Cara | Couture Portrait

It's been a busy couple of weeks, Maddi's napping has not been the usual 2-3 hours and I've been tired at the end of the day to work after Maddi's bedtime. So I have a bit of a back log of work as well as personal stuff that needs to get done.

Yesterday, Maddi finally had a 3 hour nap, and I wasn't too tired to need a bit of a snooze while she napped as well. So, I had some time to finally get a bit of a catch-up in. I went to work editing a set from Cara's session two weekends ago and posted a couple of sneak peek images on the Red Alchemy Facebook page. This afternoon, I finally got the rest of the images done.
 

I met Cara several months ago, when she started working at our chiropractor's office. From day one, I've admired her sense of style.

I was excited to shoot this session, although this was definitely a bit out of my usual style. I am much more comfortable with the urban look, but given Cara's personality... she was better suited to a natural setting. Also, the night before the session, I had this nagging thought to do the session in Stanley Park. I know the voice in my head wouldn't shut up if I didn't go there, so that's where we went.

In post processing, I'm not sure why... possibly inspired by the colours in Cara's wardrobe and makeup, I was in a teen mag sort of mood. So I think there's a bit of that influence in the images.

I hope you enjoy the images as much as I enjoyed creating them.

Bagel Poke

Injury incurred: scratches in two places on my right eyeball.

Inflictor of pain: Madeleine Rhodes McMillen.

Weapon of choice: toasted bagel.

My morning started unexpectedly early, when Maddi decided to wake up at 5am, 2 and a half hours earlier than her usual wake time. I was up til 2am; so I was functioning with 3 hours of sleep. I'm not sure if it's the lack of sleep, but I didn't even see this coming. At breakfast, Maddi accidentally poked me in the eye with a toasted bagel. And because I didn't see it coming, I didn't even try to blink. My eye was wide open. It hurt! I don't know if she realized that she caused my pain, but when she saw that I was hurt, she opened up her arms and gave me a hug - made getting stabbed in the eye totally worth it!

Although it bothered me, I didn't think anything of it and went through my day as usual.

The Nygard VIP shopping event was today, and I got to go for a couple of hours to check it out. It was a definite learning experience.

Three things I learned today; I need to be prepared on how to engage with people when I've been given a golden opportunity (the store manager has been talking me up to her clients), the first thing out of my mouth needs to offer something of value and can't be an obvious sales solicitation (even though people know I'm selling something), engage - because the worst they can say is 'no'.

Considering that it was in the middle of the day, on a week day... the shopping event went pretty well. I was there from 2 to 4pm, and although it wasn't a crowd of shoppers, there was a steady stream of them. In the two hours that I was there, there were at least 6 shoppers that tried on clothes and every one of them bought something. Megan, the store manager, is amazing. She makes sales look so easy and effortless. I have much to learn.

As each of those 6 shoppers walked around, I said hi to them but searched for how else I can engage with them without taking them away from their shopping experience. I couldn't think of anything that sounded suitable so I just remained passive for most of my time there and let them come to me if they were interested. Towards the end, I relaxed and was chatting with one of the last clients as she tried on clothes. When she headed towards the counter to pay, I heard myself say, "don't forget to pick up a gift voucher for my glamour photography sessions at the front." I got her interest and she stopped to ask me more about it. That was my opportunity to engage. I showed her some samples of my work, generated a real interest and a potential client out of her.

I really am quite uneasy with sales, but I knew it can be done without being pushy and in a way that services the potential client. I've heard it a million times, good sales is really just good customer service. You are not there to sell, you sell by meeting a need your potential clients have. I have been on the receiving end of this kind of sales plenty of times. I just need practice on how to be on the offering end of it.

Before I left Nygard, I asked the manager and the other staff what the response has been to the vouchers they gave out. They said people were impressed and thought the images on the cards were really good. I suspect the rest of the VIP shoppers will be going to pick up their gift bags after work hours today and over the weekend. We'll see how this goes as my first marketing campaign. If nothing else, it was a great learning experience and the start to a great partnership with the Nygard store.

By the end of the day, I could barely open my right eye. Luckily, it didn't bother me too much while at the shopping event. I stopped in at the nearby drop-in clinic and found out that I got 2 scratches from the bagel poke and now have to wear a very fashionable eye patch until I go back for a follow up doctor's visit tomorrow. Such a sexy look! Fortunately, no permanent damage and it won't affect my vision. Thank goodness, because vision would be important for a photographer.

She's Beautiful... She Is A Woman

Today, as I walked to and from Gastown to meet with some friends, I noticed that I started seeing women differently. I started seeing how beautiful each of them are, whether they were dressed up with makeup on or in their sweats and not done up at all. Sue Bryce said she can find beauty in every woman because she knows what beauty looks like. I think I'm getting there, too. So exciting!

Now to set up a natural light studio within my townhouse and practice through the daily challenges from the 28-day workshop that I purchased. I'm also looking forward to drier days ahead, so I can head outdoors for some shoots. Again, on my way to meet my friends, I was reminded of how many cool backgrounds there are around town.

I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being.
~Hafiz

Peace Out, Recharging My Batteries

I've been having late nights for the past 2 weeks, staying up till at least 1am and sometimes as late as 3.30 in the morning. I've been in such a high from the marathon of Sue Bryce workshop videos that I have been watching at nights after Maddi goes to bed and sometimes also while she naps during the day.

Sue is not only a photography instructor, she is a coach. A couple of days ago, I heard she was awarded the Framed Most Influential Photographer of the Year. It didn't surprise me, because she was exactly that to me. She did not only help and inspire me as a photographer, she has also improved my life on a personal level. She reminded me to be grateful, to choose positivity and happiness over negativity and fear, to value myself and my work, to focus on finding a way to work out of any challenge and not let excuses get in my way.

I purchased the creativeLive 28 Days With Sue Bryce course, where I get a video challenge daily for 28 days. It's day 4 today and I've watched all the videos. However, I haven't actually taken any action; so, I'm feeling a little antsy. This weekend, I have to go and source out the supplies I need so I can start working on the challenges.

Last weekend, before the workshop started, I had a session with my friend Liz. It's my first one with professional hair and makeup artists. I loved the shoot, although I shot with flashes and softboxes. I would love to try shooting in natural light, I do like the flat lighting that Sue shoots in. Shooting in natural light seems to make the image look more soft and dreamy; the light seems more subtle and well, more natural.

Hmmm. I was so busy the last few days and really wanted to blog as I had a bunch of thoughts swirling around in my head that I wanted to get on "paper;" yet somehow... now that I have the time to sit down and write a post, I don't seem to have much to say. All the words that crowded in my mind seemed to have vanished into thin air... and although I stayed up late again last night and tonight... I have not been as productive these two nights. I'm just too tired, and have to get to bed and start getting a bit more sleep to make up for all the late nights I've had. The high can only carry me through so many late nights in a row.

Since I'm blanking out and productivity has been down, it's time to recharge my batteries. Other than watching the daily videos from the course and getting the supplies I need on the weekend (while the hubby is home to help take care of the munchkin), I'm taking tomorrow and the weekend off.

The thoughts are still there, albeit a little hazy in my head. I think a little more sleep will coax them out... I hope.

There's A Fire

It's 1.30 in the morning and I just climbed into bed. And although I am in bed, I lay awake thinking about my photography venture. Just. Can't. Stop!

This reminds me of my dad. He has told me stories about times when he has laid awake thinking, planning, dreaming about how he can expand, what he can achieve, how he can make things better. My brother has had similar experiences too. Although I may kick myself in the morning when I find it hard to wake up or when I am too tired to keep up with Maddi, this encourages me; I'm in good company!

It also makes me excited because according to the law of attraction - what you focus on expands, what you think about becomes your reality, what you visualize shows up in your life... what you're happy about and grateful for, the universe gives you more of! Also, I had already brushed up against something along these lines that felt eerily (in a good way) paranormal to me in the last week.

Tonight, I spent some precious sleep time chatting with a fellow mom & photography enthusiast. We talked about our love of photography, and covered topics from props, marketing, pricing, sales, etc. We are both moms that have demanding young children (she actually trumps me, she's a mom of two!)... why aren't we sleeping? Why are we spending our precious time chatting about this stuff? It's because there's something bubbling within us. Borrowing Adele's words (although not in the same sentiment as how the rest of that song goes), it feels sort of like a fire starting in our hearts - hard to contain, there's a dream that wants to become reality!

If we went to bed, we'd just lay awake thinking to ourselves... so we chatted about it a fair bit (at least we had each other's company for a little while), then we went to bed. Yes, I'm now still laying here awake, thinking; but can you imagine how much longer I'd be laying here if I hadn't released some of it when I was chatting with my friend?!

When you feel tired, but your heart is jumping in excitement and there's a smile on your lips... It's a good thing and a good omen of good things to come =)

Good night, all!

Below is me with my Maddi Boo... whom I should be so fortunate to be blessed with! My love, my inspiration, my muse; the one that has ignited the fire, whose face I would do everything to keep a smile on... the major WHY to pursuing my dreams.

p.s. Every dreamer needs a strong WHY(s) to keep them in the running, especially when times get tough and when doubts and discouragements set in.

Love Yourself Now!

There are many great photographers out there; but to date, the one that has inspired and affected me most is Sue Bryce. Her agenda and her passion has resonated with me so much; her talent and the beauty of her work are inspiring, the effectiveness of her tips and tricks so encouraging.

In our media-saturated world today, women are bombarded with all kinds of messages telling them why they aren't good enough. Too fat, too thin, too plain, too dolled-up, too tall, too short, too girly, too sporty, the list goes on. As a photographer, I often tell my clients to relax in front of the camera. Yet pick me up from behind my camera and put me in front of it... I'm just as uneasy and uncomfortable. I'm not beautiful enough, I need to lose 20 pounds, I have an awkward smile... yada yada yada.

One thing I do love about myself... I gobble up ideas and material on how to live better, how to be better and happier. And many of them say although there is always room for improvement, love yourself today! Be grateful because there is good to celebrate! Focus on that and more of it will come.

I've been working on being more confident - in general and as an artist entrepreneur especially with valuing my time and talent, saying/doing what I want and taking less shit from people, being more present and grasping what really matters, weeding through the fluff and being more real, being kind and finding ways to contribute, going after my dreams with passion and decluttering my life of energy-sapping negatives that drag me down, inviting more of what serves me and getting rid of what doesn't in my life. There is much work to be done, I am going to be a constant work in progress. However, I think the first thing I need to tackle is learning to take care of myself first, or I wouldn't be in any position to take care of anybody else.

Self love. Love yourself now. Love your weaknesses as well as your strengths. Love parts of you that need improvement as well as parts of you that you are proud of. Celebrate your beauty today, everyday!

Following in Sue's footsteps, I want to be a champion for women who at any moment have felt not good enough. I am determined to help empower women by finding their beauty and showing it to them through my photographic work. Do something good for yourself, treat yourself to a glamour portrait session and let me show you how beautiful you are. I look forward to working with you!