11. Creating Connection with Anna Nelson

Devin Desjarlais is a family photographer in Raleigh, NC (and one of my Family Posing Playbook students!). She’s become the go-to photographer for neurodivergent and medically complex families.We talk about:What she asks parents before every sessionWhy she never times her sessionsWays to make sessions affordable for families already paying for therapiesHow to write your website so these families feel seenConnect with DevinHer Photography: https://www.devindesjarlais.com/homeHer upcoming course (sign up for tips and launch updates): https://www.devindesjarlais.com/educationLearn to pose families with real connection: https://simplybysuzy.com/family-posing-playbook

How do you create real connection when you only have 15 minutes with a family?Connection at a mini session looks different. It starts before the session. When families show up prepared and you walk them through play, they leave feeling like a good team.Get my mini session prep emails and templates inside the Family Posing Playbook: https://simplybysuzy.com/family-posing-playbookRight now everyone who gets Family Posing Playbook by November 30, 2026 gets my Parent Prep Pack for free! (includes my prep guide templates, prep emails and my client questionnaire - for both full sessions and mini session)

Can you make connected work somewhere other than a client’s home? Anna Nelson is proof that you can.Anna makes some of the most heartfelt family work out there, and she’s almost always in a field or on a beach. We talk about how she gets families playing (patty cake, airplane, “how fast can you run past mom and dad”), the notes she writes on her hand before every session, and why she’ll happily celebrate you for wanting photos in a pretty dress in a field.Plus grumpy dads, toddlers who run the show, her first big year of traveling for work, and the little prayer she says before every shoot.Connect with AnnaWebsite: https://www.annanelsonphoto.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna.nelson.photo/Free class: The grumpy dad, the perfectionist mom, and the kid who says no. What’s actually happening in those moments and what to do and say.https://simply-by-suzy-2.kit.com/112cf2056d?utm_source=finding-joy-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=anna-nelsonThe Family Posing Playbook: How to lead families into real connection, whether you’re in their home, a studio, or a field.https://simplybysuzy.com/family-posing-playbook?utm_source=finding-joy-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=anna-nelson

It’s October. If you’re a photographer, then I knoooow you’re in it.This one’s about staying present for your family (and yourself) when there’s a lot going on.Inside:The mantra I keep coming back to: fight for your presence right now.Small ways to connect with your kids fast. Silly bedtime questions, night walks, a note tucked in a book.How gratitude gets me to my sessions when I’ve got nothing left.Why staying connected to your life is good for your business too.For family photographers:Free class: The 3 Moments That Derail a Family SessionThe Family Posing PlaybookTell me what landed in the comments! xoSuzy

Today’s episode is a little different. I’m talking with my friend Ann Helyer, a family photographer in Dallas.Ann came into my world through the Family Posing Playbook, and I’ve loved every DM and email reply from her since. She has a background in philosophy and conflict management (yes, really), and it shapes everything about how she shows up for families.Because let’s be honest. Every family session has some tension in it. A toddler bouncing off the coffee table. A partner who didn’t want to come. A mom worried about what you think of her kids.We talk about:Why fall is our busiest season when everything in nature is slowing downHow Ann uses love languages in her prep calls to quietly help couples fill each other up during the shootThe newborn session where a wild three-year-old got to just be himself (and what that gave his parents)Why self-compassion actually motivates us more than being hard on ourselvesTurning the hard stuff from your own childhood into something you give to familiesClients choosing “undone” sessions at home, even when it costs moreDopamine, oxytocin, and why serving your family feels better than scrollingAlso my six-year-old makes a guest appearance. I left it in. Because this is the job (and having your kids lose it while you're trying to do work is sooooo normal). Find Ann:Instagram: @annhelyerphotoWebsite: [Ann’s website]Free class: The Three Moments That Derail Us at a Family Session (the grumpy dad, the perfectionist mom, and the kid who says no to everything) [SIGN UP HERE]The Family Posing Playbook [JOIN HERE]

Can you create real connection at family photos anywhere other than the home?This question keeps coming up for me. It came up in my free class, in conversations with other photographers, and on a recent coaching call with one of my Family Posing Playbook students.So many things in our industry get taught as rules when we should view them as options on a menu. From there you pick what feels good to you.In this episode I talk about:All the different ways connection happens in real life (and what that means for your sessions)The moment my student's whole face changed when we started talking about taking her families out into natureWhy what excites you matters so much when you're explaining your sessions to clientsHow my own sessions are changing now that my kids are getting older (and why I want to do less, which surprised me)Yes, I really do think you could have a connected, meaningful session at a JCPenney studioWhen you're done, be sure to check out - My Free class: The 3 Moments That Derail a Family Session (the grumpy dad, the perfectionist mom, and the kid who says no to everything) → LINKFamily Posing Playbook: learn to pose and lead families through the whole session, in any location, no matter what happens → LINK

One of my OG families, two rowdy boys, a long drive to the Indiana Dunes... and a little one who wanted to spend the whole session digging a hole in the sand.In this episode I'm walking you through that shoot from start to finish. The planning call where mom told me "we don't have any moments of ease." The logistics decision I agonized over all week (and why I finally let go of chasing golden hour). What I said to mom when she started to stress about the hole. And that moment at the very end, the one I shoot for every single time, when a family realizes they did it together.Plus why I think the real path to your best work runs through how much you appreciate the families in front of you.xo Suzy Free class replay: The 3 Moments That Derail a Family Session (and what to do in each)https://simply-by-suzy-2.kit.com/5ea018e216Ready for the whole method? The Family Posing Playbookhttps://simplybysuzy.com/family-posing-playbook

In this raw, unedited episode of the Finding Joy Podcast, Suzy shares a deeply personal, stream-of-consciousness reflection on the themes of efficiency, decision-making, healing old patterns, and the quiet triumph of presence in a busy life. From her evolving relationship with productivity to the transformative power of “The Big Leap,” Suzy opens up about the inner shifts she’s making to create space for joy, clarity, and true alignment. She also speaks directly to the hearts of parents in the thick of it, offering gentle encouragement that yes, it does get easier—and you’re doing better than you think. This one feels like a cozy, late-night conversation with a friend who just gets it.If you're interested in learning more from me or joining The Old Joy Club, check out my shop -  ⁠https://simplybysuzy.com/shop or my Substack Chasing Joy. Connect with me ⁠@simplybysuzy⁠ on Instagram or ⁠simplysuzy.com

In this heartfelt episode, we dive into the quiet power of storytelling—how it shapes our joy, our relationships, and the way we see ourselves. Suzy shares a deeply personal moment from early postpartum life that led to unraveling a story she'd carried for years: that she wasn’t the kind of person who had close friendships. What followed was a journey of rewriting that narrative—and building a life full of connection, fulfillment, and fun. We explore how the stories we hold—about parenthood, creativity, business, and self-worth—can either limit us or set us free, and how photographers especially can create more meaningful work by releasing judgment and holding space with curiosity. This episode is an invitation to tune in, reflect, and start rewriting the stories that no longer serve you.If you're interested in learning more from me or joining The Old Joy Club, check out my shop -  ⁠⁠https://simplybysuzy.com/shop⁠ or my Substack ⁠Chasing Joy⁠. Connect with me ⁠⁠⁠@simplybysuzy⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠simplybysuzy.com⁠

In this episode of the Finding Joy Podcast, I’m reflecting on a whirlwind weekend in Southern California — two heartfelt family photo sessions, lots of driving, and an even deeper reminder of why I love doing this work. I share what it means to live a full, aligned life (and how that sometimes means feeling totally used up in the best way), why creativity requires courage, and the magic that happens when families embrace the beautifully ordinary. From a pajama-clad breakfast in Echo Park to a dad asking for one final photo of his favorite view in Laguna Beach, this episode is a love letter to presence, playfulness, and finding joy in the in-between moments of real family life.If you're interested in learning more from me or joining The Old Joy Club, check out my shop -  ⁠⁠⁠https://simplybysuzy.com/shop⁠⁠ or my Substack ⁠⁠Chasing Joy⁠⁠. Connect with me ⁠⁠⁠⁠@simplybysuzy⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠simplybysuzy.com⁠