Posts Tagged ‘Workshop’

September 8th, 2009

Top 12 Reasons for a Husband to Send His Wife to a CONFIDENCE Photography Wkshp! (brought to you by Brian and Jeramy)

Last week one of our blog readers commented how she really wanted to come to a CONFIDENCE Workshop. But her husband had concerns about the cost, especially since she doesn’t have a photography business.

“It is just an hour away…but I can’t seem to convince hubby to pony up the money…he is the greatest husband, father, and provider for our family and I understand his concern, it’s big bucks-especially when you don’t have a photography business in place to theoretically “recoup” the costs-but I feel like it is too big of an opportunity to pass up. I mean…hello, Me Ra and Brian, in our neck of the woods?! Heck yeah! Does anyone have any tips for convincing a reluctant (Husband) to take the plunge??? (Or rather, to let his wife take the plunge)”

Soon after a number of other women chimed in with the same request-”Tell us how to convince our hubbies!”

Never fear ladies, Brian and Jeramy are HERE!

Here are the TOP 12 Reasons for a Husband to send his wife to a Me Ra Koh CONFIDENCE Workshop. Yes, I’m taking this seriously ladies. I recruited the big gun, our famous male token blog commenter, Jeramy. Let me say his reasons are all authentic, drawing from his own experience of sending his wife TWICE! Feel free to print and share with your hubbies.

  1. When your wife gets home from the weekend, it will be tough for her to be angry about the “honey do’s” that you still HAVEN’T done yet. (Jeramy)
  2. Pizza rolls and cool-aid are finally appropriate food choices for the kids for once in their life. Whatever is easiest. Just as long as your kids know YOU ARE the MAN! (oh, and did I mention, Movie Night, Every Night?) (Brian and Jeramy)
  3. When your wife gets home, she can explain what ‘f-stop’ means. (Jeramy)
  4. Divorce attorney’s cost WAY more than the workshop does. (Jeramy)
  5. As a husband, you’ll get entry to “Brian’s secret pub crawl” before the meet and greet. (Jeramy)
  6. Your wife will sing your praises for the next 6 months minimum. (If you’re really creative about how you surprise her, it could be praises for over a year! Being creative with the whole surprise part is KEY. Just as Wendy Z. from Sonoma’s wkshp!) (Brian)
  7. You get to find out if Brian Koh really DOES know how to use a camera (Jeramy)
  8. If your wife has talked to you about her five love languages, and you can only seem to express one…never fear, the workshop is guaranteed to express all five for YOU. (Man, we make you look good!) (Brian)
  9. After your wife attends the workshop, it won’t seem so weird that you comment on MeRa’s blog every day. (this was obviously Jeramy’s)
  10. Your wife will use 9,987 of her 10,000 words per day AT the CONFIDENCE workshop. (Jeramy)
  11. If she cries that weekend, dude, it won’t be YOUR fault for once. (Brian)

AND NUMBER 12! The VERY BEST REASON FOR SENDING YOUR WIFE TO THE CONFIDENCE WORKSHOP!

12. You will have a winning answer for her TRICK question “Honey, what do you think about my photography?” Instead of being the deer in the headlights (because there is no right answer) You can say with CONFIDENCE :) “Uhh? Well? Uh? What do those 19 other women from your workshop say? I think you’re AWESOME!” (Brian)

Today’s Contest!

If you’re a husband, and you have a reason why your wife should attend Me Ra’s CONFIDENCE Workshop, Jeramy and I are asking for you to post your reason in the comments below.

The funniest TWO will get a $20 gift certificate to iTunes or Starbucks, your choice. Jeramy and Brian will be the honorable judges. Make sure you include an email or someway to send you the prize. Winners will be announced this week!
(Women with ideas for their husbands are also elligible.)

So please, help us make our list complete.

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The Early Bird Registration for the SEATTLE CONFIDENCE Workshop begins TOMORROW! Check back tomorrow for details!

We still have a few spots left in the Minneapolis CONFIDENCE Workshop! To grab one of the last spots, CLICK HERE!

Want to learn more about Framing, Composition, Blurry Backgrounds and Lighting? Check out our Award Winning DVDs, Refuse to Say Cheese and (They are BACK IN STOCK!! Yeah!!), or discover our popular 101 Kits for starting or expanding a business in photography, click on the titles of your choice!

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January 26th, 2009

Look At What She Did!

I have to brag on Abbey from our Atlanta Workshop! I am so PROUD of her! If you need a little inspiration, here is your Monday dose! :)

Little background first…

The week before our workshop, Abbey emailed me and Brian and said she had been working for a wedding photographer as an assistant. Abbey was hoping the workshop would help her with confidence and skills b/c she wanted to be that much better of an assistant to her boss. But when her boss heard that she was coming to our workshop, she decided to “let her go” b/c she thought Abbey would be to good afterwards. Brian and I were speechless. This was a first!

Abbey told us she was totally thrown off, but was going to try and look at all of this as a sign to get her own business off the ground. She had the BEST attitude one could have for such a surprise turn of events.

After the workshop Abbey’s friend, a makeup artist, asked her to be the photographer for a fashion shoot. This request literally came the night the workshop ended. Abbey freaked out and said “NO!” because she knew nothing about fashion shooting. But her friend talked her into it, and the Tuesday after our workshop ended she was doing her first fashion shoot!

I thought I’d let you read Abbey’s words of what happened next.

I MUST say I was out of my element, but I could use so many of the things you guys taught me. I metered, talked to the models the entire time to keep them comfortable, I even bounced my flash (like a raquet ball, Brian)!! ha ha! I thought I would share a few pictures. Feedback is seriously helpful! I hope I did not embarrass myself or you, but was proud of myself for WAY stepping outside of the my “box”!! I sent these to the style team, and they have asked me to do the next photo shoot too!!!

Here are a few of the shots Abbey took! If you have a free minute, post a comment with some feedback! I think she did AMAZING for her first time of metering light and working a fashion themed shoot!

Way to go Abbey!!!

Update on San Francisco Workshop!

At your request, we will release ALL the details regarding the upcoming workshop on tomorrow’s blog post. On Wednesday morning, we will open registration to all our former workshop attendees for the first week. Next Wednesday, we will begin the Early Bird Special for everyone else with whatever spots we have left!

As a little treat…

Garrett, shot this beautiful image to give us a sneak peak of where our location will be for the workshop! :) I can’t WAIT!

(thanks Garrett! You’re AWESOME!)

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For fun photo exercises, check out our popular Instructional DVDs Refuse to Say Cheese and (They are BACK IN STOCK!! Yeah!!), our 101 Kits for starting or expanding a in , click on the words of your choice!

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January 23rd, 2009

The Foursome Are Back!

Woohoo! The Foursome are Back!! Garrett, me, Brian and Rick Chapman! Yep, it’s going to happen again!!

We’re headed back over the Golden Gate bridge to bring you THREE, not two, but THREE jam packed NEW days of DISCOVERY!

Look out ladies!

So turn on your listening ears b/c ALL the DETAILS are coming this Tuesday morning!

If you can’t stand it and want some juicy details now (like hints of around the theme, the dates and cost), join our workshop Facebook Group “MeRa Koh Workshops” (the Me and Ra are together). I posted a few answers there last night! There is a thread going now as we speak! C’mon over!

Registration begins on Tuesday or Wednesday (we’ll keep you posted) for Former Workshop Attendees first. All you ladies that have been with us before will get the first opportunity to reserve your spot the first week of registration. The second week we’ll open up registration to everyone with the Early Bird Discount!

See you on the flip side!! (That’s my way of sounding cool for “see you Monday!”, what do you think? :) The kids are rolling their eyes.)

One more for Denis. Couldn’t resist!

FOOF!

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For fun photo exercises, check out our popular Instructional DVDs Refuse to Say Cheese and (They are BACK IN STOCK!! Yeah!!), our 101 Kits for starting or expanding a in , click on the words of your choice!

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January 22nd, 2009

Where Do You Go When Your Photo Shoot is Rained Out? How About Under the Freeway? :)

Yep, you heard me. Under the freeway. You know, where all the ivy grows and black soot collects. Where random Taco Bell trash exists, and you wonder how it got there–then start to think about it–then shudder at your thoughts. Yep, that’s where we went. Ideal photo shoot location for a family with two boys under six? You wouldn’t think, but we went for it anyway! ;)

Unlike sunny San Diego, the Northwest weather can be wet and fickle! My portrait clients will sometimes book their sessions six months out. How will we know what the weather will be like? And in the Northwest, it can be totally sunny one minute and raining the next. It’s enough reason to NOT shoot portrait sessions in the Northwest. But miss out on the craziness, challenge and sheer joy of kids? No way. :) This client in particular lives almost an hour away. When they left their home to head toward me the weather was fine. When they arrived it was pouring down rain.

Now imagine being the mom who has got her boys dressed, snacked up and ready to have their pictures taken. There is no way I can send her home and say “let’s take a rain check”. So driving we went, for any alternative that would make this shoot work in the pouring rain. And that is when I saw it. The freeway. Oh yeah, the freeway is a pretty wide structure, right!

The underpass we found happened to have old train tracks. I had the kids take the umbrella and get some fresh air after being cooped up in the car. I didn’t want them to get out and feel the instant pressure of me and my camera. In the meantime, this gave me the perfect opportunity to grab a handful of umbrella/rain boot shots. :)

Rain in the Northwest is not usually the soaking rain of NYC. When the rain shifted to sprinkling, I had mom squat down low and each of her sons, one at a time, snuggle in close to her. This little guy is her oldest, but I love how affectionate he still is with his mama.

Look at that smile, don’t you just love the sheer joy!

And then I had dad get involved, and look at the this! Kids and their dads are always so different then with their mamas. The contrast between the two relationships is something I love to capture. (Steve, the face you have in this shot is classic! :) )

Below is my favorite shot of the day! Need I say more?

One of my photo coaching strategies with little ones and their energy level is to have them sit down and then I shoot down on them to accentuate their little size but also help them hold still. Since we had train tracks under the underpass, what better place to sit. Dad was right over my shoulder making funny faces.

And then the time had come. Bribes are a big part of successful family shoots, and don’t you every forget it! :) We told the boys that if they did a good job for the photo shoot, at the end they could put on their dragon Halloween costumes. This is where the shoot gets crazy to me. I told Steve, their dad, a few weeks later that I still can’t believe we set the kids free to run around in the ivy under the freeway. God knows what was living under the ivy! And yet, it was worth it for these images!

This one is my favorite “freeway ivy” images of the day. It reminds me of that book “Where the Wild Things Are”. He was free and in total make believe land. For all we know, the ivy and shelter of the freeway underpass was his momentary kingdom. This is the magic of childhood that I love capturing.

Getting outside of the box is essential to photography. I think this is one of the reasons Brian and I love shooting weddings so much. We are always flying to a location we have never seen and are forced to think fast about how to document the couple and the new location. But sometimes, portrait (and wedding) shoots can stunt the creativity if your always going to the same three locations. Does anyone know what I mean? Can anyone relate? The rain forced me to get out of the box and think fast on how to do this family portrait shoot. And for this, I’m grateful. I’m also grateful that no skin rashes were acquired from the freeway ivy. :)

For those of you who love the photo recipes behind images, here we go;

Depending on how much light I had when we were under the freeway vs. being under the open, cloudy sky, determined my ISO. Less light under the freeway, so I had to bump up my ISO to 320 or 400. But when we were out in the sprinkling rain, I could have my ISO down to 100 b/c the clouds act as a big light diffuser and make every thing brighter.

I shot all these images at a 2.8 f-stop/aperture.

Shutter speed varied depending on what the ISO was. Pop quiz for all our former workshop attendees!!! What feature on my camera did I use to know where to set my Shutter Speed since I was shooting in Manuel? :) Atlanta ladies, this should be real fresh for you! Post your answer in the comments and tell us which workshop you attended!

Post Process work was all done in Lightroom by either adding a little contrast or removing saturation for the black and white images. Love Lightroom!

Need help understanding Aperture, ISO and Shutter Speed? Then check out Beyond the Green Box, DVD 2! And see what nutty Professor Townsend has to say about the matter vs. what I have to say. ;)

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To hear details on Upcoming Workshops for 2009, join the “MeRa Koh Workshop” Group of ! New that reunites me, Brian, Rick Chapman and Garrett Burdick is in the works for this Spring 09!!

For more fun photo exercises, check out our popular Instructional DVDs Refuse to Say Cheese and (They are BACK IN STOCK!! Yeah!!), our 101 Kits for starting or expanding a in , click on the words of your choice!

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January 21st, 2009

Some Good News and Some Good Reads!

Good news is that DVD 2, Beyond the Green Box is back in stock again! Remember that special offer we made before Christmas of Free 2 day Shipping? Well, the sales were WAY more than we expected and Beyond the Green Box sold out of inventory. But we didn’t even know until after the holidays. What a mess for some of our customers. Those of you who were affected, we appreciate your patience and support so much. You should have received an email from Brian with a bunch of stuff in it to make up “the mess” to you. If not, email Brian at brian@merakoh.com.

I slept over twelve hours last night and woke up feeling yucky. You know the drill; runny nose, cough and chills. No fun. So I’m keeping this short today. :)

After homeschool, I’m going to curl up on the couch with a favorite book. Here are a few of my favorites good reads, if your looking for something new!

Walking on Water by Madeleine L’engle.

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron.

She has a whole website and forum you can join! Check it out!

And the book I’m reading right now is The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. Have you read it? It’s wonderful.

Okay, back to the couch. :)

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To hear details on Upcoming Workshops for 2009, join the “MeRa Koh Workshop” Group of ! New that reunites me, Brian, Rick Chapman and Garrett Burdick is in the works for this Spring 09!!

For more fun photo exercises, check out our popular Instructional DVDs Refuse to Say Cheese and (They are BACK IN STOCK!! Yeah!!), our 101 Kits for starting or expanding a in , click on the words of your choice!

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January 20th, 2009

Atlanta Photography Workshop, LaCour and ZUMBA!

Brian and I got home last night after an AMAZING four days in Atlanta, GA. The trip was rich on so many levels.

On Friday night, Rachel and Andrew of LaCour picked us up at the airport, and we joined Denis Reggie for a wonderful three hour dinner. For those of you who don’t know Denis Reggie, check out his website and workshops. Denis coined the word “wedding photojournalism” over thirty years ago. He has photographed the last 20 Kennedy family weddings. But what is most special to us is that Denis has played such an encouraging role in our business from when I first attended his workshop four years ago. It was fun to be back and having dinner together.

Saturday morning at 9am the Atlanta Photography Workshop Attendees started to arrive for the first day of our workshop. These women were an incredible group. As we spent the next ten hours together, I heard such incredible stories of what these women have survived. One women was a cancer survivor. Another woman is deaf, knows how to read lips and has a black belt! Another woman has adopted four children from China and has two of biological children. Another woman has three kids, one has down syndrome and their youngest is adopted from Korea. The list goes on and on. I am still processing all gifts these women gave to me in sharing their sheer strength to climb the mountains life has brought them.

This group photo is full of women that would inspire you beyond words!

Another wonderful treat to our weekend was Rachel and Andrew.

Rachel and Andrew of LaCour are the most genuine friends and incredibly talented photographers. They let us host the workshop in their studio/home this weekend (having come back from India only days ago!).

It was so wonderful to catch up with them in all the in between space of the weekend. And not only did they host the workshop, but they also took time to share their philosophy and passion for photography with the group. Brian and I were so honored to have them share b/c all of our hearts have such a common bond, and yet our photography style and approach is different.

What about Zumba?

One of our workshop attendees, Jennie, is an aerobics teacher by day. Guess which one! :) We were all trying to be serious to make our Zumba girl stand out more, but a “few” of us couldn’t help but laugh. I see that smile Abby and Mary! :)

You (or Y’ALL) all know how much I love Zumba! I had to ask if she taught Zumba, and sure enough she does! So Sunday night after we ended our workshop, a few of us jumped in to a mini Zumba class! :) It was the BEST!! Angela and Elizabeth, I love you girls for tearing it up on either side of me.

To all our Atlanta Workshop Attendees, thank you for the most wonderful weekend! Brian and I feel so full of your life and passion. I love that we laughed together, cried together, took our photography to new levels, grew in confidence, shared yummy margaritas and even did the ZUMBA all in one weekend! Wow, you are all such a gift! Check back ladies b/c I will be sharing your photos from the live photo shoot soon!

Happy Inauguration Day everyone!

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To hear details on Upcoming Workshops for 2009, join the “MeRa Koh Workshop” Group of Facebook! New workshop that reunites me, Brian, Rick Chapman and Garrett Burdick is in the works for this Spring 09!!

To see our day job , visit here.

For more fun photo exercises, check out our popular Instructional DVDs Refuse to Say Cheese and Beyond the Green Box, our 101 Kits for starting or expanding a in , click on the words of your choice!

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January 14th, 2009

In Regards to Yesterday’s Post & The Battlefield of My Mind and Heart

Yesterday was a crazy day of dentist appointments, homeschool and a million other things. I didn’t have a chance to read your comments until after 10pm last night. As I sat and read your comments, I was inspired by all the powerful quotes and the rich comparisons to other fields of art whether it be music, writing or painting. And the fearlessness was in your voices. What a beautiful sound that was! I heard such a brave, fearlessness in some of your voices to go forward b/c it is your dream, your passion. Thank you for sharing. I know I’m not the only one who has been inspired by all your comments.

I also want to share something in regards to yesterday’s post.

I was intentional in choosing not to share the photographer’s name b/c the person was never the focus behind my post. The experience of what happened was the focus b/c of how often it happens. Every week, I recieve emails from women who have a dream to pursue their passion for photography and yet, someone has said something hurtful in regards to their dream. Some of these women are professionals in the industry. Some are babies, peaking around the curtain, wondering if they want to venture into this land. The dream can be so new, so fragile, that the slightest negativity or criticism feels devastating. And I truly believe, that some of these dreams die because the dream was too new and vulnerable.

The mistake is that people, myself included, get stuck on the person who hurt us. In our own pain, we feel limited and out of control. And sometimes this translates into trying to limit and control others. Brian and I know what it’s like to be in deep pain, to feel threatened, to feel out of control. And we have done things we are not proud of in our own efforts to gain back some control in our lives. And yet, I’m so glad that those around us did not focus on our faults, but recognized the situation for what it was.

When someone says something hurtful to us, there could be a million and two reasons for why they said this. If we think the battle is with them, we have lost the battle.

The truth is what so many of you echoed yesterday. The person who often hurts us is in the midst of their own battle. They are struggling to find freedom, peace and validation like you are, like I am, and everyone else. So here’s the point I’m trying to get to…

We so often miss it. Truth be known, we are so afraid to believe in our own dreams that when we are criticized we fear the criticism is the confirmation to trash our dream. And so the cycle of people giving up on their dreams perpetuates even more.

But the battle is not with the person who hurt us. The battle is within ourselves to believe in ourselves. This is the battle to focus on.

There can be so much negativity in the world when it comes to pursuing our dreams. It’s in the photography industry and everywhere else. But the battle to fight is the battle for your self confidence. The fight to believe you are worthy of all you were created for. You are worthy of seeing your dreams come true, regardless of what your current state of skill or confidence is. This is the battle to focus on. Honestly, this is one of the few battles worth dying for. Dying to your pride. Dying to your fears. Dying to your list of experiences that prove your dream wrong.

The biggest trick I see many people fall for is that there is no battle. It’s just a problem with them. And oh, this misguided thinking breaks my heart.

Fighting on the battlefield of your dreams is one of the toughest fights you will ever face. Do you want a look at my battlefield?

I stand in the field and see familiar giants on the other side. One of the bigger giants, a bully if you will, goes by the name of Shame. He is a tricky one b/c sometimes he comes over to try and consult with me and pretends to help me. He tries to tell me that if I just surrender, he won’t shame me, won’t embarrass me, won’t make a fool of me. He always thinks it’s much better to give up now.

Selfishness stands right next to Shame–ready to tear me to pieces. She’s nasty. She yells at me from the other side and says I’m selfish to ask for more in my life. I’m selfish to dream as big as I dream. I’m selfish to ask Brian and my kids for support. Why can’t I be thankful for what I have? Who do I think I am?…I told you, she’s nasty.

And then there is the slimy figure of Worry. He’s not even dressed for battle. Instead, he’s dressed in dirtied linen from all the running back and forth between sides of the battlefield–falling down and groping along the ground–worried he’s going to get hit. He trembles in his speech and points out all the things there are to worry about, all the what if’s, all the risks involved, all the threats, all the people who could be disappointed, all the pain of my past that could be worse in the future, all the everything that is nothing but worry.

Over the years, I have come to find that my battles are not with those that say hurtful things to me–and there have been PLENTY of those people. ;) The battle is within myself against these giants that know me so well. But I must also add that I am careful with others when I see them in the midst of their own battle. If a certain person has a history of hurting me, I limit my time with them. When I see them, I make sure that I’m ready for battle b/c I will be facing their giants as well as my own. And this, as we all know, can be very exhausting and even defeating.

And yet, as one wise person said to me a few years back, “Me Ra, all I ask and expect of you is to get up and try again tomorrow morning. You don’t have to win tomorrow, but I expect you to go at it again.”

Losing today, winning tomorrow, they come and go. But as long as we hang in there together, we are that much closer to living our dreams and passions.

Will I see you on the battlefield today? There is a spot open on either side of me! :)

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We are announcing the Finalist for the Photo Contest very soon, along with the Random Voter Awards!! Stay tuned to see if you won a copy of Lightroom or Starbucks Gift Certificate! Also, you still have time to submit a photo for our Photo Contest theme of Simple Gifts! You must send an image that in some way conveys the theme Simple Gifts. The Deadline for Simple Gifts, Sunday, January 25th 2009 PST . Send your images as an attached JPG (small in size) to contest@merakoh.com .

To see our day job, visit www.merakoh.com .

To learn more about upcoming workshops, sign up on our group, MeRa Koh Workshops!

For fun photo exercises, check out our popular Instructional DVDs Refuse to Say Cheese (see the downloadable version that is now available if you live outside the US!), our 101 Kits for starting or expanding a in , click on the words of your choice! To read a great review done on our DVDs, click here!

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January 13th, 2009

What Defines an Artist? A Writing Exercise for Photographers!

When I first got into the writing industry, I learned a powerful warm up exercise.

When you sit down to start writing, start by taking a passage from a book by your favorite author. Type or write the passage out to get your mind thinking in words, in the rhythm of words, in voice, in your voice. Every day, before I started my four, sometimes five hours of writing, I would start by writing a passage straight out of Madeleine L’engle’s book A Circle of Quiet.

I love Madeleine L’engle’s voice in her nonfiction books. I wanted to write just like her and what better way to emulate someone you admire than practice writing what they wrote. In the end, this writing exercise helped me find my own writing voice. You see, I didn’t know where to start as a beginning writer. Could I even call myself a writer since I didn’t have anything published? And yet, what better way to find a starting place than to practice copying someone I respected.

Yesterday I received a dishearting email. One of our former workshop attendees had been told by a competing photographer to get her own style and come up with her own original ideas for photo shoots (implying that she was stealing her ideas). This, among many other things, broke our friend’s heart. This competing photographer (if there even is such a thing called competition in the photography industry) accused her of copying her locations for family shoots and using her ideas for images. Brian and I know the former workshop attendee pretty well. She is an amazing photographer (whether she believes it or not) and has one of the most unique eyes. The way she frames images is tight and intimate. You are always drawn in. To have the wind get knocked out of her by a photographer whose work she respected is so sad. But what is even more sad is the mentality behind what this other woman was saying.

In essence, she was saying that a photographer must be their own artist. They must NOT copy other people’s ideas but take pride in being original. She seems to believe that these are the elements that determine a good artist from a fake one. What do you think?

Having been in the writing world, I was disillusioned in a healthy way from the beginning. One of the first things writers learn is that every story has been told. There is nothing new under the sun. So now that we don’t have to carry the pressures of thinking up a new story, go and write a great story!

It’s the same with photography. I would bet that every composition has been done. What makes the image unique is our subjects and the spirit of who they are. Yes, we grow in our ability to understand light, or post process our color tones, etc. But these things are all peripheral to the ability to capture the spirit of our subject.

I’m also convinced that one way to become a great photographer is to apply the writing exercise and copy photographers you admire. If you love Jessica Claire’s shoe shots, try her ideas at your next wedding. If you love LaCour’s low light images, try to recreate them when you have low lighting again. If you love the way Brian captures emotion without showing the facial expressions, give it a try.

What better place to start!

Copy those you respect and admire until you find your own eye, your own voice. I believe wholeheartedly that we all have our own specific eye. But here’s the thing: the journey to find our own eye–our own voice– is not an overnight journey. It requires courage and faith to believe in what we can’t yet see in ourselves, support from those around you and humility to start with others’ ideas until we see value in our own ideas.

What separates a true artist from a fake artist? Can I offer up some of my ideas? I would love to hear yours too!

I think a “true artist” is someone who hangs in there, against all odds because they can’t help but create with words, photos, paintings, songs. They don’t give up on the burning passion they can’t shake. And they fight for their dream, even when others criticize their attempts.

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To see our day job, visit www.merakoh.com.

To learn more about upcoming workshops, sign up on our Facebook group, MeRa Koh Workshops!

For fun photo exercises, check out our popular Instructional DVDs Refuse to Say Cheese (see the downloadable version that is now available if you live outside the US!), our 101 Kits for starting or expanding a in , click on the words of your choice! To read a great review done on our DVDs, click here!

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January 12th, 2009

The Winner for Running on Empty!

We were overwhelmed by the powerful stories submitted for the Atlanta Running on Empty Contest . If you are in need of inspiration, check out the blog post and read what the nominees have overcome and continue to overcome.

I can’t tell you how much I related to the various nominees. Doesn’t the saying seem to be true, “when it rains it pours”? So many of you are going through so much. I remember years ago when my counselor looked at me at the end of a session and said, “You have experienced more sadness and loss than anyone should ever have to?” Her words were painful to hear and yet so healing and validating. I feel like I must say to our nominees, “You have experienced more sadness and loss than anyone should ever have to. And for this, Brian and I are truly sorry.” We want you to know, we hold each of you in our hearts.

This contest is always hard for us b/c we want to save a seat for every nominee. We ask others to help us make this decision, and Brian and I pray that you all know how much we value every entry. We want to thank EVERY woman nominated. Your stories are amazing. Most of all, YOU are amazing.

The nominees were narrowed down to one woman. We are excited to say the winner is Allison G.! Please congratulate her. Allison’s story is incredibly moving. I’ve copied it below so you can read it if you didn’t get to before.

Allison, you need to tell us by 9pm PST if you can’t come so the spot can go to the runner up. Email us at mera@merakoh.com and genie@merakoh.com. We hope to meet you in a matter of days! It’s time to change that “Cosmic Smackdown” you described! :) Brian and I are excited to fill your empty tank and inspire your creative soul for 2009! Welcome to the Atlanta, GA Workshop Allison!!

Here is Allison’s story;

  1. on 07 Jan 2009 at 6:53 am Allison G.

    I feel so nervous and uncomfortable doing this, but I am going to go out on a limb and nominate myself for the Running on Empty contest. My story is probably not so different from many women and mothers out there. All of the women nominated here sound like they are absolutely “Running on Empty” as well. But, I thought I’d submit it anyway. I apologize if it is a bit long…

    Several years ago, after the passing of my grandparents within a few days of one another, a dear friend told me that this difficult time was only a season in my life. I really clung to those words at that time. But, know I have to say that if that is true, than this is one LOOONG season.

    This all began in 2003. I was happily married, had a perfect 11-month old baby boy, we bought a condo. All was well.

    Then, I fell down the stairs and hit my head, and was sent for a cat scan. We were shocked when the news came back. No concussion from the fall, but they did find that I had a spinal cord tumor. We saw a specialist who told me it was most likely malignant. I thought I had about 18 months to live. You can imaging the thoughts that ran through my head about what the next year would look like for me and my family.

    One evening while I was cooking to keep myself distracted from what was going on, the right side of my face and neck went numb. We rushed to the emergency room and by the time we arrived, my chest, stomach and tops of my legs were numb as well. A couple of days later I had surgery and thanks to a brilliant surgeon and the grace of God my tumor was removed and was found to be benign. I would live to see my son grow up!

    Recovery was hard. To remove the tumor my neck bones were removed and then replaced and that is not an easy thing to bounce back from. I was unable to lift my son for 2 months. That is not an easy thing to explain to an 11 month old!

    Fast forward 4 weeks to my son’s first birthday. He got extremely sick and was diagnosed with neutropenia, a condition that results in an inability of your body to fight infection. We were sent to the pediatric oncologist to rule out cancer as a cause. I couldn’t believe that just a month prior I thought I was the one with cancer and now this? I was absolutely frantic. Several days later, we were so relieved to find that the condition was benign and that he would grow out of it in a few years.

    During all of this, I was not able to work and my husband was laid off from his job and then strangely, rehired. Once again, we were pushed to the brink of disaster and pulled back again.

    About 6 months later, after a bout of rotavirus, my son, who was by then, 18 months had four seizures. He did well on medication for over a year and then two weeks after his little brother was born, wound up in the hospital for week and was then officially diagnosed with Epilepsy. Meanwhile, I had a two week old baby at home that I had hardly seen.

    We moved shortly thereafter into a house we thought was perfect for us, only to have it flood five times in the year we lived there.

    At this point, I was really feeling the pressure of constantly facing these major obstacles and was so down. Then, quite accidentally and miraculously, I found photography. An energy and excitement I had not felt in years began to stir in me. Much to my surprise others began to inquire about my photos. I started to feel a little bit of confidence grow and was feeling great about the future.

    Soon after, during a routine spinal cord tumor check, the doctor asked me if I had been experiencing headaches. My stomach lurched and I said a terrified, “Yes”. I thought the headaches had been from all of the drama we had been through the last few years. It turned out that I have yet a new neurological condition called a Chiari Malformation. There are many terrible symptoms that accompany this condition, but in the most ironic turn yet, I have found that my most significant symptom is that my eyesight is affected. Which, for someone who wants to pursue photography, is not the best news. I just pray that the symptoms I am facing now will not progress.

    As I read back through this, I have to laugh to keep from tearing up. It almost seems unbelievable that all of this has happened in addition to normally stressful illnesses, deaths of grandparents, a family member with cancer, surgeries, car repairs, appliances breaking, moving AGAIN, etc…

    Before Christmas, I made up my mind to change my focus. I vowed to be positive and look for the good instead of fearing the worst. This was my New Year’s Resolution. We came back from visiting family to find that the store where I work part-time is closing and so I am out of a job. So much for my resolution!!

    My husband and I have gotten so used to this continual stream of drama, that we have jokingly begun to refer to it as the “cosmic smackdown” that we get whenever we seem to be on an upward turn.

    Please know that when I see my kids run and play, or sing a song, or sleep peacefully in their beds at night, or share a joke with my husband, I know I am blessed in ways too numerous to count. Five years ago this spring, I thought I would not live long enough to see my son go off to kindergarten for the first time. And here I am now, waiting for his school bus to arrive and using my hands to type this and listening to my other son chat about dinosaurs. And I am well aware of God’s hand keeping us from complete disaster time and time again.

    But, sadly I feel as though I have begun to live in a constant state of fear…always waiting for the “other shoe to drop” as they say. The happy go lucky side of me is non-existent these days and I have such trouble accepting good things as they are and without fear.

    Being able to do something for myself alone, be surrounded by a supportive group of women, and to immerse myself in photography for a weekend would be a dream come true.

    Thanks so much for continuing to inspire all of us and for holding this wonderful contest! Whoever wins the opportunity to attend your workshop will no doubt be blessed by it!!

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For fun photo exercises, check out our popular Instructional DVDs Refuse to Say Cheese (see the downloadable version that is now available if you live outside the US!), our 101 Kits for starting or expanding a in , click on the words of your choice! To read a great review done on our DVDs, click here!

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January 7th, 2009

Time to Vote and Clear 500 on Your Favorite Inspirational Object!

An object. Is it possible for an object to strike emotion in us? Can it move us even though it isn’t alive? If there is no face smiling back at us, can we still feel a deep connection? After seeing the awesome work from our Top Five Finalists for the Inspirational Object contest, you may say yes to all the above!

If you are new to the blog, let me catch you up.

Way back when, we opened a photo contest for the most Inspirational Object. Remember that, feels like years ago! :)

Well, let’s fast forward to today! What better way to start the new year than be inspired by the Top Five Finalists for the Inspirational Object Photo Contest!

You will love these images, but you can only vote for one! See voting guidelines, FAQ, and prize info below.

For now, meet your talented finalists and be inspired!

Finalist #1, 1930′s Piano, by Julie

I wish I could do a post of all the piano images that were submitted b/c they remind me of the baby’s feet images from yesterday’s post. So many of you sent piano images, and each one was different in perspective. Each image was well done! We picked Julie’s as one of the five finalists b/c of the unique angle she shot from.

The piano fills the frame. The keys blur off the bottom corner of the image and you feel like the piano goes on forever and forever. I don’t know about you, but I also felt like I was sitting at the piano. The image composition is that inviting, drawing us in. The post process Julie chose was also well done. The vintage, sepia tones lends to that timeless feeling. But more than the timeless feeling, it makes one feel like the piano is magical, almost weightless. These are just a few things that come to mind when I see Julie’s beautiful image. What comes to your mind? Thank you Julie! Your image is wonderful! Check out Julie’s blog too!

Finalist #2, Asher’s Onsie, by Jennifer

The image alone is striking b/c of the meaning it holds. From a photography perspective, we loved how Jennifer composed this image. There are a couple elements that stick out to us that make her image stand out. I love that the onsie is hanging on the doorknob b/c it adds instant emphasis to how small this little one is. We already know the one who wears this is a baby, but Jennifer helps accentuate that point by hanging the onsie on the doorknob. And what I like even more than the doorknob is the blurred crib in the background. If this was intentional, BRAVO Jennifer! She also shoots down on the onsie to give the effect of it looking smaller and then there is a slight camera tilt which adds a little motion to the image. All these little details combined equal a great image. Jennifer also has a great blog! Be sure to check that out! And now to keep you from suspense, here is the story behind this sweet onsie.

Asher’s onsie is my inspirational object because it reminds me of how big miracles come in small packages. Asher is the son of a friend of mine who has overcome challenges he was born with. He had a heart defect and major open-heart surgery when he was born, and now at almost a year he is free of most of his medication and has a clean bill of health. I myself was born with a heart defect as a preemie twin born at 28 weeks weighing two pounds and two ounces and had life-saving surgery at two weeks old.

Finalist #3, Love and Coffee, by J.P.

J.P.’s image stuck out to us because of how warm his composition was (no pun intended :) ). The story behind why this coffee mug is his Inspirational Object will warm you right up. (pun intended :) )

My wife and I met in our favorite local coffee shop; I was 24, she was 19–far too young for me. I liked her an awful lot, though, and over the next year we spent a lot of time talking over coffee. Eventually, I realized that she was too amazing to keep at a distance, and so, sitting in our coffee shop, I asked her if she’d like to start seeing me romantically. She said yes, and a few years later said yes again when I asked her to marry me at that same table in the same coffee house. This cup and another like it were given to us by the wonderful owner of the coffee shop. They were the last two remaining of the old style of cups that had gradually been replaced by shinier, whiter cups that lacked the character of the old mugs. I love the chips and the stains in our matching coffee cups–they remind me that, although we’re bound to get banged up a little bit, we’re going to continue to bring one another warmth and comfort for years and years to come.

What did I tell you? Isn’t that a great story! But the story isn’t the reason why J.P.’s image was picked. A handful of you sent coffee mug images too, but J.P.’s soft lighting and buttery, blurry background guided my eye into the significance of this one mug. The lighting and blur played hand in hand in making this image give off a warm energy. J.P., was this window light that you used? I only ask b/c of how beautiful and soft the lighting is. There is also background in the image, but the background is intentionally blurred and the blur almost accentuates the solid colored mug. Even the light colored coffee inside the mug adds to the softness of the story behind this image. I don’t know if J.P. meant to, but it feels like he thought of every detail in composing an image of a single coffee mug. Great job J.P.! Thank you for submitting!

Finalist #4, Tic Tacs, by Ashley

The story behind this image reminded me of Brian and the kids, except we always buy little packs of gum. Not only are you going to love Ashley’s story, but don’t you love her composition of this image? It’s awesome. The low F stop with the tic tacs blurred in the foreground, and how Ashley filled the frame. Great job Ashely! You took a simple object and really brought it to life. Thank you for sharing! Here is Ashley’s story in the email she sent me;

The tic tac tradition started when I was a little girl. My mom would put orange tic tac’s in my brother and my Christmas stockings at first. Then she would hide them in my bag when I would go to my dad’s house on the weekend as a kid, go on vacation, or leaving home for college. Now, as a grown woman, she still hides tic tacs in my bag when I leave her house from a visit. Over time, orange tic tacs became a reminder of her love and strength when she wasn’t with me. A month ago, my husband and I went to see her for a visit. When I got home, I found these in my bag.

Finalist #5, No Place Like Home, by Yvonne

Red slippers was another popular image that was submitted by many of you. Yvonne’s image really jumped out at us. The sun flare captured in this image added a magic to the shoes. When we think of red slippers we think of the Wizard of Oz and all the magic of the movie. I remember watching the movie as a little girl and having my own pair of red slippers that I insisted on wearing with my white flower girl dress. :) The shoes were magical to me, and Yvonne has done a great job of capturing a magical element through her use of sun flare. Can’t you almost see those shoes tapping on their own? :) I also like how Yvonne filled the frame with the shoes. The background is free of distraction and all our attention is on the magic of the shoes. Yvonne, I would love to know how you set up this shot! If you are comfortable with sharing that would be great! Thank you for submitting your image, and congrats on becoming one of the Top Five Finalists!

There you have em’! The Top Five Finalists for the Inspirational Object Photo Contest! Each on is truly inspiring. Now you have the tough job of voting for ONE!

FAQ #1: How do you vote?

Answer: Just click on the pink word “Comments” at the end of this blog post. Put the # of photo your voting for first (it makes counting the votes way faster), and then add a few words about why you like their image the most. Remember, your comments and feedback give to the Five Finalists more than any prize from us. Please be kind, encouraging, and share all that you can with these wonderful Five Finalists! Your feedback on their images is priceless! That’s why we do the Random Voter Awards, because we appreciate your voting and feedback so much. So spread the word to family and friends! And ask them to vote!

Please vote only one time for one image. Thanks!

FAQ #2: Is there a Photo happening right now? And when is the Deadline?

Answer: Yes! We picked the theme Simple Gifts Theme right before the holidays. You must send an image that in some way conveys the theme Simple Gifts. The deadline was January 4th, but since I forgot about the contest during my “unplugged” time off, we should extend the deadline. Don’t you think? :) Let’s make the Deadline for Simple Gifts, Sunday, January 25th 2009 PST . Send your images as an attached JPG (small in size) to contest@merakoh.com . Prizes will be as good as what you read below!

FAQ #3: What are the prizes?

Answer: Scroll on down!!

Click here for Seven Quick Photo Tips to photographing your own Inspirational Object!

Prizes for the Winning Finalist and the Random Voter Winners!!______________________________________________________________________________________

Don’t forget to vote before you leave! You could be picked as a Random Voter and win a gift card to Starbucks or a copy of ‘s ! :) Yep, that’s right! You heard me say it correct! (but FYI, remember to check back when I post the Random Voter Winners so you know that you’ve won and can claim your prize! :) )

In our last photo , we had over 487 votes by the cut off time! It was amazing! You all spread the word, and the votes came rolling in! If we clear 500 votes (that’s only 13 more than last time) on this , we are going to pick a Random Voter (not necessarily #500, but a RANDOM Voter) to win a copy of ‘s software again!! And then we’ll keep going and pick two more Random Voters who win a $25 customized, cool looking Starbucks card! So that’s one Random Winner of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and TWO more random winners of $25 customized Starbucks cards, if we clear 500!

Deadline for all voting is this Monday night, 5 days from now, 1/12, at midnight PST!! That means we have to clear 500 votes by that time for two Random Voters to be picked and win !

Prize for being the Winner of the Five Finalists!!!

Now what about the finalist’s prize! What will they get?

Great question! The finalist will get their choice of one of our 101 Kits or the downloadable version of our Refuse to Say Cheese/Beyond the Green Box DVD series. And then , and THEN (we’re hooking our Finalists up for 2009! :) ), they also get to choose between one of two MORE things!

1. Their own copy of Adobe’s Lightroom Software

2. Or the most unique prize ever, a copy of the newly released DVD “See the Light” by Carlos Baez! Watch the trailer by clicking the title. Carlos is not only a dear friend, but he is also a PHENOMENAL photographer who has years experience in the fashion and wedding industry and is now sharing his knowledge on lighting with the wedding and portrait world. This guy is loaded with tips and strategies on lighting. We just got our own copy of his DVD, and I can’t wait to watch it. Carlos is a master with lighting, and on top of that he has a HUGE heart for teaching people. Just watching him work with his clients is amazing. Your business can’t help but go to the next level with this new DVD. Check out his blog! To purchase Carlos’s new DVD, check out the Photography Mentor store. Retail Price for “See the Light” is $175.

Enjoy! VOTE AWAY!!!

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To see our day job , visit here.

For more fun photo exercises, check out our popular Instructional DVDs Refuse to Say Cheese , our 101 Kits for starting or expanding a in , click on the words of your choice!

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