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A hands-on experience for family photographers in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.
The Photo Fuel Retreat and Mastermind
Fuel your heart and mind toward the vision, art, and business you're longing for. Four months of close, personalized mentorship + four days together in Madison, VA. Hands-on shooting, honest feedback, and a room full of people who get it.
Only 5 spots per round.
It's finally time to come home to your business.
At a certain point - whether it's 2 years in or 12 - you know you're spinning. You've bought more courses than you can count, downloaded every freebie on the internet and listened to every photography podcast till it's all a blur. The information is good, but broad, and you're not really sure what to do next that will actually help.
You're probably checking a lot of boxes - market, book, chase the golden-hour light, nail the poses, "walk towards me smiling!", edit, deliver, repeat. Is this it? That race gets old real quick. But it's hard to see another path when you're blazing ahead on formulas and checklists.
This program is about learning to see beyond what's in front of you. To dream bigger, make wise choices, and build something that's not only sustainable, but that fuels your heart and the lives of others with something you're proud of.
Four months of support and 4 days built around you.
The Photo Fuel Retreat & Mastermind is the opposite of one-size-fits-all. No generic templates, generalized fluff, or becoming a copycat version of someone else. We examine the whole context of who you are — your market, your lifestyle, your inspirations, where you're actually stuck, and what you're dreaming of making — then we start walking that path together.
You'll leave with transformation and community that you can't get from a course. Work that's finally lighting your heart on fire, skills to fuel your future sessions, and a small group of photographers who become the people you reach to when you're stuck, celebrating, or thinking out loud.
I'm leah - and yea, I've been there, too.
Let's figure out your next steps together
I've been photographing families for 20 years and have built a business through slow seasons and busy ones, pricing changes, creative ruts, multiple states, 3 maternity leaves, and every kind of client. I know how isolating it can feel to run this thing mostly alone, and how much better it goes when someone's there is in your corner.
Mentoring with me isn't a course you consume or a script you copy. It's real, personal, two-way work. I'll challenge your thinking, ask the tough questions, and listen with care. It's my job to be wildly transparent, but also, to help empower you to make smart business decisions for your own market and life.
who it's for
This experience is up your alley if you:
- Have photographed families for at least a year or two, but something feels missing and the work isn't turning out the way you see it in your head.
- Want to make natural, lifestyle images of families that feel timeless and artistic, without the tired or cheesy posing.
- Would rather learn in a small, intimate group than a big conference or shootout.
- Crave hands-on practice, honest feedback, and a genuinely supportive community.
- Don't need bells and whistles, luxury and pampering - you want to get fully immersed in the work and have some fun doing it with people who get it.
are you ready?
This is for folks who are ready to refine their style, grow creatively, and sharpen their message. if you want to be here and you're willing to commit — you are welcome.
There are a handful of moments in my career where I can say, 'everything changed after that.' Leah's retreat and mastermind is one of them.
I have purchased too many courses to count, had several coaching calls with other educators, and I always feel like I came away with information that was good, but broad, and without a clear path on implementation.
This sense of creativity and curiosity that I feel now had been lost previously. My heart feels all in in this work again and that alone is priceless.
THE DETAILS
This isn't a weekend that ends when you drive home. It's a full season of growth.
- A 4-month mastermind (February–May).
- Bi-weekly group calls with training, troubleshooting, and community feedback — coordinated around each group's availability and recorded, so you never miss what you need if you have to step out.
- Two private 1:1 calls with me. A kickoff and a wrap-up, for individual attention on your specific goals.
- A 4-day, all-inclusive retreat in Madison, VA. Thursday afternoon through Sunday morning. Lodging, all meals and snacks, and travel during the retreat are covered — plus airport pickup from Dulles or Charlottesville. Just get yourself here and I'll handle the rest.
- Four hands-on shoots with real families during the retreat, both in home and on location, with different ages, dynamics, body types, and lighting challenges — built to fill the gaps in your portfolio and stretch your skills without the pressure of a paid session.
- Personal portfolio & website audits. Clear, specific feedback on everything from image curation to design to SEO, with concrete steps to convert the work you're making into future work.
- Projects & prompts between calls. Small assignments to light your creative spark to go deeper, think bigger, and answer the tough questions honestly.
- Unlimited Voxer access - aka Me and the group in your back pocket throughout the mastermind to share wins, ask questions, get feedback, and keep the conversation going.
- Headshots from me and the group on the last retreat day
Four months of mentorship wrapped around four days in the blue ridge mountains
Leah walked the fine line of giving opinions and coaching me through — that's really tricky to navigate. She truly listened and helped me make many small changes in my business.
There are a lot of mentors out there; some are loose-y goosey and some just aren't approachable, even if they say they are. Leah is an amazing mentor, and I'm so thankful.
Client notes
She helped me align my workflow with my values, remove unneeded parts of my client experience, and dial in my offerings. I'm excited about gaining the confidence to significantly raise my prices. Since doing so, I've already booked one family session and have leads for two more creative branding sessions! I have much more clarity on the unique value I offer my clients, and I have a clear marketing focus for each quarter of the next year.
Leah helped me look at my business from top to bottom.
Paige She is responsive, helpful and super supportive!! She gives action steps for you to actually apply her teachings.
Leah is an amazing teacher - clear and educational, without being overwhelming.
Jennifer When leaving your time with Leah, expect to feel motivated with tangible tasks to move forward on. She is a breath of fresh air and will push you to think outside the "mainstream box" on business and photography.
Leah is authentic, wise, and honest - she holds nothing back when mentoring her clients and deeply cares.
Autumn
You've come this far on your own. Let's move forward together.
If you're ready for clearer direction and a business that feels like yours, I'd love to help. Reach out and let's talk about where you are and where you want to go.