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February 2, 2012

THE WHAT IF CONFERENCE

If you’ve been following Dave or my twitter/facebook feeds over the past couple of weeks, then you’ve probably heard us mention (likely more than once!) the incredible time we’ve had being a part of the WHAT IF Conference in Cabo San Lucas Mexico. I really cannot say enough good things about being a part of this…….. that week will go down in our personal histories as one of those game changers, no question. Dave and I have been to a few photography conferences in our time, but this was something completely different — this was not a photography conference. This was a conference for anyone who considers themselves a creative — whether in photography, art, even business — people who are interested in challenging themselves to think bigger and ask the scariest question of all….. What if? all while surrounded by an awesome community of likeminded individuals who’ve become like family. I couldn’t be more grateful to Steve and Jen Bebb, who followed their own “what if?” and put this conference together, and I am brimming over with excitement to see where it goes from here and so excited to be a part of it! Love those two. Dave and I walk away forever changed and moving forward on some big “what if”s of our own!

From chatting over dinner and hanging out on the beach, to wearing ponchos together and dancing the night away, what an amazing group of people this conference brought together! So many fun times and amazing conversations I won’t ever forget. Thank you thank you thank you everyone who stayed up all night chatting with Dave and I! Also, I’ve got to mention the incredible set of “artist-preneurs” who spoke over the course of the four days, you have set off so many sparks and I’ve filled pages and pages with ideas and action steps…. Thanks to each one of you for sharing yourselves — Sarah & Chris Rhoads, Jesh deRox, Justin Lyon, Dan O’Day, Jen & Steve Bebb and Jesse & Whit Chamberlain. Your personal journeys in and of themselves are so inspiring. Can’t thank you enough for hanging with us for the week. PS – I might have cried during each one of your talks.

So, if you consider yourself an “artist-preneur”, you should hop on board, you really should. What If is getting ready to announce their next set of dates, and it’s not something you want to miss. Here are some images to hopefully convince you even more! Dare to live the life you want and don’t let fear stop you from dreaming big friends.

- Jenn xx

The following are a few images from our phones and instax taken over the course of the week……haha so many laughs!

Be sure to follow the WHAT IF Conference on twitter or check back in on the website for the next set of dates somewhere in US. Dave and I hope to see you there!

Tags: a conference for artist-preneurs | a different kind of photography conference | inspiration | What If Cabo | What If Conference

by JENN

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January 2, 2012

2012! LOOKING AHEAD AND INSIDE

Posted in PERSONAL | THE BUSINESS

Hope you all had an excellent New Year’s, however you chose to celebrate! Just thought I’d take a minute here while I wait for the paint to dry (is that a saying? I mean it literally though, we really are waiting for paint to dry before another coat goes on the walls of our new office…..!) and as I finish up a delicious bowl of yogurt and blueberries, to think a little bit on the past year, the new one that’s ahead, and what it all means to me. I have some thoughts to share too, if you don’t mind.

This past year has been a huge one for Dave and I in terms of coming into our own as photographers, artists, creatives, and business owners. I think for any creative jumping into their field of choice, it’s a bit like a kid learning to ride a bike, a little bit swerve-y at first, just hoping to stay on most of the time. That’s a lot of what our first year was like, when I think back on it now. There were a few moments to look around, have small successes and enjoy the ride, but it was mostly clutching to the handlebars, trying to push out the fears, and watching and learning from as many other people as we could as we tried to find our feet. This past year was our second full year, and when I look back on 2011 I see it as an immense period of growth and of discovering who I was as not just a photographer but mostly as a person. A person beyond a wedding photographer, or even a photographer or creative, and discovering the reasons behind my passions and the things that get me excited and fired up inside. I’ve spent the last little while really diving into those reasons….. I’ve loved it and have learned a ton!

There’s still a few more shoots that I want to share from 2011, but from here on out I’m taking some time to re-examine the direction I want this blog to go in, one that fits exactly with our hearts and goals. There will be some changes happening over the next few months, for which I hope you’ll stick around to see! I might not be on here as much over the little bit as I want to really focus on these things, but I’ll still be around : )

Businesses are a lot like houses — sometimes you need to paint a few walls, fix a few things on the surface, and sometimes it’s a bigger project. I think you always need to be prepared to knock down a few walls, as painful as that might be, if that’s what it takes to build up something truly great and that satisfies those things you believe in your core. We are looking into 2012 ready to push made up boundaries, expand our horizons, put our blinkers on and stay true to our voice and who we authentically are. We’re digging deep into ourselves to discover what it is that drives us as people and the causes we want to champion that reach out beyond ourselves.

So grateful for each of you that supports us and reads along. Here’s to a bright 2012 where we are all able to hear and listen to our own voice from within…….

- Jenn xx

Tags: jenn and dave | share

by JENN

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December 28, 2011

THE STORY OF 2011

I thought and thought, started and re-started this post to sum up 2011. I picked out some images from this past year that caught my eye and pulled at my heart, then thought about all the stories we’ve helped tell this year with so many great people, and how would I ever compile that into one big story, the story of our photography journey…… kind of overwhelming! Something I’ve done this year that I’m pretty happy about is kept a proper journal, where I’ve written down my random thoughts, ideas, things I don’t want to forget. I’ve loved it! I haven’t written everyday, but I also haven’t beaten myself up for not doing so, and it’s been really neat to read through the year……. so I thought I’d include some excerpts to go along with the images. Hope you enjoy : )

A NEW YEAR… 01/01 Happiness has got to be something portable that you can carry around with you… it may be raining, the sky may be grey, there are no fireworks or big parade, but it’s a new year and I’m determined to figure out a way to store up happiness and carry it around in my pocket, whatever my window may happen to look out upon.

TRAVELS TO VEGAS + CHICAGO… 02/13 One of the things I want most is to do something that leaves a ripple. Dave said it was good to feel this way and that people who are satisfied all the time can’t possibly have enough motivation to keep moving forward. I’d rather be constantly moving forward.

BUSY SEASON WELL + TRULY STARTS… 04/17 I’ve been thinking lately as my life as a story… one that could be made into a movie, where people would leave the theatre feeling inspired and happy. I thought about what my “inciting incident” would be, and thought about the time I was laid off my teaching job in the UK. But then I realized that really life needs to be made up of a series of inciting incidents, not just one. Life isn’t a movie with a happily ever after at the end, real life keeps on going.

THE PACIFIC-NORTHWEST… 07/03 We are currently driving through hills covered with tall, narrow evergreens and yellow wildflowers by the sides of the road. It is cool and cloudy, just how I pictured it being here… this feels like the west coast I imagined. Dave’s wearing a checkered shirt and I’m in my new scarf and we’re lazily talking about whatever comes to mind… I keep trying to remind myself to stop and really be present in these moments. (Images of us by Anda Marie & Sarah Rhoads!)

SUMMER… 08/09 In the end I think everybody is, in some way, an artist. Put on this earth to create something out of nothing from their own unique perspective and experiences.

ROADTRIP… 08/29 It really is true that sometimes the good things in life come in bunches… beyond grateful.

END OF SUMMER/START OF FALL… 08/25 There is just something about that part of the world – the fingers of the lakes, the lichen-covered stone, the pines, the colours, the quiet. The mother of the bride yesterday read out an essay called “leaving home” that the bride had written in high school and then she went on to say that for them, it has always been better to reach the peak of a mountain top than the gain of any material things. That just inspired me to no end. It all just tugged at me inside, telling me to live a better life, one that I would be proud to have told.

ROUNDING OUT THE YEAR… 11/17 I’m sure that when I look back on this year, I will look back on it as a year of realizations about myself – what I need to have, what I want to be, who I just am. The new year for me feels like a time to start over in a way, to start being that person I’m discovering that I am.

Sitting here at the end of 2011, 2.5 years after starting on this crazy dream, and I’m looking ahead more than anything. If we are anywhere, it is because we stand on the shoulders of giants — our friends + family who encourage us, and the beautiful people we have gotten to know this year, who you’ve just seen in these many preceding photographs. 2011 will forever be a memory of an awesome year of growing and discovering…. thanks to all who were a part of our lives and who made it what it was. Here’s to 2012!

Many x’s and o’s!! - Jenn & Dave

by JENN

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September 23, 2011

OUR ENGAGEMENT ALBUMS

Posted in ALBUMS | THE BUSINESS

Just thought I’d throw a few images up here of a recent album we’ve had made, since I actually had a spare minute to photograph this one before sending it off! Dave and I currently design each and every album ourselves with a lot of love, using a simple, clean, and minimalistic approach to the design, and we’ve been loving making quite a few wedding and engagement albums for our couples this year. There’s nothing like seeing a story about yourselves unfold in book form and to actually tangibly hold and see your images in real life is not something that happens very often in regular life anymore! Dave and I are even making a point to make up a few albums for ourselves of our travels from this past year. Can’t wait to get started on that project!

Whew…. What a year it’s been already. I feel like I’ve been blogging lots but not necessarily sharing in a personal way about our journey recently…… It’s not that I haven’t had anything to share – far from it. I’m hoping that will change in the next little bit. Wedding season is still in full swing here, but where we can we’ve made sure to carve out some time to take walks as the sun disappears behind the trees, go to the old cinema down the street for the first time, and partake in one or two of the fall offerings at Starbucks. It’s quite honestly hard to believe that today is the first day of fall. The days are getting shorter, but I’ve been in denial! Where did the summer go?

More soon, promise. We’re off this weekend up north to shoot a wedding on the French River. Also, it just happens to be these guys who are the ones getting married there : )

- Jenn xx

Tags: albums | Things we've made | we love kiss

by JENN

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August 10, 2011

A FEW AWESOME THINGS

Posted in PERSONAL | THE BUSINESS

(A personal post from me today! I don’t do these nearly often as I’d like) So, as some of you may know that Dave and I used to live in the UK together….. this was a few years ago now, we were both pursuing different careers at the time, but it’s a time in our young marriage that we remember with a lot of fondness…… The news from this past week has been very shocking to say the least, images from the riots that have been taking place mainly in London but also in the city where we lived for 13 months, Birmingham, which is a little bit to the north of London. It is a lovely city, very arts driven, and we have a few friends that are still living there through these crazy times….. it’s been a bit surreal to see photos taken from what could have been our very own apartment window of the smashed glass and the riot police vans lining the streets. We’ve been quite a bit torn up hearing about it over the past few days.

So in lighter news, I thought I’d come on here and post something today that I was planning on doing eventually anyway. Towards the end of last year, I posted a little review of written words that had inspired me in 2010 (to read this blog post, please CLICK HERE). Well, my list is already getting a little bit long for this year and it’s only August (!), so I thought I’d share a few things that I’ve found simply awesome in book form and also around here on the world wide web to hopefully inspire others if the world is looking a bit dark or overwhelming these days : )

I fell into the trap last year of coming up with a million “good ideas” for my business during my busy time and telling myself I’d have to wait until the winter to act upon them…….. can I encourage anyone who may be reading this today: don’t wait. Carve out time for yourself in the here and now, amidst your busy-ness, to recharge and be inspired……. don’t fall into the trap of becoming too busy running your business to put time into growing your business. I’ve found it to be so rewarding. Here are a few awesome things I’ve discovered so far this year:

A FEW BOOKS………

Unmarketing by Scott Stratten (Scott Stratten is someone I really admire — and he’s from around here too! — and he talks about how “marketing” happens every time you engage – or not. He talks about how if you are your authentic self, then you have no competition. He talks about how building good relationships should really be what your business is about. Such good stuff……. this has probably been my favourite read this year so far….. and I’m not even fully finished it yet!)

The Art of Possibility by Benjamin & Rosamund Zander (I found this book hugely inspirational…… it challenges the reader to view life as one where possibility exists everywhere; where the pie is always whole even when a piece is taken; to view others not by their limitations, but by their potential…. loved this book.)

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin (This is a book about a New York City author who decides to make it her life goal for one year to actively try and make her life a bit happier, through the little things. She is quite organized and goes through each month with a checklist of items to tackle to help find happiness, but what I appreciated from this book was that at the end of the day, each of us are really in control of how happy we choose to be, or not to be…..which is always a good reminder!)

A FEW VIDEOS……..

JR’s TED Prize Wish: Use art to turn the world inside out | TMB Panyee FC short film | Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action

A FEW BLOG POSTS………

How to Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon | My Advice for Aspiring Photographers by Cheryl Jacobs Nicolai | Zombie Attack by Sarah Rhoads

………..and a little comic to make you smile: Why working at home is both awesome and horrible (via The Oatmeal)

I hope something from this list speaks to just one person out there as strongly as it did to me……… Happy reading!!

- Jenn xx

Tags: books | inspiration | things i love

by JENN

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