The Art & Soul Show - Photography Podcast for Newborn and Family Photographers
Welcome to the Art and Soul Show where we dive heart-opening chats on photography, business, life and that messy in-between. You're more than a photographer. You're an artist, a dreamer, a business boss, and a creative. Listen in for conversations and advice on running a photography business, mindset, and creativity. This is the place you can go when you need a boost of encouragement, a kick in the pants, and inspiration to pick up your camera.
The Art & Soul Show - Photography Podcast for Newborn and Family Photographers
Long Form Sessions, Audacious Self-Love & The Art of Noticing with Rachel Larsen Weaver
Some artists teach by accident. Others teach because they can’t help but pay attention: to connection, to people, and to themselves. Today’s guest, Rachel Larsen Weaver, is absolutely the latter.
Rachel is an artist, educator, and photographer whose work celebrates audacious self-love, body affirmation, and the beauty of everyday life. In this conversation, we explore long form sessions, the power of noticing, how motherhood shapes creativity, and why self-portraiture is often the key to accepting ourselves more fully.
Rachel also shares deeply encouraging insight about self-perception, authenticity, and why your energy and presence matter more than perfection.
If you’ve ever struggled with confidence, boundaries, or believing you belong in your own work, this episode is the gentle, grounding guide you need.
What’s in this episode:
- [02:00] Rachel’s journey from writing to photography
- [05:00] How teaching helped her reverse-engineer her creative process
- [07:00] Personalizing sessions through deeper client connection
- [08:00] What long form sessions are (and what makes them so powerful)
- [11:00] Why “behind-the-scenes” isn’t always worth the distraction
- [16:00] Representation, body diversity, and “finding myself in portraits”
- [20:00] Audacious self-love and how our own baggage affects clients
- [23:00] Self-portraiture as a pathway to seeing yourself with kindness
- [26:00] Motherhood, interruptions, and using life as creative fuel
- [29:00] The practice of noticing as a doorway to presence
- [34:00] One small detail photographers miss in sessions
- [36:00] Using thoughtful questions to shift energy and build trust
- [38:00] Why clients want to feel heard, not just photographed
If you’ve ever wrestled with confidence or felt unsure about stepping into your own images, this conversation will show you how self-love and visibility can transform both your art and the way you move through the world.
For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/