Mentoring & Workshops: A Few Changes for 2015

Lots of newness is on the horizon for 2015! My motto is always simplicity so I’ve implemented a new (simplified) teaching program.

WORKSHOPS

I will no longer be hosting workshops. Not to worry though! You will still absolutely be able to learn how to use natural light for great portraits and how to brand your photography business effectively, I'l just be doing it in a modified way.

Natural Light Workshop 
While this is a wonderful program, after closer inspection, I realize my mentor session is a much better investment. Here’s why: you learn the exact same thing in my mentor session, plus good client practices, more individualized attention due to the smaller group size, AND the biggest perk that’s not included in the workshop- ongoing assistance! All of my mentees are added to my private Facebook group where they continue to receive assistance as needed. Doesn’t that sound like a better deal? :)

Effective Branding Workshop
After being asked to speak about branding in 2013 at the Blink Conference, I held 2 of my own branding workshops in 2014. Through these, I’ve come to realize that although I do love a well-put together brand, that it is not something I’m passionate about teaching. I wouldn’t feel comfortable continuing to teach something I’m not passionate about when there are many qualified resources out there for how to build an effective brand. One of which is my friend Britney Jeanine! She recently began offering branding workshops so for all who are interested in learning more about that, please contact Britney! I will still touch on branding in my mentor sessions though- keep reading to find out more about that part :)

GROUP MENTOR SESSIONS

I started offering these in 2014 and they just took OFF! I’m actually really excited about how much folks seem to like them (and I’ve been listening :) so I’ve decided to add a second full day of business instruction to the mentor session! Get excited!! Lol

Business questions are never in short supply during our mentor sessions but the focus of (what I’m now going to call Session 101) is on shooting. I made that the focus because too often folks put the cart before the horse. You need to understand what you’re doing and how to do it well before you worry about owning and operating a business. So with that being said, the Mentor Session 102: Business will ONLY be available to those who have taken Session 101: Shooting or who have attended the Natural Light Workshop with me in 2014. This is to ensure that you at least kind of know what you’re doing before going out there and asking people for money :)

Check out the full details (on what will be covered) and pricing for each of the sessions here.

So those are my big changes! In the next post I’ll be sharing my early 2015 travel dates and if you’re interested in participating in a mentor session, you’ll be able to secure your spot as well.

-Danielle

Effective Branding Workshop: December 14, 2014

Happy Thursday loves!

As promised, TODAY is the day that you get to secure your spot for the upcoming Branding Workshop in December!

Prepare for 2015 by learning about how you can create or improve your brand for maximum effectiveness in growing your photography business!

On December 14, we will meet at an awesome location in Washington, DC for a half-day branding workshop!

This workshop is $350 and it includes:

• Pre-workshop exercises so that you are prepared for what will be covered
• A fun and interactive branding presentation
• Personal brand critiques for all attendees
• Branding workbook
• goodies from my wonderful sponsors Miller’s, Shootproof, The Branding Muse, and Britney Jeanine Designs!
• Breakfast & snacks will be provided as well!

You will walk away with concrete steps you can take to improve or create a brand that is effective and truly you! I am actually in the process of a mini rebrand myself so in addition to the current curriculum, I’ll also be sharing new lessons learned and helpful resources that you’ll be able to use in helping build or improve your brand!

Is it worth it? Hear what attendees of my previous branding workshops have to say:

“I started photography back in 2011.  At that time I didn’t put much thought into branding.  I was about “what looks pretty”.  This led to multiple purchases… blogs templates, new website templates, logos… if there was something pretty on Etsy I had to have it!  While attending BLINK and DFinney Photography’s workshop I learned so much that will help further my business and cut down on all those unnecessary purchases…most importantly I found ME.  I am MY brand and now my blog, social media and website reflect that!”

-Katrina Amburgey who implemented what she learned and now has a great new look and feel for her brand- Katrina Amburgey Photography.

“I was tired of being the ‘Everything Photographer’ and wasn’t sure how to break the mold, but knew I had to invest more thought into branding.  When I heard that Danielle was offering an Effective Branding For Your Photography, I knew had to attend. I walked away with a greater awareness about what branding was and was not. Before this workshop, I thought branding was "just” about the perfect logo and my favorite colors. I walked away thinking, it’s time to go hard or go home. If I wanted to move away from the “Everything Photographer”, I had to do a complete overhaul on my brand and identity within the Photography community. That’s when Britney came into the brand equation, she was able to capture my personality and design a platform to convey exactly who I am and what my brand represents.“

-Tee Kent who implimented what she learned both from the branding workshop AND her work with Britney Jeanine Designs to come up with the great new look and feel for her brand- Tee Kent Photography.

I’m so excited to be partnering with Britney for the workshop because she is the perfect next step after attending. I will provide you with a great foundation for how to create or improve your brand and she will help you design it!

Ready to book your spot?

REGISTER ONLINE RIGHT HERE!

Please don’t hesitate in deciding whether or not you’d like to attend because these seats are going to move fast. I will always keep the workshops small because I want to make sure everyone gets the attention that they need. So if you’re ready to register, you can do so here!

I look forward to working with you and helping you see just how you can bring your brand to life!

-Danni

Fall Natural Light Workshop Announcement

It’s back, it’s back! And this time it’s better than ever :)

The next Natural Light Workshop will be held on October 18, 2014 at a beautiful location in Washington, DC and you can now secure your spot! [link deactivated] because this workshop is being gifted! Enter for your chance to win HERE!

This comprehensive workshop will teach you everything you need to know about how to take a well-exposed photo EVERY time with natural light! We will cover everything you can think of related to taking great photos with natural light- and some things you probably haven’t thought about :)  

• understanding the different elements of natural light
• the importance of correct color & white balance
• why calibration matters
• how to “find the light”
• how to best use natural light to achieve the look you want
• how to take a well-exposed photo EVERY time with no guesswork!

And much, much more!

This workshop is $495 and includes:

• continental breakfast & boxed lunches
• workshop booklet & pen
• goodies from my wonderful sponsors Miller’s and Shootproof!
• hands-on shooting w/ models
• post-processing instruction

We will meet up to discuss the basics, and not-so basics of shooting with natural light. After lunch, we will head outside and SHOOT so you can practice what you just learned. Models will be on hand so you can practice correctly photographing clients of varying skin tones. After shooting, we will head back in where I will discuss my post-processing methods.

This class will NOT touch on the business aspect of photography as it relates to building a business. We will, however cover photographer/client relationship pointers as it relates to being a natural light photographer. 

In order to make sure everyone is able to receive individual attention and have adequate time for questions, there will only be 10 seats available for this class.

Ready to book your spot?

REGISTER ONLINE RIGHT HERE [link deactivated] because this workshop is being gifted! Enter for your chance to win HERE!

Wondering if it’s worth it? Don’t take my word for it, take Sarah’s… and Sara’s lol.

“I was so surprised that the workshop was so easy. That ease was all due to how well Danielle was able to teach. Her hands on approach as well, was very helpful because she gave you space and artistic freedom, but checked in constantly one on one with everyone to make sure they were getting the shots they wanted. I’ve already seen difference in my photography so I’d say the workshop for me was a complete success!”
-Sarah Johnson

“From the very beginning of the workshop with Danielle, I felt a kind of warmth and welcoming feeling when she introduced herself and gave me a hug. She really personified the entire course and left a lot of room for questions and comments. I loved the presentation; Danielle was extremely knowledgeable about the mechanics and concepts of natural light photography and I felt very comfortable sharing my work with her and experiencing her insightful mentorship while critiquing my work. I was very pleased with the result of the workshop, especially the photoshop editing tutorial, as I have never properly used photoshop before. Danielle really knows what she is doing and she should definitely continue these workshops!”
-Sara Malas

Well Sara I took your words to heart and I’m back at it lol. Please don’t hesitate in deciding whether or not you’d like to attend because these seats are going to move fast. I will always keep the workshops small because I want to make sure everyone gets the attention that they need. So if you’re ready to register, you can do so here! [link deactivated] because this workshop is being gifted! Enter for your chance to win HERE!

I look forward to working with you and helping you see just how easy it can be shooting with natural light!!

-Danni

Spring Natural Light Workshop | Recap

Hey there! *waves* 

I’m in a great mood today because tomorrow at this time I’ll be on my flight to Miami to enjoy a bit of rest and relaxation :) But for now (before announcing the details for the upcoming workshop in October), I have a super special post to share with you- the recap from my first Natural Light Workshop back in April! 

Putting this post together totally gave me the warm and fuzzies remembering what a great day this was :)

This was my first all day workshop and it turned out wonderfully! I had the best attendees and models so everyone really enjoyed themselves as we learned just how simple shooting with natural light can be. 

We started the day with breakfast and an interactive presentation all about the basics of natural light photography.

Then we headed out to practice the new skills :) The hotel had great spots for pictures so we were able to practice with both indoor and outdoor settings.

“From the very beginning of the workshop with Danielle, I felt a kind of warmth and welcoming feeling when she introduced herself and gave me a hug. She really personified the entire course and left a lot of room for questions and comments. I loved the presentation; Danielle was extremely knowledgeable about the mechanics and concepts of natural light photography and I felt very comfortable sharing my work with her and experiencing her insightful mentorship while critiquing my work. I was very pleased with the result of the workshop, especially the photoshop editing tutorial, as I have never properly used photoshop before. Danielle really knows what she is doing and she should definitely continue these workshops!”

-Sara Malas

“Danielle’s workshop provided a foundation that was both simple and intuitive. It allowed for me to be as creative as I wanted. It also helped rekindle my love of photography.”

-Lawrence Perkins

Then we headed across the street to a location more similar to one where I would normally shoot. With each location change, I explained why the selection was made, checked in with everyone to be sure they were getting what they wanted with their photos, and explained any composition decisions I made.

 

“I thoroughly enjoyed the class! Started on time! (I’m a stickler for time). The class was intimate enough where I felt comfortable asking questions and actually was able to get them answered. I also enjoyed the hands on approach.”

-Joaquina Braithwaite

“I was so surprised that the workshop was so easy. That ease was all due to how well Danielle was able to teach. Her hands on approach as well, was very helpful because she gave you space and artistic freedom, but checked in constantly one on one with everyone to make sure they were getting the shots they wanted. I’ve already seen difference in my photography so I’d say the workshop for me was a complete success!”

-Sarah Johnson

After our practice session, we headed back in for lunch and editing! But not before we snapped a group photo :)

Wasn’t that fun?! Lol I can’t wait for the next one in October which will be even better!

Thank you so much to these beautiful people for investing with me and making this workshop a memorable one. Thank you also to our wonderful models and makeup artists for participating and being just as much apart of the fun :)

And a special thank you to my friend, mentee, and sistog Tiffany for being there and taking these great behind the scenes photos!

Want to attend the next one? Details are coming right up!

-Danni

2014 DFinney Workshops | Natural Light Shooting

Happy Thursday loves!

As promised last week, details are finally here for the next workshop!

Workshop #2 for 2014 will be held on April 26 at a beautiful Washington, DC hotel for a full-day workshop all about shooting with natural light!!

This comprehensive workshop will teach you everything you need to know about how to take a well-exposed photo EVERY time with natural light! We will cover everything you can think of related to taking great photos with natural light- and some things you probably haven’t thought about :)  

• understanding the different elements of natural light
• the importance of correct color & white balance
• why calibration matters
• how to “find the light”
• how to best use natural light to achieve the look you want
• how to take a well-exposed photo EVERY time with no guesswork!

And much, much more!

This workshop will be $495 and includes:

• continental breakfast & boxed lunches
• natural light workshop booklet
• hands-on shooting w/ models
• post-processing instruction

We will meet up to discuss the basics, and not-so basics of shooting with natural light. After lunch, we will head outside and SHOOT so you can practice what you just learned. Models will be on hand so you can practice correctly photographing clients of varying skin tones. After shooting, we will head back in where I will discuss my post-processing methods.

This class will NOT touch on the business aspect of photography as it relates to building a business. We will, however cover photographer/client relationship pointers as it relates to being a natural light photographer. 

In order to make sure everyone is able to receive individual attention and have adequate time for questions, there will only be 10 seats available for this class.

Ready to book your spot?

EMAIL ME (danielle@dfinneyphoto.com) if you’d like to snag your seat while they’re still available! All spots require a $100 deposit to secure your seat.

I’ve gotten so much positive feedback leading up to this and I CAN’T WAIT to actually hold this workshop and share exactly what I do to get my photos to look the way they do. No secrets over here! My methods and workflow are very simple- but consistent!

I look forward to working with you!!

-Danni