Have you ever had an idol? A person you love following, watching, hearing about? Well Amy and Jordan are that to me! I follow them on instagram, snap chat, you name it! Before I went to the workshop I felt like I knew them, but knew they didn’t know who I was. If you have a small business or are a photographer you know that sometimes you feel lost, defeated, that you aren’t good enough, that no one notices you, there are too many others doing what you do, how can you set yourself apart from everyone else! That is exactly where I was at! I knew something needed to change or I would never stop feeling this way.
Last year a good friend of mine who is also a photographer went to a workshop with Amy and Jordan! Lindsay Davenport is also another one of my favorites to follow. I don’t think going to their workshop made her into the photographer she is today, but I do believe they helped her. I messaged her right away and asked if it was worth it. She reassured me that it is what I needed!
I booked the workshop that day! Drove 6 hours to Scottsdale to meet up with a bunch of other photographers I had never met before. A small group of us met for dinner before, which helped settle some butterflies. When I got to the location to meet them for the first time I felt like a little girl on the first day of school! Meeting so many new people, and teachers that I look up to so much. They both reached their arms out to give me a hug and welcome me into the room. Immediately I felt relief, they weren’t these scary amazing photographers who knew they were better than us. They were real people, who genuinely had interest in us and wanted to see us succeed! WHAT?! Now I feel like I’m in a fairy tale.
The next day I showed up so early to be sure I didn’t miss anything! I was the first one there both days. If you know me, I’m usually late to everything! You know I was excited. I had my notebook, pen, coffee, and sat in the front row!
Day 1 covered all things related to making your pictures look good! From 9am to 9pm all day learning. Then we got to shoot a styled shoot, models, florals, paper products, and desserts. Then we headed out to the desert for the outdoor portion. They have monsoon season just like us! All the sudden you see dark clouds rolling in, sand blowing, you can hear the thunder! Do you think we ran? NO! We stayed to capture everything we could before the crazy weather made us leave!
Day 2 covered the business end of photography. That day was very emotional for so many of us! We heard all of the blood, sweat, and tears that they put into their business. Crawling through the mud, rolling the boudler up hill, and everything it takes all small businesses to get started and keep on going. I think sometimes we forget that even the greats started out as beginners! When they told that story it brought me back to the years when I first started. I was so busy and consumed with trying to start a business that I neglected the most important people to me! Wake up call you guys! I thought I was doing everything right because I was blinded by all the social media, the photographers that were doing it all, the perfect every things that we all see every day on our phone or computer. That is not reality, it is just what we see. Everyone has hurdles, everyone has great days, weeks or years, but we also have storms we have to get through. We were all crying along with them because we’ve all been there at some point.
Learning their why they do what they do started us all in tears again, of course I’m sure for many different reasons. Then I began to question why it is that I love doing photography. I always thought I knew, but after this workshop I see everything differently.
We had Chipolte for lunch both days, and In and Out Burger the second evening.
We also got to do Demos sandwiches! 🙂 I also gained so many amazing talented friends from all over. It was like summer camp, but in 2 days! Best experience and investment yet!
The last day the said they would stay for those of us who might have more questions. I took advantage, although I didn’t think I had any questions, I enjoyed listening and learning from others questions.
Now enjoy some pictures I took on my cell phone. Be on the lookout for the styled portion when it gets featured somewhere soon. I will do another blog then.