
Capture the unforgettable
Learn from the masters in portrait photography at The 2023 Portrait Masters Conference
SEPT. 11 - 14, 2023

MEET OUR HOSTS
Featuring esteemed mentors of The Portrait System:

Cat Ford-Coates
Cat Ford-Coates discovered her love of Photography in southwest Florida at the State College of Florida which continued to her scholastic career in Boston, MA; and it has since spawned into a lifelong adoration and now business(es) in North Carolina and Florida. Cat is an award-winning Photographer and filmmaker (2021 Telly awards, 2021 The Communicator awards), accredited Fellow Master Photographer with The Portrait Masters, and holds this designation as one of twenty Portrait Photographers worldwide. She specializes in boutique campaign design and development for entrepreneurs as well as Fine Art and Creative Portraiture for individuals and families. She is a speaker and educator, an official Mentor for Photographers with The Portrait System, a Mentor with The Artists Forge, and photographs clients worldwide. In addition to her local clients, she has photographed clients in: Venice, Italy, Barcelona, Munich, Paris, London, New York, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Charleston, Mexico, and Costa Rica. Cat and her work have been featured by affiliates for FOX, NBC, & CBS, as well as in Photographic circles with: The Portrait Masters,The Obsidian Studios, Savage Universal, Infinite Color Panel, The Color Lab, Vlada Backdrops (NYC), and is now a judge for the largest photography print competition in the world with WPPI/EmeraldX. Her favorite moment with her Portrait clients is witnessing the transformation that occurs as their confidence shifts during their session and they step into embodying the person they are meant to be; the person they hope people see in the everyday. That confidence initiates a ripple effect throughout their lives to model for their families, their businesses, and in their communities. That transformation wouldn’t be possible without her diligent pursuit of Mastery through continued education and the love of her craft as a Portrait Photographer.

Saray Taylor-Roman
Saray Taylor-Roman was born in Veracruz, Mexico and raised in several states of the Mexican Republic, immigrating to the U.S. in 2004. Saray studied to be a Spanish teacher and worked as a teacher for 7 years before starting her career as a photographer in 2015. And since 2016 Saray has worked with Sue Bryce in classes, workshops, and conferences in the United States and Europe.
MEET OUR Speakers
Featuring industry-leaders including:



Sue Bryce
Sue Bryce, a distinguished figure in the world of photography, hails from New Zealand and is celebrated for her unique contemporary portrait style that has revolutionized the industry. With an illustrious career spanning over three decades, she has become one of the most recognizable photographers in the imaging industry.
In 2014, she launched her own educational platform, The Portrait System, which guides individuals through the process of starting and growing a profitable and sustainable portrait photography business. This platform is a testament to her commitment to mentorship and her desire to share her wealth of knowledge with others.
Bryce’s work has not only changed the face of portrait photography but has also earned her prestigious recognition. In 2015, she was chosen to represent Canon USA in the Explorers of Light program, a significant honor that further solidifies her standing in the industry.
Currently, Bryce resides and works in Phoenix, continuing to inspire and influence the world of photography with her unique style and approach. Her journey from New Zealand to the global stage is a story of determination, talent, and a relentless pursuit of innovation.


David Suh
Taking social media by storm, “TikTok’s Posing King”, David Suh began his journey as a portrait photographer, showing his clients how to be seen and heard through their own beauty. Now moving to larger platforms, David continues to inspire the world on how to lead beautiful lives through photography, online education and workshops. He has been recognized by names like Meta, CBS, The Washington Post, Sunday Times, AD Week, BuzzFeed, ITV, LA Times and more!


Elena S Blair
Elena S Blair is an award winning, published, Lifestyle Family & Newborn photographer based in Seattle, WA. Her work and words have been featured on popular online publications like The Huffington Post, Click & Co Blog, Dear Photographer, Adorama, Click It Up A Notch and many more. Elena’s work and words have been featured in Click Magazine & Rangefinder Magazine and her image was the cover image for Rangefinders January 2019 issue. Elena teaches with online platforms including CreativeLive, KelbyOne, B&H, Adorama, and Click & Company, as well as independently reaching thousands of photographers each year. She is an established public speaker inspiring photographers all over the world to make meaningful art and build profitable businesses.


Jerry Ghionis
Jerry Ghionis is widely regarded as one of best wedding and portrait photographers in the world, Jerry and his wife Melissa are based in Las Vegas, USA and Melbourne, Australia and travel frequently on international photography and speaking assignments.
Jerry is the most awarded photographer of the Wedding & Portrait Photographers International organization (WPPI) and became their first Grand Master. He was also included in their list of top five wedding photographers in the world. Jerry was also named by American Photo Magazine in their first list of top ten best wedding photographers in the world and was also given a United Nations Leadership Award by the International Photographic Council.
A Nikon Ambassador, Jerry was named the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) Fashion Photographer of the Year
Named by PDN magazine as one of the top photography workshop instructors in the world, Jerry is also the inventor of the revolutionary Ice Light (a portable hand held LED light). The Jerry Ghionis brand has become synonymous with excellence, mastery and innovation in the photography industry.


Kesha Lambert
Kesha Lambert is an international wedding and portrait photographer based in New York. North Carolina born, raised in the Bronx her parents are Jamaican which makes her a proud “Jamerican.” She is a wife to an awesome husband, who works alongside her in their business and mom to three incredibly brilliant and funny boys; including a set of twins.
She is a Fordham Law School graduate and Lawyer admitted to practice in New York, so photography was not always her plan, but it is indeed her calling. She loves light, movement, bold color and emotion and she intentionally seeks to incorporate these elements in her work. She is genuinely curious about people and has had the honor of personally documenting hundreds of weddings to date for couples from all over the globe.


Laretta Houston
Laretta Houston is a Los Angeles-based photographer specializing in advertising, fashion, and beauty. She’s been in the business for over 17 years. She sees the beauty in everything, and as a woman who wears her emotions on her sleeve, her mind’s eye sees each project as a unique journey. She contributes unconventional ideas, art direction, and a unique perspective to the projects in which she is involved. She has worked with clients ranging from celebrities to advertising campaigns. She has photographed for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, ABC (Dancing with the Stars), Princess Cruise lines, Mac Cosmetics, and many other clients. She has been grateful for the opportunity to meet creative people in the industry who, like her, are challenging the limits of photography and breaking new ground for storytelling through the art of photography.


Ore Adesina
Ore Adesina is an intimate portrait photographer with a unique and refreshing approach to couples boudoir based in Oklahoma City, OK.
With a deep understanding of the importance of authenticity and connection in her work, Ore goes beyond simply capturing poses and angles. She creates an environment where couples can truly be themselves, resulting in candid, emotive, and uplifting portraits that celebrate the unique beauty and connection between partners.
Ore’s dedication to her craft and exceptional skill have earned her numerous awards and accolades, including the prestigious 2019 Boudoir Photo of the Year award from the Association of International Boudoir Photographers, the Silver Award in 2020 from WPPI, and recognition for both her print and digital work.


Scott Robert Lim
Scott Robert Lim, Sony Artisan and international master photographer, is a certified educator and has over 70 international awards to his name, including Top Ten Most Influential, Kodak Award, World’s Top Wedding Photographers, and has been a judge at many international photography competitions. His work has been published and viewed by thousands all over the world and is a popular speaker around the world. For the last decade, he has dedicated his career to developing world-class photographers and loves teaching photographers of all levels. He has an energetic and charismatic speaking style and is an industry leader in photography education.


Teri Hofford
Teri Hofford is a Body Image Expert, Photographer, and Author driven to help people challenge their body image biases & beliefs. Through curiosity, compassion and creative education, she encourages people to move towards body acceptance and self love.
WHAT'S INCLUDED IN YOUR TPM TICKET:


Learn new lighting, posing, and shooting techniques that you can put into immediate practice in the numerous shooting bays throughout the conference. You’ll get exclusive access and deals on the latest tech and gear at the manufacturer’s expo and be able to network with photographers and instructors from around the world during social events and parties!
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
All Access Pass:
- 4 unforgettable days of networking, learning, and more at the gorgeous Arizona Grand Resort
- 7 Live Shoot Presentations & 2 Keynote Presentations by 9 World-Class Photographers
- Access to 1:1 mentor sessions (Tuesday-Thursday on the show floor)
- 1 Canon Shootout
- 1 Fujifilm Shootout
- 20+ shooting bays to put what you learned into practice
- Lunch provided Tuesday-Thursday
- The Portrait Masters Awards Ceremony & Cocktail Reception
- Access to tradeshow Tuesday-Thursday + exclusive deals from 28+ top vendors
- Two drink tickets to all parties
- Access to all parties:
- Silent Disco & Costume Contest
- Pool Party
- Karaoke Contest
New! Pay off your ticket over time with PayPal in checkout!


Elevate Your TPM Experience with Breakout Classes
EXTREMELY LIMITED QUANTITIES AVAILABLE. FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED!
Breakout classes are 1-2 hour long intimate deep-dive sessions on a wide variety of topics with your favorite mentors on registration day – Monday, September 11th.
Your Breakout Course Instructors



Sue Bryce
Sue Bryce, a distinguished figure in the world of photography, hails from New Zealand and is celebrated for her unique contemporary portrait style that has revolutionized the industry. With an illustrious career spanning over three decades, she has become one of the most recognizable photographers in the imaging industry.
In 2014, she launched her own educational platform, The Portrait System, which guides individuals through the process of starting and growing a profitable and sustainable portrait photography business. This platform is a testament to her commitment to mentorship and her desire to share her wealth of knowledge with others.
Bryce’s work has not only changed the face of portrait photography but has also earned her prestigious recognition. In 2015, she was chosen to represent Canon USA in the Explorers of Light program, a significant honor that further solidifies her standing in the industry.
Currently, Bryce resides and works in Phoenix, continuing to inspire and influence the world of photography with her unique style and approach. Her journey from New Zealand to the global stage is a story of determination, talent, and a relentless pursuit of innovation.



Cat Ford-Coates
Cat Ford-Coates discovered her love of Photography in southwest Florida at the State College of Florida which continued to her scholastic career in Boston, MA; and it has since spawned into a lifelong adoration and now business(es) in North Carolina and Florida. Cat is an award-winning Photographer and filmmaker (2021 Telly awards, 2021 The Communicator awards), accredited Fellow Master Photographer with The Portrait Masters, and holds this designation as one of twenty Portrait Photographers worldwide. She specializes in boutique campaign design and development for entrepreneurs as well as Fine Art and Creative Portraiture for individuals and families. She is a speaker and educator, an official Mentor for Photographers with The Portrait System, a Mentor with The Artists Forge, and photographs clients worldwide. In addition to her local clients, she has photographed clients in: Venice, Italy, Barcelona, Munich, Paris, London, New York, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Charleston, Mexico, and Costa Rica. Cat and her work have been featured by affiliates for FOX, NBC, & CBS, as well as in Photographic circles with: The Portrait Masters,The Obsidian Studios, Savage Universal, Infinite Color Panel, The Color Lab, Vlada Backdrops (NYC), and is now a judge for the largest photography print competition in the world with WPPI/EmeraldX. Her favorite moment with her Portrait clients is witnessing the transformation that occurs as their confidence shifts during their session and they step into embodying the person they are meant to be; the person they hope people see in the everyday. That confidence initiates a ripple effect throughout their lives to model for their families, their businesses, and in their communities. That transformation wouldn’t be possible without her diligent pursuit of Mastery through continued education and the love of her craft as a Portrait Photographer.




Saray Taylor-Roman
Saray Taylor-Roman was born in Veracruz, Mexico and raised in several states of the Mexican Republic, immigrating to the U.S. in 2004. Saray studied to be a Spanish teacher and worked as a teacher for 7 years before starting her career as a photographer in 2015. And since 2016 Saray has worked with Sue Bryce in classes, workshops, and conferences in the United States and Europe.



Ashleigh Taylor
Ashleigh Taylor is a portrait photographer based in Santa Barbara, California. She is an accredited Master photographer with The Portrait Masters. Ashleigh has been a professional, fulltime photographer since 2010. She started in Weddings and her work was published in The Knot Southern California, Ceremony Magazine, Style Me Pretty & Green Wedding Shoes—just to name a few. In 2013, Ashleigh opened her brick-and-mortar boudoir & portrait studio in Santa Barbara, and in 2016 she transitioned to shooting portraits fulltime (leaving weddings behind). She has been recognized four years in a row as one of the top two photographers in Santa Barbara by the Santa Barbara Independent. In 2016, due to the success of her studio she was featured on Sue Bryce’s Studio Tours series. Ashleigh is an official mentor with The Portrait System. She also is an educator with The Portrait Masters, where she has two courses—one that teaches photographers how to book more clients using Instagram and one that teaches photographers the ins and outs of getting fully booked using Facebook Ads.
Ashleigh offers online courses and guides; 1:1 coaching; group mastermind coaching; as well as free resources for photographers on her site. She is also an Instructor with courses featured on ThePortraitMasters.com.


Richard Wood
Through parenting my daughter from 2009 I learned to be inspired by her creative, unbounded thought processes. I learned to process like a child who was not afraid to toddle outside of the normal way of thinking. I found relief in stepping back and being able to release the ties I had shackled myself with via growing up, through photography. The joy that this initial step gave me, led me to study various formats and philosophies around releasing that creative self and ‘speaking with our muses’.
My passion for ‘boundaryless’ thinking, mixed with my fascination in the old masters (my wonderland is the Louvre in Paris) is a catalyst for my love of deep, rich, moody imagery. I strive to create art that is very much controlled in detail but arrives from the furthermost edges of my imagination.
This tool and philosophy helped me achieve three times, the title of NZIPP New Zealand Professional Photographer of the Year whilst also being a finalist for the last 8 years. I am proudly one of three New Zealanders to have achieved the benchmark of double Grand Master of the NZIPP.
I love to share my passion via teaching workshops on creative photography and lighting, and I’m also a passionate long time judge of the NZIPP Iris Awards, and more recently The Portrait Masters.
Richard’s Award-Winning Images from the 2020 WPPI Competition:


Leslie Andrews
Leslie Andrews is a beauty and branding photographer with over 17 years experience in the industry. Based in Atlanta, GA Leslie currently owns and operates two studios and event venues.
Leslie has had the pleasure of working with top brands such as Revlon, Bravo, MTV and Essence and her beauty and fashion editorials have appeared in numerous publications. She enjoys teaching and mentoring other photographers. Her journey with photography has been a long one and she enjoys sharing her story on the key to running a successful business.



Felicia Reed
Felicia Reed is a certified life coach who specializes in abundance mindset and releasing limiting beliefs that are holding you back from reaching your goals in life and in business. Reed has been in business for seven years. She grew a six-figure business in the front bedroom and dinning room in her home. Felicia’s greatest skill is mindset over everything. When you believe it you can achieve it.
Felicia’s products include: Makin’ Money Moves 4-week course; 52 Weeks of Social Media (Done for you captions); 52 Weeks of Newsletters (Done for you emails); Client Questionnaires and Workflow email templates. Visit her site for more information.


Expand Your Portfolio with our Curated Shooting Bays
After spending the morning listening, learning, and being inspired by our keynote speakers, you will spend your afternoons in ACTION at our curated shooting bays.
Each shooting bay will have a team of master instructors to give you hands-on instruction. Each bay will be outfitted with a gorgeous backdrop, lighting and model—all you need to do is bring your camera and you will be able to create stunning, diverse images for your portfolio to use in growing your business.
Your Mentor Bay Mentors
& more coming soon!



Ashleigh Taylor
Ashleigh Taylor is a portrait photographer based in Santa Barbara, California. She is an accredited Master photographer with The Portrait Masters. Ashleigh has been a professional, fulltime photographer since 2010. She started in Weddings and her work was published in The Knot Southern California, Ceremony Magazine, Style Me Pretty & Green Wedding Shoes—just to name a few. In 2013, Ashleigh opened her brick-and-mortar boudoir & portrait studio in Santa Barbara, and in 2016 she transitioned to shooting portraits fulltime (leaving weddings behind). She has been recognized four years in a row as one of the top two photographers in Santa Barbara by the Santa Barbara Independent. In 2016, due to the success of her studio she was featured on Sue Bryce’s Studio Tours series. Ashleigh is an official mentor with The Portrait System. She also is an educator with The Portrait Masters, where she has two courses—one that teaches photographers how to book more clients using Instagram and one that teaches photographers the ins and outs of getting fully booked using Facebook Ads.
Ashleigh offers online courses and guides; 1:1 coaching; group mastermind coaching; as well as free resources for photographers on her site. She is also an Instructor with courses featured on ThePortraitMasters.com.



Cat Ford-Coates
Cat Ford-Coates discovered her love of Photography in southwest Florida at the State College of Florida which continued to her scholastic career in Boston, MA; and it has since spawned into a lifelong adoration and now business(es) in North Carolina and Florida. Cat is an award-winning Photographer and filmmaker (2021 Telly awards, 2021 The Communicator awards), accredited Fellow Master Photographer with The Portrait Masters, and holds this designation as one of twenty Portrait Photographers worldwide. She specializes in boutique campaign design and development for entrepreneurs as well as Fine Art and Creative Portraiture for individuals and families. She is a speaker and educator, an official Mentor for Photographers with The Portrait System, a Mentor with The Artists Forge, and photographs clients worldwide. In addition to her local clients, she has photographed clients in: Venice, Italy, Barcelona, Munich, Paris, London, New York, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Charleston, Mexico, and Costa Rica. Cat and her work have been featured by affiliates for FOX, NBC, & CBS, as well as in Photographic circles with: The Portrait Masters,The Obsidian Studios, Savage Universal, Infinite Color Panel, The Color Lab, Vlada Backdrops (NYC), and is now a judge for the largest photography print competition in the world with WPPI/EmeraldX. Her favorite moment with her Portrait clients is witnessing the transformation that occurs as their confidence shifts during their session and they step into embodying the person they are meant to be; the person they hope people see in the everyday. That confidence initiates a ripple effect throughout their lives to model for their families, their businesses, and in their communities. That transformation wouldn’t be possible without her diligent pursuit of Mastery through continued education and the love of her craft as a Portrait Photographer.




Saray Taylor-Roman
Saray Taylor-Roman was born in Veracruz, Mexico and raised in several states of the Mexican Republic, immigrating to the U.S. in 2004. Saray studied to be a Spanish teacher and worked as a teacher for 7 years before starting her career as a photographer in 2015. And since 2016 Saray has worked with Sue Bryce in classes, workshops, and conferences in the United States and Europe.


Tammy Zurak
Tammy spent her first business lifetime (26 years) in a corporate career with several big brand retail Fortune 500 companies in both business to business and business to consumer developing their growth and increasing sales.
She managed teams of salespeople based in retail locations and in the field to develop their own book of business, create their own brand, and build their business skillsets.
Her second career as a portrait photographer was developed by learning photography working under Sue Bryce and led to becoming one of the original mentor team supporting students in her groups and helping with her workshops around the world over the years.
Tammy’s portrait and coaching business has now spanned more than a decade. Her superpower is working with people who have developed their craft and now want to learn the crucial next steps to go beyond startup to full-fledged and sustainable businesses. She’s worked in groups and one to one with countless photographers from Sue’s community over the years, as well as a variety of local small business owners in her community to launch or simply grow existing businesses to more success.
This fast tracking most often happens through defining goals, providing accountability, putting processes into place, developing client sourcing and most importantly growing self-confidence and so much more.
The main take aways her mentees have agreed on are that they learned to become comfortable selling themselves and their businesses, they now understood how to charge appropriately and represent the value in what they do, overcame the fear of putting themselves out there, and developed a polished brand identity to market with.
Not only does Tammy teach, but she continues to photograph clients in her Personal Branding specialty.
She has received a Master Level Accreditation through the Portrait Masters Awards and Accreditation program, as well as won many local awards and recognition after having built her own brand as a top photographer in her area.
Tammy offers one to one mentoring, group classes online and in person workshops.
You don’t take her word for it though, she encourages you to visit her website to read her students testimonials and find out more about her classes here: www.zphotog.net


Hadonica Murphy
Hadonica Murphy has created a successful portrait business after quitting her job as a fulltime Nurse Practitioner. She uses her skills to Empower others to quit their soul sucking jobs and create the life they want and deserve.
Hadonica’s specialties include coaching in shifting your mindset from scarcity to abundance; mastering the sales room; and clear client communication from the first lead to the end of delivery.
Hadonica also offers client self-care magazine guide to get your client in the best mindset for their photoshoot.



Felicia Reed
Felicia Reed is a certified life coach who specializes in abundance mindset and releasing limiting beliefs that are holding you back from reaching your goals in life and in business. Reed has been in business for seven years. She grew a six-figure business in the front bedroom and dinning room in her home. Felicia’s greatest skill is mindset over everything. When you believe it you can achieve it.
Felicia’s products include: Makin’ Money Moves 4-week course; 52 Weeks of Social Media (Done for you captions); 52 Weeks of Newsletters (Done for you emails); Client Questionnaires and Workflow email templates. Visit her site for more information.


Kitti McMeel
Kitti is a Portrait Photographer, Mentor/Coach, Author, and Motivational Speaker, and one of Sue Bryce’s international support team. She has been featured in numerous print publications and her studio has been featured twice on Sue Bryce’s Studio Tours web series, which highlights highly successful portrait studios worldwide. Kitti was personally mentored and trained by Sue Bryce, has achieved the top level in the Portrait Masters Accreditation program of Fellow Photographer, and serves as a mentor for The Portrait System. Her live Mother-Daughter portrait shoot is featured on the The Portrait System education platform and her podcast interview on the Portrait System Podcast was one of the most-downloaded episodes. She is the author of Resilient an accounting of her life’s journey to inspire photographers young and old to follow their dreams and it is never too late to make those dreams a reality!
Kitti also offers Photoshop and Lightroom actions, color profiles and presets, email templates, Folio Reviews and her latest book, Resilient. Visit her site for more information.


Ann Landstrom
Ann is an award-winning, master photographer in San Diego, CA with over 20 years in the photography industry. She has photographed public figures, worlds top entrepreneurs and influencers. She has been featured in magazines, numerous podcasts, The Portrait System educational videos and studio tours. After walking away from an abusive marriage and ending up homeless with nothing at age 50, with a lot of hard work and determination and using the The Portrait System business model, Ann built a successful six-figure studio and also became part of the TPS support team. Ann specializes in Branding, Boudoir and Fine Art Portraits. Her passion and drive is to bring out the best version of each of her clients to elevate their business and also their self-esteem. She is passionate about helping others build and pursue their dreams.
Ann has numerous courses in the works. For more information visit her site.
Reservations
Arizona Grand Resort & Spa


Booking your stay
All reservations for the conference need to be made individually by the attendee. Call the Arizona Grand Resort & Spa on-site reservations department at (877) 800-4888 to make your reservation and reference: Portrait Masters Conference 2023, or click the link below starting Monday, May 22.
Book NowSHOP OFFICIAL CONFERENCE MERCH
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Shop #TPM2023 by August 8
You do not want to miss this year’s epic conference merch! We’ve got tees, tanks, hoodies, hats, tumblers, charging mats, and more! Place your order by August 8 and pick up your merch at the conference.
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