Jasmine Star’s “The Fix” in Chicago

yesterday was a darn good day. i enjoyed the unusually warm weather meeting new photographers from all over the midwest and even as far as canada. i got to connect with a budding photographer, zipporah kapambwe, and it looks like i’ll have her along quite a bit with me to second shoot and assist in the 2012 wedding season! we messed around a bit with our cameras yesterday afternoon, trying to nail some updated portraits for eachother. excited to be working with zipporah in the months to come and thankful for a new industry friend. here’s a few frames of the lovely lady taken down in the fulton market district.

all of these photographers were in chicago yesterday because jasmine star was in town with her touring workshop. brad pitt may as well have been in town the way us women were freaking out over her arrival and having the opportunity to rub elbows with one of the world’s most renown wedding photographers.

i walked away with a whole heap of notes and with a fire lit under my butt. i walked away with one thing mainly on my mind- that change is good. it keeps you scared, hungry, and humble. and the people who are going to be the most successful in this industry are those that change the fastest. don’t be afraid to break the mold. don’t be afraid to struggle. because with struggle comes change.

i’m thankful for industry pros like jasmine who have gone after it. they’re doing it. and not sitting on their butts complaining about why they can’t. i want to be able to think of myself as a go-getter in my pursuit of this business. i don’t ever want to sit still and become too comfortable with my work as an artist. there’s always more to learn. there’s always more ways to break the mold. yesterday was a refresher and i was in photog heaven. jasmine even called me “boo” twice in front of the whole audience. we’re obviously bffs now.