Here is another one of those shots where there is just beauty in the mundane. Call it my obsession with lines again, I donno. Whatever it is...I just love when birds are all lined single file up on an electrical wire - let alone on a pretty day - right above the beach with blue skies AND pretty white fluffy marshmallow clouds. I took these image several weeks ago and something lead me to share it today. Although it means nothing to you guys, it makes me smile. Can you imagine just chillin' with your B/F/F's all day long up in the blue pillow-y skies with the beach down below? WOW! What a rough life that would be. Real, real, rough. Fo' sho'! :) In the end, this is just another example of how we pass this type of stuff daily and the images never register with our brains that they mean anything or that they are beautiful enough to be noticed. The beauty in the mundane again. The stuff we see day in an day out but never truly "feel" when we see it. I snapped this image because I wanted to remember what I felt when I saw it and I wanted to feel the smile that it brought to me when I thought about hanging with my gur-frens on a live wire all day long. At.the.beach! This was another scene that being a photographer taught me to see that I otherwise would not have.
For now, I'm off to tend to my littles - my Kenidi Grace - who has been home sick since Monday. She is sitting right here beside me eating chex mix and popcorn now that she finally has an appetite back. I'm just glad to see her eating - I don't care if it is bucket loads of chocolate at this point. Hoping you are all having a great week. PS...I'm starting to get lots of calls from clients about wanting professional beach portraits done when they travel here to Florida for Spring Break next month. If you are heading to the Ft. Myers Beach, Naples, Marco Island, Sanibel Island, or Cape Coral areas for your upcoming travels and would like to schedule a session with me...shoot me an email. I'd be honored to photograph you, your family, your children, etc. A huge thanks to all of you who continue to pass on my name to others in regard to photography needs. Your word of mouth referrals are priceless. I can't begin to express how much they mean to me.
Hi friends. Just wanted to post a note here real quick and let each of you know that "Canvas People" are giving away free photo canvases right now. They are on a mission to earn the business of everyone in the market and then some. Therefore, they are offering an awesome deal for free canvases. I must say that I ordered two for my office and I received them a couple of weeks back. They turned out OK but they definitely aren't the quality that I'm used to with my professional photography lab. These canvases are thin and skinny, not the 2" wide heavy duty canvases some of you might be familiar with. Their lab coloring was way off and actually produced a bluish tint to my images as well as some dark areas but beings that they were free (or one was), I'm not complaining. For the FREENESS, they are just fine. I'm appreciative of their gesture to give so many free canvases away. I'm just one that will knit pick a bit more because I work with color labs and can distinguish what tints are normal in a photograph and what aren't. These are horrific shots of mine that I grabbed real quick and on the fly but I at least wanted to give you an idea of what they looked like.
If you should want to receive a FREE canvas yourself, feel free to go HERE for the details. Enjoy and have fun.
My next beginner online photography class starts this coming Monday, March 1st. As of this moment, we literally only have 4 seats left. If you are interested in signing up, please go HERE to register. Time is running out. If you'd prefer to read a bit more about the details of the class, feel free to visit my photography blog HERE for more information. Should you have any questions, you can email me directly at Angie@AngieSeamanPhotography.com
As you can see, seats are filling up fast. This class is well on its way to being another sold out session. It is a sure fire guess that the remaining slots still open will be gone before the weekend. We've got a great group from all across the country and beyond joining us again. We're going to have a great time and would love to have you join us.
SEEING RED - NAPLES, FLORIDA CHILDREN'S PHOTOGRAPHER
Hi all. It just dawned on me that I hadn't blogged this session from back in Indiana as of yet. Thought I'd share. You can find more of the sneak peek images over HERE. Such a fun session with "G man" and his Mom that day.
It's been cloudy and rainy here in South Florida so I don't have any new images to show you from the past few days. I'm working on that though - hang tight. Lots going on down here lately. Brennen started on his new basketball team - we are busy with practices and games again. It feels good to be back in that groove. I've missed his sports. I've been helping my Mom try to find a job. Unfortunately, she isn't having any luck. Although we've been to the beach 4 times since arriving here 8 weeks ago, 4 times isn't enough. Ha ha! However, we are trying to spend each day looking up jobs online for her and scour places for employment for her. If anyone in the Southwest Florida area knows of any entry level positions somewhere, let us know. We'd be so appreciative. She left a 7 year job at a hospital back in Indiana and had hoped she could find an entry level medical position somewhere to start out with down here. Again though...nothing. It's a horrible time for her to be looking given the economy. Seriously though...if someone knows of a job - anything she might be able to jump into - we'd be so grateful for the lead. Feel free to email me at Angie@AngelicaGraceDesigns.com should you know of something that might be up her alley.
I'm going to help her keep looking. We never guessed it would be this difficult for her. In the meantime, I've been hitting the hotels and retail establishments in regards to my photography business down here. I made some rounds again last week, approaching the hotels on the beach as well as all of my favorite children's boutiques, a local cupcake shop, etc. and introduced myself. Thankfully they were all so very nice and allowed me to leave my promo cards and business cards with them so that they can refer clients to me. I'm so grateful for their willingness to help get my name off the ground down here. God is good. I'm "jumping" and he is giving me the wings. And as my painting says...I'm learning how to unfold them as I fall...
Just an FYI to let everyone know (in case you haven't noticed) that we've got new blog buttons which have been updated at the bottom of this page. I know some of you have the old blog buttons on your pages that can be updated to these new ones. (they don't automatically update) And for those of you who would like to add the blog buttons to your site or blog who haven't before, I'd be so appreciative. I am always so grateful to each of you who are willing to place my buttons on your pages/sites. It means the world to me. Here are copies of what the two new buttons look like...
In order to copy and paste the code for these buttons, you will need to scroll to the bottom of this page. Highlight the code for the button(s) you want to place on your blog or site. Then go to the top of your page on your toolbar and click on "page." From there, click copy. Then, you should be able to go to your page and click "paste" in the area where you add blog buttons, links, etc.
Again...a HUGE thank you to each of you whom are willing to add these to your own blogs or websites. I can't express my gratitude enough. Blessings, Angie
We drove into Captiva Island the other night. A storm was about to roll in but it was still gorgeous as ever. We pulled off at one point and I jumped out to grab a shot of the wave caps rolling in. It was a sight to see - the waters all big and bad - proving once again that the sea is a force to be reckoned with. My Dad has a set of friends that do a lot of boating down here throughout the year. His wife always says that the ocean "is one mean B_ _ _ H!" Oh how she is. LOL! You just can't tame the sea. There is no reasoning with her massive waves, her thunderous lapping on the shore, or her silent but deadly undertow at times. This particular area had a sign that read "DANGER! Strong undertow. No swimming!" It was a spot that you definitely would not want to jump into.
Eventually the clouds let up and the dark eerie looks caved to pink cotton candy skies again. Amazing how life can be so dark one minute and yet so bright, vibrant, and promising the next. It can give us "whiplash" thru all of the emotions life presents us with at times. Lots of back and forth. Lots of ups and downs. Some higher and some lower than others. Mom and I talked about life today. We drove over into Sanibel to go shelling this morning. It has been an 80 degree day and totally gorgeous outside. I've had a few blog readers asking for some shells from the beach here so we decided to go hand pick some for each of them. On the drive there and back we discussed how remaining positive - even thru the hell in life - is so much better than dying to the enemies negativity. Many days it is harder for me to remember that than on others but I am continually striving to "try" and find the good in everything. This past week has been a challenge for me - finding good in what I'm seeing happen to friends around me. However, without faith that the rainbow is yet to come, what is there to live for? Without hope that the sun will rise again, why bother? I have to keep the faith. I have to keep hoping. I have to keep praying. It's all I know to do.
Many people have emailed me and asked me how I've managed to remain so positive - especially thru some personal problems over the past year. Little do they know, I've had my melt downs and my moments of despair. In the end though, you must get back up. You must keep standing. The only answer I have for how I've survived such a helldacious year is God. To me...there is no other choice. No other answer. Without him, I might as well forget it. Do I ever get mad at God? No. Do I question him? Absolutely not. I've learned that his way might not always be "my way" but it is ALWAYS the BEST way. Life isn't easy with God but it sure is "easier" than if I was without him. And speaking of my helldacious year, it was nothing compared to what some of our dear friends are experiencing right now. I feel silly to even call my ordeals helldacious because quite frankly...they were a walk in the park compared to most peoples problems. Six months later, I'm alive. Standing. Smiling. Better off because of it. Stronger due to it. A different individual via those struggles. Prayers work and your prayers brought me up and out of a very difficult time in my life. That ordeal 6 months ago is now part of "my story." Part of "my book." A chapter that totals a novel full of life experience. Without it, I wouldn't be the Angie I am today. God intended my pain for good. I'm confident in that. I pray daily that he will use me & my stories in any capacity - any format - where he feels I'm needed and able. His plan is always the best plan. His way always the best way. I keep reminding myself of this as I reflect on the events and the pain of last week. None of it makes any sense to me. Not one ounce of it. But I am going to continue to pray for those hurting. It's the only weapon I have against Satan's arsenal of negativity and anguish. It's one powerful weapon at that. God's word and his promises are mighty ones. Big, bad, strong, tough guy like ones. I'm letting God "get on with his bad self" and lead the way - for all of us. Because if God is on our side, who can be against us???
"A pessimist only sees the dark side of the clouds, and mopes; a philosopher sees both sides and shrugs; an optimist doesn't see the clouds at all - he's walking on them.” ~Leonard Levinson
That is right friends. After much demand, I've decided to offer an in person group workshop for beginner photographers. It took some prodding and provoking but I finally caved. This workshop is strictly for beginners looking to learn more about their cameras as well as the basics of photography. I've found some great vendors who are willing to work with us here in Naples. First being my all time favorite hotel in the area...The Inn on 5th.
The inn on 5th is located dead center in the heart of everything "Naples." Step outside the door of the hotel and you have a world that mimics a little Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The accommodations are situated on the quaint and upscale 5th avenue in downtown Naples. Just steps from the hotel is the beach. The scenic night life, restaurants, exquisite cafes, boutique shops, and sandy white beach are what make this hotel a perfect location for our workshop together. Not only will you get a full instructor led educational workshop on photography but you will also be getting a beautiful tropical get-a-way. With a roof top pool, state of the art fitness center, and a world class spa, you can't go wrong. The Inn on 5th and their staff will be hosting our FAB workshop retreat and I couldn't be happier about that. As for more detailed information surrounding the workshop, see below...
WHEN: September 24th-26th, 2010
COST: $899 (includes workshop itself, beautiful shared hotel accommodations, free WIFI while in hotel, and a FAB swag bag to take back home full of goodies and offers - all things photography.) Private accommodations available at an additional rate should you not wish to share a room. Please contact me at Angie@AngieSeamanPhotography.com for more details on the single rooms.
REGISTRATION DATES: January 19th-July 24th, 2010
Join Angie & a group of other beginner photography students such as yourself in Naples, Florida for a hands on, instructor led, learning workshop for those looking to hone in on the skills needed to pursue their photography passion. This workshop is for beginners & is structured around the basics of photography and the features of your cameras. If you are pursuing photography as a future career or if you are a Mom just looking to learn how to photograph your children better, this workshop is for you. Spend the weekend with Angie as she shows you how she shoots, why she shoots the way she does, how best to tackle tricky lighting situations, composition advice, camera education, as well as some post processing techniques to give your images an extra umph! We'll spend Friday night over a meet & greet dinner together by the sea, getting to know the other participants in attendance. Saturday begins bright & early with a light breakfast together & then a full day of following Angie around the downtown streets of Naples, Florida as we discover how to pick the best shooting locations, find great lighting, ornate textures, etc. Watch Angie photograph a live model & observe how she interacts with clients, her no pose techniques, etc. You'll also be working in groups together so you can practice the new techniques we are learning as you go along. Shooting will break for a quick lunch but continue on into the evening with a beach session at sunset in the white sand overlooking the warm gulf of Mexico waters. Dinner will follow with a recap of the day. On Sunday, we'll learn a few hours of hands on post processing/editing tips together as well as oversee how Angie tackles her work flow before dismissing the workshop between 11am-noon. The price of the workshop includes shared/roommate accommodations for your two night stay in Naples, Florida. (Meals not included) If you have a roommate you prefer to share a room with, please note his/her name when reserving your seat in the class. Please note: If you are outside the workshop area, airfare & transfers to & from Naples, Florida are not included in the workshop price. Attendees are responsible for booking & scheduling their own flights & transfers. If you are local, you are responsible for your own transportation to & from the hotel in downtown Naples. Cost includes great swag bag with wonderful offers/goodies for all who attend. Seats are very limited. Reserve your spot ASAP. No refunds.
To register, click HERE and go to "classes." Should you have any additional questions, feel free to contact me at Angie@AngieSeamanPhotography.com
I'm looking forward to spending an awesome weekend in paradise with each of you.
Beings that Kenidi and I had the H1N1 virus together, we've become quite the little bed buddies together. She hasn't left my side since her illness began which was almost two weeks ago. Even though she is better, she has stayed right by my side as I ride out what is left of my journey with it. (which is hopefully not much) Every now and again I'll look over at her and just stare at her as she watches TV aside me. I've caught myself thanking God for this little bed buddy of mine and how much she adores her Mommy. She is literally stuck to me at the hip. God help her when she has to return to school next Tuesday. Actually...God help me. :)
I am so excited about the fact that this is the New Year. TwentyTen is what I plan to refer to it as. (instead of two thousand ten) Reason being...I want to make this year twenty times better than a score of ten could ever be. I am so stoked about all of the plans God has in store for our family. This past year was a rough one but as always, we saw our way thru it only by way of Gods grace. I'm excited about our new lives here in Naples, Florida. My new business here next to the sea. My new photography classes I'll be teaching/adding onto this year. The kids new sports teams. New friends that we've made here. And the list goes on and on. God has always been so very good to us - even when we weren't reciprocating that to him. This past year leading up to today was no different. He still carries us in the palm of his hand. We are his children. Just as Kenidi is my daughter, I am his. For that...I am grateful. I am excited. I am me because of all the things I can do thru him. And in the end, when a fellow, dear, sweet, blogger friend mentioned coming up with a word for us to live by in 2010, I decided I needed two words instead of just one. As you all know, I'm not one to follow the rules much. My two words that will be privately tattooed across my two wrists baring wings - one word for each wrist - as my hands go to sink my head into them during those dark days/hours that we are sure to experience in TwentyTen...the words..."Abundant Courage." Two very small words that mean such HUGE things..."Abundant Courage." (wished from another photographer acquaintance on Twitter for the New Year) Because I'm "His" daughter, I know he is showering me with "abundant courage" as I crossed the thresh hold into TwentyTen last night. I cannot wait for New Years Eve 2011 - just so that I can look back and see where all that "abundant courage" via those wings - by way of Gods grace - allowed me to go. Many of the goals I'm after for myself this year will take an exceeding amount of "abundant courage." I've been given that courage by God. And it started today. January, 1st - TwentyTen! This date is significant today but will be VERY significant to me in the distant future, I'm sure. So...as I lay here, recovering from this eventful illness, and watch my gorgeous daughter bat those stunning eyelashes beside me, I pray that she too will one day have "abundant courage" as she walks beside God while attempting to tackle and attain her life goals. I pray that she knows him so well that she can lay in bed with her own children someday, laughing about being bed buddies, all the while thanking God for his enormous amount of grace, blessings, restoration, and the ability to turn her fears into abundant and overwhelming amounts of courage. Happy TwentyTen peeps. THIS is going to be "MY" year. I pray you will make it "yours" too!
"What the catepillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly." ~Richard Bach
"The catepillar does all of the work but it is the butterfly who gets all of the publicity." ~Attributed to George Carlin
"Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you." ~Nathaniel Hawthorne
"If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies." ~Author Unknown
All of these cards and marketing materials are packed and ready to go in my suitcase. They are flying south for the winter tomorrow. Wink wink! ;) I blurred out and photo shopped out some of the text - like my phone # and such - for those of you blog stalkers who would like to call and prank me. Ha ha! :) The lab I use for my photography prints totally ROCKS and I couldn't be more happy with the end result that I got when I used that same lab to print all of my marketing materials. I also couldn't be more happy with the work that Crystal did in helping me to design and pull together my materials. I now have stacks and stacks of promo materials that will be hand delivered into Southwest Florida beginning tomorrow. I hope to saturate the market there in the coming months. My family and I fly out early tomorrow morning and will be spending Fall break at our home away from home in the sunshine next to the sea. I'm sitting here staring at a suitcase that has yet to be stuffed with our clothes for the next several days. Can anyone say "wwaayyyy behind!!!???" On another note though...I'm sporting the "coolest Mom in the world" award this week. Why you ask? Well, because my son now has his very own custom calling cards...
While ordering all of my promo materials, we opted to order Brennen some of his very own "business cards" so to speak for all of his little buddies. (and the adorable & ever so trendy little girl down the street whom he commonly refers to as his 'girlfriend.') The killa' thing about that is that when all of his little buddies have taken the cards home to show their Mom and Dad in hopes of getting their own custom calling cards, each card has my photography website address on the back of it. So...guess who is getting sessions booked off of the wonderful work of a bunch of little 5th graders? Yeap, muah...all because they showed the card to their parents and the parents saw on the cards who did the photography and ultimately went to my website. Suddenly these families now have a need for portraits. Uh huh...not only am I the coolest and most "awesome-est" Mom in the world for producing the calling cards but I'm also killing two birds with one stone - holding the coolest Mom title and marketing my name incognito via some fun 5th graders. They are H-I-R-E-D!!! Totally hired!!! Ha ha! Don't hate! :)
For now though, I'm off to go finish start packing the suitcases. Our 7am flight to the beach calls and I don't dare miss it. Like always, any prayers you can send up for our safe travels, smooth flights, and calm 6 year old daughters during "said smooth flights" would be GREAT! I'll blog from the beach as usual and hope to have some nice images to share from our quick jaunt. Oh and for those of you who've been one of the many who emailed me about the cookie diet...I haven't started it yet. I decided I wanted to stuff my big, fat, face with Florida surf and turf first before I tortured myself with a diet - even if it does consist of only cookies. Winking uncontrollably... ;-)
Just playing tonight...playing with fun graphics and pictures. I'm bored. Can ya' tell?
The weather is calling for possible snow flurries here in Indy tomorrow. Yeah, I said it...snow flurries. I've had to cancel three photography sessions this week all due to the weather. Ummmm...happy...No, not so much! In the meantime,I'm inside shooting my own kids instead. Shooting dumb stuff like flip flops, sun tan oil, beach towels, and shells. So what if I'm not right and totally dreaming of our beach trip next week. At least I'm killing time until we fly out - out of this ridiculous Indiana weather - even if my form of killing time isn't in the most productive of ways. I'm bored - tired of being cooped up inside - cut a girl some slack, will ya'? I'm ready for Fall break vacation. So are my kiddo's. Interesting fact I learned this week...??? Florida schools don't have "Fall break." How odd is that? What would we do without Fall break? They also don't have snow make-up days. Instead...they are called "Hurricane" make-up days. Tad wild, isn't it? I learn something new everyday.
Until tomorrow, I'm still watching and reading the contest entries roll in for the give-a-way going on. You know...the camera give-a-way below??? Jump in and enter while you can. The comment section will soon be closed and we'll be drawing a lucky winner. Oh fun, fun, fun!
On another note...I've opened up another Angie Seaman Photography online class. It's set to begin January 4th, 2010 - after all of the holiday hoopla. It's sure to be a great class and one that will fill up and sell out like the others have. I didn't want to offer a class anytime over the next few months because I know all of us will be so very busy with normal seasonal festivities. Therefore, if you wish to reserve a spot, register now while you can. We've already begun the sign ups and spots are filling fast. For now, I'm off to enjoy my warm evening indoors with my family. Sorry to have rambled. I told you guys I was bored. ;0)
I just wanted to jump on here and let you guys know that if you have been putting off a family photography session, now is your time to book something. After scheduling more new sessions this week, I decided to sit down and peer thru my calendar in regards to how many open dates I have left available for the Fall 09' season. After careful review, it looks as though I have 6 slots still open. So...if you were considering a session with me in the next couple of months, now is your time to book it. If you book with me for the Fall 09' season, you'll be happy to know that I'm offering a FREE 8x10 of your choice with any $100 or more print order. Just mention this blog promo when ordering and we'll make sure you get your FREE goods.
On that note, we'll be spending our time back and forth between Indy and Southwest Florida (the Naples, Bonita Beach, Marco Island, Sanibel Island, and Ft. Myers Beach areas) starting next month. Therefore, if you are desiring a beach session with me, I'll be back in Florida for Fall Break. Those exact dates are Wednesday, October 21st thru Sunday, October 25th. Feel free to email me directly at Angie@AngieSeamanPhotography.com should you want to book an Indy session or a session in Southwest Florida. I am loving meeting all of my blog readers in person - face to face - via the photography sessions you guys are booking with me. I'm looking forward to meeting even more of you in the near future. :)
Much love, Angie
It's hysterical to me how Kenidi's hair is always a hot mess in each of her images. It's always going every which way and in 90 different directions -mainly across her face. I guess that is "Kenidi" for ya'! :)
It has been so rainy and gloomy here in Indy recently. It's been so frustrating because I still have new AGD designs that need photographed on Kenidi but at this rate, it will be winter before I get outdoors. Either way, today...when the rain broke for just a skinny minute, I took my camera and went outside - just perusing the yard - looking for anything to photograph. Anything! I took my 105mm macro lens out with me this time and had fun trying to shoot something with what felt like 95 mile an hour winds. Yeah, I'm sure my neighbors thought I was a freak if they were watching my attempts at getting weeds and flowers to stand completely still. HA! :)
This holly bush above will soon be covered with snow. Such a scary thought. The cold and frigid winter season is right around the corner. Maybe the good Lord above will have found us a nice and permanent spot at the beach by then. Wink wink! ;)
I am not a plant or flower person so I have no idea what the names of all these little flowers and such are that live around the exterior of our home. I am so far from a green thumb person that it is ridiculous. I kill any living plant or flower so I've since given up all hopes of ever being a "green thumb" kind of woman. However, I do love the looks of these little flowers in front of a macro lens. Gorgeous!
And with some decent lighting, even plain ol' green leaves/stems look good in front of a macro.
And speaking of not knowing what any of these plants and flowers are, I'm really stumped on what is inside these bad boys below. They were black and shiny. Very strange looking things. I'm wondering if they are bugs of some sort that make their home within these nut like - dead flowers. Just call me "clueless."
The two leaves above were so tiny - growing right out of the side of a tree in the yard. Evidence that fall is coming. The leaves are beginning to change colors already. One leaf is still green and the other is a bright yellow. I'll give Indiana credit where credit is due...the Fall season in the Midwest is nothing short of spectacular. If you've never been here when the leaves begin to change, you are missing out on one of those moments when God really shows off. The Fall season in Indy is a beautiful thing!
I added a little bit of an action over this image of the pink flower above. I love the coloring and what the action did for the overall image. Again, clueless on what type of flowers these are. They look tropical to me - like they don't belong in "Hoosier land." Maybe I just have the beach on my brain. What's new, eh?
And lastly, this teeny-tiny little guy was just 'chillaxin' on top of one of the little flowers. He was so little - much smaller in real life then he is here. Just another reason why I love the macro lens. You can see anything with that glass - even teeny tiny little bugs that are normally microscopic to the eye. Just about the time I found this little dude, Kenidi & Brennen were getting off their buses so I had to get up off the ground and out of the mulch - ending my random shooting for the afternoon. Not only that but it began pouring down raining at that point in the afternoon too. It eventually let up again tonight and allowed us to make a family trip down to the Indianapolis Museum of Art grounds. I wanted to venture down there and scout out some spots before a shoot that I have there this coming Monday. Thankfully the rain stopped completely while we were there and I was able to soak in the grounds and find some FAB spots for the shoot. It's a beautiful place. For now, I'm off to go finish watching "Dancing with the stars." Maybe, just maybe...the rain will stop tomorrow and I can get some shoots caught up for the new AGD designs. Wishful thinking...I know. :)
Hello everyone. Yes, I am still alive. I'm so very sorry for the delay in posting this week. My family and I just got back into town last night after having been in Atlanta, Georgia for the past week. Well, actually we were in Braselton, GA which is about 40 minutes outside of Atlanta. I didn't mention my leaving ahead of time just for security reasons for my family. I apologize. I have gotten too numerous to count emails from those of you worried about my family & I while I was away. I never meant to make anyone worry. Thank you for your sincere concern though. It means the world to me. I did try to blog at one point - just a general blog - but the internet access was so bad there due to the remote area we were in that I just couldn't get decent service. I was actually in Georgia for the photography workshop called LEARNFEST. I've been looking forward to the LEARNFEST event for months. It was a huge deal for me and I couldn't be more pleased with all of the info I walked away with. I got the opportunity to spend 4 days with 4 of the most ROCKSTAR photographers in the industry. I'm still reeling from the excitement. I had breakfast and lunch most mornings and afternoons while rubbing elbows, side by side, with photographers (these 4 women), who are celebrities to me in the photography realm. I follow their work and admire everything about each of them and their successes. I respect every word they say because they've been doing this for 6-8 years now and have reached a level of success with photography that most of us can only dream of. I'll have more on each of the ladies come Monday when I post my actual Learnfest update here on the blog. However, these are photographers who shoot for President Obama on the campaign trail, who shoot Maya Angelou and Mrs. Obama, who shoot for pottery barn kids, Vogue, O Magazine, Martha Stewart Living, People magazine, Toys R' Us, the Disney Store. They also shoot and are sought after/in high demand for celebrity families such as Tiger Woods and his family. To say that myself and my fellow classmates were star struck would be an understatement. I even watched one gal ask one of the photographers for her autograph. Yes, that is how big of a deal this event was. Not only was the event exciting as all get out, but we also stayed at a fabulous chateau/winery in Georgia called the Chateau Elan. There are no words for how amazing this place was. It was in a remote area of town - out in the middle of no where really. Very gorgeous.
In fact, our rooms were so gorgeous that I almost stole - yes...stole...the bed out of our room. I loved it. It was incredible. I could have made good use of it in my own home back here in Indy. Ha ha! It was a very art deco style bed done up in a stunning blue leather. Beautimous! Just beautimous! So were the window treatments...
Overall, I spent the week with 59 other budding photographers who were just as impressed and overcome with excitement as I was when it came to the leaders of the workshop, their talents, and the local of where this event was held. I personally got to "hang" with 18 other women who were in my group for the duration of the week. They broke the total group of 60 photographers down into four smaller groups. Of course the RED group was the best group of them all. Yes, the RED group ROCKS! Just ask anyone who was in that group with me. Even the four instructors commented on how the RED group was the best group of the four. No joke! We loved every minute of it too. We knew our group was FAB but it was great to hear our celebrity photography instructors confirm that as well. Hee hee! :)
I learned so much from these women that I can barely contain my excitement. Although I've been to shooting workshops, this workshop was more business related. We did have model shoots but I mainly sat back and watched during those times. I watched the instructors work their magic on children they had never met and then soaked it all up. I truly believe that photography is 20% photography, and then 40% your personality and how you interact with your clients and then the last 40% is all business. I've heard over and over again from instructors how photography is so business driven and that those who make it in this field - make it because they are just as business driven as they are creative. All 4 of these photographers echoed the same sentiments. They told us for every 10 photographers that start out in this field, only 1 will make it successfully. They said there are tons of photographers saturating the market today but that only 1 out of 10 are making any money at this business - any money worth recognizing anyhow. I wrote down every word and tip that they uttered from their mouths. I began changing things on my website before I ever even left the conference. I then came home and got ahold of my graphics gal (web designer) and had her go to work on new marketing literature that I plan to saturate my town/city with immediately. Things are heading to the printer as we speak and I plan to tackle this passion of mine with a vengeance. I'm so psyched and so ready to follow my dream. One of our celebrity rock star photographers at the conference passed on a quote to us that read..."It's never too late to become who you might have been!" (~George Elliot) I loved that. You all know how much I love quotes anyway...let alone when they read like that one does. So...I'm moving mach 25 with my hair on fire right now - throwing myself completely into my photography business. I have so much to tell all of you, so many exciting new things, new plans, new changes for the better. However...all of that will be shared in due time.
In the meantime, I'm thanking my lucky stars that I had the opportunity to attend the very last learnfest they will ever offer. I'm thanking God for 64 new photography friends that I didn't have before last week. I'm thanking him for the new challenges, the excitement, the motivation, the goals, the dreams, and so forth. Also, I'm thanking him for my wonderful Mom who came to learnfest with us so that she could help out with Kenidi. Thank you Mom - even though you scared the bellman to death with your joking. Ha ha! I love you!
I'll post a few photos on Monday surrounding learnfest as well as some shots of those rock star photographers I mentioned. I can't wait to share them with you. The four of them are a force to be reckoned with. They are truly beautiful - inside and out - with incredible talents. Thank you Audrey, Tamara, Lena, and Laura. We all truly appreciate the time and energy you put into Learnfest and the true desire you have for all of us to succeed. We loved every second with you. Thanks for the knowledge as well as the laughs! Thanks for those awesome swag bags too. We loved every bit of the photography items/goodies that they were stuffed with. xoxo, Angie
This week's FOTO FIND FRIDAY theme is "hats." This is my submission...
This is an old photo that I took of Kenidi back in May of this year. It was taken when we were in Naples, Florida over Mother's Day weekend with another couple friend of ours. At one point, my friend Tamara handed me her point and shoot Canon camera and had me take some shots of Kenidi with it while we were eating at the Tommy Bahama restaurant for dinner. Kenidi is wearing Tamara's sun hat so we were all laughing at how cute she looked with it and her crooked white shades. Tamara had me snap a couple of pictures for her and then I forgot about them. Fast forward to last night when Tamara sent me these copies as she was uploading 600 and something photos off her card onto her computer. She ran across these and sent me the pictures from that evening. Too funny! Thanks Tamara. Love these! I also love that you helped me come up with a last minute theme for today's FFF. Ha ha!
If you'd like to participate in the foto find Friday hat theme this week, please blog a post on your own blog that has pictures pertaining to hats. Also, please make sure that you mention and link back to this AGD blog when you place the post on your own blog. We need you to make sure your link takes us directly to that specific post on hats (and not your blog home page). Also, please make sure that your post includes the info that links back to AGD. If those two things are not there, your link will unfortunately be deleted and you'll have to re-post it the requested way. We are looking forward to seeing your submissions. Have fun with it! Much love, Angie
It's Thursday and I'm packing like a mad woman. Nothing like waiting until the dead, dying, last minute, eh? I'm headed to downtown Chi-town (Chicago) for another 3 day photography workshop. I'll be gone tomorrow thru Sunday evening. I'm looking forward to this workshop because we'll be discuss things I'm totally unfamiliar with as well as learning Adobe Lightroom 2.0 and the benefits of shooting in RAW. We'll also be doing full fledged night shoots with tripods on the streets of downtown Chicago. The instructor has several professional models lined up for our benefit and we'll be ROCKIN' out the Urban shoots again in the countries coolest most Urban-esque city evah! Did you feel my heart skip a beat? I'll be totally in my element again. I'm traveling alone this time so please pray for safe travels on my trip to and from there as well as while we are walking the streets of Chicago. (especially at night) Michigan Avenue is perfectly fine but I'm sure we'll be hitting those 'off the beaten' path areas just as we did in downtown Indianapolis a couple of weeks ago. Every city in this country has areas like that somewhere.
The good part is that there are 9 other women in this workshop with me so including the instructor, there should be about 11 of us. We are all staying in the same hotel together as well as eating at the restaurants and such for each meal together. Therefore, I'm eager to meet some new friends who carry the same passion for photography that I do. It should be a great "girls weekend." This weekend kicks off a stint of several weekends worth of back to back travel for me in the coming weeks. It's going to be really hectic from here on out. I'm looking forward to the craziness of it all though. And yes, even the 3.5 hour drive from Indy to Chicago all by myself. Pay no attention to me should you pass me in my vehicle on the highway during the afternoon hours tomorrow. I'm sure I'll be ROCKIN' out the tunes and pretending like no one is watching. God help the passer by's. HA!
In the meantime, there are still some slots open for my photography workshop. The class starts next week so jump on it if you want in with us. See the post below this one for details. Also, tomorrow's FOTO FIND FRIDAY theme will be "eyes." Locate your "eye" driven images now and be sure to play along with us this next week. Although I'll be away for the weekend, I'll still have access to my laptop once back in the hotel at night so feel free to email me should you have any questions. I'm looking forward to seeing what you ladies come up with. For now, I'm off to my cardiologist appt. It's the first time I will have seen her since learning of my PFO condition back on May 29th. If you remember correctly, I found out about the PFO an hour or two before hopping the plane to FL for the summer. My doc called and confirmed what she had suspected and immediately placed me on a high dose of aspirin each day to avoid stroke risks. She then said to enjoy my flight and my Summer and that we'd talk more in depth about my future with this medical condition once I was back in Indiana come August. Well, it's now August and I'm eager to get in front of her and start drilling her with all of the questions I've conjured up in my head over the past 3 months. I've had some issues pop up again with the palpitations and some weird feelings within my heartbeat lately too so I'm really anxious to ask her about all of that and get her opinion. Needless to say, I'm asking for your prayers for a productive appt. today. I meet with her at noon. I pray she tells me that we can avoid the PFO heart surgery depending on how small or large the pin hole size hole is within my heart. My ideal situation would be to keep with the heart medication (I'll commonly joke and refer to it as my heart worm pill - like a dog has to take) and then also just stay with the easy enough high dose aspirin regiment she has me on. I'll keep you posted.
Lastly, for all of you Twilight lovah's out there who've emailed me in the past week or commented on my last blog post about the books/movie...you'll be happy to know that I'm halfway thru book #4 now. I'm taking it slower then the others and really savoring each page. I'm astonished and blown away at what I've read so far though within Breaking Dawn. I can't wait to see how the end unfolds. Whose in for a New Moon midnight movie premiere party with me come November 20th? No joke. If you want a fun "Edward" fix for the day, check out this old video interview of him from last year before Twilight came out. It's hysterical! Love his laugh! Click HERE for the video. It doesn't even look or sound like him in comparison to what he looks and sounds like in the movie but he is still such a doll. The laugh just cracks me up. Make sure to watch it all the way through.
I recently had the pleasure of photographing a very stylish young man. Not only was he trendy but he sure knew what to do in front of a camera lens as well. Very photogenic to say the least. These shots were done with Leah during the mentoring workshop. In fact, this is Leah's oldest son. Needless to say, due to his experience in front of a camera, he made my job extremely easy.
I loved his smile but I also loved his ability to just kick back in front of the camera as well. He knew when to smile but he also knew how to just roll with it so naturally.
His Mom brought these sunglasses for the shoot and I loved them. Again, I'm a shades girl so any kind of sunglasses make me giddy. I particularly liked his aviators. :)
This shot below ended up being a little too "low" for my taste but I still loved it either way. Therefore, I decided to post it with the others.
Love his look here. (above) The scrunched nose, the freckles, just all of it. Too cute for words.
And lastly, how about this laugh below...
Love, love, love it! He totally needs to be in a GAP ad somewhere. :) A huge thank you to "G" man and his family for allowing me the opportunity to shoot with him. He made my job ridiculously easy. :) Stay tuned...I'll have more of "G" man in another part to this Urban shoot which I'll be sharing soon. Blessings, Angie
_______________________________________________________
k all due to the weather. Ummmm...happy...No, not so much! In the meantime, I'm inside shooting my own kids instead. Shooting dumb stuff like flip flops, sun tan oil, beach towels, and shells. So what if I'm not right and totally dreaming of our beach trip next week. At least I'm killing time until we fly out - out of this ridiculous Indiana weather - even if my form of killing time isn't in the most productive of ways. I'm bored - tired of being cooped up inside - cut a girl some slack, will ya'? I'm ready for Fall break vacation. So are my kiddo's. Interesting fact I learned this week...??? Florida schools don't have "Fall break." How odd is that? What would we do without Fall break? They also don't have snow make-up days. Instead...they are called "Hurricane" make-up days. Tad wild, isn't it? I learn something new everyday. 
