Life Portraits documents the life, story and vision of ambitious people and brands. We are your strategic partner dedicated to transforming journeys - whether a health goal, a business venture, or a personal milestone - into visual assets worthy of celebration.
our VISION & VIsion
We don't just take Pictures;
We Capture your Life, your Story, your Vision, your Brand.
The life portraits difference: We are more than photographers; we are your confidence partners and growth strategists. We create an empowering experience where you can celebrate your journey, whether it’s fitness, business, or life.
Life Portraits’ vision is to be the leading provider of empowering and inspiring health and fitness photography, capturing the essence of each client's journey and promoting a positive and healthy lifestyle and mindset. Our goal is to create a community where individuals feel confident and proud of their bodies, and where health and wellness are celebrated and promoted. Through our commitment to quality in photography and customer service, we aim to create a lasting impact and provide clients with memories that will last a lifetime.
Life Portraits' vision is to be the leading provider of empowering and strategic lifestyle, branding, fitness and boudoir photography across Australia, acting as the client's ultimate confidence partner.
Life Portraits’ mission is multi-faceted:
For Clients: To empower individuals and ambitious founders by providing high-quality photography and strategic guidance that showcases their strength, brand vision, and dedication.
For Photographers & Business Owners: To actively empower the next generation of industry talent by providing expert-led training and mentoring, leveraging our strategic framework to help photographers and business owners launch their own high-value, sustainable careers. We move small business owners from feeling "stuck" to achieving sustainable, profitable growth by mastering systems and strategy.
We are committed to capturing the essence of your entire journey and educating our future business owners, serving the following key markets with specific expertise:
The Health & Fitness: Documenting the strength and dedication of fitness enthusiasts, body transformation clients, teams and bodybuilders/athletes who want to showcase the results of their hard work and celebrate their progress.
Boudoir: Celebrating personal milestones, self-love, and authentic beauty in a safe, supportive space. Empowering women with confidence through sensual imagery.
Lifestyle & Branding: Providing high-quality visual assets and strategic content for advertising, marketing campaigns and social media for businesses.
Mentoring & Training for Founders, Small Businesses & Photographers: Helping creatives, photographers & ambitious founders work ON their future, creating a high-value, sustainable career.
THE LIFE PORTRAITS VALUES
Empowerment: Helping clients feel confident and proud of their bodies, brands, and life journey through the photography process
Quality: High-quality, storytelling imagery that accurately and beautifully capture the subject's story, vision, and transformation.
Trust: Building trust with clients through transparency, communication and professionalism so they feel comfortable in front of the camera.
Expertise: Leveraging our 15 years of industry experience and strategic knowledge to provide exceptional guidance and results.
Professionalism: A professional and personalised approach to working with clients, ensuring their needs are met and exceeded.
Health & Wellness Focus: Providing a strong emphasis on supporting a healthy lifestyle, mindset, and business structure.
Emily McDonald is a multi-disciplinary business strategist, creative director, and mentor with a dynamic 15-year career dedicated to the intersection of brand strategy and creative excellence.
As the Director of two highly successful photography businesses, she led her team to become a Telstra Business Awards Top 5 Finalist, a testament to her mastery of strategic planning, financial management, and operational excellence. Her extensive background includes working as a corporate Imaging and Design Specialist and directing high-impact campaigns for major clients such as Brisbane Airport, Novotel, and TAB, demonstrating her ability to deliver commercial-grade visual work and strategic brand transformations.
Through Life Portraits, Emily and her team inspire everyday people through empowering photography. We believe that being seen and truly heard is the most essential part of your session. We handle the technical details, the posing, and the non-stop hype.
Emily now dedicates her unique dual-lensed perspective to empowering other business owners and offering Empowering Photography for your Life & Brand. In her mentoring capacity, she acts as a strategic partner for ambitious founders, helping them level up their processes, brand, and business acumen by implementing the very frameworks she has used to achieve her own success.
Her proven track record as a mentor extends to facilitating photo and video workshops for entities like the Brisbane City Council, showcasing her deep commitment to education. A recent recipient of the Lord Mayor's Women in Business Grant, Emily is a recognised