Cliff Mautner's Bootcamp - Day 2 & 3 | Taking whatever comes my way

Wow, I'm so late!  Lot has been going on, which is great, but I'm finally going to finish talking about my workshop with Cliff Mautner.

Day 2 was great.  We ventured back out into the city for a couple of hours and were able to utilize natural light to create some dramatic images as well as off camera flash to make our subjects pop :)

Natural lighting..

Off-camera flash outdoors..

That evening, we got to sit in on an actual client meeting which was VERY enlightening!  All I can say is, Cliff is the man!

Day 3 we were able to learn more about the business side of photography.  It was so awesome that we could just pick Cliff's brain as well as the brain of his studio manager, Noelle who is a beast at post-production.  I learned so much, and I hope to streamline my workflow so I can do more in less time.

Going to this workshop was definitely worth it.  For me, I feel like it was a game changer.  I feel so much more confident about how to tackle harsh light and about how I can best utilize my flash.  It's made me examine how I do business and helped me to decide what direction I want to take this business in.

I have to say I really met such great and talented photographers who continue to be a support group that I can go to and I am so very thankful for that.  We all really formed a close bond and I hope that we will all be friends for many years to come!!

Hmm, what else?  That's what I get for not blogging right away, I think too many things go into and out of my head that I can't retain memories for very long hahahaha!

These past few weeks in general have been great.  I have been stepping out of my comfort zone and taking risks, and I'm glad that I am because I feel it has helped me to grow as a photographer, and more importantly, as a person in general.   I don't know what's ahead, but I'm ready to take whatever comes my way with a fresh and positive outlook.  As long as I get to continue doing what I love, I am happy.  And if I have the things that matter most to me in this life (God, love, family, friends, laughter, and good pho), then I know everything is going to be just fine.

Cliff Mautner's Lighting and Skillset Bootcamp - Day 1

Today was amazing.  Just amazing.  

I'm currently taking a workshop with Cliff Mautner, who is an amazing wedding photographer.  I've been wanting to go to his workshop ever since I first found out about it, and that was over a year ago.  I've checked his website and blog every few months to just READ about the workshop, thinking that I'd never be able to save up enough money to go.  It was kind of pathetic actually,  the description of the workshop never really changed or anything, yet I would read and reread it, daydreaming about one day being able to go hahaha!

But the day has finally come.  It's really happening.  I'm really here.

Today was Day 1.  I'm so thankful not only to be in Cliff's presence, but also to be in the presence of so many other awesome photographers, some newer like me, and some who are more experienced.   We're so diverse.. there's people from all over the US, as well as from Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and Japan!  Imagine!  So you KNOW this is THE workshop to go to :)

Cliff really is down to earth.  He'll tell it to you straight.  He's honest.  Sincere.  Practical.  Everything is simple with him.  It was one thing for me to watch some of his videos online to learn - it helped a lot and has gotten me to where I am today.  But it's a whole other thing to be able to learn from him in person.  To pick his brain.  To have him personally critique my images and to offer insight.

Here are some images from today.  I was able to get the exposures right in the camera and just add some contrast or turn it into black and white.  I'm really not big on photoshop and being able to get things right straight out of camera is a big deal for me.  Besides, one quote that stuck with me from today was,  "There's no 'unsuck' filter in Photoshop".  HAHAHAHA!  If only - lol jk!  But I do believe that Photoshop can be used to enhance photographs that already kick butt in the first place :)

Anyway.. here we go!  I'm really looking forward to Day 2!!

"There are no rules. Only good pictures."