Lessons

Lesson Info

Dreamer Journal and Collaborating

have the hard copy right here of Chris does Krista's layout. She has been in a tone of the dreamers. Like I said, she was in the very first issue. And we actually have our first aid issues I believe are free on issue, but it still different. I s s u U um, so you can see a tenant for work. We just went Teoh paid in the last couple issues and it's just $5 just to help cover some of the costs we've incurred over the years hosting all the little things that but yeah. So you can just like, even in her images here it like we were talking about with the color you can see, it has, like, the little orange orange pops, and she uses these little tiny bits of those little tiny extras that I love so much like a little headscarfs. And, um, I just love Chris doesn't work so much, so I was really glad that we could could have her on. Um What? Spilling water onto my computer? That would be my luxury. We're gonna talk a little bit. I know he had. When we broke, we said, we're going to talk about their a...

ctually gonna go into that right before the shoot. I think it makes a little more sense toe talk about what I'm going to use to shoot. So we're gonna jump right back into talking about collaborating, finding mentors, basically people in your world that can help make your photography Ah, better, a better place. And that's exactly how dreamer actually started. I am in no way shape or form a magazine editor or a graphic designer or any of those things. But my friend Julie Martin and I were talking about, um all these great artists and all these great designers and all these great photographers that we just loved. And why doesn't the world see them like it's you have, You know all these magazines out there and that you don't see the people that are known the way you see the people who were like they deserve to be seen. And so basically it started really, selfishly way just wanted to make cute little bundles of our favorite people and be able to provide it for people. I mean, that's our whole being a dreamer. We don't in any way, shape or form um, tell our contributors what they're supposed to be contributing. We don't give them themes. We don't give them a sort of guidelines other than it has to be kid friendly, and we like to keep it seasonal cause we had we dio four seasons a year. But it is just a place that artists can absolutely have an excuse to create, just to create and give us a product that is 100% them, which I feel like That's where our artists shine. That's I know. My favorite photo shoots are always the one where I'm just allowed to, like, take my idea, have people there to, like, help it all come together and like, create this thing that went from here to here and had no people telling me Well, it needs to have this or you need to showcase that or eating toe. Um, so that's what we did. We just created this platform where we could share all these amazing people and, um, it's also a great example of collaboration cause so many of these sessions mine other people we reach out cause we want to showcase. We only have a limited number of pages that we can show. So for me it's really fun to fit as many of my favorite people in tow one feature as I can't so like this one, for instance, we had someone interviewing the brand. We have the brand I have. We had somebody that painted the backdrop. We had someone that did hair. We had someone that did the floral arrangement. So we have all these people involved to bring together this one idea, and all I did was say, Here's my idea. I would love to make it look like their inside even though they're like, I want it to everyone to know their in studio but, like, pretend like we're trying to make it look outside. So Julie painted this beautiful backdrop and then, um, actually the kid's head of the agency, the kids today and the kids to learn all from option modeling media. She is an amazing little for old designer on the side. So that's what I was saying before. You don't necessarily have Teoh hire someone that has that business card. It doesn't have to say so And so floral designer. I just knew it was something she was passionate about. something she does absolutely beautiful and gorgeously so. It was a great excuse to, um, do something together and this. Yeah. This is my little foray in tow. Graphic design photographing the extra pieces of But you can see everybody involved here. It was me and Julie. Chazz Marshall. Inherent jewelry. We had two different agencies. We had wardrobe. So it's just a great example of how we're not running a one man show like you don't have to do it all on your own. There's no one saying that you have Teoh. Um, just keep get past my future. Actually, you know what this is Antonio. He's gonna be here in right after our break. We're gonna have Antonia live in the studio. But again, you see all the people involved, you know, you have the photographer and the wardrobe, and that's another shoe company in different accessories and, um, a talent agency. So it's just to me, it's just a really fun way to take your work and make it so much bigger than it could be, Um, on your own. And again, this was a photographer. I could be wrong, but I don't believe that she is a commercial photographer. I think that she's a portrait, but a friend of hers had offered Head was inspired by her daughter putting a piece of cabbage on her head as a hat. And so she made all of these amazing headpieces out of, um, fruit and vegetables. There's cabbage on, but I think it's This is what I love about doing this magazine is that we give people that excuse Teoh, do those great put cabbage on the head and make a shoot out of it. Like, Can you do that for a quiet? Probably not, probably be a hard sell. So I had this idea. Dad's gonna have a carrot. No, um, but yeah. And also, I think, putting your work out there in order. I don't know how many people are interested in doing editorial things like that. What I found, even with the work that we accept or even submitting my work to other magazines, that's what they latch onto, Like the work that is picked up that I put out there is always stuff that not with already in the magazine, it's not so It's hard because I think our gut is to follow what we're seeing, you know, and do do the do what's comfortable in what's already been considered, you know, a win. But it's really that unique stuff that, um that takes it to the to the next level. Um, but yeah, you know what? And I have all the issue. So if you guys want toe thumb through, all these feel very free and, like, um, like was mentioned before, uh, people to buy the class, we're going to get that pdf of our latest issue for free, and then the 1st 8 are already free for anybody. So go ahead and peruse and enjoy and jump in there. Um, so collaborating. I absolutely adore this part of working in these in this type set I like I had mentioned before, I'm a bit of a control freak, a bit seedy. So I do love the aspect of working on my own, bring all these things to fruition on my own. But at the same time, I wouldn't call it a lonely, But sometimes it's a little unfulfilling cause you don't have anybody else to be excited for, like these things that you're excited about. Um, so, having someone else there to jump on board and take your idea and make it bigger or add things onto it. It also is a great way to include things that maybe you weren't that good at, um, perfect example would be like the shoot. I don't do four really entrance, and I don't have the resource is I mean, you should have seen the amount of flowers that were brought into the studio that day. It was she works at a floral place. So, you know, she could get the deal with if it had been $1000 I can't go out no flowers. So it was like a dream to be able to like have that they're at my beck and call the put into my shots. Um, but to have someone that could put together like beforehand, all I did was put I pulled all these inspiration pictures and I pulled all these ideas and colors that I loved and put all this together and had this vision in my head that I knew I couldn't do, but I was able to hand it to someone else. And voila. It was like magic. Um, I think it also opens up new perspective on your own work, even toe. Have somebody else. They're working with you. I think sometimes we get into the threat of this is what we do. This is our style. This is how we, you know, get from point A to point B two c o c. Someone else's and even like talking to Jenny and Krista today to see how yeah, they work. You hear the same themes running throughout it. But then you hear their little things, their little add ons that they do that I'm like, That's really cute. I wouldn't have thought to do that. So it's a great way to, I guess, open up your arsenal, make your arsenal of tricks and things to make your shoots better. Um, and like I had talked about before it, It doesn't have to be like when that person's word I find my stylist. I know you can while you Congar on things like model mayhem and find makeup artists and models and that, or you can get on reps rep sites and, you know, find stylists and here make up all these things. It's a great way, and you know you're gonna have a pro if you do that, but at the same time, people sitting right next to you could be an amazing resource on this shoot. Actually, the person that did the hair is actually the jewelry person. She just really good hair Teoh. So by like talking and collaborating with people on just finding out, I guess I do the same kind of thing with the people I work with as I do with my people, my family's and my kids that I photographed like I'm always asking questions and I'm so interested in, like, what's what's going on in here when they're doing things that I guess. I asked those type of questions and asking those type of questions, and you hear about all these other amazing skills and the opportunities you can have with them? Um, workshops and mentoring is another thing that I ate. I wanted to touch on a little bit. I obviously I'm a proponent. I do a lot of workshops and mentoring, but the reason I do is because when I first started, I had the most amazing people in my corner helping me and getting me to where I was. Had I been on my own trying to figure while this was way back when before blog's and there was a really actions, it was like you had to learn photo shop. So, um, but toe have people that were there to answer your questions, and for you to come to and be like this happened at a session, what do I do? And they're like, Oh, don't even worry about that. Happens all the time or oh, when that happened to me, this is what I did. Um, I don't think necessarily. I mean, it's very easy. I have photographers and artists that I just completely admire. And why can't you be like them and try and figure out like, How did they do that? I want to do that. I don't think they should be blueprints for how you should do it. Like they shouldn't be your blueprint, but they should definitely be like in your blueprint of how you're going. Teoh do your version of of whatever it iss um, looking at, they're working. Like I said, Just don't I read bios. If I click it, I'm not a huge Pinterest person. But if I click on an image that I love. I always click on it to follow through to see what log it came from or if there was a write up on the person or to see it more of their work. I'm never I never just like, grab and go. Um, I think that that background story really is huge in figuring out how they got to that place they are, And it allows you to, like take those lessons they learned and then take your life lessons that you've learned. And then you get to make this this whole new whole new path. Uh, and also, when you're doing your journaling or doing your thinking in your head when you're driving people that you really look up to and admire, what is it about those like today? It was amazing, like when you had everybody like, Pick out that one thing cause we normally don't think we'll just walk away from a day and be like, really cool. But you don't usually, like, take the time to sit down and be like, Well, what was cool and what am I going to use from that? So look at the people you admire. Look at the work you admire and figure out what exactly is it cause maybe it isn't like the final product, but maybe it's the feeling it gave you. Or maybe it's the way they're able. Teoh, you know, bring something new into the shot. So make that part of your journaling experience or you're thinking process. I'm more of a thinker, that internal er on. I also believe in getting it from multiple sources. That's part of the reason that I brought three different people, like instead of just doing an interview with one other family photographer to give you like one other look I wanted to dio. You'll see the three different people I chose. We all do kids, but all of us do it in a completely new in different way. But each one of these three people are huge inspirations to me and every single one of them. I take something from and use it in my own work, and I think that's really important to get those all those outside influences get your, you know, admired painters like it doesn't have to be photographers. It could be anything. Look at their path, look at what they did and look at how? Yeah, that could be part. I could use that. Could, you know, be part that maybe I don't need, um uh, biographies. I think we've touched on this with the documentaries. Biographies. Um, musicians are big to me, too. I love the musician mind. They're usually a little bit quirky out there, but I think it's always amazing. And Netflix has a ton of great dot like documentaries on how they got from this point to this point and then and they, I feel like, have really similar path to photographers in the way like they reach their getting their work out there and how they refine their brand and all of that kind of thing. Um, take classes are classes like community art classes. Take ah classes. Even like I remember reading a thing on Steve Jobs and how he, like, like, learned typography or something. He took classes on typography. And it's what, like, made apple like this whole new animal like you would never think. How would you know? Learning how to make pretty lettering effects. You know how great you make a computer. But that's how you bring in architecture. That's another thing that I love and it makes visually stimulating. And it brings ideas to my head like how I want Teoh frame a photo even if it's not in front of the architecture. But the way they lined things up in the way that it swoops or curves like when the red I was talking about. How I mean that's where, like seeing the swirl on Nothing will make me think. Oh, I like how that feels And so even listening and looking for inspiration and things like music like I just said is hugely but the lyrics and music I've had so many shoots inspired by like in the car and I'm listening to music and you start getting visions in your head listening to their stories. I used to when I had my blawg every single block post was, uh, a lyric. And that's how it started was because I was finding myself so influenced by the lyrics I was hearing. I was creating photo shoots like as I was listening to all these things. And so that's kind of how that how that, um, came on and started creeping its way, creeping its way into into my into my work, but so, yeah, I just wanted a little bit to touch on those kind of things. Mentoring workshops. I do think that they're amazing. Resource is Aziz, Long as you're not falling into the red of thinking like, Oh, they're right. That's how I have to do it. I think it's a really exciting process to see how other people work and be able to incorporate that into your own into your own way of doing things. Are you ready for some questions? Oh, I'm totally ready. Perfect. So Caitlyn Marie Photography. How do you start building these relationships with vendors? I'd love to find a couple of vendors that can provide me with props in exchange for photos. I think if you can do it in person, that is the absolute best way to do it when you can bring your own personally to it. I have don't think I have one with me, but it's a similar size book to this, um, where I just had put in a whole bunch of my sessions. So when I go to meet with someone, I can show them examples of my work, and they can actually like It's tangible they can look at it. I even created some that were, um, really thin. They're only like it was 10 pages. So 20 pictures being two sided. They, you know, being a couple of hours, you can leave them there so they can actually, like, keep seeing you sitting there in front of them. And it's better than a business card that get recycle this soon as you clear the doorway. Um, but yeah, I highly highly recommend just going in face to face and just asking about what they need. Like, go in. And I love your I love your product. I would love to use it. What? You know, what are you What do you need? Do you need photos? Do you need you know, someone Teoh, help put the word out because I could put it on my block and put it on my Facebook, things like that. So I think that's the best way. That's how most of my relationships are pretty that I form are pretty organic in that way just true. Like wanting to know what they're about. And how can that how can we help each other? So cool and then two questions one from Samantha and went from photo shop girl regarding mentoring. Did you find particular websites or books that were most helpful to you when you first started out? I first started out. It was a long time ago when I first started out. I was on I'll Pee, which was I love photography. That was a forum. It was an amazing, amazing resource. I'm not active informs anymore, so I'm not sure what's out there. That's equivalent that any time you can find a group of people like you can have some people that are with with you at your stage and then people that are ahead of you, like toe have that camaraderie I think is amazing. I also we have local. I mean, in Portland, we have P P a P P. O. We have all those organizations. You can go to the meetings. However often it happened once a month, they have speakers. It'll come in from everywhere, so you get to meet people that are, you know, way far along in their game. I know a lot of those even go to dinner with people like after they get done speaking. So you get a little. I've had a couple opportunities where you get a little one on one time. So when I first started, I would say it was that one forum and then just my local network of photographers. We would go out at least once a month and there would be like a group of five or six of us, and we would just get a model and we would just go out and shoot together. And then you just got to sit there and ask each other questions. And then we go back to somebody's house and sit in front of the computer and share like, Oh, this is when I learned in post processing. Or did you know you could do this or they watch it and be like, You know, you could do that weight quicker if you do it this way. So, yeah, I think just forming. There's so many photographers now I think it even just putting a little call out on Facebook's to his or a group of you that wants to get together and, you know, go shoot and talk And yeah, I think that would be a great a great wayto because mentors don't necessarily have to be people that have been in it 10 years longer than you is just someone that can help you in your journey. And I learn stuff from people that just got into the game, like a couple months ago. They've, you know, just because they're different experiences and different, so yeah, yeah.