How to Photograph the Holidays, Even When the Light is Terrible!

The holidays are coming up and that means holiday photos! But how do you capture that fabulous holiday ambience when the light is terrible?We're going to talk about the challenges of lighting holiday photos and my tips and tricks (yes, we're talking about off-camera flash) for conquering them!The holidays are full of real emotional, beautiful moments and they deserve to be photographed well! It's a little tricky to learn lighting on a podcast so I'm starting a lighting series tackling holiday lighting on my Instagram!Follow along with my new Festival of Lights series starting next week!And if you want to get a head start on your in home lighting, be sure to check out my course, Lighting on Location: Off Camera Flash for In-Home Photographers, currently 50% off for a limited time!Lighting on LocationFind me on Instagram

Unpopular opinion: I think "charge your worth" is terrible advice. Do you think you have a pricing problem? Let's talk about it!Here is that pricing worksheet I talked about:https://sandra-coan-photography.kit.com/99cf778aefYou do not have to figure this out on your own! Check out my free webinar for more information:Sandracoanstudioslearn.sandracoanstudios.com/wm-freeworkshop

My goal with this podcast is to challenge industry myths, question the so-called ‘rules,’ and talk about what really works when it comes to building a photography business- based on my almost 30 years of experience.And today’s unpopular opinion is this: natural light isn’t always better. Grab my equipment list and get 10% off on you Westcott Lighting GearGet 50% Lighting on Location: Off Camera Flash for In-Home Photographers

It's important to remember that we all start as beginners!This week we're talking about the comparison trap, how to grow your business, and what I wish I could have told myself when I was first starting out.Ready to elevate your photography business? ⁠ Follow this link to book a call with Sandra to learn more:

Hi friends! This week on the the podcast, we're going to talk about how to attract clients who are happy to pay what you're worth.I call it the "Tripod Framework" ' - three simple pillars that transform your photography business.This is the exact system I used to go from borrowing gear to building a six-figure photography business.Ready to elevate your photography business? Follow this link to book a call with Sandra to learn more: https://calendly.com/sandracoaneducation/sandra-coan-certification?month=2025-10

Hey friends, it’s Sandra, and today I want to talk about something that’s been showing up a lot in my world lately — and maybe in yours too. It’s something that I think deserves an honest conversation. So buckle up, because we’re diving into a topic that’s part rant, part reflection, and totally from the heart.SHOWNOTES: https://sandracoanstudios.com/why-are-so-many-female-photographers-bullied-on-the-internet/

I've spent the last year writing my new book, The Complete Guide to Family Photography, and on today's episode I'm sharing a little about the writing process as well as what's inside the new book!Publication date is Dec. 9th, 2025, but you can pre-order now! Just follow the links below!AmazonBarnes & NobleRockyNook

So you want to learn about off-camera flash but you're not sure which is the best class for you? This week on the podcast I'll break down exactly which class is best for you when it comes to learning how to create beautiful light with strobes and flash. SHOWNOTES https://sandracoanstudios.com/off-camera-flash-for-beginners-which-is-the-best-class-for-you/ BLOG POST: https://sandracoanstudios.com/off-camera-flash-for-beginners-which-is-the-best-class-for-you/ LIGHTING ON LOCATION ⁠https://www.sandracoaneducation.com/lighting-on-location THE MISSING LINK https://www.sandracoaneducation.com/strobes-and-flash-for-newborn-photography SANDRA COAN CERTIFICATION https://sandracoanstudios.com/

Now that Thanksgiving is over, we are ready for the holiday season. For photographers this can be a really busy time of year. One of the requests I get a lot this time of year is taking pictures of families in their homes in front of their Christmas trees! These can be really beautiful, festive photos BUT lighting them is difficult. Keep listening to learn exactly how to master this tricky lighting situation! SHOWNOTES https://sandracoanstudios.com/how-to-balance-flash-and-christmas-tree-lights/ BLOG POST: https://sandracoanstudios.com/two-steps-to-taking-perfectly-lit-photos-with-your-christmas-tree/ LIGHTING ON LOCATION https://www.sandracoaneducation.com/lighting-on-location

This week on the podcast we are focusing on the power of group coaching! A big component of what we do in Sandra Coan Certification is group coaching. We have two group coaching calls each and every month, and these are unscripted, unplanned conversations. I think these calls are amazing, but I know a lot of people haven't had the experience of being on one of these call before or maybe you're a little unsure of what it means. So today on the podcast, I am sharing the recording from a recent group coaching call inside of Sandra Coan Certification. SHOWNOTES https://sandracoanstudios.com/can-group-coaching-help-your-photography-business/ LINKS Sandra Coan Certification Program: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sandracoanstudios.com/certification⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Apply Now: ⁠https://sandracoanstudios.com/apply-now