1. Catch up on miscellaneous work (i.e. Photography Business tasks). Clean up inbox, prepare taxes, prep blog posts – and other random tasks you have been putting off that only require your computer, internet, and maybe a phone call or two.

2. Pin!! I LOVE my [pinterest] boards more than ANYTHING. Create a new board for a photo-shoot style sheet, or start pulling ideas for a party, event, etc. I’ll probably start putting together ideas for my engagement photos, or Wedding!!

3. Join us today, January 18th, to stop SOPA/PIPA! Click to [Make Your Voice Heard]. [Etsy] and [Kickstarter] wrote some great articles that explain it well.

4. PLAY IN THE SNOW!!! – DUH :)

Check back later this afternoon when we announce the WINNER(s) of the [Clickin Moms] contest [giveaway]!!

Sneak peek of Kate from our a new project coming in 2012 – check back next week after Christmas for the special announcement!!!
Hair & Makeup for Kate by, [Jenny Bowker]

Moral of the story? I should have gone for gold. It was pretty much a cop-out and my horse-trainer called me out on it after the fact (I confessed my story to her at the time). You can’t be afraid of failure – there will be many of those along the way, but also successes. It’s all part of growing as an artist, athlete, sister, friend, etc.

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you will land among the stars.” – Les Brown

Here’s to dreaming big in 2012. Make sure you WRITE YOUR GOALS ON PAPER and then start working backwards to come up with actions and steps to get to those big goals. Little goals are manageable and how you are able to reach to your bigger dreams. Honestly, they aren’t going to happen tomorrow, but if you start today, you can make those baby steps NOW.

And if you need more inspiration for the new year, check out my [Pinterest "QUOTES" board] for motivation. Happy Holidays blog readin’ lovers!! XOXO

Makeup by Anna by [Jenny Bowker]

Have a peek at our new space below. We are looking forward to having our future clients over to the office. We’ll always meet here for your make-up and hair services before we head out to shoot. There is a rack for you to hang all your outfits on, so make sure to bring them on hangers! You’ll also be able to peek at the wonderful products we offer, and peruse magazines we’ve been published in.

If you want to book a session with us, use the contact form above, or send us an email at [studio@michellemoore.com] we’ll reply within 2 business days!

We’ve also hired an amazing studio/office assistant, Jennifer, who is helping out with emails, and the daily to-do tasks of running the Michelle Moore brand. It’s really exciting to have her on board as she helps us grow. If you have contacted us for Senior Portraits, or are one of our clients, you may have already corresponded with her.

Wall displays, logo, and all our prints come from the lovely [ProDPI] photography lab. They’re the best!

BLOGGING
I use my [blog] to share the following,
**Share full sessions of clients we have worked with
**Articles written for Photographers on various topics
**Share news announcements and up-coming events
(you can subscribe to our blog via rss or email by clicking [here])

FACEBOOK FANPAGE
I use the [Fanpage] for the following,
**Post Sneak Peeks of recent shoots (usually same day!)
**Use status updates to announce up-coming events
**Chat and create discussions about various Photography related topics
**Announce last minute session availability
**Searching for assistants for fashion shoots (usually last minute!)
**Ask questions to our fans

TWITTER
I will be using our NEW [twitter] account for the following,
**Networking and re-tweeting important photography related topics
**Sharing links and news stories
**Live tweeting from photo-shoots
**Searching for assistants for fashion shoots (usually last minute!)
**Posting behind-the-scenes shots, etc.

YOUTUBE PAGE
How would you like to see us use our [Youtube Page]? Leave your comments below!

Pictured above is [Jenny Bowker]. Check back to the blog shortly to hear more about our BIG ANNOUNCEMENT for Class of 2012!! HINT, it has to do with Jenny!!

*Collect ALL your catalogs, and un-wanted mail for a few days, weeks, or a month
(You’re going to need the info on the back when adding them to your do-not-mail list)
*Head to [Catalog Choice] & click “Find Companies”
*Start typing in one by one those catalog companies (i.e. Victoria’s Secret, Crate & Barrel, etc.)
*Complete each task and then recycle unwanted magazines and coupons

Let’s say your catalogs add up to about 5lbs of paper a month. If EACH person reading this blog (about 1,500 let’s say) does this for their un-wanted mail,
- that’s 7,500 POUNDS of paper we just saved!! Seriously, WOW. Only TOGETHER can we make a difference.

Now any more AWESOME ways to help the environment? Please share in the comment section!!
Check out Catalog Choice on [Facebook] and [Twitter]

PS, here’s another [Helpful resource] to remove yourself from unwanted junk mail. (Thanks Leo!)

salt&prep Our NEW side project! A teen fashion blog for fashion inspiration for senior portraits, prom and the everyday! [Check it out!]

Retouching by Maria Esztergalyos Maria is a FABULOUS and AMAZING re-touch artist that I started working with at the end of last year. She has really brought my fashion work to a whole new level but giving it that final, magazine quality polish – without over-doing it. I am so thrilled to be working with her, and am very thankful for her support of my blog, as well as salt&prep. You can see a before/after shot of our recent [Beauty Shoot] on her [Website] by clicking the “Beauty” portfolio.

Formula One Actions for Photoshop We are thrilled to have Formula One as a sponsor this month! They have really great, and clean photoshop actions that you can use to give your photos a little extra pop. [Check them out!]

Saia Weddings Romin is a wedding photographer from Seattle – and good thing because Michelle Moore no longer does Wedding Photography! Be sure to check him out if you are on the search for a great wedding photographer!! [Saia Weddings]

Get Schooled! Courtney is a fabulous portrait photographer who came up with a great learning resource for how to create fun and out of the box school portraits!! Courtney is such a sweetheart, and super fabulous!! Check out the [Get Schooled! Blog] and go shopping [Here]

Paint the Moon Actions & Textures Annie has some great Photoshop actions, presets and textures you can purchase and use for all your post-processing needs. She is another fab resource for some unique and gorgeous actions! There’s lots to choose from, so explore her [Site] and find the right look for your photos!
**Use code givememoore at check-out to save 15% off your order!

X-Equals Lightroom Presets I’ve been working with Brandon for a while now, and was first featured on his blog last year. I’ve also contributed a few guest posts about lighting and composition. Brandon offers a great set of [Lightroom] presets you can check-out for all those LR readers!!
**Use code IROCK at check-out to save 25% off your order!

Sindisiwe Photography Mandi is another wedding photographer from Seattle – and good thing because Michelle Moore no longer does Wedding Photography! Be sure to check her out if you are on the search for a great wedding photographer!! [Sindisiwe Photography]

Archway Equestrian Sports Archway is THE premier Horseback riding facility in Washington. I grew up riding horses (my first career before Photography!) and I can honestly say that Archway has the best riding programs around, and the best team of people to take care of you in ANY stage of your riding career! From first-time rider, to advanced competition programs! If you have any younger siblings or children, they have an amazing [Summer Camp Program]

Brooklyn Grace Renae is a Seattle Jewelry designer. Her pieces are a mix of urban and vintage – and totally cute! I LOVE supporting local jewelry designers, so head over to her [Online Shop] and check out her stuff. She makes necklaces, earrings, and even custom pieces!

Thanks again to our fabulous May Sponsors! You guys help keep the Michelle Moore blog running in tip-top shape!
Want to be a sponsor in the future? Please check out our [Ad Rates & Information here]. Thank you!

PS – we will be changing out email address over to [michelle@michellemoore.com] to keep things short and sweet. We will keep running our old accounts for the remainder of the year while everyone catches up, so not to worry.

And while you’re at it, I recommend going out there and grabbing your name as a domain (if you haven’t already). It’s something that you may or may not want down the road, and best to protect your name if you have the opportunity. Unless you are Michelle Moore. Because I’ll be keeping this one forever :)

The brilliant mastermind behind my new logo, look, and feel is [Ribbons of Red]. Renee also created this amazing splash page for my new site. The look and feel is exactly how I envisioned. I could not believe it was possible to have someone all the way across the country be able to understand and convey what I was feeling in my head – but she did it, and I LOVE the final look. Renee, thank you SO much for all your amazing hard work, and I am so very excited for more projects with you!!

Please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section below, and share the Photobiz article to spread the knowledge

Enjoy!!

Makeup for Julia by [Jenny Bowker]

Being yourself.

Who am I? Over the years, I have felt the tug of “feeling behind”, or not where I should be at this point in my career. I feel at times I reach for someone else’s ideal – only to feel like I failed miserable after the shoot is over. It got so bad that about two years ago I had to completely distance myself from those who made me feel inadequate as a photographer. I stopped focusing on what they were doing and really narrowed in on what I was doing. I had to stop comparing my age, success, and failures by another photographer’s personal time-line. We are all on our very own path, and it will not mirror those around us. It is good to set healthy (and lofty) goals, but do not be discouraged. We are all given our own unique circumstances, and everyone’s journey will always be different.

I am writing this now, because I feel like my demons are nipping at my heels again. I am trying to stop and concentrate on what makes me unique, and realize my strengths as a shooter. There are many photographers I aspire to be like, or whose work I strongly admire, but I need to stop and understand what my strengths are and work on that. The fashion industry is brutal – one person may adore your work, while another will totally discard it without a second thought. I had a completely eye-opening experience last week that made me realize so many things in the fashion industry (or any industry) should not be taken personally. All art is subjective, and as long as you stay true to yourself that’s all that matters. The people who love you for who YOU are – are really all that matters, because those are the people you are speaking to, and want to be surrounded by.

I hope you know that I am nowhere near perfect, and am constantly growing, overcoming battles, and struggling to find myself in a world where a new photographer is born every second. Keep your chin up, and focus on your dreams. We will all get to our goals in our own time.

Perhaps I am not meant to be exactly what I want, so I hope that over the next few years I continue to understand and polish my strongest skill set as a photographer, and continue striving for what I want to accomplish. I think that’s why I sometimes don’t feel like I always accomplish a certain look in every shoot – because in my mind I imagine it to be something that I’m not, which only leads to disappointment and discouragement. I’m really looking forward to this year being my break-out year, and discovering my best talents – and sticking to them.

XOXO

Feel free to add your thoughts to this post. What have you learned in your career so far – about yourself, personally and as an artist?

Sneak peek from our Jewelry Editorial “Nocturne Suite” – coming soon!