The hidden Astrology magic behind a photoshoot
Time and again I’m amazed at how the astrology and moon cycles seem to seep into the energy of a photoshoot. It’s not always something I’m consciously tracking beforehand, but when I look back at certain sessions and what was happening in the sky at the time, the parallels can be honestly so remarkable.
Recently I shared on my newsletter a few shoots and the astrological movements surrounding them, and I found myself genuinely blown away by the synchronicities.
So in this journal I’m looking back at a handful of sessions and the astrology that accompanied them, sharing a few insights along the way. It might even inspire you to choose certain dates for your own session. That said, I’ve also learned to trust that the timing always unfolds as it should. Whatever energy arrives on the day is often exactly what’s needed for your learning, your expansion, and your expression.
Fernanda is a Reiki teacher, we shot during Pisces Season. On this day it was also a Mercury Cazimi, when Mercury sits “in the heart of the Sun.” She mentioned on the day she has a Virgo placement possibly her rising sign.
Her intuition, expression, and purpose were all illuminated. The Mercury Cazimi highlighted her voice being seen and heard. With her Virgo placement, there’s a beautiful balance between grounded healing and intuitive flow—capturing her as both a channel and a guide
I photographed Iris, during an Aries Full Moon which for Iris' Taurus rising activated her 12th house... we were shooting all things unseen - Reiki.
It captured Iris in a deeply introspective and spiritual moment.
The Aries Full Moon brought illumination and release, and for her Taurus rising, activating the 12th house points to all things unseen—intuition, healing, and the subconscious. Photographing her through Reiki aligned perfectly, revealing her in a space of surrender, inner depth, and transformation.
Nina’s shoot took place with the Moon in Libra activating her 8th house, a space that often brings rawness, intimacy, and transformation. She had travelled to New Zealand for the session, and with Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius, this carried a feeling of meaningful karmic travel and reconnecting with her purpose. Just a few months later, these images found their way into her first published book.
This was a deeply transformative and fated moment for Nina.
This was Jordyn's first shoot. It was Aquarius Season... a time for originality, freedom, and breaking routine—highlighted her doing something new and daring.
As a Libra Sun, her natural grace and inner Aphrodite shone through when we got to the shoreline, her confidence and beauty fully coming alive! It was a celebration of her stepping fully into herself.
Paige is a Leo Sun, and we were gifted the most beautiful sunrise that morning.
Venus in Taurus was moving through her 5th house, inviting artistic expression and creative play.
The Moon in Libra activated her 10th house of career and visibility, while touching my 8th house of shared resources. It felt like a moment where we were co-creating something beautiful through her craft that would contribute to her public work and legacy.
My shoot with Essence of Earth had been delayed a few times, but when it finally happened on this day, Saturn conjunct Neptune in Aries was exact — blending structure (Saturn) with dreams and intuition (Neptune), urging to ground ideals into reality and reflect on where inspiration truly comes from. Their vision was clear.
For Sarah, a Pisces Rising, and Holly a Pisces Sun, this activated clarity around what they wanted their next chapter to look like.
I’ve photographed Lunar a few times now, but this session felt particularly potent. A Scorpio Sun with Aquarius Rising, she naturally dives deep into her self-expression, yet this was the first time she had ever stepped in front of the camera in the water.
Mercury was retrograde in Aries, activating her 3rd house of expression, bringing forward something that had been waiting to be shared. With Neptune at the final degrees of Pisces, there was also a quiet reflection around self-worth and her creative gifts. It felt like a moment of rediscovering the power of telling her story.
Amy is a Scorpio Sun, captured on a New Moon in Aries. This was extra potent because it coincided with a solar eclipse - bold resets, courage, and stepping into a new chapter. It was also activating her 10th House (career, purpose, and public image) in which we also ended up shooting content for her business at the same time.
As a Scorpio Sun, there was this added depth and transformative energy which was present in her images, a moment of rising, reinvention, and claiming her space in her work.
Katie told me she just came out of her Saturn Return in Pisces. We shot during Pisces Season as her final liberation emerged to be celebrated, and before she moved overseas. Pisces season tends to bring themes of reflection and endings.
It marked a closing chapter and a soft rebirth for Katie. Coming out of her Saturn Return in Pisces speaks to deep lessons, emotional growth, and letting go. Shooting in Pisces season mirrored that energy of reflection, endings, and release… capturing her in a moment of liberation, where she’s stepping forward lighter, wiser, and more aligned.
I did my own Oasis session on the day Aries season started. Not only did it come with courageous energy, it hits my 2nd house of self-worth, personal value and what I offer the world. I had travelled 4hrs north to these dunes specifically for this shoot - The Moon was sitting in Sagittarius which is my 10th House of career and public roles. Again, fitting for my work and where I thrive!
This was about me showing up for myself.
Mirala is a Quantum Healer, with a Leo Rising. We shot unknowingly on a Leo Full Moon and her Leo placement was front and centre this evening.
This energy truly amplified her confidence, creativity, and magnetic aura. Leo’s tend to love the spotlight as people like to say, but for Mirala this was absolutely true. Since we also had a Full Moon during this shoot, that speaks of release and letting go, Mirala was embracing her new name, identity and letting go of her old self she once knew.
I photographed Jess under the Aries Full Moon, illuminating her 4th house of emotional roots and inner truth, while the Libra Sun highlighted her 10th house of career and visibility.
Venus in Virgo focused in on her 9th house of travel and philosophy—apt for the 2.5-hour journey they made to me to shoot their business.
The astrology felt perfectly aligned for capturing two women stepping confidently into their shared work.
There were many intricacies for Jahna this day. She is a Libra Sun, a natural lover of beauty and aphrodite energy, plus is a Virgo Rising. She mentioned to me she met a new love during this time we shot together and the astrology was loud about it.
The Sun was in Pisces, which activates her 7th house of relationships, mirrors, and being seen by others. She was allowing herself to be witnessed. She was ready for love.
Dani came down from Karikari Peninsula to shoot with me in Whangarei. The major astrology this day had the Sun conjunct Uranus in Taurus, activating her 2nd house of self-worth and creative value, while the Moon in Capricorn highlighted her 10th house of visibility and career. These photos were to help support her into new roles and collaborations through her work, as well as a celebration of her.
With Venus in Aries illuminating her 1st house, the energy supported stepping confidently into her own expression too!
Not all astrology is easy! I recall this day was particularly tough as I had seen the astrology before hand.
Mars was square Uranus which was quite bumpy. However, I was shooting two new practitioners for The Healing Room, both with Pisces Rising in Pisces season, and it was pouring with rain. It ended up being pretty dreamy and atmospheric.
And the Venus conjunct Mercury (Retrograde) in Pisces felt very artistic, a reflective energy, where feelings or stories that had been sitting beneath the surface found a way to be expressed. These girls were re-writing their story and career.
With the Sun and Neptune in Pisces illuminating Tarikura’s 9th house of growth and vision there was certainly a dreamy disposition to her gallery. The Moon was sitting in Gemini this day, highlighting her 3rd house of communication so the day carried a sense of intuitive reflection paired with curiosity and creative expression.
Another moment I was in front of the lens, this time to promote my Distant Tarot Readings. It was Pisces season, and as a Pisces Rising, the day activated my personal expression. Anyone with the Sun lighting their 1st house, will be a potent time to step into your light, share your authentic self, and be seen for who you truly are.
Mercury retrograde in Pisces was also bringing thoughts and ideas that had been quietly brewing to the surface. I was, in a way, coming out of the spiritual closet—beginning to share my intuition openly.
I have known Rebekah for about a decade or more, being a makeup artist herself I’ve worked alongside her on plenty of jobs, but this was the first time we shot outdoors more personably.
With the Sun in Aquarius illuminating her 10th house of career and visibility, and Pluto newly beginning a long transformation in this part of her chart, this shoot carried a sense of stepping more fully into her purpose in a deeply transformational way.
Venus in Capricorn added a touch of the 9th house, hinting at expansion, and a widening of perspective.
Rael and I are both Pisces Rising and this was my first shoot for Oasis’ launch. The shoot was very different for both of us, as I had photographed Rael many times in my commercial photography phase - but a first for us doing something so raw (and what felt very witchy). The Sun was in Sagi (and Moon in Aries was activating our 9th house of travel and adventure), we both journeyed to meet at Kai Iwi Lakes for this shoot.
The day carried intuitive, courageous, and creatively connected energy for both of us.
I remember this being such a potent day between us and I love when the astrology just hits that sweet spot. Sara and I have shot together a few times. She is a Cancer Sun with Leo Rising.
The Sun and Mars were in Virgo activating her 12th house of reflection and connection to her inner guidance (she told me afterwards during moments of her shoot she had deep insights!). Venus in Leo was shining brightly in her 1st house of magnetism and radiant self-expression. These are our most powerful shots we’ve created together.