Remember how I mentioned that the workshop was going to be nothing short of a great time?  Well that was an understatement.  The workshop blew me away.  What amazed me about that day was not meeting John Michael Cooper, a phenomenal photographer, it was meeting John Michael Cooper, a true artist.  The time he spends mastering his craft, drawing up new ways to approach a shoot, pulling inspiration from the most unlikely of sources, and how he approaches this line of business is astonishing.  Then there is the lovely Dalisa Cooper.  What I would give to have this woman come run my business!  

I learned so many things in the short eight hours with the Coopers, but the one thing that is going to stay with me for a long time is how willing they are to share the tricks to their trade.  In fact, I find this to be quite the norm in this industry.  Everyone is willing to bolster up and support each other.  Pretty remarkable given how easy it is to hoard ideas, and in John's case, fantastic ideas to get a leg up on a competitor. 

Honestly, if you have a chance to sit in on John Michael and Dalisa Cooper's workshop, I highly encourage it.  Their tour is quickly selling out so jump online and sign up.  You will not be disappointed. 

Also, a huge thanks to Eric Doggett for opening up his lovely home and hosting the event as well as participating in the model shoot.   

Now, what is a post without sharing pictures? 

Here's one of John Michael talking about some lighting technique.

I had the pleasure of shooting an engagement session for Margie and Frank earlier this summer...and I must say, aren't these two just cute?!  To add to the cuteness, Margie and Frank brought along their two sons for a family session as well!  Despite the beating sun, everyone was all smiles.  It was a definitely a good time. 

Here's a few of my favorites:

I can't believe that two weeks since launching this blog, I'm already behind on posting.  I'll get better at this, I promise!

Tomorrow I'll be attending the very alt F workshop given by John and Dalisa Cooper, the masterminds behind the trendy and infamous Trash the Dress shoots.  John and Dalisa are making their way around the country so if you are interested in a fun and refreshing take on photography, check out their summer tour schedule at www.veryaltf.com.

This workshop is going to be nothing short of a great time.  I'll be back to post pictures from the event. 

 

 

I still remember the moment I met Melanie and Jack, my first "official" client (read: not my family or friends who've been up to that point, willing and sometimes unwilling subjects of my camera).  Melanie approached with the warmest smile and Jack was so laid back that any nerves I had instantly vanished. 

We started out the shoot in downtown Austin and then moved to the train tracks and an abandoned bridge, all perfect locations for this fun, edgy couple. 

Melanie and Jack - thank you again for being such good sports.  We are looking forward to your upcoming wedding!.








For more photos of Melanie and Jack, check Theo's blog out.

Greetings and welcome to my little corner of the Internet!  It is here where I'll be documenting my passion for photography and showcasing the wonderful people who've allowed me to capture a moment of their lives.

The path to the realization of this dream has been a labor of love and I want to acknowledge the people who have made it all possible.

Into the Darkroom - My most sincerest appreciation to the folks at Into The Darkroom for helping me launch this blog!  Meghan, Kitty, Anthony, and the entire ITDR team have been very patient with me and have always had an answer or a solution to my many questions.  They put my vision of this blog into life and for that, I'm forever grateful. 

Parklife Press -  I had the wonderful fortune of having worked with Travis Friedrich during the design and letterpressing of our wedding invitations.  So when the need for my business stationery arose, I knew that he was my go-to-guy.  Go check his website out.  Seriously.  He can make the simplest of designs into a masterpiece.  Travis, I can't wait to collaborate in our future projects!

My Friends and Family - There is no doubt, I'm a blessed girl.  To all my family and friends, thank you for your continued support.   I love you all.

A very special thanks to my partner in crime, my younger brother Thao who has eased the angst of launching a business by joining in and opening his own shop.  Visit his creation here.  T - thanks for sharing in this learning process.  Now that we are both up and running, I'm looking forward to seeing your creative side flourish.  Plus, I'm thrilled at the idea of having a guaranteed second shooter because hey, I'm older and I can still boss you around. *wink*

And last but certainly never ever least in my book, my husband Brian.  Thank you for the extra push to get me to move forward with this project.  All of this would still be an abstract idea if you hadn't placed the business forms in front of me to sign and then walked me over to get things on file. Also, thank you for being my attorney, business partner, office manager, IT guy, and most importantly, the one I turn to when I need someone to just listen.  I puffy heart you! 

Ok, I'm currently working on a few projects for my clients but I promise to return soon with pictures from our recent shoots.

-Nhi