An edit using the new MCP Quick Clicks for Lightroom!

On November 3rd I had the huge privilege of hosting 9 amazing photographers here in my home in Orlando as part of the Images for a Cure Workshop!

I was so excited to open this opportunity to photographers of all levels who were interested in learning more about the business and marketing side of our industry. We ate, we talked and we shot. All in all, it was a brilliant day and I had so much fun sharing with everyone who attended.

As an even bigger perk, our group helped us to raise the most money from one participating photographer out of all 3 years of the organization – together, we brought in nearly $4,500 for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation!

To help us reach our 2011 goals – visit this link to make a donation (any size is a HUGE help!) – http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/kristen-weaver/imagesforacure2011

And to find a participating photographer in your city, visit our Find a Photographer page on the Images for a Cure website! http://www.imagesforacure.com/fap/

Massive massive thanks to our supportive and amazing vendors who helped us make this shoot possible – especially Lauren Grove, who gave up her entire day to help us plan, design and create this gorgeous day!

Bridal Gown: Rivini
Bridal Salon: Solutions Bridal
Hair Accessories: Lori London
Reception Gown: Alfred Sung
Model: Nicole Amidon with Prodigy Models
Horse: Ranger
Hair and Makeup: LeJeune Artistry
Location: Private Residence, Oviedo FL
Florist: Lee Forrest Designs
Misc. Table Decor: Anthropologie and Pier One
Coordination: Lauren Harper Grove
Cake Artist: The Sugar Suite
Letterpress Invitation Suite: Posh Paperie

Thanks to Alyssa for these Behind the Scenes shots!

Check out our participant’s blogs to see their photos! (I’ll keep updating this as posts go up):

Jillian Tree – http://www.jilliantreeblog.com/2011/11/16/kristen-weaver-workshop-part-1/

Save the date for November 3, 2011 for the first group workshop hosted by Images for a Cure founder, Kristen Weaver!

This past year I have really started focusing on becoming the business I’ve always wanted to be. I’ve expanded my staff, my traveling and hopefully, my skills, to be a better photographer and a stronger business person. Photography isn’t just about having a talent to shoot, or the ability to edit. It’s about the business of photography and how marketing and sales impact your business even more than your creativity. It can be a difficult pill to swallow sometimes, but we’re just as much in the business of customer service as we are artists.

I’ve been hosting an array of one-on-one workshops during 2010 and have decided that I’d like to use the skills I’ve learned to host a 10-seat workshop, all benefiting my organization, Images for a Cure.

The idea actually came from a few of my chatters on my online social networking site, http://kristenweaver.ning.com. They encouraged me to host a group workshop at a reduced price that will help us achieve our goal of $18,000 for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation in 2011! It’s a hefty goal – but one that I feel can be accomplished with the outstanding support of our industry and our clients!

But it has to start here. With me. Right now.

I’ve always been willing to share my “secrets” (they’re not really secrets… maybe just tools of the trade that has taken me awhile to figure out), but I think having this group workshop will be a way to expand our knowledge and make the industry a better place professionally!

So what will we be covering??

Photography, yes, that’s a given. Nothing technical though – I’d like to keep this more based around business, marketing, sales, being confident in your work, client relationships and working with clients at shoots and weddings.

The ideal attendee will have intermediate knowledge of their craft, but looking to expand their business. To grow and achieve a new level of success. Maybe it’s in the little things you’re saying (or not saying) during client consultations that we can work on to give a better conversion rate of lead to booked client. How do you connect with vendors and get your name out there as a top notch photography company? How will clients see your brand and marketing as a reflection of the type of bride you’re looking to book. Are there disconnects with your marketing and your pricing? How are you pricing yourself?

There’s so many amazing topics we have planned for the agenda and I’m thrilled to be offering this workshop to 10 lucky photographers this fall. For the full details, keep reading!

Date: November 3, 2011
Time: Roughly 10am-6pm
Location: Orlando, FL
Cost: $500, donated to our FirstGiving Site
Food: a little unorthodox, but it will be pot-luck! So everyone is encouraged to bring some little to munch on. We’ll be ordering lunch in.

Topics: Marketing, Blogging, Social Media, Business, Client Relationships, Posing and much more!
Shoot: Yes! We will be doing one shoot with a couple at the end of the workshop
Critique: A second option to join a one-on-one critique will be offered the following day. It is one hour and $150 (this money is paid to KWP directly and is not donated, but will help cover the cost of the workshop if any out of pocket expenses are occurred – like lunch!)

(And for a chance at a reduced price workshop, check out one seat being offered on eBay. Only one day left to bid!)

Attendance is accepted on a first come, first serve option.

How do I register?!

Use this link: https://app.shootq.com/public/kristen_weaver_photography/contact

In Event Type, select Photographer Workshop and let us know you found out about it on the blog!

We will email you back with the approval to submit your payment to our FirstGiving website if you were one of the first 10 to contact us. You only have one hour to submit your payment before your spot is opened up to the next person on the waiting list. Please note – there are no refunds since the money is donated directly to the BCRF, however you may transfer your seat to someone else if you can’t make it.

Hope to see you there!!

Oh, and check out a little peek of me at work

The purpose of the workshop was to give back to all the amazing photographers who joined us and participated in Images for a Cure this past fall. We raised $15,000 for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (bringing our grand total to $28,000) by donating one day of session fees to the cause. Because of these photographers, who so graciously gave up their time and talents, we wanted to reward them by providing a workshop that was bringing back the foundation of our industry – learning from other photographers, sharing and growing to be a better industry! The photographers who spoke at the workshop are not “touring” photographers. They make their living actively booking and shooting clients. They don’t have big staffs, sell products, dvds or books, and they didn’t make a penny participating in IFAC. They are an amazing bunch, and I’ve heard some of the most incredible compliments from our attendees about how much they learned!

Day 2 of the workshop was open for a half-day shooting experience with one of our speakers! This was a completely hands-on approach to photography training by photographers who welcomed everyone to learn from them – making the entire industry a place for sharing, learning and growth among colleagues!

I can’t thank my speakers and attendees enough for this amazing experience. If you attended, please feel free to share your thoughts on the workshop in the comments section. I can honestly say that I look forward to making this a yearly event and I hope to see it grow in the future!

I wanted to share some pictures and video from the day!

A special thanks to:

The MEZZ, our fantastic workshop hosts – the brand-new, premier wedding and reception venue in Orlando!
Kristen Johnson, Rachel Willems and the entire staff at An Affair to Remember for their mad-coordinating and design skills!
Lee Forrest Design, for his amazing vision and floral design
Something Blue Bridal Salon for allowing us to borrow several of her gowns for the Day 2 shoots!
Connie Duglin Linens, our tables never looked so incredible!
Arthur’s Catering, because there’s no better food in Orlando!
Luisa Valdes and the staff at Lunatic Fringe Salon in Altamonte Springs, FL for their crazy hair/makeup skills on our models!
Erika Barker, for our killer video of the workshop!

Images For A Cure 2011 from Erika Barker on Vimeo.

The morning began with a continental breakfast, coffee, juice and the esteemed Brooke Thomas from Weddings Unveiled! Brooke opened the day with an interactive, round-table discussion where our attendees could ask any questions they wanted about what editors are REALLY looking for when they publish Real Weddings. She gave everyone invaluable insight on how to submit, what to include and how to promote their work to editors! For more about Brooke and Weddings Unveiled, please check out their magazine, website and blog!

Fashion stylist and personal shopper, Melanie Pace, helped our photographers with the basics of styling on set, including what every photographer needs in their own “styling kit” and how to help our clients dress for engagement sessions and bringing out their own personal style!

Luisa Valdes, hair and makeup artist from Lunatic Fringe salon, discussed the importance of professional hair and makeup for shoots, how lighting can affect makeup and how “natural” doesn’t necessarily mean no makeup.

Natural light children and family photographer, Amy Smith, presented “Confessions of a Child Photographer”, sharing all the amazing little moments that capture all the amazing little people in our client’s lives. Even though we were a room of predominantly wedding photographers, Amy’s presentation was a runaway hit, sharing some of her methods for being profitable and how she maintains a balance in her own personal life. From the feedback I’ve gotten, her presentation was one of the favorites of the day!

Abby Liga, who has been documented by countless magazines and blogs across the world, shared her tips for success in shooting weddings that get published. Abby presented tips for documenting your day for the client, and also keeping in mind what things magazines are looking for when they review submissions. Abby’s own fashion-editorial style of photography made her the perfect choice to help other photographers achieve the same business success!

And on to Melanie and Bradford Watson from La Dolce Vita Studio, wedding photographers from Jacksonville, FL, who spoke on “Finding Your Sweet Spot”! This is the perfect balance between work, life, fun and family to create a thriving business and your own sanity. I couldn’t think of anyone more qualified than a husband-wife duo who shoots weddings all over the country and keeps their sanity (if you can call it that) while enjoying a game of disc golf.

I asked Becka and Nate Robinson from Studio222 Photography out of Orlando, FL, to come speak on client relationships. They’re actually the photographers that I refer out to the most often when I’m already booked because of their amazing relationships with their couples. Their presentation on “Cultivating Connection” was a huge hit among the attendees. The ability to maintain these relationships is what often leads to the most referrals, happiest couples and of course – the most amazing photographs.

Joey Wright, funny man extraordinaire and Wescott Lighting Top Pro, gave us an introduction to fashion photography, lighting and final editing to create his graphic masterpieces. Joey opened up his book of tricks, sharing his favorite equipment, lighting set-ups and how to keep things basic no matter what your budget. He also gave a little insight in to his relationships with models, agencies and commercial clients to create his business of perfect photos!

Oh look! It’s me

I helped my good friend (and future bride!), Jennifer Scarola (Jennifer Frances Retouching) go over some before/afters of professional retouching. She discussed why it’s important in some areas of photography (like fashion and commercial projects) and how you can make simple adjustments to really make your photos stand out no matter what genre you shoot.

On Day 2, I hosted a Fashion Bridal shoot back at The Mezz, with model Hope Roberts, and real brides Kristen Johnson, Rachel Willems and Melissa Diep. Here are some behind the scenes shots!

Luisa touches up Kristen’s eyeliner before we worked with her on natural light.

We recruited 4’11″ Melissa, who was in from Chicago to help me out on Day 2, to model one of our gowns from Something Blue Bridal Salon!

Rachel was ready and willing to jump back in her amazing Amsale gown from her Dec. 11th Grand Bohemian wedding and help us translate fashion photography to real brides.

I even covered some lighting basics with the photographers and our model, Hope.

I brought my ring flash to play around with – and was super excited about this amazing wallpaper. It shoots amazing with a ring flash!
On Rachel (left) Amsale | Gown from Boca Raton Bridal Salon
On Kristen (right) 2Be Bridal | Gown from Something Blue Salon

Behind the Scenes of Missy as she was working with Hope. I shot through the crazy mirrors and loved the distortion it gave!

I didn’t get the memo that it was “Striped-Shirt” day….

And finally, some of my shots from the Bridal Fashion shoot!

Sincerity Bridal | Gown from Something Blue Salon
All hairpieces by Sara Gabriel, provided by Something Blue Salon

La Sposa | Gown from Something Blue Salon

James Clifford | Gown from Something Blue Salon

James Clifford | Gown from Something Blue Salon

Real Bride, Kristen Johnson
James Clifford | Gown from Something Blue Salon

Real Bride, Kristen Johnson, in her original wedding gown

Real Bride, Rachel Willems
Amsale | Gown from Boca Raton Bridal Salon

I want this to be amazing.

I wish everything always just fell in place… but here I am, completely freaking out because I finally get to see if our hard work paid off.

I want this to be motivating.

I guess I’m just having one of those moments where I feel like the new kid in school all over again. This isn’t WPPI – this is the first year of a blossoming idea being supported by some of the most real, hardworking photographers and business owners that I’ve had the privilege of knowing.

I want this to be real.

So it’s with a bit of nervous jitters that I look forward to all of the events next week and cross my fingers that this becomes the event that I know it can be.

Please support us by registering for the workshop: http://www.imagesforacure.com/workshop

Even if you’re not a photographer, there’s no sense in missing one of the most amazing parties of the year! Our Benefit Gala is open to all and we want you to come! Your ticket covers all of the entertainment, food and drinks for the evening – and all the profits will be donated!

http://www.imagesforacure.com/gala

We’ve just finalized our schedule of events!

8am – 9am :: Registration and Breakfast
9:00 am :: Opening by Kristen Weaver, Founder
9:15 am :: Round Table with Brooke Thomas
10:00 am :: Styling for Shoots, Melanie Pace
10:15 am :: Break (Snacks and Drinks)
10:45 am :: Shooting to get Published, Abby Liga
11:30 am :: Children Photography, Amy Smith
12:15 pm :: Lunch
1:00 pm :: Finding Your Sweet Spot, Melanie and Brad Watson
1:45 pm :: Makeup and Hair for Shoots, Luisa V.
2:00 pm :: Cultivating Connection, Becka and Nate Robinson
2:45 pm :: Break (Snacks and Drinks)
3:00 pm :: Lighting, Joey Wright
3:45 pm :: Trends and Techniques in Retouching, Jennifer Frances
4:30 pm :: Closing

I hope to see you there!

Not only did we finish up the artwork just last week, but he’s performing at the Images for a Cure Gala on March 1st (everyone’s invited, by the way! Go pick up your tickets here: http://www.imagesforacure.com/gala)

I’m feeling a little “better-than-you” when I share that I purposely make him bring his guitar for my own little performance (one of the perks of my job!) and got a sneak peek of the Good Day song back when we shot his album cover in October!

Now, I’m not generally a big country music fan (except that Garth Brooks is one of my all-time favorites…. but most country fans tell me he’s too mainstream, so whatever), but Josh has me hooked on his soulful lyrics and smooth voice – not to mention those killer guitar (and piano) skills! Mindy is one lucky girl to have such a sweetheart by her side!

You can download his new music on iTunes here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/good-day-ep-single/id420970676

PS – It’s a huge help to spread the word, rate and leave comments on the iTunes page! New artists need our support to help them grow! So if you pick up a copy, be sure to leave him some love!