When Your Favourite Clients Move On (And It Feels Personal)

The Art & Soul Show - Photography Podcast for Newborn and Family Photographers

The Art & Soul Show - Photography Podcast for Newborn and Family Photographers
When Your Favourite Clients Move On (And It Feels Personal)
Jun 03, 2026 Episode 293
Lisa DiGeso, The Milky Way

"This isn't rejection. This is growth."

Losing a client you love hurts in a way nobody warns you about. Not the random inquiry that ghosts you, but those early families. The ones who gave you a chance when you were still figuring out manual mode, cheered you on, brought you their babies, and told everyone how wonderful you were. And then one day you're scrolling, and there they are, tagged in someone else's sneak peek.

In this episode, I'm talking about that gut punch and why it feels so personal, even when it isn't. I'm sharing the perspective shift that saved me and why the clients who move on aren't proof that your best wasn't good enough. They're proof you've grown past where you started.

By the end of this one, you'll see those early families differently. Not as people who left, but as the ones who helped build the foundation you're standing on right now.

What's in this episode: 

[00:01:00] Those early clients who believed in you from the beginning 
[00:01:30] The stomach drop of seeing them tagged in someone else's feed 
[00:02:00] Why it feels like rejection and not just a lost booking 
[00:02:30] The first time it happened to me, and what I felt 
[00:03:00] The hard truth about who we start with and who we grow with
[00:04:30] The perspective shift that changed everything 
[00:06:30] The moment I clicked through the photos like I was inspecting evidence 
[00:07:00] How to see those families as proof of growth, not failure

If you've ever had a favourite client show up in another photographer's feed and felt that sting deep in your chest, this episode is going to feel like exactly what you needed to hear.

For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://themilkyway.ca/podcast/



When Your Favourite Clients Move On (And It Feels Personal) 8:27 The Fear of Irrelevance 8:08 Audacious vs. Audacity 7:03 You’ll Never Feel Ready, Because Ready Isn’t a Feeling, it's a Decision 6:45 Idea Graveyard 7:37 When Fear of Fear Holds You Back 9:26 Is Over Delivering Actually Overcompensating Because You Are Scared ? … Because Same 8:36 This Contest Taught Me My Highest Value 9:23 When Easy Feels Uncomfortable: Untangling the Belief That Working Harder = Success 5:17 My Math Isn't Your Own Math 9:22 Is This Mine to Carry? 8:02 Stop Playing Small: Shifting Mindset, Habits, and Confidence with Johl Dunn 42:52 The Shock Absorber 6:55 The Psychology of Posing with Jodi Hendricks, Founder of Posers 1:14:03 Am I Invited or is My Camera? 7:25 Branding, Burnout & Breaking Free: How Understanding Money and Brand Archetypes Can Revitalize Your Photography Business with Stacey Owen 30:37 Rising From the Rubble: When Your Business Feels Like It’s at Rock Bottom 6:53 When You Stop “Shoulding” and Start Listening with Fruzsina Jonas 37:53 Building a Profitable Photography Studio Without Burnout with Talea Wright 38:45 The Art of Connection in Photography with Russell Jackson 53:14 Mind Your Own Business: Artistic Clarity with Victoria Burcusel 41:17 From Trend Cycles to Original Creations: How the Newborn Nerds Built a Thriving Prop Brand 33:56 How to Build a High-End In-Home Newborn Brand with Chelsea Hickey 35:02 How Do I Know I'm Ready to Charge? 6:36 Long Form Sessions, Audacious Self-Love & The Art of Noticing with Rachel Larsen Weaver 43:24