In this series of blog posts we are introducing people who will be speaking at and attending Inspire 2012. We are pleased to introduce here Carrie Draghi of Carrie Draghi Photography. Carrie will be teaching two classes geared towards photographers new and experienced alike: Book It! How to Rock Wedding Consults, and a hands-on shooting workshop called Consistent Reception Lighting Using Off-Camera Flash.
 What are you most looking forward to in your business this year? It will sound boring, but implementing and streamlining some of our internal processes is actually high on my list. Why would I look forward to that?!?! I am actually motivated for personal reasons, like being able to feel like we aren’t always playing catch up at the studio; I’d like to be able to drive home without a “to do” list following me there! And, streamlining our workflow is going to impact me on the creative side, as well. I hope it will give me more time to pick up a camera for some “fun” projects. I am looking forward to some editorial shoots that I am working on with some amazing vendors. We are not currently using ShootQ at its full capacity. My Studio Manager has done an AMAZING job getting the inquiry tracking “front end” up and running. But, we need some work on the “back end” of our processes. Yes, I know that didn’t come out like I meant it to sound!
Describe an inspiring experience you had recently? I had the absolute honor and joy of photographing a Navy Seal Graduation in Coronado, CA last November. For me, there is nothing more inspiring than to be in the presence of a person who pushes themselves to be the very best version of themselves that they can be. And, I was surrounded by them! I came home and hit the road – in running shoes! It seriously motivated and inspired me to remember that I need to also push myself physically. If these men can complete BUD/S, I can at least make it to the gym!
What is the most difficult photograph you ever made? Why? I didn’t have to spend a moment thinking about this one! Our 2011 holiday rush was fully underway when I got a call from a beloved repeat family portrait client. ”Why, of course, I can squeeze your four girls in for a quick shoot in the studio. And, why of course, bring the dogs! It will be fun,” said I. Next evening: one kindergartner, one 2nd grader, two 6th graders, one GREAT Dane, one GRAND Pyrenees, two LARGE labradors and nine feet feet of backdrop roll! I photographed all the girls together and individually before introducing the pack of dogs! And, am proud to say that there is ONE (just one) perfect photo (nearly the last in the session), with every single girl looking and smiling and every single animal facing towards me. Yes, I had to make a lot of cat noises!!! Our client loved it; it made for a memorable holiday card for them and an unforgettable shoot for me!
What is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen? My little girls – Keira (5) and Natalia (3). I remember the first time I saw each of them smile. I realize it might have just been gas, but there is nothing more beautiful, regardless!
What thought or message would you put into a fortune cookie? A friend once said, “If nothing changes, nothing changes.” That is a great thought for a fortune cookie! Really, process the simplicity and the wisdom in those five words… if you don’t change your business, you will be struggling with the same challenges for years. If you don’t develop and change creatively, you lose your edge and risk creative burn out. Change, even when it is a little scary, is usually good!
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Earlier this week we shared our strategy for getting the most out of a conference in a two-part blog post on Tiffinbox.org. In this post we want to help you figure out which parts of this year’s Inspire curriculum will benefit you the most! Whether you are just getting started, or you’ve been in business for many years, there are many classes that are designed to benefit you at every level of your business.
We want you to leave our conference “inspired”, but Inspire is not a conference where you simply watch slideshows of visually stunning images to “get inspired”. We’ve worked hard to offer workshop sessions and cultivate an environment where one can explore some of the more challenging aspects of running a studio in great depth.
You’ve conquered the first step: booking weddings and shooting for yourself. You may be well established and running a successful business… but we know you want to do more! WE want to do more too! We want to fine-tune our time-management, find new and additional sources of income, and grow a larger healthier studio. We even want to retire some day! Because of this we have chosen speakers who have the tools to help you, and us, do that together.
Here’s a little insight into how our speakers are selected, and how we’ve encouraged them to prepare for you. One dynamic that we’ve observed (at our own conference as well as at others we’ve attended), is that the mid- to advanced-level photographers can be the most difficult group to “teach” to, as far as putting together conference content. Entry level classes aren’t appealing to them for obvious reasons. These folks have areas that need improvement (doesn’t everyone?), but they have enough knowledge in certain areas that they might be called ‘expert’, and could actually teach some of our sessions (in fact, some of them do). In the typical hour-long conference session it’s very hard to present material that has depth and “meat”. So we’ve expanded our conference session time-frame to 1.5 hours. And, we have instructed our speakers to try as much as possible to address the needs of the mid- to advanced-level crowd when constructing their presentations.
No matter how much or how little experience you have, there are some areas of your business that ALWAYS need to be polished! Whether you are just starting out, established, or a seasoned veteran of wedding and portrait photography, here are classes we are offering that can really help you fine tune what you are doing and become more successful:
Visual, Personal and Business Inspiration:
Sales:
Legal & Financial Issues:
Growing and Diversifying your Photography Business:
Balancing Personal & Professional Life:
Marketing:
Portfolio:
Organization and Workflow:
Starting Out Right:
Small hands on/demo sessions focused on working with light with three studios:
Hands on shooting sessions with:
Need more focused help on one of these topics or something else not on this list? This is what our Mentoring Sessions are for. Every conference attendee may choose a 1:1 or Small Group Mentoring Session on the topic of your choice. Mentoring session signups will begin on March 1.
As you can see, there’s something for everyone! No matter what area of your business you’d like to grow, Inspire will provide the space for you to learn. We can’t wait to see you at our 3rd and most amazing inspire Photo Seminar to date!
PS – just because a class has “101″ in the title doesn’t mean you probably know it already! It just means we all need to brush up on these skills!!
 In this series of blog posts we are introducing people who will be speaking at and attending Inspire 2012. We are pleased to introduce here Robert Norman of Robert Norman Photography. Robert will be teaching a course geared towards photographers new and experienced alike, called Seeing Beyond Seeing.
What are you most looking forward to in your business this year? I’m planning some major changes this coming year to my business i’ve been working on for months now…so its exciting and scary. I’ve discovered i’m not as flexible with change as i’d like to think I was! It was a bit of a rough year for me personally, and i’ve been at this quite awhile, so it’s a good time to shake things up a bit and try some new stuff–No risk, no gain!
What are you hoping to take away from the Inspire conference? I’m hoping to see old friends, meet some new photographers and hopefully be able to impart some useful information to anyone who is interested in listening to me babble on. Inspire is such an open venue for learning and meeting people—i’m not really great at going up to people I don’t know and saying ‘hello’, but the vibe at Inspire makes that a lot easier. ( thats a hint to come up to ME if you wanna say hi…)
What would be your dream photography assignment? Why? My dream assignment would be to be told : “Go to to whatever country you like, shoot what you please and we will publish it and pay you.” I LOVE going new places, discovering the feeling of a new location, and trying to convey that in my photographs. What I try to come back with when i travel is not always an EXACT documentation of a place, but rather how I FEEl about it. So to do that and get paid—what could be better?
What is something you are good at, besides photography? I’d like to think i’m halfway decent at Italian cooking but you’d have to ask people who have eaten my food. I make a mean brownie from scratch too…
What is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen? The mountains in The Canadian Rockies (near Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper National Park) in the right light, are enough to nearly bring me to tears. No joke. Moab Utah and Arches National Park, while completely different, are a close second.
 This is part of a series of blog posts featuring people who will be attending Inspire in March of 2012. Introducing here: Sandra Costello, of Studio SMC Photography
Website www.studiosmc.com
Blog http://studiosmc.blogspot.com
What are you most looking forward to in your business this year? I have many goals for the new year but there are two I’m totally psyched to watch unfold. My business is fueled by positive energy, personal stories, and bringing happiness through photographs and kindness. My first goal is to really grow my community by partnering with other businesses and individuals. The second is to share the love. I feel as connected to the people I photograph as to the work itself and can’t wait for my life to be further enriched by the stories I capture.
What are you hoping to take away from the Inspire conference?
I am excited to meet and learn from other local photographers who are doing great things with their business and creating amazing art.
Describe an inspiring experience you had recently?
This past fall I photographed the wedding of two women. Same-sex marriage has been legal a little over seven years in Massachusetts but for many couples and their families this is all new territory. These women moved to Massachusetts not long ago and many of their guests were traveling for their wedding. They were committed to working with vendors who they connected with and who were willing to create a very personal experience for them and their guests. I have never seen such forethought go into a wedding that wasn’t directed related to pretty place cards, fancy linens or staged sets. Don’t get me wrong these ladies were all about the details but that was not the real focus for them. They wanted their guests to feel the same love they felt for each other, and let me tell you, that was big! It made me treasure why I do what I do and how my work impacts people’s lives. It also made me appreciate where I live and how lucky I am to be married to the love of my life.
What is the most difficult photograph you ever made? Why?
One of the first people in my adult life to die was my dad’s mother. I felt very close to my grandmother despite the fact that we spoke different languages. However, food is a universal language and that she spoke fluently. When she died I decided to go into the dark room and produce b/w prints of her to display at the funeral home and to give to all of my cousins. I was so glad I had captured her portrait but it was not an easy task to produce the prints after her passing. She was a very lively lady and to see her so still, so quiet, was difficult.
What is something you are good at, besides photography?
I am a pretty good hugger and a very enthusiastic dancer:)
What would be your dream photography assignment? Why?
I have two dream assignments: I think I might pee myself if I ever got to shoot with Annie Leibovitz, and I would love to shoot a bridal session just like the one for Vogue in Sex and the City. I don’t often express my love for all things girly but that bridal session was gorgeous and over the top and I loved it!
What is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?
A number of years ago I photographed a friend during her pregnancy. It was fun and different for me and she was thrilled to have those photos. But what was really meaningful was when this friend actually gave birth. Holy cannolli. I have never seen such an amazing breathe of life as I did in that moment. It forever changed me.
What artists inspire you? Why?
There are a couple of photographers whose work I find to be inspiring and original and at times a little unnerving. Angelica Glass out of NYC is pretty cool. Her work is edgy and sexy and intimate. I love visiting her blog and wished she would update it hourly:) Diane Arbus has always been an inspiration for her unique perspective and intimacy with various subcultures. Her work is real. I guess that is what I like about Angelica’s work too. I aspire to produce work that is true and beautiful no matter who you are or what your story is.
What thought or message would you put into a fortune cookie?
Life is short. Get out there and do what you are meant to do.
.jpg "RPG_Keys_web-res") Hello! We’ve invested in a special partnership with RPG Keys, in order to let 50 of our attendees try this $349 product for free.
Cut Your Photo Editing Time In Half in 2012!
An RPG KEY is a photo editing keyboard designed to help you get your post production work done in a fraction of the time. This shortcut keyboard works with Photoshop, Aperture, Lightroom, Bridge and more!
Anyone who has a ticket to Inspire may reserve one of 50 Keys available. Those who participate will leave the conference with the 16 key RPG KEY and a 60 day trial to jumpstart your photo editing in 2012! A representative from RPG Keys will be at Inspire to give hands on tutorials and answer questions about this amazing tool.
This offer is only valid for photographers who have registered to attend Inspire 2012 in March, and is limited to the first 50 people who RSVP through the RPG website. All keys will be distributed at the Inspire 2012 conference only!
Want to try it out? After you’ve registered to attend Inspire, you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to reserve your RPG Keys. Click here for a pdf with more information.
This is part of a series of blog posts featuring people who will be attending Inspire in March of 2012. Introducing here: Kristine Soares, of Kristine Soares Photography. Website: http://kristinesoares.zenfolio.com/
Blog: http://kristinesoares.blogspot.com/
Inspire: What are you hoping to take away from the Inspire conference? Kristine: The classes that are being offered seem to fit my personal needs perfectly. I am just starting out in the field and really need to learn the ropes. After looking at what is on the schedule, I have a feeling this is going to teach me a lot. In addition to the classes, I’m extremely excited to be among other people who have a passion for what they do. I hope I can reconnect with old friends(Leah Haydock was my wedding photographer and part of my inspiration to become a photographer) and make some new friends! No matter what, I have no doubt that Inspire will be an amazing opportunity for me.
Inspire: What is something you are good at, besides photography? Kristine: My gut answer is to say, being a mom. I have always wanted to be a mother, probably since I was 4 years old. When my son was born over a year ago, being a mom just came naturally to me. I have the blessing of staying home with him and watch him learn/grow. I think my super power is the ability to make him laugh. There is nothing like the belly laugh of a toddler! I guess I would say that I can sing too. I’ve done some community theatre and local competitions. Even attempted to tryout for American Idol in the second season(5,000 showed up, only 1500 auditioned and I wasn’t one of them ). But I hear there is a karaoke night at Inspire!
Inspire: What would be your dream photography assignment? Why? Kristine: To go back in time and photograph my stepmother. My stepmother passed away almost 8 years ago, but it still feels like yesterday. Had I discovered this love of photography back then, maybe there would be more pictures of her today. I wish I could have the opportunity to chronicle her life and show what an incredible woman she was. That would be a gift for everyone that knew her.
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Leslie - What a fantastic write up!!! Carrie is amazing! She was my wedding photographer, and I can honestly say, the day wouldn’t have been the same without her, she’s the best!