Let's push pause on our regular blog schedule for a hot minute, I've some exciting news to share.
We've needed another photographer on our team for awhile now but I've been holding out for what felt like perfect timing.
Brooke reached out to me when I posted needing a photo assistant. It was an exciting, exhausting 15+ sessions in 5 days. Here's the story that made me think maybe I had found a fit.
(As you can see 3:1 and the photographers didn't seem to be winning ... that story over on Charming Child's blog, "You can't scare me, I have kids.") #notmykids
I was caught off guard. This little but mighty girl, could she be what I was hoping and praying for? It takes a special type of crazy to fit in around here and I guess it helps she's a close relative. HAh!
What I've learned in the last year... there are few things as personally rewarding for me as championing creative people hungry to grow into their potential.
You know, just practicing for the hotdog eating contest.
Take a second to send Brooke a virtual high-five as she tackles the role of photographer-in-training the next 19 weeks. #howsmyshot
Not a minute too soon, our EC Stylist/Photo Coordinator, Jaclyn, heads to Rome this Tuesday for the semester. Expect stylish dispatches soon.
January 1st, 2016 is our target. The next 19 weeks will be a crash course in what it takes to jump in head first as a fully equipped photographer. #photoproin19weeks
Training involves food, photos, food, photos... in that order.
Brooke and I began her training last Thursday here in Chicago. We established a photo checklist for each week and settled on 19 goals to go after before 2016, photographically of course.
19 before 16 :
1. Run a 5k
2. Enter a hotdog eating contest .. (in process)
3. Host an outdoor movie night
3. Visit a local festival
4. Fix my car
5. Solve a rubix cube
6. Make a camp pie
7. Create a Halloween costume for Maisy
8. Become a mentor
9. Attend an ugly sweater party
10. Create a time capsule wardrobe
11. Road trip
12. Make meringue cookies for the first time
13. Trail run with my puppy Maisy
14. Pay for a stranger's coffee
15. Photo journal everyday
16. Plan a zoo scavenger hunt
17. Avoid photographing brick walls
18. Camp-out with my small cousins
19. Buy a new laptop
Brooke's shot from Training Thursday at Snow Dragon Shavery.
I need to apologize to you right now. My face may pop up often the next 19 weeks. I'm doubling as trainer and (uncoordinated) model. I figure she might as well work with a difficult subject, it only makes you better, right? Hah.
Attempting to multitask. Videoing Brooke's progress for snapchat, modeling and training.
Brooke claims she likes snapping shots of intense concentration. Good luck, while I struggle with my parking app.
This is a good example of when I ask for 50% less posing. #yourgettingyourmoneysworth
Why it's not a good idea to talk too much when modeling. Case #176
Favorite shot from Brooke's trail run with Maisy this week. More on her Insta
So what's our end goal? Brooke is a crazy-cool kid at heart and aspires to join our Charming Child team in 2016. I think it's worthwhile to learn not just one facet of photography, so we are covering all the Charming brand specialties in the next 19 weeks.
Until next Sunday at 7pm - Laura Rose