Go from this
To this
Sound familiar?
You grab your camera, fumble with the settings, and by the time you're ready, the moment is gone.
You've watched YouTube tutorials but they feel made for tech people, not actual mums.
You're documenting your kids but aren't doing the feeling justice.
Learn to freeze time with nostalgic photography that tells your family's story - without the cheese!
I'm Courts, a professional family photographer and mama who spent years watching mums miss their own moments because nobody ever taught them the basics in a way that actually stuck. Don't Say Cheese is everything I wish someone had taught me, made simple.
✓ Your DSLR or Mirrorless Camera is leaving you confused
✓ You sit up at night crying over photos of your littles
✓ You want to learn photography from another mama, who isn't going to man-splain you or get too techy,
✓ You’ve never shot in manual mode, or have no idea what that means!
✓ You’d love to turn everyday moments into works of art.
✓ You want to create frame-worthy photos of your kids.
✓ You’ve been searching for a like-minded group of mamas to share and grow your photography skills alongside.
✓You’re looking for a passion which fills your cup and you can call your own
✗ You’re a professional photographer who already knows how to shoot in manual (this is targeted to beginners)
✗ You want to learn to shoot something other than portraits (e.g. landscape).
✗ You like stiff, boring photos of your kids!
"Courtney is one of the most talented photographers and business women I’ve met. The course so full of information, guidance and support! It was fantastic to practice what we’ve learned straight away and really made me want to continue on this journey and be able to capture my little one growing up. I was so impressed by the photos everyone's taken and full credit goes to Courts - she guided us beautifully through both taking photos and editing them. Thank you, Courtney!"
- Natalia
This is where your photography journey begins. You'll get clear on exactly how to move through the course, understand which camera or lens suits where you are right now, and walk away from this first module with the right mindset to make photographing your kids genuinely fun, for you and for them.
By the end of this module you'll have an eye you didn't know you had. You'll understand what separates a forgettable photo from one that stops you mid-scroll, and you'll start seeing your own images completely differently. This is where the shift from snapping to creating begins.
Light is everything, and after this module you'll never look at it the same way again. You'll learn to read a room, a backyard, a golden afternoon, and use whatever light you have to create photos that feel warm, intentional, and alive. This is the module that makes people say "how did you get it to look like that?"
No overwhelm, no fluff. You'll finish this module knowing exactly which settings matter, which ones you can ignore, and finally feeling like your camera is something you understand rather than something that intimidates you. Confidence starts here.
This is the one that changes everything. By the end of this module you'll understand shutter speed, aperture, and ISO not as confusing technical terms but as creative tools you actually know how to use. You'll be shooting in manual mode and wondering why you ever left it on auto.
This is where it all comes together. You'll watch over my shoulder as I photograph my own kids in real time, hearing exactly what I'm thinking, seeing exactly what I'm adjusting, and understanding how to bring that same calm, confident approach to your own sessions at home.
This is where your photos go from good to wall-worthy. You'll learn to edit in Lightroom Mobile from start to finish, importing, adjusting, and backing up your images so they're safe, beautiful, and ready to print. You'll never hand your camera roll over to a filter again.
This course focuses in on photographing your kids, however the skills are transferrable to any kind of portrait photography such as Maternity, Newborn, Family, etc. If you are looking to become a landscape or product photographer (for example) this may not be the right course for you.
You will have access to the course for 12 months. If you still wish to access the course after this time you can renew for another year at a fraction of the cost if it is still available. It is a self-paced course. I recommend a pace of about 1 module per week to allow time for practicing each part however this will differ person to person.
Questions can be posted in the private facebook group (anonymous option will be enabled - however we have all been a learner at some point!) I am constantly monitoring the group plus it is great to get insights from the other mama photographers in there.
The course is suited from the most beginner (haven't ever used their camera) to anyone who is yet to learn to shoot in manual mode, and considers themselves a beginner. The editing portion is taught on lightroom mobile, so if you are planning on becoming a professional photographer you will need to apply this to the desktop equivelant. The core skills are the same.