(Yes, I got Jasmine Star’s autograph!)

If in doubt…don’t doubt yourself.  That is just one of the profound points I took away from The FIX in Chicago featuring the lovely Jasmine Star! Let me be clear about something up front.  I am not about hype, popularity or fame…so much so that after I purchased my ticket to The FIX in Chicago, I was insane enough to message Jasmine on Facebook and pointedly tell her I am not about the hoopla, and that I hoped to really have a genuine experience myself hearing her speak in Chicago.  She was kind enough to acknowledge my message.

I am about being real, and I like being inspired by people who are real…those who are not afraid to give of themselves and be transparent, so that they can truly help and mentor others.

Have you noticed that I have not mentioned the word “photographer” yet?  This is how I know that I have found something genuine, and honestly, Jasmine Star surpassed my expectations!

It was only in the last couple years when a high school classmate of mine, Kelly Manno, who is also a photographer whose work initially inspired me to pursue this passion, was hosting an event in St. Louis with Jasmine Star as the featured guest speaker.  Then, I was like “Who in the world is Jasmine Star?”  Little did I know at the time when I was launching into the world of photography just how “high profile” some wedding/lifestyle photographers were. Unfortunately because it was being held on a work day in the middle of the week, I could not attend this event (Kelly, I promise I am going to make it to your next Shot Party!)

It wasn’t long after that I started getting more into Facebook and all the sudden I am the odd one out because everyone is talking about Jasmine Star, and I had no idea why.  Ultimately it was her speaking at the 2011 WPPI Conference that got the photographers on my news feed buzzing about her more…people who had been moved so much by her testimony.  I was seeing her name all over Facebook.

Fast forward a year later (and even more people falling in love with her), to when I saw the announcement about The FIX tour.  I decided it was time to see for myself what Jasmine Star was all about…and like I said, expectations were exceeded.

So now, allow me to share some of the great points I took away from this seminar…(I will be using my own terms coming straight from my heart, so that you know I didn’t use her bullet point summary to cheat ).  :-)

1) Value yourself… It takes time to become confident at what you are doing.  It takes practice, training, patience and yes, investment ($$$$).  Every time you can gain ground in these areas, you will do more, become more and gain the confidence you need to go to the next level.  This point actually leads into the next…

2) Accept and embrace the “struggle”… Without a doubt we have all been there, and some of us are still in what I call “that place.”  It seems dark and lonely, like you are the only one there.  So I was very humbled and encouraged by the brave souls who through courage made their way up to the mic during the Q&A session with Jasmine.  There were several questions posed by up and coming and even experienced photographers that touched me because I have been there, and in some cases am still there.  Some of these brave individuals asked their questions through nervousness, excitement and some even through tears…and they were asking all the right questions.

The various “struggles” represented, or points otherwise highligted by Jasmine, of which I have (and have had) my share:

-How do you talk and interact with your spouse (who is not part of the business) when it comes to the finances and needing to purchase/upgrade equipment?

-How do you balance and time manage to give your spouse and loved ones quality time when you are addicted to editing photos and social media outreach?

-And by the way…how do you manage time, balance priorities and in general maintain your sanity?

(Have you also noticed that these first few points I am referring to have to do with the people and things in your life that DON’T necessarily have anything to do with your photography business?  Yes, these are the things that touched me the most.  I adore my husband, and have tried my best to figure out a way for him to join me in the photography endeavor and business…(after all, he is a very talented software engineer who worked as a video game programmer at both Midway Games on the Mortal Combat Armageddon franchise, followed by a stint at EA Chicago).  I figured photography would be so much easier and interesting for him, especially since he did it as a hobby here and there in college… My thought was “why wouldn’t he want to do this with me?”  I couldn’t have been more wrong, and I have accepted my reality (I still love and adore you honey), that my spouse will not be taking this particular journey with me. It’s just not his cup of tea, and that’s alright.  I’m finally starting to be okay with it…but it took a while.  He has however been genuinely supportive, and here and there as time has passed, he has been okay with me upgrading equipment, buying software and templates, and even the latest…supporting me emotionally and financially as I have now opened a gallery and office space for my photography business.  So now I am only left with one dilemma…at what point will I be able to afford assistant?  :-)

3) Do what works for you… We often spend a lot of that $$$$ going to workshops and other forms of training and seminars, and sometimes some great photographers will give us a “formula” and tell us what they and every other photographer is doing, and why we should follow suit because that’s what works. I really like Jasmine’s approach though…  If you are good at social media, blogging and interacting online, then leverage that to your advantage.  If you sound more professional “speaking” through e-mail vs. taking phone calls, then leverage that (and vice versa)…  In a nutshell, be who you are, do what works best for you…and be okay with yourself (despite whatever criticism you may endure).

4) Network and Unite… One of the main points Jasmine made is that The FIX is about us photographers coming together to share our passion and vision with each other.  So many times we can be self involved, but more so competitive and comparative of ourselves and our work with that of other photographers.  Then we become anxious, jealous…(and dare I say even occasionally nasty) when other photographers in our realm are enjoying success and doing well.  I was really very encouraged by Jasmine sharing that given that it is something she has struggled with herself.  I will shamefully admit that it’s a trap I have fallen into on some occasions.  A trap that makes you feel like you have some right to harshly judge other fellow photographers and their work…when the reality is we each have our own style of art, and most people will view it objectively.  Yes, this is a competitive business, and yes it is even more so given how so many in the digital age can pick up a camera, take a few photos, and start calling themselves a professional photographer. Those of us who genuinely aspire to being a “professional” in this area know and understand the blood, sweat and tears it takes just to grow as a creative and have our work stand out so that people hire us.  But we all need to really stick together, really support and encourage one another, and know that we each have something unique about ourselves and our work to offer prospective clients.

5) Go and Do… Need I say more?

Okay, I will say a little more.  I was thinking about all of these things when I left the event this past Wednesday night.  I was thinking about all the things she said about how following your passion is important and how it doesn’t come without sacrifice and some degree of suffering.  I was especially thinking these things as I walked outside of Loft on Lake, and there were no taxi’s in sight to take me back to Ogilvie, leaving me to hoof it back in my boot-style heels at 11:00 pm praying I would not get mugged or assaulted while I acquired blisters during the 1.4 mile walk.  Okay, so eventually I did see some taxi’s after about a half mile of walking…but I  wanted some alone time to really digest all that I had just heard.  So were the blisters worth it?… ABSOLUTELY!  If anything, it was a symbol of my sacrifices and growing pains that Jasmine had just exposed in all of us.  Needless to say I am challenged, not just to become a great photographer, but a better person, and practically, I am challenged that I should be connecting with more photographers.

There were other more practical topics that were covered during this seminar through Jasmine sharing or questions that were posed (questions that I have also faced)…such as, “How do I properly pose subjects?” “When do I know it’s time to raise my prices?” “How do I budget for purchasing equipment and software?” “What are the practical ways I can make my spouse/significant other feel like they are a priority?” “How do I get high end clients and destination weddings?” And “What do I do to get customers to not just like my work, but LOVE my work so that they become an ambassador for my business?” Jasmine had good answers for pretty much all of these questions and topics…I was not disappointed. I could highlight some of the responses to these questions…but then you wouldn’t have a reason to seek out Jasmine’s new magazine “Exposed” to get all of her detailed answers.

There is a quote from Jasmine on the cover of her new magazine Exposed… It reads: “Sometimes we give up our dreams for safety and comfort.  But I was ready to risk safety and comfort for my dreams.” This is the epitome of where I am right now, investing and risking, and getting to the point where I am ready to walk away from the only sustaining thing I have known for 10 plus years so that I can start writing a new chapter in my life.

So Jasmine, thank you so much for being real, genuine and transparent…and being willing to give of yourself, your time and your talent to help the rest of us grow on our journey to being our personal best.  You are very talented and blessed, and your work is amazing!

And while I am taking the time to reflect on my journey and commend Jasmine for her great dedication to The FIX tour, I will also give a shout out to some other great photographers from whom I have learned much from and been inspired by: Kelly Manno, for your wonderful work in the area of birth photography and newborns that first inspired me to get a camera three years ago and start shooting; Dayna Schroeder who taught me the importance of understanding how the business side of photography works; Katie Salvatori who allowed me to shadow her during a wedding to gain experience; Kenny Kim and Ray Santana, who through their Portfolio Plus Workshop helped me to understand the value of customer care (Kenny), and understanding how to use the Kelvin temperature settings on my camera (Ray); Jill and Agustin Murillo of Cancun Studios for your inspiration and lessons in editing and album design (not to mention your great photos of me and the hubby); Darling Paumen of Darling Photographers, your and Victor’s work is beautiful, and I am thankful for your encouraging friendship across the miles; Richard Low of Studio Six Photography for all your words of encouragement and being there with a good joke when I need it; and last but not least, Ryan Schembri whose moving slide show images nearly brought me to tears a year ago as your work drew me in to each photo and made me see and feel the emotion of your subjects.

From each and everyone of of you I have learned and taken something new and applied it practically in my work and decision making on my journey to becoming a “professional.”  I am who I am as a photographer because of you all.  Thank you for your hard work and dedication to serving others!

Lastly, many thanks to all my past clients and my friends who have had faith in me, encouraged me and have made this journey worth while!  I am grateful for you all…

Photographers, be sure to get your hands on a copy of Jasmine’s magazine Exposed! Let’s get inspired!    J~

Okay, it is not often that I do blog posts on personal stuff, BUT…June was quite the eventful month, and I promised my best friend that I would embarrass her…oops!! (ahem, feature her) on my blog.  After all, this is the first time she and I had seen each other since my wedding in 2007, and the first real quality time between her and I in years (since she kicked me out of her house during her pregnancy #3…but that’s a whole other story!)

All kidding aside, it was one of the most hilarious situations I have ever found myself in, the biggest laugh I’ve had in a while…and all around it was a great week!

So before I begin, I will back up a bit and let the photos tell some of the story….

My friend Crissy agreed before she drove up to hang out for the week that she was going to make dinner for us one night.  One of her specialties is “seafood lasagna,” and it sounded yummy!  So I picked up a nice bottle of Veuve Clicquot for us to share over dinner…it was going to be a great night!…  KEYWORDS: “going to be…”

Okay, the food in the photo above doesn’t look the freshest, and that’s because it was dished up, and sat for a little while.  The reason?  Well, let me explain by saying I heard the most frantic “Oh no’s!!” coming from the bathroom that I had ever heard before in my life… I literally thought my friend had slipped in the bathroom and hurt herself.  When I was asking her through the door what was wrong…she finally opened it and came out with the most distressed look and through some muffling sounds I heard “my wedding rings just went down the toilet!!”   Me: “WHAT!!?”

She had flushed, washed her hands and was drying her hands near the towel rack that is very close to the toilet, (not the best set up in our bathroom), and her wedding band set (both engagement ring and band together), slipped off and down into the spinning water in the toilet, and it was gone…. She was devastated.  So devastated that in her desperation, she tried using the plunger thinking that was going to help (the plumber later said that was not what we wanted to do…seeing as how the idea behind plunging is to push things out of the pipes…oops!).

So yes, I contacted an all-night plumber…and when he first got there, his initial task was to check and see if the ring was still in the toilet trap. This meant taking the toilet apart and shaking it around to see if anything made any noise rolling around…

This is our toilet, in the hallway after he took it up out of the floor…(yeah gross, sorry everyone as I did not have a chance to completely clean the toilet before the plumber came and relocated it as a temporary fixture in our hallway).

And this is what our bathroom looked like without the toilet in it…

So far at this point we were at $250 for the plumber dismantling the toilet to check for the ring set…which unfortunately was not in the toilet.  So our wonderful plumber then explains that there is one of two likelihoods that exist… One, the excessive plunging forced the ring set out into the sewer line, and it would forever be gone…or two, the ring set could still be in the house piping, and if so, more drastic measures would be required to extract the ring set, and the cost would go up… Either way, said plumber needed to go get his snake light to determine which scenario it was….and once he had done so, we discovered the ring set was still in the house piping.

Mind you, during all of this, I am feeding my friend glasses of Veuve, and when that ran out of that, we did a few shots to bring down the anxiety levels so that we could laugh about this instead of cry.  Turns out she likes Vodka! LOL!

But joking aside, I love my friend so much and she was so hysterical about this situation, there was no way I could not do what it took to get her rings back for her…she was frantic, and upset that her husband would be really mad seeing as how this was not her first wedding band set lost. In fact between loosing one set, and then having another set he worked hard for stolen from their house, I’d have to say adding to it that this last set went down the toilet is a serious case of bad luck!

I told the plumber to do what he needed to do to get the rings out of the pipes and that for now I was taking care of it…what that required was busting through our basement ceiling to get to the piping where the ring set was, and so our downstairs bathroom resulted in this…

Notice there are four holes!!  It took him that many tries before he found the correct pipe!!  LOL!

But when it was all said and done, my best friend had her rings back, and I was happy to have made the decision to help her out… After all, she had done so much for me throughout the years.

After the rings were recovered and the bill paid, my friend then worked up the courage to call her husband to let him know what happened… Between the tears and the champagne buzz, she wasn’t very coherent.  So, I took the phone and talked with her hubby, who had just been woken up in the middle of the night by this, and could do nothing but laugh at us.  When she took the phone back, all she could say to him was how they had to come back up her and remodel both our bathrooms….BOTH?!!  Wow, I think we hit the jackpot!  Just kidding…  :-)  They do drywall and flooring, and I would simply appreciate the downstairs bathroom ceiling being replaced at some point when they can come back (and maybe paint a few walls for us to make up a little for the plumbing bill), but otherwise…they are not indebted to us.

The rest of the week however was AWESOME getting to hang out with Crissy, and even before she had come up for the week, we made plans to take her out for nice dinner downtown at The Mid-America Club for their Veuve Clicquot champagne tasting dinner…

There was really great food…

There was great ambiance!…

And of course the reason why we were there…the Veuve Cliquot tasting!!…

And as far as my friend Crissy, I think she had a great time….

And I was pretty happy because after fighting with the airlines and getting a flight switched, my wonderful husband made it back from Austin in time to join us (though he was about an hour late getting there and everyone at our table razzed him for it the whole night).  Here he is, as usual, on his iPhone…

Later on we took a few pics, but here is an awesome one of the view outside The Mid-America Club from the 80th floor of the Aon Center…

And of course, she was pretty amazed by the women’s restroom at the MAC Club as well…Note there are no large holes in the ceiling!…LOL!

All in all it was a fabulous night… Fabulous food, fabulous champagne, fabulous views and one FABULOUS friend, (and a fabulous hubby too of course)!!

And all that was just in the first couple nights she was here…I truly enjoyed her visit so much as it was such a blast to have her her and hang out with her…  LOVE YOU CRISSY!!!!  (From your little Ninja Cat!!)  

Keeping in line with what we were taught in a recent workshop, I kept it simple, clean and classy by steering away from any temptation to do a card that included images.  Also, for the WoW! effect, I went with a square shape on thicker black museum mount with silver foil stamping and light gray edge painting (much of this thanks to Zida’s recommendation).

Needless to say, going with a classic black with the edge painting makes a statement!  So black that you won’t be able to write on it, and so classic and sturdy that even if you don’t book me, you’ll keep my card around for decoration!

And to help you warm up, continue reading this post for some great shots I have to share from the Portfolio+Workshop that were taken in warm, sunny Florida last month!  Okay, I’m going to level with you, the best day we had down there was the day of the workshop.  The hubby and I then headed over to Miami Beach and South Beach for a few extra days, and toward the end, it was anything but warm as a cool front moved in…however we still had a blast visiting the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, as well as going on the South Beach food and Art Deco history tour with Miami Culinary Tours.

But back to the workshop, as that is the main reason for this post…  It was AWESOME to get to see the Historic Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, FL and to learn from two wonderful and in-demand photographers, Kenny Kim and Ray Santana.  We learned a lot about the importance of having quality equipment, and knowing how to use the main settings for achieving the perfect exposure right in the camera.  Most helpful was the lecture and practical application regarding the Kelvin settings in the White Balance feature on DSLR’s, and knowing how and when to properly adjust this setting given the lighting situation so as to capture the natural lighting and skin tones of the subjects..  I feel like this lesson was the most important thing I walked away with and am already taking better photos.

Kenny and Ray also provided guidance on the “do’s” and “don’ts” of what you choose to use in your portfolio (admittedly I have to really work on this aspect), what not to put on your business cards, and how to properly handle clients, in both good and bad situations.  In sharing their personal journeys and experiences, Kenny Kim and Ray Santana provided a breadth of information necessary for any photographer working to build their business, and particularly trying to expand into wedding photography.

So enough with all this verbiage and on to some photos!!  Here are some featured photos from the workshop…

Now on to some of the photos from the Vizcaya Gardens…

And for the Grand Finale… Some awesome photos taken during the South Beach Food and Architecture Tour with Miami Culinary Tours!  And just let me say, that I LOVE taking photos with ambient colors in the background (so there’s a good handful here for the viewing).  They often end up being my favorite photos. (Note: some of these shots may not be as sharp as they could be, but unfortunately I was not walking around with a tripod that night, and I was not using any flash so as to capture the ambient nightlife of Miami).  Still… Enjoy!!

First stop on our tour was the D. Rodriguez Cuba Restaurant at Hotel Astor.   Here are a couple photos of our yummy eats…

A very refreshing Mojito.

Followed by some tasty Cuban appetizers…

Next stop: the Essex House Hotel with  a lobby featuring an original polychrome mural of the Everglades that was restored by the famed Earl LaPan 50 years after he originally painted the mural.

Next: A walk down the Ocean Drive to take in the spectacular Miami nightlife featuring buildings true to Art Deco design…

A quick stop by the Vercace Mansion (now known as “The Villa by Barton G“).

On to the Hotel Victor  for our main course at Bice, but before we sat down to eat, had to get some photos of the awesome decor inside…

If you notice in the photo below, the light fixtures resemble jelly fish…

Our group listens to an explanation of the local food culture and how it inspired the night’s main dish.

Enjoying a nice glass of Alamos Malbec Argentinian wine before dinner.

And finally our main dish, “Paella” which featured, oysters, clams, shrimp, chicken and sausage atop a mild spiced Cuban style rice and veggies…  (I have to say my secret dream is to be a food photographer and critic).

Next Stop: A brief tour of The Tides Hotel.

An awesome photo of the La Marea Restaurant inside The Tides before patrons arrive for dinner.

The Coral Bar at The Tides.

We came back later for a little ambiance and a White Sangria Cocktail.

Outside of the Betsy Ross Hotel.

On a brief walk through Z Ocean Hotel, and couldn’t help but get a few photos of the decor…would love to go back to this lounge…

Next stop: Jerry’s Famous Deli for a quick sweet chocolate treat.

Then on to the local Art Deco Market for a little Cuban espresso.

Our culinary tour guide, Mirka Roch Harris, serving up a shot of that sweet Cuban coffee.

A brisk stroll down Espanola Way.

And then a brief stop at the Clay Hotel.

Our final stop of the tour… Gelato anyone?

Another sweet and yummy treat at the Milani Gelateria.

Just what we are all thinking of during all of this cold weather, right?!…

Well, I actually wanted to title this post “Vulnerability in the Journey”…however I did not think that would be a phrase that might want to make you visit my blog.

Going on…in the last couple of years, I discovered that there is this “creative” side of me that I never really knew existed before.  I put it in quotations because technically I am one of those people who has had to work at being creative.  In short, I’ve been in a career for 9 years now, which is very rewarding in it’s own way, but it’s a lot about facts and number crunching, and therefore does not leave any real room for creativity, art, etc.  That is all I’m going to say about that.

So, I realized I needed some balance in life.  A year and a half ago, I discovered that a fellow high school graduate of mine had started a photography business back near our home town.  In particular, and what inspired me the most, was this idea of “birth story” photography.  The idea that there is a creative, yet discreet and modest way to capture the “birth story” for soon to be new parents really intrigued me.  So I launched that side of the business thinking it was something that might take off in my geographic location.  Unfortunately, the concept sounds very foreign at times to Chicagoans.

(This is where the “vulnerability” comes in).  So over the last year, I had spent many hours and dollars trying to promote that aspect of photography.  I did in fact gain paying clients for maternity and newborn sessions, but nowhere near what I wanted to see.

Needless to say, I have since decided to work on developing my portfolio in other areas, and I have a lot of plans for 2011 that I am very excited about!  So this “perseverance” or “vulnerability” in this journey as I am referring to it, is inviting you all along to follow this blog and stay updated on what I’m doing in 2011 and beyond as I work toward becoming the best photographer I can be.

In addition, I will also share on a more personal level, so that those of you who have been there for me throughout the years can stay updated with other aspects of my life.

So that is the essence of this first photo I am posting.  It was taken on a trip that Josh (my husband) and I took to Oregon in 2009, and it very clearly symbolizes the start of my professional photography “journey” if you will.

But of course… I have to share a couple of other things as well as we start this new year…  So here are a few photos from the 2011 New Years Event at Abbington Distinctive Banquets in Glen Ellyn, IL.  (And BTW…for any Abbington New Years guests reading this, I do apologize for the typo on the table card.  A nice gentleman pointed it out to me when he asked how he was suppose to get his photos in 2010.  :-)   I had no idea about the typo, but that goes without saying for someone who will still likely be writing “2010″ on documents well into January).  All I can say is, I’d rather make that kind of mistake than to drop my camera, break a lens, or trip and fall in a huge room full of people…

So here’s a few of the party shots, and more will follow…  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

This couple below were the ones having the most fun out on the dance floor.  Here they were dancing to Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face.”   (I also have one of this guy break dancing that I will post soon!).

And of course, there was someone else in the back of my mind on New Year’s Eve… Eleven years ago on December 31, 1999, my grandmother, Shirley Roberts, left this world to go home… I believe she had the best seat in the house for entering the new millenium as she had passed away a within the last couple of hours before New Years 2000. She was a wonderful woman…who had made her own mistakes, and bore some fairly hurtful scars in life, but she is a part of who I am today, the first person who took me to church, introduced me to Christ and did what she could to train me well and take care of me when I needed it.

This is one of the last photos I have of her when she was still walking after Alzheimer’s had taken over a couple of year’s before she passed. I did not take this photo…my aunt did. A note on the back indicated that though she looked like she was in pain, she was just simply cold, as she told my aunt…  I dedicate part of my new journey to her memory…