Film Is Not Dead Workshop

It's been a big week.  I dashed from preparing my home to put on the market to a former Rectory in Dupont Circle this week for the Film Is Not Dead Workshop by Jonathan Canlas.  I am having such a wonderful time.  I love being surrounded by other photographers that are so talented, and each staying true to their distinct style.

This is my second time at FIND and I feel like I am recharging my battery.  Of course since this workshop is centered around film shooting, I never have my digital camera on my shoulder.  Hence, why this post is imageless!  More to come soon...  

Stay Curious

Tisk tisk...Nom Nom Nom

I cannot believe I haven't blogged since Monday.  Tisk tisk!  What happened to my stout New Year's resolve?  A move.  That'll do it every time.  This week I have been in the process of moving a large amount of things into a small space.  It's so easy to accumulate, one small car load at a time.  Some shopping here, a trip to LA there.  Then you put it all in a giant truck and realize just how large the pile is!

Anyway, I'm sure none of you do this, but when I am stressed I like to go out to eat!  Something about eating a work of art calms my nerves and sends my mind on vacation.  This is from a recent outing to Maple Avenue Restaurant in Vienna, Virginia.  You should go.  It is SO fabulous.  Every dish is a masterpiece.  Thank goodness there were three of us so I could try a good assortment.  

A Capitol Affair

Browning Family Session - Sneak Preview

Just a few quick favorites from today's session with the Brownings in Frederick Maryland. I have known Ryan for a while as my husband and I have collected his incredible art for years.  It was such a pleasure to meet his gorgeous wife, Natalie, and their adorable three children!  I was so happy that we could squeeze in a session before their move for Qatar.  More to come soon! 

Peace Be Still

Looking at this image reminds me to breathe deeply.  Isn't the large cluster of baby's breath devastatingly gorgeous?  It is so peaceful and beautiful.  Florals by Janie Medley.  Styling by Anna Burke Events.    

For Photografriends: Time VS. Money - A Delicate Balancing Act

The title to this post easily could have been "An Inconvenient Truth" but I think Al Gore owns that.  While seeing light shed on this subject may be inconvenient, if you change what you are doing wrong with your business, it may be a life changing truth.  

I could write a book on this subject.  Thankfully one has already been written with a juicy chapter on pricing.  It's called FIND:  The Biz, a brutally honest e-book by Jonathan Canlas (buy it, and send us stories about how it changes your business, because it will).  I will only be touching on one section because the chapter is so comprehensive.  Jonathan raises the issue of the hourly rate.  Every photographer wonders, "What should I charge hourly?"  A lot of photographers will look at what other photographers are charging and price accordingly.  

Or maybe you have reached a point where you feel like you "should" be charging a certain amount.  What you charge should not be based on emotion or ego, it can't originate in Never Never Land.  Look at the numbers.  Where to begin?  In the book Jonathan gives a brilliant and simple formula for determining how much money you need to make per month to account for your business, personal life, and savings.  I'm not going to go into that here (buy the book!) but you will need this to determine how much money you need to make, then divide that into how many hours you work.

What I want to write about are the costs and time that you may not consider with your hourly rate.  Jonathan writes, "Hourly rate is based entirely on your costs and your time."  If you shoot film you have to consider how many shots you take in an hour.  If you shoot film you'll also know that every time you click that little button you're spending around $1.50 PER SHOT.  Aside from the tremendous overhead of shooting film you need to consider how much time you spend editing the images afterward.  Hopefully if you work with a lab that is getting it right, you don't have to do a lot of touch-ups.  You should have a color profile set up with your lab.

Jonathan is quick to point out to digital shooters that "As a digital shooter, you have to deal with the “E” word: Editing.  To be profitable shooting digitally, you’ve got to know exactly how long you sit behind a computer for every hour you shoot...Your editing time is probably more like ten, sixteen, twenty, or thirty hours per eight-hour event."  Amazing that an eight-hour event could turn into a thirty (or more) hour event for you on your computer.  It is crucial that you take this into account or you may drive yourself crazy working constantly, all to do some basic calculations at the end of the year and find that you made minimum wage or less.

I hope this helps!  I know this is just a little scrape of cream from off the top of the milk bottle (did anyone else have a milkman growing up!?).  I hope you buy the book (right HERE) and give yourself the gift of financial peace.       

Time VS. Money

A little sneak preview of what's to come tomorrow.  We'll be getting a little business-y!

One Thing

I adore so many qualities about my husband, but one in particular has been in my mind lately.  When we were dating and getting to know each other Puppy told me a story.  When he was just a boy, about 5 or 6, his Mother often found that he had gone missing at the grocery store.  At first his Mother panicked, then she caught onto the routine.  Christopher's Mother would inevitably find him seated next to the oldest person in the store.  There the oppositely aged duo sat, softly chuckling, as the younger of the two sat entranced with their life story.  Christopher loved finding the oldest person in the room, walking up to them and saying, "Hello.  My name is Christopher.  What's your name?"  Christopher would then engage them in conversation.  He was regaled by tales of a more sensible, simple time.       

I think Christopher would have had such an affinity for my late Grandfather Heber.  One of Grandpa's many cameras, the Crown Graphic, is pictured at the top.  This camera went with him everywhere as a newspaper reporter/photographer, possibly even to World War II.  My Nonna Gina, pictured above, is still fascinating to talk with.  Her life story is epic, in the truest sense of that word.  I can't believe I have these images of her.  My Mother was amazed that she agreed to it!  

The most arresting stories marble the light, airy and sweet with the bitter.  I could start to tell Nonna's story, the journey of an Idaho farm girl raised by strict European parents who became a model in the 50's and lived beyond two of her six children (one passed away at the age of 17 from a leg tumor the size of a grapefruit).  But I'll just have to sit Puppy down with Nonna to get the full scoop.  His rendition would probably be better anyway.

An Old Favorite

Sneak Preview - Rachel + Nick's Engagement

You may have noticed a bleak absence of blogging yesterday.  I had every intention of posting this little sneak of the darling Rachel and Nick, until the night went terribly awry.  After a fabulous shoot and dinner I hopped onto the highway.  A truck piled high with furniture changed lanes in front of me.  I noticed a huge wooden chair wobble, then crash!  I saw a wooden explosion in front of me.  I honked the driver down for a half mile until they finally pulled over.  I asked for the man's insurance and he said, "Why?  Nothing happened."  I showed him the damage and he said, "That was already there.  No damage."  He was obstinate about not giving me any information.  One hour later the police had come and gone, charges were made, and my insurance company is going to love me and my cracked car.

After that ordeal I was STILL on a high from this shoot, which says a lot about how fabulous it was!  Rachel and Nick were a dream to work with.  These are just a few little sneaks from the shoot, there is so much goodness to come!     

Rachel and Nick's wardrobe was thrilling.  The lines!  The movement!  An absolute vision to photograph.

Rachel you are so gorgeous!  More va va voom to come... 

Oh Happy Day - Part III

This K Rose Cake was so simple and pretty.  I loved the little beaded embellishment in the center of the flower.    

I loved the ribbon table runner.  It was an unexpected way to add blue and aqua to the tablescape's color motif, and since this was outdoors the wind did wonderful things to the overhanging ribbon. 

I loved how these menus matched the shape and color of the invitations, which you can see HERE.  

Gorgeous, gorgeous color!

The Creative Masterminds:

Floral Design and Stylist: Janie Medley of The Bride’s Cafe / Creative Director and Stylist: Dana FitzGerald / Assistant Stylist: Anita Pouncy / Calligraphy: MM Ink / Stationery and Printing: Lisa Hladish of Paper Daisies Stationery / Wedding Cake: Kristine Bender of K Rose Cakes / Ribbons: Midori Ribbon / Makeup: Erika Nixon www.erikanixon.com / Hair: Kamala Bhaghat of Naturals Salon & Spa / Hair Accessories: Lo Boheme / Shoes: Macy’s / Flowers: Florabundance / Mercury Glass: Pottery Barn / Wedding Dresses: Veronica Sheaffer Bridal / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bella Bridesmaid, Twobirds Bridesmaid, and Monique Lhuillier / Backdrop: Drop It Modern / Bellinis and Napkins: World Market / Apothecary glass: Michaels / Models: Kia Haley, Soliel Paden, Ayesha Philogene / Cake topper wreath, wreath Oh Happy Day banner, Heirloom Pom Garland, Place card poms and paper confetti: Potter and Butler on Etsy / Ring Pillow: KGDesign on Etsy / Pinwheel Cocktail Napkins: Reflections by Lola on Etsy / Paper Pinwheels: Rule42 on Etsy / Yellow Banner and celebratory paper flags: Liddabits on Etsy / Ribbon wands with bells and stripped straws with custom “Oh Happy Day” flag: bbond0520 on Etsy / Coral clutch: FallenSparrow / Large moss wreath: Faye Marie / Taffy: Mehlenbacher’s Candies / Gumballs: Candy Barrel

Oh Happy Day - Part II

I just returned form a quick trip to Chicago and I am so happy to finally be out of my car!  I have full access to my computer and the internet runs as freely as the Nile.  It is a beautiful thing, especially since I can now show more of this gorgeous shoot!  

This post really should be precluded by Part I, which you can see HERE.  This is only  second in a series of three.  There is so much beauty and way too many profound design ideas to go into a 150 image post.  So I've spaced it out.  This shoot is so dear to my heart.  The team that I worked with was amazing.  Janie Medley is a floral artist and Dana Fitzgerald is an event designer that understands the importance of having cohesive design elements, no matter how small.  Even the powder room soaps coordinated with the event's colors!  Good design makes people have fun and feel taken care of and isn't that the point of a party?

I am so honored that this shoot was published in Munaluchi Magazine.  This remains one of the most creative and chic uses of punchy color that I have ever seen and I am tickled to be sharing more of this with you.     

I love these dresses.  From left to right we have a strapless dress by Monique Lhuillier, the center bride's gown is by the amazing Veronica Sheaffer Bridal, and the gown on the right is a convertible dress by Twobirds Bridesmaid.  Kia's hair, styled by Kamala Bhaghat of Naturals Salon and Spa, could not be any more precious.  Each lady's flawless makeup was done by Erica Nixon.

The darling pin wheels are from Potter and Butler.  

Kia!  You are devastatingly stunning!

This darling confetti pouch was calligraphed by Moya Minns of MMInk.  She is SO good.

I will be showing the final segment of this shoot later this week.  Get ready.  It's all about the tablescape and cake.  Your mouths will water over the juicy color palette and delectable cake.