Creative Canadian Women: Stepping In Front of the Camera with Photographer Michele Mateus

Editor’s Note: Some links in this article may be affiliate links. Full disclosure is located at the end of the article.

This episode is brought to you by Fine Lime Illustrations

As working creatives, giving our audience, clients and supporters the opportunity to connect with us on a deeper level is an important part of building a healthy business.

Purchasing from a creative is as much about the connection forged with the creator as it is about the finished work so, as working creatives, we need to step into the camera frame rather than standing behind it.

Equally important, as women, we need to get past our fears of taking up space and instead, embrace being seen. Imagine being 70 years old and having no visual record of you doing the thing you love most in the world? It happens more than you think.

Enter intimate portrait and personal branding photographer, Michele Mateus. She joins Melissa in this episode to share her journey as a photographer who empowers women and  to show us how much getting out from behind our work and in front of the camera can mean to our business... and to ourselves.

Michele is an award winning photographer, a mother, a woman living with Multiple Sclerosis, coach and an unstoppable badass! While she loves bright lipstick, F words and Karaoke, connecting folks to their sensual feminine energy is what she lives for. She’s dedicated to raising vibes, smashing beauty standards and starting fires through her work.

Michelle's approach to photography is transformative, focusing on the creation of intimate and safe spaces for her clients. The essence of building trust is underlined throughout her work, demonstrating that a successful photo session is not just about the technical aspects of photography but also about the relationship between the photographer and the subject. Her unique approach, peppered with humor, personal touches, and music, enables her clients to relax and reveal their authentic selves, resulting in powerful and striking images of women discovering their strength and freedom.

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This Episode Is For…

This episode is for those who...

  • are uncomfortable with putting the spotlight on themselves as women and creatives

  • struggle with putting themselves in front of the camera to promote their business

  • prefer to take a backseat to the work they create

  • need some DIY tips to get more comfortable in front of the camera and take their own photos and videos

  • would like to hire a photographer but aren't sure where to start

  • would like to have professional photos done but are intimidated by the process

  • want to be inspired 

If you just want the links to the resources mentioned in this episode, scroll down to the bottom.

Listen To the Episode

Here’s a link to this week’s episode. You can also listen via the player below or on your favourite podcast app (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, I Heart Radio, Overcast and more). Just search for And She Looked Up!

Transcript & Chapter Markers

You can find a full transcript and chapter markers here. Just click on the episode title for all the juicy details!

you deserve to take up space

In this episode we discuss:

  • Michele’s journey to becoming a photographer and how she evolved from an editorial style to doing intimate portrait (sometimes referred to as boudoir photography) and personal branding photography

  • why it’s so important, for women especially, to allow ourselves to be in front of the camera and what those images can mean to the people who love and support us - as well as a creating a historical record of ourselves in our work.

  • the many roadblocks women have to feeling comfortable being photographed

  • how Michele creates a safe space for her clients and how building trust and relationships are key for all working creatives, especially those who provide creative services

  • why it’s so important to make sure our clients feel heard and seen

  • the power of allowing ourselves to take up space and be seen but also to help others do the same

  • Michele’s ‘Fabulous over 40’ exhibit

  • why we need to overcome fear and value ourselves in our businesses

  • practical tips for both hiring and working with a photographer in your business

  • some simple ways you can get yourself more comfortable in front of the camera and use your phone to help you show up more

Mentioned In This Episode:

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Podcast Episode, Inspiring WomenMelissa HartfielS5, michele mateus, photography, photographer, marketing, personal brandingComment