10 on 10 - january

January 10, 2016

I haven't made any official resolutions this year (yet), or even picked a word to define what 2016's theme will be for me. It's not a given that I even will. But in conversations and in my journal, the word "accountability" keeps coming up. I decided that in an effort to not only pick up my camera more and live up to my intention of telling visual stories, I would take on some personal projects to really make me walk the talk this year.

One of the projects in which I'm taking part is a 10 on 10 with a group of talented photographers. We shoot 10 photos in one day, post them on the 10th of the month, then link to each other so we can see and be inspired by what stories are being told elsewhere.

In a lovely example of serendipity, an online friend came to San Francisco earlier this week and we met (in real life) for coffee and an honest-to-goodness old fashioned photo walk. It's one of the best ways I know to break the ice when meeting someone new. I loved meeting Cara Monaco of Tumbleweed in Eden. She is a film shooter who completely wows me with her work. We have known one another (online) since the early days when Flickr was all the rage and before Instagram filled the gap of community and photography so many of us craved. We walked and talked for a couple of hours in the Mission neighborhood, starting off with coffee and then a stroll down (and around) Valencia Street to Clarion Alley, which is always full of color and photographic goodness.

The rain luckily held off until the moment we hugged and said good-bye. A new friend, with the bonus of photos from my camera and my iPhone to remember the day. Color me happy.

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There are some amazingly talented ladies posting their 10 on 10 stories today. Please check out Stephanie Gough's, and then keep clicking on the links on each post to see them all!

portrait series - meghen

January 8, 2016

In early December, I was thrilled to shoot a Portrait Day at The Hivery.

Meghen was one of the ladies who signed up and she made me realize once again how lucky I am that I get to do what I do. Because not only is she beautiful and photogenic, willing to walk around on a chilly day looking for the right location, and then posing without a coat and making it look like it was actually balmy out, she is an amazing writer and it was so much fun working with her.

It was an added bonus that she and I have both co-produced Listen To Your Mother shows in San Francisco. She is a published author in the compilation "Mamas Write: 29 Tales of Truth, Wit, and Grit".

Please pay her a visit at: Meghen Kurtzig .com

firefly institute photo camp

January 5, 2016

I recently did an interview on Viewfinders with my friend Hillary Sloss, creator of a photo camp for women called FIREFLY INSTITUTE.

Hillary was a photojournalist for many years and has a longstanding love affair with photography. She has long held a dream of collaborating and sharing inspiration with other women photographers and in November 2016 will be holding the first photo camp in Sonoma, CA. The venue is beautiful, many in depth classes will be offered for the intermediate to advanced photographer, and because it is a camp, there will be FUN!

I will be teaching iPhone and DSLR video classes, alongside some incredible women teaching classes in everything from polaroid to iPhoneography, lighting, food styling, Photoshop and Lightroom, and how to market your own work.

My interview with Hillary on Viewfinders is HERE.

REGISTRATION for the first camp opens this Sunday January 10 at 8 a.m. PST.

It is going to be AMAZING - I highly encourage anyone with an interest in not only expanding their skills but creating connection with other women photographers to register.

video by kim thompson steel

video for suzanne o'brien studio

November 27, 2015

Suzanne O'Brien has created an online workshop for those of us who might have months or years worth of photos on our computers and want to see them printed in beautiful photo books. She announces her class here...

New Workshop Announcement

...with information on how to sign up through Big Picture Classes.

Suzanne and I spent a fun afternoon together shooting a video intro for her workshop, with a special appearance from her dog who wanted to be part of the action.

The Hivery

September 12, 2015

Finding a part-time workspace outside my home this past year has brought a fresh breath of inspiration to my life and work. The Hivery is a co-working, collaborative, women's "inspiration lab" in Sausalito, CA founded by Grace Kraaijvanger. Grace is one of those people with whom you can only hope you might get to meet or work with at least once in your life - she is welcoming and lovely, the physical space she created is beautiful, and her background in both ballet and marketing give her a unique perspective on not only reinventing your career but doing it mindfully and creatively.

She inspired me so much that we worked on a promotional video together which now lives on The Hivery's front page.

Enjoy: