I wanted to share this image and these words from a recent workshop attendee Amy Drucker with Amy Drucker Photography in Westchester, NY:

I’m spending today editing this week’s sessions and just wanted to say that something has really clicked for me since our workshop. I’m not afraid of families anymore – I feel like I’ve been given license to shoot what I want to shoot (as long as I get that Grandma shot too).

An image I love, and a moment I might have overlooked during a recent session if not for the confidence I gained during your workshop. Watching you work and having access to question your process helped me get past a creative block that had recently been keeping me from shooting for clients the way I really wanted to. Thank you again for being so open and working so hard during our recent workshop. I got everything I had hoped to out of it, and much more.

And it makes me so incredibly happy to hear the joy in her voice. Thank YOU, Amy! And congrats on following your heart!

For more info on the upcoming lifestyle photography workshops in CA and WA starting next week, visit http://pinkletoesblogstalker.com/blog/workshops-coaching/

Run (don’t walk!) to get your credit card and sign up for this workshop ASAP. It covers everything – from the business side, to editing to photography to marketing from the best photographer and the most amazing business person I know! This workshop is unique not only because of the amazing material that is covered but because of the pre and post workshop experience. You will be receiving a one-on-one meeting with Michele, you will be part of a private Facebook group of workshop attendees, you will develop friendships with like-minded people…. The list of wonderful things about these workshops just keep going on and on. For me, taking this workshop was by far the best investment I’ve made in my photography business and years after taking the original workshop I am STILL using what I’ve learned back then.

My, oh my! I have to tell you that the first Pinkle Toes Photography Lifestyle Photography workshop in New Jersey was absolutely amazing and I will most certainly have to go back sometime in the future. Even though it rained for pretty much every session we tried to do, everyone stayed in good spirits and just went with it. I could not have asked for a more energetic, fun-loving, talented group of ladies with which to work (not the least of whom includes our amazing hostess, Lena with Live, Love, Laugh Photos in Ridgewood, NJ as well as my PHENOMENAL workshop coordinator Annette with Annette Goodman Photography in Charlotte, NC!). The first set of images includes several behind-the-scenes shots of the attendees in action. They each got a chance to try out new techniques at the workshop and I was totally impressed with how they embraced the challenge and got AMAZING images to boot (be sure to follow the links at the end of the post to see images they each captured at the workshop). We also had a wonderful newborn session inside this family’s home (thank you again for opening your doors to us and sheltering us from the rain ;-): That afternoon, we photographed our hostess’s family in their beautiful home…the essence of lifestyle photography, really. It was such a privilege to get to capture these moments for them: And on our last day, we worked with this lovely expecting couple. We had originally planned to explore downtown Ridgewood, but the rain kept us indoors once again. I really appreciated their flexibility with the ever-changing location and I cannot wait to hear the good news any day now about their new baby!!! I have yet to peek at the images taken by the attendees at the workshop and so I’m excited myself to follow the links to the blog circle! First up is Christine with Half-Pint Photography – Bergen County, NJ Family Photographer! Click along with me!!!!

Next week, I’m heading to Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA for the last workshop of July. After that, we’re hitting Mendocino, CA, and finishing up the 2014 workshops in Olympia, WA. There is still a couple of openings for each of these workshops, so please, squeeze in if you can!

Oh, one more thing, here are some of the headshots I took of Pinkle Toes New Jersey Class of 2014. Good lookin’ bunch, huh?

Okay, okay. Technically, I am “closed” (see last post about that), buuuuuuut, I feel very compelled to pop on here quickly to say THANK YOU to Lena, Annette, and ALL of New Jersey and north east coast attendees for an incredible workshop! In spite of our challenges–well, really, the only challenge and that was the RAIN (ugh)–everyone was patient and funny and eager to learn and gave 110% to their workshop experience. And our models were pretty phenomenal, too.

From one of the attendees:

DO IT!!!! Seriously. If you are considering any workshop — Pinkle Toes is not only extraordinarily informative, but it gave me a new found belief in my ability to run a strong photography business. You will have so much inspiration and instantly feel connected with a new group of amazing photographers!

Yup. She about summed it up regarding the group of amazing photographers. Wow! I cannot wait until I get a chance to collect all of their shots and show off their work in a real blog post soon. I promise, when I get some more time, there are many, many, many more images and thoughts on this workshop to come.

Meanwhile, I am putting the pedal back to the medal to get ready for the upcoming lifestyle photography workshops being held at my house in Austin, TX in early July. After that, we hit the road for southern California (Cardiff-by-the-sea), then northern California (Mendocino), and finally Washington State (Olympia). We have just a couple of spaces open for each of those workshops and after that, there are no more workshops for 2014. Very much looking forward to what these next few months hold in store and meeting all of these new photographers all over the country!

In just a few days, we are kicking off the Pinkle Toes 2014 summer workshop tour in Ridgewood, NJ! And from there, it’s going to be a whirlwind for the rest of the summer: back to Austin, Texas and then hitting southern California, northern California, and Olympia, Washington over the course of a few weeks. Ridgewood and the 2nd Austin workshop are sold out, but we have some openings for the other dates if you want to check that out here.

Meanwhile, my blog and my e-mail are going to be quiet for a bit as I focus (pun intended) on providing amazing workshop experiences for the attendees. You will be able to follow our adventures on Facebook and Instagram, so stay in the loop ;-).

See ya this fall!

~Michele

Earlier this month, I had the extreme pleasure of spending 4 days in the great city of New York with 17 other photographer friends – the 2nd official Pinkle Toes Photography workshop reunion! It. Was. Amazing. I can honestly say we finished that city, packing in everything we could possibly do in just those few days…so much so, that I needed about a week to recover.

We did it all!

Our first evening together was spent laughing until our faces hurt playing “Heads Up” in our amazing apartment we all rented out in the heart of the financial district. By the way, I want to send a huge thank you to Nicole for getting our housing arrangements all sorted out for us for the weekend, by the way. It was really hard to believe that most of the girls were meeting for the first time that night and it did not take long for old friendships to be rekindled and new friendships to form. And we had some delicious New York pizza delivered to us to much on that night…the look on the delivery guy’s face when he walked into an apartment full of women was priceless!

The next morning, we headed out to visit the beautiful fountains of the 9/11 Memorial . It was a humbling experience for sure…not a dry eye around as we each tried to comprehend the level of devastation and the majestic monuments that have been constructed. It was a difficult experience, actually…conflicted between the pain of the emotions tied to that horrible day and the beauty of what they have been able to create from that destruction.

Eventually, we left the memorial and started a LONG walk toward The High Line. It was long in distance, sure, but it was compounded exponentially by the fact that we were a group of PHOTOGRAPHERS who are compelled by their very nature to stop and take pictures of everything– especially each other taking pictures of each other (I am allowed to say that because I am probably the #1 offender ;-). But it’s okay. We understand this need. We forgive each other for it. Thank goodness we had our magnificent and capable “tour guide” Lena to expertly lead the way and patiently keep us on track.

The High Line was so much fun! Not only was the weather so kind to us that day, but I could not get over all of the beautiful tulips in bloom (we don’t really have much of that going on here in Texas) and I loved the whole idea behind the High Line (read about it if you don’t know what it is). Super cool place and we had a great time!

Dinner that evening was at The Park in Chelsea. Um. Wow. Now that was some delicious food and thank you so much to Kami for selecting this beautiful spot and coordinating our big group meals during the reunion!!!

After dinner, we hoofed it over to 30 Rock where our whole group got to go straight to the front of the line (GO ONLINE RESERVATIONS!!!) to make our way to the Top of the Rock. I think that may have been most everyone’s favorite part of the trip. We managed to get there at dusk so that we could see the entire city from up above during daylight and then we stayed until after a beautiful sunset to see the city come alive with lights. I don’t know if I’ve ever taken so many pictures of one thing in my life!!! It. Was. Magnificent!

Okay…now that was just the first day so here’s where things start to get fuzzy. I *think* we went to Times Square that night, but maybe it was the next day. I truly cannot remember which night that was, lol! Yes…it was that night because we didn’t stay very long at all…we were completely exhausted, lol!

Early the next morning, I went to do some location scouting for an upcoming session at the Brooklyn Bridge and I gotta tell ya, I was quite taken with the bridge. First of all, I couldn’t quite comprehend that we were actually able to walk to the bridge from our apartment and secondly, wow…it is spectacular at sunrise! The views are just so amazing and I feel so fortunate that we got to see it all lit up later that night on our cruise.

And then came the FOOD TOUR in Chelsea! This little tradition started back at the Chicago Pinkle Toes reunion a few years ago. It was the highlight of our trip back then and it was easily the highlight of this one!  Our tour guide, Cindy, was super and we had so many yummy, yummy treats and learned so much about Chelsea. I think I spent all of my allotted spending money at O&Co (the basil olive oil is just beyond all words). Again, thanks to Kami for putting this together for us…and also for sharing my LOVE of FDNY 😉 (We were pretty lucky to get a little surprise visit in the meat shop of all places ;-).

Okay, what next? Oh yes, The Harbor Lights Cruise by Circle Line. We were treated such a beautiful sunset just as we passed by the Statue of Liberty. Could not have been more perfect timing if we tried. But my favorite was the views of the bridges lit up at night.

Sadly, the next morning, it was time for people to say goodbye. I think we were all excited to get home and see our families (and rest our poor, tired bodies), but it was tough to see this trip come to an end. Some of us managed one last hurrah in Central Park and I’m so glad we made the trek. I honestly could have stayed in Central Park for hours and hours and hours…I just never realized how big it was and how much there was to see. The cherry blossoms were breathtaking and I couldn’t get over the juxtaposition of the beautiful gardens and the buildings jutting out like promontories.

And then it was all over. We all went back home via planes, trains, and automobiles (okay, I will admit I did get an extra bonus that night of that super fun photo session with Lena followed by a very tasty meal at Acqua with her family and Minnette and Chantal). I should also note that while we were still all trying to recover mentally and physically from that whirlwind trip, it was Kelly (who was instrumental in planning the activities for us on the trip) who was already asking about when we were doing the next one. She is hard core, people, lol!

All in all, this reunion far exceeded my expectations and I was completely blown away by the fact that #1 we all managed to survive it 😉 #2 no one got lost #3 the people of the city (minus a couple of cab drivers and a security guard who didn’t quite understand electricity) were SO INCREDIBLY KIND! Really, this experience in New York City was much more delightful than my first trip there years and years ago.

And I think I owe that to the group of ladies that were there with me. It’s pretty refreshing to be around so much talent and people who share the same interests and passions as you do. People who don’t find it odd that you drop to the ground to take a picture of a puddle. People who appreciate both the “touristy” things and the adventures that you find off the beaten path. People who love good food and are willing to try new things (even if that means paying to be yelled at in a restaurant, right gals?).  I was only able to post a few of the bazillion pictures that I took on this trip (be sure to search #pinkletoesnyc on Instagram for a bazillion other fun snaps) and I cannot WAIT to see what everyone else got. Absolutely fantastic time, ladies! Thank you, thank you, a million thank you’s! Can’t wait to see where we end up next!

———–

Make certain you check out my friend Kerri Davis with Images By Kerri to get her take on the trip and to see more pics: Durham Region Family Photographer. She’s got another link to another attendee’s pics on her post and so on. I am incredibly excited to get all the different perspectives from the trip!

Let’s do this, gang! Flights are BOOKED for the Pinkle Toes summer photography workshops! We are headed to New Jersey (that one is full) as well as Northern and Southern California and Washington (never been to either of those states, really) and I’m so excited! And oh yes, you are more than welcome to come visit me in my home of Austin if you’d rather ;-). Will I be seeing YOU at one of these workshops? 

The more I work with this little ray of sunshine, the more I get to see that exuberant spirit and endless love for her family.  She is a spitfire, yes, but that giggle…that giggle is infectious. Still my fav image of her I’ve ever taken, even though her talented mommy has bazillions from which to choose herself ;-). Oh, and she had us ALL cracking up when she found that mirror. Mom…I think she needs to get one of those in her room somehow. Maybe you can paint it pink and add some flowers to dress it up properly?

———–

By the way, did you know her mommy is a Pinkle Toes Workshop graduate? AND I am SO excited I get to see her as well as 20+ other grads at our SECOND Pinkle Toes Workshop Reunion trip to New York City NEXT WEEK???????? Yeah, I’m a little excited and I cannot wait to hang with all of those talented ladies again AND see new friendships form as workshop groups from the past three years mingle and meet for the first time.

If you want to be a part of future workshop reunion trips (by the way, there is no fee to attend those reunions…just the cost of your trip, food, etc.), you simply have to have attended a Pinkle Toes workshop. We still have openings for one of the Austin workshops (where attendees get to stay at my home!) as well as Northern and Southern California and Washington (housing is included in all of those, too, and let me tell you, our hostesses have found some AMAZING spots!!). Oh, and the “Everything’s Better with a Friend” special offer is ending April 30th ;-).

It’s so true! Taking the plunge to attend a photography workshop can be a little bit intimidating, but it certainly helps to have a friend by your side. So, from now through April 31st, 2014, when you and a friend book together, you’ll both receive a $200 rebate after your workshop(s). *See below for rules and restrictions. To get the full details on the workshop (dates, locations, schedule, agenda, cost, etc.), please drop a line via the form on THIS page!

And now, I wanted to share a letter with you that I’ve actually been meaning to share for quite some time. This is from the lovely Courtney Bolle (who happens to be a very, very busy mommy right now) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

One year ago, nearly to the day, I can remember sitting in front of my computer, contemplating whether or not to sign up for a Pinkle Toes Workshop.  I had stumbled upon Michele’s blog about a year prior, when the thought of beginning a photography business was just a small spark in my mind.  I was instantly captivated by the way she brought out genuine beauty, emotion, and magic in all of her sessions.  I knew that if I were to ever turn my hobby into a business, those were the types of photos that I wanted to produce and she was the person that I dreamt of learning from.  So there I sat at my computer, worried that I was too new to the world of photography to attend such a workshop, but also not wanting to miss out on the opportunity to begin my business with such strength.  After weighing my options, I decided to sign up for one of the March 2012 workshops and am so grateful that I took that leap of faith which allowed me to gain an incredible wealth of knowledge and an invaluable experience from Michele.

One of things that impressed me the most about the Pinkle Toes Workshop was Michele’s organization and ability to stay on track in order to ensure that we made it through every activity and conversation that she had thoughtfully planned out.  We covered so many great topics, but by far my absolute favorite part of the workshop was being able to watch Michele in her element, photographing a family.  Michele is an extremely warm, talented, and caring person who has a gift of putting those around her at ease, so the opportunity to watch her capture a family so authentically was incredibly inspiring and beautiful.

Michele’s Pinkle Toes Workshop offers something for everyone.  Whether you are new to photography or have been in business for  years, as long as you are open to learning, you will surely walk away with new inspiration, techniques, and business tips.  And chances are, you’ll also probably learn from the other talented photographers attending the workshop while making a few new friends, too.  Michele was an open book, encouraging questions and feedback constantly.  I can confidently say that I left the workshop happy and fulfilled with the knowledge that I had hoped to gain.  Even now, months later, I still refer back to the notes that I took while there.  I have recently opened the doors to my photography business and am no longer nervous, but actually excited to watch it blossom.  I owe a large part of that to Michele and her amazing mentorship.

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and heart with me, Michele!  I appreciate it more than you know!

Courtney…thank YOU from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to share your inspiring and heartfelt words. I am so happy to have met you and I’m sorry it took me so long to properly thank you for your note.

And now a few images of Courtney in action at the workshop:

Plus, I *think* I spy Casey in that adorable red and white striped shirt, who happens to be our awesome hostess for the Olympia, Washington workshop this summer! We still have a few openings left for Olympia, Cardiff (near San Diego, CA), Mendocino (near San Francisco, CA), and my home base, Austin, Texas.

———–

*April Special Offer: This offer cannot be combined with other discounts. To receive the rebate, BOTH parties must attend a Pinkle Toes U.S. Workshop in 2014, but it does not have to be the same workshop. Several friends may book together, but it’s a max $200 rebate per person. Offer good through April 30th, 2014. Sorry, no rainchecks for sold out workshops.

I’m not a big fan of mean pranks on April Fools Day, so instead, I’m going to do something nice. No joke, if you’ve been wanting to sign up for a 2014 U.S. Pinkle Toes Photography workshop, TODAY is the day to do it! We have openings in Austin, Texas; Cardiff-by-the-Sea and Mendocino, California; and Olympia, Washington. I am running THREE very special offers today only. Again…no joke. You can get info by filling out the contact form on THIS page.

[Thanks to Meagan for this fun shot she took of me at an Austin workshop years ago ;-)]

Hi I’m Melody! I’m a senior portrait photographer here in beautiful Sonoma county!  I have three amazing wild & busy, toe headed little girls and a husband who just might loose his mind when they are all in high school.   Growing up in beautiful Mendocino,CA  I was blessed to be surrounded by such beauty on a day to day basic.  Our high school over looked the ocean and everyone knew everyone, it was AWESOME. So when Michele asked me to host I jumped for joy at the chance to share my beautiful home town with you.

[Mkay, Michele butting in here, but isn’t she just all sunshine and everything California??? I adore Melody with Melody White Studios in Santa Rosa, CA and I couldn’t be more thrilled to get to hang with her again at her home base in Northern California this summer. Read her interview below to get some insight as to how she’s made her business such a success and how she feels about hosting a Pinkle Toes Photography workshop in August. Now back to Melody…]

What makes your photography business unique to you?
I have build my business by learning to say NO to shoots that I didn’t feel represented myself or the direction I wanted to go.  Even though I own a camera it doesn’t mean I have to shoot everything.

Best thing about being a photographer? 
About three years ago I decided it was time for me to “specialize”  in one area of my photography and it didn’t take me long to realize I was the happiest when photographing teens.   It has been such a rewarding experience seeing these young girls look at their images for the first time and feel truly beautiful (something their parents and I saw from the get go).  Working with teens to me isn’t about just that one day they are in front of my camera, they have become apart of my everyday life and that’s a pretty awesome feeling.

Toughest thing? 
As nice as it is to be the “boss” it also it quite stressful.  One of my toughest things was learning to balance everyday life and work.   Having three little girls with crazy schedules finding time for them, my husband, church and friends has been quite challenging.

If you could photograph anyone/anything in the world (dead or alive) who would it be and why?
My husband comes from a large family there are 6 of them all together 4 boys and two girls!  15 years ago his older brother passed away (before I was in the family).  Then 7 years ago he lost his younger brother.  My “One” photography wish would be to take just one more photo of them all together…..just one.  That would be pretty awesome.

Why does Mendocino, CA ROCK for serving as a host town for a workshop?
A little fun fact about Mendocino is that its not a town at all they still consider it a village, cool right! It has a population of almost no one and stays alive because its one of the top total travel destinations in the US.  Mendocino sits on the beautiful Pacific coast cliffs in Northern California about 3 hours North of San Fransisco.   Many famous movies have been filled here such as Overboard, The Karate Kid 3, Dyeing Young, Forever Young and Murder She Wrote.  Mendocino is BEAUTIFUL there is no other place in the world like it.  PROMISE.

If you could describe your business in 3 words prior to the Pinkle Toes workshop, what would they be? 
Unorganized, Unmotivated and Unstructured

And what about after? 
Confident, Motivated and a clear vision about my business.

Best part of your Pinkle Toes Workshop experience? 
Before I attended The Pinkles toes workshop I had been to two other workshops.  I left both workshops feeling like I was just a paycheck to them. There was no personal connection, no interest in my work and helping ME become a better photographer.  SOOOO you can image when I told my husband that there was this ONE MORE workshop I wanted to attend. He was a little apprehensive and so was I.

Never-the-less, I look a leap of faith and pressed the Pay Now button said a little prayer that this workshop would be different and before I knew it I was off to Texas.  BEST DECISION EVER!  Michele not only answered every question I had she also cared about MY business and how to make it better.  After the workshop was over, we face-timed and Michele answered any more questions that I might have missed.  My whole experience at the Pinkle Toes workshop was amazing.  Plus the added bonus was all the amazing friendships I took away.

Most challenging part?
Honestly Michele is a great teacher and I felt like there wasn’t a hard part at all.

Advice to anyone who attends the workshop you’re hosting? 
I’m just excited for you to all fall in love with my beautiful home town of Mendocino and witness first hand how amazing the Pinkle Toes workshop is!

————————–

Thank you so much, Melody, for your honest and kind words, my friend. I can relate to you on so much of what you discussed here. I know we are going to have a fun and productive time at all of the workshops coming up this year! Side note: On April 1st (#pinkletoesworkshopnojoke), I will be sending out info regarding a VERY SPECIAL OFFER on the 2014 workshops, so make *sure* you’ve signed up to get workshop info so you won’t miss out!

Meanwhile, here’s a sampling of some of Melody’s AMAZING work and make absolute certain you become a fan on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram, too!