Each year I try to improve and learn something new.  I want to make sure I’m always reaching for something more, and delivering my best self and best work to my clients, and I know that the more I learn, the more the tools I have to make the most of EVERY session.  At the beginning of my photography journey, it was the basics, and each year thereafter it’s been any number of things!  I’ve learned how to use new lenses, taken online workshops, read a bazillion tutorials, but really what I love best is HANDS ON interaction and mentoring with some of the best photographers out there.  And I was SO happy/ecstatic/on cloud 9, when last November I snagged a highly coveted mentoring spot with THE Sarah Hill of Sarah-Beth Photography out of Indianapolis!!!!  These spots sell out in SECONDS!  You think it’s hard to get tickets to any Chicago concert??  Ain’t got nothin on these SBP spots, and I had one!!!   At least with a concert you can scalp a ticket if you miss when they sell out first, but not with this!  And I had a spot!!! I would be traveling to Charlotte, NC to mentor with her in June, and it was all I could think about for 6 months!!!

Well then the worst thing imaginable happened.  My father-in-law very suddenly and unexpectedly passed away on May 9, 2015.  To say that it changed me and my family is an understatement to no end.  Our life was and is still shattered, and we are trying to figure out what to do with all the pieces.  Anyone who has lost a parent can attest to the craziness of life that ensues afterwards… we are stuck waiting for something to change back to the way it was, but the world continues on.  {I am writing more about my father-in-law soon…}  To think that only a few weeks later, the Friday of Father’s Day weekend, no less, I was to be in Charlotte.  The decision, albeit hard to accept professionaly, was simple: I could not leave my family on the days before Father’s Day, our first without my second father.  While sobbing I emailed Sarah to let her know, if there was any way to swap I would love to, but there was no way to make it.  My family needed me, and I needed them.  She was SO kind and supportive and understanding, and I appreciate all the extra effort she & Heather put in to fill a spot she could have filled months ago.

I was super bummed.  Just so bummed.  I KNOW I made the right decision, but it just sucked, ya know?  One of those grown up decisions that you know is right and you want, but hard not to have everything you had so planned for.

And then one day after what would have been my amazing mentoring weekend, a spot for an Indy mentoring session opened up!!!  OMG did I just see that??  I hopped on the opportunity as fast as I could type, hoping I could find childcare and change schedules on such quick notice.  And still today, not sure if a spot opened up, or if she added on an additional spot for me, but either way I am SOOOO grateful!!!  Lightning struck twice!  This truly was the best thing I have done for myself and business in a long time!!

If you have met Sarah, or even if you follow her work, you know she is so funny, bubbly, honest, and she really cares about the families she works with and all photographers, and really just all people!!  Her talent is amazing, and she gives so much during these workshops.  She will look at what you’re doing and tell you, “Oh.ma.gah! YAAASSSS!  You got this!” or “Nope, not working, get lower” or any number of things that may need tweaked.   Up front and honest, but with a delivery that is helpful and not criticizing in the least.  With any teacher of any kind, you want them to help you do YOUR best, and she has that in spades!!

Learned SO much more about strategically posing all the family members, finding the most gorgeous light, running my business, and I had so many “Aha!!!” type moments, this, again, was the best thing I could do for myself and my business!!

Enjoy some Behind the Scenes shots as well as my favorites from this gorgeous shoot of Liz’s family 🙂

And to Sarah, thank you so much for so generously offering your guidance and talent to so many other photographers, to help us all reach our own potential, and for being so amazing!  Smooches!!

And some love from behind the scenes 😉