In case you missed the emails, Facebook or Twitter posts about our new & improved photography workshop name, website AND format, I wanted to share with you again!

My business partner & workshop co-host Jennifer and I announced back a few months ago that we changed the name of our workshop from Create Better Images Photography Workshops to Refocused Photography Workshops. We think the name better illustrates what we do and teach overall. Below you can read more about these workshops, including how to register. But if you hurry over to our Facebook page and “like us” – you’ll find a special coupon code inside that will save you some booku-bucks off the registration cost.

1. The Beginner Workshop is 3-hour interactive, hands-on class where we teach new SLR camera owners how to get the most out of their camera. Over the years we have had so many requests from people who had just bought new cameras with interchangeable lenses how to actually use them, or get the most out of them. So in 2008, Jen and I decided to start a workshop to show people how to take those cameras off the automatic setting and shoot a little more creatively by teaching the fundamentals of photography. Once you understand how light, shutter speed and aperture interrelate; you can pick up any camera with any lens and effectively manipulate the light to capture a look that you may want.

It’s about more than just asking “What button do I put my camera on?” – its about understanding the very core of photography. Other areas we talk about it are what lenses will produce what types of images (ie, if you want a lot of “background blur” so your subject really stands out and pops), how to find great light in and around your home, creative composition, how to turn off the automatic flash that always pops up if you want images that have more feeling and depth, how to adjust your settings to photograph in manual mode (and how to get to manual mode in the first place). Plus much more. Click here to get all the nitty gritty details and find out how to register!

2. The Intermediate/Advanced Workshop: Now aptly named the One Day Intensive, this workshop is a 9 hour very hands on and interactive learning experience. We have now taught over 100 photographers around the US, many of whom have gone on to become successful and busy photographers. Some had already started businesses and were stuck on certain concepts or styles of shooting, others were just branching out and wanted a roadmap on how to create the best images possible with the best gear possible.

• Several tips for lighting, creative composition, and posing
• How to work with subjects and clients before, during and after the shoot
• How to speed up your digital workflow and post-process more efficiently
• Recipes for successful portrait making
• (NEW) MARKETING (branding, networking, getting published, getting your name out there, setting yourself apart, social media, and more)
• (NEW) THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY (goal setting, effective workflow, post-processing, pricing your products and services for profit, paying taxes, setting up your company more)
• (NEW) ALBUM DESIGN (tips for fast and efficient album design, companies to use, and more)
• How to apply many of these concepts to a LIVE MODEL SHOOT!
• In addition, after the live model shoot, you will have the opportunity to process your images via Adobe Lightroom with Jennifer and Kim and then share them with the class.
• Both will offer hand-on guidance, and share useful tips for working with these programs.
• Lastly, we’ll have open Q&A time!

Click here to read more and register for this awesome workshop!

CASTING CALL!

For our live model shoot, we are looking for an engaged or married couple!

Are you a couple that recently got married but wish you had more fun/urban/trendy magazine style pictures of you? Or maybe you are just a super-cute engaged (or non-engaged) couple and want some new and fun images? Either way, this is your chance to get some free images by serving as models for a photography workshop!

Couples must submit a few low-res images of themselves (close up and full length if you have one – snapshots are fine) as well as the attire they plan to wear for the shoot. We need couples who are very comfortable in front of the camera and affectionate with one another.

The session will last approximately 45-60 minutes and be in Mesa on Saturday, Feb 18th in the late afternoon. We will provide more details on when, where and what to wear once you are confirmed as a model. You just need to be available on that date between the times of approx 4:00-6:15 PM.

To apply as a model, please email 2 low resolution images of you both together to info@refocusedworkshops.com

I’m super super excited for AJ and Paul’s wedding coming up this spring. It’s going to be beautiful and amazing!

I loved photographing both AJ and Paul. They are beautiful, as you can tell, but also super nice and sweet. I loved AJ’s laughs and their chemistry together.

Below are a few of my favorites that I can’t wait to share with you!!

Enjoy and stay tuned in a few months for their GORGEOUS wedding!

The Peregrin family is super super super sweet and I have grown to LOVE them over the years. This session is one of the older ones that I realized never got posted, but it’s such a good one that I had to share.

I love cute and adorable families who let me have a ton of fun with them on the shoots! It’s always a good time!

The Joiner family is kinda special to me…. you see, Jamie is my sister, so that means that the kiddos are nephews and niece. I super duper LOVE them and told them that they needed new family pictures and I was going to take them for them:) My sister didn’t argue:)

I had such a great time capturing their growing and beautiful family. We started at their house because Josh, my brother in law, has put a lot of sweat and hard work into creating for them a garden in their back yard. They all love it and spend a lot of time out there, so we started with getting pictures of that. We then headed to some orange groves to do a few more.

My husband and Kailee came along as well and Kailee was my helper telling everyone to smile and passing out M&M briberies for all the kids, so of course I had to grab a few of her as well.

Family is super important to me and I’m so thankful for my relationship with my sister and her family.