The Workshop Experience
Fall 2011
Photography ~ November 22, 2011
Last year
I hosted the Sugar Shoot workshop and it was a BLAST. The colors, the candy shop, our wonderful models… I loved it! I knew I loved teaching and meeting other photographers that really CARED about growing their businesses. People asked if I was going to host another one and I said yes… without really knowing when or where or how. Fall came and I realized that the time had come. If this was going to happen, I needed to get the show on the road!! At the same time, Michael and I had been brainstorming and we decided to redo our overall approach to the business. After reviewing the last few years of business and what worked and what didn’t… we just kept coming back to “The Experience”.
Clients CARE about what they experience and when I create an environment of confidence and comfort for my clients, they walk away TALKING about their experience that they had with me. They also receive GENUINE images that they love. You see, the EXPERIENCE is more important than the images, in my opinion. If you can’t create a GREAT experience for your clients…. your images will suffer. So, I’ll stop explaining our philosophy about wedding photography because I could keep going for DAYS! (Don’t believe me? Ask The Workshop attendees! They’ll tell you how much I TALK.) We now offer clients “The Wedding Experience” and it was only proper to streamline and rename the workshop side of the business to “The Workshop Experience”. And after that change was made, the ideas and inspiration for the Fall 2011 Workshop Experience began to form.
Last Thursday, The Workshop Experience began at 9am at the Virginia Center of Architecture. I can’t thank Kathleen and the wonderful staff enough for being so accommodating. We were blessed to find a venue that was SO gorgeous and had the perfect meeting space. Ryan and Annamarie, my sweet friends and past clients, came to model for us and MAN did they work it! GOSH! They’re just beautiful people, inside and out and they were the PERFECT fit for this shoot!! I’m so grateful for their willingness to be a part of this!! Emily Husdpeth came and did hair and makeup. She’s a great friend of mine and having her be a part of this workshop was just icing on the cake!!!! Leather Craftsmen, Kelly Moore, and H-B Photo sponsored the Workshop and gave all the attendees some goodies to go home with. So incredibly thankful that they were willing to partner with us! My dear friend Janie from The Brides Cafe created our florals and she was SUPER busy the week before the shoot so I’m so thankful she helped us out!! Janie you know I love ya!!! Tiffany’s Bridal partnered with us and allowed us to use Anna’s gorgeous gown! My new friend Alisha came and helped me set EVERYTHING up the night before! I can’t thank her enough for being so so kind and willing to help! She’s got a fantastic eye! And last but not least… Michael and his parents came and ran the show behind the scenes. I really don’t know what I would have done without them!!! THANK YOU!!! Poor Michael not only dealt with my freakouts and meltdowns, he (and his momma) also cleaned up EVERYTHING while I talked and said goodbye to all of the girls! He’s wonderful.
So I think that concludes the many many “Thank You’s” that I needed to make sure I mentioned. Really, I’m so honored to have so many people helping me with this event. And to the WONDERFUL ladies that drove and flew in from ALL OVER…. THANK YOU. I was just blown away by every single one of you. You are going to do amazing things with your businesses because you all have SUCH a desire and passion for learning. It was an HONOR to spend the day with you! Thank you for allowing me to have tangents and talk too fast at moments. I hope you left with inspiration and ideas to take your business to the next level!!! I’m so excited to know that I have so many NEW friends from not only VA… but from 5 other states as well!!!! I can’t wait to watch your businesses continue to grow. Keep in touch and enjoy a little recap of The Workshop Experience.
So we started the day with teaching about posing, lighting, etc. Then we practiced! In the cold rainy weather… but it was fun!! ohhh you two!!! How I’ve missed you!! gah! Just stop:) Loved her bouquet Janie!!
One of the favs!Then we went inside and practiced our detail shots!THEN we worked with some window light…NICE Ryan!!Anna you’re gorgeous!Love the right one:)fierce-ness perfected!Fake wedding invite that I made in Photoshop… I had so much fun with this…. it was like creating a wedding… for one person! .. instead of 400! hahaaHHHH! the light!
Practicing our “Pose Evolution”I LOVE these two!! Thank you a million!!And my favorites from the whole day! I took head shots for all of the ladies and it was so much fun! You can just tell how AWESOME this group was by looking at these pics! Such a fun day and I’m so excited to have so many new friends in this industry!!
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This past | Virginia Wedding Photographer | Katelyn James Photography: ( March 20, 2012 1:49 pm ) [...] out of the door at 7:40. It was a WORKSHOP DAY! I literally feel like we JUST had a workshop. The Workshop Experience last November was such a great day and I met so many amazing photographers who I can now call my friends! I was [...]
my photography journey (part six) » jamie d photography: ( March 19, 2012 11:36 am ) [...] the fall of 2011, Katelyn of Katelyn James Photography announced that she was hosting a workshop. I read her blog daily and remembered seeing the images from her first workshop. I signed up to [...]
I can’t believe | Virginia Wedding Photographer | Katelyn James Photography: ( February 3, 2012 12:35 pm ) [...] The Fall 2011 Workshop Experience attendees absolutely blew me away with their energy and excitement! They came ready to learn and just have a GREAT time together. It’s really refreshing to be around a group of photographers that all have the same goals… to make friends and learn as much as they can! It’s an honor to be able to share everything I’ve learned over the last 3 and a half years and it’s my hope that this workshop will continue to help photographers jump YEARS ahead in their business! Why waste time?! Why not grow NOW?! We’re going to be talking about “Invisible Marketing”, posing, branding and so much more! Not only is this a day packed with information, it’s a chance to make some amazing friendships. Attendees from the last Workshop Experience are second shooting for one another and still chatting it up in their facebook group! It’s wonderful!! I’m so excited to meet the new photographers that will com into my life this spring!! If you want a quick taste of what this experience looks like, here’s a quick promo film! Thanks to my sweet sweet husband for doing the work of three people on Workshop days! I couldn’t do it without him! [...]
Alex: ( December 5, 2011 1:47 am ) I enjoyed going through these images. I wish I could have sat in on your workshop. The details you put into this experience are amazing. No wonder you are able to capture such real memories, you truly care about the littlest things.
Victoria: ( November 28, 2011 4:13 pm ) This looks like so much fun. I love all of it!
Tori Nefores: ( November 26, 2011 3:42 pm ) Wow Katelyn! The workshop looks absolutely amazing. I'm crossing my fingers I can make the next one <3
christina: ( November 23, 2011 4:30 pm ) Oh! I missed it! This looks awesome! How do I find out about your next one!!!! I loved the sugar shoot from last year!
Crystal: ( November 23, 2011 1:01 pm ) Please let me know when you will have your next workshop, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to attend. I LOVE all your work.
Kristina W.: ( November 23, 2011 10:00 am ) Eeeeee!!! SO exciting to see your fancy coffee mugs and notebooks! I love all the music note details, they're so pretty!
Annamarie: ( November 23, 2011 5:09 am ) YAY!! so fun..i love them ALL. you make us look GOOOD girlfriend! ahhhh can Ryan and i get married again next year so that we can have the Katelyn James Wedding Experience again??? its the best.haha..you are so beautiful inside and out and i especially appreciate the last picture of us hugging where you can see my dinosaur spikes;). love you!
Jill Samter Photography: ( November 22, 2011 11:50 pm ) YEAH! I got to view it on my computer! :-D Katelyn thank you again from the bottom of my heart for all that you shared with us. Your passion for your business and all that you do is contagious! I am inspired to reach for all of my goals this year as I recreate my business in a new area. I'm so glad we had the chance to finally meet in person. I enjoyed every minute with you. I love that you went off on tangents because some of them were the most important stuff! I love that you allowed us to see the real you in action and behind the scenes! You rock my new friend and I adore you! God bless and keep SHINING for Him in all you do!!!! Looking forward to all 2012 has for you and Michael. Loved meeting him and your family too!!!!
Annetta: ( November 22, 2011 10:57 pm ) Wow, Katelyn. Looks like you had fun with this one. I love the theme and colours you chose. After seeing your's and Abby Grace's photos....I wish I was there too. One day I will do it.
jamie: ( November 22, 2011 10:06 pm ) katelyn- thank you so much for teaching us and creating an amazing workshop experience for us! i love your images and most of all how you connect and care for others!
Erin Schrad: ( November 22, 2011 9:50 pm ) Thanks again, Katelyn, for being so open and sharing everything you have learned from your own "experience" in the business these past few years. For anyone contemplating attending a future workshop, it was totally worth the investment! I got an email at work today that made me chuckle, because it hit on everything we talked about... it was an email to Verizon's small business customers of their services and the subject line was "Customers don't buy products, they buy you!" How very right whoever first said that was... when all is said and done, it's the relationships and the experience that matters above all.
Erin Schrad: ( November 22, 2011 9:50 pm ) Thanks again, Katelyn, for being so open and sharing everything you have learned from your own "experience" in the business these past few years. For anyone contemplating attending a future workshop, it was totally worth the investment! I got an email at work today that made me chuckle, because it hit on everything we talked about... it was an email to Verizon's small business customers of their services and the subject line was "Customers don't buy products, they buy you!" How very right whoever first said that was... when all is said and done, it's the relationships and the experience that matters above all.
katie yuen: ( November 22, 2011 9:30 pm ) I cannot WAIT for the day I can go to one of your workshops [I'm hoping the next one!]! Everything looks so amazing and so FUN! And that light.... oh my goodness!
Abby Grace: ( November 22, 2011 9:27 pm ) Oh Katelyn. Your images are just perfection. Seriously- everything here is immaculate. I had such an amazing time learning from you! And to anyone out there contemplating her next workshop? DOOO ITTTTTT.