Free Photography Workshops Online!

I just participated in the free live seminar with Creative Live for Food Photography with Penny De Los Santos. It was fantastic. I didn't get to watch the whole seminar, however, I did get enough out of it to learn some new food photography tips. I just received an email from Creative Live - they are having more free Photography seminars and I thought I would share the info!

Yes they are free - when you watch them live. They usually replay them late in the evening for free as well with other time zones. If you want to watch it after the fact or a copy of the DVD, there is a fee for the workshop. The setup is basic. It's a live webinar with an audience. There are places to log on their site so that you can chat with other people who are watching and another spot to ask questions. There are moderators that are reviewing the questions that are in the room with the speaker. There is a live audience actually taking the workshop in person. If you have a flexible schedule, these are great.

Here are the list of the future workshops:

June 10th and 11th  
     Doug Landreth, Artistic Post Production
July 29 - 31   
     Lighten up and shoot - Street Photography
August 26-28 
    Mark Wallace: Anatomy of a Photoshoot
September 9-10
    Tamara Lackey: Taking Care of Business
October 7-9 
    David Nightengale: Dramatic Images and Practical HDR *** I
    have been wanting to do HDR photography forever, can't wait
    for this one!
October 21-23 
   Rick Sammon Photography Weekend

I plan to attend each one... This is a great way to get workshop training but without the price tag... The site to get started and register is HERE... Remember you want to ENROLL not purchase. The current available courses to attend for free are listed first. You will have to create an account and give your email and that's it:) Enjoy!!!

Beach Vacation Time - How to take great photos on the beach!

We haven't been on a vacation in years so when my dad and stepmom asked us to share their shore rental this weekend, we were all in! My mom is coming in from western PA to stay with gram and our dog and we are driving until the map turns blue.... I wanted to get some beach photography experience in so I decided to lug all of my equipment along. I've been researching some tips to use when photographing on the beach. Since there is harsh lighting at times and also the sand is sometimes an unwanted reflector, it may be challenging.

Here are some links to articles that I found interesting...

10 Beach Photography Tips

How to Take Beach Photos 

Photography on the Beach

I'm definately picking up a polarizing filter before we go to give those rich sky tones and water hues...can't wait to share some pics with you next week when we get home!!!

I'm Back in Action.... Is anyone still out there?

Little Man is not so little anymore!

Hopefully there are some of you still out there… I have missed everyone! Photography has taken a back seat in my life the last year and I decided to put the growing of my business on hold to take care of my aunt, who I have mentioned in the blog in the past… She was battling cancer and the cancer won. The last year has been spent taking care of her, my son – who we found out had minor developmental delays and who has two therapy sessions a week, my gram who is still with us and is slowly declining due to dementia. I found myself barely being able to get out of the house, let alone work on growing a photography business. So I decided to take a breath and focus on my family first. Unfortunately we lost my aunt the beginning of this year to a long battle with cancer and 3 weeks later lost my husband’s brother at 27 to complications with his lupus. I began this fog for months which I have just climbed out of. I had a cold that lasted for months and could barely get out of bed. I found out I might have Rheumatoid arthritis which is a scary prospect and until the rheumatologist confirms it I refuse to believe it (even though my bloodwork and joints tell me otherwise), but most of all I think I just checked out mentally. There was no pressing matters or worries anymore. No running a million places or hoping for miracle cures. There was just silence. For seven years, I have taken care of my husband’s grandmother and aunt and the last two and a half my little man but never myself. It’s been a blur of doctors, therapists, ER visits, chemotherapy, and now funerals. Now there are only occasional checkups and little man is now cleared of therapy and is flourishing. I had been contributing to the deals blog and trying to make some connection to the outside world because I was starting to feel like a recluse, however, my efforts were futile. I realized that I missed photography and people who shared the love of photography… In January at the height of what was happening, I realized I hadn’t picked up my camera in months. I hadn’t taken a picture or looked at a tutorial, wrote in this blog, or even logged on Clickin Moms which used to be part of my daily routine and I was extremely sad. Before I couldn’t imagine a life without photography and for months I had been living it without even realizing it. I have been taking pictures for decades almost involuntarily. My camera was an extension of myself, it was part of who I was, it was my faithful companion but in the craziness of the last year, I put it down and forgot to pick it back up again.


So I have decided to start back up again and immerse myself with learning more about photography and sharing it with you all. I've decided to find some happiness in the craziness that life has thrown at us.  I just bought myself a continuous light kit (so I can master the studio lighting) that I just got off of ebay and some new lenses. I have even some events booked for friends and friends of friends. I have a huge idea list and lots of deals to share with you…. So hopefully you all can forgive me for being gone so long and share this journey with me:)

Jen

PPA Membership - my thoughts

When I decided to become a photographer and do it for profit, I weighed the option of joining PPA. I ended up doing it. I get a newsletter, Professional Photographer Magazine (which I personally love - they have articles from real photographers who have small studios and they are very candid about struggles, what they have tried, what worked/what didn't), and a ton of discounts. I got my equipment insurance and liability insurance which was completely affordable. Even if you are just doing this as a part time gig or hobby, doesn't hurt to get liability insurance. What if you went to someones house (even a friends) set up your light stand and it fell on something and broke it or worse it fell on one of their children. I think I have a million or something like that in liability. More than enough for non-studio. Plus if you ever plan on shooting a wedding, youmay need this for the venue. The wedding that I am doing in September, I contacted the facility to find out some information about it and set up a tour (so I can see conditions/lighting) and they required it....

They also have an agreement with Fed Ex where you can get an acct and get their discount on shipping. I am still working out the application with Fed Ex but it is soooo much cheaper than going to the local Fed Ex store.

You have access to Webinars (I love webinars) You never know what life brings so attending a workshop is impossible. I learned this as I had to cancel my flight for Launch ( i am still upset about this - I won in a contest and was soooo bummed) when my aunt who lives with us, her chemo was rescheduled for the day I was leaving. My son got fifths disease and ended up in the ER the day before I was attending Ana Brandt's (love her) maternity workshop in NYC which I paid for. Yes my husband and I do have bad luck in some things. That's why I love Online courses and webinars. I can take it in my PJ's in the comfort of my on home while my son is watching Wheel of Fortune (his new favorite show). A lot are free - some have a small fee for members.

They also have a resource section that has sample forms, contracts, and important business information.

Worth the money? Depends... I feel like it has been a huge benefit to me, however, If you are just in it for fun, look around the site http://www.ppa.com/ and see if it is for you:)

Taking a break - good or bad?

So I hate to admit, I haven't even touched my camera in the last three weeks. After the Valentines Day shoots, I put it down, craziness ensued and here I am. I have 8 requests for Easter photographs plus my own kid and I haven't even thought about Easter yet! OMG. I need to get my butt in gear!

So I guess I am wondering - what do you do when you get burnt out with photography? How do you get your interest back? What do you do to motivate yourself?

Right now I am going to come up with an Easter Mini Session plan... that is #1 priority.

Now to hit hobby lobby for some props.

So far I have a large basket for Newborns, small Children.... Couple backdrops..... I would love to go hard core and rent some chicks from the local farm (yes they rent live chicks) but that spells disaster. Plus I'm afraid the toddlers and younger ones may hurt them.

I'd love to hear some of your motivators or what you do when you burn out to get back in the game!

Back in Action

2010 has proven to be more hectic than 2009 for sure already. Sorry to have left you all hanging. As soon as I put out one fire another one erupts. Oh well....

I have been catching up with a couple of my personal favorite sites   - Coffeeshop Photography, The Pioneer Woman and Texas Chicks

If you haven't checked them out lately - There are a TON of new actions and storyboards on Coffeeshop AND I noticed that Rita is doing custom blogs and Logo Designs. There are a lot of great tips and even a section on how to tweak your blogger blog!

They have a really neat story board now http://coffeeteaphotography.blogspot.com/2010/03/coffeeshop-shadowhouse-storyboard.html

The Pioneer Woman  http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/ is another one of my favorites, too. She has a new action from TRA made for her:) You can check it out under the photography tab. Also check out her recipes. I have this one added to my google reader. I love her! I also get a lot of great recipes from her site as well:)

Get your actions loaded:)

Lighting Tutorials

Found some of these for you to check out:)

Portrait Lighting Techniques



More on Lighting