Four Day FunShop

"For what it's worth,
it was worth all the while.
I hope you had the time of your life."

green day | time of your life

I had absolutely no idea what I was doing when I started photography.

Not a stinking clue.
Now I have two stinking clues,
and one lavender-fields smelling clue.
MUCH BETTER then nothing.

For real, though,
 I ran over to Chicago for six weeks for help.

Sarah Barlow took me under her wing,

taught me, befriended me and seriously changed the course of my business.

She poured herself out to help me.

I was changed, and moved.

Such a sweet, sweet memory.

I decided to do my own "internships" two summers ago.

The girls who came were brilliant.

I was, again, changed and moved.

They taught me more then I could have ever taught them.

So, the time has come again foooor:

One of the girls, who now happens to be one of my favorite-est friends, 

wrote this sweet paragraph about her time:

 "It was a week full of laughter, crazy photobooth fun, late nights, yummy food, 

Oh, and photography talk ;) 

It was the best best BEST thing that I've ever done for my business,

 and I'm so grateful for it. 

I'm grateful for Kristen being honest about her failures, 

and things she didn't do right. 

I'm grateful for the way she shared openly about the things she had done right 

and that had helped grow her business. 

And I'm super grateful for my Ica + Julia darlings 

who didn't laugh at my pc laptop 

and my complete inability to throw down even one cool dance move ;) 

I flew out to DC for a week with my rebel xti and 20lb laptop, 

to stay with someone I'd never met,

 in the hopes that this little step 

would somehow get me closer to my dream of being a wedding photographer 

and got so much more than I bargained for."

ps. digital SLR's, 

access to use or at least borrow a laptop, 

a desire to REALLY try this photography thing out

and a new pair of leopard print heels for me are required.

;)

Interns 2011

"I'm anticipating the time When it'll be my turn,
It could be fun to try
I think that I'll save the world As a fun afternoon activity"brooke fraser - saving the world"My" highschool has a really great "internship week" each year. Each highschool student needs to submit a request to a business/career-option they would be interested in pursuing, and then instead of going to school that week, they go to "work" and intern!This year I had (from L to R) Katie, Julia, Emily and Natalie.
We talked a good deal about branding, shoot preparation and "setting yourself apart."One day we brainstormed brands.They each picked words that described themselves.The cut out pictures and created "brand boards" to see what they "looked" like.Another day we worked on logos.Another day they brainstormed for a shoot to do together.The final day they came and got all ready for their little "planned" shoot.It was pretty adorable ;)Mostly their conversations about "girl" things that I loved to eavesdrop on.I love highschool girls haha

Let me introduce them a little more specifically.Emily is "artsy, dorky, young."Probably the most experienced photographically-speaking of all the interns.I loved the new look we came up for her!

This is Natalie.She came up with "joyful, colorful, spunky."I think Natalie is the most driven and most "set and achieve goal"-oriented of all the interns.
Katie is the fire-cracker.And "spontaneous, funky, old-soul."She's for sure the most excited and passionate in the group!
A little spontaneous funk... ... and a little old soul ;)Oh Julia, Julia. ;)Julia actually isn't as interested in photography as she is exploring options.I think she should going into fashion styling.For her age, I think she has incredible taste.I loved her "brand" the best.


OhHEY. It's me!
After the fun little shoot with the girls, we had two bf-gf couples to practice some more on!








It was a packed week, and I went to bed early + tired every night! But it was so worth it. Can't wait to see where these ladies go!You all made me laugh, made me think and made me laugh some more.I had a blast!
Ps. Trying to decide if I should do internships again this spring/summer.Thoughts?

Intern Re-Cap

"Today you are you, that is truer than true!
There is no one alive who is youer than you!"

That Dr. Seuss quote is one of my favorites for my business. It's the whole idea behind personalizing business, branding, target marketing and styling. But sometimes, it's hard to figure out "you." At least the "you" that you want to put on display for your business.

This past week I had three wonderful interns - Jessica from Texas, Julia from Minnesota and Ica from Virginia.
During the internship, we spent a lot of time on the "you" part of their businesses.


Let's start with Julia Mary. After making an inspiration board, looking at other photographers pictures, and assessing her own work, she narrowed her business down to a few words: Bold, editorial, beautiful.

Soooo try to imagine pictures in magazines. But not Real Simple, more like an Elle magazine cover. That is the vibe she is going for :D Please check out her blog: Julia Mary Blog! You all know how wonderful it feels to have support when you are starting ANYthing that's a big deal for you. So show your support!

And what do we think? These headshots capture bold, editorial beauty? Isn't SHE a bold, editorial beauty?
---
Next up, we have the southern belle, Miss Jessica Shae!

She evaluated, deliberated and decided that her brand would consist of vintage, charming, fairy-tale images. Think Breakfast At Tiffany's becoming bff's with Disney's Cinderella.

Add her southern flair and I think she's irristable :D

Don't you just want to hire her?! Sheesh. Dallas folk, get on it. She's amazing and takes the sweetest little pictures. GO LOOK AT HER BLOG. And then comment! Jessica Shae Blog!

And last, we have Ica.
Ica is a little rockstar. She's got mad style and the loudest laugh. I loove it.

Her brand is something quite whimsical and vintage-ly funky. Think Allie & Noah falling in love during that first summer and The Ting-Tings. Bascially, think awesome.

Ica Images is going to take off - I call it. She is wonderful, her business is wonderful and if you want wonderful pictures, contact her! Here's her blog: Ica Images blog.

On the last day, I had them take some pictures for me -- fooor my new brand. Woohooo!
The idea of it isn't changing, but almost everything else is (like the watermark sported on this blog post and this one too.) The new stuff will still be fun, hysterical and ridiculously adorable.

If you weren't convinced that you need to check out their stuff, I will show you right here! These girls are greaaaat!








They did a great job :D I'm like a proud little mother hen watching her little chicklets :D

ps. Since when are interns stunningly beautiful and amazingly godly? I'm pretty sure I didn't get that memo... My girls are just THE best!

Update!

Hellllllllooooo!

So, since I have left you to wait for days and days, I can officially announce the winner of the "contest" from the last post.

First, here is the answer:

The "new" blog item was: My Logo
My favorite Taylor Swift song is: Tim McGraw
Aaaand my favorite state is: California!

Congratulations to Peeeeter Bang! First one to guess it right :D
Let me know if you want an iTunes or Starbucks card :D

Meanwhile, The Interns and I have been having a ball. Shoots everyday, early mornings, late nights and pretty much the best pictures your eyeballs have seen - it's been good times. This is Ica (who has an AMAZING new logo and business name! I'm SO jealous!) and Julia (who is from Minnesota and is the easiest girl to work with! Ever!)


(And the cute Texan with the pizza is Jessica - she's just adorb. My adorb is jealous of her adorb.)
I've been treating them right and showing off Maryland to them - the countryside, downtown Frederick, Urbana's county carnival and last night we went to the hip and artsy Adams Morgan.

If you are ever in the area, you MUST stop at Pizza Mart for a slice of pizza that is about as tall as a kindergartner. And it is SO delicious.

Here we are, on a glorious cellphone picture.
Would you call me a failure if I told you that three days in, and this is the only group shot we have? Please don't, cause its true.

Make sure you check out their awesome new blogs!
Julia Mary
Jessica Shae
Ica Images

Summer Intern Joy

Hello!

I'm so super excited about this. How excited? SO SUPER excited.





Feel free to hop on over to Summer With Kristen Leigh (especially girls in highschool.)

Chicago Shoot

While I was in Chicago, Sarah organized a mini-workshop for her interns and other interested photographers. We had a "lecture" for a few hours, then went off to shoot in an adorable little town in Chicago (actually, I honestly don't know where it was, but I assume it was in Chicago :D)
We had a fabulous time running through the streets - we were seriously jumping in the middle of the road, climbing on newspaper stands and dumpsters, and using anything we could find as a backdrop. I don't think I have ever had such plain ol' fun at a shoot.

The light was perfect, the models knew what they were doing, everyone was helping each other - we were basically better when we were all together...

Better Together
Jack Johnson

There's no combination of words
I could put on the back of a postcard

No song that I could sing
But I can try for your heart
Our dreams;
And they are made out of real thingsLike a shoe-box of photographs
With sepia-tone lovingLove is the answer
At least for most of the questions in my heart
Like "Why are are we here?"
"Where do we go?" and "How come it's so hard?"
It's not always easy
And sometimes life can be deceiving
I'll tell you one thing,
It's always better when we're together
Mmmm, It's always better when we're together Yeah, we'll look at them stars and we're together
Well, it's always better when we're together
Yeah, it's always better when we're together
And all of these moments
Just might find their way into my dreams tonight,

But, I know that they'll be gone
When the morning light singsAnd brings new thingsFor tomorrow night, you see,
That they'll be gone, tooToo many things I have to do
But if all of these dreams
Might find their way
Into my day-to-day scene
I'd be under the impression
I was somewhere in between
Only two,
Just me and you
Not so many things we got to do
Or places we got to beWe'll sit beneath the mango tree, now Yeah, It's always better when we're together
Mmmm, we're somewhere in between togetherI believe in memories
They look so, so pretty when I sleepAnd now when, when I wake up,
you look so pretty sleeping next to meBut there is not enough time,
There is no, no song I could singAnd there is no combination of words I could say
But I will still tell you one thingWe're better together

...

A Dream is a wish your heart makes :D

So, I am in love with Sarah Barlow and her family! Beth (the other intern) and I are busy looking at pics and just hanging out in Sarah's office. In a little while we are going to shoot a wedding. I am thrilled to say the least. Those pics will be up as soon as I have a free moment!

Here is us last night. But, it really looks so much better on her blog...

Friends of the Blog world...

At 6:40 Thursday morning, an airplane shall lift from Maryland soil and carry my mom, my sister and me to Illinois.

And I will finally meet Sarah Barlow! I am sitting here trying to figure out what to say to explain how excited I am. I keep typing things and then backspacing. I don't know what to say. I just am purely blessed. God is too kind to me.

My prayer for my business has been Dueteronomy 2:7 which says:

"For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness. These...years the Lord your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing.”

I do feel like I am going through a "wilderness" photography-wise. However, I can already see how God has blessed me, been with me and has supplied me with my EVERY need. Seriously - everything.

He is good!