DDK MASTERMIND WITH KAAT CELIS
Proximity is power. Come and sit at the table.
A small group of established photographers who meet in Antwerp once a month to learn from each other, share what they're really dealing with and grow together. Real conversations, around a real table.
Max. 12 photographers · every second Tuesday of the month · Beamstreet Studio, Antwerp · starts Tuesday 12 January 2027
First edition: a Dutch-speaking pilot group The mastermind normally runs in English. The very first group, starting in January 2027, is an exception: a pilot that meets in Dutch. As a pilot member you get a special pilot rate of €250/month (excl. VAT), and you keep that rate for as long as you stay. Only 12 places.
Why this, why now
Every day, millions of new images flood our screens. AI can now generate a convincing photo in seconds, clients compare your rates with image banks, and editorial budgets keep shrinking. As a photo editor and jury member I've seen what happens to images when there are simply too many of them: they start to look alike, and they're forgotten just as fast.
That's exactly why the person behind the camera matters more than ever. Your way of looking, your choices, your story. What is human, becomes more valuable. And you don't find or sharpen your voice alone behind a laptop. You find it in conversation, with people who look closely at your work and tell you honestly what they see.
"The more images the world makes, the more the maker behind them matters. What is human only becomes more important, and so does your voice. That's why we need to come together." —- Kaat Celis
I use technology too, and I automate wherever it makes sense. But the moments that really moved me forward, as a photographer and as an entrepreneur, always happened face to face. Proximity is power: the people you surround yourself with shape what you believe is possible.
That's what this mastermind is. I bring the classes and the themes, you bring your experience, your cases and your questions. Better together, at the same table.
What happens at the table
Between sessions we have a WhatsApp group that's always open. You're not on your own between sessions. Our WhatsApp group is open 24/7 for your questions, doubts and wins, and the group is there to help each other. I check in too.
Every session has the same backbone: a class from me, hot seats and room for each other's cases. And between sessions, the conversation keeps going.
Thematic classes. Every month I teach a class on one theme. Sometimes it's about entrepreneurship, like how you build a practice that lasts. Sometimes it's mindset: doubt, comparing yourself, daring to ask a higher price. Sometimes it's pure business, like pricing, sales, visibility and networks. And sometimes we look at your portfolio and the direction your work is taking.
Hot seats. Every session, two or three of you take the hot seat. You bring one burning question and for about 25 minutes the whole group focuses on you. You walk out with ideas, honest feedback and a clear next step. With 12 members, everyone gets the hot seat roughly every four months.
Each other's cases. Got a quote you're unsure about, a client meeting coming up, or a series you're struggling to edit? Put it on the table. Chances are someone in the room has been there before.
You don't only learn from me. You hear how eleven other photographers deal with the same questions, and that's often where the real breakthroughs happen.
"I never lack enthusiasm or ideas but I needed someone to help me stay on track. Kaat is exactly that: a kind of referee who helps me grow with more focus and puts my energy where it matters. She’s always available for any kind of question, big or small, and is a wonderful sounding board. Exactly what I needed."
— Noortje Palmers (Mastermind participant)
How the mastermind works
We meet every second Tuesday of the month at Beamstreet Studio, Van Stralenstraat 34A in Antwerp, from 14:00 to 17:00. In July it's the first Tuesday, in August the last.
14:00 Class by Kaat on a self-selected theme: entrepreneurship, mindset, busines, portfolio, publishing, AI,…
15:00 Hot seats: 2 or 3 of you get the full attention of the group for your question
16:15 Open table: cases, quotes, images, wins and struggles
16:45 Closing round: what's your one step for this month?
17:00 Drinks, because the best stuff often comes up after the official part
Dates in 2027: 12 January · 9 February · 9 March · 13 April · 11 May · 8 June · 6 July · 31 August · 14 September · 12 October · 9 November · 14 December
Can't make it to Antwerp one month? No problem, the mastermind is hybrid. You receive a link the day before, join online and follow along from a distance.
You commit for six months, and after that you renew per quarter for as long as it feels right. Why six months? Because trust needs time, and a group that stays together gets so much more out of each session.
The first pilot group meets in Dutch.
"As a photographer, filmmaker and storyteller, I often found myself pulled in different directions. I knew there was more potential in my work than what I was currently showing, but I struggled to decide where to focus my energy. Kaat has a unique ability to combine strategic thinking with a deep understanding of the creative process. She helps me see the bigger picture without losing sight of the practical next steps."
— Jelle Vermeersch (mentoring participant)
House rules
What is said at the table, stays at the table. You can share here what you wouldn't share anywhere else. We create a safe space.
You come to share, not to show off. A pitch that failed teaches us more than a polished portfolio.
Honest and respectful. We say what we see, even when it's uncomfortable, and always with care for each other's work.
Everyone brings something. A question, a case, an experience. The group is only as strong as what you put in.
There are no ready-made answers. I don't hand out formulas. I help you ask the right questions, and you make the choices.
Your work grows as far as you grow. You are here to challenge yourself too.
Together, not against each other. There may be peers from the same market at the table. We want each other to succeed.
The work happens between sessions. A mastermind helps you choose, but you take the step yourself.
Who this mastermind is for
This mastermind is designed for photographers who have already built a foundation in their work and practice. You may recognise yourself in some of these situations:
You have developed a body of work and gained experience with clients, projects or exhibitions.
You prefer to learn and reflect in a group rather than figuring everything out on your own.
You want to work deliberately on your practice every month, in a fixed rhythm.
You want to keep growing close to Kaat, with a steady group of peers around you.
You are looking for honest conversations about your practice with people who understand both the creative and the professional side.
Who this mastermind is NOT for
This mastermind is probably not the right fit if you are just starting out and still exploring the basics of photography. It is also not suited for photographers looking for quick results or ready-made formulas, or who mainly come to take without bringing anything in.
Investment
The first group is a pilot edition. It meets in Dutch, and because you're helping me shape this mastermind from the start, you get a special pilot rate. You keep that rate for as long as you stay, also when later groups pay the regular rate.
Pilot rate: €250 per month, excl. VAT
How long do you stay? As long as you like. This is an ongoing mastermind, not a programme with an end date.
The first six months are a fixed commitment, so the group has time to build trust.
After that, you simply renew per quarter. You can stay for a year, two years or longer, and your pilot rate stays the same the whole time.
Want to stop? Let me know before the next quarter begins. No hard feelings, and the door stays open.
Because the chemistry of the group matters so much, I curate it myself. There are 12 places at most, and not every conversation leads to a seat at the table.
Is the group full? Then you go on the waiting list. As soon as a place opens up and it's a GO from both sides, you start at the next monthly session.
How to join
You book a discovery call with me.
We talk about your work, your practice and what you are looking for in a group.
If it feels right for both of us, you receive an invitation and I reserve your place.
FAQs
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The first session is on Tuesday 12 January 2027, from 14:00 to 17:00 at Beamstreet Studio, Van Stralenstraat 34A in Antwerp.
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You have been working professionally for a number of years, you have a body of work and experience with clients, projects or exhibitions. In the discovery call we look together at whether your questions fit the group.
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Then you go on the waiting list. When a place opens up and we both say GO, you join at the next monthly session.
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Yes. There's a WhatsApp group for the mastermind that's open 24/7, so you never have to wait a month. The members help each other, and I check in too.
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The mastermind is hybrid. You join online and follow the masterclass and the cases from a distance.
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Yes. After the first six months you renew per quarter. If you want to stop, let me know before the new quarter begins.
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The mastermind normally runs in English. The first group is a pilot: we start small, in Antwerp and in our own language, and shape the format together. Later groups can run in English, at the regular rate. As a pilot member you keep your pilot rate for as long as you stay.
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That is what the discovery call is for. Nothing is fixed until we both feel it's a good fit.
If you're tired of carrying these questions on your own, come and have a chat. No pressure, no sales pitch. We'll just see whether this table is the right one for you, and whether you're the right person for the table.
"Technology can do a lot for us. But growing as a photographer is still something you do with people." Kaat Celis