 |
|
Kisses+Disses : Thai Pizza + TopShop
|
S o he got this idea and it sounded nice until he got to the one part where I...hold on, lemme back up. JD suggested visiting his family this weekend and making them lunch. Now, I don't even make myself lunch, so the idea of making food for others is scary. It'll be easy, he said and then planned an Italian meal out loud. When he got to the homemade pizza part, he turned to me and suggested I make a Thai chicken pizza.
Really? We're gonna go there about THAT pizza? The pizza that tasted like peanut butter and ginger?! My friend Amy gave me this great recipe, but when she made it, it was deelish. When I tried a few weeks later, the dogs of Phuket wouldn't have gone near it.
So. Now what? Should I make Thai pizza and prove every assumption my mother-in-law has about my cooking? Should I suggest making a cheese platter instead? Should I simply say no and sip on Pellegrino? Should I hide in the living room and watch reruns of Real Housewives? Ugh.
This leads me to another installment of Kisses and Disses... |
This week's DISSES go to...
*My Thai chicken pizza. It doesn't love me back.
*Hollywood. I'm grateful to live in a country where I can freely watch movies, but this summer has been less Blockbusters and more Lacklusters. F'real.
*Real Housewives. Why is this show so awful? AWFULLY GOOD. |
This week's KISSES go to...
*TopShop. I discovered this store in London and I'm sad thankful it's not here in California or else I'd be in serious debt.
*Massage chairs. Does it make me totally ghetto to sit in massage chairs at Brookstone longer than I should? Yeah, well, I don't care!
*United Airport Lounge. We finally became allegiant to a airline and accrued enough points to hang out in the lounge. This sounds way fancy, but really the only difference is we got free nuts and cheese while we waited...I grabbed a few packets to make it worth while!
Happy Friday! |
    
|
Reflections : Maximizing Indoor Lighting
|
O kay, so after yesterday's lengthy blog post (I know some of you were thinking, you're killing me, Smalls!...$10 itunes gift card to the first person who can name that movie), I decided to keep this post short and sweet. However, seeing how I've already gone on one tangent in the first sentence, I'm not sure if I can actually make it happen.
One of the great things about hosting a photography workshop is I get to do it with JD. He's actually the person who does everything...I simply show up and talk (which is something I'm way good at...duh). JD also shoots behind-the-scene photos, so I thought I'd snag a few and talk about the photo exif data and how we worked with the light, both indoors and outdoors.
Whenever I start a photo shoot for a workshop, I set up the couple, explain what I do, photograph the subjects, then step back for questions or allow the students to practice given the same set up. Here I'm standing about four feet from my subjects, just in front of the window so light from my right side doesn't become a distraction in my frame... |
| Here I'm explaining how I photograph a groom, which can sometimes be difficult since guys are less likely to be comfortable/work it for my camera than a bride. I strategically placed Dan at the edge of the window frame so it could illuminate his face, but also in a way that there wouldn't be too much light behind him, which may cause distraction and less depth of field... |
| I stood at the opposite edge of the window (as you can see from the light on my arms and shirt), so I wouldn't block the window light from Dan's face... |
| I then positioned Dan and Rachel on a couch, but the windows (our natural light source) was behind them, so I coached them into turning their faces outward, instead of into each other, causing deeper shadows, and angling Dan's face to the light as much as possible... |
| While the couple sat in virtually the same position, I asked Rachel to look at my camera...but, specifically, to sit behind Dan's face, closer to the light source (the windows to the right of the frame), so the illumination was natural and soft... |
| We went outside for a bit and while it was slightly overcast, the day was still bright. I pulled the couple just out from under the shade of the tree, then directed them to walk toward me... |
The best part of the day was learning from the attendees. They all brought their personal style and flair, so watching them work their magic with the models was fun and exciting...I am pretty sure we all walked away stronger photographers because of our interactions. I hope this helps you, too, in one way or another!
Happy Thursday! |
|
Starting a Photography Business : What I Wish I Knew
|
I f you're here and you're thinking about pursuing photography or taking your photography business full time, I'd love to have a little chat. Why? Because I got to thinking. And when I think, dangerous things happen. Like that one time I bought cream suede boots...I looked like a Mexican telenovela actress at a karaoke bar...it was bad. Whoa, that was a detour. Back to starting your photography business!
I got to thinking about a few things I wish I knew before starting my business. Yes, I wish I knew more about the technicality of photography (wait, so you're telling me f-stop and aperture ARE THE SAME THING?!?), but I wish someone would've sat me down and had a real conversation about expectations. I envision this scene in my head like there's this mafia-looking guy (hair slicked, big nose, acne scars) sitting in a corner booth at an Italian restaurant ready to give me me first hit job. Come to think of it, maybe I'd wear those suede boots in this scene. |
Okay, so here we go. Here's what I wish someone told me when I first started my photography business...
1. Expect the Worse.
It might sound terribly pessimistic, but expect the worse. If you can imagine just how bad things could be--and you're okay with the outcome--then you know exactly what you're risking. Knowing the worst, but hoping for the best tempered my emotions when I first started. The worst case scenario (for me) was: failing at photography, going back to law school, and owning a really nice DSLR camera. Once I realized what life looked like if I failed, I was ready to succeed. There are others who might be risking a mortgage, health insurance, and a 401K, so I suspect the transition may be slower in order to safeguard one's family and assets, but it's important to really know what's on the line.
2. Good Mistakes.
Although you don't want to make mistakes, they'll happen. It's part of the growing process, but it's important to know not all mistakes are bad. A misstep that allows you to learn, correct, or grow is actually beneficial and the more you make in the beginning, the less you'll make later. Instead of trying to avoid mistakes, embrace each challenge optimistically and know you're learning along the way.
3. Unconsciously Decision Make.
Okay, so that was written all yoda-style, but what I really mean is go with your gut. I'd like to think I carefully weighed all the factors before starting my business (consciously), but actual decision making is made in primarily in an unconscious way. This doesn't mean this is bad or faulty, there's simply just too much to digest, too many unknowns (I had never started a business before, could I really compete in a saturated market, would people like my suede boots?). Innately, we want to make educated decisions, but it's important to know actual reasons are hardly enough to cover reality. Do as much research as you can, then take a jump!
(This also applies to buying lenses, the perfect photoshop actions, business cards, a website, etc)
4. Thought Paralysis.
This pertains to point three. When you start a business, you want to know all your options...at least I did. Little did I realize this would only lead to the inability to actually make a decision. The more you research, the more you'll find. This may lead to a rabbit hole of choices (been there, done that), so try to set parameters before you dive too deep.
5. Emotional Anticipation and Assessment.
Let's be real for a second: the daily grind of what I do isn't glamorous. I sit in yoga pants for hours in front of my computer...I sing for my dog...I occasionally wear mismatched socks around the house. I work a ton and I photograph (professionally) on good days. Before I built my business, I looked forward to working from home with positive emotions (probably because I had never done so), but once things got going, I realized it wasn't all pixie dust and kazoos. The emotions I place leading to or at the conclusion of an event are often the strongest because they're idealized...it was important for me to take my perfected ideas of being self-employed and juxtapose it with reality. I wish I had done so earlier because it would have lessened the blow of sitting in solitude for hours, not having a water cooler to congregate around, and having a co-worker with four legs.
Whew, this was a doozey of a post. If you stayed with me until the end, you got bonus cool points in my book. If this helps just one person--even a tiny bit--then I'm happy. The more we help each other, the better this industry will become. Together.
Happy Wednesday! |
|
The Workshop : London
|
© Jasmine Star. This post cannot be republished without permission. Stealing makes me sad. |
|
O nce I had to visit a doctor for what I thought were heart problems...I even carried aspirin in my purse juuuust in case. One can never be too prepared for a heart attack in their late 20s, right?! After an EKG and other tests, the doctor told me I wasn't experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, but, rather, stress. And right then? The weight of the aspirin in my purse made me feel like a drama queen. Capital d, capital q.
Before leaving his office, he handed me a glossy brochure of ways to deal with stress, one of them being deep breathing. Ten deep breaths, to be exact. So that's what I did. I breathed deeply. And picked up jogging.
Last week I resorted to my ten-deep-breaths technique as I rode the elevator to The Workshop mixer at The Sanctum Hotel in London. My heart felt like it was going to burst right out of my chest and run away. I was incredibly nervous to meet the attendees, but as soon as I arrived, I was greeted with warm British smiles.
The remainder of the night passed like flash, but by the next morning, everyone showed up like the party never ended... |
| I've always wanted to host a photography workshop in London, but the weight of organization held me back. When Kat Williams of Rock n Roll Bride offered her assistance in planning, I took her up and nervously flew across the Atlantic. What I expected was to host a workshop...what I didn't expect was to walk away with 20 new industry friends who are ready to change wedding photography in England. I'm incredibly honored to have met such an amazing group of people. |
| What's this? Well, it's this drink called elderberry juice. And it's like nectar of the gods. Only better. The next time I'm in London, I may walk around with an i.v. of this stuff on tap. |
| Many thanks to The Recipe for providing amazing food throughout the day...I felt like royalty eating such amazing meals! |
| Words can't even begin to describe how thankful I am for our wonderful, lovely, and gorgeous models for the day, Rachel and Dan. They're such a kind couple who offered to join us for the day...I'm incredibly appreciative of their time! |
| Many, many, many thanks to Alicia of One Marylebone. She kindly offered this wedding venue for the workshop and it couldn't have been more gorgeous. She also organized Great Hire to join our team for the day to provide the beautiful chairs and chaise for the photo shoot. |
| This photo is actually a screen capture of The Workshop video Richard Wakefield made (as seen at the end of this post), but I love how it captures the mood of the day! |
| The lovely ladies with Pollen Nation provided lovely florals for the workshop... |
| Okay, so can I please take a moment of tres chicness for Rachel and Dan's fashion choices?! Because, really, let's give it up for this Ted Baker suit...with top stitching and a matching vest. I swoon. Rachel wore her actual wedding dress (they wed last January) by David Fielden and a gorge gorge gorge headpiece by Liberty in Love... |
| Here's my favorite photo of the day... |
To my new friends and allies...thank you for making my first trip to London something truly magical. It was better than I imagined and I can't express my sincerest appreciation for being such great friends. I loved seeing the way you all pulled together and created a network all your own...a network based on helping each other, giving feedback, and promising to make big changes in your lives. I'm so proud and I can't wait to see what the future holds for you! Much love and appreciation... j*
As a lovely recap of the day, the ever-fab Richard Wakefield of FX Films created a video of The Workshop...I can't tell you how lucky I am to have such talented friends! Check it out...
Jasmine Star - The London Workshop, July 2011 (Wedding Photography Training) from FX Films on Vimeo.
If you'd like to attend a future workshop, be sure to sign up for the newsletter as I announce registration for The Workshop exclusively through it! |
S hortly after getting home from our trip, I received some sad news. I sat and cried. I'm not so much a crier (although there's been evidence on this blog to prove the contrary), so I needed a moment to pull myself together. It was then when I saw Polo sit at my feet and rest his head against my legs.
He darted in from another room, almost as if he had this innate ability to feel me. And right about now I sound like a crazy old lady who collects lace doilies, but I'm not. Promise. I scooped him up and squeezed him tight. Then picked up one of my many doilies nearby and dried my tears.
I kid, I kid.
In the hurriedness of life, pain causes a person to stop and reflect. During this time, it's nice to have a friend who's willing to run from another room and make my day a little better. |
2013
|
|
|
2012
|
|
|
2011
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
|
