hello, friend!
As a former high school teacher, education is close to my heart. Leaving my teaching position was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make, but I love my new career as a wedding and portrait photographer and wouldn't trade it for the world. I'm excited to merge both of my passions and offer photographer education and 1-1 mentoring!
Whether you're just picking up a camera for the first time or you're a seasoned photographer looking to elevate your craft, I'd love to offer my expertise to help you grow as a photographer.
RACHEL MERCER PHOTOGRAPHY MENTORING & EDUCATION
I'm a huge advocate for marriage because the best part of my life is my family; I married my soulmate Max on July 11, 2015 and together we have two sons, Lucas and Jonah, and two goofy corgis, Bowie and Nova. I honestly love being married. It's so incredible to come home to my best friend every day. And I always have an adventure buddy — we love to travel and have been to many different countries in our 11 years together!
Some of my favorite hobbies include traveling far and wide or staying home and watching TV (I'm always down for a Harry Potter marathon) on the couch. I’m also an avid reader (I taught high school English and journalism for 6 years before I decided to focus on photography full time and stay home with my son). I love meeting new people and having a good conversation over a hot cup of coffee or a glass of white wine.
MEET RACHEL
-One in person meeting (within 30 miles of South Lyon, MI) or Zoom call
-1.5 hours
-This is a 1-1 meeting custom tailored to you! Before our meeting, I'll send over a questionnaire to see what skills you're hoping to work on (shooting, editing, posing, marketing, you name it!) I'll come prepared with some resources for you, and there will be time for Q&A.
MENTORSHIP PACKAGES
$350
details & investment
Single Mentoring Session
-Two in person meetings (within 30 miles of South Lyon, MI) or Zoom calls, each lasting up to 1.5 hours, to be used within a 6 month time period.
-Extended support for 6 months: Access to Rachel's inbox for questions and answers as they arise over time.
-Just like with a single mentoring session, this education will be custom tailored to you and your goals!
$750
Six Month Mentorship
-Come along to a real portrait session or wedding to shadow Rachel and watch as she selects locations and poses her clients.
-While the focus will be on the clients, there will likely be some down time during transitions for questions and education
-Up to two hours
*Booking dependent on Rachel's schedule and client permission. This must be booked as an add-on to a mentorship package and cannot be booked by itself.
$100
Shadow a Session or Wedding (Add-On)
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO FOCUS ON?
customize your session
I want you to get the most out of your educational time with me, so we can focus on whatever areas you choose! Here are some common focus areas:
- Getting started
- Lighting
- Composition
- Posing (weddings, seniors, or families)
- Editing
- Camera settings
- Off Camera Flash
- Marketing
- Client Experience
- Business management & workflows
- Website review
- Portfolio review
- Finding your style
- Handling wedding days
With education from Rachel, Mandy went from taking photos like these to photos like these!
BEFORE
Mandy Leigh Photography
"
She graciously and generously shares all of her knowledge and her belief in “community over competition” is apparent in her willingness and desire to help others succeed.
"
-MANDY
AFTER
"What a privilege it has been to be one of Rachel’s first ever mentees! I began trying to learn photography from books, videos, and online courses. I thought I understood what I was “learning” but as soon as I would pick up my camera, nothing I “learned” made any sense. I wasn’t able to apply it or truly understand it.
With Rachel, I was able to get a foundational understanding of the exposure triangle in our first session together. I’d been struggling to figure out how to integrate each separate component and wasn’t able to find answers to my specific questions online. I couldn’t believe how everything started to click in my mind as I actually used my camera and got answers and feedback in real time. Truly, nothing compares to this kind of hands-on learning and without Rachel’s help, I would have abandoned photography very early.
Beyond technical skills, Rachel is a wonderful business owner. From her, I learned how to design a website portfolio, how to find clients, how to communicate with clients, how to *be* at a wedding, and more. She graciously and generously shares all of her knowledge and her belief in “community over competition” is apparent in her willingness and desire to help others succeed.
A novice could not hope for a more passionate, knowledgeable, or kind mentor than Rachel Mercer. She is the gold standard."
>>>
mentee spotlight
Read Mandy's full review
If this sounds like what you're looking for, use the contact form below or email me directly (rachelmercerphoto@gmail.com), and we'll get the process started! We'll get you on my calendar, and I'll email you a contract and invoice to hold your meeting date and time. Once that's settled, I'll send a questionnaire so I can start custom tailoring your session(s) to fit your needs. Can't wait to meet you!
Let's Do This!
I'll be in
touch soon!
thank you for reaching out!
WOOHOO!
*If you don't hear from me within the next few days, please make sure you submitted your correct email address and/or check your spam folder!
