photogen-inc

photogen-inc http://photogen-inc.com/blog/ en Copyright 2010 Sat, 06 Mar 2010 14:37:43 -0600 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification LOVEe Consults Presents: MINNE-SHOPS! t-sLOVEeMinishopIMG_9050.jpg_effected.jpg

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WHOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!!!

I am SUPER excited to announce the first-ever MINNe-SHOP!!

2010 is all about giving back and educating photographers all across the country and also right here in the MPLS!

The MINNe-SHOP is an afternoon for Minneapolis photographers to get together and really learn about a specific part of photography.

The first topic will be all about creating amazing images using the Tilt Shift lens! This has become a big trend in the industry all around - and with any trend, there are good and bad ways to use this tool. My goal is to pump up the volume and really help photographers feel comfortable using this amazing piece of equipment!

Agenda:

Tilt Shift Talk
Live Shooting / Practice with T/S lenses
Group Critique of Images

We will be renting T/S lenses for the attendees to try out and practice your mad-skills!
Food and Beverages will also be provided throughout the day!

TO SIGN UP FOR THIS AWESOME DAY, CLICK HERE!

FAQ:

How much does it cost?

$125/person and this includes the class time, lens rentals and food!

What will I learn from this MINNe-SHOP?

This first-ever MINNe-SHOP will be focusing directly on Tilt Shift Photography. We will cover everything from the technical reasoning behind the lens to how to use it to create an EPIC image!

Will I actually be able to use a T/S lens?

Yep! We will be renting T/S lenses for both Canon and Nikon Cameras. If you have your own, absolutely bring it along! We will also be having real couples as your subjects to practice on!

Will the group critique be scary?

No, no, no. Group critiques are meant to help you grow as a photographer! No one is going to beat you down to the ground, this is all about encouragement! I am a big believer in critique...in fact, I think it is essential!

What is the difference between a LOVEe Consult and a MINNe-SHOP?

LOVEe Consults are one-on-one, 8 hour mentor sessions. During these days, we cover anything and everything about your photography business. MINNe-SHOPS are mini-workshops designed for groups and we will only cover a specific topic during the afternoon.

Will there be future MINNe-SHOPS?

Absolutely! Do you have a topic you want covered? E-mail your ideas to me:
eliesa@photogen-inc.com

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE FUN!

I'm Sooooooo excited!

LOVEe

]]> http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/03/lovee-consults-presents-minne-.html http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/03/lovee-consults-presents-minne-.html For The Pro's! Sat, 06 Mar 2010 14:37:43 -0600 The Photogen Inc. Crew and You!! It's that time of the year again! Each year, photographers from all around the world descend upon Las Vegas for the biggest photography convention out there! Our days are filled with learning, partying, trade-showing, partying, testing new equipment, partying, seeing old friends, partying and making new friends!

Do you see a trend?

Vegas is absolutely all about having fun and rocking out with the best in the photography industry!

I've received a lot of e-mails from photographers requesting to get together and meet our crew! The best way to hook up with us is to follow us on twitter to see where we are and and the shenanigans we are up to!

We will be in Las Vegas March 7-10.

Follow eliesa on twitter: @photogeninc
Follow the Photogen Inc. Assistants on twitter: @eliesaspeople

On Sunday night we will be attending the Airhorns and Lasers Party, which is bound to be the hottest part in Vegas this weekend!

We will also be hanging out and showing our love at the Red Cart Booth (#1121 - right by Midwest Photo Exchange) We will be there:

Monday: 1-4pm
Tuesday 1-3pm

Make sure to stop by, give us a BIG high-five and check out how awesome Red Cart is!

Also keep your eyes open for the awesome stuff that our friends over at Into The Darkroom will be up to! They have a secret promo team that we will also be a part of and there are some MAJOR PERKS & PRIZES involved!!!

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See you all in VEGAS!

LOVEe

]]> http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/03/photogen-inc-and-wppi.html http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/03/photogen-inc-and-wppi.html For The Pro's! Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:40:25 -0600 We are Invincible! So, last night, I went to the John Mayer concert. It. Was. Amaaaaaaaazing!

For some reason, whenever I am at concerts, the lyrics hit me like a ton of bricks and I have these big realizations about life, love and business!

The last song Johnny sang is called 'No Such Thing' and as the song started, my friend Erin (who I went to high school with, but we were never friends-until-after-high-school-sort-of-thing) said to me, "Wow, Eliesa, think of how far you have come..." I didn't know what he meant by that, I mean, yeah, I have a successful business and I love what I do, but he's on a fantastic journey of his own through school, why would he say that?

The lyrics go something like this:

"Welcome to the real world", she said to me
Condescendingly
Take a seat
Take your life
Plot it out in black and white
Well I never lived the dreams of the prom kings
And the drama queens
I'd like to think the best of me
Is still hiding
Up my sleeve

They love to tell you
Stay inside the lines
That something's better
On the other side

I wanna run through the halls of my high school
I wanna scream at the
Top of my lungs
I just found out there's no such thing as the real world
just a lie you've got to rise above

So the good boys and girls take the so called right track
Faded white hats
Grabbing credits
Maybe transfers
They read all the books but they can't find the answers
And all of our parents
They're getting older
I wonder if they've wished for anything better
While in their memories
Tiny tragedies

I am invincible (x3)
As long as I'm alive

and suddenly it hit me...we are living in a completely different world now.

I am also reading this fabulous book called Linchpin by the one-and-only Seth Godin and it talks all about this new world we are living in. His major point is how we have all been trained to think that our lives are suppose to go a certain way. We go to school (which is very structured), continue on to college, graduate, and go on to work for a company who will determine how much money you make - but alas - they will give you health insurance and really 'take care' of you. We've been raised to think that this process is the way to happiness.

Yesterday I also had a conversation with a friend who told me her father just got laid off from his job and he is having to face a world that he never thought he would have to learn. The world of computers. Her father literally has to go back to take classes to learn about the internet, because that is THE only way to apply for a job. It's not easy for my friend to see her father, who she has always envisioned as a strong leader to be back at the level of a 5 year old - and I am sure terribly aggravating and frustrating for him to be back at square one when he is 'suppose' to be enjoying these years.

As the song above was playing, I kept thinking about the book, my conversation with my friend and the comment that Erin just made about how far I've come and the BIG realization I made was that in other people's eyes, I have constantly gone against the grain. I have always done the opposite of what I was 'suppose' to do and I most definitely did not take the easiest route to get where I am. But I believed in myself, in my craft and in my dream. To other people, I have not just built a business, but I have shown other people that following your dream and being successful at is IS A REALITY!

The world that we are in now is not structured and safe. It is essential for everyone to look inside themselves and figure out how to be indispensable - to be sooooo good at what you do that people can not look away! There is no longer the guarantee of health insurance or a high paycheck out of grad school. This doesn't mean that I think everyone should go and start their own business, just because I did, but whoever you work for - it is still up to you to 'seize-the-day"! Think out of the box, challenge others, get creative and be a leader in everything you do. I'm a big believer the our mindset and world views are going to need to change in order to adapt to the new, fast world as-we-know-it.

There are no longer rules - get use to it and enjoy it.

Embrace the change.

With this new world comes new opportunities for you.

What are you going to do?

LOVEe]]> http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/03/we-are-invincable.html http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/03/we-are-invincable.html For The Pro's! LOVEe! Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:09:52 -0600 Brad and Kristan: Married in Mexico!! Brad and Kristan are a big part of the Photogen Inc. family, so I was thrilled to be asked to photograph their wedding in Mexico!!

The thing I absolutely LOVE about destination weddings is the fact that everyone gets to really know each other so well that by the time the wedding rolls around, everybody feels like family! We all spent a week down in Mexico and had a blast together - and the wedding was absolutely stunning!

Brad and Kristan have a sense of humor unlike any other couple I have met! They are so much fun and one of their friends said it best," There is no better couple than Brad and 'Stan', these two are a perfect match!"

I couldn't agree more!

¡Felicidades!

Congratulations to Brad and Kristan!!

LOVEe ]]> http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/03/brad-and-kristan-married-in-me.html http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/03/brad-and-kristan-married-in-me.html Wedding! Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:52:28 -0600 Kristi and Ande: A NYC Engagement! Kristi and Ande are amazing. I mean these two are SO great as individuals, but then you bring them together as a couple and it's like WHOA! They truly compliment each other in such a great way, you can not help but fall in love with them.

Love is a funny thing. Kristi and Ande knew of each other in high school, hung out around some of the same people and were in some of the same activities, but never dated. Years later, they re-connected and the sparks flew! I think that is the great thing about love. The way that people find each other is so unpredictable, yet precisely planned at the same time!

Love is truly a very cool thing.

For their engagement session, I traveled to NYC and we had a BLAST walking around the city! It was also double-the-fun, because my great friend and New York photographer, Ajit came along to shoot with me! I had an incredible day in the city and I love the images!

Congratulations to Kristi and Ande on their engagement! These two will be getting married in the fall - and there is no doubt about it, it's gonna be the shit!

LOVEe]]> http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/kristi-and-ande-a-nyc-engageme.html http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/kristi-and-ande-a-nyc-engageme.html Engagement! Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:56:27 -0600 Travel Whirlwind! I'm in the midst of the 'slow season' - WAIT, let me re-phrase that. I'm suppose to be in the 'slow season', but things are anything but slow around here!

Just an FYI to all of my clients and blog readers...I'll be embarking on a bit of a travel whirlwind for the next three weeks! On the roster is a NYC Engagement Session, Mexican Wedding and the yearly mecca to Las Vegas for WPPI!

Along the way I will be seeing a TON of friends and (hopefully) have some time to blog about it all!

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photography websites

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See y'all when I get back! Keep checking back to see updates on my adventures!!

LOVEe

]]> http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/travel-whirlwind.html http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/travel-whirlwind.html LOVEe! Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:30:18 -0600 The Little L's! I would like to introduce you all to Lily and Liam...also known as the Little L's!

I hardly ever post baby/children/family photos on my blog, but these two have a very special place in my heart and I just had to share a couple images with you all!

Kelley and Nate are two of my all-time favorite people and I am just SO happy for these two! Not only are they amazing friends, but they also make THE most adorable babies!

A little fact-o: Lily and Liam are 2 months old now, but weren't suppose to be born for another 3 days from now....they were super-preemies, but they are sure strong little buggers with a lot of personality!

Congratulations to Kelley and Nate on the new little ones!

LOVEe

]]> http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/the-little-ls.html http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/the-little-ls.html Portrait! Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:44:36 -0600 MN Photostars!! MN Photostars!!!! What is this, you say? It's a little group I put together back-in-the day with the uber-awesome Sara Montour, who has since moved to Seattle! Our vision was to create an environment for the raddest photographers from Minnesota to just get together, have fun, grab a beer and chill! We hosted a few of these, but since Sara moved, I kind of put it on the back burner until Stephany lit a fire under me one day and said, "Hey! We should still do this!"

Hence, a new generation of the Photostars is born and I am thrilled to say that we had THE best turn out EVER at Photogen Inc Studios! These events are an open invitation to any and all photographers in the area. Experience level doesn't matter, your niche in the industry doesn't matter - all that matters is that you BRING the FUN!

I have this vision of putting MPLS - or the Midwest for that matter - on the map in the photo industry and let me tell you, we have some KILLER talent in this town!

We also have some killer looks...obviously!

Thank you SO much to everyone who came out to the event! I foresee many of these in our future!

To view all of the photo booth images, click here!

LOVEe]]> http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/mn-photostars.html http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/mn-photostars.html For The Pro's! Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:25:36 -0600 LOVEe Consult : Emily Steffen! I absolutely love my job. Sometimes I can't believe that my work is to create, inspire and empower people! And then I realize, yes, Eliesa, this is your work, but it is also deeper than that - it is my purpose.

This past fall, I launched LOVEe Consults, which is my one-on-one mentor session for photographers (or any small business owner for that matter), and I am simply smitten with these days! Yes, they are all about learning, but again - it's deeper than that. They are more about having conversations, exploring our deepest secrets and dreams and developing a plan to create the best life possible for us! Just as much as I teach the photographers who sign up, they teach me so much more!

This past week, I had a LOVEe Consult with the lovely Emily Steffen. I absolutely love this girl! One of the best things I adore about Emily is the fact that she gathers inspiration from SO much more than images. Many times we talk about looking at magazines, ad campaigns, labels, websites, branding, etc. to be inspired, but in Emily's case, she doesn't seek inspiration through any of those visual aesthetics. Instead, she is majorly inspired by crafting, knitting, sewing, gardening, baking and simply loving. I realized in our conversations that sometimes, as working artists, we forget to be creative in the sense of creating. Maybe that statement doesn't make sense. It is SO important to have other outlets of creativity besides just taking photographs (or painting, drawing, etc - whatever your art might be that you get paid for!) I realized I really haven't had another source as a creative outlet for quite some time, and I am empowered to do so!

The essence of who you are and what you love = happiness.

Another awesome conversation we had was about how stinkin' far behind the Midwest appears sometimes. We are, in fact, not far behind in Minneapolis, but sometimes people's mentalities are when searching for a wedding photographer and how we need to educate our clients on our shooting styles. We talked about how funny it is when (usually the older generation) make comments about your photos, such as, "Oh, isn't that nice." or "Yes, these are sure...different." Emily put it into the perfect quote, " In our state, when people call your photos 'different', that is Minnesotan for 'suck'!" The fabulous part about this statement is that when you do find your perfect clients - the words/feelings/comments about suckage will absolutely never be an issue - ever again! I am also a firm believer that there is some KILLER talent pumping out of the Midwest now that is truly remarkable - and I am SUPER stoked for this revolution!

There is no doubt in my mind that Emily is going to do some really amazing things in her life! In her own words, her goal is...

"To share the love and effect the world in a way that I can to make an impact. I want my life the be simple and I want to live my life to simply inspire people."

LOVEe

My consultations are more than a how-to-be-an-amazing-photographer, they are truly meant to be life-changing.

If you are interested in more information about a LOVEe Consult, click here!

If you are READY for THIS, e-mail me: eliesa@photogen-inc.com

]]> http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/lovee-consult-emily-steffen.html http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/lovee-consult-emily-steffen.html For The Pro's! LOVEe! Mon, 15 Feb 2010 11:58:45 -0600 Unconditional Love! As Valentines Day approaches, the big L.O.V.E. is on the minds of many! Despite if you celebrate the hallmark holiday or not, we can't deny this time of the year makes us reflect on the love that surrounds us!

To me, I see the purest form of love every day from my dogs. Yes, the love me, but more importantly, they love and care for each other and their 'friends'. Yes, my dogs have friends. They have, over time, inherited three stuffed animals that are life-size to them and they looooove these stuffed animals unconditionally! Laugh all you want, it's totally true. They always have to be near by - and if they don't know where they are, they will surely go find them! They bathe them, cuddle them and sleep with them at night - these friends mean absolutely everything to my dogs.

Love is simple.

What is LOVE to you?

Happy Valentines Day!!

LOVEe]]> http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/unconditional-love.html http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/unconditional-love.html LOVEe! Sat, 13 Feb 2010 11:42:40 -0600 A seriously fun night - MN Photostars! Tonight was one of thooooooooose nights. You know, the nights that are filled with spontaneous fun that turns into an unforgettable event! We hosted an open mixer for photographers tonight at the studio and it was an ABSOLUTE blast...I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of such an amazing community!

Tonight is going down in history for me as one of the funnest nights - ever! Here's some proof below! We have and ENDLESS amount of images from the photo booth, so watch for more photos to come from the entire sha-bang next week!

Thank you to everyone who came and shared the photo-love!

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Have a super awesome weekend!

LOVEe]]> http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/a-seriously-fun-night---mn-pho.html http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/a-seriously-fun-night---mn-pho.html For The Pro's! LOVEe! Fri, 12 Feb 2010 00:19:38 -0600 Rockstar Boudoir: Part 2! WOOO WEEEE!!!!

First off, than you all for your comments, e-mails, texts, tweets and facebook comments on the images from Part 1 of the Rockstar Boudoir Event! The photographs are getting quite the response and I'm super stoked about it!

Many of you are asking about the post processing, so I'll explain my thought process a little more! The inspiration I gathered for this year's event was influenced heavily by Polaroid film. It was also inspired heavily by the beautiful and unpredictable 'mistakes' that are made when shooting film in general - especially light leaks. I have always thought that light leaks are gorgeous and I'm very happy with my re-creation of this effect into these images!

Mission Accomplished! Now, onto the hot stuff...

I'm going to go ahead and give a big HELL YEAH to all of the ladies who were a part of this year's Rockstar Boudoir Event - you are all gorgeous!

LOVEe]]> http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/rockstar-boudoir-part-2.html http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/rockstar-boudoir-part-2.html Portrait! Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:52:31 -0600 Rockstar Boudoir: Part 1! This year's Rockstar Boudoir Event was a GREAT success! All of the ladies who took party in the night-o-fun were super cool, super hot and up for absolutely anything! We also had a bunch of fun rocking out to some LOUD music and sipping some bubbly!

I host this event each year for 2 reasons: 1) To have a TON of fun and 2) To empower women and make them feel beautiful!

This year, we kept the event in the studio, with a simple white background. All of the inspiration I pulled was very influenced by fashion and Polaroid film as well, along with grainy b&w - let me know what you think!

Enjoy!!!

Special thank-you to Brynn and Lisa for their expertise on hair + makeup!

Stay tuned for more hot photos tomorrow!

LOVEe]]> http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/rockstar-boudoir-part-1.html http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/rockstar-boudoir-part-1.html Portrait! Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:58:32 -0600 Lofty Goals Seek the lofty by reading, hearing and seeing great work at some moment every day.

~Thornton Wilder

Lofty is the perfect word for me, and especially right now.

Many times I have people say to me, "Oh, Eliesa. You've done so much already and you're always doing something! What is next for you?" This is always immediately followed up by the question," And how do you keep going?"

This whole thing, my life, my business, etc. is all fueled by passion. I am passionate about doing big things. I'm not interested in being mediocre or okay - I am determined to be great. I am determined to be a legend. These are big words and I have set some extremely high expectations and lofty goals for myself, but I always have. I think there have been two keys to my success thus far. 1) Everything has come about and happened very organically and naturally for me. I have never tried to be anyone else but myself and I have stayed true to the art that I want to create. I have always put my efforts into projects that I believe in and I have not compromised anything to get to my dream. 2) I have always had momentum. I am constantly pushing myself - and those around me - to go out of our comfort zone and create things and chase our ideas to make them a reality. If you own a business and want to continue to do so for the next 30 years, you better not get comfortable. In fact, you better get UN-comfortable...the more, the better.

On the flip side, this past week, I was out to a little impromptu dinner with some fellow photographers and one of them said, " Sometimes I just hate being around you Eliesa, because you are so god damn motivated and that is just not me! It's exhausting...but deep down I suppose I need a little of that right now." She is absolutely right! You shouldn't feel like a horrible person if you are reading this and thinking, "But, I don't want to be a big deal. I just want to make photographs that make people happy and have my little happy business." Great, fabulous, lovely. Everyone has their own vision of how they want to impact this world and Oprah is no better than the volunteer in the soup kitchen.

However, my point for the whole post is to encourage all of you to do something that is uncomfortable for you and see where it takes you. Whether you are interested in photography and you've been putting off buying that camera - do it. Maybe you want to quit your day job and pursue your passion as a full time career - do it. Maybe you feel like you need to do some soul searching and you really want to book that trip - do it. Sometimes in life, your best decisions are made as spontaneous ones. I guarantee you that by taking a big risk, you will be absolutely terrified, but I also guarantee that it won't be as scary as you think. You will have catapulted yourself into a situation that you simply can't fail at. Failure has never been an option for me, and big surprise...I've worked my ass off, but I have never failed myself.

You can thank my great friend Josh Elliott for this photo up above, which started me thinking about all of the above thoughts! This image was taken about a year ago when we were at a workshop together and I love it, because I am SO focused on whatever I am doing.

Passion. Truth. Momentum.

Don't get comfortable - ever.

LOVEe

]]> http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/lofty-goals.html http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/lofty-goals.html For The Pro's! LOVEe! Sun, 07 Feb 2010 14:12:01 -0600 Metro Magazine: February Issue! The latest and greatest issue of Metro Magazine is fresh on the news stands!

I had the pleasure of getting a quick sneak peek at this month's issue and I have to say...it's a must read! It features a HILARIOUS, yet practical guide on literally...how to do everything!

Also check out our latest installment in Self Styled!

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Pick up your issue now...you'll be happy you did!

LOVEe]]> http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/metro-magazine-february-issue.html http://photogen-inc.com/blog/2010/02/metro-magazine-february-issue.html Commercial! Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:46:21 -0600