Our Enthusiast Photography Course students are beyond thrilled when they graduate because they can shoot confidently in manual mode, and they have new skills in light and composition… and this is hugely liberating because it means they finally control the look of their photos… deliberately!

But ultimately, like all little birds, after a lot of practice our grads are ready to fly higher. They start to crave an even deeper understanding of the intricacies of light and how to use it artistically, as well as the ability to shoot in any light conditions.

They want to tap into their inner artist so they can create more outside the box compositions, the kind that make you stop scrolling and say “wow!”.

And overwhelmingly, they want to increase their confidence to shoot in any situation! Imagine!

And that’s where our Advanced Photography Course enters the picture (pun intended!). When your images are good, but you’re ready for AMAZING, there’s no secret to it. All you need are these 4 things:

1. Some expert instruction;
2. A decent camera (entry level DSLR is fine!);
3. A willingness to be led outside of your comfort zone;
4. Being open to feedback.

That’s it. You ARE capable. Your ability to grow your photography skills is inside of you, all you need to do is show up, and we’ll do the rest!

And with that, I’m excited to introduce you to Charlie O’Neill, a talented and gorgeous Advanced Grad! Charlie comes from Ontario, Canada, and she’s an art teacher on maternity leave. She’s married to a fire fighter (ooh!), and mama to a three year old Oliver and 10 month old Vivian.

Read on to learn how Charlie went from taking photos that were good but lacking wow factor (her words!), to finding her inner artist and the confidence to call herself a photographer without feeling like a fake!

Ready for The Next Steps

After taking the Enthusiast Photography Course, I was confident in manual mode and I had the basics of light and composition down pat… I could finally take good photos!

But I also felt like I was missing something… I was missing the wow factor.

I have always been really drawn to creative use of light and I wanted to feel confident shooting in any lighting situation. I also wanted to be more consistent in my shooting and editing style. 

I have the skills now to handle most situations and my photos are so much more consistent, creative and professional looking.

The Advanced Course helped me take photos that have the wow factor I was craving. And instead of shying away from difficult lighting situations, I now get excited by the challenge of creating something new!

You know the quote “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist”? Well, for me, the Enthusiast Course taught me rules, while the Advanced Course taught me to break them like an artist. 

Getting Results

It also really helped me develop my photography and grow my photography business, and I am blown away that I am able to make money doing what I love most.

I’m so thankful for CLG in teaching me how to take consistent photos that my clients are so happy with.

I am excited to get more into wedding photography and have a few weddings booked for later this year.

I’m also now taking the kind of photos that I have always wanted of my family. I love that I can come up with an idea for a photo, and feel confident that I have the skills to capture it. 

On a Personal Note…

The Advanced Course has done SO MUCH for me personally.

I finally have the confidence to call myself a photographer and not feel like a total fake, and this has increased my confidence in so many areas of my life.

It also inspired me to start a 365 project, which is forcing me to shoot every day and capture my family on a daily basis. I’m excited about the memories I’m capturing and the photo books I will be able to give my children. 

Having a creative outlet just me is so important to me, and even more importantly, feeling like I have a purpose while I’m home with two little people keeps me sane! 

Learning with Click Love Grow

I couldn’t possibly pick just one thing that I loved about learning with Click Love Grow.

The lessons on how to shoot in different lighting situations, especially backlight and directional portrait light, were game changers for me.

Another favourite aspect of the Course was learning how to dissect a photo that I love and use it to recreate my own vision.

I also found it really helpful to learn how to shoot in both high key and low key, as I had never pushed myself to explore both before!

The Click Love Grow Difference

Click Love Grow is an amazing community. I stumbled across the Beginners Group when I was trying to learn about photography, and I was in awe of the work from the CLG Grads. I was sure I would never be that talented, but I knew I had to give it a go and decided to invest in myself.

I was immediately impressed by the amount of support and feedback in the courses, and the live calls added a really personal touch.

Also, the grads groups are the most amazing community of people. They are helpful, supportive, inspiring, engaging and so much more. They push me to be a better photographer every day.

It is a lifelong support system!

A very big thank you Charlie for sharing your story and beautiful images! If you want to see more of Charlies work, you can find her here at Instagram.

If you’re shooting in manual mode, on our Advanced Photography Course you will develop your creative artistry, refine your skills to shoot with confidence in any scenario, and find your unique style.  Our next course is starting on 27th September… join our wait list to lock in access to our fantastic early bird sale and 3 BONUS trainings!