Cup of Joe Photo

RIMROCK WORKSHOPS with John Mireles & Joe Photo Day 2

On Wednesday afternoon, we practiced engagement images with lighting, as well as available shade. We practiced posing from John's Lookbook and set ups for fashion images. It was a pretty freakin' cool time to explore creativity. Enjoy!

RIMROCK WORKSHOPS with John Mireles & Joe Photo Day 2

The morning of Day 2 we practiced using the sun as a 2nd or 3rd light for the wedding day. Of course the whole time we practiced "expanding our visions" by experimenting with different poses and lens.

RIMROCK WORKSHOPS with John Mireles & Joe Photo Day 1

Teaching a workshop is a lot of work...for the instructors. It's hours of prep, packing, and set up. Day 1 we discussed business, blogging, goals, values and lighting. John and I also stood in as models and cooked dinner for everyone. Last week was a lot of work but it was also a lot of fun. It's so exciting to help facilitate the inspiration and education of photographers who share in our passion for creating images. I'll be showcasing the attendees work all week. Enjoy!

Inspiration

Photographic technique is no secret and – provided the interest is there – easily assimilated. But inspiration comes from the soul and when the Muse isn’t around even the best exposure meter is very little help. In their biographies, artists like Michelangelo, da Vinci and Bach said that their most valuable technique was their ability to inspire themselves. This is true of all artists; the moment there is something to say, there becomes a way to say it. - Ralph Gibson - from his book Déjà vu [cited in: Creative Camera December 1972, p. 401]

Perhaps today you need a little inspiration.

Do something fun today that you've been putting off.

Last week, being in the desert was extremely inspiring to me.

Give yourself permission to enjoy a creative spark today.

Chuck Norris

My excellent friend Brook Todd sent me the link to Chuck Norris Facts yesterday, and I spent far to long laughing and memorizing my favorite quotes. Perhaps I'm behind the curve by just now discovering this site. For those of you who, like me, are just now tuning in, it's worth a look.

Here's my contribution.
"Chuck Norris forbids instructions while being photographed. Chuck Norris is no poser."

Unpacking Rimrock

Good Morning Friends!
It's 9 am in California and I've just finished unpacking my car from all the stuff I had out at our second Rimrock Workshop. The weather was as beautiful as our models. This year our now-famous couple Priscilla and Josh made the trek out to pose for the students again, as well as another one of my brides, Samantha, who also agreed to be a model for the day. Thank you so much to all three of you!!

I'll start posting images on Monday!!

I'd also love to give a huge shout-out to Mirta Barnet from Barnet Photography and Sam at Fotoworks who both helped me to quickly handle an order while I was in the desert with no phone reception and limited internet. Thank you soooo much!!

Have a fabulous weekend and get out there and shoot!

Stand Out 3

People who are different, stand out and get noticed.

For good or bad, "different" gets noticed, and remembered.

I saw this woman from a mile away.

Are you using the assets you've been given to make your business memorable in the mind of your prospects?

Stand Out 2

Break the Rules.

Often, you get attention when you do something others won't do.

The question is, what kind of attention will you receive when you do it?

Act accordingly.

Stand Out

How are you perceived by others?

Does your business blend in like a chameleon on the business landscape?

What separates you, TODAY, right now, from everyone else in your industry?

Quick! Think of three things that make your business stand out to prospects.

Do you capitalize on those qualities that make you unique? Or are they hidden and hard to see?

Most importantly, be true to yourself. Not everyone will stand out in their appearance. Nor should everyone try. But remember, your clients do judge the way you look. Dress accordingly.

How do you perceive this man? When I jumped out of the car to photograph him he was very polite and soft spoken. We were in a parking garage in Monterey and he was there with his wife and little girl. Often it's difficult to get past first impressions.

Are your business benefits blending into the background of your competitors?

Eat, Pray, Love

Yes, Yes, and Yes. I absolutely loved the lessons Elizabeth Gilbert came to recognize on her radical journey of self discovery. I may totally sound like a woman here, but there is such great value in evaluating your life and redefining the terms of your happiness. Yes, I definitely sound like a woman. So what, my best friend is a woman (Ingrid), I live with girls, I grew up with sisters and I work for brides and their mothers. OK, before I get side tracked too much, I really want to recommend this book for those of you with a desire for adventure on the journey inward. Enjoy the Blessings and Wisdom shared. And then apply them:)

From Barnes & Noble
Oddly but aptly titled, Eat, Pray, Love is an experience to be savored: This spiritual memoir brims with humor, grace, and scorching honesty. After a messy divorce and other personal missteps, Elizabeth Gilbert confronts the "twin goons" of depression and loneliness by traveling to three countries that she intuited had something she was seeking. First, in Italy, she seeks to master the art of pleasure by indulging her senses. Then, in an Indian ashram, she learns the rigors and liberation of mind-exalting hours of meditation. Her final destination is Bali, where she achieves a precarious, yet precious equilibrium. Gilbert's original voice and unforced wit lend an unpretentious air to her expansive spiritual journey.