Picture Your World Photography, LLC

Get the Job Done: Photoshoot Virtual Auction to Benefit Efrain Cruz

2015-09-28T09:15:00.004-06:00

Picture Your World Photography will be hosting a Photoshoot Virtual Auction to raise health care funds for Efrain Cruz, my very first photography instructor who is fighting cancer.

To help support this effort, I will be auctioning off a full hour long photography session (retail value $300). You get the whole shebang: 15 edited high resolution digital images, a personalized session with my favorite makeup and hair artist and a release form to have your images printed at any lab of your choosing.

Just leave your highest bid in the comments on my blog here or under the post I'm going to copy and paste on my business Facebook page.

The bid will open at $50.

I want to share a personal plea to help me save the man who saved my life, even though I don't think he knew that's what he was doing at the time.

After my mother's sudden death in 2005 at the tender age of 48, I was still reeling, still needing something to get me out of bed, still searching for a reason that would keep me here when all I wanted to do was end my life so I could be with her. In therapy, my counselor taught me about a depression coping technique called "mastering a skill-set." Basically when we learn something new and find out we are good at it, it improves our confidence and self-esteem while at the same time lessening our depression. I had always wanted to take a photography class, so I bit the bullet, bought a $1,000 digital camera and took an Intro to Digital Photography Class at the now defunct Denver Darkroom.

Efrain was my teacher. I was new and I was scared, so scared I actually went to the class with my camera still tucked away safe and sound in it's box. I mean, really...a $1,000 camera??? That was the greatest luxury item I had ever purchased for myself that wasn't a car or house payment. What, was I crazy! I didn't want to break it!

Efrain talked me through the dicey prospects of removing the camera, a Canon Rebel XTI, opening from the security of its bubble wrap. He didn't laugh at me when all the other students in class kept giving me side eye. When those students would talk to Efrain about concepts like aperture and ISO and shutter speed and depth of view, it was as if they were speaking Greek. It was clear that while they might have been new to digital photography, they weren't new to the craft itself, like I was.

A week later when I thought about quitting the class because I just wasn't getting the concepts, it was Efrain who told me this: "Stay. Don't leave. You have a gift, a natural eye. I promise you if you give me the next month, these techniques will literally click for you. It will all make sense."

I stayed...in his class. And I stayed alive.

I remember taking my first few prints of flowers, and trees and clouds to my group cognitive therapy class and showing the other attendees the images I had created. Look! I did this! Suddenly, the irrational thoughts of suicide that had been haunting me were slowly being replaced with wonder and awe of a new technology, a HARD technology, that I seemed to be actually getting.

Efrain was right! After just a month of attending his class (and getting some side help from photographers at The Denver Post!) I was shooting just as well as the other students. When I was brave enough to get underneath a car with my Rebel XTI and shoot the nooks and crannies of my muffler and front and back differentials, I shocked the hell out of Efrain and the students who so intimidated me before shared in my success.

When Efrain had a conflict and wasn't able to shoot a paid special event assignment, he sent out an email to his students asking if anyone could take over for him. I was the only student who replied back: I can do it.

I got my first job as the event photographer at an awards ceremony for the Denver Women's League of Voters. It was history in the making, my new history that changed the course of my life. I started taking on more and more paid assignments until I had the courage to start my company Picture Your World Photography. Efrain, my company was nominated for a City of Aurora "Best of the Best" small business award last month. That happened because you believed in me, pushed me to continue.

We have all had those teachers in our lives who directed us, challenged us to do things we didn't think we could, who saw things within us that we weren't able to see ourselves. Efrain was one of those teachers for me. Help him now, if you can, by donating whatever you can to honor not only him, but every earthly bound guardian angel who took the time to take interest in you, to believe in you when no one else would.

Thank you Efrain! We love you, and you are not alone in this fight.

Get the Job Done: Thumbtack features Picture Your World Photography

2015-09-17T05:17:00.001-06:00

Picture Your World Photography

Thumbtack has published a blog post featuring Picture Your World Photography! My story will be visible to all potential customers who visit the page -- a fantastic opportunity to win new business! See the post here athttps://www.thumbtack.com/co/denver/wedding-photographers/

Here is the great write-up. They featured one of my favorite photos...a great shot of the Newell Family...one of the first family portraits I ever shot many, many years ago. The friend I'm talking about who told me to just get up and shoot, no matter what, was Derrick Horynan. Jessica Friedman also kicked me in my butt a time or too, telling me to do the same thing. They were right.

THUMBTACK SPOTLIGHT
Photojournalistic Special Events, Weddings & Portraits
Provided by: Picture Your World Photography

Q: What do you love about your job?

A: My photography helps bring me joy. It's really that simple. I am genuinely happy when I'm working with clients and even editing in Photoshop later makes me happy. I didn't realize how important being able to get to that place inside myself was until I suffered depression that was so severe I could barely get out of bed. One of my colleagues told me to pick up my camera and shoot, no matter how bad I felt. It would help me feel better. I didn't believe him because my depressed mind made it seem like nothing could help, but on a good day when the depression wasn't so overwhelming, I picked up my camera and did a mini photo session with a client. The change inside me was immediate! I was laughing and smiling while I worked with my client to help her get the best photos possible. That residual energy lifted my spirits and that carried through the editing process. It's when I realized that photography wasn't just saving my clients lives but my own as well, and I need to keep doing it not to make a living but to live.

Q: What or who inspired you to start your own business?

A: My interest in photography was born out of the tragic and unexpected death of my mother in 2005. Two years later, I bought a Canon Rebel XTi and took my first digital photography class to cope with her loss and reclaim some sense of self. I needed new challenges, a fresh perspective and a positive way to appreciate a world that no longer had my mother in it. Now, photography isn't just my saving grace, but it's a driving passion. Mom, this is for you -- my promise to be brave and to live.

Q:Describe your most memorable project.
A: My most memorable project was a family portrait session I shot for the Newell family. It was around 2008-2009, and I was a cub photographer building my portfolio. I bartered a photo session for a month of free doggie day-care services with the Newell family who owned Mile High Mutts in Denver. The session was great, but the images would become even more important 2 years later when the mother, Cristal Newell, died in a traffic car accident. I had given Cristal and Marcus, her husband, a CD with all the images. When Cristal passed, her family displayed the images at her funeral. Her family members told me that seeing those photos and having access to the ones I uploaded to a private online gallery helped with their grieving and healing process. It impressed me that photographers aren't just shooting pictures for that moment; we are creating histories and a record of people's existence for a lifetime. You can see these images in my blog post here athttp://www.pictureyourworldphotography.blogspot.com/…/rest-…

High School Senior Portrait Sessions starting at $99!

2015-02-17T11:12:00.000-07:00

Happy first day of school to the Senior Class of 2016! You've had all summer to chill, but now it's time to get down to business. Many senior portraits are due to the yearbook staff by the end of September. Now is the time to get them before the rush with this amazing deal!

Packages start at just $99.

Makeup/hair services will be made available at an additional charge. Need inspiration? Check out these photos in my High School Senior galleries at http://www.pictureyourworld.net/Portraits/Senior-Portraits-1/.

1,000 Facebook Fans and a drawing for a free photo shoot!

2012-06-18T17:13:00.000-06:00

I have news about an amazing achievement: My Facebook business fan page has secured more than 1,000 likes. I am celebrating by offering a free 90 minute long photo session. Here's my solution: Leave a comment under this blog post about why you think you should win a free photo shoot. I will assign everyone a number and then use a random number generator to decide the winner. It's the only fair way I can think to do this. And what do you get: a free 90 minute portrait session valued at $150. You can use your winning entry for any type of photography you need including high school seniors, family, business headshots, boudoir). You pay for prints or CDS of edited images. Usually, I would have just printed off a list of all of my fans, assigned everyone a number and used a random number generator to pick the winner. But I can't do that and here's why: last year when Facebook disabled my account for three months after I posted some artistic nude maternity photos, I lost access to the 500 or so fans I had secured then. Since the page was restored, I've earned about 500 more new likes. But I don't think it's fair to do a drawing if all of my supporters who are eligible don't have an equal shot of winning. I thought about having people leave me a recommendation in order to qualify for the drawing, but that seems to take some of the fun out of it, especially when so many of my new fans are potential clients I have yet to work with. You have until Sunday to leave a message telling me why you deserve the free drawing! Good luck!

A Dream Realized: Professional Print Journalist Becomes a Professional Photographer!

2012-01-10T11:12:00.003-07:00

This post has been a long time coming. I wanted to tell you guys the good news as soon as it happened, but I think I had to really accept that my dream had finally come true before I could share. I took a buyout from the Denver Post in November, ending a 15-year career as a print journalist to pursue my photography passion full-time! My last day at the Post was 11-29-11. I grew up at the Denver Post; experiencing some of the greatest accomplishments of my career to date. In 1997, I received several awards, as well as a 1997 Pulitzer nomination for "Breaking the Cycle," a personal column I wrote about my childhood experiences growing up on welfare. And I was among the DP staffers who shared the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for our breaking news coverage of the Columbine High School massacre. Heck, my friends at the Post even sent me a huge bouquet the weekend I closed on my first new house in 2004. And when the tides turned, they helped me weather some of the worst tragedies of my life, including my mother's untimely death at the age of 48, and a recent car accident that would have claimed my life had I not been granted a miracle and a guardian angel.

Apparently others knew long before I did that my destiny would one day take me away from the Denver Post where I had fully expected I would retire from. When I sat down to speak with Denver Post Editor Greg Moore, he told me this: "I knew you were leaving the Post." I asked him why he thought that when it hadn't occurred to me to ever become a full time photographer until a few months ago. "I could see your passion just by reading your Tweets and your blog posts. You were learning something new everyday, and you were totally excited by it." Many years ago Greg hired me to shoot his family's portraits. I remember the look on his face when he pulled out his check book and asked me how much it would cost. When I said, $150, he did a double take and my heart sank because I thought I had charged the head editor of the Denver Post too much money (can you say FIRED, anybody?) "You aren't charging enough for your work," Greg said. "The fact that you drove all the way out here to shoot these portraits in our home was worth $100 alone, and that's not even getting to the time you've spent shooting and what you will be editing!"

WHEW!!!!

That was my first lesson in pricing for the value of my work, something I am still struggling with now especially in a bad economy when photography is considered a luxury item. A few years later Greg paid me $150 for one framed print of "Teri's Rose" after he saw it hanging on display at the Heidi's Deli in the downtown DP building. He hung it in his office until his secretary told him he should probably remove it since Teri worked in our office as an editorial assistant! ;) Always loved you for your willingness to do that, Greg. You rock!

It still shocks me to say that I'm not working for the industry that has been such an integral part of my personal and professional development. I was just a wee lass when I started as a news intern at the DP in 1996, fresh out of college with my degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of Iowa. Once I was hired full-time, I worked in the news department covering nightside GA, then on to numerous city beats including Denver Northeast neighborhoods, Boulder and Aurora. I spent my last 8 years working my first dream job as a features reporter in the lifestyles section. I honestly believe that the work I produced in the last three years of my Denver Post tenure featuring articles about sex, dating and relationships were the best written work of my life, where I had finally found and embraced my own voice. One of my last relationship articles about GPS-enabled smart phone dating apps appeared on the Front Page of the newspaper, definitely a crowning achievement. The skills I gained there are far more numerous to count, and will continue to give me credibility and a solid foundation as a writer.

You want to know how I was able to make this transition that started five years, ago back when I was too afraid to take my camera out of its box because it cost more than $1,000? Well, it was one big thing and a lot of little things leading up to it.

When I survived my car accident in July, it forced me to think about my mortality and question if I had been living an authentic life. Somewhere along the way, my love of photography had become equal to or even surpassed my life-long love of writing. And my desire to focus on this new creative adventure wasn't going to be denied! I often dreamed about studio lighting setups and shooting subjects in far away locations. It was time for me to take the next step...and you know me...I'm not just gonna stroll...I'm gonna RUN!!!

I would like to thank Eric Strom for his patience in teaching me aperture, and helping me master the basic skills I initially struggled with in my first digital photography class. To think that I almost thought about dropping that class because I couldn't understand the concepts. Eric's tutelage resulted in my "Aha moment!" when everything clicked, and I suddenly knew I had the ability to speak photography! Just another push from my first photography instructor Efrain Cruz sealed the deal for me when he told me not to drop the class, that I DID have an eye and that if I stayed the full month with him, he KNEW I would be able to do it! Thanks for your belief in me even then Efrain!

I want to thank Elana Jefferson, one of my editors for trusting me to shoot images of her family, including her daughter's sunflower portraits, a Halloween party and holiday photos. Can't wait to do the candy store shots we had planned with Edie, Elana! Thank you for being a constant cheerleader, going to bat time and time again to have my photography appear in the Denver Post. And I believe it was her advice that broke through the din in my fearful mind when I agonized over whether to take the buyout. I'm talking not sleeping, barely eating, crying in the bathroom stall at work kind of anxiety about if this career move was feasible. I was afraid that I would lose everything I had achieved including my house, my car and the prestige of being a reporter. Even though the industry is suffering an identity crisis right now, readership is low and advertising is nearly gone, folks have to admit that it says something when you can say "I'm a reporter at the Denver Post." And that's not even counting the loss of a getting a definite paycheck every two weeks! One co-worker couldn't stop the words from escaping her mouth: "Are you CRAZY????!!!" Of course she tried to downplay what she had uttered, but she was only saying what I know so many people were thinking. Hell, I was thinking it too!

"It's a no-brainer," Elana told me. Not only had I been tirelessly building my photography business behind the scenes for five years while I still cranked out copy for the DP, but Elana said it was extremely wise of me to have garnered a new skill set at a time when journalism is so wounded. Nothing is forever. Nothing is sure. Don't let your fear stop you from taking advantage of this opportunity. "Take the money and run!!!" she said. Long time Denver Post reporter Jeff Leib was the nail in the coffin, so to speak, that finally gave me peace of mind when I turned in my paperwork to accept the buyout. I remember being afraid that just saying I was interested in the buyout would blacklist me among my co-workers. Jeff reassured me that the union protected its members from things like that. And that all I had to do was ask myself: What makes you happy? Right now, nothing makes me feel more alive than when I'm practicing my new craft of photography. I had to take the risk or forever regret it.

I remember times when I would come into the office and find photography books on lighting and posing that just randomly appeared on my desk. No note, nothing to let me know who left it. Just an unspoken angel who encouraged me by acknowledging that my passion for photography wasn't a passing notion, but something solid, something real. I kinda think it might have been the features editor, Suzanne Brown! Thank you Boss Lady! On my last day at work, Suzanne gifted me with these two books she had been saving for me, Night and Low-Light Digital Photography and Boudoir Photography, both must-haves for the type of photography I love to shoot! I also appreciated the emails I often received from co-workers passing along information about an upcoming seminar or workshop that might help me improve my photography -- yet another gentle push to show that maybe I did have something worth pursuing.

And last but not least, all hail to Cyrus McCrimmon, one of the best features photogs ever. Cyrus always took my photography seriously, answered all of my stupid noob questions and allowed me to watch him work his own magic whenever I was lucky enough to get paired with him while writing my articles. I will never forget the pride I felt when page designers mistakenly thought that several photos I had actually shot were taken by Cyrus. That was the day my photos appeared as a full page spread in the lifestyles section featuring a Fairplay dome house, right next to the section cover article that also bore my byline. Talk about a one-two punch!

"Not many people are gifted with the wonderful ability to use both word and visual images - you are!!" said Barry Staver, a former DP staff photographer and owner of Barry Staver Photography.

On top of all that, I think what's going to help propel me and set me apart professionally is yet another skill set I gained while at the DP: social networking. I learned how to blog, Tweet and Facebook -- anything to drum up new sources and more readership. It started with the DP's Homegirls blog that I co-wrote with Elana, which is now called "Weekend Features." I remember having a hard time learning how to blog and foolishly thinking to myself, "Blogging isn't REAL journalism!" Boy was I ever wrong...it's now the future of the community journalism movement.

So what am I going to do next? I plan to combine my talents into a new umbrella company called Picture Your World Communications. It will of course feature Picture Your World Photography, but will include two new divisions: one for contract journalism services such as editing and writing press releases, etc and hosting blogs. DenverSistahDating.blogspot.com launched this week, and you can expect CountertopCook.blogspot.com to be going online very soon. The well from which my writing flows is long from dry. To that end, I will seek opportunities for freelance writing. I just turned in an application to write about sex, dating and relationships for examiner.com (wish me luck on that).

So the moral to this long-winded story: I still am in woeful need of a copy editor. ;) No, but seriously, don't ever question the impact you may have an another person's life just by doing the little things to let them know they are cared for, supported and uplifted. Everybody I've mentioned in this post plus all the others I didn't helped make me become who I am becoming. I can go all the way back to when my elementary school principal used to oversee me walking home from school so the kids wouldn't bully the new girl (they used to run behind me throwing rocks, ala "Run Forest, Run!)But I won't do that. A little more recently a kind elderly couple from Iowa took me under their wing when I went to college and are now my adopted grandparents for life. And even more recently, the "someone" who left photography books on my desk like pearls of wisdom and growth.

It all matters. You matter. Thank you!

You've come with me this far. Let's keep it moving...

Photo by FMJ Photography

Get the Job Done: Cheyenne Car Show Photo Booth

2011-08-07T11:26:00.007-06:00

(Photo by Illusive Dreams Photography)

I'm blogging to you live today from the Trend Settas Car Show and Benefit for the Cheyenne Animal Shelter. The show is sponsored by Liberty Storage & the Wyoming Army National Guard and is running from 10 p.m. to 4 p.m. at O'Reilly's Auto Parts, 1211 Del Range.

This is the first time that I and my colleague Jason Peckovitch of Illusive Dreams Photography have taken our photo booth concept out-of-state, from Colorado to neighboring Wyoming! We are hoping that car show participants who haven't come in contact with us before at the many Denver-area shows we frequent will generate new sales and interest in automotive photography, Jason's specialty as well as my fast turnaround editing and printing on site. Models pose with cars during a professional, on-location photo shoot with Jason. Then I edit the photos and print them on-site!

Here are the prices: $10 for 4x6, $15 for 5x7, $20 for 8x10 (all with models) Our first sale of the day was a t-shirt! But the models are hitting the participants up right now to generate a buzz so it's bound to get busy soon!

As a dog lover, I'm personally excited about being able to promote the car show's goal to raise donations for the local animal shelter. A special request has been made for the following items: non-clumping cat litter, dog and cat food, trash bags, pet toys and treats, miracle grow chemical sprayers, rack and shovel pooper scoopers etc.

Maya is one lucky dog. She was rescued two months ago from the Cheyenne Animal Shelter (Photo by Illusive Dreams Photography)

Come visit our booth!

Get the Job Done: My 5280 ad campaign for Ignite Matchmaking Services

2011-07-05T11:22:00.003-06:00

The second photo in my first ad campaign featuring my photography will be appearing in 5280 Magazine in July!

Earlier this year I shot photos of several of Ignite Matchmaking Service's real clients so they could appear in the company's new advertisements. I worked along side Ignite's executive director Sheryl Williams and ad director Chris Faria of Ad Genie Creative.

See this ad on page 136 of July's 5280 Magazine Issue

Breaking News: Finalist as CABJ's Print Journalist of the Year!

2011-06-30T15:37:00.003-06:00

I found out this morning that I am one of three finalists for the Colorado Association of Black Journalist's "Print Journalist of the Year" award!

This is a great honor because peers vote for whom they think deserve the award based on the quality of their work for that year. Given all the challenges the industry has faced in the wake of advertising declines, layoffs andhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif newspaper closures, it's a blessing that many Colorado journalists still have a job and continue to produce exceptional work. I feel honored to be one of many named and wish all of my colleagues luck. Winners will be announced at the CABJ 18th Annual Media Awards and Scholarship Banquet on July 22.

Get the Job Done: First Car Show Photo Booth of the Season!

2011-06-25T13:14:00.008-06:00

I'm blogging to you live today from the Citywide Car Show in Broomfield where I and a colleague are hosting our first photo booth of the season. I am editing and printing today and our guest photographer is Jason Peckovitch of Illusive Dreams Photography. Our featured models are Tina and Brittany.

We are selling 5x7s for $10 ($15 with a model) and 8x10s for $15 ($20 with a model) .

The music is old school and jamming. The weather is gorgeous, hot with blue skies. Good luck to everyone in the show hoping to take home a coveted title and trophy.

Here's our first seller of the day shot with Tina:

And here are a few of my favorites from the day:

Jason did an excellent job yesterday. His shots were creative, amazingly light and clean making the editing process for me quick and easy. Tina and Brittany rocked it despite the heat of the day and I appreciated their willingness to hit the ground running, passing out cards and really working the crowd so we could get paid prints. Can't wait to work with you guys again! The show was a good practice run to work out all the kinks in running a photo booth. We got two more assignments for upcoming shows, and it looks like this summer will be busy.

Get the Job Done: Shooting Jodi's Race for Awareness

2011-06-03T16:35:00.006-06:00

This weekend I will be the event photographer for Jodi's Race for Awareness, a 5k race/walk benefiting the Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance. This is the second year the race has been held, and I'm excited to be helping this young event chronicle its progression.

My colleague, Denver Post columnist Bill Johnson, wrote this great article about Jodi, thehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif woman for whom this race was named. Here is a video her as well:

It's always fun to be a part of something new when the people involved are passionate, hopeful and overflowing with ideas because I always leave these events inspired. I look forward to building a lasting relationship with event coordinators who embrace the need for professional photographic coverage. I have been asked to give special attention to capturing storytelling imagery, including before and after race pictures and detail shots. It will be a great challenge for me to try to put into photos what these survivors, their family members and friends are experiencing as they participate in this race. At the same time, I've got to be able to capture shots the organization can use to promote their goals of raising awareness about this deadly disease. If you are in Denver this weekend, stop by City Park and make a donation to keep Jodi's dream alive. Hope to see you there!

Get the Goods: Exclusive Workshop Discounts for My Blog Readers!

2011-04-19T12:23:00.007-06:00

Still can't figure out how to work that digital camera you got for Christmas? Or need to brush up on some editing skills to WOW your studio clients?

Illuminate Photography Workshops owners Efrain Cruz has allowed me to announce new discounts on photography workshops to all Picture Your World Photography Facebook Fans and Blog Readers!

Just add the coupon code "PICTUREYOURWORLD" when you check out and get $15 off registration for any class offered.

Here are the detes:

1)The PICTUREYOURWORLD discount is good for new Illuminate students or ones who've previously taken classes.
2) But it's only available on new registrations only. Discount cannot be applied to previously attended or previously registered workshops.
3)Stack those discounts: This coupon can be used together with Early Registration Discounts amounting to a savings of $55 for some classes. PICTUREYOURWORLD Coupon can be used once. That's an awesome deal considering some of the workshops are as low as $75...so you net a 3 to 4 hour course for less than $30 a pop!

Classes span the gamut from learning how to use your camera to excelling in studio lighting and Photoshop and Lightroom techniques, as well as specialty classes including wedding, special event and product photography. Interested in a particular workshop you'd like to see offered at Illuminate? Efrain is extremely responsive to suggestions from students because he cares about making sure his participants remain viable in their chosen artistic field.

Just about everything I know has come from attending classes with amazing instructors at the top of their game including Efrain himself, certified PS Guru Armando Martinez and celebrated photographers Nathaniel Coalson and Richard Peterson, and business manager/photographer Jim Turley. I just finished a kickass Camera Raw class with Armando that has speed up my post-processing of RAW images...namely, I spend more time editing while the image is in Camera Raw and might not even have to open up PS at all!

Take advantage of these deals right now!

Get the Job Done: Shooting the first annual Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Conference

2011-03-28T16:01:00.008-06:00

It's confirmed! I will be shooting the first ever Rocky Mountain Early Childhood conference
running April 15, 2011. I'm crazy excited about this opportunity because it's so much fun to be involved in the kinetic energy attached to a new event. But this is also the first time I put in a bid for a photography contract, competed against other photographers and won the gig!

The conference is a two-day session featuring events on Friday and Saturday including receptions, lunches, general workshop shots, and a vendor/exhibitor hall. Specifically the preschool program has requested that I be creative about my shots and use some depth of field and other photographic techniques so the imagery doesn't look like snapshots. I'm more than happy that I've been given a little more freedom to try some unconventional shots as well as shoot the necessary posed shots the organization needs as well. Thanks to my four years of consecutive coverage of the National Brotherhood of Skiers annual summits, the Council on Foundations event as well as numerous other smaller dinners and receptions I've shot locally, I have no doubt I can give the preschool program what they want in just about any lighting situation I might encounter.

It's purely coincidence, by the early childhood conference's featured speaker is Geoffrey Canada, CEO of Harlem Children’s Zone -- a guest speaker that I shot last year during the Council on Foundations annual conference held in Denver. Out of all the esteemed foundation guests (including Former Vice President Al Gore), I remember feeling more connected to Canada because a good education has been the basics for why I've been successful.

Here's one of my shots of Canada that appeared on the Council on Foundations 2010 event wrap-up page:

I'm beginning to think that I should try to specialize in special event coverage since they have been the bulk of my assignments recently. I would never give up shooting portraits because I love focusing on people, but maybe it's time I start to consider a specialization. I'll chew on this and get back with you later! :)

Get the Job Done: My 5280 Ad Campaign for Ignite Matchmatching Services

2011-03-13T10:46:00.006-06:00

My first ad campaign photography will be appearing in 5280 Magazine in May!

Last month I shot photos of several of Ignite Matchmaking Service's real clients so they could appear in the company's new advertisements. I worked along side Ignite's executive director Sheryl Williams and ad director Chris Faria of Ad Genie Creative.

Chris took this photo I shot of Mary:

and used it to create this great ad:

Chris specifically said he wanted it to look like the sun was shining down on Mary' right side, hence I would need some strong specular highlights to simulate sun rays. So I used two Alien Bees, one for the main light and one for the "sunlight," only that one was set several stops higher than the main light. Chris had a great idea in mind, and I simply had to follow his direction to achieve the shot he wanted for the ad, and I think it worked out well.

More advertisements will appear in 5280 issues throughout the year!

Get the Job Done: Lead Photographer for the National Brotherhood of Skiers Summit 2011

2011-02-27T13:51:00.005-07:00

I'm blogging to you live today from Steamboat Springs, Colorado where the opening ceremonies for the National Brotherhood of Skiers Black Ski Summit 2011 will kick-off in about two hours. The NBS contracted me to serve as their event's lead photographer for the fourth consecutive year, and I'm looking forward to working for them and visiting a new city.

More than 800 registered NBS participants are in Steamboat for social events, parties, skiing activities, and races all geared toward raising funds to support the NBS Olympic Scholarship Fund designed to provide financial support for exceptional athletes of color who excel in winter sports. The intent is to propel these young athletes to Olympic and international competition. In addition, funds from this event support the operation of the National Brotherhood of Skiers. In past years, I've photographed NBS summits held in Breckenridge, Aspen/Snowmass and Winter Park.

This year, officials have asked me to focus on capturing more members engaged in skiing, snowboarding, racing and other activities and less on the social/party scene so the organization can use those images for gaining more advertisers and sponsorships.

Check out some highlights from last year's summit in Winter Park:

Here are some of my favorite action shots from previous years:

Check in for some daily blogs about the doings here in Steamboat and wish me luck!

Breaking News: Facebook pages disabled because of nude maternity photos!

2011-02-20T01:15:00.005-07:00

Both my personal and business studio Facebook pages have been disabled after I posted several artistic nude maternity photos of model Cellista. I apologize in advanced for this inconvenience, but I hope it's only a temporary set-back, as I have contacted Facebook to re-enable the pages after I delete the images. With more than 1,000 friends and nearly 500 studio fans, my Facebook pages are of great importance to me and have been instrumental in my personal and professional life, as I often post about features articles I write for the Denver Post as well as promote my studio.

The photos in this blog post had been on both pages for nearly two days. I received numerous accolades for the beauty of these images, however Facebook sent me two warning emails earlier this evening letting me know two of the images had been deleted (although I don't know which ones were). But because I was shooting a wedding at the time, I could not delete the rest of the images before the account was disabled. Facebook's policy says it prohibits sexually explicit photos showcasing nudity. However, I do not see Cellista's images as explicit in nature, especially given the fact that I have bee able to successfully post numerous boudoir images that would be considered far more salacious than those showcasing a mother-to-be. But Facebook apparently has a no tolerance policy for nudity of any kind, and I would adhere to those rules from now on if my account is re-opened to public access.

Get the Job Done: Alter Ego Sessions 2011

2011-02-12T01:00:00.001-07:00

Weren't able to get your Mary Kay Alter Ego Photo Session done last year? No worries! 2011 sessions kickoff today, and more will be made available throughout the year. Here are the details:

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

Limited Seatings AVAILABLE so 1st come, 1st serve!

Choose an Appointment time! 4 to 8 people per session.
Sessions began at 1:30pm, 2:00pm, 2:30pm, 3:00pm, 3:30pm, or 4:00pm

Think of it as a "speed dating" makeup and photo session!! And your Makeup is ready for your Girl's Night/Date Night!!

$20 nonrefundable Sitting Fee MUST BE PAID IN ADVANCE. You will receive 2 photo sessions with a professional photographer, a "BEAUTY" photo from the photographer, a $10 gift Certificate toward your Mary Kay purchases of $50+ ($30.00 Value!!)

Plan to attend the Reveal Party in 2-3 Weeks!!

****You will be featured in the Mary Kay Alter Ego Photo Portfolio*****

To RSVP and ask questions about the next alter ego session, please contact Lisa Young, Mary Kay Personal Beauty Consultant.

Prepare for about 2 hours of FUN and Beauty your Way!!
Learn the basics of skincare, a basic care application and an advanced color application lesson!!

Need help pinpointing your who or what your alter ego is? Check out my gallery to get some ideas.

Studio chosen for a business ad campaign!

2011-02-11T12:01:00.002-07:00

A preview of the new Ignite Matchmaking Service February ad campaign using a stock photo.

On Sunday, I will be shooting images for a local matchmaking service's ad campaign. Ignite Matchmaking Service's new February campaign will feature three or four of its own real clients as models rather than hire professional models or use stock photography for their ads. And that's where my expertise comes in!

The company's ad director, Chris Faria of Ad Genie Creative told me that they needed to find a photographer who could direct and pose "everyday" ladies with no modeling experience, helping them feel confident, attractive and at ease in front of the camera. Every once in a while, I have the pleasure of working with lovely, experienced models needing images to build their portfolios. But the bulk of my work is with clients who may not even have sat for a professional family portrait session, much less a boudoir or glamour shoot. I love being able to demonstrate through imagery just how gorgeous my clients are, and I look forward to doing the same with the ladies from Ignite. Very few of the clients in the previously linked galleries were models, just "everyday" people who ended up looking like models when their natural beauty and personality were allowed to shine.

Chris emailed me several images he found to illustrate the kind of look he's going for:

Sheryl Williams, a professional matchmaker for the service, came across photos I posted on Facebook earlier this week, and the images led her to my website. From there, she sent my website to her ad agency to see if my work qualified for their needs. Faria and a makeup artist will be on hand during the shoot as well to make sure the company's vision is maintained. The shoot, expected to last for about two hours, will be the first one I host in my new digs at Xposure Photography Studios.

Here are more of Chris' favorites he hopes we can capture during Sunday's studio session:

This Weekend: Couples Retreat

2011-02-04T17:17:00.006-07:00

This weekend is all about couples for Picture Your World Photography!

Tomorrow during the early evening, I will be photographing Donna and her newly web husband Greg during my first ever portrait session held in the snow. My readers may remember that Donna was the winner of a free photo session drawing held in November when I reached 400 Facebook fans. A crazy holiday season caused some cancellations, but Donna and I were finally able to sync our schedules with Mother Nature so we could shoot not far after a fresh new snow. I'm thinking lots of cuddling, snowball fights and laughter! The massive storm that has swept the nation has given us the perfect opportunity for a Winter Wonderland type of setup at one of my favorite locations. Here's a shot of Donna and her blended family another photographer shot in 2009 at another wintry venue:

Then Sunday morning, I will be hosting my first Steamy Couples session -- think boudoir meets engagement! The idea became clearer for me this past week when I photographed two young couples during a Valentine's Day-themed Meetup with the Digital Photography Lighting Basics Workshops. They told me they had been searching for a photographer who was willing to allow them to pose more sensually, and it wasn't long before we had a meeting of the minds and a shared vision. Unfortunately, we only had about five minutes to quickly try out some shots before the studio closed, but I think the results were great and more than enough fodder to get us interested in setting up a private shoot for later:

Shelena and George

Shelbi and Steve:

We've talked about possibly using my two-seater soaking tub to create some sexy shots with bubbles and implied nudity. I would love to be able to start offering this as a regular service, and definitely as a special promotion for V-Day (Valentine's Day).

A New Studio Home for Picture Your World Photography

2011-02-01T14:57:00.010-07:00

On Friday, I will sign a contract to be one of the photographers participating in a new Denver co-op called Xposure Photography Studios! I'm very excited about this decision because I think it shows that my company is continuing to grow and prosper.

I have been mulling over the idea for a long time now since I started hearing client concerns about being allergic to the dog hair I have in my house. Despite my best efforts, dog hair seems to be like cigarette smoke -- it just gets everywhere no matter how you try to isolate it. My basement studio in my home has always been a doggie free area from the days when I used to rent out an apartment down there. But even then, clients allergic to the dander would start to sneeze and get teary, red eyes within 30 minutes of shooting and would not be able to make it through a full two hour session without suffering. So I began my search for a studio space that I might be able to rent out.

I have had great experiences with the North Denver Photographers Studio as well as the Studios at Southland. But I have decided to try out Xposure first because of its central Denver location not far from the well-known Santa Fe Arts District and because of it's extraordinary introductory price of just $55 a month for six hours of studio time.

I visited the site last Friday and met up with organizer Karen Aguirre who also hosts numerous Meetup shootouts for photographers looking to broaden their portfolios. As I toured the facilities, Karen and I spoke about her own background as a special events photographer and my growing specialty in the same kind of coverage. The Xposure studio is well suited for family photos, senior portraits, portfolio work, commercial product photography and many other types of photography. It also includes a classroom space as well as a presentation area for showing clients your products. Karen will feature participating photographers' work once a month or so on the studios extensive gallery wall space. And the studio has access to models, and offers it's members a chance to promote their work through inclusion in the Blush Magazine Online. Xposure is now available to anyone who wants to become a member. Check it out at 1200 West Misissippi, Denver, CO 80223 (east side entrance only)
East side entrance only.

I will still be working in my home studio -- especially for playing with new equipment. But it feels good to finally have a commercial address for my business. Thank you to all my clients for their continued support of Picture Your World Photography.

Get the Job Done: Downtown engagement session

2011-01-27T12:13:00.013-07:00

This Saturday I will be shooting an engagement session with Gina and her fiancee Vachon tomorrow afternoon! I'm very excited about this opportunity to work with Gina because even though she already had plans for someone to shoot her wedding, she still booked me to photograph her e-session. And that will provide exceptional exposure for my studio because she intends to send out the photos with her invitations and thank you notes!

I will be shooting the couple in downtown Denver, near Civic Center Park and a few other key places near the 16th Street Mall that I've been scoping out for a few months.

Here are samples of some of my favorite e-session portraits:

Harriet and Peter

Adrian and Sherif

Kim and Mike

Jessaca and Nate

Krista and Scott

Then on Sunday, I will be attending a Valentine's Day themed Digital Photography Lighting Basics Workshops with Bill Murphy, one of my favorite photography instructors/ This will be my second year attending one of Bill's high key sessions, and I hope I will be able to use some of the images to update my boudoir portfolio.

Here are some photos I shot at last year's meetup:

An Aside: Best compliment ever!

2011-01-25T17:29:00.003-07:00

Helen Richardson/The Denver Post: Alic Nemirovskiy bakes fresh rye bread at The Bagel Store on South Monaco Parkway.

Today I got an amazing compliment from an equally amazing photographer that really helped it hit home for me just how far I've come. I ran into Helen Richardson today, a staff photographer from The Denver Post and someone who's work I've admired for many years. She told me that she was talking about me to other staff photographers, saying namely that she thought I was probably making more money at photographer than they were! After assuring her that wasn't the case since I'm not full time, it sunk in that this celebrated photojournalist had been talking about ME...to the rest of her colleagues who are equally fantastic photojournalists!!!!

Helen is interested in doing more freelance photography herself outside of her day job at the Post. You can find some of her most recent published work here. She asked me about my pricing structure and what kind of work I do outside of my normal full time job at the Denver Post. She took the time to look at my work on my website and was amazed that I had done so much shooting!

I can't tell you how much this five minute interaction brightened my day and encouraged me to keep going. This will be my fourth year as a freelance photographer, and I know I've come such a long way and still have much more to learn. I think many of my print colleagues at the newspaper thought photography might be a passing phase, especially since the joke is most print journalists long to be a photographer and most photographers long to be a print journalist. But this was not just a hobby for me. Photography has become an integral part of my life and my camera is just as much an extension of me as my pen is when I'm interviewing sources or writing an article. To have someone of Helen's caliber notice my work and compliment me on it was amazing, generous and just plain cool! It's always fun for me to be able to "talk shop" with Denver Post staff photographers and totally understand what's being said or done.... and not just be faking it! I can't wait to see what new stuff I learn this year, and thanks Helen for your kind words and support.

Get the Job Done: First Special Event Assignment of the year!

2011-01-15T09:32:00.007-07:00

I'm excited to be kicking off 2011 with my first special event assignment, a company awards banquet for Eaton Metal Products Co. at Denver's prestigious Brown Palace Hotel. Eaton fabricates a vast line of steel plate product including heat exchanges, reactors, storage tanks and heavy weldments.

The grand, expansive atrium and lobby with a sweeping staircase offers unlimited spots for the numerous group shots I've been asked to shoot. I have a few ideas for the group shots that I hope will work.

Yesterday I checked out Ellyngton's, the restaurant where the awards banquet and dinner will be held, so I could see what kind of lighting I and my second shooter Jason Peckovitch of Illusive Dreams Photography will be working with. A row of windows surrounding the restaurant should bring in some great natural light until the day gives way to evening. Wish Jason and I success!

Rest in Peace: Cristal Newell

2011-01-09T12:01:00.005-07:00

This post has been a long time coming. But I couldn't find the words until the pain wasn't so fresh. I'm crying even as I write it, but the tears are healing instead of being filled with anger, confusion and all the emotions that overwhelm when someone you love suddenly dies.

My friend Cristal Newell passed away in September 2010. She and her husband Marcus were wheeling their 4x4 Jeep on a Colorado trail when a freak accident forced their rig over a cliff. Cristal, who was behind the wheel, was thrown and perished. Marcus himself nearly died when he ran down the cliff trying to reach her. Cristal was 33, the mother of Tristan and Liam and the owner of Mile High Mutts, the doggy daycare where I've been taking my dogs to socialize and play for nearly six years.

I can remember meeting Cristal when I wrote an article in the Denver Post about the numerous dog daycare centers that were popping up all over the Front Range. Out of the many owners I spoke with and centers I visited, there was something about Cristal's no nonsense approach that made her seem more real to me. I knew I could trust my dogs with her, my beloved Isis and Raina who were just about three months old when I started taking them to Cristal's center. Over the years, we became friends. She was the first person I turned to when something would happen with my dogs and her calm demeanor always kept the fears of this new doggie mommy in check. One of the last emails I received from her was a "OH NO YOU DIDN'T" retort when I told her I had gotten a third dog. She said I was crazy, but she already knew that, and I know she also understood my desire to want to rescue a dog because I still felt guilty about purchasing the other two at a pet store.

Cristal was hilarious, definitely one of my homegirls, and was always aware when I would come into the daycare downtrodden, probably upset over yet another dating relationship that bit the dust. When one of my bosses knitted a scarve and hat, I bought it knowing it would be perfect for Cristal because it would make her blue eyes sparkle even more than they naturally did. I felt honored when she told me it was her favorite and she would come to work wearing it.

A couple years later when I started my photography, Cristal and I bartered a month worth of free daycare for some free family portraits. My fans might recognize this photo of Cristal and her family that graces my business logo. There's was one of the first family portrait sessions I ever had, and it was great!

When I learned of Cristal's passing, it would be those photos that would help start the healing process for me and so many of her friends and family. I had given Cristal and Marcus a CD with all the images, but the CD couldn't be found. So I uploaded all the images to my website and gave the link to all her loved ones so they could download the images for free whenever they wanted. It was amazing to see my photos in such a different light....as a source of relief and good memories in a time of sorrow. It really just impressed upon me that photographers aren't just shooting pictures, we are creating histories, a record of people's lives. Cristal was so alive and lovely in those photos and that's exactly how people wanted to remember her, smiling and happy with the people she loved the most.

Her family honored me even more when they printed out the images and included them in a collage that people could view during Cristal's funeral. People were coming up to me and saying "thank you...I can't tell you how much those photos helped me." They helped us connect and grieve together.

To all of my photography colleagues, please never forget the power of your imagery. Not just to win awards or the accolades of peers, but to be evidence that someone lived. Marcus has this photo of his family framed and hung near the door of the Mile High Mutts daycare center. Every time I drop off my dogs, I stop and caress this photo. I love you Cristal, rest now my friend.

Congratulations to Patience and Jack!

2011-01-07T23:12:00.006-07:00

I'm pleased to announce Patience and Jack, one of my wedded couples, are now the proud parents of their first child! Daughter Isabel was born a healthy 8 pounds 6oz. I photographed Patience and Jack's wedding at about the same time last year and had plans to complete some maternity photos for the couple as well, but illness and the busy holiday season prevented that. Now I hope to have the joy of shooting some newborn and family portraits of the newest Reuter family member. I am honored to be able to capture such wonderful and intimate moments in the lifetime of one family and look forward to memorializing more.

Get the Job Done: Krista and Scott's Wedding

2010-12-06T08:51:00.005-07:00

Here's one of my favorite photos from Krista and Scott's Wedding. I had this image in my head as one of the shots I wanted to set up. It's typical in that a kiss behind the bride's veil is a common photo captured during a wedding. But what I was aiming for was the light from the setting sun to add warmth, dimension and that ethereal classic touch.

Of course when dealing with setting sunlight, timing is of the essence. The light is moving quickly and changes from second to second. While Krista and Scott were finishing up their receiving line after the wedding, I kept tense watch over the light fearing I wouldn't be able to get the right circumstances for the veil shot. When the sun lowered for what I thought was the last time we'd see it that night, I can't tell you the disappointment I felt.

But as the receiving line dwindled to it's last guest, the sun decided to peak out from behind a cloud for just a few more minutes. I grabbed Krista and Scott saying, "This is IT! We've got this one chance to get my shot!" After some quick positioning, I started snapping away hoping to get the image I had seen in my photographer's minds eye. A few post-processing touches later to bring out the specular highlights and voila! Can't beat the beauty of natural light. Totally worth the wait (and the worry!)