The Secret Workshop

Flint! Flint! Flint!

Phew...

We're finally coming down off the back-to-back workshop frenzy.  As you may have heard from those who were there, Phoenix and Austin were INCREDIBLE! Now we're looking forward and this week will be dedicated to getting ready for Flint.  We are working on finalizing the details with the hotel, studio, super awesome guest speaker... and will give the Flint attendees the information ASAP.  In the next few days, look for an email from us inviting you to our forum so you can start getting to know each other, making roomate arrangements, sharing rides to/from the airport, etc. 

Also, I have a few more interviews with past attendees lined up.  Please check back later this week for more!

A look back at the Natural, Clean & Honest Photography of Nicole Zumaeta

Your name: Nicole Zumaeta
City and State: Naples, FL
Website: www.nicolezphotography.com
Blog: www.nicolez.typepad.com

What was the most important thing you learned at the workshop? It is hard to narrow down one thing that is the most important thing that I learned from the Secret Workshop.  I certainly walked away with a refreshed attitude towards my business and a heightened drive to succeed in my photography business.  I guess if I had to pick one thing that was the most important...it would have to be that I must "preserve my joy".  That one statement that Cheryl uttered over and over again, really stuck with me.  I went into the workshop frustrated and unsure of exactly what direction I was going to take my business, but Cheryl's amazing motivation and her undeniable  love for her family first and photography second, gave me a newfound respect for 'family' and how important it is to always put my family first!

Did you make any changes in your business as a result of attending the workshop?  Yes.  Actually the Secret was at the very beginning stages of my business so I was able to mold my business and business philosophy around what I learned at the workshop.  For example, marketing, style, procedures, policies, etc.

 
If you could give one tip to a new photographer, what would it be?  Take it slow.  There is no need to rush things where your business is concerned.  Take your time, perfect your craft, and learn all you can about the business before rushing into it!!  Set your policies, goals and have a target market in mind before you start your business.

Do you have any new goals you would like to share?  Well, I have just started my Spring 2008 marketing campaign, so my goals are short term at the moment.  I hope to go full force with my business this spring and summer.  It will be a true test for me and my business!

Now, let's look at some before & afters.

Here are the befores:

And now, the afters:

Thanks, Nicole!!! You ROCK!!

Contest Winner!!!!

We've been soo super busy with the Workshops in Phoenix and Austin, that we got behind in blog posting, and in posting the contest winner!!

We got an INSANE number of entries... so overwhelming, but so so awesome.  Thanks to everyone who participated.  And we LOVED so many of them.  After much deliberation, the winner was deemed to be:

We just thought this was such a powerful image.  Congratulations to Eddy Saldivar!!

Here are some of our other favorites:

Entwined Exhibit.

My dear friend and past Secret attendee Laura Siebert, a St. Louis photographer and St. Louis commercial photographer, recently opened her first gallery exhibit, Entwined, at the Belas Artes Gallery and Multicultural Center in St. Louis, Missori.  She sent me just a few images to share (there are a TON in the exhibit) and I nearly fell to the floor with how breathtakingly stunning they are.  I can't remember the last time I was this proud of someone that I know and love.

If you are near St. Louis, I'd invite you to stop by and visit.  I'm sure these are even more beautiful in person....especially since they are printed on huge canvases by our wonderful friends at Pixel2Canvas.  Laura will be selling limited edition prints after the exhibit closes as well.  You can find more information about purchasing prints here at her website...Entwined Exhibit. 

Since we've gotten so many emails on the subject...

With Phoenix only 2 days away, and Austin next week, I thought I would repost a "what to bring" entry.  We've been getting emails on the subject, so I thought it easier to post this publicly.  Cheryl originally wrote this right before the Orlando workshop in January.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's what I would bring if I were coming to the workshop:

my camera and memory cards

my one or two favorite lenses

my laptop (if I had one)

a pen

chewing gum or altoids (for the folks next to me moreso than for myself)

a sweater (just in case the A/C is blasting)

my ladyluck (for winning one of the fabulous door prizes I am in the process of packing up)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I agree with Cheryl's list, with the exception of the laptop.  I did bring mine but found that I'd rather watch Cheryl and the secret guest do their thing.  I took careful notes and then practiced at home on my own time.  If you're better at multi-tasking than I am, then by all means bring your laptop. :-)  I did have mine so that I could use the internet at nights in the hotel. 

As always, if you have any last minute questions, please let me know at thesecretsharon@gmail.com

Can't wait!

An interview with Austin guest speaker Natasha Cuevas...

Meet Natasha Cuevas...an amazingly talented Florida photographer who is ALSO our guest speaker for the Austin workshop.  Natasha is best known for her fresh, contemporary style and her unique family portraits.  She travels across the country shooting commercial, editorial and portrait sessions.  I am so excited that she'll be joining us in Austin....and sharing some of HER secrets with us! 

Q:  How long have you been a photographer?  How long have you been in business?

A:  All my life.  And 4 years.

Q:  What is your favorite lens?

A:  50mm 1.4

Q:  What is your best tip for getting those amazing family images?

A:  I want them to feel comfortable so I tell them that they might feel awkward throughout this, but that EVERYONE feels like this so its normal...I stress on them that they must act like I am not even there and for them to "interact" with each other.

Q:  What business advice would you give to someone else starting their photography business?

A:  Not to sell yourself short.  If you are starting out, don't give everything for free.  Charge for something.  This will make you feel good and will put value on your work.  People will appreciate you more.

Q:  What is something you MUST have?

A:  LOTS OF sleep. I need lots of hours of sleep.

Q:  Something about you that nobody knows?

A:  I like eating late at night.  I am a night owl.  The night inspires me for some reason.

Q:  What is one thing you are addicted to? 

A:   I am addicted to my child. I cant get enough of that curly haired little girl!!  Oh, and I love PRODUCTS...love Sephora...I can spend hours in that store.

Q:  If not a photographer what would you have been?

A:  Hands down, a movie director!

Q:  What photographer inspires you?

A:  The one and only Mario Testino.

Q:  One guilty pleasure?

A:  Chips with lime!

No interview post would be complete without a few images.  Here are some recents from Natasha.  Am I the only one drooling over here??  No?  Okay, good. 

So many feet!!

I know it's going to be impossible to decide on a contest winner... we've been overwhelmed by the amount of adorable feet entered in the contest.   There are baby feet, kid feet, grown-up feet, even some paws!  Just adorable!  Thanks so much for sending us your entries.  If you haven't sent it in yet, you still have time...

Keep 'em coming!

Taking a look at the elegant, powerful and compelling photography of MELANIE BATARSEH!!

Your name: Melanie Batarseh

City and State: Baltimore, Maryland (OK it's really Eldersburg, Maryland, but who knows where that is??)

Website: www.melaniebphotography.com

What was the most important thing you learned at the workshop?  Pricing and marketing.  Without really raising my prices, I restructured my price list to follow Cheryl's example, and my sales jumped way up!  Before the workshop, my goal was to get every customer to spend $200, but I wasn't really doing anything to achieve that goal, and it wasn't happening on it's own (big surprise).  Now my goal is to get every customer to spend at least $500, and most are spending $1000!  And this is without actually raising my prices at all!  Imagine what will happen when I decide I'm ready to raise them!  Before the workshop, I was HOPING that someday photography would be a career for me and would actually give me a real income (but I feared that it wouldn't).  After the workshop, I KNEW it could work!  What an incredible feeling!  I can do what I love and make enough money to support myself and my family!  Wow!

Did you make any changes in your business as a result of attending the workshop? Prices, like I said above, and I changed my editing a lot.  I learned about correct skin tone and how to give images pop and life...richness....that's what it feels like to me.  My images are rich now; and they were flat and lifeless before.  I've also added new products to my price list that I didn't know anything about before.

If you could give one tip to a new photographer, what would it be?  There's so much you can learn from the internet.  I had no idea all the resources out there before the workshop.  Now I'm constantly reading forums and articles and blogs and learning so much great information all the time!  Read Read Read!

Do you have any new goals you would like to share? So so many...wanna see my list?  There's so much more I want to learn about photography itself (different lighting, trying out different lenses, perfecting exposure,....), there are still new products I want to look at and maybe sell, I want to expand the type of work I do (right now I'm just newborns and babies)....I could go on and on.

Now let's look at her (incredible!!) befores & afters:

Newborn before:

Newborn after:

Here is another before/after set showing the "curl" in a newborn image.

And just to show how much she learned in photoshop stuff, here is the same image processed both before and after the workshop.  Wow! Such a big difference!

Thanks for sharing with us, Melanie!

This little piggie....won you a B&H GIFTCARD!!!

Enter to win our spring photo contest now!  Send us your favorite picture of FEET (or foot I suppose...we aren't picky) to thesecretcontest@gmail.com by April 28th for a chance to win a $100 giftcard at one of my favorite places to shop online, B&H. 

If it were me and someone enabled me I won a giftcard, I would put it towards THIS. I've had some serious lens envy there for a while now.

Sidebar:  I get emails from people every day asking me if I have moved to Texas yet.  Sadly, no one wants to purchase our cute, little house in the-middle-of-nowhere, North Carolina at this time, or we would already be there.  Rest assured, I will be an Austin photographer before the END OF TIME!!!  But for now, I will just look at the for sale sign every day in my front yard and pray.  Loudly.

Later this week:  An interview with our special guest for Austin's workshop! 

Updates for every city!!!

I have updates for all cities.  Ready, set, go.

Phoenix folks:  Amy and I are so excited for the Phoenix workshop, which will be here before you KNOW IT!  You'll be receiving an email next week with your itinerary and all the little details you need to know before arriving at the workshop.  We'll post an update to the blog when you should be expecting that email.

Austin attendees:  I am finalizing your catering menus this afternoon at our super cool urban venue.  You'll be receiving detailed info soon as well.  I am going to interview your guest speaker this week on the blog.  She is beyond awesome and I can't wait for you all to meet her. 

Michigan:  I hope you are doing great!  I have no updates for you but didn't want to leave you out of this post.  HA!

Seattle:  Seattle is sold out, but I have begun a waitlist.  If you wish to be added, please let me know.  Oh and wanna see the studio where we are having the workshop?

Note to self:  STOP looking at the picture above IMMEDIATELY.  It will only cause you intense feelings of jealousy and envy!!!  STOP!   Ok, one more little look.  Gosh it's beautiful.  Now I must move on before I start phoning realtors and trying to get myself a place like this to call my very own.

Boston:  We are not sold out yet and we do have some seats remaining for your city, which is our last workshop of 2008.

The cute newborn I posted yesterday:  I have received several emails asking me to post more from that session and so here are a couple more. 

I also wanted to share a SOOC image, since I know that I love seeing everyone else's other people enjoy seeing those.  Here is a SOOC image from a shot I showed yesterday.

Also, I forgot to say, these were all taken with the D3 and most, if not all, with the 60mm 2.8 macro lens opened as wide as it will go.  All taken with window light in a very, very small space.  Now that I'm back in the saddle again, you'll be seeing more work from me on a regular basis.   

I get emails every day asking for my schedule for 2009.  I do have a few exciting things to announce in the future, but at this point, I really have no idea if or when I'll be doing any workshops in 2009.

I think now it's time for a contest.  We are going to have a photo contest this week.  Details tomorrow!!

Boston is OPEN!!!

We are so excited to announce our September 12-14 Boston workshop, which will be held in the Framingham suburb (17 miles from the airport...a $22 roundtrip shuttle ride for those of you who like to know those things) is open for registrations!!  Our studio is amazingly beautiful and is located within free shuttle distance to the hotel.  Does it get any better than that?!?!?  I'll be updating as to the status of registrations as they fill up. 

Also, in happy news of the day, I am officially off maternity leave and accepting clients on a very limited basis.  And guess what that means?  It means I actually have recent images to share.  *GASP*  I know.  I know.  Wonders never cease.

NEWS FLASH:  Which SECRET WORKSHOP graduate had a baby last week?  Find out SOON!  (I may or may not have photographed her newborn.)  Hint:  Signs point to YES  Stay tuned to the blog for those images and also coming soon...our very popular "recent attendee post-secret interviews"!

For now, I will leave you with the newborn I shot last week.  A beauty queen she is to my eyes.  Couldn't you just eat her with butter and a biscuit?? 

   

SEATTLE is sold out. BOSTON opening this week

Thank you all!  We are sold out for Seattle.  We will start a waiting list, though, so if you still want to attend, please email us. 

BOSTON will be opening this week.  The dates for the Boston Workshop will be Sept. 13-14, with the mixer on the evening of the 12th.  Can't wait!

Hope you're all having a nice weekend

Seattle....

...has 7 seats remaining.

Seattle is OPEN!!

As the folks on the email list already know, Seattle's workshop is now open for registration.  Please click on the tab on the website to register.  I'll keep you updated via the blog as time goes by as to how many seats remain.  Thanks so much for your continued interest in The Secret.  See you in Seattle!!!  xoxox

AUSTIN!

It's just around the corner!! All those of you registered for the Austin Workshop should have received an email from me tonight inviting you to our Forum.  If you didn't get one, check your Spam Box, and if you STILL can't find it, email me at thesecretsharon@gmail.com and I'll get you an invite.

In other Austin news... if you have ALREADY attended a Secret Workshop and would like to be staff in Austin, we have 2 positions open.   Please let me know if you are interested.

So excited for these upcoming workshops!

Phoenix Attendees!

I have sent all of you emails inviting you to the Forum.  If you did not receive one, and it isn't in your spam box, please let me know and I'll re-send it.   Austin attendees, you'll get your invites to the forum early next week.

OK...Business stuff taken care of.  Now the fun stuff:

I wanted to share two images that Cheryl took and edited in San Francisco at the workshop. Cheryl used her color proofing action with a few tweaks. 

'Til next time!

Let's check out the Pure, Spontaneous photography of Andrea Brogle!

Your name: Andrea Brogle

City and State: Chicago area, IL

Website: http://www.andreabroglephotography.com

Blog: http://www.andreabrogle.com (being re-designed right now)

What was the most important thing you learned at the workshop? To believe in myself.  Cheryl got me so motivated I could not wait to get back home and set-up shop.  I thought I would be in business in a bout a year, not in one month!

Did you make any changes in your business as a result of attending the workshop?  I started one!  Attending the workshop taught me everything I needed to know to start and run my photography business -  from how to get the "look" to using Photoshop to marketing/pricing.  I would not have a business right now if it weren't for Cheryl and the Secret Team.

If you could give one tip to a new photographer, what would it be?  Practice and practice and then practice some more! It will make you a better photographer, build your portfolio and give you confidence.

Do you have any new goals you would like to share?  I would love to have some displays up around the Chicago suburbs before summer!

Here are some of Andrea's "before" shots:

And now, her "After" shots:

 

 

Thank You!!! Thank You!!!

We are all set for staff for Seattle and Boston.  You guys ROCK!  If you emailed me about it up to this point,  consider yourself volunteered.  As we get closer to the workshops, I'll be in touch to further discuss details.  As always, email me if you need anything.

And just because this is a photo blog and I've never posted any of my own photos here, I wanted to share these.  Granted, they are not portraits of kids, but a new little project I've been working on for me.  I'm trying to teach myself to focus on the little things.  I did process these with Cheryl's color proofing action.

 

A few notes...

I hope everyone is having a nice weekend!  We were rained out completely, but my kids declared it great fun to run through the rain.  I guess as long as there's no thunder, a little water never hurt anyone, right?  I briefly considered taking my camera out and photographing that, but it was really coming down pretty hard and I didn't want it to get wet.

Arizona people:  If anyone going to the Phoenix workshop is Jewish, please know that the workshop takes place on the last 2 days of Passover.  I'm setting up the catering in the next few days and want to make sure anyone with dietary restrictions due to the holiday (or for any other reason) has food they can eat.  So, please let me know!

Everyone else:  I just wanted to touch upon the answers to some of the questions I have been asked most frequently this week.

* Cheryl and I have a list of people who are interested in attending the Seattle and Boston workshops.  If you want to be on it, send me an email and I'll add you.  This does not guarantee you a spot, as the list is long... it just means you'll be notified before registrations open.  We anticipate registrations will be opening the first week in April.

* Phoenix and Austin attendees:  Look for an email from me this week giving you access to the forum.  This will enable you to meet the other attendees from your city and look for a roommate if you are wanting one.

* All the information about the workshop (who should go, pricing, topics covered) is on the website.  Click on the link to the left.

* If you already went to a workshop and want to be staff at an upcoming workshop, let me know!  I'll add you to the list.

Anything else?  Feel free to email me anytime!

I left my heart...

...with this little lady.  And she still manages to hold on tight to it, even though we left San Francisco.  (This shot was taken our hotel room in San Fran and proofed with my color proofing action with just a few tweaks.)

I'm so excited!

Get used to me, cuz I'll be here a lot.  :-)    Those of you who already attended a workshop may know me from the secret forum, if you were in the Orlando or San Francisco workshops you may have met me in person.  The rest of you may be wondering who I am and  what I'm doing here.  Like Cheryl said, my name is Sharon and I am a Secret Workshop addict.  (Everyone, in unison: "Hi, Sharon")   I am first and foremost a full-time Mom to 3 gorgeous kids.  I'm also a photographer and I obsess over enjoy my job so much that I can't believe I get paid for doing something I love so much, and something that allows me to tend to my primary bosses (the 3 aforementioned gorgeous kids).   I attended a Secret Workshop in NC last year, and learned so much that I keep coming back for more.  When Cheryl offered me a job, I thought about it for, like, a nanosecond and then joyfully accepted.    Enough about me...

Here's what I'm busy working on:

SEATTLE:  The date is set!!   August 15-17th.  I can't wait!  We have tentatively agreed on a venue (a gorgeous natural light studio... seriously, I almost ruined my keyboard I drooled so much over the photos) and we are working out the rest of the details which I will share with you as soon as they're all set.  We are almost ready! Registrations will open in early April, so keep checking back. 

BOSTON:  I have not forgotten thee!  While we don't have set dates yet, we do know that it will likely be in mid-September.  Just know that I'm working on you and that I'll give you the all the 411 as soon as I have it. 

Please please let me know if there is anything I can do for you!  You can email me at thesecretsharon@gmail.com and I'll do my best to respond quickly.  Like any good photographer, I spend waaay too much time in front of my computer catcing up on Perez Hilton editing.  The point is, I'm fairly easily accessible, so don't be afraid to ask!

Our family is growing...

....and no, I am not pregnant.  EVEN BETTER!!!  The Secret Workshop has a new assistant, Sharon.  She will go ahead and post an introduction for you to get to know her better and if you have any questions for her, you can email her at thesecretsharon@gmail.com.  She's going to be helping me with my venues, general workshop details, staffing and emails.  I could not be more excited than I am to have her on board as she is one of the best people I have met in a very long time.  She attended one of the very first workshops, has since come back as a staff member twice (which y'all know you can attend a second workshop for free if you want to be staff, right?) and was talkin' some CRAZY talk about coming to a third workshop as staff.  So I thought, why not just HIRE THIS GIRL because Lord knows I could use the help.  Welcome to the family Sharon! 

Now, what you really wanted to know!!

Where have I been?  Why have I not been blogging?  And what on earth is going on?!?!?! 

I got home from California's workshops and had a short break (cut even shorter by the fact that I'm coming off maternity leave soon and there is quite of bit of admininstrative details that go along with that), spent some time with my family, and then headed right out to Las Vegas for just shy of a week for WPPI.  I literally JUST arrived home (like...five minutes ago) and while I really *should* be unpacking or sleeping, I thought I should pop on the blog quickly to let you know that everything is wonderful and hey, you may want to rescind that search party you just sent out on my behalf.

Not to leave you totally hanging, here's an image from California.  There are so so so so many images I need to go through, but here's one I edited in San Francisco, in about 2 minutes, using my color proofing action with just a few tweaks if I remember correctly.

Also, I have a few news items.  First of all, the Seattle and Boston workshops....I want to let you all know that the email lists for both of these cities (so you can get a heads up before registrations open) are both extremely long.  I'll be opening registrations the first week in April.  That will give us a chance to get our contracts signed for our venues and get all of the little details set. 

I get emails every day asking me about being added to waitlists for the sold out cities.  I am happy to add you to a waitlist if you email, but the waitlists for all of the closed cities are so long right now, it's unlikely that you will get a seat. 

Even though it was previously announced that the workshop would be coming to Australia, it does not look like that is going to work out.  I'm so sorry for any disappointment.  I may be coming to Hawaii instead, so please email me if you are interested in a Hawaii venue. 

Meet Lilia (who is in San Francisco as we speak!)

Before I introduce you to Lilia, I first have to say to keep your eyes peeled to the blog. Since Sunday will begin my favorite type of blog posts. The "reflection" posts as I call them as the California attendee's  open up to what they learned, what they saw, and who they photographed! I can't wait to see the beautiful photos everyone took and also to hear all the great stories.
As I read through Lilia's interview I had to laugh. It seems she fondly remembers her cabbage patch too! Mine had dark hair (pony tail) and her name was Kimberly. My poor mom had to search all over the world it seemed to find her.  Also, Lilia, I have to ask. Is there a recipe for these cream cheese omeletes that you speak of? I think I may just have to post that! Anyway, Enough about me, meet the fabulous Lilia!
THE FACTS:

Name: Lilia Schwartz

City and State you live in: Mountain View, California

Workshop you are attending: San Francisco

Your website: babymoonphotography.com

Your blog: babymoonphotography.com/blog/

How long you've been taking photographs: Since I was 7 and got a Cabbage Patch Kid (a girl, with orange braids) and a Polaroid for Christmas...

Married/Single: Single

Kids (if yes, names and ages): none, but I'm a dedicated honorary-auntie to a fabulous 3-year-old muse

The Secrets:

Your [secret] guilty pleasure: Cream-cheese omelets (let us never speak of this again ;-)

Your [secret] wish: To shoot a cover for Mothering magazine

What you [secretly] want to know about photography: How to break into editorial shooting (see previous secret ;-). Also, tips on how to slay my workflow procrastination monsters.

Your[secret] beauty product: My funky, groovy glasses!

Tell us a [secret] fact or tidbit about you: I'm completely addicted to the work of Joss Whedon -- Buffy, Angel, Firefly...I'm a big geek.

The song you [secretly] sing to in the car: I go back and forth between musical soundtracks: Once More, With Feeling (the Buffy musical), RENT, and Into The Woods

The Truths:

Your favorite place to shop: any independent bookstore

Your favorite piece of camera equipment or photography tool : It's a tie between Adobe Lightroom and my new D300.

Your favorite subject to shoot (general age range or person):  I love to capture people laughing!

Your favorite Restaurant: Oooh....that's a tough one...Bette's Ocean View Diner in Emeryville is definitely a fave, as is The Cool Cafe, in Palo Alto. Any place that serves local, sustainable food is going to get big points with me.

Your favorite vacation spot: I ::heart:: Calistoga

Parking for San Francisco...

...can be found on Illinois Street, which is the alley behind the studio.  There is free, ample parking and I'm told you shouldn't have any trouble finding a spot. 

Attention San Francisco Secret Attendees!

I love everyone who attends the secret workshops! Sharon was nice enough to pass along this great money-saving code that she received for the San Francisco hotel. If you call and mention the code 'Ebreaks'
you can get the great rate of only $103 for a king bed or $109 for a room with two queens. Even if you booked before, they seem to be great about adjusting the rates! Just think, with all the money you save, you can justify some yummy dinners OR great shopping. (This rate is good Thursday-Sunday)
Also, if anyone is looking for a Saturday roomie, please email me right away!

San Francisco folks....

...please check your inbox tonight. You'll be receiving an email from me with your full itinerary and need-to-know information.

Our San Diego workshop just wrapped up last night. What a phenomenal group of women (+ one man!!!) we had!! I continue to be awed by the talent that is possible to all gather in one room. It was such a thrill for me to be amongst such a great group of people who also happen to be amazing photographers. I'd like to take a moment to say a quick thank you to my staff for making everything run so seamlessly....Jinky and Amy and Pam and Angela and Andrea....what a dream team you were. Thanks for everything that you did that I knew about...and the countless things you do that I never have a clue about!!

Looking for a SF roomie? Meet Alison Connor!

Paper or Plastic? Paper, I think they run you out of CA if you don't follow that rule.
Favorite Midnight snack? Does chardonnay count?
Favorite Book? Divine Secrets of The Ya Ya Sisterhood. Who doesn't love having friends like that!

p.s.  Again, sad that the only picture I can send of myself is by cutting the other people out of the shot.
                        

Need a San Francisco Roommate? Meet Dotty

First off, I have to say that I love the picture above. I am a sucker for best friend photos and this one  made me feel warm and fuzzy inside and immediately made me call my own best friend! It also made me remember that when I see her next month to get out my camera and MAKE the time to take some photos of us. I think the last one we have might be from a party in high school. Sad but true! Now back to Dotty.

Stacey (left) & Dotty (right)  BEST FRIENDS to the day we part which is NEVER in my mind!
Stacey is my best friend cancer survivor!  There isn't a day I don't thank GOD her.  Thats how I live
my life.....never with regret or looking back!

Your Name: Dotty Meltesen
City you are attending: San Francisco
Paper or Plastic: Paper
Favorite Midnight Snack: Northern Lights Pizza Scoobie Snacks
If they did a movie of your life, what actress would play you? Bette Midler (similar to her role in the 80's movie Beaches)  My best friend is a bone cancer survivor from when we were little girls. She and I cried through the whole movie when we were in high school. She said Bette was "me" and she was Barbara Hershey. 20 years later.....We still watch that movie together on occasion and still cry. It remains close to my heart.   YES I"M A SAPPY SOUL!  I cry at every movie that is a drama!  I'm a heartfelt soul. HA HA
P.s. - Isabel asked for a picture of me. I honestly don't have any of just me. My lens is pointed the other direction. Giggle. So I need one taker in SF to take my picture. LOLOLOLOLOL  Purty Please.

 

Meet Helene (The secret San Francisco)

THE FACTS:
Name: Helene Button
City and State you live in: Los Gatos, CA
Workshop you are attending: SF
Your website if you have one: www.hellybee.com (under construction)
Your blog: Not yet
How long you've been taking photographs: When I got my first camera, around the age of 10....semi-serious for about 5 years (mainly processing in darkroom black and white for fine art) and now serious (and digital!) since the birth of my son! 
Married/Single: happily married for almost 8 years.
Kids (if yes, names and ages): yes, finally!!  My son, Tate, 9 months.
The Secrets:
Your [secret] guilty pleasure:  anything sweet, and a strong back massage!
Your [secret] wish:  To make my family proud.
What you [secretly] want to know about photography:  All the technical stuff!!
Your[secret] beauty product: before baby...sleep!  Post baby....eye lash curler....to wake up the eyes!
Tell us a [secret] fact or tidbit about you:  just moved back to the States after having lived in Barbados for  8 years.
The song you [secretly] sing to in the car:  I'll sing anything in the car...
The Truths:
Your favorite place to shop:  Anthropology and small boutiques
Your favorite piece of camera equipment or photography tool (camera bodies, lenses actions,etc): My Nikon D300
Your favorite subject to shoot (general age range or person)  My son :) and children of all ages
Your favorite Restaurant:  Stephanies on Newburry, Boston, MA
Your favorite vacation spot: Sydney
A photographer you find inspiring (we all know its cheryl, she's excluded): I love Michael Kenna and Cindy Sherman for fine art....

More questions.

I am getting tons of emails every day asking me questions and I thought I would go ahead and post some of the questions I get asked the most here with the answers.  Maybe some of you are secretly wondering these things too.

Are all of the workshops for 2008 sold out? 

Yes.

Can you believe that?

No.  (Ok, no one really asked this.  I just wanted to say that because I truly cannot believe it.)

Is there any way I can get added to a waitlist?

Yes.  Just email me the city you are interested in being added to you and I'll add you.  If a seat becomes available, I will definitely contact you.

Are you really coming to Australia?

Yes.  In December 2008.  I will likely be in Australia for the first three weeks in December.  I have no further details about the workshop(s) there, but I will definitely post as they become available.  Registrations will not open until all of the venues are booked and details are set.  If you wish to be added to THAT list, please let me know and I will add you.

Are you going to add any other workshops in 2008? 

Yes.  I have NO specifics right now, but I am adding Seattle in August and Boston in September.  Please email if you would like to be added to the waitlist for those cities.  You'll receive an email when registrations open. 

What about 2009?  Will there be workshops in 2009?

We have our Secret Tropical Reunion in January or February of 2009, and I have a couple of other things I'm working on for next year.  I am not certain if there will be more workshops in 2009 or not.

Are you ever going to sell your personal proofing actions?

Maybe.  Do y'all want to buy them? 

What camera do you shoot with?

Fuji S5 and most recently a Nikon D3.

What lenses do you shoot with?

85mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.4, 28mm f/1.4, 24-70mm f/2.8, 12-24 f/4.0, 60mm f/2.8 macro

Are you exceedingly grateful?

Yes.  Beyond measure.  (No one really asked this question either.  I just wanted to say that.)

_______________________________________________________________________________________

I just posted without adding any images.  So here are a couple of mine from the Orlando workshop.

And the beautiful Amy Smith. 

And if you thought this shot looked okay straight out of the camera, you would be wrong.  I had my Fuji set on Auto WB at sunset in front of a blue door.  It did it's best, but sometimes it's best isn't very good I'm afraid.  Now typically, I would delete an image that came out of my camera like this because it would take longer than my maximum of 2 minutes to proof.  It would maybe take...say....4 minutes.  And how long is that?!?!?!  But this image, I wanted to save because it is one of my best friends in the world and HOW CUTE IS HER BABY?!?!?  So I didn't delete.

Here's the SOOC.  I processed the above with color balance and my color proofing action.  Please refrain from throwing up if you can.  I know it will be hard.

Blog Maintenance.

I am working on the blog today...trying to make it easier to navigate and search.  I apologize for any issues you may have loading today. 

So, on a fun note....how about a new blog contest???  Yes, I think that sounds fun.

San Diego folks...

...please check your inbox.  You should have a message from me that was sent last night.  This message contains all of the need-to-know information for next weekend as well as your itinerary so you know where to be and when.  Our staff....well, let me just say that our staff for San Diego is going to be awesome and we have a couple of last minute staff additions that will MAKE. YOU. LOSE. YOUR. MIND.  Or, at least make me lose mine.  And Jinky....the amazing Jinky....I'm going to tackle her the second I see her.  I hope she's ready for that.  See you next week!

Be Compassionate and other Friday ramblings

I can't believe that it is almost time for the California workshops! Is everyone getting so excited?
In other news, I have updated my email address as Cheryl had mentioned. I am going to recap all those that need a roommate, because  it seems I didn't get everyone's. Please send me a websized photo of yourself if possible and answer these pressing questions:
Paper or Plastic
Favorite Midnight Snack
Your Favorite Book
If you are looking for a roommate in San Francisco for just Friday night, please email me! I have just the roomie for you!
Totally off topic, I found this little "practice" on the Chinaberry  website. Chinaberry has a fantastic selection of great books for adults and children alike and some of the best reviews on them around. I LOVE when their catalog arrives in the mail. Anyway, this practice I felt was really important and reminded me so much of something Cheryl would tell me during a phone conversation if I was stressed, so I thought I'd share it here. Have a great weekend!
     A group of students studying with the Dalai Lama asked,"Do you think loving on the planet is increasing or staying the same?" His response: "My experience leads me to believe that love is increasing." He shared a simple practice that will increase loving and compassion in the world. He asked everyone in the group to share it with as many people as they can.

The Practice:

1. Spend 5 minutes at the beginning of each day remembering we all want the same things (to be happy and to be loved) and we are all connected to one another.
2. Spend 5 minutes - breathing in - cherishing yourself, and breathing out - cherishing others. If you think about people you have difficulty cherishing, extend your cherishing to them anyway.
3. During the day, extend that attitude to everyone you meet. Practice cherishing the "simplest" person (clerks, attendants, etc.), as well as the "important" people in your life; cherish the people you love and the people you dislike.
4. Continue this practice no matter what happens or what anyone does to you.

These thoughts are very simple, inspiring and helpful. The practice of cherishing can be taken very deep if done wordlessly, allowing yourself to feel the love and appreciation that already exists in your heart.

Isabel's new email address....

...is not working 100%, which it really needs to be.  Please address any future emails for my assistant to thesecretisabel@gmail.com.  This way, we can guarantee you'll receive a reply to your questions within a day...two at max.  If you have sent her an email and have not received a reply, PLEASE resend it now. 

Need a Roomie?

Need a roommate? So do these awesome women. A great way to cut costs, attend the workshop, and meet a new friend!

San Francisco Roommates

Name: Dana Pugh
City you are attending: San Francisco
Paper or Plastic: neither--total environmentalist(live in North America's
first solar heated community)
Favorite Midnight Snack: cereal
If they did a movie of your life, what actress would play you?
ooohhh...that's hard. My friends would say Janine Garofalo(is that how you
spell her name?)--you know, the best friend in Reality Bites...now I'm
dating myself.
Phoenix
Maria Hays
San Diego
Adrian Hitt (looking for a roomie, who wants to look elsewhere than the W)
Austin
Katie Williams
stay at home mother of 3 boys!
Michigan
Melissa

Meet Kristi Larson (Secret San Francisco)

Okay, I am letting everyone in on the secret that Kristi doesn't have any pictures of herself. Somebody has to snap a photo of her in San Francisco!
THE FACTS:
Name: Kristi Larson
City and State you live in: Spruce Grove, Alberta Canada
Workshop you are attending: San Francisco
Your website if you have one: www.blueframe.ca       
Your blog:  http://blueframephotographics.blogspot.com/
How long you've been taking photographs: since I was about 12--professionally since 2003
Married/Single: married
Kids (if yes, names and ages): do kitties count? Honey--5 yrs and Abby--4yrs
The Secrets:
Your [secret] guilty pleasure: Chocolate and reading other photographers blogs.
Your [secret] wish: To be the most requested maternity and baby photographer n the Edmonton area.
What you [secretly] want to know about photography: how to market my specialty, how to get the clients I want, lighting, posing of newborns, how to get kids to give me natural expressions rather than their horrid cheese faces, how to be more successful.
Your[secret] beauty product: Water, lots of sleep and bare essentials bisque
Tell us a [secret] fact or tidbit about you: I believe life is uncertain, eat desert first!
The song you [secretly] sing to in the car: anything by bon jovi
The Truths:
Your favorite place to shop: RW and Co, Ricki's, Pier one, best buy
Your favorite piece of camera equipment or photography tool: I love my 5D. I really like Kubota's black and white actions,and my tablet. I am dying for a 80mm 1.8 lens and maybe a macro lens.
Your favorite subject to shoot Maternity,newborn and children
Your favorite Restaurant: For supper--the keg, for desert--jack's drive in or marble slab.
Your favorite vacation spot: Jasper, Alberta
A photographer you find inspiring (we all know its cheryl, she's excluded):
OMG, where do I begin. For weddings (even though I don't shoot very many. -
I love wedding imagery) Kelsy Neilson, Glen Durrell and  Jeff and Julia
Woods all are so wonderful. For newborn, maternity and kid stuff I love Lori
Nordstrom, Kim Ruff and of course Cheryl.

A super cool wedding workshop...

...is happening in Las Vegas during WPPI week in March.  40 photographers are all going to have an amazing weekend shooting a dream wedding!  Read more here:  Vegas Love Story Workshop 

 

And the beautiful couple getting married AT the workshop (how exciting does THAT sound!!!)....Samantha and Nathan.  And my favorite part is that they are both wedding photographers. 

A little reflection with the fun, simple, fresh photography of Bree Hester

City and State: Sacramento, CA
The Website: www.breehesterphotography.com
The Blog:  www.breehester.typepad.com
The secret workshop you attended: NC, July 2007
Before
Q.How did you hear about the workshop?  I heard about the workshop on ILP.
Q.When you attended the workshop, how long had you been taking photographs? I have been taking pictures for as long as I can remember, but about 6 months professionally.
Q.What was the most memorable part of the weekend?  I loved meeting all of the other photographers and sharing so much great information. The whole weekend was memorable, it is hard to pick one moment.
Q.What was the most important thing you learned at the workshop?The most important thing that I learned at the workshop was that I can do it.  I did not believe before that weekend that my work was good enough for other people to want to buy it.  I can home a new woman with a new attitude.  I also learned to LOVE working in the studio.
(below, one of Bree's before photos)


After:
Q.When you returned home,what was the first thing you did? I raised my prices and updated my policies.
Q. What is a lesson you learned along the way as you were getting your business started?  Don't undercut yourself.  You will work really, really hard, for very little.
Q.How do you feel the workshop impacted your photography/business? It gave me the confidence I needed to know that I could succeed and run a business. 
Q.What product/size print do you sell the most of? Lately, digital files.
Q.How do you keep your blog fun and fresh? I try to update it a lot (sometimes I am better at it than others) I include a lot of personal images and my clients like to see what I do for my own children.  I get a lot of requests for locations and ideas that way.
If you could give one tip to a new photographer what would it be? Shoot a lot and have fun!  I am taking 2 photography classes this semester at the local community college and I love getting new ideas and techniques.  It helps keep it fresh and creative.
(below some of Bree's recent favorites)

Michigan...

...is SOLD OUT!!! 

Any Cali folks wanna switch to Phoenix??

I've got a very pregnant attendee who is concerned that she may be giving birth at the Phoenix workshop if she doesn't find someone from California who secretly wants to switch to Phoenix.  If you would like to trade seats, please email me and let me know.