On the second day we led a mock engagement shoot showing those that attended how we put into practice the things we spoke about the day before. Our group of photographers were simply amazing and the images they’ve shared with me from our time together are beautiful. We had Ashley and Manuel as our models for the afternoon and we could not have picked a better couple. Not only are they ridiculously gorgeous, but they really allowed us and our new photographer friends to see who they are as a couple. They got married at the same place where we were having our shoot so it was serendipitous all around. You may recognize Ashley from her oh-so-lovely illustrations at Ashley Brooke Designs. Check out her stuff, it’s incredible. She made us our “Robinsons” mug in this photo.

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It’s that time again! YEAR END. If you’re like Nate and I that means you’re looking for ways to invest in your business as the year comes to a close. And if you’re like us, you’re already looking forward to 2011 and getting geared up to take the year by storm.

Nate and I are so excited to share that we are going to be hosting the incomparable Liana Lehman Hall and her Business Bootcamp 2-Day Intensive Workshop. I’ve been wanting to be a part of this workshop since I first started our business in 2008 and I’m so excited that it’s finally happening! The workshop is an intimate and intense 2 days of taking a hard look at your business and your financials and whipping them into shape. If you’re like me, you’re better at the artistic side than the business and taxes side. That’s where Liana steps in!

Here’s how Liana describes her workshop:

The Business Boot Camp (BBC) is an intense, intimate two-day experience designed to help you take your photography business to the next level, enforce business health and profitability, and create a better work/life balance.

Expect to come prepared with a lot of hard work and thought put in beforehand. On the first day, we will look at your goals and make a plan for our time together based on what is needed the most. We will likely cover a variety of topics including but not limited to some of the following: pricing, packages, merchandising, sales, branding, marketing, workflow, communications, office management, taking better photos straight out of the camera, and customer service.

The format of the class is a small-group discussion environment so you can expect to actively particpate and take your turn in sharing, brainstorming/working, listening, and observing. You will not be bored to tears with two days of lectures and presentations. The two days will be intense but will fly by!

You can learn more and get all the information about the Workshop on Liana’s Business Bootcamp website. Registration is limited to 8 studios and Liana has given me the go-ahead to extend the invitation not only to photographers but to other local business owners as well! So if you’re a planner, a baker, a graphic designs maker, or whatever else, you are invited to come and get your learn on about giving your business the foundation it needs to be successful and profitable.

This workshop is an investment in yourself and your business and you can read reviews from past attendees on her website. (I’ve never heard anything but AMAZING reviews.) And I’m giving you tons of advance notice to save up! The workshop is going to be January 10-12, 2011 at our studio in Winter Park, Florida. Nate and I are considering the experience our Christmas gift to our business. It’s perfect timing as it will be right after year end, as you’re getting ready to organize yourself and your financials for the upcoming year.

Take a look, talk it over (with yourself or your business partner) and when you’re ready, go ahead and sign up. (If you sign up before the end of the year you can use it as a tax write off for 2010.) We’re limited to 8 businesses to keep things intimate. Right now we still have some available spots. If you have any questions, feel free to ask us. We can help you find lodging if you’re coming in from out of town as well. We can’t wait to see you in January!

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Last night was the February meeting of the Orlando Pictage User Group (affectionately nicknamed the “PUG”). And last night Nate and I lost our photography public speaking virginity. Our good friend Tim invited as guest speakers for this month’s PUG meeting. It was perfect timing too since Nate and I just made the switch to Pictage for all of our proofing and are now card carrying members. (Well, we don’t really have cards, we have ID numbers, but “ID-number-having-member sounds much less exclusive.) And luckily for us, the topic we had planned for our presentation in Iowa fit perfectly as a topic for the PUG as well. And graciously, everyone that came allowed us to share it with them. We got to meet some really cool local people and also put faces to names of some that we had only heard of through mutual friends or the interwebs.

I’ve been asked a few times if I was nervous about speaking (at both the PUG and in Iowa) and to be completely honest, I’m not nervous about the actual speaking in front of people. Nate and I used to be in a band together so being in front of people and performing doesn’t rattle me that much. What does make me shake in my boots heels is the thought of people not finding any value in what I am giving them. When I used to sing in the band I would be terrified that I wasn’t going to be able to communicate the emotions and meaning of the song to them. That they would think I sounded bad, or that they just wouldn’t care about the songs that we had put so much of our hearts into writing and practicing. With speaking on photography, I don’t get nervous about being in front of people but I do get nervous that they will think that what I say is stupid or boring or has no value. So all afternoon I pretty much freaked out and second guessed everything we had written into our program. But, once we were able to start talking and connecting, I felt much better. And even if someone thought that what we were saying was boring, I know that there were others who found a lot of value in it. And to us, if even one person can improve their business or their art or their mental well-being because of something that we shared, then the entire thing is a success. At least, that’s how Nate and I feel.

Now we’re making a few little refinements (and I’ll be working on my posture) for our trip to Iowa. And we couldn’t be more excited right now about going and getting to do this program again and getting to meet so many new people. To everyone we met last night, thank you so much for coming and giving us some of your time. Thank you for your vulnerability and for opening your minds and your hearts to what we had to say. We are so happy to have made so many new connections and we can’t wait to hang out with you all again and hopefully work with some of you in the upcoming year! Thank you especially to Tim Beckford and Brian Adams for inviting and hosting us and also for keeping the Orlando PUG running so smoothly. And thank you to Timco for taking the following photos as proof that last night even existed at all. ;)