Learning to Encourage :: Photography

If there is one noticeable difference between Colton and I it is most certainly the way in which we approach life's roadbumps. Say we both stand in front of the same bathroom mirror and realize our midsections are significantly thicker than they were a few weeks ago. Colton will immediately stop whatever he is doing and b-line it for the beach where he'll run - er, sprint, until he's burned off an entire month's worth of calories. In a word, it’s impressive. I, however, will immediately stop whatever I am doing and b-line it for the freezer where I'll take solace in mint chocolate chip ice cream. Or five handfuls of white chocolate chips. Or anything I find that promises a lifetime of {bad} health issues. It is also, in a word, impressive.

While Colton can master life’s obstacles by being intrinsically motivated, I must be held by the hand and told a hundred times over that my legs don’t look like freight trains in gym shorts and that I don’t, as I thought I did, waddle like a lame duck while trying to run on a treadmill. If Cole thrives on bettering himself, I thrive on being encouraged by others.

So Saturday, during our two-hour drive home from the airport when I couldn’t for the life of me stop talking about how excited I was to implement some much needed change in my life and my business, Colton was happy for me. He understood that I was returning from a week with like-minded people who were able to support one another in a way that encouraged us to become both better photographers and better people.

To be completely honest, I spent a few solid days trying to piece together what I had hoped to get out of this workshop. Yet as hard as I tried I couldn’t put my finger on what it was that I wanted to learn. I walked into the conference room last Tuesday morning to group full of beautiful, kind hearted individuals who were willing to open their souls in order to encourage one another. What I left with were 20 incredible new friends who I am blessed to know and proud to call my peers.

And this amazing gift is more than I have gained from all of the other workshops I have ever been a part of.

- M.

Emily :: Kea Lani Fairmont Portrait Photography

Technically we met last March in Las Vegas. It was the fifth and final day of our conference and I had just a few short hours remaining before I was to hop a plane back home. I walked into the Photographer's Unite meeting and, as fate would have it, found myself an empty seat beside Emily. This Emily. The naturally beautiful, oddly fascinating, and easily approachable, Emily. We exchanged a few words before the program began, but I left quickly after the session assuming I would never see this sweet girl again. In fact, when I ran into her a month later at the Jasmine Star Workshop, I didn't even remember her name. But I knew her face. And her smile, and her laugh, and the way she made everyone around her feel comfortable. And so our friendship began. Since that April morning when Colton and I so (so, so, so) nervously modeled for Jasmine's workshop, Emily has, in the truest sense of the word, been my friend. While we are both at similar stages in our businesses, we have had the joy of sharing a summer full of texts, tweets, and phone calls discussing photography, life, and everything we love about the both of them. I remember standing in H&M when I got the text from Emily saying she had big news. Big, big news. I responded with a hundred exclamation marks and begged her to tell me everything. When she let me know that she was headed to Maui for the Making Things Happen workshop, I started shaking. Shaking because that's my default reaction. To exciting and disappointing news alike, my body immediately searches its reserves for every last ounce of adrenaline before shooting it through my veins like an IV drip of strong, black coffee. Too shaky to type I called Emily back. I was excited, yes, but mostly I was speechless. Speechless because only a few hours earlier I had discovered I too would be joining Lara Casey and a handful of other amazing individuals at the Maui intensive.

Last week Emily and I shared tears, laughs, and a week full of changes for our lives and our businesses. When asked if I would capture the new portraits for Emily's website, I was elated. Hawaii, the Fairmont, a flawless blue sky, and my friend. I could not have orchestrated a more perfect day if I tried. Enjoy.

And I'll leave you with what is easily my favorite image from the day. Easily.

Happy Monday, Friends!

Michelle

Before I Board :: Personal

I'm feeling a hundred different emotions right now. Some excited. Some scared. Some I'm just entirely unsure about. But the one consistency amidst all of these feelings is gratitude. This whole thing is surreal. Hawaii, photography, Making Things Happen. In addition I cannot even begin to express how much change five short days could bring about in my life. I'm so thankful for, and so undeserving of, everything.

I know I'm being vague, and I'm sorry. I'm about to board a plane back to Colton and I could not possibly be any more ready. While I knew this post would be short, I felt it was important to write down what this moment in time was like. The emotion, the sense of being overwhelmed by thankfulness, and the eager anticipation for the future.

I cannot wait to be home.

Michelle