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Featured : Bride+Bloom Magazine
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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S he had this thing about her. This way of articulating her thoughts without making you feel like she was telling you what she wanted...a way that allowed you to see into the vision, her dream day. Erica spoke with me about she and Brian met (at a damp beachfront bar in Hermosa Beach), how he proposed (after competing as part of the US Olympic Water Polo team in Greece, they stopped in Paris and he dropped to his knee) and how she envisioned her Terranea wedding (an elegant vintage beach affair). The details to each story freely flowed and I became smitten with everything Erica was.
By the time her wedding came around last year, I knew she made sure the day reflected her detail-oriented dreams. When Erica and Brian danced together, I couldn't help but feel my heart melt with happiness. They're an amazing couple who deserves the best...and their wedding reflected just that. I'm honored to see it grace the pages of Bride and Bloom Magazine... |
    
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EXPOSED : The Magazine
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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O n January 1, 2011, I joined a dear friend in a personal project. We both signed up to be part of an online community of people who made the commitment to write at least 750 words every day. I didn't know what the heck I was getting into, but I did it...and for 31 days straight, I sat and wrote. About anything. What came out was simply my thoughts, memories, and outlines of how I started my business. And this wasn't the stuff I'd already written or shared online...this was stuff I swept under the rug. Until I had a chance to write it all out.
30,000 words later, I knew I started something...now the question was whether I wanted to finish it. In February, with the encouragement of some dear friends (more of those details coming soon), I continued writing. And writing. Well, one thing led to another...which led to some crazy ideas...and then crazy ideas turned into a reality.
It is with great excitement I announce the publication of EXPOSED...
If you're still wondering what, exactly, this is...it's a 165-page magazine that focuses on the first two years of my business. It highlights the professional aspects of becoming a photographer (everything from learning to shoot manually to posing tips), as well as personal struggles of starting a business (everything from being betrayed by allies to being accused of copying someone else's work).
If you'd like to be one of the first to order a limited issue of EXPOSED, you can do so by CLICKING HERE. Regardless if a single magazine is read, I will know that I put my heart and soul into a personal project and I couldn't be prouder of the way my team rallied behind me to make this dream a reality.
Here's to crazy ideas...and making them happen.
**UPDATE: Yes, we are shipping internationally!** :) |
I had a conversation with my sister last week and she recounted a story that left an indelible impression. Okay, so indelible might be a strong word because I'm about to retell it now and will likely botch the details of the story, but I promise to leave the nucleus in tact. We spoke about hard work and setting goals, regardless of how lofty they appear. Then she told me the following...
Teams from around the world gathered to compete in a survival competition in the toughest of situations. They had to travel over 300 miles in the snow and blistering cold to the finish line, so most determined a pace of 20 miles per day would be the best route. One team darted from the starting line and completed 35 miles the first day, but only finished 10 miles the following day due to exhaustion. Each day, they fell further behind, losing sight of their goal. And, no, the goal wasn't the finish line...necessarily. Sure it was the end goal, but the daily feat was simply to work through 20 miles. That's it. The team that stuck to and accomplished this goal--despite how small it seemed--won the race.
That's when it hit me: those who quietly sit behind a computer and study, photograph for the love of learning, and freely give to others in the name of moving the industry forward are putting in their 20 miles. Every day.
And we don't have to finish first to know we ran a good race. |
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The Workshop : November 2011
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© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
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L ast Tuesday I sat around a large table surrounded by photographers from around the world. Okay, so the majority of us were American, but there were five Canadians, so that's still around-the-world-ish, right? At this time in the evening--after a long day of my photography branding workshop--we felt like friends, BFFs sitting around the proverbial campfire swapping stories. When I started a sentence that began with, I really love that new show New Girl... I was promptly cut off by four other people who reinacted their favorite scenes.
And right then? I felt like the luckiest girl. Ever.
It's one thing to do what I love (wedding photography), and another thing to teach photographers about what I do (branding and marketing), but an entirely different thing to be seated at a table with people who I want to squeeze way too tightly. I don't think I'm stepping out of bounds when I say that in that moment, we all felt really darn lucky. |
| The Workshop focuses on the Eight Components of Branding and I spend the day detailing how I built my business...and formed my photography brand. I arranged a shoot to demonstrate how I shoot in ways to push my brand forward and I give attendees the chance to do the same...but before they do, they have to tell me what three words embodies their brand and how they plan on photographing images that'll push that idea forward. Lucky for us, we worked with Melanie and Mark for the day and I couldn't have asked for a nicer couple to model for us... |
| One thing I love about Melanie is her ability to live life to the fullest...she's fun, kind, and quirky...oh, and she's also an insanely talented event designer/wedding coordinator for Jesi Haack Weddings...she definitely came ready to have a good time... |
| One of the attendees (hi, Chantel!) asked if I'd be able to demonstrate how I shoot in full, midday sun...and riiiiiiight about then I felt my stomach turn. It always makes me nervous to shoot in the harshest conditions, but I maintain that if a photographer can shoot in those conditions (75-degrees, full sun), they can shoot anywhere! |
| Many thanks to the ever amazing...ever kind...and ever fabulous Vivian Tran of All Made Up for styling, hair, and makeup...love her! |
| Oh, Melannnnnnnnnie! STOP IT. Really. So much hotness and I can't even stand it! Work it out... |
| Because Melanie is beautiful AND talented, she decided to make her own bouquet...yes, I'm jealous of her, too. |
| And, like, always, this is my favorite photo of the day...I can't describe how much I loved this group. So much talent, heart, and burning passion that I am thoroughly excited where the industry is headed!! Oh, and they made J* t-shirts, so I gave them double cool points for being so awesome! I can't wait to see where they're headed and the amazing things they'll do in their communities...I'm lucky to call them peers...and friends. |
| To attend a future workshop, be sure to sign up for the newsletter as I announce registration for The Workshop exclusively through it! |
H ave you heard of Help-Portrait? If not, hold onto your hats because this will...umm...blow your hats off. This amazing organization has given 101,000 portraits in 54 countries...for free. Help-Portrait is a unique way for the community to come together and show people their value in a tangible way - with a portrait.
Help-Portrait is a community of photographers coming together across the world to use their photography skills to give back to their local community. On December 10, 2011, photographers around the world will be grabbing their cameras, finding people in need and taking their picture. When the prints are ready, the photographs get delivered.
Yup. It's that easy. |
If you'd like to join the 12,000 volunteers, CLICK HERE for more information. This is a great way to better connect with other photographers, give back, and show just how special a person truly is...using the power of a photograph.
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