When Courtnery arrived for her professional headshots for her consultancy, she told me right away she wasn’t someone who usually feels at ease in front of a camera. Totally normal — I hear it all the time. But as soon as we started chatting about her work in strategy and philanthropy, her focus and calm confidence came through clearly.
My goal was to create professional headshots for a consultant that felt polished but still genuine — images she could use across her website, conference profiles, and anywhere her work shows up. With a bit of direction and a few small adjustments, she settled in quickly, and by the end we were getting natural, strong portraits that really reflected her.
Here’s more from her in her own words.
What do you do, and what led you there?
I work in strategy and philanthropy, helping organisations turn ideas into funded, measurable results. The spark for this work began years ago when I volunteered in Myanmar helping an orphanage establish small agribusiness projects so they could generate their own income. It opened my eyes to how powerful community-led solutions can be, and how often they struggle simply because the funding or structure is not there. That experience stayed with me and led me to build a career focused on solving complex problems, designing practical strategies, and securing the investment needed to turn meaningful ideas into real impact.
One piece of advice you live by?
When you see an opportunity, grab it with both hands. It rarely knocks twice, and almost every turning point in my career has come from taking a leap of faith towards an opportunity
Why did you have portraits taken — and how are you using them?
I was launching my consultancy and realised I did not have a cohesive set of professional photos to support the visibility the work requires. These portraits now sit across my website and I will use them for conference profiles, articles, interviews and anywhere my work needs a polished, consistent presence.
How did you find the experience?
Much less intimidating than I expected. I am not naturally comfortable in front of a camera, but Lizzy made the whole process easy with clear direction, a relaxed atmosphere and an eye for the small adjustments that make a big difference. I went in thinking I simply needed some photos, and I left feeling confident and genuinely pleased with the results.
