Click Away Photography Convention/Workshops 2014.
SLC, oh how I love thee!!
This past weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a photo workshop convention weekend called Click Away hosted by Click'n Moms in Salt Lake City, UT. I estimate there were probably 500-800 women in attendance, all armed to the gills with their favorite photographic equipment and ready to learn some biz, take some photos, and make friends. We workshopped our little click'n fingers off for three whole days, and really, it was fantastic! My schedule was full of interesting classes, hand on tutorials, and shooting demos, and to be honest this was one of the most beneficial set of workshops I have been to in years.
SLC, oh how I love thee!!
This past weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a photo workshop convention weekend called Click Away hosted by Click'n Moms in Salt Lake City, UT. I estimate there were probably 500-800 women in attendance, all armed to the gills with their favorite photographic equipment and ready to learn some biz, take some photos, and make friends. We workshopped our little click'n fingers off for three whole days, and really, it was fantastic! My schedule was full of interesting classes, hand on tutorials, and shooting demos, and to be honest this was one of the most beneficial set of workshops I have been to in years.
On Friday morning I went to a keynote speaker seminar and the speaker was Joy Proutly of Wildflowers Photography, this woman spoke from her heart and moved me. Really. Moved. Me. She discussed her and her family's most recent choices to change their lifestyle into a more holistic life, filled less of materialistic things and time wasted headed down the wrong path. Why this change? Joy completed a family shoot for a family that had a child with terminal cancer, and that child passed away just weeks after the photo shoot. "We are all terminal, though we don't live like we know it" Joy said with tears streaming down her face and a quaking in her voice. I cried listening to her story, listening to the truth about life, she was absolutely right. This changes my life just by writing it, and hopefully it changes yours by reading it.
This topic is very close to home for me, I have a family very near and dear to my heart that buried their child taken by cancer 7 years ago, she had just celebrated her 5th birthday before passing. Then, tragically, just a few short years after the loss of their child they lost their aunt. As Joy was talking about her journey I had such sorrow and regret for not shooting my family in whole before their loss, I wasn't much of a people photographer at that time but I regret not forcing myself to change if only for this time in their lives. In my sadness while listening to Joy I had an epiphany, now, right now, I need to get involved with families like mine and be the photographer they need when they might not realize they need it most. I realize its probably going to be one of the hardest things Ill ever do but I feel it will do great things for families struggling with a loss, and it will do amazing things for my soul. I am not sure where to start, but Ill find my start.
So, what changes did Joy's family make that was so amazing and incredible? They sold nearly everything they owned, bought a 24' travel trailer, and toured the country with their 4 children for 9 months. Their story was amazing, she was amazing. Her moving story touched every woman in the audience, including myself, and there wasn't a dry eye in the hall. She said her children learned to play with twigs and loved the outdoors, that they let go of commercialism and really enjoyed every moment of life together. I cant imagine how this adventure made them feel, how close it brought them to each other, and really, I want this for my family when we have kids. They finally settled down after 9 months on the road in the great Pacific Northwest and live a life that is a true resemblance of their values. Not many people can say their lives are in line with their values, and stick to it.
Joy then went on to pay homage to her mother, thanking her for everything she did to help them on their trip, telling her how much love she has for her mother. Joy then brought her mother up on stage and asked that the audience stand and clap for all the mothers in the audience, so we stood, and clapped. You can bet on it I was thinking of my mama;).
Joy did something to me that day, she inspired me to do something... anything... which is something I haven't felt in a really long time.
Im planning, conspiring against my self doubt, and moving.
Finally.
Now, I don't want to do exactly what she has done with her family and her life, but a lifestyle change is something hubbs and I have discussed thoroughly over the past year or more. Admittedly, we live a very expensive, very materialistic life, and when I say materialistic life I don't mean I carry a fancy-pants Coach bag or drive a Mercedes, I mean we live larger than we should. That's a large pill to choke down,
"we live larger than we should".
On one hand we have worked our butts off for our large lifestyle, and on the other hand a more simplified life with more quality time for people, family and friends, time for our hobbies, time spent in nature, you know, getting back to basics, sounds like an amazing sigh of relief. Jones' who? Right. We will see how our lives transpire over the next few years...
Friday afternoon after my very weepy eyed encounter with Joy I ended up in a shooting demo named "Photographing Women in Available Light" with the teacher being CJ Nicolai. CJ rocked my face off, she was honest, real, funny, interesting, educated, and fantastic with a camera and her models. This was one of the most helpful workshops of the ENTIRE weekend. CJ stoked my creative fire, and in a completely different way that Joy. I feel the need to pick up a film camera again and set up my dark room, which, in all honestly, I never thought Id do again. Why,yes, I have darkroom equipment, and you bet'cha developing your own film and prints is the best thing ever. EVER. Lightroom, while amazing, has nothing on the feeling when a print is in the developer tub and you get butterflies waiting to see how the photo turned out. Creativity, check!
Another huge, gigantic, magnanimous benefit to this workshop is I have been planning a "Naked Lady" day with a few lady friends, some mimosas, and my camera, yet I was fearful of my lack of skill with dealing with subjects like this. Fear be gone. I can do this. And I will do this. Thank you CJ. I cant wait to finally set that date, invite my friends, and shoot some of the most beautiful, strong, and amazing women I have ever known. I cant wait.
Why, helloooo Salt Lake! You are mighty pretty.
Late Friday afternoon the Click'n Mom's tour buses filled to the brim and our large group of women headed to Saltair, UT. Upon arrival I was reminded of all the people telling me it stinks... boy did it! Regardless of the stink the sun was setting and the pretty warm light was pouring over our models, our group, and the lake. Time to Click Away, haha, get it?? LOL!
Personally, I LOVE lens flare. I often shoot with the intention of producing it, it reminds me how magical my hobby and budding business is.
Good god. I think this is epic.
Recently, I find I am including the sun into my compositions, its a subject, if not THE subject. Check out those rays!
Downtown SLC, suited me just fine, bums and all:)
The convention center was thoroughly enjoyable to shoot, it was the 6th man of the workshop lending the amazing light through its artfully architectured windows and interesting steel structure.
Texture might be my favorite. Might be.
Strangers might be another favorite. Might be.
Saturday, goodness Saturday. The morning started slow with 2 classes on various business items then I got to dive into a workshop named "Birth Photography" taught by Courtney Larson of Inloveness Photography. My baby brother and his wife are having their first baby at the end of November and Ill be along to photography the events surrounding the welcoming of Jackson Russel into our lives. Honestly, I was not prepared for this event, not even the slightest, until Saturday and Courtney's class. Of course, I know my equipment, I know my camera, flash, lenses, etc... but what I was not prepared for was the situations surrounding a birth, and not being a mother myself I have no idea what i'm walking into. Now, I feel empowered, I can do this, and Courtney gave me that with her words of wisdom and lessons from her own experiences. I am thrilled to take myself, my business, and my creativity to another level. Dont be surprised if Birth Photography is something I add to my services offered on my website, it just might happen...
This is a long winded blog posting, sorry for that. Im not sorry to share, this means something to me and if only one person reads this posting (thanks mama) I don't care. In 5 years when I look back on my blog to see how my work, writing, and myself has been improved I will remember how I feel at this exact moment in time.
I feel good. I feel alive. Im ready.
I feel good. I feel alive. Im ready.
