Traveling the Road Together

On a weekly basis, I have the pleasure to not only take my own journey ... but to participate in many other people's journey through photography as well. The students of IFLC San Diego Photography Courses truly are an inspiration to me. Their thirst for knowledge, their desire to find their own vision, and their perseverance in making it all work together fuels my ambition to continually strive to better myself.

One of the more frequent questions I get from new students looking to embark on this journey is "What classes should I take?" I realize this question is backed by many different priorities from each individual perspective and so I try to weigh my response accordingly. You see, not every person has the same goal in mind, but, they do all have something in common ... wanting to learn how to be In Focus.

We have set up our courses to fit all kinds of needs, desires and time frames. We offer full four-session core courses, three-session specialty courses and one-day workshops to fit the various needs of our students. We have courses in basic mechanics, flash, composition, portraits, landscapes, and macro ... to name just a few. So, it's no wonder that some students don't know where to begin ... or even which road to travel next.

While we work hard to make each of our courses & workshops the best they can be, there are three courses that build a strong foundation for any photographer ... no matter what their goals or intentions are. In Focus I: Mastering the Mechanics, In Focus II: Composition and Flash Photography I offer students a well-rounded introduction into true In Focus photography. These three courses alone will give any photographer the tools at hand to create amazing images.

And it's in these tools ... or experiences ... that the journey becomes interesting. The more experiences we have ... the more options are born. The more options we have ... the more creative we can be. The more we push ourselves ... the more road we gain.

And luckily, for most of us ... we don't have to travel it alone.

Adding femme pizazz to my collection ... my new obsession with Kelly Moore Bags

A girl can never have too many bags, can she?

This past year I have seen a multitude of trendy new camera bags hit the market, offering female photogs fashionable options for hauling their gear in style. I have looked at countless web sites comparing these bags for both function and style. And now I have my eyes set on a Kelly Moore Bag. The B-Hobo to be exact ... in black.

I have my eyes set on a new Kelly Moore Bag.

Now before we go any further, let me set the record straight. I have never been one for fancy, designer purses. So, why is it that I sit here with my heart set on a new Kelly Moore Bag to add to my collection?

In an industry that  appeals to so many women, it has been my experience that while the regular camera bag options are both durable and functional (and I have several) ... many lack that femme pizazz I am sometimes looking for.

Don't get me wrong. Function is a very important factor in adding a camera bag to my collection. After all, if it can't house the lenses, flashes and other gear I want to use then what good is it?

Believe me when I tell you, the B-Hobo, Kelly Moore Bag is the perfect size and styling for what I want it for. Imagine traveling to far-off lands ... or Hawaii ... and trying to combine purse, camera, lenses, passport, maps, etc. into one easily accessible, secure bag without looking like a tourist. Seriously, do I really want to advertise my Canon gear with a 'Canon' emblazoned backpack or (worse yet) National Geographic three-piece matching camera bag set? They just seem to scream ... "Hey, look at me, I'm a photographer and tourist. Take my stuff!" And here is my justification: This cross-body camera bag, that looks like a purse yet acts like a camera bag, will answer all of my traveling needs ... and maybe some closer-to-home photo shoots, as well.

Admittedly, I have a plethora of camera bags ... some may even say *gasp* I have enough. I have large, durable bags that will hold all of my gear when necessary. I have smaller, dependable bags that I can schlep through the mountains with. I also have a bag that's perfect for a light day shoot or even walking around the local park. In essence, I have many bags to suit different terrains, different shoots ... and even different moods I may be in.

But, then again ... a girl can never have too many bags, can she?

Check out the Kelly Moore Bags at www.kellymoorebag.com to see the different styles and their functionality.  

Mind, Body and Soul ... A plan for a better (and happier) me!

Granted, New Year's Resolutions are cliche ... but, that doesn't make them bad nor ineffective. Having a goal, afterall, is the foundation for getting things done and writing those goals down is the best way I know to begin to develop a plan. And we all know, without a plan ... not much will get done. That's why I'm sitting here on New Year's Day taking stock of myself, blogging my goals in stark black and white ... and looking at where I want to be throughout this new year.

I think I'll call it the Mind, Body and Soul Plan.

Mind
This past year of writing ... 2010 ... stretched and exercised my mind, there is no doubt. So, I want to continue on that path, but with a few additions.

• Write: Blog more - Yes, you may have noticed my lack of blogging commitment (the last entry was April 2010) so I want to make a conscious effort to improve. Blogging is a way to express myself (even if it's only to me) and it stimulates those creative juices. Let's be reasonable here and shoot for 52 blog entries this year. That's one a week ... hopefully I will do more, but I think this is a realistic goal.
• Read: I love to read and find I sometimes put that pleasure on the back burner as I move more 'important' priorities up front. My new Nook should help improve that ... by the way, I love my new Nook and I never thought I would like this type of digital media. I was always such a hard-back book snob! But, I love it and I know this goal won't be that difficult.
  
• Learn: What I love about life is that there is always something to learn. With our business, this isn't hard. Between new photo techniques, equipment or philosophies and Web site building, html coding and other 'business' type stuff the opportunities to learn something new will be everywhere. I just need to be aware.

Body
Isn't this one of the cliche-est resolutions of them all? But, it's a real one so I'm writing it down. Of course, I want to lose weight but, more than that, I want to feel better. So, here is the plan.

• Drink: I have to get back to my water. I'm making this a definite goal because somewhere I lost that desire to reach for a water over a Diet Coke ... seriously, I need to fix that.
• Eat: This year I will learn about this whole carbohydrate thing ... this will be tough since my mainstay diet consists of pasta with tomatoes. Trust me when I tell you ... in this whole plan this may prove to be the hardest.
• Move: Fortunately, we are outdoors moving around quite a bit. But, I realize that is different from (shall I say it?) ... exercise. Our Kinect systems offers a pretty good exercise plan ... complete with a virtual personal trainer who tracks my every move through some techno-sensors that scans my body and splashes my silhouette (in all its realistic glory) on the television screen for all to see. Not for the faint of heart. But, someday I will see that silhouette improve.

Soul
This will be my favorite part. Feeding the soul is inspirational and taps directly into me. Now some of this plan may seem ridiculous but, I will not apologize for it. It simply is what it is ... and it's what will make me the happiest.

• Femme: I love being a girl ... how cool that we can listen to sappy music, watch tear-jerker movies, read romantic novels and have the opportunity to carry fashionable, designer camera bags! I will pay honor to the chick that I am by remembering I can be and do all of those things ... without regret or apology.
• Create: This may seem easy enough ... but, I have to get back to my roots and find the time to create in my photography. It's way too easy to get caught up in the business side and forget the passion that brought you there to begin with.
• Travel: There isn't a better time in our lives than when we are exploring some place with our cameras. It doesn't have to be far-off or exotic ... just away. Removing ourselves from the daily life and changing up the routine is rejuvenating ... and definitely feeds my soul.

And so this is my plan ... in all of its cliched glory ... for the New Year 2011. I've already done well ... this is the first post of my 52 blog entries, only 51 more (at least) to go. Success!