Photographers spend their careers learning to see other people clearly. Most of us never turn that skill around.

You Can't Photograph Past Your Own Lens is about what happens when we do. Every photographer is working through a lens — one shaped by what we were taught about being seen, what we delete from our own camera rolls, what we flinch at when someone turns the camera around. That lens doesn't stay private. It leaks into the work. It decides which sessions feel effortless and which go strangely flat, which clients we connect with and which we can't quite reach, and whether we can build something honest out of what we're actually good at.

About Liza 

Liza Hippler teaches two tools she uses with her own clients: the Three Lenses of Perception, a framework for identifying the lens you're looking through, and Who Is Doing the Looking, a practice for catching which version of yourself is evaluating an image. Attendees learn both on themselves first — then take them into their next session.

For photographers who are stuck on the business, this is the thing underneath the thing. You can't sell a portrait experience you don't believe in for yourself.

Liza Hippler is an award-winning photographer, speaker, and workshop leader based outside Nashville, where she runs The Art of Being Seen.

Shooting Canon and editing in Lightroom, she’s built a body of work—from international retreats to intimate private sessions—around a deceptively simple question: what happens when we use the camera to change the unhelpful lenses with which we view ourselves? Her methodology, Lens Flip, pairs photographs with identity-shifting language to shift how subjects perceive themselves—turning a portrait session into something closer to a reckoning.

Through her Lens of Love group experiences and premium private offerings like The Unphotographable, she’s known for capturing the unperformed, unguarded self. She also keynotes on her Three Lenses of Perception framework and brings an improv and acting background (including time at Second City) to the stage.

Program Details coming soon!

Program Details coming soon!

Matt Canterbury of MCC Photos is an award-winning photographer specializing in senior and portrait photography. Known for his bold use of dramatic lighting, creative in-camera reflections, and editing style, Matt is passionate about creating images that are both artistic and authentic. His goal is to make every session a unique experience while delivering portraits that clients will treasure for years to come.

In addition to his portrait work, Matt is a dedicated educator who enjoys helping photographers at every stage of their journey. Through hands-on workshops and one-on-one mentoring, he shares his expertise in lighting, posing, camera techniques, and editing, empowering others to grow in both skill and confidence. Seeing fellow photographers succeed is one of the most rewarding parts of his career.

Based in southern West Virginia, Matt serves clients throughout the region while continuing to inspire photographers across the country. When he’s not behind the camera, you’ll likely find him spending time with his family, listening to music, or enjoying a good hot dog.