Finding balance| Denver Family Photographer

Posted on April 26, 2010

“Our lives are a mixture of different roles.
Most of us are doing the best we can to find whatever the right balance is . . .
For me, that balance is family, work, and service.”
Hillary Rodham Clinton

Like many, I struggle with finding a balance in my life.  I have spent the last year trying to find it among family time, growing my business, maintaining friendships and giving back to others and my community. As many of you know it isn’t easy. Even when trying to focus on one task you are less than a 100% because you are concerned about dropping one of the other balls you are trying to juggle.  We all do it in one way or another.

The other day it occurred to me that in my attempt to help others capture their family moments I had neglected to capture some of mine. My youngest has grown so much over the last 6 months and I hadn’t documented it as well as I should have. So in attempt to remedy that oversight today I am posting a few of my own.  In fact, I  think I will be sprinkling in these images more often in order to make it as much as a priority as I do my fabulous clients images. I hope you will humor me a bit.

Oh and if any of you amazing blog stalkers have found the secret to finding balance; please share. The only answer that seems to come back to me is “forgiveness”. Forgiving yourself for not being perfect and for not being able to do it all seems to me to be the only way to survive the balance struggle. What are your thoughts?

Oh and more often than not his images look like this. I guess he got my goof side.

Nichole Van Workshop | Denver Portrait Photographer

Posted on April 5, 2010

You should make photographs with your heart, mind, eye & soul. The capture device is simply there to allow you to transfer your vision to a medium that you can share with others.

- Bill Frakes

So as many of you know (and some of you don’t) I had the distinct pleasure of attending “Nichole Van’s Professional Photography Workshop”.  Let me start off saying “WOW!”.  In all honesty I am not sure I can fully express what a fantastic experience this was.  It was well worth the investment and I highly recommend it to any of my fellow photogs whom are looking for a great workshop.

Let me start off by saying that Nichole is not only an extremely gifted photographer, but her previous experience as a college professor gives her a unique advantage when it comes to teaching the content of her workshop.  She really is able to explain things in a way that makes them easy to follow and understand.  The workshop itself is extremely well organized and is full of fantastic content. She has thought of everything, is open and forthright based on her experience and it showed.  I personally came home with a wealth of information that I will now be able to apply in my own art and business.  Yes, Nichole has a very distinct style when it comes to photography but her workshop isn’t about her style; it is about learning the tools to assist you in being able to express your own creative vision. Leaving her workshop I actually felt like I was given numerous little gifts that will forever be in my photographic tool box.  For me this is what a great workshop should be.

Oh and a quick side note…. Nichole is hysterically funny!  I know many wouldn’t choose to mention that when reviewing a workshop but the girl had me laughing the whole time I was there and I appreciate  a great sense of humor.

So our shoot day was quite cold to say the least and I have to give a huge “THANK YOU” shout out to our fantastic (and gorgeous) models. These girls literally stood outside in the freezing temperatures for hours without complaining.  No matter how many times I offered them my coat or told them they could go in to warm up they gratefully refused and when on working to give us there best poses.  They were all a blast to work with and I would do it again in a heartbeat.  Also, a few of us were fortunate enough to coax Nichole’s beautiful daughter outside for a few shots. She was such a great sport and so patient with all of the cameras pointing at her. She is quite the little lady and gracious to boot.

So without overloading you blog stalkers out there I wanted to show a few (ok more than a few) of my shots from the workshop.

Thank you so much Nichole , Dave, their families, the models and my fabulous fellow workshop attendees for making this workshop so much fun!  It really was worth the money and time I invested to attend and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.  ;)

Oh and for those of you who just read my review whom are thinking, “Wow, I need to attend one of Nichole’s workshops”; you can find them here

Nichole’s Amazing Workshops (my verbiage of course)