We’re looking forward to introducing you to Jaime Bugbee. Check out our conversation below.
Jaime, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me starts with school drop-offs. I take my son first, and then I get this really sweet hour with my daughter in the car before it’s her turn. It’s honestly one of my favorite parts of the day, we just sit together, talk, laugh, or sometimes just enjoy the quiet. Those pockets of time feel like such a gift.
Once everyone’s where they need to be, I head home, make coffee, and ease into a slow morning. That’s something I never take for granted after years of rushing to a job that left me exhausted. Now, I get to start my workday feeling grounded and intentional.
From there, I dive into what fulfills me: marketing my business, helping my students with their websites and marketing their photography businesses, working on my courses, or preparing for client sessions. And on Tuesdays, I have my group coaching calls, which honestly light me up. Supporting other photographers and watching their businesses grow is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do.
My days are a blend of motherhood, creativity, and meaningful work, and I’m grateful every single day that my business allows me to build a life that feels aligned with what matters most.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Jaime Bugbee — a family and branding photographer, educator, and mom who built a business around slow mornings, creativity, and helping other women do the same. After almost two decades as a dental hygienist, I realized I wanted more freedom, more time with my kids, and work that actually lit me up. So I rebuilt my life through photography and a whole lot of learning, trial and error, and late nights after bedtime.
Today, I photograph families up and down the West Coast and run a coaching program where I teach family photographers how to get booked through Google, raise their prices with confidence, and create a business that supports their real life…not the other way around.
What makes my brand unique is that I combine SEO and strategy with empathy, motherhood, and real-life experience. I’m not here to overwhelm anyone with tech or jargon; I’m here to make marketing simple for the photographer who just wants to take pictures and actually get paid well for it.
Right now, I’m focused on helping more photographers step into their “booked out” era, build sustainable income, and create the kind of freedom I get to enjoy with my own family.
My work is a blend of heart, storytelling, and strategy, and I’m passionate about helping women feel seen, empowered, and capable of so much more than they realize.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who taught you the most about work?
The biggest lessons I’ve learned about work came from my parents. My dad was a small business owner who did residential concrete, and my mom was the one keeping everything running behind the scenes — doing his bookkeeping, working her own job, and still holding our home together. Now that I’m a mom myself, I look back and honestly don’t know how she did it.
They both had this strong, steady work ethic, very blue collar, very grounded, and always grateful for what they had, especially considering where they started. Watching them taught me that hard work isn’t flashy. It’s consistency, character, and showing up even when it isn’t easy.
My sister and I are both small business owners today, and that drive, grit, and appreciation for what we’ve built comes directly from the example our parents set.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Some of the most defining moments in my life came from relationships that weren’t healthy for me. I won’t go deep into the details because I’ve healed from them, but those experiences taught me a lot about my worth, what I will and won’t accept, and the kind of love I truly deserved. They humbled me, shaped me, and ultimately opened the door to meeting my husband — who is the safest, kindest person I’ve ever known.
But the most defining wound of my life was postpartum depression. Nothing prepared me for how completely it would undo me. My son was colicky, I was exhausted, and I felt like everything I thought I knew about myself disappeared overnight. It stripped me down to nothing and forced me to rebuild from the inside out. It was, without question, the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through.
And yet, that season gave me a new perspective on life…what matters, what doesn’t, what true strength looks like, and how important support, compassion, and mental health really are. I made it through, and it changed me in the best way. It’s a huge part of why I show up the way I do now, both as a mom and in my work: gently, intentionally, and with so much empathy for women navigating hard chapters of their own.
Those wounds were defining, but they were also transformational. They taught me resilience, self-worth, and how to create a life aligned with what I truly deserve.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
I think a lot of really smart, well-intentioned people — especially from older generations — are still holding onto the idea that success only comes from taking the traditional path: go to college, get the “safe” job, and stay there until retirement. That mindset made sense years ago, but the world has changed so much. There are so many different ways to build a meaningful, financially stable life now.
I say this with a lot of humility because I did follow the traditional route. I went to college, earned my bachelor’s degree, became a dental hygienist, and did everything “right.” And yet, the thing that actually changed my life was doing the opposite of what was considered safe, walking away from the predictable career path to build something on my own.
What I’ve learned is that the “smart” choice isn’t always the traditional one. Sometimes the thing that looks the riskiest is actually the thing that brings you the most fulfillment, freedom, and success. The world is evolving, and so are the paths that lead to a meaningful life.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What false labels are you still carrying?
One false label I’ve carried for a long time is the idea that I’m “lazy.” I don’t operate the same way a lot of people do, and sometimes when your process looks different, people make assumptions. The truth is, I’m someone who takes in a lot of information, does my research, and then executes from a place of clarity, not rushed. It might look slower from the outside, but it’s intentional.
I also think I’ve carried the label of being “too sensitive.” That used to feel like a flaw, but now I see it as one of my strengths. My sensitivity is what makes me a better photographer, a better coach, and a better mom. It helps me read people, create a safe space during sessions, especially with newborns and postpartum moms, and show up in a way that feels gentle instead of overwhelming. It’s become part of my superpower.
And in motherhood, I’ve definitely felt judged for being more protective or cautious at times. Some people see that as being overly sheltered, but I see it as being present and intentional. I know my kids, I know their hearts, and I know what helps them thrive.
So yes, I still carry some of those old labels — lazy, sensitive, overly cautious — but I no longer see them the way they were given to me. They’ve evolved into strengths that shaped the way I work, parent, and support the people I serve.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jaimebugbeephotography.com/maternity
- Instagram: @photomarketingcoach
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583873433550
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jaimebugbeephotography
Image Credits
Jaime Bugbee Photography
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