Laura & Billy - The day they said "Forever" in Seattle - Jasmine* & CreativeLive workshop

I don't know a lot of people who would do what Laura and Billy just did. No no no, I am not talking about them getting married :D I am talking about them getting married in front of thousands of strangers, with 6 cameras around them. I am talking about doing a first look on camera the day before the wedding, just so that other photographers could learn from this. Pretty selfless, to say the least.

And just from spending a few hours with Laura & Billy, watching them getting ready for their biggest day......

....this I know: that they have the most beautiful and generous of souls.

That they love life and that life loves them back.

That they LOVE to laugh.

That they LOVE to love.

And because of all that, that they are surrounded by wonderful friends and family - and they deserve every bit of it.

The biggest thank you again to Jasmine* for allowing me and the other CreativeLive 5 (Sachin, Victoria, Stephanie & Nate) to join her in capturing Laura and Billy's beautiful day. And to CreativeLive, for starting this whole thing in the first place and providing such great training for photographers. The impact of what you are doing is beyond anything seen before.

For more pictures of the day and a beautiful slideshow of pictures, go read Jasmine's beautiful post (click here)....you won't regret it :)

What makes little (and big) girls smile....

* A big warm cup of warm cocoa - because yes, it's already THAT kind of weather here in Denmark! So cocoa. With a straw. Because drinking cocoa without a straw would be a total waste of cocoa. Sipping my cup made me feel warm and fuzzy inside, this feeling of "I'm back home and everything is alright" that I was craving after my crazy-long trip back from Seattle.

*Daddys who buy their little girls pink helmets and take them on their first ride on a bike. If that's not pure-sugar happiness...

But if I'm gonna be fair, I should also share a "before" picture of the ride. Because when we put her on the bike, she was looking at me with her "What-crazy-thing-are-you-guy-going-to-make-me-go-AGAIN?".

Please notice how her arms are sticking out on every single picture - she kept them like this the entire ride. This little girl was probably focusing on the new exciting adventure so much that she forgot that she could move her arms at all. Poor thing. She probably got a bit of A.D.D from her mamma :)

Shall I say, it is so nice to be back home and see this little girl smile at us every day?

Xoxo, Audrey

PS: Tomorrow I'll be sharing some of my pics from Billy and Laura's wedding in Seattle, can't wait!

My brand new parachute - debrief of the Jasmine* & CreativeLive workshop

Guys - I am finally back to Europe, and it's been a long way home! From Seattle, to Houston, to Amsterdam and then finally Copenhagen.....talk about pilling up miles in just one trip :) Ching, Ching, these go directly in my miles piggy bank for my dream trip to Bali....ha, be still my heart.

But wait, back to Houston...or Amsterdam....or wherever it is that I was on Monday. I usually would mind spending so many hours in a plane, but this time I could have cared less. I had so much to think about after the workshop ended. Ideas and thoughts running wild in my little head. All of the things that Jasmine* talked about, her shinning personality and all things wonderful that she and JD are, meeting such wonderful & inspiring people as the CreativeLive Five (miss you guys!), just took over my need for sleep. And got me thinking about how, when back in Denmark, I was going to use this experience to move things forward with photography. Because it is. Big times.

Before coming to the workshop I was ready to jump off the cliff. I was going to throw myself into starting my photo business and dedicate myself to learning photography inside out. No matter how big the gap was. Because that's really what I wanted to do, and I just know that life is too short to leave your dreams on the side. Now that the workshop is come and gone, not only am I still ready to jump off the cliff - but what I feel that I have now is a brand new parachute, a parachute that will hopefully get me where I want to land. If I can direct the parachute correctly, that is -there will be strong winds pushing me to the sides I am sure, problems that I don't yet expect that will come my way.....but hey, that's just life. I feel so much more confident in my abilities to do this.

So here are my biggest take-aways from the workshop - not that I didn't want to write every single word that J* said, full of its "Awesome", "F'REAL" and "Amen Sista''" :).....but let's keep it to the things that struck me the most so that I don't spend the rest of the week writing this post :) And bore you out of your mind with that.

About running your business:

- Run your business like a business, not like an expensive hobby. Outsource what you don't like/can't do well enough. It's all about streamlining and making your business as efficient and lean as possible

- When you are about to take something new on, just think "Is this going to move me where I want my business to be?"

- Underpromise/overdeliver. This will ensure you are leaving people with the best experience possible.

- Create your own game. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses, every market is unique. Make sure you play a game that puts your strengths in the forefront.

About building your brand:

- A logo is not a brand. A brand is made off all things that make people FEEL about you and your brand. Create a connection with people.

- KIR - Keep it Real. People will connect to a much hire level with you if they can feel that they know the real you, that you are not faking it.

- Be YOU, show YOU. By doing that, you will either connect or repel. If people like YOU, they will talk about you.

- A website is your handshake, a blog is your voice. Ah, how much I love this analogy!

- Sometimes it pays off to just BE NICE. People will be more inclined to talk about you, because it's all about the experience people get.

About improving your photography skills:

- Work on the 10x10 rule (10 different poses in a 10x10 space). If you can master that, you can master a whole new range of things.

- "It is what it is". Sometimes we can't control the weather. Bad light. Small space. Or a crazy mother in law. There is no such thing as perfect conditions. It is what it is, learn to run with it in your photography and you will get stronger at your art.

- Always strive to create for yourself. Of course you need to shoot for the client. But always remember to push yourself, go beyond your boundaries. Shoot outside what you are comfortable with.

- Always look for inspiration. In magazines. In movies. In the little girl playing down the road from your house. Let your photography infuse in all that inspiration.

-Practice practice practice. You can study the perfect compositions, know the "perfect" formula to the "perfect exposure" by heart.....but there is nothing like getting down and dirty with it.

Geeze....that's a long post, hope you are still with me! Oh, and one more thing that learned is so important: having a good support system, people that you can count on for when things hit you left and right- just like J* has her JD. Just like I have the best hubby who took time off from work to take care of our little girl while I went running after my dream in Seattle. And just like this little girl, who makes my heart go boom boom every time she looks at me, and makes me want to be the best I can be for her.

Because it's important that she knows, that it's important to live your dreams.

It is what it is - Jasmine* & CreativeLive, day 4

It is about 6.30 am Seattle time, and just about the perfect time of the day to write a little post of day 4 - because yes, really, who needs a bed at this point of the workshop? Yaaaaaay for Seattle coffee. By now I know that Victoria and a few of the guys from the CreatiLiveFive Gang have an IV of Redbull directly going to their blood. Brilliant. But 6.30 am it is, with all the excitement from the past few days I can't sleep anyway, and since I'd promised to post a little something something on the bloggidy, I have to stick to my words. Last thing I need is the internet calling me a big fat liar ;)

To say that yesterday's wedding was amazing was an understatement.

It was stellar. It was unbelievable. It was beyond my wildest dreams. It rocked every little bit of my little world and then back. I still can't believe I got the opportunity to be part of Laura & Billy's day, and had the privilege to shoot for Jasmine* & Jd. Now that I think about it I was probably dreaming all that. Yes. Dreaming. That wild wild imagination I have I tell ya' :)



I felt so blessed Laura and Billy's moments as they were getting ready for the day when they would say forever. I joined Laura as she was hanging out with her girls friends, just getting ready, chill and relaxed as Laura knows to do so well even with 3 cameras going about around her. I don't really think that CreativeLive could have done a better job at picking the perfect couple for this incredible experience.



And the wedding itself? The other guys and I were rotating as 3rd shooters, so whenever we were not shooting we would hang out at this bar next to Theo Chocolate called the Red Door - rock on professionals hanging out at the bar while working :) And so from there, we watched online as Laura and Billy said I do. Bunch of photo nerds we were with our laptops in the bar, and we loved it.

Theo looked like a million bucks on Laura and Billy's day, thanks to the genius of Daniela of Bella Designe in Seattle. I just could not believe my eyes when I walked in the room. Did it really only take them 4 weeks to plan it all?! I wished I had more behind the scenes pictures to share with you all from the wedding day, but I only had just one. I guess I was so focused on my role as a 3rd shooter that took over completely. So forgive me, and I promise within the next few weeks -once Jasmine has blogged-, I'll be able to share a lot more pictures from the first look and the day with you.

And reading over my post so far, I am probably giving you the impression that everything was so perfect and went smoothly....hey, the light in Theo was a hot mess for any photographer, Theo was really a very very tight place, I almost tripped down the steps a billion times because I am so A.D.D when I am focused and taking pictures. But I don't really want to focus on all that because, as Jasmine put it yesterday, "It is was it is", you can't always control it all and you just have got to learn to work around all that. And at the end of the day everything will be just fine.


Winding down with the entire team and crew yesterday was needed after such an event. Thank you thank you thank you to anybody who asked questions yesterday, especially the ones directed to the students. This is the reason why we are here in Seattle, to hopefully give you the perspective that you would have if you were in the room with us. So keep asking questions and telling us your experience of the workshop, because it's just the best thing to hear from you guys and there is nothing we want to do more than to help you get some questions of the air.


And thankfully I was still able to catch this last night after all was said and done at the workshop on my way home with Sachin and Victoria. Let me tell you, they know how to throw a sunset in Seattle :)

Hope you guys can join us a live in a few for the last day of the workshop!

Xoxo,
Audrey

PS: If you can, please please oh pretty please help support what CreativeLive is doing by using this B&H affiliate link if you need to buy any photo gear - they have great prices too on photo gear and a huge selection, so it's in your interest anyway :)

Allow your client to be beautiful - J* & CreativeLive day 2

Jasmine Star Day 2, take 1. Snap.

Today was just unbelievable. The icing on top of yesterday's yummi yummi cake. It completely reinvented my experience of wedding portrait photography from all angles. From knowing how to allow my client to feel beautiful - because, really, everything that is going on on during portraits can be so intimidating, and a little positive reinforcement can go a long way-, to how deal with light ( the mother of all my nightmares) ....and focus on finding it for portraits. Lighting is an area where I constantly struggle, over and over in my shoot. Consistently in the past, I would not always "see" the light, and would prioritize pretty backgrounds vs. good light. But Jasmine made light as easy as 1,2,3...when I was more going like 1, 8, 42 before :)

The day was jammed packed like I love it, between prepping, discussions, Q&A....and oh, the part of the day we were all waiting for like little kids - Laura and Billy's first look.

Billy arrived with a big smile on, and Jasmine put her ultra professional hat on, . The camera's starting rolling, everybody was talking and laughing, and having a good time, almost forgetting what was just about to happen.

And then the mood completely switches, Billy left to wait for his bride. Laura quietly arrived through the door, and you could have heard crickets in at the Theo Chocolate factory - her beauty and presence in the room just made us all speechless. As she approached and hugged Billy, I had the biggest knot in my throat from witnessing such a this special moment: two human being seeing themselves through the perspective of eternal love. And ok, I had more than just a knot. I'd be a liar if I didn't admit that I cried a little. But tears of happiness....and these I never really care to hide.

I know you were probably hoping some of Laura and Billy portraits, but out of respect for Jasmine's work you will have to wait a few more days - at least until Jasmine gets the chance to showcase her beautiful work first. But these will come too, I promise!

This CreativeLive workshop with Jasmine Star is rocking my little world. J* is changing my life in a way that she can't even image. I've gonna owe her so much by the end of this that I might as well make myself her slave for life. Seriously - just let me know when I need to start my sentence, J* :)

Create your own game - Jasmine* & Creative Live day 1

...or another possible title for this post was "O.M.G - totally Keep It Real, that's awesome!"....mmm Jasmine, still doubting that California way of talking? :)

It is late at night already, and I am still trying to get my head around everything that happened here in Seattle at the CreativeLive epic wedding workshop with Jasmine Star. It feels a bit surreal that this day has already come and gone.

Walking across the street on First Avenue towards the recording studio this morning with the Sachin, Nate & Victoria (some of the other participants), I was wondering what it would be like to actually meet Jasmine Star. To meet a top 10 wedding photographer, with all the glamour and sparkles. And I have to admit, I was a tiny bit nervous (and a WHOLE LOT excited).... And as I am getting lost in my thoughts crossing the streets of Seattle and almost getting run over, there she is, walking along with JD on her side, and she comes towards us with a big: "Hey guys, I recognized all of you. Let me give you a hug!". And that right there just set the tone for the entire day. Just Jasmine, likes she keeps saying. And you just have to love that about her. Period.




The day was intense to say the least. Jasmine is spicy and energetic and that set the pace for the class. She shared so much of herself and her experience and knowledge with us today that it would be just hard to sum up in one post. Some of her key points were:
- Keep It Real. Be you, show you.
- Get people to connect with you - create a conversation.
- Put yourself out there. You're better off failing while trying to live your dreams than not giving them a chance at all.
- Always under-promise and over-deliver. This means that if you are just starting out like me, practice and learn all you can, research all you can so that you can do to go above and beyond with your clients right from the start.


My absolute favorite part of the day however was hearing about how she started in the industry realizing that she didn't quite have the strengths that already-established photographers had...and instead of just trying to beat these photographers at their game, she created her own game with her own rules. Because she knew her strengths and what was was capable of, and really, why fit into a tight mold if you can just make your own? As I am just starting in market where wedding and portrait photography is not necessarily as developed as in the USA, I need to find ways I can change the game there too, in my own way.

Jasmine's drive, confidence, spontaneity, and humility -oh, and her ability to just make up words on the spot- was just such an inspiration today. Thanks Jasmine* and the CreativeLive crew for a fantastic first day!

And if you are new on my blog - please please drop me line to let me know who you are :) And don't hesitate to chat on twitter: @AudreySmitPhoto

Time machine! Take me back to Seattle please.

I always get this odd feeling when I go back to visit a city where I used to live. A feeling of known unknown. Being away for years and feeling like you never left. Because in a way, I don't think I ever really leave a place. Regardless of how fast I seem to be moving forward from city to city and countries to country, I always end up leaving a little bit of my heart and soul behind in every city where I lived. And you know what? It's nice when I get the chance to find that little piece of heart and soul again, even if briefly :)

I really miss Seattle, and when I heard that the Jasmine Star CreativeLive workshop would be held here, it was a no brainer for me. Another reason why I really had to win that competition.

And now that I am here, I find myself going down memory lane every five minutes. Like going to the Crumpet Shop because it was the first place I ever ate at in Seattle with Jerry when we made the trip up together....and stuffed myself out with not one but two delicious scrumpelicious crumpets! Heaven I tell you. By the end of the meal I had to lick my plates about 10 times to make sure there wasn't a crumb to go to waste. And my other favorite thing about the Crumpet Shop? They have unlimited refills of earl grey tea. FINALLY a place that doesn't ignore us tea drinkers, enough of that discrimination :)

Or like hanging out my my girlfriend Monica and her two very hugging-huggable little boys.

Or having coffee at Starbucks with my friend Eric and his beautiful little family on a sunny afternoon in Greenlake.

And without trying, it all just feels quite comfortable to be back. Except for one ginormous detail: why oh why are the two loves of my life in Denmark and not with me stuffing their faces with chocolate-covered crumpets? :)


Oh, and random fact of the week: I am staying at my friend Julien's place all week, and he strangely lives in an apartment complex called "The Audrey at Belltown". How about that too to make me comfortable in town? :)

Xoxo

I am just a girl in the world

....and my brain has just been a bit confused as to where exactly I am in the world. But the good news is, I am moving. And I even might dare to say that I am moving forward. I guess most people can keep track, and really, it shouldn't be that much harder for me. I think it's because my mind has been thousands of places these days. For those who I haven't talked to lately, it's official: I've decided that I am not going to live my dreams in my next life....it's going to be here and now. And so with that, I took the very official step of legally creating my photo business in Denmark. Pop. Champagne :) And I've booked my first few clients for September. Double pop :)

I am still not sure what this all means. And I am scared. And unsure. And what if I fail and fall very hard on my butt? What if...? What if...? What if...? But I am ready. I am ready to shape my life in the way that I REALLY want it deep down.

I know I am, even if the chicken in me wants to find thousands of reason why I should keep putting this off....so I'll just say, go away chicken, you are so not welcome at my house anymore!

Here's to new beginnings! And here's to my friends who graciously let me go all paparazzi on their kids :)

Little Emily and her sister Naomi were quite a treat to photograph....because, seriously, look at these little girls. They are pure cuteness. And full of energy that's just contagious. And just plain adorable. And also because, whenever I am clicking my shutter to put them in my little black box, somehow, the scary chicken goes far far away and all that's left is that feeling of wanting more and more of this.

And that, I like. A lot.

Xoxo.