive brand photography course using left-brained strategy to drive right-brained creativity, so that you can capture scroll-stopping brand photographs that get both you AND your clients noticed. I've never been MORE excited for a course to debut, especially after taking out small cohort of beta students through an INTENSE few weeks as we built out the material for them! It's been less than 48 hours since the official launch and I'm absolutely blown away by the feedback we're already seeing from our students. To the nearly-150 photographers who've already jumped into the course, I cannot tell you how EXCITED I am for all of the growth and creativity that's waiting for you just around the corner!! Thank you for trusting me to teach you, and for the privilege of sharing what I know with you! Registration's only open for ONE WEEK- you'll find all the details at the link in my bio! 
Oh @peytonlilly, you are such a dream to photograph. This girl is one of my muses- I've had her in front of my camera three times now, and she never ceases to leave me feeling SO full of inspiration!! This frame is from our first shoot together- I was in Paris to teach a workshop, and she was there to the Paris Opera summer intensive, and I was absolutely *ecstatic* when the stars aligned for us to meet up at sunrise in the city! After being fussed at in rapid French by an angry security guard, we moved toward the Louvre's back courtyard, and I have so many favorites from that morning.That full circle skirt by @katherinebignon was so much fun to play in, and I love the colors of this entire photograph! It's been almost a full year since my last #abbygraceballerinas session and I MISS THIS!! So I guess it's a good thing I'm leading a styled shoot at @thehybridco conference in late September, teaching all about how to photograph dancers! See the link in their bio for details- it's going to be an AMAZING few days of education. It'll be my first time at the conference, who else will be there? 
☝🏼My ACTUAL excitement level, because next week I'm teaching an all-new, FREE masterclass for branding photographers- The Backstage Secret to Capturing Scroll-Stopping Branding Photos!!! It all started on the day this photo was taken, when @katelynjames told me "Abby, you have to teach a course on this" in the middle of her own branding session. I swore I'd never teach my process (because, #honesthour, I was afraid)... but here we are almost a year later and I'm finally ready to pull back the curtain. We’ve seen an ENORMOUS shift in wedding photographers looking to branch in branding... but without the shift in mindset, approach and strategy to accompany it, it's almost impossible to find success! So photographers, consider this your personal invitation- I would LOVE for you to join me next week, because I’m giving the game away on my #1 strategy for planning tailored, strategic brand portraits that get both you AND your clients noticed! Link in bio to choose your time and join me LIVE! (And a big thanks to @alisandraphoto for the BTS photos!) 
Throwback to that time I photographed @hsamson22 in Ireland, and then another throwback to when I received an email from an author asking to use one of the photographs for the cover of a steamy romance novel. 🙈 Heather, this will FOREVER be one of my favorite shoots! Meet me in County Clare again someday? It's a deal? Great! 🧳 (For anyone wondering about the outcome of the book cover, I've never felt more confident saying "I'm so flattered! ..but, no." 🤪) 
You remember how in old sitcoms, when one of the main actresses was pregnant, they'd come up with all sorts of ways to hide her belly (pillows, blankets, shooting mid-shoulder and higher) because it might distract the viewer from the main storyline of the show? That's kinda the mentality I took for @ashlynscarter's shoot last week (she’s due in May), and I'm proud to say we KILLED IT! Ashlyn's invested heavily in her brand imagery over the years, and one way to I can honor that investment and make it even more valuable is by ensuring that it's *evergreen!* Not too seasonal (unless we're specifically shooting for season-specific marketing material), easy to use throughout the year (and coming years) without it feeling dated. Ashlyn, you KNOW I love a good challenge, and this was such a blast! 
Fun fact: self-portraits with a toddler are WAY harder than simple self-portraits with a photo-averse husband. I published a Self-Portrait Guide last year in our shop and after years of self-portraits with Matt (who HATES having his picture taken), one of the tips I gave in the Guide was that if you ARE shooting with family members who have short attention spans/tolerance, have everything ready to go before you call everyone outside. ⏱⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ That advice could NOT have been more spot on!! We have a tradition of shooting a self-portrait in the snow every year (so grateful Matt is willing!), and 2020 didn't give us a good enough storm to cover the ground, so this is Felix's first one! I had Matt wait inside with Felix while I got my camera out, set up the tripod, composed my shot, and locked in my settings. Only once I was ready to fire the shutter did I call Matt, and he dashed out in the cold so we could give it a try- I only got 8 shots off before Felix was done with it all, but we got a keeper! 🙌🏻 Gosh, I look at this photo and see so many stories of provision and joy. My husband, my favorite redemption story. Our son, who we waited so very long to meet. That house, one I've loved since I was a little girl. My cup is so full! 🥰 #abbygraceselfportraits