And I’m loving it! haha! Seriously, my life has been so busy the last few weeks between shooting a ton of seniors, organizing workshops, taking care of my 4 year old, trying to keep my house in somewhat good order, and now opening a studio where I live. I signed a lease the other night. I have always dreamed of this! I have dreamed of being full time and having my husband work with me some day. Well, that’s if we wouldn’t drive ourselves crazy. Anyway, I wanted to announce some workshops.
Salt Lake City: Only a couple spots left. It’s 495 for the day on September 23! We are going to be near Ogden, Utah.
Sacramento Area: October 22 - 24 Only a couple spots left! At Cari Clinkenbeard’s Studio!!
Austin Texas: November 5-7
If you want to come please let me know. Send me an email asap to get your spot!
This was taken with my AB 1600 and Westcott 50 softbox.
We spent the entire weekend getting rid of the purple and yellow. Ahh it’s starting to shape up in there. We have to get a plumber in there to get rid of the pipes now and also build a wall. Put in some electrical paint the new wall and then move in!
And then the daunting task of decorating! If you know me, I’m horrible with decisions like this. You should have seen me try and pick out paint!
Now, I will be able to do workshops out of my studio as well!!!!
Oh my goodness! I had the great pleasure of meeting Camila at my workshop in Salt Lake City this past weekend and after the workshop she went out and had a senior session. She had asked me some questions about doing the photos at a carnival. She posted them up on facebook the other day and I am completely blown away with the photos. I had to call Camila and tell her how awesome they are and how proud I am of her for getting those amazing photos!
Here’s a little Testimonial Miss Camila wrote to me:
From the moment I first saw OCF being used on Ali’s blog I knew that I HAD to go this direction and bring this drama into my photos. This is 100% more my style than natural light and I really wanted to be able to have the control that OCF gives you. I have owned my own OCF gear for about a year but had never been able to figure out how to use it properly on my own. It only took Ali about 5 minutes to figure out what was wrong with my equipment and get me on the path to some killer OCF images. I’m so grateful! I can finally say that I have the confidence and know how to use my OCF gear and to shoot at literally any hour of the day. How awesome is that? Thanks ALI I LOVE YOU!
How long have you been in business?
I bought my first SLR almost 5 years ago and have been “in business” for almost 3 years.
What’s your favorite part of photography?
That I’m able to make women feel beautiful. In my opinion it’s not fair that we have to stand in the check out line at Walmart and be bombarded with these images where woman have so much help to look the way they do, not to mention some killer photography and major editing. All woman should have the opportunity to have atleast one photo where they get the same treatment. Every woman is beautiful and deserves to have her one drop dead gorgeous photo and feel good about herself. My favorite part of my job is when I post these on FB for my client and they get bagillions of comments about how AMAZING they look. Awesome feeling.
Any lessons you have learned in your years of business?
That light is everything. Really. We seem to always be striving to find these killer locations and outfits, which is great, but they mean nothing if you don’t have great light.
One last piece of advice?
Don’t feel like you have to shoot in every style. I find it funny that most photographer’s websites that I visit say something like this, “specializing in family, portrait, lifestyle, fashion, sport, wedding, children and senior photography”. Can you really SPECIALIZE in all of these things? It took me a year or so to realize that I specialize in weddings and individual sessions. I no longer will shoot families, toddlers, sports, etc. And I am so much happier just sticking to my specialties. Not to mention they are by far the funnest for me to shoot. Don’t feel like you have to do it all. Find your niche.
Camila, you have blown me away with these photos! I enjoyed so much meeting you and I’m so glad you came!
Workshops:
Salt Lake City: We are going back again! We are going to be doing a very stylized photo shoot with make up artists/wardrobe etc. It’s going to be a 2 one day workshop again and it’s filling up fast. Email me now to sign up and hold your spot! It’s going to be September 23 and 24th.
Northern California
Illinois
West Virginia
Austin Texas
are all being considered for doing a workshop. If you live in the area and you would like to attend please send me an email with the city in state in the subject line.
I had an absolutely amazing time in Salt Lake Again! I did 2 one day workshops and they were both amazing! We had absolutely amazing models and locations and my two amazing hostesses Jayme Sayes and Natalie Best Steed!
A little about my trip!….. LOL Seriously, though as I look back at it, it was pretty funny. Wednesday, I flew in from MPLS and the plane ride was sooooo scary. I have never been so scared flying in all of my life. I was holding on to the guy next to me because I was so freaked out. It was about 45 minutes of torture for me! Then, once I landed I was like ahhhhh. I just need to relax! lol We had to cancel our photo shoot because it was so windy! So a bunch of us girls just went out for supper together! It was a blast! I met so many new gals too!
Then, I stayed with Jayme at her home in North Salt Lake and we went off to do the workshop on Thursday morning. We met at Angie Monson’s studio……. Thank you Angie! You totally rock for letting us come in there and meet in your office! She’s actually having a sale on her templates until Midnight tonight! So go buy them! They are awesome!!
Well, we were at one of the locations for the second shoot that we did that day and all of a sudden a cop shows up barreling down towards us and I went to him and he started yelling at me because we were trespassing when there were not any trespassing signs to be found. I guess someone called the police on us because they thought we were all tagging the building. lol There were two guys there when we got there that were spray painting it but we were not. Then two more cops show up and the second guy asked to see my hands… lol and then said we were totally fine to be there.
In some of the photos that people took you can see the cops in the background. It was kind of funny!
Then…we went to our last shoot and it was such a beautiful location. Towards the end I was over shooting this one model and I happened to step on a nail or barbed wire or something and it went right thru my shoe and into my foot!! ACK that hurt!
As we were leaving Jayme’s Friday morning to go do the Park City Workshop, her little girl invited me to her birthday party in May. I thought it was so stinking cute! I told her I would try to come!
When we were driving, I pulled down the visor in the car b/c the sun was bright and Jayme’s husband’s cd came toppling down and hit me in the nose!!!!
We got to Park City and my hostess Natalie texted me saying she was going to be late because she got pulled over for speeding!!!
Park City was absolutely AMAZING! Natalie told me where we were going to shoot and I was like what?? But the location we shot at was so beautiful.
My new friend Lori Slater Jones came out to dinner with us on Wednesday night and then asked if she could bring her daughter Slater to the shoot in Park City. I was a little leary because her daughter is only 4 and I know what happens when I try to photograph my 4 year old but I told her to bring her and Slater was absolutely amazing. I am just showing these pictures because I love them. I will show more later as I get them processed.
Lori, is actually now going to host the next workshop in the fall in Utah! I decided I just have to go back because I love it so much there.
Anyway to finish all of the events that happened….. Abe and Kim a husband and wife photographer team who came to the workshop went back to their place to pick up their boys so we could photograph them too…..they too got pulled over for speeding! lol
Oh my gosh, I just had a wonderful time with all the ladies and one man! lol
And here’s a pullback shot of how this set up worked.
I’m sitting here thinking how I need to be more involved in my blog. I have now started featuring other photographers that I know but I’m thinking What Else Would You Guys Like To See? I have lots of ideas in my head I just need to excute them. Send me an email or leave a comment on my blog of what you’d like to see!
Workshops: I’m leaving for Salt Lake City again on Wednesday and doing 2 one day workshops. I’m very excited to come out there again. I love it there.
We are also looking at California in October in Amador County.
If you are interested in hosting a workshop please shoot me an email and we will work on more workshops.
I just got back from Banff, Canada as one of the teachers for the Beyond Just Images Conference. I had a great time! Although, I have to say I have never been so nervous to do a workshop before. It’s probably because there were around 30 people there instead of my normal 10 to 12 people. I was a nervous wreck leading up to when I started teaching. I don’t typically get nervous but I was. Once I got started everything seemed to go well. I ended up meeting some amazing people. I’ve know quite a few of them online for a few years and it was so fun to actually meet them.
I am now going to start featuring photographers with their OCF work. Michelle is my first person to be up on the chopping block. lol I met Michelle in Ottawa a few weeks ago and I noticed on her blog today that she had taken some OCF photos of her own after our workshop. Michelle is awesome. Really everyone I have met at every workshop has been awesome!
I shared my hotel room with Michelle and another gal Missy and we had an absolute blast!! You really get to know someone when you room with them eh! lol
I got my business license with the plan to start a legitimate business in January 2009. By legitimate, I mean it was my plan to stop giving my work away and to start charging for services and collecting taxes :) Then I just stared at the license (in awe and in fear) until about April of 2009. Then my hubby told me to put on my big girl pants and get over my nerves. So I did.
Favorite type of session:
Well, my first thought, is couples and engagement sessions. But then I’ve met a lot of great families and had a great time with family sessions too. Small children make me sweat buckets but I have two of my own so it seems perfectly normal to interact with those little peanuts. So I guess my answer is that I can find something that makes me smile about almost every type of session. PS: 1-3 month old babies scare me.
Least Favorite Part of Business:
I over organize and have too many stickie notes. This doesn’t surprise anyone who knows me. My least favorite part of the business is that I’m a very shy person, and when you show up to a session, people expect you to be outgoing and assertive. I have to direct people and that means being open, happy, fun and energetic. So I usually have to put on my fun, easy going director hat in the car. And its a hard hat for me to wear, but I do it. Its getting a bit easier with practice.
What intrigued you about ocf:
Um, have you seen Ali’s blog? I thought natural light was the be all and end all. And then I saw these vibrant colors, the lighting just brings a photograph to life. I had started using studio lighting in the fall of 2009, so I have had the winter to practice with lighting and I LOVE studio lighting. It would not have even crossed my mind to lug it outside with me!
How has the workshop helped me?
I wouldn’t EVER in a million years, have considered taking my lighting outside. I would have thought: its too much to lug around, its a pain in the behind, it doesn’t make THAT much difference, etc.
Then I took my first OCF image at the workshop and viewed it on my LCD display and was BLOWN AWAY. Couldn’t believe it. I was hooked. I still have a lot to learn but the OCF workshop opened up a whole new way of shooting for me. I’ve come to realize that its just not that much to lug around and the results are worth it.
Thank you Michelle for putting your photos up and interviewing you. You are a super sweet gal and funny too! I so enjoyed rooming with you and Missy. I think I got to know you a little bit too much! lol Totally kidding.
If you would like to be featured on my OCF blog let me know! I want to do this more often!!!
Workshops: If you are interested in hosting a workshop please let me know. I will start doing a few more this fall. I want to stay home for the summer to shoot for my busy season and shoot my seniors.
The last few weeks have been crazy busy! I have been to Michigan and Ottawa and on Thursday I’m leaving for Banff Canada. I was asked to teach at Beyond Just Images Conference. There are about 30 gals coming to the workshop! I am soooo hoping the weather is good for all of us. It’s been cold and rainy there and I’m worried about shooting outside. Hopefully it will be ok for us!
Here are a couple images one from Michigan and one from Ottawa.
I’ve been getting quite a few inquiries about doing more workshops. I am thinking if I do them again they will be in the fall. I’ve been asked so far to go to Texas and California. Nothing set in stone but people have been asking me.
Things are getting better for me. I still haven’t gotten on the weight loss track yet but the other day I had horrible stomach flu and I lost 5 pounds with that. lol I wouldn’t wish the stomach flu on anyone. It was horrible!
Anyway, it’s been a little while since I’ve posted. I keep getting so busy!
Please email if you would like to get in on a group buy for the online book. ali@rockthatocf.com
The last few weeks have been somewhat of a whirlwind for my family and I. It has been such an up and down roller coaster of emotions. I know a while ago I was posting about my weight loss and then I just quit. I know many people wouldn’t admit that they have gained weight but through being pregnant and then losing the baby (an emotional eater that I am) I have gained about 10 pounds in the last 5 months. It’s been very hard on me to know that I now have to lose that weight again.
Last week, after 5 weeks from losing the baby I still had to go in for the dreaded procedure that I was trying to avoid. But, I had to. I had complications. I was weighed by the nurses a few times because of the anesthesia but I refused to look. I did not want to know. I had already felt really crappy about the way I looked and I just wasn’t ready to find out how much I had gained. I told the nurse that I didn’t want to know and she said but your supposed to gain weight when you are pregnant. I told her it was all for nothing because I wasn’t pregnant anymore.
So…. I got on the scale two days ago and saw that I had gained 10 pounds. Now, I’m finally to the point where I think I can start working out again. I think. It’s been a battle to get things done around my home and work for the last 5 weeks. It’s been very hard to be happy. I haven’t allowed myself to be happy or I felt guilty for being happy.
I am trying to change that now. I am going to allow myself to be happy with out feeling guilty. I want to work out b/c it will bring up the seratonin levels and that makes you feel better too. I’ve been punishing myself for weeks. I am stopping that. I can’t do that anymore.
So, I know there are tons of people out there who struggle with weight and I just want to start being open about it again. If anyone wants to join me on a weight loss please let me know and we can help each be accountable. I’m going to start hopefully on Monday after my trip to Ottawa.
Workshops: I know I had been hinting about some things coming up with Rock That OCF. I have planned on doing online workshops but it has been put on the back burner through all of this. I know many of you can’t travel to an actual workshop and I was putting together a really cool course. My hope is to get back to working on it so we can do some. I don’t like that I hinted about it for a long time and then just quit. Please let me know if this interests you as well.
Ontario Workshop is this weekend.
Banff is in June
Salt Lake City is in June too. There are still some spots to fill for the Thursday workshop. June 17th
I planned this workshop when I was pregnant. I had 20 people sign up and then some people backed out. It’s very humbling to say it’s not totally full. So if you are interested in attending on Thursday June 17th please let me know.
I am still unsure of doing more workshops just because of everything that has happened. I am still trying to get out of the fog. I’ve been asked to go to a few places and I’m still thinking about it.
I will let everyone know if I decide to go forth and do more.
Michigan
Two weeks ago I was in Michigan at Lisa Ferguson’s place teaching awesome ladies! We had horrible weather but we made do.
Here’s just one so far from the workshop. I haven’t had much time to edit yet b/c I’m getting ready for Ottawa and trying to catch up from being off for a while.
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Lastly, I want again thank everyone for the support. I appreciate every email and comment I received. I don’t wish this experience on any family. It is very devastating. Thank you again.
One of my friends in Michigan was unsure if she could shoot in full sun with an Alien Bee 800 so yesterday as I was out helping another local photographer we put our model in full sun and took photos. It’s very doable to do this.
AB 800 Full Power at f/20 1/200ss
My friend Courtney over at Get Schooled School Portraiture is having a big birthday bash sale! I happen to be giving away an online book over there too plus a nice discount on the online book when you purchase the Get Schooled Guide. I have it and it’s awesome. I have my first meeting with a local preschool here in town on Monday.
On a personal note: Things still are not normal here. I am very excited to work again as it seems to be keeping me from going wonky. I am leaving for Michigan next weekend and I think it will be very good for me to get out and do some stuff that I love. Each day is a little different. I don’t think there’s one day that my little girl hasn’t asked me about the baby and it makes me sad but she’s just 4 so she doesn’t know any better. I want to thank everyone for checking in on me and sending me your stories. I have been so touched by women and men all over the world.
Saturday, I went back to work. It felt so good to just take photos and hang out with some other photographers. It was so good to get my mind off of everything but every now and then I started thinking about everything but had to get back and focus. I still can’t answer when people ask me How I’m Doing. I feel like I’m bound to start crying again so I just kind of sluff off the question.
Anyway, it felt so good to do this. I’m not sure why the video quality isn’t that great. Any suggestions? I just bought animoto and trying to learn how to use all of it.
Welcome to a great place to learning Off Camera Flash. This is by far my favorite aspect of photography and I am so happy that you want to learn how to do this. I taught myself how to do off camera flash and I hope that you will learn a lot from me. Feel free to contact me and ask lots of questions. I am here to help. I am not technical at all in how I speak. I learn visually so that is how I teach.
:)
Least Favorite Part of Business: 
