The BUILD Workshop :: Photography

A few weeks ago, before I jumped a red eye flight to D.C., I had the opportunity to join a handful of other wedding photographers at a BUILD workshop hosted here in Orange County. The workshop focused on four keys specifics of running a small business and provided a unique perspective as it was taught by fellow wedding photographer Gabriel Ryan. At times it can be incredibly difficult to feed the artistic, photography minded side of my brain without neglecting the structured, business side of my career. The truth of the matter is that it's impossible for me to have one without the other. In my experience it is only after the affairs of my business are in order that I truly feel the freedom to take the pictures I love and am most proud of. What I enjoy most about attending workshops is that they inspire me to work toward something. I came away from BUILD excited for the relationships I have with my clients and eager to make my business, in the words of Kanye West, harder, better, faster, stronger. There's a lot to love about being a wedding photographer, but these are the things that make me truly passionate about what I do.

While the focus of the day was on our business, we did have a quick wedding themed shoot in the afternoon. Here a few shots from the adorable session styled by Melanie of Jesi Haack Design.

Happy Tuesday,

Michelle

Jessie :: Virginia Portrait Photography

If you've read this blog for long enough you've no doubt seen me mention Jessica Smith Photography. Nearly every weekend last summer, if I wasn't shooting my own wedding or out of town on an adventure, you could find me shooting alongside Jessie. I met Jessie at my first WPPI just over a year ago and, no joke, asked if she would be my friend! Can a person really get any more pitiful?! But, true to her style, Jessie welcomed me into her life with open arms and allowed me to second shoot with her for the entire summer. Weekend after weekend I spent my entire Saturday with Jessie and got to know just how beautiful of a person she was, inside and out. She never tired of my endless business questions and always replied with honest and open answers - something I so appreciated. I've realized there are two types of photographers; ones who guard everything they know in fear of being surpassed, and those who give their knowledge freely and in confidence. Jessie most certainly falls under the latter category and I think it's a reflection of the person she is inside - a girl who is selfless, kind, and beautiful. Jessie, I seriously cannot believe you asked me to take your pictures! I can't thank you enough for all the kindness you've showed me over the last year, it truly means the world to me (and then some). I really, really, really like you and I wish you didn't live so many states away. I just, well, miss you.

Juuuust stop.

Our backdrop for the day was pretty amazing. I felt like we had walked straight into a scene from Anne of Green Gables (which, for me, was a total dream).

These next photos make my heart melt. Jessie, you are gorgeous.

Jessie loves horses so we did the shoot at the stable where her mom's horse is boarded. Obviously Cordento (le horse) is a total hunk.

These next pictures are for a project Jessie is working on. Fortunately for me Jessie not only plays the guitar but she also sings like an angel and serenaded me as we took pictures. This job I have? It's so rough.

And I'll end with my favorite picture from our day. At least I think it is. It's a close tie between, well, all of them, but I think this one is my favorite. I can't help but smile every time I look at it.

loveLOVElove,

Michelle

The Classics :: Vol. I

I tend to think that in the world of photography there are pictures and there are photographs. Pictures are great because they help to tell a story and give detail about a specific event. They're informative, crucial to the overall look of the wedding portfolio, and closely interwoven with other pictures. Photographs, on the other hand, are the story themselves. They're the soul. They need no explanation and they do exceptionally well standing alone, apart from any other image. They're timeless, well composed, and, well, classic. I'm extremely excited to be starting a new blog series appropriately titled, 'The Classics'. At one photo per post these images won't need much of a description. They're the photographs I want to take more of and the images I want my portfolio to be comprised of. Without further introduction here is the first classic photograph - an image taken last September at a wedding I shot with Ms. Jessie Smith.

Happy Wednesday,

Michelle