Fall in love with your photography
Education for family photographers
I've photographed families for almost two decades (on film, so every frame counts).
Now I teach photographers how to lead a session with real families. The stiff ones, the tired ones, the dad who didn't want to come. So you always know what to do next.
"What I loved about your course is that it didn't teach me to copy you. It helped me understand myself."
Hi, I'm Suzy
I've spent the last 18 years turning family photos from a dreaded obligation into something families look forward to.
I'm a family photographer in Chicago and a mom of three. I've photographed thousands of families over the course of my career, and nationally recognized brands like Monica & Andy and Medela.
What I love most in this work, is the people in front of my camera. And helping them walk away from our time together feeling like a good team.
Because that is the heart of connection for most families. Enjoying time together, playing with each other, and working through the hard stuff.
That's what I teach. A simple way to lead any family, in any location, through family photos (even when the plan falls apart and real life happens).
I also host Finding Joy, a podcast for family photographers.
"When we let go of making things perfect, we make room for what's real."
Start here · Free class
The 3 Moments That Derail a Family Session (and what to do in each)
Even the best families hit these. It's just life with kids.
I teach you exactly what I do in each one. Nothing held back for the end.
Watch the free class
The course
The Family Posing Playbook
A framework for posing families so you can create movement and connection with any family, in any location (without memorizing any more prompts).
At a glance
$497, or 3 payments of $179. Lifetime access and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
9 short video lessons (about 90 minutes), 5 deeper podcast-style lessons (about 4 hours), 3 real session walkthroughs (almost 4 hours), 3 audio guides and a private Facebook community. Self-paced.
Natural, connection-based family posing. Leading the parents, the Play-Scan method and handling meltdowns, at home, in the studio or outside, from first pregnancy to families with teens.
Inside, you'll learn to:
Pose and lead any family in any location, from couples expecting their first baby to families with teenagers (with or without activities planned, no matter what happens).
Lead the parents. What to say to a dad who doesn't want to be there, a mom who's micromanaging, and parents who keep looking at you for permission.
Handle meltdowns, shyness or overstimulation without losing the connection.
Deliver a full, varied gallery that tells a story (and feels like you).
What's inside
The whole method in about 90 minutes. Nine short lessons you can use this weekend.
Podcast-style lessons you can listen to while editing or driving to a session. For when you want to go deeper on the concepts.
Real sessions, narrated. You hear what I was thinking (including a session that happened on a family's hardest day with a teething toddler).
On your phone, for the car before a session.
To listen to before and after your shoots.
A place to share wins and ask quick questions.
"I used the Play Scan method and it went so well. I could honestly cry. It just flowed so easily. When something didn't work, I pivoted and I never got stuck."
"[Suzy] shares her deep knowledge without ever making the student feel like they're only an opportunity for her to make more money."
Questions
Who is the Playbook for?
Working family photographers who already have the poses and prompts, and still feel that freeze when a family shows up stiff, tired or just not into it. (We've all been there.)
It works whether you shoot in a studio, outdoors or in people's homes.
I took the free 3 Moments class. What's different in the Playbook?
The class gives you three moments, fully. I don't hold anything back there.
But a real session is full of moments I couldn't fit into one class. The Playbook walks you through how I run the whole session, start to finish: how I prep the parents, how I see what's possible in a space, how I lead families into play, and what I do when the thing I planned just doesn't work.
Is the course live or self-paced?
It's self-paced, so you can go at whatever speed works for your life. You get instant access when you sign up, which means you can start today and fit it in wherever you can (in the car, at nap time, between editing sessions).
How much watch time in videos do you get in FPP?
About 9 and a half hours in all, split into three parts so you can take in as much or as little as you need at a time.
The Express Module (90 minutes). Nine lessons, about 5 to 20 minutes each. So you can go through it quickly and see the difference at your shoot the next day.
The Academy (4 hours 4 minutes). Podcast-style lessons you can listen to in the car or while you edit. They go deeper into the course concepts (and they're just fun to listen to).
3 gallery walkthroughs (3 hours 52 minutes). I take you through an entire session in each one and narrate it. What I did, what I said, how the final images happened, and the challenges we worked through.
What if I don't want to shoot in-home sessions? Is FPP still for me?
Absolutely. The method works in a studio, a field, the beach, a park, wherever you love to shoot.
For studio and outdoor sessions I teach something I call play, pose, play. You still get your beautiful posed frames, and in between you play. It keeps little kids from getting worn out (and it gets the parents out of their heads, too).
You also don't need clients to bring anything from home. A few simple props you keep yourself (wooden blocks, silks, a little crown) go a long way.
I mostly sell posed work. Will this still fit?
Yes, and I'd actually encourage you not to change everything overnight.
There's a lesson called Play, Pose, Play that shows you how to use the method in between your poses while your portfolio catches up, so your clients still get the photos they booked you for.
Does the method work for mini sessions?
Yes! I do 20-minute minis myself, and with a little planning they can be such fun days.
Connection at a mini looks a little different than at a full session. There isn't time to cuddle up and slowly get to know each other, so it's more high play and getting down to business (in a fun way).
The method still applies, just quicker. Walk in like a friend, keep the energy playful, have a few spots you know well, and alternate play with your pretty posed frames.
Preparation is everything at a mini, and the Playbook includes the simple prep email I send families before mini session day.
Does it work with big extended families?
Yes! Big groups can feel like a lot, so I walk you through what I do, including the two minutes I take at the very start to gather everyone (grandparents too) and set expectations so the whole group is on board.
Does this work for maternity sessions and families with older kids?
Yes! I use the same approach for couples celebrating their first pregnancy, newborns, toddlers, big kids and families with teens. The ages change what play looks like, but leading the family and creating real connection works at every stage.
Do I need to shoot film?
Nope! I shoot film because I love it, but everything in the Playbook is about how you lead the family. It works with whatever camera you've got.
And if you'd love to learn film, I have a simple beginner course for that too: How to Shoot Film.
I'm newer and don't have many clients yet. Is it too soon?
Honestly, the beginning is one of the best times to start.
The Playbook gives you a strong foundation for how you work with families, so you're building good habits from your very first sessions (and you won't have to unlearn anything later).
If you have the budget and you're ready, starting now means every client you book gets that experience as your business grows.
Will it help me find clients?
The Playbook focuses on the session itself, the part where you're actually with the family. It does cover how to set expectations with clients and how to slowly move your portfolio toward the work you want to be booked for.
Marketing and finding brand-new clients is a bigger topic, and I don't go deep on it here.
Can I ask questions while I go through it?
Yes, and I really hope you do! You can comment right inside each lesson, and there's a private Facebook community where students share their wins and ask questions.
Chances are, if you're wondering about something, someone else is too.
How do I get in after I buy?
You get instant access to the course materials and the Facebook group right after signing up, with a login link.
You can always log back in at simplybysuzy.mykajabi.com/login.
How long do I have access?
Forever! You get lifetime access to the course materials, so you can come back to any lesson whenever you need a refresher (busy season, a tricky family coming up, or just because).
Is there a payment plan?
Yes! You can pay $497 in full, or split it into 3 payments of $179, whatever feels better for your budget.
What if it's not for me?
I want you to feel good about this. Go through the entire course, and if it's not for you, email me within 30 days for a full refund.
Whatever happens at your next session, I want you to know how to work through it and walk away saying...
"I feel more connected. More whole. More me."
