confidently create stunning images at every session, no matter the chaos.
The Art of Connection
I can't tell you how many times over the years I've been asked how I capture natural, authentic connection - images that look intentional, yet unposed. The more I got this question, the more I had to wonder - what had I figured out that my industry friends seemed to struggle with?
Turns out, my years of working while pregnant, spending sleepless nights with nursing babies, and suffering with chronic migraines had given me a gift: out of necessity, I'd learned how to direct my sessions and create the beauty I dreamed of in the easiest way humanly possible.
I'll tell you a secret, friends: I'm not a born artist. I don't have any natural talent that you don't have - not an ounce! You are capable of everything that I'm capable of.
Those years of physical struggles, combined with my family's need for my income, pushed me into a way of working that has ended up being the most beautiful gift. It's simple, flexible, and wonderfully powerful.
Get ready for your best & easiest sessions ever.
And I can't wait to share it with you!
I created this course for photographers who want to make pretty, authentic pictures without waiting on 'perfect' clients or some elusive creative spark.
> You don't need to be a creative genius to create beauty and variety at every session, promise.
I want to tell you something important, friend. Here it is:
You don't need to feel endlessly inspired to be a great artist. You don't need dream clients to take incredible pictures. You don't need special prompts, you don't need to create warm fuzzy emotions, and you don't need a beautiful story unfolding in front of you in order to create beauty with each family you work with.
Working with real humans is challenging. The adults are often stressed and uptight. The kids are often only interested in what they want to do, not what you or their parents want to do. Plenty of them cry and quite literally run away from pictures. Some sessions are easy, but many are exhausting, and we never know what we're going to get.
Thank goodness we don't need everyone's cooperation to create incredible photos! What we do need are the skills to manage stressed out subjects of all ages, eyes that are trained to create high-quality photographs, and a session flow that blends structure with flexibility so that we're never lost, but always adapting to whatever comes our way.
The Art of Connection will teach you to run sessions like a true master, no matter the stress or chaos.
Enroll NOW
from my students
"This course is IT!"
Annie:
Everything that photographers who are on the precipice thinking “I can see where I want to take my art, but how do I get there?!” This is it.
You’ve taken that intangible thing - how do we create natural, authentic images - and made it tangible through real, thorough, helpful tips and experience.
I LOVE how you make photographers feel so comfortable in their journeys. You nurture this comfort while teaching photographers how to make magic with what they have. It’s real and authentic and so, so, helpful.
I mean, maybe you don't identify with any of those feelings above. Great! This course isn't for you.
But in all my years of shooting and educating other photographers, I have never met anyone who this doesn't resonate with. We're just humans. We get tired. Many of us are moms who haven't slept in months (years?). And we want to rock this job and wow our clients, but sessions are crazy and kids don't cooperate and parents stress out and things go wrong.
...getting stuck at your sessions and running out of poses
...shooting the same things over and over, never getting the variety that you crave
...feeling frustrated with stressed out parents and wild kids
...creating photos that look stiff and posed
...running low on creative energy
...creating images that feel meh
If you're tired of:
The answer is not feeling more creative, getting different clients, tapping into your true inner artist, coming up with magical prompts, or just being better. There's nothing you lack - I have no doubt whatsoever that you're capable of incredible things!
it's time for a better (and easier) process.
no big deal. There's an easy way to nail every session, no cooperation or creative energy required.
CONFIDENTLY CREATE STUNNING IMAGES AT EVERY SESSION, NO MATTER THE CHAOS
The Art of Connection
This is the foundation of the entire course - I'll teach you exactly what I do at a session, from start to finish. This includes how I set myself and my clients up for success, as well as my actual, step-by-step process for directing families, creating interaction, and photographing them beautifully. With this process, you will never be lost or stuck, yet you'll also have the freedom you need to stay flexible and creative. One of the most common frustrations I hear from photographers is that their galleries lack variety, and I am also teaching you the easiest secret ever that guarantees you'll never feel that frustration again. Ready to run incredible sessions and create dreamy photos with extremely little creative energy required? I thought so!
Grumpy dads. Uptight moms. Kids who cry and don't cooperate and couldn't care less what you have to say. Stiff subjects who are uncomfortable in front of the camera and would rather cheese for an hour than just play with their kids.
Friend, it's time to stop waiting on dream clients, and realize that everyone who values you and invests with you is already a dream client if you know how to handle their quirks! I'll teach you how to bring out the best in your clients, and create gorgeous galleries even when you have almost zero cooperation. (Watch the included recorded sessions for proof of how little cooperation you really need!)
Here's What You'll Learn
My entire process for photographing families
How to rock even the most challenging sessions
You don't need models, you don't need amazingly relaxed clients, and you hardly need cooperation. But you do need a trained eye, skills for managing stressed subjects, and confidence that you can get exactly what you need even when everything goes south. I teach from authenticity, always, and this course is no different. In fact, some of my most challenging sessions of the season are included in this course. Ready to watch me work with toddlers who don't listen to a word I say for 90 minutes straight? You got it! I'm not teaching you what to do when everything goes great, but how to handle it masterfully whether it all goes right or wrong. And honestly, when working with children, most of our plans go wonderfully, magically wrong.
Realistic expectations, and what you don't need
Pretty images don't happen by accident, and even the smallest changes can have an enormous impact on your final product! I'm going to teach you all about how to compose beautiful images as you shoot and edit, what it takes to create images that actually look relaxed and natural, and how to make mom look and feel incredible without relying on her to be photogenic. I know, everyone says they'll teach you how to make moms look pretty, but they're also posting photos of moms with double chins and wrinkly necks. Let's be real: we don't want those, and neither do our clients. All of this and so much more is covered in extremely detailed lessons full of example images so you never have to guess at what exactly I mean.
How to ACTUALLY create gorgeous images
Like real results? yeah, Me too.
— ANA
"The money that I invested in working with Hannah is the best money spent in my whole photography career."
I created this course because it needed to be made. Yes, there are other courses out there around the topics of posing and running sessions - but this one is not like those ones! Here's why:
It's powerful. The Art of Connection is so much more than a posing guide or a list of prompts. This course will empower you to be your own best - because I genuinely believe that the world needs your voice, not a copy of anyone else's.
It's straightforward and concrete. Artistic education can be really vague and unhelpful. And a lot of what goes into being an artist is challenging to teach! But I am passionate about taking complex ideas and making them simple and actionable. (As a former software engineer, I love this part!)
It's tested and true. I've been teaching this process to my mentees and coaching students for years. It works incredibly well and I've had amazing feedback on it! And also, I have had nearly a decade of experience refining and perfecting this process for myself. Photography educators are a dime a dozen these days, but I have the experience to back up what I teach, and my students will tell you that this is the real deal.
This isn't like other courses (really).
No more freezing up, feeling overwhelmed, or running bland sessions. Take control of what you can, and confidently manage the rest.
How I prepare clients for a successful session
My super easy session flow
How to create authentic connection between subjects
How to photograph for maximum variety with minimum effort
My process for shooting in homes or studios
Newborn sessions made simple
What photos are essential in a great gallery
Topics we'll cover in detail inside this course:
Working with stressed and stiff adults
Making mom look genuinely gorgeous
The secret behind my creating favorite family images
Managing wild, shy, and uncooperative children
How to make your images actually look natural
Creating well-composed photos
Customizable cheat sheets so you've always got backup
Five full recorded sessions (indoor and outdoor), along with my commentary and image galleries
Setting realistic expectations, and implementing change in a healthy way
Addressing and fixing common session struggles
This program is an absolutely incredible value, seriously. Realistically, this information would require two one-on-one mentorships plus at least two styled shoots to cover all of these topics in the depth that I go to in this course. That means that this is a $2345+ value, but you get it for just the cost of a single mentorship at just $695. You also get lifetime access, incredibly streamlined and thorough content, plus five full recorded sessions. And any additions or updates I make to this content will always be yours at no additional cost.
P.S. Love bonuses? You get my actual session guide that I send to clients, now yours to customize easily for your own sessions. You also get access to all of the equipment, software, and other tools I use and love, plus discounts!
Enroll NOW
from my students
"This course has transformed the way I run my sessions!"
Meredith:
I am pretty picky when it comes to purchasing educational content, but Hannah's courses have all been more than worth it. This course is no exception. What makes it so valuable is the way in which she breaks down each element so that you can immediately implement it in your own sessions. It's the simple, yet not always obviously tips and advice that she gives that have truly taken my sessions to the next level. The section on posing moms specifically was gold - it helped me identify when and how to make sure moms look beautiful in their photos. This course has transformed the way I run my sessions!
All that separates you from where you are and where you want to go is the right knowledge and the willingness to bet on yourself.
Get ready to:
✔ Confidently direct every session, as you get your clients to work with you, not against you
✔ Capture stunning images and tons of variety, even when all sorts of chaos is thrown your way
✔ Create elevated, beautifully composed images that actually make your subjects look gorgeous
✔ Never again feel stuck or lacking in creativity, but empowered and purposeful
You already have the right clients. You already have all the talent you need. The only piece remaining is getting equipped with the right tools - and they're waiting for you!
Enroll NOW
You can consistently create elevated imagery with minimal effort, no 'perfect' clients needed.
Kelly says:
“For the longest time I felt like my family sessions were always missing something. I captured beautiful images, but the connection and true reflection of the family wasn't apparent. Once I came across Hannah Mann I instantly resonated with her work and knew she created the images I hoped to capture. So when I found out she was launching a course I knew I had to buy it right away. And let me tell you, it's so WORTH it.
Hannah was meant to teach. The way she explains her process makes it seem achievable. Everything is to the point and watching her navigate some of her family sessions is worth the course alone. I learned so much. I'm starting to set up some sessions to implement her teachings and I already know it's a game changer!! I can't wait to capture the moments I truly strive for."
"I can’t recommend The Art of Connection more!"
Courtney:
So many times we want to learn how to completely control a session — Hannah’s course doesn’t teach that, but what it does teach is so much more. She teaches how to build up the confidence to know how to redirect sessions when things don’t go as planned. As photographers, we sometimes feel like we haven’t made it until we know how to have perfect sessions every time, but that will never be the case. Hannah‘s four-step system allows us the flexibility to not be disappointed when a session doesn’t go perfectly and teaches ways to redirect our clients to make the absolute most of any situation — this covers challenging clients and those wild kids. Not only does Hannah's course teach photographers what to do during a session, but she also provides so much technical information that can be learned and then applied to each session to really elevate it. She goes over composition, how to make a mom look and feel beautiful, making the most out of a pose, how to work with both indoor and outdoor sessions, and so much more. All of these things combined (which are actually very easy and practical to learn) can make or break a gallery. I can’t recommend The Art of Connection more! I’ve invested in all of Hannah’s other teachings and nothing ever overlaps and they all provide something so different and SO SO GOOD!
Friend, it's so much better. Let's say you wanted to learn about fashion - would you rather have a stylist pick out a couple outfits for you, or sit down with you and teach you everything you need to know about what looks great on you and why, which pieces go together, and how to rock your personal style for years to come? If you were serious about learning at all, you'd want the second option.
That's what this is: everything you need to know about creating poses for each family you work with, so you're empowered to do so much more than follow a simple list. But don't worry, I've got tons of cheat sheets to help you along the way, and you will absolutely learn to pose clients better than EVER.
Q: Is this a posing guide?
Q: What format is the content?
Q: How long will it take to see results?
Q: Is this for beginners or more experienced photographers?
The lessons are a mix of video and written/visual content. Some topics are covered best by talking, while others need lots of image examples to make them clear. I've combined the best of both worlds, as well as feedback from my coaching students who have reviewed this for me. You can also download most of the text lessons as PDFs so you can access them offline!
You'll see them at your next session, seriously. But don't worry, you don't need to implement a major overhaul at your next session if you're not ready! In the course, I'll walk you through what healthy expectations look like and how to make changes in a way that's right for you. You'll also receive tons of cheat sheets that you can save to your phone so that I'm virtually holding your hand and cheering you on as you implement big changes. :)
Anyone and everyone who isn't thrilled with how their sessions are going! I have taught this to students who are brand new and others who have been at this over a decade. All are welcome - we should never stop learning!
Have questions? I've got answers!
Q: How much time do I need to commit to make this work?
Gosh friend, not a lot! I'm a mom of four homeschooled kids and believe me when I say I get how crazy busy life is even when we try to keep it slow (and even with a husband who is a stay at home dad!). I don't want to add another ounce of busy to your plate or waste a moment of your precious time. My content is streamlined and will absolutely never be fluff. You can get through all the content in a couple hours if you read quickly and like a good learning deep-dive, but you can easily fit this into little pockets of your day around other obligations. My longest video is under 15 minutes, and most of them are 5-10. If we were grabbing coffee together I could spend hours talking photography, but don't worry - I take a different approach with all of my educational content. It's streamlined and sweet! ;)
Q: Does this work for newborn sessions or shooting in homes, too?
Absolutely yes! The only exception is if you're shooting posed studio newborns - I photograph with a lifestyle approach, which you see of course in my work. I included sections specifically on photographing newborns and on shooting indoors, because most of us are photographing families in all of their stages, both in homes or studios and out in nature. This course will empower you in each of those areas.
Yuna says:
"I absolutely adore Hannah’s work and her generosity in empowering other photographers by sharing her invaluable knowledge. This course is exactly what I've been waiting for, and it exceeded my expectations in every way!
The Art of Connection is overflowing with practical wisdom, offering simple yet transformative insights that equip photographers with the confidence and flexibility to excel. Hannah's guidance extends beyond technical skills, nurturing photographers' confidence, adaptability, and genuine connections with clients. It's the course you wished you had invested in yesterday, and I am extremely glad I did!"
Keep doing the same old thing, feeling stuck, waiting for creativity to strike, and being overwhelmed by stressful sessions
Discover the easiest way EVER to masterfully shoot every session, confidently direct all of your clients, and create dreamy images no matter the chaos!
- or -
The choice is yours:
— Ashley
"If you’re on the fence, know that Hannah’s offerings have made a true difference in the quality of service I give my clients. Absolute game changers for my business!"
I'm Hannah.
I've been a family and newborn photographer since 2014, and I have a passion for equipping other photographers to succeed.
I spent several years running a business that, quite honestly, crushed me. I never felt good enough. I never had enough clients. I never made enough money. I was alone, and I really didn't know where to go next. Often, I wanted to quit.
Thankfully, the story didn't end there: I made major changes to my business and transformed it, and raised my prices above four figures (with no IPS or sales!). Not only did my art flourish and my business thrive - so did my family. I went from contributing modestly to our family, to retiring my husband from a toxic career and fully supporting our family of six.
It didn't happen overnight, but it DID happen. And I am absolutely over the moon that I get to teach other photographers to thrive - on a much faster timeline and with none of the pain!
Hey there!
"Not only is she excellent in her field, she truly wants others to succeed as well."
Lindsay:
what my students are saying
Say YES to growth
let's do this
I know this will empower you and create huge change in your sessions and in your artwork - but if you're not sure yet, just send me an email at hello@hannahmann.com and let's chat! Promise I'm easy to talk to, and I'll answer anything you want to throw my way.