Gosh, where to even begin…

After the success of our 2022 event and the feedback we received, we went away, dreaming of making our next event even BIGGER! And I think we did it; enter Gather to Grow 2.0 – a review…

This will be a long post – so we’ll start where we ended – with our conclusion. If the unofficial theme of 2022 was consistency, then the word of 2024 was Authenticity. We don’t know how it happens, but somehow, there is always one overriding message throughout each talk. This year, it is the power of being yourself. We wholeheartedly believe that the magic is already within you; we want to inspire you to unlock it, nurture your mindset and discover the business tools you need to help you on your photography business journey.

THE EVENT – Gather to Grow 2.0

This year, Bristol Paintworks was our home for the two days. We gathered on a sunny, crisp January day and welcomed 150 of our wonderful Gather to Grow family who had journeyed from various corners of the UK and beyond.

After welcoming hugs and securing cups of tea, Our fabulous host, Sarah Kate, took to the stage and kicked it all off!

It was the best money spent on my business so far, I have met friends for life.

-Anonymous attendee

DAY 1

Day one began with Yasmin Anne who provided a road map to building your business plan. Followed by all things website and portfolio perfection from Melanie Grace. Automating the fuck out of your workflow with Becky Hart. Mastering the gram with Suzi Bird and, finally an insight into creating your brand with the much anticipated Suzi Mitchell of Little White Photography. Day one of the talks gave us some true business masterpieces!

I love how every talk gave small, realistic and actionable things to do. I’ve already added my notes folders into my phone to help with my marketing

-Anonymous attendee

DAY 2

We eased into Day 2 with a breath-work and grounding session with the wonderful Sophia Christie. She helped get us in the zone and focus our minds. She gave some amazing tips to take away with us. Marketing expert Julie Christie of the Photographer Voice was next to grace our stage. She shared her weekly marketing wizardry with us. Linzie Russo joined us all the way from Australia to share her invaluable advice on how to create your own signature editing style. Ally Stuart-Ross of Mabel and Moose covered the art of sales. She empowered us to maximise sales potential with kindness, empathy and zero sleaze! Our penultimate speaker and absolute fan favourite! The fabulous Charlotte Lody, radiated her light onto us all and challenged our perceptions of money mindset. She urged us to embrace an abundance mindset and believe we are worthy of receiving what we desire. She once again left us all feeling inspired and ready to put her advice into practice.

Finally, our Keynote speaker, Amiee Laoise captivated us with a truly wonderful, open-hearted talk on the importance of finding, cultivating, and nurturing our own unique artistic style and the power of embracing your authenticity. Offering us a glimpse into her personal journey of inspiration-seeking, her creative practices and how she harnesses that inspiration in her work. We came away so inspired.

Of course, we have to mention the amazing Sarah Kate, our chief MC. Who did a fantastic job of keeping you all in check, entertaining you with her inappropriate jokes, and introducing every speaker. She was our DJ on the dance floor, bringing us all together. She captured the essence of the event perfectly!

The Shopping

Something new for 2024 was our Shopping Event! We gathered some of our favourite handpicked brands, and you went wild for it! It was such a treat to welcome Hank knitwear, who you kept busy with orders for the entire two days!

A special thank you to Canon Sarah Luxe Collection Hank TOG   MOXIE

The Sponsors

We are forever grateful for our OG sponsors, who believed in us from the very beginning. And so grateful for the new sponsors we welcomed to the family this year. It’s so rewarding being able to share the best of our Families & Newborn Photography industry and show how incredible our community is.

A special thank you to all our sponsors who delivered an amazing Q&A panel session. And a special thanks to Canon for providing us with the ability to try out new lenses and camera bodies and for Ali’s insightful live demonstration.

Thank you to Canon , Imagen AI , PicTime , PolicyBee , DearCharlie , Hank , TOG LDN, & Jodie Mitchell- SEO

A massive thanks to the sponsors who set up stands to help and guide our community with drop-in chats. And finally, another thank you to Canon for delivering free sensor cleaning and literally slaving away at top speed, cleaning and sprucing up so many cameras and lenses!

I loved every single second

-Anonymous attendee

To the incredible attendees of Gather to Grow 2.0

We know we say it every time, but it’s the truth: when Gather to Grow events unfold, there is pure magic in the room. Together, we laughed, we hugged, we shed tears of joy, and we soaked in every moment. Friendships are forged, heartfelt conversations are had, and memories are made. To each and every one of you who joined us at Gather to Grow 2.0, thank you. It’s because of you that these events are possible; you bring your warmth, your energy, and your enthusiasm, and you make the event what it is.

We all did ‘burn this goddam house right down!’

Can you find yourself gallery below?