Young, broke & fabulous.

So. I’m sorry for the lack of posts. I honestly have no real excuse - I’ve just been way too busy. In between studying again, working full time, photographing in my spare time & Wedding planning, the little time I do have to myself I’d rather keep to myself - and spend it with my boys (when boy number 1 is home of course), my friends & my family. Also - I want to relax. I like to relax you guys.

Fear not, this week I’m going to try and get the ball rolling again and get a bit more motivated with my posting.

I do love you, you know, little blog.

Some pictures from the Art & the Heart Photography Workshop I attended earlier in the year. I’ve mentioned it once or twice :) I was lucky enough to have my picture taken by the ever so talented Samm Blake & Dan O’Day :)

Yesterday afternoon, during sunset, I was taking photos of my boy down at the beach. I love the way they’ve turned out.

I can’t believe how lucky I am some days.

On the 15th of January, I boarded a flight to Melbourne. On the 16th of January, the Art & the Heart Workshop I was attending began.

The workshop was by Samm Blake and Dan O’Day. Two very talented photographers that I aspire to be like one day. Their work ethic especially. The workshop went for 3 days and I have no doubt in my mind it is one of the best decisions I could have made in regards to my photography career.

Over the three days, we were given goody bags, filled with lollies and helpful information on photography sites and contests, told how important it is to keep creative and motivated with your personal work. Personal work will help you find your way, your style, it will show in your professional work. Shooting from the heart will change the way your clients see your work. In other words, if you want to be successful, you need to love what you’re doing. And if it’s all about the business side of things, how can your picture show that you love what you’re doing? Your own photography? Discussed how important it is to market yourself. And how to market yourself. Given tips on pricing. Given tips on everything really. We got to see how Samm and Dan shoot, how they interact with their clients. We even got our own photos taken by them. They took us through post processing, programs they use, programs they don’t use, simple things like backing your work up on 3 external hard drives.

My favourite thing about the workshop? They were normal people. I spent a majority of last year looking at my favourite photographers work and kicking myself that I’m not there. That I’m not as good. That I’m still trying to work out what I’m doing half the time. Spending 3 days with two of the photographers I look up to, showed me that they were in the exact same boat as I am in now. That you don’t need every single lens available to be a good photographer. That you don’t need to know what all the tools are called in photoshop, you can call them “thingy that does this thingy to the photo” if you want. That just because I have to work full time for a few more years before being in the position where I’m able to shoot professionally as a photographer full time doesn’t mean I won’t make it. Or that because I am working full time still it doesn’t mean I’m not already a photographer. That they too thought being a Wedding photographer meant they were a sell out. That they went through horrible Weddings or photoshoots to begin with and only charged a tiny amount of what they are charging now. That they hated and still sometimes hate their work and feel like they aren’t any good.

It was refreshing, and uplifting, to see that I’m not the only one who has to work my butt off to get what I want. To see that working my butt off to get what I want is going to be worth it.

They were funny. And so nice. And I got to spend my time with them, and 19 other individuals in the same position as me, whether they have been doing photography for a year, 5 years or 10 years. We were all there for the same reason, and I know we all left with new friendships, feeling the same outcome: inspired. Motivated. Determined.  

A few months before we left for the workshop, we were all given a project. We didn’t know at the time, but we were all given the same brief - ‘my first memory’. I based my project on my Dad. I couldn’t pin point my exact first memory. I thought of too many things. But I saw a pattern, all of my memories involved my loving Dad. So I based my project on exactly that. On little girls, that are so lucky to have doting loving fathers in their lives. It was so interesting to see where everyone else had been led with their ideas for their projects, where they grew up, or asking people to talk about their first memories while photographing them, or, funnily, boobs. For real, someone had submitted photos that reminded them of boobs. Great right? 

Another great thing about the workshop was I didn’t pick up a camera, once. (Well I did, during a project we were given on day 1 - but that involved a disposable camera. I also took photos on my phone, but that doesn’t count.) I spent my time, sitting, listening, writing notes, and taking it all in. I didn’t feel pressured to take photos, and it was fantastic. I just wanted to absorb everything I could while I could. I did however instagram most of the week with those phone pictures, of course, so here they are. (There’s a few!)

I can’t wait to kick the crap out of my photography in 2012.

Thanks for getting me inspired and motivated Samm & Dan, you guys seriously rock.

I’ve mentioned before (here) how I often take photos of my feet. After attending the Art & the Heart Workshop, which I’ll be blogging about soon, I’ve decided to turn this weird feet photographing thing, into a personal project. At the workshop, we were told how important it is to do personal projects as a photographer. Constantly keeping yourself motivated, inspired and in a good creative zone. They shared how important these projects are, big or small, taken on your DSLR, phone camera or disposable cameras even. How, a project can often come about, without even realising it. Which is what the feet photo thing is. I just liked doing it. I never realised these weird photos I take on my phone could be counted as a personal project.

So. Here we go. A personal photography project, on my feet, and where they take me.