The JOY Broadcast Festive Joy in Grief with Photography & Self-Love with Paula Ivy
Ali welcomes her online bestie Paula Ivy - an Australian photographer and artist who changed Ali's life through the transformational power of self-portraiture.
This emotional conversation explores how learning to photograph yourself becomes a radical act of self-love, how to leave a photographic legacy for those you love, and why printed photographs matter more than ever.
Key Insights
Photography as Radical Self-Love
Paula doesn't just teach photography - she teaches women to see themselves differently. What starts as learning angles and lighting becomes something much deeper: learning to look at yourself objectively, beyond the critical voice that says "fugly," beyond the conditioning from parents and society.
Ali's transformation: "I came in thinking I'd learn to take photos. Instead, Paula taught me how to see myself as art. My body became shapes and images, not just flaws. It was alchemizing, transformational, healing."
The Light Switch Moment
Every person who works with Paula experiences this: a moment when the light switch flips and suddenly you lean closer to the mirror and think, "Holy shit. I am beautiful. I can SEE it."
From Fugly to Phenomenal
We all carry voices - from parents, ex-partners, friends, society - that tell us we're not good enough. Too fat, too ugly, too old, too much, not enough.
Paula's work helps you reprogram that voice. Like Ali's son Willy dancing in the mirror saying "I love myself, I look hot" - that's the energy we can reclaim.
The Wayne Dyer Truth
Ali's favourite quote: "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."
Paula teaches you to change the way you look at YOURSELF. And when you do, you change.
Leaving a Legacy: The Importance of Printed Photographs
Ali's mum hated how she looked. When she died 10 years ago, there were no photographs of her. That absence - that lack of visual memory - was devastating.
Ali's mission: Create thousands of photographs so her boys have a box full of memories when she's gone.
Paula's wisdom: In an age of AI and digital manipulation, printed photographs become PROOF. Tangible truth. "This is the history, this is the past that I've had. It's here and it can't be messed with because it's printed. It's a thing."
Photography is Becoming More Important, Not Less
As AI makes everything questionable, as digital images can be altered beyond recognition, physical printed photographs become our anchor to truth and memory.
The invitation: Print your photos. Create albums. Leave tangible proof of your existence, your beauty, your life.
And so much more!
Please connect with Paula - she will change your life - you will start to see yourself & your life through a different lens.
You will find all her work through my affiliate link here:
https://www.paulaivy.com/alimortimer?affiliate=XScVFD
Check out her freebie: 'F*ck I am beautiful' - a personal project through selfies.
I have taken all her programmes, starting with Selfography30, Selfie Queens, 121 for brand artistry and now in her membership Selfography.
Follow her on Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/paulatheivy
If you loved this episode - please leave me a review & share it on your socials!
With all my love
Ali xo