Saturday January 31st, 2009
The May workshop is now sold out! Thank you so much to everyone who signed up. I’ve got a lot of friendship bracelet weaving to do. Actually, first I need to learn how to weave a friendship bracelet. My 80’s knowledge is slipping away. If you are interested in attending a future workshop, please email info@amywenzelworkshops.com to be added to the waiting list.
So happy Saturday night, everybody! I’m off to help my friend Jessie celebrate turning 30. Turning 30 is an epidemic around here. First me, then all my friends. If I wasn’t such a cradle robber my husband would be 30 too!
Posted by Amy on January 31, 2009 at 06:16 PM |
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Thursday January 29th, 2009
A few unusual things happened today.
1. I furiously cleaned my house from top to bottom. We’re talking I scrubbed grout, my friends.
2. I listened to rap music while doing so. ( I guess I was in a gangster mood??)
2. And best of all, I launched my workshops website!!
Registration is officially open and you can check it out at www.amywenzelworkshops.com. You’ll find all of the details and be able to register right there on the site. There are just a few spaces left!! A big heartfelt thank you to everyone who has signed up already today. I’m going to hand weave each of you a friendship bracelet and mail it with a homemade card that has macaroni glued on it.
Posted by Amy on January 29, 2009 at 06:44 PM |
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Wednesday January 21st, 2009
So the big debate right now between David and I is whether or not we are going to partake in the watching of one said show called American Idol. For the past two years we have been faithful viewers. I’ve always liked watching it, something about the whole rags to riches thing really entices me. I guess I find the show lame in some ways, but it’s always entertaining to hear Simon rip into someone. And really, what else is there to do in Michigan from January through March? We are shut-ins! It just keeps snowing and being cold and the holidays are over. We are generally bored stiff. What better option do we have than to sit out the next few months in front of the television, right?? David thinks it’s too much of a time warp considering the show comes on several nights a week. I am more in favor of watching it because there is nothing else to do this time of year. We really are just sittting around waiting for the nicer weather. What do you guys think? Are any of you big American Idol fans? Should we turn off the tube and take up ballroom dancing or just succumb to the winter blues and enjoy some mindless entertainment until spring arrives???
Posted by Amy on January 21, 2009 at 01:06 PM |
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Tuesday January 20th, 2009
One thing I don’t do alot of on the blog is the sharing of photo tips and techniques. I know I always appreciate getting a tidbit of advice from another professional, or surfing the web and coming across a helpful piece of information. Since I don’t always have the time to answer every email that comes in asking for technique advice, I thought I would share a bit about how I captured these recent photos.
Finding the perfect light isn’t always easy, especially when working in people’s homes. Sometimes it takes going the extra mile to get the shot that you want. For these photos we hauled the couch into the kitchen and placed it in front of the sliding glass doors. I wanted to use a long lens, so I opened the door and stood outside in the snow shooting in through the door. The light just inside a south facing window is one of my favorite light sources. Another helpful tip when shooting babies is to make sure the mom isn’t calling to the baby and trying to make him smile. More often than not, the baby will look away from the camera and smile over at its mother. But I love to have babies looking at the lens dead on. To get that eye contact with the camera, I hold the camera down by my chin and do some baby talk, smiling, or noise making and then just as the baby looks at me I quickly lift my camera, focus and shoot. Nothing loses their interest faster than having your camera stuck in front of your face the whole time. It’s always good to use long stretches of silence between the baby talk, otherwise they really start to tune you out!
Thats my photography tip for the day!!
Posted by Amy on January 20, 2009 at 03:12 PM |
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Sunday January 18th, 2009
Ouch. The tonsillectomy really hurt. Truth be told, I’m still somewhat in recovery, and I’m getting really sick of all the pudding and popsicles! If I eat any more Campbell’s chicken noodle soup I’m going to vomit. I’ve also watched enough episodes of The Dog Whisperer to satisfy me for a lifetime. I’m really learning the meaning of “It’s not a party if it happens everyday” but I think within another day or so I’ll be able to swallow without being in complete distress.
While I’ve been busy being an incapacitated couch potato I’ve had a lot of emails coming in asking for more details on the workshop I subtly mentioned I’d be teaching this year. I wish I could offer you a fabulous infomercial today complete with 1-800 number, but sadly I just can’t compete with Aqua Globes, Snuggies, and ShamWows. However, I know many of you are trying to plan your year and are chomping at the bit to find out the news, so I wanted to make some sort of official announcement letting you guys know details about what is currently in the works. Although registration will not open for a week or so, here is the bare bones information I can tell you at this point. Registration will be open to anyone who has full working knowledge of shooting manually with a digital SLR camera as long as you do not live or work within a 100 mile radius of Grand Rapids.
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Dates: May 14-15 (with an optional add-on date of the 16th)
Price: $1,200 for 2 day workshop, ($500 for the optional third day covering the unique elements of senior photography)
Details: The focus of the workshop is definitely going to be on shooting and post-processing since that is the topic that generates the most emails and questions from you guys. I’ll be sharing everything I know and practice regarding child and family photography on days 1 and 2, and on the 3rd optional day I’ll be working exclusively on senior photography. We are talking FULL DISCLOSURE people. We will have a lot to cover regarding creativity, post processing, staying fresh and producing vibrant, sharp images that reflect your personal style. Of course we will also be touching on all other essentials for running a business including pricing, branding, image, and products, but the main focus of the workshop is going to be on the photos. For those of you who want to take your images to the next level, this is definitely the workshop to help you do that. Plus, I think it’s just going to be a blast.
The website will be up next week with detailed information and links for registration, but if you sign up now to be on the email list you will be the first to know when registration opens. If you have already signed up to receive the email you do not need to do so again. However if you haven’t signed up and want to be one of the first to know, please email me at workshops@amywenzel.com to be put on the list.
Oh gosh, this is so exciting! I think I get more excited with every passing minute. I can’t wait to teach, and beyond that I can’t wait to hang out with you guys. I’m off to eat another popsicle!
Posted by Amy on January 18, 2009 at 05:03 PM |
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it was very frustrating but a great learning experience. Thanks for the tip. You are great! Beautiful photos!
Comments
I’m sure it will super successful!
Have a great night!
congrats! i can’t wait to get to one of your workshops in the future!
PS. Glad to know I’m not the only cradle robber out there. wink, wink!
Hi! My name’s Allison. Your website was recommended by my Google Reader, so I clicked on your website and started browsing through your gorgeous photos. Then I saw that you were married to a guy named David. And I thought, “I went to college with a guy named David Wenzel–wouldn’t that be funny?” And then I scrolled down further through, and realized YOUR David Wenzel is the same one that my husband and I knew at Cedarville! Every day I realize how small the world is. My hubby Nick was a 2003 grad, and I was a 2001 grad.
Love your photography–wish I lived in GR to have you shoot my family sometime!
Nice to meet you,
Allison (Hume) Walton
Hooray for 30!! I turned the big 3-0 this year, too … and have loved every minute of it : ) I’m sure your workshop will be a smashing success!!
Hey Allison and Nick! Great to hear from you guys through the grapevine of Amy’s blog! It is indeed a small world. I hope you are both doing well! Thanks for checking out Amy’s blog!
Hey I hear you girl! I’ll be 30 in March and my husband is just turning 28 at the end of this month. I’m so glad I made it in time for the workshop signup!
OH…sniff, sniff. I WISH I could attend!! It’s not in my “photography” budget yet…AND my “day” job gets in the way. Maybe next time around!
That is so awesome that it sold out (although I’m not surprised):)
I am so interested in attending a workshop- maybe you could do another this summer?? Please
-Monica