Are you Prosperus?

I’m a new student at the Prosperous Artists Academy!! That’s right I am going back to school. Well maybe not really, but I sort of am. Last Friday I enrolled in Prosperous Artists Academy with creative professionals Rosh Sillars and Dean La Douceur.

If you have never heard of Prosperous Artists, I would encourage you to take a moment, open up a new tab on your computer screen and head over to ProsperusArtists.com and check it out. It’s all about your creative business, and how to be successful with yours.

The podcasts are free and I have every single one of them, but recently they have started “Prosperous Artists Academy” a website that has lessons; projects and tutorials on ALL things you need to know and understand to run a successful creative business.

This weekend I began going through the website and taking classes and participating in the forums. This to me is a blessing in disguise. Since starting Harrington I really wanted to take some time to reflect and refocus my business and work on some personal work. Especially while taking the time to learn the ropes and how I wanted to approach my position at Harrington. So Prosperous Artist is really just a great resource to really help you focus your business and break down and think out what you are trying to do. The best thing about this is you can utilize the knowledge of Rosh and Dean to help you along the way.


So I am off to become a prosperous artist. I’m excited about that.
Have a great day

Team High End or Team Cheapo?

I love Leslie Burns-Dell’Acqua. For those that don’t know “Auntie Leslie” as I like to call her, is a fabulous photographer’s consultant. You should check her out. I have worked with her before and we really hit it off well.

Her website is: www.burnsautoparts.com.

Well today on her blog she had a wonderful post that I just had to comment on Today.

Today’s blog topic was about picking a team and she has two choices:

1. Team High End

2. Team Cheapo

Whose team would you want to be on?

I am on Team High End for sure. Always striving to provide great customer service to clients, make beautiful images, having a talented crew, and amazing food (Thanks Mom). Making sure I am resourceful and helpful to my students at Harrington the list can go on and on and on. Then I got to thinking, this whole Team High End/ Team Cheapo theory can be applied to everything in my life as well as my photography. When I am picking out props for personal projects I can either go Team High End or Team Cheapo. You just have to think what’s going to look the best. If I am on a blind date, as I consider my thoughts on the random fella, is he Team High End or Team Cheapo.

The value of your work, your art, your life should I approach it Team High End or Team Cheapo

Auntie Leslie has opened my eyes to a whole new way of thinking.

Sidebar:

I have no idea why I call her that I just started with something and that was that. I feel it’s a sign of respect. I look up to her as a business woman, and I want her in my close circle, so that’s where the whole Auntie thing comes from subconsciously I guess.

Inside the Photographers Studio

I read this great blog called What's the Jackanory(WTJ). WTJ is a photo blog written by editorial photographer Andrew Hetherington. He has a series of "inside the photographers_studio" his latest one is on one of my favorite photographers Philip Toledano . I love Mr. Toledano's project based work. I was thinking that maybe I should focus on one project at a time, even though I always have alot going. After watching this video of Mr. Toledano, and crazy things such as Vibe Closing I better get a move on it. Its all about time management now.

So check out the video here on Andrews blog. He has others too, but this is the first one I watched. I plan to watch the others too. Good stuff.
Oh, and the video itself is very well done.

HAPPY 10TH ANNIVERSARY CAAAP!!!

If you're around the south side today come join the Chicago Alliance of African American Photographers for a kick-off reception celebrating our 10th year anniversary.
The "Chicago Alliance of African American Photographers: A Ten Year Retrospective" exhibition will honor the founders of our organization and celebrate the creation of "The Journey: The Next 100 Years." "The Journey" is a definitive exhibit/collection of photographs that documented life in Chicago's African American community at the turn of the century. (OH, BTW I am featured in this book BTW.)

The celebration includes an exhibit of CAAAP photographers' latest work and copies of the coffee table
book "The Journey: The Next 100 Years" will be available for purchase and signing.

I have been apart of CAAAP for many years and have made some great friends, and learned so much about photography through the membership. So I am very excited to be apart CAAAP.

Hopefully I will see you today.

Oh, and refreshments and hors d'oeuvres will be served.