Beyond the Camera Magazine #1

Yes, it’s here!

Beyond the Camera officially launches

bursting with beautiful inspiration to see you through the winter months.
This is an exciting time and I’ve a slight flutter in my stomach as I take a moment to think about just
how far reaching the pages of this magazine will travel. Although Beyond the Camera is indeed a photography magazine, you won’t find any camera or lens reviews, over complicated tutorials or articles on social media or business marketing! Instead you’ll find a wealth of inspiration with a clear and outreaching agenda to connect you to yourself and the magnificent world that you live in through the art of photography. My aim is simply to refresh, replenish and revitalise your levels of inspiration. With that comes renewed passion, energy and, in an industry where we’re all working so hard to keep on top, essential creative insight that takes us forward in a positive and productive way. This is just the first issue (and it’s a big one with 112 pages) and as the magazine grows I’ll be able to offer you more exclusive work, interviews and insights into the softer side of our industry. I’ll be looking to run joint promotions with contributors, as well as teaming up with some bigger players to bring you supplementary issues bursting with inspiration. I know first-hand that finding positive inspiration is at the foundation of creative growth, without it it’s easy to get stuck-in-a-rut and lose momentum. So let’s start a new year together, fresh with ideas and renewed drive. Whatever your aspirations are for 2013, be sure to take time to connect with your craft, invest in your own personal development and allow life to flow and flourish. Now join me, and my wonderfully talented contributors, for the first edition of Beyond the Camera Magazine.

Also don’t forget to join us on Facebook and keep up to date with our news and issue dates.

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“Where inspirational imagery and shared ideas reconnect us to the world we live in and opens our hearts and minds to new possibilities.”
Welcome to Beyond the Camera Magazine
Sarah Gardner Editor & Founder

pg 06 - 09 FEATURE ~ Scratching the Surface by Sarah Gardner pg 12 - 30 VALENTINE SPECIAL {Be my Valentine - Say it with Love by Tracy Balachandran } pg 14 - 15 Sweetly Delightful {Kelly Willette, Sarah Gardner, Debbie Wibowo & Mandy Lynne} pg 16 - 17 Say it with Milk & Cookies {Andrea McClain} pg 18 - 19 Say it with Paper Hearts {Sarah Gardner} pg 20 - 21 IDEAS BOARD Say it from the Heart pg 22 - 23 Say it with Words {Love Makes the World go Around by Tracy Balachandran} pg 24 - 27 Say it with the Homemade {Andrea McClain & Sarah Gardner} pg 28 - 30 LOVE IT MAKE IT PHOTOGRAPH IT {PROJECT ~ Valentines Bag {Boo Marshall & The Mercerie} pg 31 - 33 LOOK FEATURE Combining my Passions ~ Boo Marshall pg 34 - 43 SPOTLIGHT ~ ANGEL HEART Daniella Tjahjanto pg 44 - 45 LOOK INSPIRATION ~ Eva Ricci pg 46 - 53 BOOKMARK EDITORIAL ~ Skye Johansen pg 54 - 61 SPOTLIGHT ~ Skai Photography pg 62 - 63 SPOTLIGHT ~ The Tiny Sparrow Story

pg 64 - 67 Ten Challenges to get you ready for the Wedding Season {Sarah Gardner} pg 68 - 71 LOOK INSPIRATION ~ Andrea McClain pg 72 - 74 LIFE INSPIRED from Blissflo’s {Tracy Balachandran} pg 75 - 77 FEATURE ~ Frozen Skies & New Beginnings {Sarah Gardner} pg 78 - 88 BOOKMARK EDITORIAL ~ Craig & Eva Sanders Photography pg 90 - 108 BOOKMARK EDITORIAL ~ Jen Carver Photography & Workshops & Interview

Jen Carver

Skye Johansen

Sysommay Kaiphanliam of Skia Photography

Andrea McClain

EVA RICCI Mandy Lynne
Debbie Wibowo of D*Light Photography

&
TRACY BALACHANDRAN OF BLISSFLO
And a special thanks to Kate Jeans
ADDITIONAL MAGAZINE CONTENT AND MATERIAL COURTESY OF SARAH GARDNER PHOTOGRAPHY

I have always been fascinated with the surface quality of painting, whether Fine Art or Abstract. From the
brush marks and slightly revealed canvas, to the intensity and fluidity of the paint itself. As a trained Fine Artist these qualities could all be found in my work. So when I turned my attention away from painting and looked towards photography, as my new creative pursuit, it was a natural progression of my style to be intrigued by textural surface qualities. I was instantly fascinated with the concept of combining photographic imagery and surface qualities, by means of digital textures, to create rendered Fine Art imagery.

I worked meticulously for hours at my computer exploring and discovering ways to apply, blend and work with digital textures, so as to create my own style and processing methods. This was a new way of working outside of an Artist’s Studio that suited both my lifestyle and my appetite to produce work at a faster rate. I could now work in a clean ‘digital’ environment

that was easily accessible, portable and instantaneous. Through
the discovery of working with digital textures I was able to extend the creative arm of my photography and introduce a more personal, emotional dimension to my finished work. These creative effects go far beyond what the camera alone can achieve. This introduction of another element, to my photography is as personal in its selection and application as all the compositional and technical decisions and choices that superseded it. This discovery was to be more than just a new processing method. It was the beginning of a new chapter in my life, as a creative artist, one that continues to unravel and deepen every day. Since first discovering digital textures five years ago I have now designed and created over 100 unique and workable textures. In 2011 I was commissioned by Focal Press Publishing to write a book, Art Beyond the Lens, sharing my work and processing methods. Today I receive emails from artists and photographers from all over the world asking me about my work and seeking processing advice. It gives me a great sense of pride knowing I’m assisting others to master their own creativity and explore this new digital craft. Textures have become so immensely popular in today’s digital photographic processing. There are so many ways to use

BEYOND {the} LENS
TEXTURE COLLECTION
THE BEST TEXTURES FROM SARAH GARDNER’S PREVIOUS COLLECTIONS.

Textures to bring, quite literally, another dimension to your work. In a digital, electronic world where our work can be broken down into pixels, resolutions and color profiles we’ve started craving all the attributes of dimensional illusion. Photographic artists, like me, are embracing the tools that increase the sensation of dimensional space and depth. I also work with wide apertures and directional natural lighting, in combination with creative processing Actions, to create contemporary imagery.

WAXWORKS
SPECIALIST COLLECTION FROM SARAH GARDNER.

Textures, and their application, can be whatever you want them to be, but make no mistake in limiting your understanding that textures are only for those out to create ‘grungy styled gothic’ renderings. I have always thought of textures to be like the application of a painted layer, to be rendered in such a way that compliments the subject material. I like to use textures in a more contemporary way that is softer with a lighter touch. I use them to increase

contrast, diminish shadows and add full-in light and translucent haze. Working with textures is a unique personal
application that goes beyond everything the camera alone can achieve. It’s a marriage, between the image and the textures artistic attributes, that together creates harmony and delivers a greater aesthetic appeal. To find out more about Sarah Gardner’s work and use of digital textures see ART BEYOND THE LENS by Sarah Gardner Published by Focal Press 2012.

ART BEYOND THE LENS AMAZON.COM

WEBSITE & FACEBOOK

Valentine prettiness is shared the whole world round, from sweet ideas to heart melting moments. Valentines can is no longer just be reserved for couples, it’s a time to openly share thankfulness and a little extra sweetness with everyone you know. Beyond the Camera has pulled together a few of its favourite ideas to get you clicking this Valentines.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Sarah Gardner

Storyboard some simple vintage styled ideas for Valentines.
Storyboard themes and complimenting colors together to create mini collections. Here we have teamed up teal, reds and creams for a vintage twist on the classic red and white. Storyboarding or scrapbooking is the art of bringing together imagery, pattern and design from various sources to create a look or mood that is appealing to you. Putting together storyboards is a wonderful way to kick start your own creativity and grow an idea or concept. Collect magazine tear sheets or pin online with Pinterest. Check out some of the pretty pins we’ve collected over at Pinterest.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Top left WILLETTE DESIGNS Top right SARAH GARDNER

PHOTOGRAPHY: Top DEBBIE WIBOWO Middle MANDY LYNNE Bottom SARAH GARDNER

PHOTOGRAPHY: Andrea McClain

Say it with Milk & Cookies
The unmistakable beauty of Andrea McClains work is perfect for Valentines. Sweet little homemade cookies are an ideal treat for children to help make, or for you to serve with afternoon tea. Collect vintage tea cups, lace table linens and silverware for the perfect whimsy Valentines set up.

Say it with paper hearts

PHOTOGRAPHY: Sarah Gardner

. . saying it from your heart
However you wish to say it this Valentines, be sure to say it from your heart. Valentine ideas have certainly never been lacking in inspiration or creativity and here at Beyond the Camera we would like to share some of our favourite ideas for getting crafty and creative. Make lasting gifts or add some creative flare to a photo shoot.

15 {LOVED} CREATIVE IDEAS
1. Make paper heart garlands from old book pages, sheet music or mixed craft paper. 2. Use a small ‘cutter’ punch to make heart shaped confetti to decorate tables or scatter in the wind. 3. Delicious homemade cookies are welcomed by all as a treat to give, share and eat together.

4. Link two white & red candy canes together to make a heart shape.
5. Cut or nibble a heart shape in a big red apple. 6. Create lipstick heart kiss impressions on another’s cheek or tummy, kiddies love this one. 7. Scatter heart shaped table sequins or glitter for a touch of sparkle. 8. Link arms, side by side, to form an entwined joined heart shape together. 9. Kids and mums-to-be love place hands together in a heart shaped prayer pose, very sweet. 10. Design and make your own garland with a personal message.
PHOTOGRAPHY: OPPOSITE Eva Ricci & THIS PAGE Sarah Gardner

11. Draw hearts in the sand or snow, frost or rain covered window.
12. Draw chalk hearts on a blackboard or scribe on the ground. This is so fun for kiddies to do. Try with a smaller hand held chalk board. 13. Create bokeh hearts with fairy lights and a heart shaped black lens template. Manually focus through the template to create heart bokeh. 14. Tie together and run with a big bunch of heart shaped balloons. 15. Thread or place flowers and petals in heart shaped flower garlands. SEE MORE IDEAS ON OUR PINTEREST BOARD

PHOTOGRAPHY: Sarah Gardner

Love, it makes the world go around It simply, truly does I never realised what this meant And till I stepped in trust You see it’s more than you and me And you and me it holds For in and out and around and around It simply, truly goes So you and I are a part you see Of a bigger whole Yet individual wholes we make Like little Russian dolls Love is what we are oh Lord, In your form, we are told There is no difference between two friends But what beliefs we hold Beliefs and values filter love Letting it in or out For some it’s really easy to And usually they are young So simple and really easy, you see We are children of love And my little kids know more than me About how love began They have no fearful layers, that Hold them apart from, one They trust in what they cannot see The force and light of love

WRITTEN BY Tracy Balachandran
A poem from the “Face the darkness, find the stars” collection by Tracy Balachandran. Please visit the BLISSFLO FACEBOOK page for more inspirational poetry from the same collection.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Sarah Gardner

Say it with
Homemade crafts & ideas
Here at Beyond the Camera we love craft ideas, beautiful unique homemade items that are made and received with love. Stage and photograph your beautiful homemade gifts this Valentines before they go to a loving home. Use your images to make lasting cards, storyboards or wall art. Have fun, be creative and enjoy the slower pace of crafting.

PHOTOGRAPHY: TOP & BOTTOM RIGHT Andrea McClain | BOTTOM, TOP RIGHT Sarah Gardner

Love it, Make it
Sue Maton and Boo share something in common, a love of wool! Boo is a photographer and Sue is the founder of The Mercerie, and together they have worked some pretty crafty magic for Valentines. Having recently teamed up for the UK’s Professional Photographer Magazine they’re now offering Beyond the Camera readers this adorable Valentines purse.
The Valentines purse takes just two hours to crochet! It really does! Boo and Sue sat together whilst Sue made the main purse and Boo made the drinks. Together they chatted and drank coffee. Boo then finished off the purse by crocheting the main bobble Sue had designed to decorate it! The purse uses one main stitch throughout, and is a perfect project for both the experienced crocheter, and someone who has only just learnt to crochet! True to her nature of making everything useful and recycling, the small handles of the purse are recycled from 100% oak floorboards in Norfolk and are also available from Sue’s website, The Mercerie.

DID YOU KNOW? YOU CAN DOWNLOAD A FREE PATTERN WHEN YOU VISIT THE MERCERIE’S WEBSITE. VISIT HERE

To make, take:
One rainy morning, a cup of freshly ground coffee (and preferably a homemade cheese scone with butter), one crochet hook, (4-5mm), 100% British

wool in red and a small amount of pink, one free
pattern given with love and a radio or friend chatting in the background. Start creating and then finish with satisfaction. Photograph with care and attention. Later in the day, have a relaxing bath (a glass of wine at this point would be good). Apply makeup and style hair and put on clothes that make you feel good. Pop lipstick into Valentine’s Purse and heels on feet and then be taken out for wining and dining. At end of day, prop purse up on dressing table so in the morning you see it and remember what a great time you had the day you made it! Enjoy! PHOTOGRAPHY: Boo Marshall

READER OFFER & FREE DOWNLOAD: To celebrate the first issue of Beyond the Camera, Sue has designed this adorable Valentines Purse with a free downloadable pattern available from her website. To ensure you can make it, as it has been designed, readers of this magazine can have an attractive 15% off the 100% British Aran wool, it’s made from. Just enter the code ILOV3U when ordering.
(Terms & Conditions apply; see website below)

VISIT THE MERCERIE

COMBINING MY PASSIONS
ARTICLE & PHOTOGRAPHY BY Boo Marshall
As a photographer, it’s was dream to be approached by a client like The Mercerie! A company, whose mission is to bring the beauty and usefulness of craft and the homemade directly into our homes and lives. And of course for me, it means I get to spend a day with three things I love: wool, colour and cameras! Sue is the founder of the Mercerie and although she is an experienced textile designer, she is also passionate about good design and craft being available for everyone, so her designs are thought out to be accessible by both the novice as well as the more experienced knitter. I have to say that what I appreciate most about Sue’s designs is the very obvious attention to detail. Because many of her products are felted, Sue tracked down delicious, 100% British, Aran wool – and ensured the colours were available to her specification; and there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that what grabs the attention first with The Mercerie’s products, are the colours! Every The wool knits up quickly and whether felting or not, the culmination of your precious hours of time is a real reward! Not being an especially careful knitter myself, I did make a small error in one row of the bag I was knitting up – but once felted, the designer herself was the only one to spot the mistake!

combination works beautifully; oranges and pinks, deep

blues and creams, reds and turquoise.

.

The next best thing about the designs is I get to photograph the products! The pride of seeing the results of your crafting in a beautiful image you’ve created is exquisite! And there is no point wasting all those hours, those beautiful colours, the amazing textures, by taking a photograph, which doesn’t account for all of those things! I really think it’s vital to take a photograph of your knitted, or crocheted, or sewn treasure in a context, which will truly frame it. Sue is amazing at thinking up ideas to photograph the knitted

products to show them in use – and

we’ve had amazing days in local parks,
(towing caravans in!), tourist steam trains, the seaside and wild heaths, as well as in our own homes and gardens.

“The pride of seeing the results of your crafting in a beautiful image you’ve created is exquisite!”
BOO MARSHALL PHOTOGRAPHY THE MERCERIE

Daniella Tjahjanto
PHOTOGRAPHY SPOTLIGHT ON THE BEAUTIFUL
LIFE INSPIRING WORK OF DANIELLA TJAHJANTO

Take a closer look at the poetical imagery of Daniella Tjahjanto. You can easily lose yourself in her soft, delicate and deeply heartfelt photography. Daniella combines soft natural light with muted tonal processing to bring a sense of tranquillity and serenity to her work. When asking photographers to contribute to our first issue Daniella’s

work immediately came to mind, her inspirational outlook
made her a perfect choice for our first issue. We know you’ll fall in love with her work, as we have done.

About
I'm a self-taught photographer, a wife and a mother of four girls. I'm a dreamer who is inspired by love, light and life. Photography is a form of expression for me. I use photography to express all of the emotions and frustrations that I can’t express with words. Nothing makes me happier than being behind the camera and bringing my ideas and stories to life.

My own life is the biggest inspiration I have, and therefore I feel very blessed. Daniella Tjahjanto.

WEBSITE & FACEBOOK

Eva Ricci’s photography is
atmospheric and utterly tranquil. Silently her images evoke calmness and bring peace to the soul.

Eva Ricci is a Fine Art photographer & designer from Montreal Canada, who blends her innate sense of design with the impeccable beauty of Fine Art. Eva’s career as a graphic designer and her degree in Applied Arts were the foundation for starting her dream business at Eva Ricci Studio.

About

Eva sells her Fine Art photography as prints, canvases and stationary worldwide. She has recently launched a new line of accessories including iphone cases, fashion handbags and decorative pillows for the home. Her high quality work and attention to detail has created a unique style that is whimsical, elegant and beautiful.

WEBSITE & FACEBOOK

SKYE JOHANSEN
New beginnings start with new life. Portrait photographer Skye Johansen shares with Beyond the Camera Magazine her passion, story and beautiful work.

Taking pictures of newborns and babies was never something I had planned on doing. Once my husband and I decided to start having children, the plan was for me to be a stay at home mom and take care of them. My parents had given us a nice camera as a wedding present and I hadn't played around with it much. I took tons of pictures with my camera set on automatic and was pretty happy with the nice pictures my camera was taking. When my first two babies were 16 months old and two weeks, I got them all dressed up and took them in to get their pictures done. It was a horrible experience.

The person had no patience and wasn't willing to wait a few minutes so I could try and soothe the baby by feeding him. So I went home with the pictures I had paid for of my two unhappy, scared babies. I decided getting some good pictures was important so I tried again at another studio and was again disappointed. Around the same time, my mom had sent me the most darling little Anne Geddes book that had all these amazing pictures of tiny naked newborns all posed perfectly. I told her that I wished so bad I could have pictures like that of my own babies. We agreed that regular people should be able to have little treasures like this to remember their tiny babies before they grow out of those precious stages. So right then and there, I got online and ordered the Having control over the lighting, the temperature of the small basement bedroom I was using for a studio and the time of day (morning!) so I could catch my babies in their happiest time, everything seemed almost too easy. It's been almost 9 years since I got everything set up, and today I'm still using the same lens (85 mm 1.8) and the same light (Alienbees B800). I have slowly upgraded my camera as I could afford it and now I'm shooting with the amazing Canon 5D Mark iii. So in love!

“From the moment I first started shooting with my new light and lens, I was in love!

book Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson so I
could learn how to shoot manually with my camera. It didn't come easy but the more I practiced the better the pictures were looking straight out of the camera. It was in the middle of winter though and I was getting frustrated that sometimes the natural light was beautiful and others it seemed to be working against me, or that I had to plan my experimental shoots around the time of day when the light looked the best in my living room. I was lucky enough to have a brother in law that loves all things to do with photography and he helped me order a studio light to play around with and to get a prime lens that would be the most flattering for tiny faces.

When I first started photographing other peoples newborns, I was very scared to move them around too much and wasn't really sure what to even do with them when they were being sleepy and

uncooperative. As the years have gone on, I have gained more self confidence through experience and it seems like the more confident I get, the more cooperative the babies have become. It helped that I had 4 newborns of my own in a 5 year span, so I did a lot of rocking, shushing and man handling of fussy babies. I started to notice when they were the happiest (full belly and being toasty warm) and when they started getting to old to let me pose them (around 2-3 weeks).

“My absolute favourite age to has got to be Newborns around a week old.”
Everything I learned I had to figure out myself through trial and error. As far as I knew, there was Anne Geddes and a million photography chain stores and that was it. I was very excited when I started finding other people that were venturing into newborn/child photography. When I started doing sessions for

my friends and family, it didn't take long for complete strangers
to start calling and asking me to photograph their kids too. I would always say, "well I'm not a photographer but I'll do my best!" and was always so excited and relieved when they got their pictures and loved them. I started doing kids of all ages, family pictures and even a few weddings. I very quickly came to the conclusion that I hated taking pictures of everything else except newborns and small children in the studio, so I decided to say no to everything else except for the things I wanted to specialize in. I thought making that decision would come at a cost, such as not being very busy. But I was wrong! As my schedule filled up, I thought, "how lucky am I that I get to wake up every weekday and have a tiny brand new baby or a toegrabbing six month old or a sweet little 2 year old come to my studio to be photographed." I looked forward to it every day and still feel extremely grateful that I am able to shoot from my home. So what is the best part? I am done shooting every day around noon and get to be a regular mom, making meals and driving my kids to their activities. I usually edit at night after the kids go to bed. I am a night owl so I enjoy having the time to myself where I eat treats, watch netflix, talk on the phone with other late night editing photographers and get my work done.

My absolute favourite age to has got to be newborns around a week old. They are challenging at times and take more time than other sessions, but when I am in the moment, posing a newborn and capturing their tiny, folded up bodies like they were when they were in the womb, with their sleep deprived parents standing behind me swooning over their perfect baby and so in love with every single shot I am getting….there is nothing better. So why is it so important that we capture these new little babies at this moment? There are so many reasons. First of all, there is nothing more universally adorable than a tiny sleeping baby. It evokes feelings of peace and

I have many clients that book newborn sessions but then feel too overwhelmed when they have their newborn so they book for a later time. They usually tell me that they regret not bringing their baby in when they were a newborn and vow to not let it happen with future children. When you are in the moment, it's easy to put things off for a later time when things calm down, but by then you have missed it. I also have a few very special clients that have sadly had babies pass away unexpectedly and the newborn pictures they have of them are some of their greatest treasure. Doing newborn photography does have it's, let's

happiness and makes us feel good that a baby is so
content and taken care of that it can sleep. Second, as much as we don't like it, those newborns change so quickly, even from day to day their looks change and they become a little more alert. When I give parents their newborn pictures a few weeks after their session, they are completely shocked by how different their baby looks already. Not only that, but it's quite common to look back at those first few weeks and not remember much at all! You are sleep deprived and usually stressed from all the things you are trying to remember to take care of your new baby that suddenly it's over and you didn't even get to enjoy the peaceful moments.

call them, cons. Naked newborns do their business
and I often have a load of laundry to do when we are done, but that darn diaper is just so distracting on a little baby body. They have their whole lives to be photographed in cute clothing, the first few weeks of life are not that time. So washing some things, sometimes even my own clothes, is totally worth it. Another thing that I'm not that excited

about is being in a very warm room for a few hours.
I finally figured out that wearing workout clothes with my hair up out of the way was the way to go.

I also use a space heater so the warmth is just around the baby and that allows the parents to be more comfortable as well. The whole room eventually heats up from the space heater but it's not super hot right off the bat. I tell the parents, especially the moms, to just wear PJ's and let them sit on my big comfy couch while I do all the work. I try and make it as painless as possible for them. There is a lot of downtime during a session with all the feeding and soothing that happens, but it's just part of the process. Then there is the editing, it is more time consuming to get their skin to look perfect, but again, it's worth it.

As I look back on the newborn pictures I have done of my own babies as well as my client's babies, I notice that my favorite ones are the super simple ones. Things that I thought were so cute at the time quickly go out of style, so the pictures where I use lots of props or crazy printed fabric make me cringe a little. I want to make sure the newborn images I am creating will still be adorable and sweet in 10 or 20 years. I know that times will change and things will go out of style, but or by using simple soft neutral wood backgrounds blankets,

chances are that will still be sweet to look at years from now. When I am photographing a newborn, I try to choose headbands, hats, wraps and props that have a vintage look to them. I also try not to let anything overwhelm the baby or take the focus off of their sweet faces. Newborn photography is definitely not the easiest genre out there, but the challenge

and hard work it takes to get newborns
asleep in adorable poses just adds to the sweetness of the final product. It seems like photographers either love photographing newborns or just plain hate it. I am definitely one that loves it and looks forward to each baby that comes in. It's so fun to see their little personalities come out even when they

Find out more about Skye and her amazing work when you visit her website. WEBSITE & FACEBOOK

are brand new. Someone once told me they
thought newborn pictures were pointless since all newborns look the same. That couldn't be further from the truth. The proof is in the pictures!

Day

dreamin
of SKAI

with Sysommay Kaiphanliam

PHOTOGRAPHY

About
Sysommay is a natural light, boutique style photographer based in Eastern Washington specializing in Senior portraiture. Here she shares a little insight about her work.

“After trying different genres of photography, I quickly realized that photographing seniors is where my heart is. I love being able to capture the essence of youth. There is this delicate beauty that teens have that is unmistakably stamped into them, I see it in my own daughter. I find the sheer wonder, incredible innocence, and hope that teenage girls exude to be absolutely beautiful, intriguing and poignant. To be able to show them the true beauty that lies within them makes what I do incredibly amazing! As you look through my work, you will find that my style of photography is soft and delightful with a bit of whimsy, infused with vibrant colors, crisp accents, romantic dreams and that little thing we call hope.”

WEBSITE & FACEBOOK

OUR CHARITY OF CHOICE
The photographers who work with the Tiny Sparrow Foundation offer more through their work than can be simply expressed in words. We urge every reader to take a moment to read Lidia’s story, visit the Foundations website and look at the ‘Gift of Hope’ portraits. Each post tells its own precious story and silently reminds us to honour and cherish all that we have. If you would like to join us in supporting the Tiny Sparrow Foundation please visit their website and if you’re able, contribute by way of a small donation. Thank you.

VISIT THE TINY SPARROW WEBSITE
Above: Photograph by Shalonda Chaddock - Chubby Cheek Photography Opposite: Photograph by founder Lidia Grigorean - Oh So Posh Photography

TINY SPARROW FOUNDATION
In cultures throughout the world, the sparrow is a symbol for hope and rebirth. Though small, the beautiful bird is recognized for its resilient and nurturing characteristics. It represents our Foundation’s mission to bring hope and new life to children living with a terminal illness. Tiny Sparrow Foundation was inspired by Lidia of Oh So Posh Photography after her own, very personal fight and battle with Stage 3 Breast Cancer. It was during this fight, when so much of life’s beauty was muted by the effects of fighting cancer, that she literally began to stop and smell the roses. It was also during the gruesome months of chemo, radiation and surgeries that she truly learned the meaning of human compassion. As Lidia simply explains it, “Cancer gave me courage.” So she decided to give back, at her time of New Beginnings, through her passion: photography.

The Tiny Sparrow Foundation is dedicated to providing lasting memories through the beautiful art of

photography to families within the United States of America who have children facing life threatening illnesses – free of charge. This process is called a Picture of Hope and includes several elements: a photo session with the best of the best photographers, a musical slideshow tribute of the family with pictures taken from session, a beautifully crafted and customized print

coffee table album, as well as a CD of all images taken at
their Picture of Hope session. With the collaboration of photographers nationwide, we are able to donate a beautiful album that will carry the love, joy and everlasting memory of each individual family.

Our goal is simple . . .
To provide hope for families who are on a journey of uncertainty. Even in the middle of dark circumstances, a Picture of Hope reminds us that there is still beauty in life; these pictures show just that! As our Tiny Sparrow parents have shared with the Foundation, Picture of Hope not only offers them everlasting memories, but also delicately captures the spirit of courage.

WEBSITE & FACEBOOK

12 CHALLENGES TO GET YOU CREATIVELY THINKING FOR THE COMING WEDDING SEASON by Sarah Gardner
It may be just the beginning of the year, but for some it’s the year they’ll be getting married. With wedding photography fast becoming one of the industry’s most competitive areas there are a few challenges you can set yourself to ensure you’re creatively performing long before your clients big day.

one
BE THE STORYTELLER Document a day in your life through the use of your camera. Discover how to communicate effectively with only the use of imagery. This challenge will make sure you don’t forget the ‘linking’ images that help thread your day’s event together. This skill is often overlooked and yet is critical to the storytelling wedding photographer.

two
STUDY PORTRAITURE Challenge yourself to convey the personal identity of the person you’re photographing. Think about composition, styling and lighting. This is a hard challenge, and it’s not necessarily just about what you see so much as what you want to say.

three
BE THE TEACHER Mentor someone and talk openly about your photography and approach. This will help identify areas within your own work you may want to strengthen. If you’re thinking of working, as or with, a Second Shooter communication is essential so step into the role of teacher; you’ll be amazed at how much you know and take for granted!

four
REPEAT AGAIN AND AGAIN Challenge your creativity and take repetitive images of the same subject. How many different ways can you photograph and process the same thing? Change angles, backgrounds and lighting. Find out what works and how to create diversity with the same subject matter.

five
TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT Step out of your comfort zone. Photograph something new that you’ve never done before. Decide on a subject that you would normally avoid and have a go at applying your wedding style and creativity to this new challenge.

six
MASTER LIGHTING From backlight to low light and full sun. Wedding photographers have to know how to work with all kinds of lighting and your choices will greatly define your style. Set yourself the challenge to practice lighting a single subject in various ways.

“I’ve worked as a wedding photographer for four years and it’s challenged every skill I have as a photographer. It’s demanded more from me than I’d have ever imagined, yet seeing my finished photographs never ceases to impress me.”

Wedding photographers have to be able to adapt quickly to different situations, from lighting conditions, to making the most out of locations and styling. Exercising your creative diversity will help you adapt quickly and know ahead of time how to get the most out of yourself when the pressure is on.

seven
GET TO KNOW YOUR FLASH We all love to call ourselves naturel light photographers but there will be times when that beautiful light isn’t available. Getting to know how to use your flash, especially off camera, to create natural results is essential. Set yourself the task of working with multiply lighting sources, reflectors and diffusers to create softer more natural results with artificial lighting.

eight
EXTREME EXPOSURES From white wedding gowns to dark suits, exposures can be tricky. Shooting in RAW helps but to get natural looking results learn what to overexpose and what to underexpose. Set yourself the challenge of photographing extreme contrasts. Yes, this means blacks and whites together! This is a great challenge that can be applied to any subject matter and will teach you about exposure choices. Learn to identify your midtone areas and exposure for them. Remember if in doubt think “what can I actually see with my own eyes?” The answer will yield the most natural results.

Special thanks to fellow photographers Suzanne Kentish & Christina Savage for helping with the day’s organisation and planning. Credits: Venue at Pipewell Hall / Dress hire by Fairy Tale Weddings / Flowers by Jill Webb at Flowers and Fondant / Hair & Make Up by Rosie Orbell / Make Up by Sian Ryan / Models: Jean Rae / Lauren Stanton & Julietta Arden–Yaylor.

“There is a real skill to naturally effortless that shouldn’t be underestimated.”

nine
DELIBERATE DETAILS Get to know the details that are critical to your style and required coverage. Learn in advance how to stage and photograph them. Consider changing lenses and set yourself the challenge of working closer with different backgrounds and surfaces.

ten
GROUP TOGETHER This can apply to couples, families s and still life arrangements. Give yourself the group challenge and experiment with apertures, focal lengths and the arrangement of multiple subjects. Work out how to best approach these types of compositions, especially when there is more than one point of interest.

THE WORKSHOP Featured photography was taken at a joint venture workshop held last year. It poured with rain all day and gave us the challenge of working indoors with extremely low light. Workshops are the perfect way to experiment and learn new skills.

“Setting challenges are the best to get a little practice before the year’s wedding season gets underway. Being prepared will renew your confidence and allow you to fully relax into your work and the day.”
Find out more about this Workshop Event

ANDREA McCLAIN
Welcome to the dreamy pastel world of Andrea McClain. Here she shares a little insight into her inspirations.
“My style of photography is romantic, soft, and vintage. I love creating new images and I am always searching for things around me to photograph. You never know what is going to inspire you from one day to the next.”

“Each day bringing something new, not that I photograph things every day, but I do always think about it and search the world around me for inspiration. One of my favorite things to do is go antique shopping. I found such wonderful props such as vintage cameras, teacups, and books. I love photography and how it enables me to express how I feel about things and how I see things in the world around me. I do like to photograph just about anything but still life and nature are my absolute favorites. Every photograph I take creates a feels of new beginning for me and I get so excited with each and every step of the process”. AM

“I love photography and how it enables me to express how I feel about things, and how I see things in the world around me”.

About

Hi! My name is Andrea McClain. I am from Ohio. I am married and have a daughter in college. I am a preschool teacher and love teaching young children. I also do photography as a second job and as a hobby. My passion with photography is truly in fine art.

WEBSITE ESTY STORE

An Inspired Life
WRITTEN BY TRACY BALACHANDRAN OF BLISSFLO

“Are you forcing inspiration or creating a space to allow it in?”
So do you often sit there, with time on your hands finally, to do something inspired! After getting the kids off to school, doing the washing, running the urgent errands and oh yes you’ve picked up the dry cleaning too – did I forget anything? Probably! So now you have time, well what is the problem? Just not inspired? Feel like you should just be able to magic it up (because I have time to do it now), but you can’t! You’ve tried, you’ve pointed the camera and taken a few shots maybe, but do you know what, it just isn’t working! You then start to look around you, out there for inspiration. Why aren’t I inspired? I just can’t see anything worth taking a photo of? Nothing is inspiring me today? Sound familiar? This can be applied to any situation where you want to do something inspirational or creative. Like; painting, drawing, baking, writing, practically everything we do requires a level of inspiration and creativity, especially where you want to do something magical (maybe even simply looking for that special gift for someone). Sometimes though, you just can’t get into the right zone, to think of anything!!! Now, let me tell you a secret, inspiration is not out there! It comes from within! Did you get that? It’s no good looking for inspiration outside of you, until you’re in a space of allowing inspiration to come to you. Inspiration comes from inside and then you reflect it into the world outside you, by what you choose to do with it once you receive it. You know it does; think of your most beautiful and creative work, it is often the most inspired and comes to you in a flash and is the easiest thing to put together and often just seems to come together on its own with such little effort. Like you’re being guided by a greater power, an innate inspirational force that just takes you over and you allow the creative juices to flow! Well you know what, you are and it has! That magical force that acts through you comes from a source deep within you, which, incidentally, is always there and always present in your life. The extent to which it is free flowing is down to you and how much resistance you have with it and to what extent you try to block it (either consciously or unconsciously). The times when you do your best work is when you become it, you are present in the moment totally zoned in and totally focused and absorbed by it. You surpass acceptance and enjoyment and you are into complete enthusiasm and passion for whatever has consumed you and whatever it is you are creating. In these pure moments of bliss you have become one with that source power and you are co-creating and going with the flow of life!

“Now, let me tell you a secret, inspiration is not out there! It comes from within! ”

brightest when you are simply being your true authentic self in the moment of now, allowing space for inspiration! This is when you are truly inspired. When an idea just takes a hold of you! This is true inspiration, so how do you get it? Well simply, you don’t get it! You are it, it is deep within you and inspiration comes from that intent behind the thoughts and doing, that just appears (seemingly from nowhere) and is allowed to rise to the surface and manifest. It comes from before the thought and is driven by life! So what am I talking about and how do you get yourself into a state of being where inspiration can just take a hold of you? Well, the answer to that is so simple that we all dismiss it as being too simple. It is simply to be! To be in the moment, consumed by what is in that moment; to be consumed by your own presence of being. To let go of any expectations for the future and what you are trying to create and to let go of any thoughts of the past. To exist in the eternal moment of now, without a thought! This is where the igniting spark occurs, this is where magic touches you, and this is where you are held in the embrace of life, simply loved for who you are. That being of light that you are, shines To start you on the track of what I am talking about here, try the soulful Reunion guided meditation on the next page, either record it to play back to yourself or ask someone to slowly read it to you. There are so many ways of mindfulness, meditation is one of the ancient arts, but others can be just as effective for you, like; running. I like to do this to some simple chants in my mind e.g. “I am happy”, “I am peaceful”, “I am calm”, listening to music, drawing, painting, even ironing! Find one that works for you and ensure you build in time in your daily routine to give this gift to yourself each and every day. Watch the benefits mount up as you regularly move into a state of mindfulness, a place where you can be touched by the magic of life! Where your heart will sing and you will shine. So If you are wanting to be inspired, don’t look for inspiration out there in the world, go inside and look for it within you. Reconnect with your inner being, higher self, unconscious mind; whatever you want to call it, but reconnect with yourself and simply love yourself and exist in the present moment and you will be inspired! There is nothing else that can be here, but divine inspiration!

Find out more about Blissflo

WEBSITE & FACEBOOK

CONNECTING TO YOUR
INSPIRATION with Blissflo
Guided meditations like any type of meditating, give you the time and space to be free of problems, issues, disappointment, anger, fear, in fact all negative emotions. It is a time to practise allowing yourself to be free, to live in the here and now; not yesterday, last

week, or last year or where you spend time thinking
about tomorrow, next week or next year! Meditating is an ancient practise of allowing yourself to be in the moment, free of thoughts and head chatter. In this state you begin to heal and reconnect with life and yourself. In this state you allow

inspiration to flow and manifest in your actions. Guided meditation means you have a guide to help you get to that state of deep relaxation. BLISSFLO is offering a FREE GUIDED MEDITATION that can be downloaded from the Beyond the Camera’s website VISIT HERE.

About
Tracy Balachandran is passionate about inspiring and motivating people to be their own hero’s, co- creating the life they want to live! Tracy is a Chartered Accountant and qualified project management practioner and has worked in the commercial and financial world for over 15 years in various senior management positions. Despite a successful career and loving family, wide circle of friends and full social life, something was missing. So Tracy started the search….. For what she was not sure, but a more fulfilling, content, peaceful and happy life was definitely on the agenda. On her continued journey of self-discovery over the past 7 years, Tracy has fully qualified with the Nordic Light Institute of Well-Being as a; Master NLP Practioner, Transformational Coach, Higher Self Healer and Well-Being Coach. Founder of Blissflo Tracy also runs guided meditation classes’ locally in Milton Keynes, England and writes inspirational poetry see Love Makes the World go Round on page 23.

WEBSITE & FACEBOOK

Here in England, a fresh icy winter’s morning can transform our everyday landscapes into winter wonderlands. There is peace and renewed energy in getting outdoors with your camera and facing the challenges that derive from winter light, from reflected bright light to damp subdued fog. Winter is an outdoor season to embrace and discover with your camera in hand. And remember to take only pictures and leave only footprints.

FOR THE LATEST WORK FROM SARAH GARDNER VISIT HER ART BLOG

Beyond the Camera is thrilled to introduce you to the beautifully romantic work of Scottish Wedding photographers Craig & Eva Sanders. Published in Vogue and American Wedding blog Style Me Pretty, Craig and Eva take wedding photography beyond the inspired.

Craig & Eva talk about their work with Beyond the Camera.
We have both been photographers for years but have concentrated mostly on wedding photography since about 2007. Looking back we can’t believe just how much our style and approach has changed in that time. We

continued to hone our skills but the Eureka moment came when I found a
wedding blog in America called ‘Style Me Pretty’… Wow! This was it, the Holy Grail of blogs. A blog that showcased all the best photographers and the most amazing weddings on a daily basis. Their attention to detail, use of light, approach to posing, processing… everything was just absolutely perfect.

I would sit every night trawling through the tons of photographer’s websites

that had appeared on ‘Style Me Pretty’ that day (studying to all intense
purposes) but I found myself coming back to the same 2 every time. The work of Jose Villa and Elizabeth Messina, for us, is the benchmark and they are without doubt our favourites. They manage to motivate, inspire and depress in equal measure.

From then on our approach changed. We try to keep things as natural as possible and, more importantly, as light as possible. We now focus as much on the small details as we do the people. We also upgraded all our gear, the more expensive the equipment we bought the better the results and we

finally found a processing style that we love. It has transformed us as
photographers and we approach each wedding with the utmost confidence in our ability, our equipment and each other.

Being wedding photographers in Scotland of course has its challenges. The biggest of these is the weather. You sit at night checking out a Jose Villa shoot in Mexico or Peru, getting inspired by his use of light only to wake up to a gale force wind and pouring rain Aaaaargh!!! We shoot with only natural light so this of course can lead to a bit of a headache. I always have a reflector around my bag and we use it religiously but we’ve also used tablecloths, towels and white umbrellas. Anything that can bounce light back into a face to give as natural a light as possible. In the all too rare occasion when the sun does shine we will always shoot into the light. Direct or cross lighting is incredibly harsh and ultimately unflattering so when we get to the point in the day where we get to control the couple we always back light them, actively looking for that amazing bit of lens

flare to give extra oomph!

About
We try to keep posing to a minimum but you’d be amazed at how much direction some of our most natural shots have had. Each couple is different, some just click together like pieces from a jigsaw and some look as if they’ve never met. That’s when you earn your money by trying to relax them, to have a laugh with them and to make the experience as painless and as much fun as possible. But direction is essential. !We’ve now appeared on Style Me Pretty 6 or 7 times and are members of their Little Black Book. A collection of vendors, from around the world, that they recommend to their readers, and we honestly still can’t quite believe it! Craig & Eva Sanders are a husband and wife team who specialise in wedding photographers based in the beautiful country of Scotland.

WEBSITE & FACEBOOK

Welcome to the second of our Bookmark Editorial’s. Here the amazingly talented Jen Carver shares and writes about her work.

the workshop
My journey into photography started well before I ever picked up a camera. As a matter of fact, the thought of ever picking
up a camera on a professional level literally never crossed my mind. My photography experience was limited to shooting with a good old ‘point and shoot’ documenting memory after memory for as many years as I can remember. In my 20’s I set out seeking a career in Visual Merchandising and Store Design that many years later ended as a Marketing Director in the Retail Marketing sector. Through those years, I was fortunate enough to work for some of the biggest retailers and brands in the business, such as Nike, The Limited, Universal Studios and Genesco Corp/Lids. With that came the opportunity to stand ‘next’ to the camera, directing alongside some of the most talented commercial photographers, lighting assistants, producers, stylists, make-up artists and creative agencies in the country. What I didn’t know then, but do now, was that ultimately those 17 + years of experience and education would prepare me for what I often call my ‘second career’ as a Children's Photographer.

IMAGES: Previous page, left Miami Workshop. Previous page, right, portfolio work .This page top, styled shoot for Babiekins Magazine. Opposite page, portfolio work

So why am I sharing this bit of information when I am supposed to be discussing My Workshop Program? Well, the answer is simple; I start off many of my workshops with this very story because as a photographer and teacher, I think it’s important when choosing a workshop to attend that you not only connect with the Instructor’s work but that you also understand the philosophy and experience behind what they are teaching. During my Workshops, I certainly don’t stress that ‘my way’ is the only way to run a successful business. I simply share the many years of experience that I have had in the business world, the

creative world and this wonderful world of photography and teach how those experiences have impacted my business in a

positive way.

IMAGES: Opposite page, portfolio work. This page, styled shoot for Babiekins Magazine .

My Workshop teaches many things that I have learned

throughout the years. The Workshop gives you a glimpse
into the world of commercial photography, and how you can take that and apply it to your portrait sessions or editorial work. My Workshops really enforce and teach

how to take Creative Control over your sessions, to ensure that all the moving parts work together cohesively, from Choosing a location, styling shoot and your clients. Without that creative control, it is easy for a session to fall apart before your eyes. The Workshop gives you the tools and the confidence to ensure that that creative control is maintained throughout each of your sessions.

IMAGES: Previous page all images, Elite Child Model Magazine. This page, all images Babiekins Magazine styled shoot.

My Workshop also gives you some great basic information from business planning, starting, running or maintaining your business. I feel that this information is important enough to share with all levels of photographers no matter how many years they have been in business. We discuss, marketing strategies, SEO (search engine optimization) techniques and the importance of blogging effectively. Pricing is covered extensively to ensure that your business is able to turn a profit based on how you have chosen to schedule and run your sessions. I also share how I selected my specialty of exclusively photographing children from one year of age and up, the reasons behind that selection and how it has impacted my life personally and professionally.

AS WELL HAS HAVING HER WORK PUBLISHED JEN OPENLY SHARES HER KNOWLEDGE AND INDUSTRY EXPERTISE WITH HER WORKSHOPS DELEGATES.

During The Workshop you will also have the opportunity to photograph a fully styled session. We discuss the importance of light and the sets are set up to show the attendees how I work with light, and my ”go to” settings to deal with different lighting scenarios. Many times, we have teamed up with Designers and Brands to give the attendees the opportunity to not only shoot a commercial session but also the opportunity to share their work with these brands and designers. The Workshop attendees will also have an opportunity to work with a stylist and models in preparation for the photo shoot, this is

where I find people are most inspired. Many have said that the opportunity alone makes
the workshops worth attending. We really try to go all out to make that piece extra special so that our attendees have portfolio building images to go home with. Lastly, The Workshop attendees have the opportunity to watch and learn the steps I take to process my images from start to finish. This seems to be a “fan” favorite, as my steps are simple and easy to follow.

Indianapolis

When I developed ‘The Workshop’, and decided to teach and open up what I have learned over the past
years to other photographers, I took this role very seriously. A s a Manager and Director for many years in the business world, I have taught, groomed, and prepared many of my employees for that next level. It was something that I took great pride in, and enjoyed. Someone once told me it is always wise to surround yourself with great people. As a photographer and teacher, my goal is that those who have invested in me, I will invest in them. With that said when you take a full online group workshop or a live workshop you will be added to our private workshop group on Facebook. This group is set up for all of my attendees that have taken my course. It is a private, safe place for critiquing, asking questions, sharing information and a place where I am able to follow the progress of those that have taken the course. I am most proud of this group of professionals. It started out as a place for me to watch the continued progress of those that have taken the workshop, but has developed into much more. They have all grown so much and are full of such knowledge and willingness to help one another. It is more than I could ever have asked for and the growth in each of them has been fantastic.

Indianapolis

When you take “The Workshop," you are not just getting a day of learning, you are getting many years of experience and knowledge from many of the ‘greats’ I have been blessed to have worked alongside. You are also getting an inside

look at my own personal path and experiences
with my own business, and of course, continued help and support as you progress down your own individual path. I was fortunate to have people from my past that could guide me in the right direction when I started this journey, so I am excited to have that opportunity to pass on to others.

We have such an exciting 2013 line-up ahead of us! We will be adding more workshops as we go. “The Workshop” will be teaming up with Skye Johansen Photography who will be teaching studio lighting and newborn photography, and her own personal processing style! It will be a fully packed day of information! We were super excited to team up for our Miami, FL workshop this past November, that we decided to join forces again to visit the following cities. Chicago, IL, New York City, Los Angeles, CA The Workshop not only gives you a good foundation of business and marketing, but, also empowers you to develop a business module that will allow you to push yourself creatively, find your own personal style and continue to grow as a professional. To find out more about Jens workshop opportunities visit her website below.

IMAGES: Images from personal portfolio & client sessions

“Jen Carver’s work is so utterly inspirational that she leaves me wanting to know more about what makes her tick! So I thought I’d finish both this article, and our first magazine issue, with a few more questions…..
INTERVIEW BY SARAH GARDNER

What camera do you use, and what's your go-to-lens and aperture setting? I shoot with the Canon 5D Mark II and the Canon 5D Mark III , My go to lenses are the 85 1.2 and the 70-200 2.8. I also use the 35 1.4 on rare occasions. What kind of 'light' do you prefer to work with? Mostly natural light, but I do use some studio lighting on location for specific circumstances, mostly when I'm shooting editorial or commercial work. I like the combination of natural and studio lighting together. What inspires your creativity when styling a Children's shoot? When I'm shooting commercially or editorial work it’s most definitely the product. When I'm shooting personal clients, the kids are the inspiration behind the concept and the styling. We gather lots of information about their personalities, what they like to do, we understand where the images will be hanging in the home, what their decor is like and color palette and from there we style a shoot that marries all of that together. .

As a Children's photographer what tips do you have for getting the right look from them? We use a simple form that our clients fill out to give us the information we need to pull the shoot together. We feel if we gather all the information up front the shoot comes together cohesively and becomes personalized to the client. Within the concept we like to put the kids in a situation where they have a role in the shoot, so they become almost natural characters, and many times forget that I’m even there. I feel that when you personalize the shoot to something that may interest the child and you give them something to do during the session, you will be able to capture them naturally and candidly.

Who or what inspires you? I'm not sure if there is one individual that sticks out in my mind, it is certainly a collaboration of people and things. Light probably inspires me above anything else. Lighting is so important in creating, telling a story, developing a concept, without it none of it works. Whether it’s natural or artificial, whether it comes from the sun, a complicated lighting set up, a flashlight or a small window, I think it’s the one element that cannot be underestimated or forgotten. Sometimes light will stop me in my tracks and from there my mind just goes and I know that without it my images would be nothing! It’s as simple as that. I really try to study light and understand it as it’s so critical in photography, whether it’s naturally placed in my images or done in post processing, my goal is that the viewer cannot tell the difference. There are so many other things and people that inspire me and play a part in the creative process, from other children's photographers, to fine art, magazine clippings, to painters and other artists. It all plays a role and is a springboard for new ideas. My Mentees also play a role. I watch them work so hard and put themselves out there, try new things and techniques. I learn so much from them every day; they push me to get better because they look to me to lead them. I take that very seriously; it pushes me to be better. I think we can always get better and improve. What made you decide to start running your own Workshops? I’m not sure I decided! After many requests, I decided to give it a shot. I started with oneon-ones and that led to live workshops which then led to group online workshops. I never thought I would love it as much as I do. When I started out in photography, I certainly reached out to a few photographers and was shut down. It bothered me and it has always stayed in the back of my mind. At the time, I didn't understand why. I have been fortunate to be mentored by one of my old commercial photographers from my past. He really led me in terms of opening a business, and my overall long term goals, but in terms of learning how to use my camera and post processing that has all been self-taught. When I ventured into teaching workshops, I knew that I had to be willing to share all of my knowledge without feeling threatened that my techniques would be stolen or copied. I understood the risks involved; I know there is a sensitivity to protect what you’ve worked so hard to create and that is rightfully yours. For those that choose to keep that confidential, I do understand better now than I did when I first started out. This business certainly can be cut throat. There is lots of competition, but through this, I have found that not only do I enjoy it but I have a vested interest in seeing the photographers I teach succeed. That is why I created a private group on Facebook "The Workshop". It has allowed the process to not only continue, it has also allowed me to follow their progress too. What is the best part about running workshops? I came from a director level background in the corporate world, whether it was working for Nike or retailers such as The Limited or Lids, growing people was always a key initiative. You were only as good as the people that worked for you. So growing them meant growing yourself too. I guess that mentality has always stuck with me. It may not be right for every photographer but it feels right for me. I have received some of the most beautiful emails from the people I have mentored that really changed their life, or direction in photography and made them continue on when they wanted to give up. At the end of the day, teaching workshops has been the most rewarding experience for me as a photographer. What is your biggest ambition for 2013? I am taking a step back from personal clients in 2013 and taking only limited sessions. I really plan on focusing my time on my live and online workshops, editorial and commercial work. I am planning to study studio lighting even further, pushing myself creatively and most importantly spending more time with my family. I have put every waking second into my business for the past 5 years or so, and it is in a good place, I really want to find some balance this year. I think it will allow me to grow personally and professionally by having that down time to take on new projects and new opportunities that in previous seasons I have had to pass up due to heavy scheduling. Find more of Jen Carvers work here. WEBSITE & FACEBOOK

For more information on our Live and Online Workshops please visit www.jencarverphotography.com/mentoring-sessions/ or email me at: [email protected]

www.jencarverphotography.com
www.jencarverphotography.com/blog

www.facebook.com/jencarverphotography

2013 Workshops Co-Hosting with Skye Johansen Photography www.skyejohansen.com

Make a submission
If you’re interested in having your work published in Beyond the Camera Magazine then please make a work submission, we would love to hear from you. Simply visit our website and take a look at our submission guidelines.

WORK SUBMISSIONS NEXT ISSUE: OUT APRIL 2013

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OUR LITTLE TEAM {SO FAR !}
Sarah Gardner {EDITOR IN CHIEF / BRAND & DESIGN} www.sarahgardnerphotography.com Kate Jeans {ADVERTISING / IT} www.petalsandpeonies.co.uk Marilyn Walter {COPY EDITOR} Debbie Wibowo {NEW FEATURES EDITOR} de-lightphotography.blogspot.co.uk

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©Copyright 2012 all rights reserved, full terms and conditions of use. Where note stated photography and written material courtesy of Sarah Gardner. ALL MATERIALS © COPYRIGHT PROTECTED. Published to www.issue.com from the UK.