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Join in as Nikki Closser, a mentor in the Sue Bryce Education community, interviews photographers who manage successful portrait photography businesses from around the globe using the business model Sue Bryce teaches. Subscribe to hear stories that will fast track your success and transform you as a photographer and business owner.
Do it scared.
No one else is going to do it for you.
I see you doing the work and posting a little, but not really seeking the clients.
Show up.
Show up with confidence because you know your stuff.
You know your stuff, you're passionate about it.
That's why you're here.
Yeah.
And you know what?
This is not even about you.
Someone out there actually needs you.
Do you want to give them that empowerment session?
Do you want to help them transform the way they see themselves?
Do you want to help them change their life?
Do it scared.
Welcome to the Portrait System Podcast.
I'm your host, Nikki Closser, and this show is here to help you succeed in the world
of photography and business to help you learn to become financially free doing what you
love and so much more.
With over one million downloads, countless photographers have taken what they've learned
from both our episodes and from theportraitsystem.com, and they have grown their businesses who
quit their day jobs and are designing a life of their dreams.
We keep it real and share stories about the ups and downs that come with running a photography
business.
You'll hear real life stories of how other photographers run their business, and you'll
learn actionable steps that you can take to reach your own goals.
Thank you so much for being here, and let's get started.
Can you make the same amount of money as you would as a corporate IT professional?
My guest today proves that the answer is yes.
I'm Nikki Closser, and this is the Portrait System.
Four years ago, Aamal Abed got fed up with the corporate world.
She walked right into her boss's office, and she quit on the spot that day.
Today, she runs her business called Diamond Portraits.
She matches her IT salary that she left behind, and her whole business is centered around
empowering women.
Aamal shares about a VIP group that she has to help bring potential clients in, and she
also does retreats, which is a way to bring in clients that I think most photographers
may not think of doing.
Today, this episode is for anyone who has stared at their boss's door and wondered what
would happen if they actually quit.
All right, let's get started.
Aamal, it's so good to see your beautiful face. How you doing?
I am doing great. How are you, Nikki?
I'm good. Me too. You were saying you just moved, or you're in the process of moving. Where do you live now? Did you move far?
So, no, we moved downtown. We lived in the northwest in a house. In the northwest where? Just for listeners so they know where you're at. Calgary, Alberta. Yes, deep northwest. And then I found out that I need a surgery ASAP for my foot, and our house had a lot of stairs.
So we had to move into an apartment where I can just use my scooter and move around and not risk getting injured.
So apologies for all the boxes in the background, but I had six days in between the final move date and my surgery away unpacked, so there's a few boxes sitting behind me.
Oh, that's alright. We all understand. Life happens. Okay, so you've had quite the photography journey, and we're going to go through all of that. Why don't you take us back a little bit to when, because you had a completely different job that you were ready to lead.
Yeah, I was in information technology. I was in IT. I was a senior systems analyst. I did business analyst, project management. So I was very, very corporate. And I did that for 15 years, actually.
And although I absolutely love, and I still actually love it because my son is in IT now, and when we have conversations, I still have that passion for like helping him with projects and stuff, but I just didn't, I couldn't take the culture, I guess, of being a woman in a male-dominated environment.
And so my transition into photography was quite interesting. It stemmed from a complete massive nervous breakdown. Just one day I just, we had a meeting, a lot were said, and so I walked up to my boss's office and I just like gave him my laptop and my phone and walked out.
I sat in the car and I honestly, I looked back and it felt like I was possessed. I had no idea who was driving, but I looked for the first and furthest flight out of Calgary and I booked it. It almost felt like I was throwing a dart and that dart landed on London, England.
Wow.
So I booked it, had four hours to get to the airport, so drove home packed, told my husband, and just got on the plane.
Yes, I quit my job and now I'm going to London.
Literally. And so, yeah, I realized on the plane that I didn't even have a place to stay. I didn't know anybody. I have never been there, like ever. I've never looked it up.
Anyways, that was the week, I spent a week with myself and that was the week that made me realize that I've just been living a life that was basically written for me before I was born.
You know, get the job, get the diploma, get married, have the kids, blah, blah, blah. And so that experience with myself in London, just having the time to see myself in the mirror, to sip on my coffee slowly, to literally not talk to my girlfriend.
My best friends did not even know. Like I didn't tell my family. I'm like, the world is just going off right now. I'm just paying attention to me. Even my Hollywood call, I'd be like, oh, I'm just ordering food and I would just be sitting by the river.
And that made me realize that women, like I just couldn't be the only 40 year old woman that is going through that. And so that's when I came back and started my photography journey.
Wow. When was that?
Goodness, that was 2022.
Oh, 2022. So it's only been four years since you started your business.
Yes.
Wow. You know what, though? I feel like there are so many people who can relate to that when you just get to the point that you cannot do what you've been doing anymore.
And that your life was not designed around you and what you need as a person, as a woman, just like things that light you up. And then all of a sudden one day it's like, shit, like, like, I can't do this anymore.
You have been, you know, and everyone responds to the this feeling in a different way. Some people are very calculated and have a plan in place for years, whatever.
And some people walk into their boss's office and hand them their computer and they're like, I'm out and book a trip.
So everyone handles it differently. But gosh, there is something so important about living our lives in a way that feels really good and authentic to us.
So, like, if you if you think about now, four years later, how are like, do you feel different? Do you feel better?
Like, oh, my God, I'm getting goosebumps everywhere. I am a completely different human being.
In fact, I have two pictures before and after one just before I quit my job. And when it took a couple of years ago, I honestly can't even recognize myself in that picture.
I looked like this person. I was thriving in IT. I was making over 100K. And I started making that early 30s back then when 100K was actually money.
Well, yeah. Yeah.
I was you know, I was a senior analyst. I was a manager for a few years. So I was thriving.
But at the same time, like I was checking all the boxes that society, you know, you're doing amazing.
We're so proud of you. But then that picture shows how unhappy I was.
I was standing looking down. It's like, please don't show my face or like please open up and like swallow me whole because there was zero confidence in myself as a woman.
And so, yeah, every decision was driven by everybody else. Right. And myself.
And now it's the extreme opposite of this. Well, and it all started with booking the flight and coming home and be like, hey, babe, I'm going to London, by the way.
Yeah. Yeah. Well, it seems now like you empower women through portraits and photography, like that is the backbone of your business.
And it's interesting how it translated from your what you were going through and experiencing into what you've created now.
A hundred percent. Thank you. So what happened was like I kind of looked back and noticed what did I do during that week that made me come back as this completely transformed person.
I took my time in the morning to get ready. I actually did my hair, put a touch of makeup, and I never used to take the time to do any of that.
Like I paid I listen to music in the morning and I'd be like dancing around like, you know, when I was seven, when I was 17, before all the responsibilities and just those little, little like such a simple routine in the morning.
But it felt so lavish. I felt like I was living my best life. And so I came back and basically created a studio that has all the gowns and the crowns like I show up with these things.
I get the hair and makeup artists that have a team that does hair and makeup.
And during like they show up at 930 and they're there till about three. I do exactly what I experienced.
Like I actually wrote things down. I came back basically journaled like what is it that I experienced? And it's that mirror talk like, Oh my God, remember when I used to do this when I was 17 and I used to twirl and dance and do this and do that.
And so I start talking to them about themselves, about their journey.
And gosh, the things I hear, Nikki, and you probably have to like, you know, I'm not worthy of this. I'm too fat. I hate that word. I hate that word. Or my mom told me to not wear red. I shouldn't be wearing this.
And I'm like, you know what? Mom is not here. Try it. And those are ladies over 40. Each one of them had a certain reflection that they looked back and said, why did I live life without doing this?
Some of the ladies started businesses. Like, and I get long messages saying, thank you so much. Like you gave me confidence that I actually started doing resin, which an ex forbade her to do. Or I started wearing red because red looks amazing on me.
And no, it's not a seductive color. It's a powerful color. So I talked to them. I basically become their mirror.
And so, yes, I turned that week that I experienced into my studio experiences. I think that's why things happen so quickly with my business.
Yeah. Well, and obviously there's so much that goes into building a business and growing a business and like starting at ground zero and working up to where you're at now.
So just kind of take us through. OK, you decided you're going to be a photographer and then what?
Yes. So I came home and I went on a Facebook. So I used to be I had some professional equipment, not for indoor. I used to do like fall sessions, Christmas sessions, the occasional like wedding on the side.
It was a hobby. It was a passion. But I never, ever thought it could be like a full time gig where I'm like paying my bills.
I was charging like $200 bucks. At some point I charged $85.
Oh, yeah. Yeah. I did like $75. It's insane. Yeah. And it gave all the photos like $120. He sat there and ended it up for hours.
But I came home and I posted on one of the Facebook groups that I was part part of, photographer Facebook.
And I asked them, OK, well, honestly, looking back, it was like the dumbest text message I've ever written.
But it was the best one as well. I just went. I just quit my job and I'm not going back to IT.
And I want to turn my photography into a full time business. But I do want to empower women through that.
How do I do that? Like, how do I get there? And this amazing angel goes, look up Sue Bryce.
Oh, that's awesome.
That was November. Joined the portrait system. The following, I believe it was in Feb. I was in Vegas for WPPI.
Like, why are these guys saying they can charge this much? Like, what do they think they do? I'm going to go find out myself.
So, you know, I attended every single seminar. I was lucky enough to, like, bump into Sue Bryce physically.
I was like, oh, I'm sorry. And I'm like, oh, this is Sue Bryce. And we had a brief conversation that was empowering.
She was very impressed that I was. She's like, how long have you been with the portrait system? And I said, oh, November.
And she goes, oh, and you're already here. I'm like, yeah. She goes, you're going to do well.
And I'm like, OK. Doing the work. Yeah. And so, yeah, we had basically we had that kind of conversation and it just went up from there.
Started came back. I started pay 10 backdrops. I moved our walk up basement was basically a like family room.
So I took the pool table and the physical table and I'm like, up they go and painted the walls and turned it into a photography studio.
And I put in your house. Yes. And I put an ad out there. And gosh.
I still get nervous just thinking about my first session, just having to do the lighting, the indoor lighting and control it.
And you know how much work and our listeners are mainly photographers. You know how much work goes behind the scene.
And I did all the courses, but still. And after the session, the lady left me a video.
I wanted it for myself to just learn from. So I'm like, do you mind just talking about your experience?
And I put my phone on the way she talked about it. She's like, this was healing. Like, you know, this is you have a gift that you're giving women to make them feel beautiful and to make them reconnect with themselves.
The fear I felt like I took physical two steps back, going like, don't say that to me because it's not in IT.
It's not a flow chart. I don't know how to fix it if it breaks. I can't Google it.
Right. Like so. Years and years passed by, a few years, I found out it was just a my story that made me so passionate to do this.
And it was my genuine passion that got me there. And I can feel that.
Yeah, like I was booked every week. I was by whatever I wanted to book.
And did you raise your prices during that time, like from the eighty five dollars?
Oh my God. Yeah. So when I started, I started I think it was my first session.
The session fee was two ninety nine and my smallest package was seven hundred.
And after a few sessions, I actually increased it to what Sue Bryce recommends back then.
It was like fifteen hundred for the middle for the lowest package, actually. Now I can't remember where I went from there.
But yeah, now it's fifteen hundred for the middle package. OK. But yeah, like my clients come back.
I photographed clients like four times. Those repeat clients are awesome.
And I know I say this all the time, but like marketing to past clients is extremely important because they already know how much they love the experience.
They know they're going to love the photos. They're comfortable with you. They already know what you charge.
Like it makes a big difference. So as far as I know, you said, you know, you were fully booked and this sort of thing.
But how did you get people in the door? Because I think a lot of people listening and really a lot of photographers in general right now are like, OK, I'm having a hard time getting the clients.
So what was it that you feel like you did that made it happen?
Literally all like almost all my clients back then were from Facebook ads. Oh, OK. Yeah. Yeah. Like it was just a forum.
They fill out a column and I do the consultation call. And what was your like, do you remember in the ad, like what were you saying?
Like I know you have a 30 over 30 campaign. Was that what you were doing or was it like that was 40 over 40 and then had a lot of 30 year old going like, oh, why can't we?
And I'm like, of course, I can photograph you. They're like, no, we want to be a part of the campaign. Like we want to be part of the gala, want to be part of the magazine.
So I actually changed it a couple of years ago, but it was an invitation. So it was an invitation.
Like, you know, I am celebrating women. And if you were can't remember my exact words, but I know the start is always I'm looking for, you know, 40 ladies over 40 who have been doing everything for everybody else.
And who need a break or I'm looking, are you a mom who, you know, spends her day taking care of everybody and running errands and you haven't taken a break, you know.
And so what ladies get curious. But I do say celebrating with the photo shoot. I do include it includes hair, makeup and show some of the pictures, obviously, and the lighting.
And I have Hollywood lighting that people are in love with. And so I get the comments like, well, how does this work and can I join?
And honestly, what breaks my heart every single time they think that even over the phone is like, well, would you photograph me then?
Of course I would. Like, there's nothing wrong with you. I'm not looking for models.
I do share all bodies, like all bodies. In fact, I share the bodies that society think are not pretty because they walk out of here feeling amazing, feeling beautiful.
And so those are the bodies I share mostly because it's not just for, you know, certain sizes.
Right. Yeah. When people can see themselves in the photos, it makes such a huge difference. Like if you're only showing your portfolio of people who look like models.
I mean, yeah, it's not relatable to a lot of people.
Yeah. You know, OK, so now do you still do Facebook ads or how are your your leads coming in now?
Honestly, mainly now it's referral. I do, I still run my Facebook ads, but like the budget went like so, like, honestly, I haven't run it in, honestly, a year.
OK. Yeah. So it's the referrals that have kind of snowballed?
Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I also have a group like a VIP group where my clients join, where even the clients that don't book or the leads that don't book, I still invite them and I say, hey, you know, they share their story with me.
And they do need that community, but they don't necessarily have the money right now to do it.
And I say, you know what, why don't you join this? You know, we have a group, a Calgary Diamonds group. We're funny.
We're, you know, we're supportive. Just hang out. And they absolutely love it.
So when you say group, is this like an in-person group where you actually meet up?
So it's a Facebook group. And yes, we do meet up once a month.
Wow. That's great.
Mainly dinners. Yeah, I honestly mainly do dinners.
I don't do like activities and like look for things to do because I feel like the one thing that is missing is that heart to heart conversation.
A lot of like the meetups, if you know of meetups, there's a lot of activities. Let's go play volleyball. Let's go do this. Let's go bowling, whatever, karaoke.
I don't do that. Some of the women actually suggested, oh, maybe we should do something.
Like, OK, we'll go for a movie and dinner because it's that conversation that we like that I found that women genuinely need that connection where you can sit and talk with 10 other women or like one on one and share your story.
And you may just meet your best friend of this age. Not everyone has a group.
Oh, yeah, that's so cool. It's so great. It's like you're you're creating a welcoming community.
And it is. I mean, especially, you know, at our age, our 40s, 50s, whatever, like meeting new women isn't always the easiest thing to do.
And also, there are so many times where I think women want to go out and they want to connect, but they just don't even know what to do or how.
And and the other thing, too, is even if you have people in the group who've not experienced a photo shoot with you yet, they can now hear the experiences of the other women firsthand and see them light up about it.
Like you don't get better marketing than that.
Exactly. Exactly. And you're genuinely like I think honestly, what drives my business or what makes what drives my success is that people genuinely see that I'm passionate about helping women and that I'm genuine in that sense.
Like even my hangout, there is zero marketing. Yes, it is, obviously, because they come and they they hang out, they make a friend, they meet me.
And my hope is they fall in love with me and they wonder if they want me to photograph them.
But but I think what really, really attracts clients to me is the fact that I don't I don't really market.
I show up, I show up and that's my marketing strategy, whether it's on my Facebook group, even my posts, I don't post, hey, book the session.
I post images or reels of the before and after the hair and makeup, the conversation, the tears, the after photos after.
And I talk about the client, her journey, not me.
I love it. I'm celebrating her gold rather than marketing me. But it is it is essentially yeah, it is essentially a marketing strategy.
Oh, absolutely. But when it's genuine and when it's personal and when it's all about the client and what you're going to provide for them, along with the testimonials of others who have experienced it.
People can feel it like like there's no fluff, there's no bullshit. It is just from the heart and it's the best kind of marketing.
And yeah, sure, it is marketing. The whole point is for you to get more clients.
But in the meantime, making people feel really great and all of that, like, sure, we get paid to take photos.
But in the end, we are also exactly like you said, we're pumping them up. We are giving them confidence.
I mean, I had this one lady. This was one. This was back when I first started doing, you know, studio sessions with with just women, like empowerment stuff.
This woman, she texted me after and she's like, I just bought a bike and I am going on a bike ride this weekend with my girlfriends and blah, blah, blah.
And like she's like, I have not felt this good in so long. She didn't even see her photos yet.
This was just after the session. Yeah. I mean, that experience. Yeah. The experience you offer them sitting with themselves, essentially realizing that, A, I still exist.
There's still an I. I'm not just a mom. I'm not just an employee. I'm not just a wife. Blah, blah, blah.
I think that's what like excites them. Like, wait, I'm still here. I can still do things for myself.
Right. That's amazing that your client experience. I know it was so great. And she had been gone going through a terrible divorce.
She was in her 50s. She was just feeling terrible about herself, you know, and she said it just like literally gave her like a springboard to get back into life.
It made me so happy. So when you do these campaigns, I know people love to hear like how how you structure them.
So do they come in paying anything and what do they get for that? And you mentioned a magazine.
Talk a little bit about that. Yes. So like when we do the consultation, well, I should say the it's not the console.
Yeah, it is. Sorry. When we do the consultation or the phone, I call the lead. Just tell them all about the experience.
I ask them questions about themselves. Like, what made you want to to do this for you?
And have you done a photo shoot before? Just talk about them. It's also for me to get to know them and be to kind of say, you know, you've done all of this.
We rate what they've done for everyone else. You know, maybe it is time to do something for yourself.
So through the consultation, just make that connection, though. Do not make it salesy.
It just will not go well. Make the connection. And then when we're done, I'll tell her exactly what happens.
I'll say, OK, well, if you decide to go for this and something you want to experience, the session fees, this much, I charge $400 for my session fee.
And with that, you get ABC, like the hair, makeup session, all of that. The prints are extra. I get all my prints from Grafi.
OK. And so I talk a little bit about Grafi in Italy and I say, you know what? I was lucky enough to go and see everything they do there.
It's a beautiful product and it's a luxury. This this is something in decades from now you can pass on to your kids.
So we talk about the actual product and then I'll say, you know, my my packages start at fifteen hundred and go up from there.
And I'll tell them most of the ladies go for the middle package. I think it's the same for every photographer.
You know, is this something you want to do? And yes, I do take the session fee right there and then when they book.
And OK, so they don't come in getting like free prints or free digital or anything. They it is like a regular full session.
But then they also get to be part of this other like this group of the 30 over 30 or whatever.
Yeah. Yeah. So they get to be part of the group. They get to be celebrated in a magazine where they share their story, like a few questions in a form.
I send it to them, they fill it out and we create like my assistant would create a beautiful magazine that I do release at the gala every year.
So I do host the gala to celebrate them. The clients themselves don't pay tickets.
But if they want to bring a friend or a family member and it's open to all the other ladies in the group or I don't open it to the public just because it's almost like a community celebration.
Right. During that gala, you know, have a deejay, have food. It's it's a legit gala. Like we dress up fancy gowns and whatnot.
Wow. Yeah. Do you rent a space to do it like a. Yeah. Yeah. This is cool.
Yeah. It's been a lot of fun for me, too. One of the ladies asked me once during a consultation, she later looked at me and goes, did you like to dress up when you were a kid?
And honestly, that was an aha moment for me because I loved to dress up when I was a kid.
I loved to put poofy dresses and like model them in front of the mirror. And she's like, do you think part of what you're doing is because I was like, yes, 100 percent.
Yes. Yes. So it's it's yeah, it's essentially turned.
Wow. A bunch of my passions into a business that pays my bills, but it's something that I generally passionate about and I'm not really working.
I don't feel like I'm working. Mm hmm. OK, so when you look at your corporate salary versus now, have you been able to reach that?
Is there there's still a gap there? Yeah, I did. I could be I could be making double, but I have a bad habit slash addiction.
I travel a lot. And so that makes me take a lot of time off.
It's cost a lot. And so, you know what? You wouldn't be able to to feed your travel addiction if you were still in that corporate job.
I mean, you should be doing what you love and what you want to do. That was one of the biggest perks is like not having to walk into my boss's office and he goes, oh, my God, you're traveling again.
It's like, oh, it's already booked, Jason. Like, you're just going to have to sign it. But yeah, it's so actually that led me into doing retreats.
OK, yeah, because you had mentioned that you do retreats for your clients and I'm like, oh, this is really interesting.
Like what kind of retreat? Like how do you get to go and do they pay? And so, yeah, that was just my question. So tell us all about it.
Yeah, so most of my clients, I want to say, became friends. And so they're always like, what, you're going to Paris, you're going to Italy.
And sometimes I just travel solo because my husband still works in corporate and I'm going to live my life.
Yeah, I travel so low sometimes. Yeah, nothing wrong with that.
So I saw that passion for like, oh, I wish I could go to Paris. I wish I could go to whatever.
So I'm like, OK, well, let's give it a try. So last year was my first retreat. Gosh, the story.
So I was at, again, Sue Bryce content creator. Was it last year, two years ago? Content creator.
Two years ago, yeah.
Yeah. And then I pretty sure it was like the first day I went back to my hotel room, logged in and put my landing page together for Mexico.
I went and looked up prices for like one of my favorite five star resort because like my photography is a luxury experience.
I'm not going to take them somewhere cheap. So I'm like, OK, this has to be luxury focused. They need to be spoiled.
And so I looked it up, price it out, send it out. Took me about four hours.
And I got like I'm getting goosebumps again. I got my first booking like within 30 minutes. Wow. And a text saying, OK, I'm out. Don't tell my husband if you ever ran into us.
I haven't told him. I'll tell him closer to the yeah, to the trip.
And I'm like, oh, my gosh. And then I'm pretty sure within three months I only take four ladies with me right now.
May increase it. Not yet. But it got fully booked. We went. We had an amazing time.
I do a photo shoot there. And because that was my that was what I was wondering.
So it's a retreat. But are they paying enough to cover the hotel and all of that?
Like, how is it structured? And are you making money from it?
A hundred percent. Yes. So what I do is I book us well in advance because of all my travel addiction.
I can actually get great deals. So I book it well in advance and then I market it at cost.
They don't know what the cost is. They don't care. They're just paying me. But if anybody ever goes back and Google, they're just going to see the price of the regular price.
But because I've been a member, I can get great deals. That's one thing.
The other thing is I do make sure that I'm charging, like if I'm offering, say, 15 images, I make sure that I am charging my session fee here.
Right. But then I'm making it possible for them to travel. Food is available.
When it was when we were in Mexico, I had I had to tweak it a little bit for Paris.
So for Mexico, everything was all inclusive. So it was great. We're by the beach.
We did the photo shoot there. We did a few activities that.
Gosh. We had an incredible evening where a lot of woo happened to us.
OK, that's all I'm going to say happened. Oh, that's all.
Like, I don't know how to explain it, but we were just like, what is happening?
And honestly, that brought us together together in a way that nothing I could have planned.
So the universe is also helping me a little. And one of the ladies came back and got a tattoo of a diamond.
Saying that, hey, I really I want this like right here in her forearm.
And she's like, I want to always remember the diamond I am like what happened to me in Mexico made like gave me that.
But I don't want to forget that experience. And so we're all going to go and get the same tattoo.
We're just waiting for one of us to go off blood thinners and so we can go as a group.
That's incredible. Yeah. Paris was different because it's expensive.
I had to tweak. I had to tweak. I find assistants there. I find hair makeup artists wherever I go.
And so I had to tweak. So it just honestly depends on the destination. And next year Santorini and it is fully booked.
So amazing. Thank you. OK. So you put it out there and it's just a package one price for them to go.
That includes their hotel. It includes their photos. They're responsible for flight and food and stuff.
No, they pay for their own flight. Like anything that is not included in the all inclusive.
Yeah. OK. So they pay for all that. Yeah. Yeah. They pay for their flight.
But their hotel and their photo shoot and digital is only for my retreats.
I don't offer it prints, just digital. And I offer them when they come back, I offer them an add on.
Like if you want to get more. God is a package for Paris.
If I may share, because that was like one of the biggest and we talk about imposter syndrome a lot.
So my brain was saying, well, it was all inclusive. That's why people booked and nobody's going to come with you to Paris.
Like they say they want to, but they won't. And so I don't know this one day I sat down and did it.
And I was fully booked within 22 hours. Wow.
In fact, I had six ladies and two of them had to cancel due to death in the family and health issues.
But I ended up taking four, which was my sweet number. But two of them really wanted to come.
But things happened in their life and they couldn't. So I ended up taking four within 22 hours.
This is my brain is just like, because I am also a travel addict and it's, you know, I have two little kids who I want to, you know,
I try to take them with me or whatever. I want them to see the world as well.
But I am also, you know, I like to travel without kids as well.
And it's hard to justify traveling without my kids. Like, why would I go without them?
I want them there. But at the same time, I'm like, if it's a work trip, I could, you know, tack on a couple more days and do my thing in my head.
OK, I'm going to be 50 next year. And we were my husband and I, we've only been away from the kids together one time since, you know, in 10 years.
How old are they? So they're 10 and 8. OK, so we're doing we're going somewhere for my 50th.
And I was looking into Morocco, like I've been to Morocco. It is one of my favorite places in the world.
It was before I was a photographer and like to go back and be able to do photo shoots in Morocco would be an absolute dream. Anyway.
So we were looking at going there for my 50th, but I would need in order to experience it the way I want to with my husband, we would need more than the time that I want to be away from my kids.
So in my head, I'm like, well, we can't do Morocco. But now after talking to you, I'm like, huh, maybe I could do a retreat and, you know, just stay in one place in Morocco and not feel like I travel around.
But maybe I could make it into a work trip that would justify this. You have my brain going a mile a minute.
You could totally do that. Honestly, every single time, as soon as the ladies leave, Charlie lands. Oh, there you go. We stay for a week or two.
But yeah, it's about that. Yeah. So again, back to combining your passion to business.
A, you're doing it with passion. People will book again. And B, you're living your best life. Yes. Yes. Oh, this is so fun and so great.
I just feel like like you are like just your energy and your passion. It's like a breath of fresh air.
You know, are there ever times, Aamal, where you like it's not all rainbows and unicorns where you're just like, OK, I got to hustle.
Like I don't have many clients as I need. Like, is there ever that side to your business? A hundred percent. Oh, my gosh, yes.
There is I find it in the summer, things get really slow. And so I learned like, OK, I'm going to hustle in or even December.
Oh, my gosh. It just dies down. Same. It's funny because I think family, you know, family photographers, that sort of thing, like November, December, that holiday time is super busy.
But like for personal branding, summer is always my slowest time. Summer and then December, exactly what you just said, which is why I supplement.
I do seniors during the summer to kind of make up for that, you know. But anyway.
So, yeah, it's interesting because I think different genres have different slow times, but we're similar.
I feel with I think where I live, because our summer is so short, it's actually sad. Ours is too. They don't want to be indoors.
They don't want to spend the day with me because they can book for September. And some people actually book and be like, oh, wow, I know it's May, but can I just book it for October?
And I'm like, but that's sure. And, you know, we have trips or we have road trips. And like I live somewhere where it's like, it's beautiful. I don't know if you've ever been a band for B.C.
No, I have not.
It's stunning. I kind of understand.
I've seen so many beautiful things about it. Yeah.
Yeah. But that's what kind of motivated me to add other like pillars to my business, like the retreats or the public speaking.
So with the speaking portion, who are you? Because I know you'd mentioned that when we were off camera about speaking.
So who are you speaking to? And like, is it again to promote your business ultimately? And who like, how does that work?
It's the same exact thing as I do. So like working one on one with women is amazing.
And just seeing that transformation, it kind of made me I sat one day and I'm like, well, how can I reach more women, like people that can't afford it?
And honestly, that's genuinely what drove the whole public speaking. And I've done presentations in the past.
Honestly, I started public speaking when I was seven. And I remembered it when I was like having a nervous breakdown.
I was like, oh, my God, I'm going stage. And I'm like, hold on. I held a mic and I spoke in front of people when I was seven.
So that is something I've always done a lot. And so I started sharing my journey on stages mainly in the beginning.
It was small business, small networking events were like 30 to 50 people.
The response was absolutely amazing, especially like from men, which I did not expect because I'm saying it all interesting.
In the small business, like events, I would share everything. And men would be like, what?
There's this like, are you serious? This happened at work. And then I started stepping on bigger stages.
I got this email. You are going to laugh. So I got this email in December, I think, 2024.
And saying, you know, an invitation to apply to speak at this big stage, one woman.
And I'm like, oh, this is probably spam. So I did not. I've attended their events.
They're big events. It's a big stage. It's an international, like big deal.
So let it be 2025 WPPI. Do you do you see a pattern in here?
I went upstairs just to like relax for 15 minutes between seminars and I don't know what made me think of it.
It was my next step. And usually when I show up to the conferences, I'm like all jazzed up, like what's next?
And so I literally put my phone against the TV at the hotel room, just press record it.
And I just I found the email. They emailed me again, which I did not even see. I'm like, OK, wait a minute.
Is this real? So I fill out the application. You need to do a video.
I just said my bid, told them my story, sent it, literally recorded once.
And a couple of months later, I got an invite to speak on their stage. And I've been I think I've been on their stage four times so far.
Which stage? Which stage is it? One fearless woman. It's an international.
Yeah. OK. How cool is that? It's women empowerment. So my talk is called The Magic in the Mirror.
And I just describe what I went through during that week.
Yeah. But yes, I'll be honest, I haven't really received any or gotten any booking through that networking I've done.
I'm not getting any booking from networking. I feel like Facebook and referral are my two.
Yeah. If it's like an international group like that, I feel like it's trickier because local is usually like the local networkings.
For me is usually where I get my most, you know, where it's more of like an international group and that sort of thing.
I feel like that can be a little bit trickier because if not everyone is local, then.
I just feel like it makes it harder. I could be honest.
No, no, no. You're right. You're right. And that will take me into the coaching certificate I just got.
Because I had a conversation with Sharla, who is the brains and the heart behind one woman.
And I'm like, well, what do I like? How do I make money out of it? Like, I do get paid in other events.
And I started getting booked. And I am now part of a speaking bureau, which they do pay.
So I am making some money as of this year from my talks.
And I can share it with people if anybody's interested in public speaking.
Some of the networking events are paying as high as like twenty five hundred for a forty five minute talk.
So not bad. But then I'm like, OK, what can I sell from this stage if I'm going to be traveling the world?
So exactly what I do, one on one with the ladies that I photograph, I wanted to do that.
I want to do coaching. But again, I was brought up in a home where my dad would say, why did you get ninety eight?
Where's the two percent? Oh, which is good, because I'm like, OK, I can't really market myself as a coach unless I get my certificate.
So while I'm healing from my foot surgery since August 11, I literally signed up the day of my surgery when I came home high on morphine.
Transfer me. That's hilarious. I know. And I, I had all the time to study and do my tests and, you know, redo and whatnot.
And I got certified. So I realized, though, how important it is to get certified because I had the nurture part or so in the nature part, which is just coaching.
But this is the nurture part. This is a simple system where six weeks or 12 weeks of walking clients exactly how how to get from A to B or to Z, sorry.
How to get from A to Z. And so that is something I'm working on right now, like my program for for coaching.
So that is something I resell in first stages. I know. Yeah. I can't believe it's only four years.
I know. And and that's the thing. Like, I feel like when you met Sue back in 2022.
When someone goes for it right away, I mean, it's a clear indicator that things are going to continue to progress.
Remember when this was before 2022. I don't know if you've seen Jill's documentary, The Light That Shines.
Oh, oh, this is OK. You're going to have to tell me what. Oh, you just wait, girl. Wait till you see this.
So the way that I for anyone listening, the way that I met Sue, I was following her courses.
My one of my best friends had breast cancer. She had gone through reconstructive surgery and it was she got a really bad infection.
And one of the implants had to be removed. It was just horrible. She was going through hell. She was living in Kentucky.
She flew out to Seattle. I was just learning how to be a photographer.
I rented a hotel room, got us a bottle of Chardonnay, and I was like, we're doing your photos like you deserve to feel beautiful regardless of everything.
So I had Sue's course on and I would watch it, how to pose, pause it. I'd go back. I posed Jill. I took the photos.
I actually really, really loved the photos. But I started thinking, I really want Jill to have an experience other than just me.
Like, I don't know what I'm doing yet. So I talked to some of my girlfriends.
We decided we were going to reach out to Sue Bryce, ask her, you know, tell her we want to we're going to pool our money together for Jill.
We're going to book a shoot. Here are the photos that I took of my friend so far. Like, can we book you?
So I emailed her. She emailed me back right away and said, call me. And I was like, oh, my God.
I have her phone number right here and she's telling me to call her. Like, I was just watching her course yesterday.
Oh, my God. So I called her. I'm like, hi, this is Nikki Closser.
And she was like, so would you girls want to go to Paris with me, you and Jill?
And I was like, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. What? I was still a social worker grinding, broke in debt, all the things.
I'm like, yeah, yeah. Pretty sure that Jill and I would do would make that work. Like, yeah.
And so she said, OK. And she had one Australia's photographer of the year.
This was in 20. What year was this? Oh, my gosh. Was it 2012?
Yeah, it must have been. Wow. 2011, maybe. So this was 2012 now.
And her trip, her prize was a trip to Paris. For winning that. And she was going to go by herself.
And then I emailed her. So she took Jill and I there. She brought filmmaker Hailey Bartholomew.
Hailey filmed the whole thing and created a documentary with Sue's images and our whole experience.
She interviews me and Jill and Sue and the whole nine. And it's a 15 minute documentary called The Light That Shines.
She took photos of Paris, of Jill in Paris at the Louvre twirling and the Steven Khalil pink tulle gown.
Like if you like the experience that Jill. I mean, I can't even explain to you how magical this whole thing was.
I can't. And when when Jill went home, the documentary came out and she was invited to be on the Today Show.
She ended up being Hoda's person of the year one year. Like the documentary just like exploded, went viral.
Anyway, it's called The Light That Shines. If you just Google it or put it in YouTube, Jill, The Light That Shines, you can watch it.
Get your Kleenex ready. Jill has since passed away, unfortunately. It was horrible.
But those last few years of her life were so incredible for her because of what Sue did for her.
And that's how my friendship with Sue started. Isn't that wild?
That is. That's such a beautiful story. And now I know exactly what I'm going to do after this call.
The Light That Shines. Yes.
The Light That Shines. So my whole point and telling you that whole story. Oh, my gosh. I went off on a tangent. However, is that the day in Paris, the first time I met Sue, we were sitting at lunch and she said, what's your plan?
And I said, well, I'm giving myself one more full year at the school.
And, you know, one more full school year and I better have it together because I am. That's when my business will. That's when I'll go full time.
That's when my business will, you know, take off. And she looked at me and she was like, I like I like you like you have a goal.
You're going for it and you're going big. And I know you will do it.
You know, it's just sounds similar to you when she said to you, OK, you just quit. You're already here. You're doing the work.
And that's really what it comes down to. I'm not saying people need to quit their job in a year.
I'm not saying it is about having goals and going for it and not sitting there hoping things are going to happen for you because they're not like you have to take control.
100 percent. Honestly, every single thing that I have done, like out of that, like whether it's a public speaking retreat, I sat down and did it and I sat in my doubts and my nobody's going to book.
I wasn't like, oh, you know, meditating or like, oh, I'm going to get booked in the next 24 hours.
I was like, you know what? Nobody's even going to click on this. I'm just going to do it like I'm going to do it instead of like just thinking about it at night.
I'm just going to do it. I'm going to send the email. So do it. Like, do it scared. Do it scared. What is the worst that could happen? People don't book and then what?
Yep. I want to quote you on that. Do it scared because no one is certainly going to book if you are doing nothing.
But there's a chance if you start doing something that they will.
And I know we get into mindsets where it's hard and we get the analysis paralysis and the fear and the whole nine. I've been there, done that.
I still have times where I go through it today, but now I have the skills and the tools to get myself out of it.
You know, I can have my pity party for a little bit, but then I got it. It's go time. Like it's if you don't do it, no one is going to do it for you.
No one, honestly. And I love that. I love what you said. I'm going to quote you that pity party. So when I had the surgery, I had the biggest pity party of my life.
Now this is temporary, temporary, right? But I'm like, I can't walk. I can't reach the remote. I have to ask my husband for water. He has to help me everywhere.
And like, it was just like, poor me on blast, even though I actually registered for the thing. And eventually I think two weeks into the poor me, I was like, okay, this is going to be three months.
What story am I going to tell? I sat on my butt for three months and cried and bitched about life.
And, or I can't walk and I can't enjoy the summer. I mean, it sucked that I couldn't be outside, but then I'm like, well, or I can just get my certificate, something that I've wanted to get for a very long time.
So that's what I did. And so there is, there is all like that self-talk, that self-belief, honest to God, I say it on stage and I actually mean it. It is the first step towards anything you ever want. Anything.
Yep. Agreed. I love it. I love it. Well, thank you so much for sharing all of this. This has been really inspiring.
Thank you. Yeah. I think you gave some people, people some really great ideas of, of things to do. So.
I hope so.
Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I missed you. I like our little, then we got to catch up. It's been a long time.
I know. I know. I know. I love, I remember, I always remember our, we had a conversation by the castle in Italy.
I think that's the first time we talked and like we connected. It was beautiful, but I got busy.
Yes. Oh, I love it. Awesome. All right. Well, you're not off the hook yet though. I still have more questions.
Sure. I always ask at the end. Of course. Okay. Number one is what is something you can't live without when you're doing a photo shoot?
My Hollywood lights.
Oh, all right. Those you put them within the frame, right? So you can see. Yeah. Cool.
They bring up like the best vibe and you know, it takes the session to a whole new level.
Okay. Awesome. All right. Number two is how do you spend your time when you're not working? We know you love to travel.
Yes, that. I love riding my motorcycle, which I couldn't enjoy this year, but anyways. Hiking, I absolutely love hiking.
Even though I'm afraid of heights. Still. But I still hike and enjoy the view from wherever peak I reach.
Love it. All right. And number three. Sorry. Spending time with family and friends.
Oh, yeah. Has been a new thing because I used to be a loner for the past couple of years. I feel like as soon as I started.
It's interesting how when I started hanging out with the diamonds like my group and going out for them,
I learned something about myself, how much that feeds my soul. So I actually started spending a lot of time,
way more time than I ever did back in IT with my friends and with my family. So it's like you give, but you also get. It's beautiful.
It's incredible how it all just. Yeah, it all just feeds your soul when you do something you love. That's great.
All right. Number three is what is a piece of photography gear that you would recommend or that you really love?
Oh, it's going to be the same answer. The Hollywood lights there. Yeah, they're like I'm obsessed with them.
And I must say I had a lot of photographers reach out to me and say, where did you get them? And I sent them the link.
So, yeah, those are. Yeah, those are amazing. All right. And number four is what would you tell people who are just starting out?
Do it scared. Do it scared. No one else is going to do it for you.
I see you doing the work in posting a little.
But not really seeking the clients show up, show up with confidence because you know your stuff, you know your stuff, you're passionate about it.
That's why you're here. That's why you're here. And you know what? This is not even about you.
Someone out there actually needs you. Do you want to give them that empowerment session?
Do you want to help them transform the way they see themselves? Do you want to help them change their life? Do it scared.
Someone out there needs you. I love that. I love that. Awesome. Well, on that note.
Oh, will you tell people what your website is and Instagram?
Yes. So it's diamondsportraits everywhere. My website is diamondsportraits.ca or dot com. My Instagram is diamondsportraits and my Facebook is the same diamondsportraits.
Estes on both because a lot of people get confused. Is it a diamond or diamonds?
Yeah. Got it. All right. Awesome. Well, thanks again, honey. Will you be at WPPI the next time in March or end of February, early March?
Most likely, yes. OK, good. If it's if it's in March, I already have a trip for booked in fab. So if it's in March, 100 percent, I'll be there.
I actually applied to speak there, so I'm like, oh, I hope so. We don't know yet.
Well, let me know. Keep me posted.
Will do. So awesome. All right, my dear. Thank you again. And I will see you soon.
Thanks, love. I really appreciate you hosting me on your podcast. And it's been pleasure to see your beautiful face again. Oh, thank you.
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