CREATIVELIVE + Jasmine Star

As I am entering week three of a six week online course: The Complete Wedding Photographer Experience with JASMINE STAR on creativelive.com, I am absolutely amazed and thrilled to see how improved and energized my new business plan and creative work is already becoming!

Throughout the course, Jasmine gives advice and tips-of-the-trade for wedding photographers of all styles and scales. She gives a candid look behind her lens during engagement shoots, and eventually will be shooting ‘The Knot Dream Wedding’ live online.

I have soaked up SO much great information, and I am super pumped to bring it back to YOU.

The one point that really resonated with me was Jasmine’s advice to capture with intent. She recommends choosing just a few words to focus on throughout the extent of a shoot | wedding. And since I tend to be a little scattered (in the best way possible), this really hit home for me.

A ‘normal day’ for me includes jumping around from task to task, embracing new styles, and trying new techniques + equipment. This is my jam, it is how I get things done, and how I approach all aspects of design, photography included. So, understanding that my working-style is a bit scattered, I heard this advice and knew immediately that I needed to find my adjectives. These words could keep me grounded in my world of working-chaos.

I knew that finding these adjectives would give me direction. It would improve my images, it would make my clients happier, it would make checkerboardSTUDIOS’ work more consistent, and most importantly: It would give me intent and peace throughout the chaos!

When in doubt, think of my intent.

When overwhelmed, think of my intent.

When plans change, think of my intent.

So… What is my intent?

Trying to keep things simple for myself, and memorable for my 2nd, and sometimes 3rd, shooters, I wanted to choose only three words — and I wanted an acronym.

So, how about CheckerBoardStudios?

In just a few minutes, and quick google search, I was able to come up with SEVENTEEN words of intent that started with either a C, a B, or an S. Yes, SEVENTEEN! Thankfully, there were just a few that really jumped out at me…

So, now I have my words — but what does that actually mean? How do I explain it? How do I express it: to myself, to my clients, and to my 2nd/3rd shooters?

So I decided to break it down, just a bit further:

In every shoot, at every wedding, for every click of the shutter, and for every edit, blog, and post, I will focus checkerboardSTUDIOS' photography to be captivating, balanced, and stunning.

When our work is captivating, my hope is that it will shine with unexpected interest, have an art gallery feel, be attention grabbing, and ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS tell a thoughtful story.

While telling that story, I vow to be balanced. I will balance images with color, light, lines, hierarchy, solids, voids, flow, and focus that will create the most interesting compositions.

All the while, providing brides, grooms, and individuals with a stunning expirence. One in which they can see themselves, their beauty, their tone, their clarity, their romance, and their emotion in a way that is dynamic and publishable.

I am so excited about this new approach. I am excited to showcase images that are captivating, balanced, and stunning. I am excited to see where this takes my work, and I am excited to find a little peace within the chaos.

From now on, I will be shooting with intent!

Thanks Jasmine! ;)

#creativelive #jasminestar #intent #checkerboardSTUDIOS #checkerBLOG #captivating #balanced #stunning