“I Don’t Know That Queen!”

October 27, 2026

How a Women’s Retreat Introduced Me to My Higher Self

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I just got back from shooting my first international retreat in Mexico with You Be You coach Kitty Coy, and it was nothing short of magical.

I found the best local beach and shot at dawn. I had drinks at a rooftop bar with an infinity pool that overlooked the jungle. I reveled in tons of adorable coati (think a cross between a lemur and a raccoon), lizards, and birds. I met the dawn every morning, walked the beach, and drank in the ocean breezes. I even led a somatic practice out on a jetty, with crashing waves and sea birds as the soundtrack.

The retreat itself featured energetic content I had never encountered before. And the group? Deep, vulnerable, honest, and so present.

This was a pinnacle experience in my life. And it was available to me because I made intentional space to experience it.

Why a Women’s Retreat Changes Things

A retreat is the container where I have made the best work of my life, with women who have decided it’s their time. Time to think, to grow, and to prioritize themselves for 5 to 7 days.

On retreats, my outer landscape gets quiet. The distractions of business and life fall away, and I can really dial in on who I am becoming, where I am going, and what I am meant to be doing.

And it isn’t just me. The whole cohort is in this beautiful space together. It’s a pause from daily life and a chance to think differently, feel differently, and breathe differently. In that space, meeting your higher self feels approachable.

Retreats rip holes in the space time continuum. You can see your future. You can touch it. And we cement that certainty with a photoshoot.

What I Healed in Mexico

This retreat was a very special one for me personally.

In this beautiful place, with amazing people and the space I don’t otherwise grant myself, I was able to work through and release new layers of pain and shame about my body.

Healing is not a one and done process. It’s more like an onion. You peel off a layer and something new is exposed. What a gift it was to be in such a supportive place, with more tools to do that powerful work.

Feeling better and better about myself is freeing. It lets me serve from an even more healed place and lift my clients higher than I ever could before. It also connected me to a deep purpose: helping others truly see themselves and release the conditioning that has made them hate themselves for so long.

Now, restored and with my cup filled, I am ready to help you step into the best version of yourself.

4 Reasons to Say Yes to a Retreat

1. Come for the relaxation

Ocean breezes, slow mornings, massages, and nobody needing anything from you. Your nervous system will thank you.

2. Come for the work

This is where the real shifts happen, because you finally have the quiet to hear yourself.

3. Stay for the community

There is nothing like a circle of women who are all in, all honest, and all rooting for each other.

4. Create your CAPE in real time, with your photographer

Have you ever traveled and thought, “Who will I be today?”

That range of identities is available to you because you aren’t hemmed in by your environment, your family, workplace personalities, your routine, or everyone’s perception of you. This is how I met my higher self.

If you just rolled your eyes, I can relate! It was never useful to me when someone asked, “What would the future version of yourself do?” Who is that, I thought? I don’t know that queen!

Then, on retreat, one of the facilitators asked me, “What if you are already there?”

What if you could simply embody the qualities you have been working on becoming? What if you just were self love? What if you were abundant, and lived in a “we, not just me” place, felt confident, and served with gratitude?

That really clicked for me.

How a Retreat Photoshoot Anchors Your Transformation

Being present in a photoshoot, in that energy rich place, helps cement that embodiment into your lived experience.

What would change for you if you could just feel confident and operate from a place of self love and compassion?

For retreats of at least 3 days, I include a mini accordion album, so you can see your future self, your higher self, the one who has what you seek, whenever you want.

Here’s what totally floored me on this trip. Several of the ladies I had worked with before brought their albums with them to the retreat, even with a weight limit on their luggage! They used their photography experience to anchor in their becoming.

When you bring into your body all the transformation you are seeking in your mind and soul, you breathe life into that vision.

Come Breathe With Me on Retreat

If something in you stirred while reading this, pay attention to that. I would love to be the one behind the camera when you meet her.

Check out the upcoming retreats I will be photographing and find the one that is calling you. You will be amazed at who you become.

Bare witness to your embodiment. Not for others, but for yourself and your beliefs.

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You've poured your heart into planning this retreat. You've obsessed over the schedule, curated the venue, hand-selected every speaker, and probably stress-tested the Wi-Fi three times. You've thought of everything. Except maybe one thing. Who's capturing it? Not just snapping a few blurry phone pics between sessions. Not asking your most enthusiastic participant to "grab some shots." We're talking about a real, dedicated retreat photographer who shows up with you, understands your vision, and turns your retreat into a visual story that keeps working for you long after everyone's gone home. Here's the thing: professional retreat photography isn't a luxury. It's a strategy. And once you see what it does for your brand, your participants, and honestly, for you — you'll wonder how you ever did retreats without it. Let's talk about it. The Magic Starts Before the First Session Even Begins You know that electric feeling of setting up a retreat space? The welcome gifts laid out just so, the branded notebooks fanned perfectly on the tables, the fresh flowers that you absolutely did not spend too long arranging? That moment deserves to be documented. Lifestyle detail shots capture the beautiful lay outs of your materials, branded swag, workspace arrangements are some of the most scroll-stopping content you'll ever have. They set the tone. They tell the story of the thought behind the retreat, "this is a thoughtful, beautifully curated experience" before a single word is spoken. And on your website? They do the selling for you. Behind-the-scenes setup shots also give your audience a peek behind the curtain and people love that. It makes them feel like insiders. It builds connection before they've even booked their spot at your next retreat. Golden Hour, It's a Marketing Asset There is something almost unfairly beautiful about a group of people silhouetted against a golden sunset, arms around each other, laughing or standing in quiet solidarity at the end of a full, transformative day. Golden hour group shots are the kind of imagery that stops thumbs mid-scroll. They make people feel something. They say: this is what it looks like to be part of something bigger than yourself. These photos become your hero banners. Your social media covers. The image that lives at the top of your sales page and makes someone think, "I want to be in that photo next year." That's not just pretty photography. That's enrollment. Authentic Moments Build More Trust Than Any Sales Copy Ever Could Here's something every retreat leader learns eventually: people don't just buy your curriculum. They buy the feeling they think they'll have. And nothing communicates that feeling better than genuine, in-the-moment photography. Think about it…. the "aha" moment on someone's face during a workshop. Two participants leaning in during a small group discussion, totally locked in. The collaborative brainstorm where the energy in the room is practically visible. The shared meal where walls come down and real conversations happen. These authentic workshop moments and connection shots show prospective participants what your retreat actually feels like . No stock photo can do that. No perfectly written testimonial can do that the way a single, real photograph can. Trust is built in the details. And the details need to be captured. Your Participants Deserve to Be Seen Too Here's something retreat leaders don't always think about: the photography experience isn't just for you. It's a gift to your participants. Individual portrait sessions in the natural retreat setting? Unexpected, generous, and wildly popular. Speakers and team members get professional headshots they'll actually use. Participants walk away with a stunning lifestyle portrait that reflects who they are right now — in this season of growth, at this beautiful location, in this moment of showing up for themselves. That's the kind of unexpected detail that gets talked about. It enhances their entire experience of your retreat, and it's the kind of thing they mention when they're telling their friends why they need to come next time. Capturing the Transformation (Not Just the Schedule) The most powerful thing a retreat photographer can do is document transformation and that means getting beyond the agenda. The technology-free moments. Someone journaling in a quiet corner, face soft and present. A deep conversation happening on a bench outside, two people genuinely there with each other, phones nowhere in sight. A meditation session where you can almost feel the stillness in the image. These shots do something that itinerary photos simply can't: they show the why behind your retreat. They prove that what you offer goes deeper than content delivery. They communicate that this is a space for real change. And then there are the victory moments. The graduation. The certificate presentation. The group celebration at the end when everyone is a little tired and a lot transformed. These images are pure gold for testimonials, success stories, and showing future participants what's possible. Think About What Happens After Everyone Goes Home Your retreat ends. The participants scatter back to their lives. But your photographer? They hand you a gallery of hundreds of images that work for you for months. Social media content for weeks. Blog post visuals. Email campaign imagery. Sales page photos. Speaker bio headshots. Venue shots for future marketing. Stories, reels, highlights. All of it, done, ready to use and it all matches because it was captured by one person with a consistent eye and a clear understanding of your brand. That's the ROI conversation no one talks about enough. A retreat photographer isn't a one-day expense. They're a content investment that pays out over and over again. And for your participants? They carry those images too. When they share their experience online, which they will — they're sharing your retreat. Your brand. Your community. That organic reach is priceless. You Deserve to Be in the Photos, Too You planned this. You showed up. You led, facilitated, held space, pivoted when things went sideways, and probably cried a little at the end (no judgment — we all do). And if you don't have a photographer, you will have approximately zero good photos of yourself at your own retreat. Your audience wants to see you. In action, in your element, doing the thing you were made to do. A retreat photographer captures you leading with confidence, connecting with your participants, and fully in your zone and those images become some of the most powerful personal branding content you'll ever have. You deserve to be documented too. Ready to Make Your Next Retreat Unforgettable If you're a retreat leader who's ready to stop leaving your visual story to chance, I'd love to chat. Whether you're planning an intimate wellness weekend or a multi-day retreat intensive, I bring intentionality, warmth, and a genuine love for capturing the moments that matter most. Every retreat is different, every leader has a unique vision, and I want to hear yours. Let's have a conversation about how we can make your next retreat not just an experience your participants remember but one they can see themselves in, long after they've gone home. Reach out and let's start the conversation. I can't wait to hear what you're building.