CONFIDENCE Photography Workshop | Dallas

About a year and a half ago, I met Me Ra Koh for the first time. I was attending the Click Blogger Retreat in the Outer Banks (my first mama getaway), and Me Ra was there as a speaker.

Prior to the blogger retreat, I'd read Me Ra's book, Your Baby in Pictures, and viewed some of her photography online, but I didn't know much else about her.

At the retreat, Me Ra shared bits and pieces of her life story, and I was inspired by her resilience and optimism in the face of so many challenges.

Like many other attendees, I fell in love with her.

With her charisma. Her charm. Her passion. Her confidence.

That was 2013.

Fast forward to late 2014...I learned that Me Ra and her husband, Brian, would be presenting a photography workshop in April 2015 in Dallas. I had been on the lookout for a mama getaway, so I quickly signed up.

A few months later, I got a big surprise by email. Partnering with Southwest Airlines, Me Ra offered me a Southwest LUV voucher, which nearly covered the non-stop flight from Sacramento to Dallas and back.  (Yes, you read that right: Southwest now flies non-stop from Sac to Dallas...sweet, huh?!)

I was thrilled! And grateful. And even more excited to attend the Confidence Photography Workshop. 

If you follow me on Instagram (@jharless), you've likely seen some of these iPhone shots already.

The flight out to Dallas was perfect, and I checked into the NYLO Hotel in Plano on Friday afternoon. (The iPhone shot above was actually taken the following Tuesday for my 3-year-old son who was requesting a photo of my airplane.)

This was my beautiful hotel room. When I first entered the room, I dropped all of my luggage by the door, grabbed my iPhone, and hopped up on the coffee table (I'm vertically challenged, what can I say?), so I could snap this shot. 

Then, I jumped in that big bed for a 2-hour nap.  (It was so needed after getting up at 3:30 am for my flight out of Sac!)

Later on that day, while I ran on the treadmill (at 10:30 pm because I'd had a nap and was still on PST!), I ruminated about what I hoped to gain from the Confidence Photography Workshop: the opportunity to learn more about photography, to hone my skills, to be inspired and empowered, to fill my creative well--and to just plain have fun. 

I can honestly say that it was all that...and more.

During the Confidence Photography Workshop, I laughed a ton. (Me Ra has the best laugh; it's totally infectious. And Brian is hilarious! At one point, he was up on a table, imitating a monkey who tried to nab his breakfast cereal in the jungle. So funny.)

I connected with women from all over the United States. All moms. All photographers. (Some bloggers like me, too.) All very welcoming and friendly and excited to be there. 

I teared up.

I learned how to turn that annoying beep off on my camera, and how to use the center focus point exclusively instead of constantly toggling my focus points. (Thanks for your help, Brian!)

I laughed some more.

I ate. And ate. (The chicken caesar salad was delicious, and the warm chocolate chip cookies were decadent.)

I took image after image after image.  

Click. 

Click. 

Click. 

Not in a spray-and-pray-kind-of-way, but in an oh-my-gosh-I'm-having-so-much-fun-kind-of-way.

Shutterbug heaven, I tell ya.  

On Saturday afternoon, I took photos of 6-month-old Baby M and her beautiful mama.

Here are a few of my favorite shots:

 

All images were taken with my Canon 5D Mark III and the Canon EF 24-70f/2.8, and edited using Lightroom and Photoshop. (I'm a big fan of RadLab's stylets.)

On Sunday afternoon, I took photos of this sweet family. They were so patience with us (a group of four photographers) as we told them where to sit, where to stand, and where to look. Over and over again.

This 6-year-old boy was just precious!  He reminded me of several sweet first grade boys I taught years ago.

I saved my favorite for last.  Isn't this mama just stunning?!

All of the family images were taken with my Canon 5D MarkIII, 24-70 f/2.8 and 85mm f/1.8 (for the headshots), and edited using Lightroom and Photoshop.

I loved that this photography workshop included equal amounts of learning time and practice time.

By Sunday evening, I felt more confident shooting with my camera, more confident posing subjects (although I know I need more practice in this area), and more confident using my external flash.

Things were really begining to click!  (I couldn't resist. Smile.)

Best of all, I was filled with sheer excitement about what my photography future might hold.     

Hats off to Me Ra and Brian for hosting such an amazing workshop, and thanks again to Southwest Airlines for spoiling me with a LUV ticket. 

Last, but certainly not least, I'm grateful to my husband for taking care of our son, our doggies + the chicks, so I could enjoy this super fun mama getaway. You're awesome, Babe! 
 

P.S. Want to hear more about my adventures in Dallas? Stay tuned for a second post!

*This post contains affiliate links. What does that mean? If you click on any link and make a purchase, I'll receive a small commission--with no extra cost to you--which helps to keep my blog humming along. Thanks, in advance, for your support!    

The Carreras Family

My friend Mindy and I have known each other for years. We first met at church when we were 10 or 11 years old, then later became good friends while teaching elementary school together.

And even though I no longer teach with her, I see her at birthday parties and play dates--and even an occasional Bunco get-together!

In January, Mindy asked me to take photographs of her family and I was beyond flattered. And nervous. But I agreed to do it and I'm so glad I did.

I had so much fun capturing this beautiful family of four!

Thank you, Carreras Family!

Love & Light,

My Thoughts on Week in the Life 2014

"For what is joy if it goes unrecorded, and what is love if it is not shared."

This quote from last season's final episode of Call the Midwife really resonated with me. So much so, that I paused the DVR, jumped off the treadmill, grabbed a pen and paper, replayed the scene, and jotted it down word for word. I then reread it out loud and thought, Yes, yes, yes!  

I didn't have a clue what I'd do with the quote, but I loved it.  It articulated two things I wholeheartedly believe: 1) That documenting life matters; and 2) That loving others is one of the main reasons we are here on this earth. 

It seemed fitting to share these words today because this coming Monday, I will be recording my joys and loves during Week in the Life, a 7-day documentary project started by one of my favorite scrapbooking gurus, Ali Edwards.
 
If you've been reading my blog for a year or more, you know that this is not my first rodeo. I participated in this project in 2013, 2011, and 2010.

I love looking back at the photos + words from those weeks, reminiscing about what life was like back then, and taking note of all that has changed from then to now. 

This year, though, with everything we have going on, I considered not taking part. But after looking through the photos + words from past years, I've decided to do it. Why? Because I think it's important to document what life looks like for us right now.

No matter how crazy it is.

How imperfect it is.

It's our reality.

It's our story.

And the great thing about this project is that I can make it anything I want it to be. I can choose to make it as big or as small as I want.

This is the attitude I've adopted this year: Something is better than nothing. I'd rather take a handful of photos and scrawl down a few words than have zero photos and no words at the end of the week.

With that said, in an effort not to get overwhelmed, I'm going to focus strictly on shooting and writing next week and leave the rest (the photo processing and blog posts and possible album making) for future weeks (okay, more like months since the holidays are fast approaching).

Here's my game plan:

1. Shoot every day--with both my iPhone 5S and my Canon 5D Mark III.

2. Post at least one photo each day on Instagram. #weekinthelife #weekinthelife2014

3. Jot down some of my thoughts; they can be related (or unrelated) to the photos.

4. Hand the camera over to Brian, so I will be in some of the photos, too. (First, I need to show him how to use back button focusing.) 

Here are my ideas for possible photos:

• A pair of Noah's and Zoey's shoes

• Their favorite toys

• Their potty chairs

• Most requested bedtime books

• Bath time (take the shot sitting on the floor)

• Music Together fun

• Costumes (shots taken during the day for better lighting)

• Zoey and her mom

• Pumpkin carving (with Brian)

• Kids gazing at the jack-o-lanterns in pitch black (may need tripod)

• Baking the pumpkin seeds

• Just Brian and me

I'm sure I'll think of more ideas when I begin shooting with my Canon 5D. I'm pumped to capture our daily routines from behind the lens. To detail on paper the little things happening in our lives. To slow down a little bit and take stock of all that I have--all that I am grateful for.
 
In the meantime, I'll be charging up my camera's batteries and gathering up some paper and a few pens. 

Who's with me? Will you be participating in WITL this year? For more information, check out this post by Ali Edwards.

Happy documenting,

#augustbreak2014

This month, I'm playing along with Susannah Conway's August Break 2014.  What is it all about? Essentially, it's an invitation to take ONE photo a day all this month.

It's rare that I participate in a photo challenge, but I loved that this one a) includes a daily email with visual goodness (aka beautiful images) and a few photo tips.; b) basically has no rules (think: anything goes!); c) has a decent size community of women and men (1500+) participating.

I learned about #augustbreak2014 from Ali Edwards, but I've been a fan of Susannah Conway since reading her book, This I Know: Notes on Unraveling the Heart.

Have you read it? It's part memoir, part creative journal, and I loved it. Maybe I should use the present tense: I love it.  It lives on my iPhone in the Kindle application, and even now, two years later, I go back and reread sections of it and try out some of the exercises.

I could go on and on about Ms. Conway's book, but let's get back to the August Break.

It's only the first week of the month (we'll see how long I make it), but I'm enjoying documenting my everyday life. My goal each day is simple: To snap a photo, edit it (if I have time), and post it to Instagram.

Here's a look at the first five photos I've shared.

 August 1 | Our niece, Zoey

 August 2 | Jelly Beadz

 August 3 | Cousin Love (theme: window)

 August 4 | Orange Toys (theme: orange)

 

August 5 | Hello Praying Mantis (theme: three)

Want to play along, too?

Instagram: Use the hashtag, #augustbreak2014.

Flickr: August Break Flickr group

If you're sharing your photos on your blog (like I'm doing here), be sure to add your blog to this blog roll. 

Happy shooting and sharing!

*This post contains affiliate links. What does that mean? If you click on a link and make a purchase, I'll receive a small commission, which helps to keep my blog humming along.  Thanks, in advance, for your support!

Summer List 2014

Taken with iPhone 5S; edited with Camera+

In our neck of the woods, the signs of summer are everywhere:

• I'm sporting tank tops, shorts, and saltwater sandals. (Who says they are just for kids?!)

• Our local pool opened this past Sunday. (Woohoo!)

• School is out!

• We've been to the splash park four times already.

Because I've got summer on the brain, I created a summer list. (Here's my 2012 list and my 2013 list, in case you missed them.)

I always enjoy the process of brainstorming what we want to do in the next few months and documenting those goals here.

I try hard to keep my list to a manageable number because too many things for me to do in a short period of time = an overwhelmed me = a cranky me.  (Nobody likes cranky me--even me!)

And I know myself well enough to know that if I have several active days with lots of going, going, going (especially if it involves social interaction), I'm going to need down time to recharge.

At the end of each summer, I love looking back at my list and reflecting on what we did and didn't do. (And it's totally okay if we do NOT get everything checked off.)

{2014} Summer List

1 | Get my Nikon D700 repaired and shoot away!

2 | Finish sewing 6 pillows for the family room couches.

3 | Complete our adoption website.

4 | Start a photo journal, adding one new photo per week.

5 | Visit Oregon with Brian's family.

6 | Indulge in a massage.

7 | Host a play date with friends.

8 | Go on at least one date per month with Brian.

9 | Hike with family and/or friends.

10 | Attend a county fair. 

11 | Swim with Noah.

12 | Finish an article about search and rescue dogs and submit to a magazine.

13 | Create a scrapbook layout about Noah's name.

14 | Explore how to build a free little library for our neighborhood (with help from Brian).

What's on your {2014} summer list?

Feet First

This photo of my feet, taken on the beach in Kill Devil Hills, was inspired by the work of photographer Tom Robinson.

Since 2005, Tom has been documenting his travels by taking photos of feet--more specifically, he and his girlfriend's feet, as well as those of their young daughter.

Tom's "Feet First" collection contains more than 100 stunning photos.  If you're curious about the details of each photo, roll your mouse over the bottom of the image and a rectangular box will pop up with information. The pictures taken in Slovenia really grabbed my attention; I had no idea it was such a beautiful country.

Looking at these photos entices me to want to travel more, especially abroad.  As if I didn't already have wanderlust issues.  Smile.  

While browsing Tom's website, another photo series caught my attention.  If you need a smile this Monday morning, check out the "I'm going to be a dad" collection.  The expressions he captured are priceless!

Keep on clicking on, shutterbugs. 

Click, Click, Boom

I spent a few days last week in the Outer Banks at the Click Blogger Retreat.

Going away for four days to such a beautiful place nourished my soul.  

One of the best parts was meeting some really cool women from all over the United States.  Most are professional bloggers with a love for photography.  Several of them make a living blogging (how awesome is that?!), and were open to sharing bits and pieces of what they've learned along the way with me.

These conversations sure got me thinking about the possibility of starting a second blog with a more specific focus. 

I also loved meeting a few of the speakers at the retreat such as Ali Edwards, Tracey Clark, and Me Ra Koh (pictured above).  I was impressed by their talent, but also their passion for their work, their willingness to take risks, and their openness to talking about the messy parts of their lives.

If you're a regular reader, you know I'm a huge fan of Brene Brown, who talks about the need for authenticity, vulnerability, and courage in our lives.  It's clear that Ali, Tracey, and Me Ra embrace and practice these qualities, which was super inspiring to me. 

During the retreat, I was working on being courageous, authentic, and vulnerable.  As you probably remember from this post, I traveled out to the retreat all. by. myself.  For some, it might not have been a big deal, but for me, it was HUGE.

I practiced honoring the introvert in me (who likes people--especially in small groups--but needs some down time to recharge), while also challenging myself to share pieces of my life and forge connections with fellow Clickers. 

Here's a look at a few of my favorite photos from the retreat.    

Somewhere between Sacramento and San Diego.  From San Diego, I flew to Nashville, and then on to Norfolk.  A big thanks to Southwest Airlines for sponsoring the retreat!  Debbie Russo of Island Limo drove us out to the Outer Banks; it was fun to chat with her en route about her life experiences.
   

All of the Click attendees stayed in these two enormous houses.  I shared a room on the first floor of the yellow house with Rebecca Parsons.  

During the first 24 hours, we experienced some crazy weather.  Heavy rain, wind, lightning, and thunder.  At about 6:00 am on Thursday morning, there was a huge flash of lightning and a big BOOM (the loudest boom I've ever heard, which may have had to do with the fact that our windows were open), and we lost power in both houses.  I haven't been that scared in a long time.  Many of us actually thought the yellow house had been hit by a bomb, but it turns out that the lightning hit the transformer box nearby.

At breakfast that morning, I snapped the above shot from the third floor balcony.

Afterward, I ran down to the beach (just minutes from the house) and took a few shots of the wild surf, the birds, the grasses, the wooden fences, and the sand.

The lovely Vivienne Gucwa of NYThroughTheLens.com, a fantastic photographer who captures New York beautifully, was also down at the beach shooting away. Go check out her photography; you will be amazed!

Later that night, I shot this photo of the houses and pools from the gazebo.  I set my camera up on the railing, turned the self-timer on, and hit the shutter release button.  This was a one second exposure, which is why a few of the people in the photo are blurry.    


The following day, I attended the wild horses excursion through Wild Horse Adventure Tours in Corolla.  Butch, our driver and tour guide, was awesome!  He got us as close as possible to the horses (as is legally allowed), and slowed down so we could take shots like this one.  Keep in mind, though, that I was shooting with my Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 lens.  I don't use it very often, but on this trip, it sure came in handy!  The two shots below were also taken with my big mama lens.   

I loved the colorful homes on the Outer Banks.  Christmas in October, anyone? 

During the 4x4 ride, I sat next to Kelley Miller, Senior Photo Editor for National Geographic Kids magazine.  As some of you know, I enjoy writing articles for kids' magazines and just recently sold my first piece to Boys' Quest magazine.  It was fun to chat with Kelley about writing for kids, how she locates original and creative ideas, and what she loves most about her job. 

Another shot from the wild horses excursion.  Although we didn't see any horses on the beach, there were cars and trucks--something that's quite foreign to me being from Northern California--and a few fishermen.

I made a couple of short trips down to the beach by myself, just to walk in the sand, breathe in the ocean air, and enjoy the peaceful sound of the waves crashing onto the shore.  Talk about relaxing!

I definitely want to visit the Outer Banks again someday with my little family.   


On Friday night, Avery hosted an off-the-hook carnival-themed closing party at the yellow house.    The food was delicious; the fresh crab and hush puppies were my favorites.  After dinner, I roasted marshmallows and played games (ring toss, milk bottle toss, and rubber duck races) with a few new friends.  

Hats off to the TodaysMama.com team for hosting such an amazing retreat!  And thanks to all of the generous sponsors who absolutely spoiled us.

Lastly, I'm truly grateful to my husband for taking care of our son and doggies, so I could enjoy this fun getaway.       
  

P.S. To view my iPhone photos from the retreat, check out Instagram (jharless) or search #clickretreat to see photos taken by other attendees.