Can I just shout to the rooftops how appreciative I am to be able to do what I love and make a living doing it? Admittedly, there are many days when I’m incredibly overwhelmed with the sheer idea of being my own boss–the idea that my success (or failure) lies soley in my hustle. Because let’s be honest, as with many things in life, it’s so easy to both catch and lose that hustle. It’s even easier to get down on yourself. (By the way, if you are currently down on yourself, I encourage you to read one of my past posts on that topic, here.)
Nonetheless, with that rollercoaster of emotional ups and downs and wondering if my hustle will ever be fast enough, driven enough, creative enough, I’m ever grateful to have worked for several opportunities for travel this summer. My travels aren’t over, but thus far, taking some time to adventure to new places and learn from others has truly been a breath of fresh air. (If you need some inspiration on the importance of taking breaks, I have a post for that too, here.)
A couple of weeks ago, I had the absolute pleasure of attending a wedding photography workshop in Chicago put on by one of the key people in the creative professional industry who truly inspired my own personal decision to change my course of studies from English several years ago, and graduate with a B.A. in Liberal Arts to pursue a career in fine art wedding and portrait photography. Jasmine Star is a wedding photographer based in California who has mastered her art and her business through her sheer hustle and online voice. In college, I spent countless hours in between classes, at night, and during study breaks reading every inch of her blog, daydreaming about my own business and how I hoped to someday have the hustle that she possesed. I watched every online video and course she posted, I bought the magazine she published–I wanted that drive. Well, my friends, so much sweat tears and tears go into that hustle, I can assure you and I’m so far from where my dreams lie, but a tiny bit of me felt so at peace having met a woman who had such an impact on my career decisions. And how? All through her voice, love for writing, and dedicated blogging. Her true passion for wanting to help those willing to hustle, succeed.
Not only did I have some extra time in Chicago to experience a little adventure, but I walked away from the workshop reinvigorated in how to approach my art and be of even better service to my dazzling clients. Our workshop took place at Robyn Rachel‘s drool-worthy warehouse/loft-esque studio in Downtown Chicago, where we spent the day learning, networking, and having the most casual business chats over delicious food. During the workshop, we had the opportunity to watch Jasmine shoot, and even got a little time to take away some of the knowledge she yielded us through our own lens.
Our shooting portion of the workshop took place at a super swanky Chicago venue, Salvage One. Also, drool-worthy. If anyone wants to have a wedding full of retro mismatched chairs and a mid-century feel, let me tell you how game I am…
The rest of the Chicago creative team that made our day ever-fabulous were:
Hair: Nicci Loiacono
Makeup: Megan Hauser
Accessories: Left Bank Jewelry
Dress: Valentino from Belle Vie Bridal
Tuxedo: Formally Modern Tuxedo
Flowers: A Stem Above
During the shoot, I also snapped a few of Jasmine instructing and JD being super awesome at everything else. Literally. I’m pretty sure he’s the other half of her brain–which I can only imagine, as Preston already fills in the gaps where my brain turns to mush on wedding days. Husband-wife teams for the win!
Jasmine, thank you for the countless moments of inspiration throughout my career, and for your confident, steadfast drive that lifts up this industry. Oh, and the “Gheushh.” (; I mean, how do we even spell that?
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