Jodie Cooling

Jodie Cooling Photography

If you'd told 18-year-old me that one day I'd be speaking on stage about confidence, business and branding, I'd have laughed. Back then, I was simply a girl with a camera who loved capturing real moments. More than 20 years later, not much has changed.

I'm Jodie Cooling, a brand photographer, based in rural Oxfordshire. Through Jodie Cooling Photography, I help business owners create authentic, personality-filled images that not only elevate their brand but transform how they feel about themselves. My mission is simple: to help people see themselves differently.

After photographing thousands of people over the years, I've discovered that almost nobody enjoys being in front of the camera. That's why my approach is relaxed, honest and free from awkward posing. I believe confidence isn't something you're born with - it's something you build, and sometimes all it takes is someone showing you what everyone else already sees.

Fourteen years ago, I suffered a stroke that left me with permanent partial vision loss. Rather than ending my photography career, it changed my perspective completely. It taught me that photography isn't about seeing perfectly; it's about truly seeing people.

For many years I photographed weddings almost every weekend, but as my own children grew up, I made the leap into brand photography to create a business that worked around family life. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Today I work with entrepreneurs, creatives and business owners, as well as mentoring photographers and speaking at events about confidence, branding and the power of authentic imagery.

This year I am incredibly proud to be named as a finalist in both the Women Who Solopreneur Awards and the UK Small Business Awards. Those recognitions mean a great deal because they've come from building a business that's unapologetically me.

When I'm not behind the camera, you'll usually find me cheering from the side of a cricket pitch, walking my Labrador and cocker spaniel, or attempting to keep four chickens in line.

Whether I'm speaking or photographing, my goal is always the same: to leave people feeling more confident than they did when they arrived.