Photo Contests!

One item before the year ends! Running on Empty contest for LA-Orange County

genie

Me Ra is taking time off as you all know, and we have one important piece of business to take care of as the year ends. We have a Running on Empty spot to fill for our upcoming LA-Orange County Confidence Workshop! This workshop has only one other seat left! So only two more women will be in the first Confidence Workshop of 2011.  The weekend is January 15-16, 2011! Yep, the NEW YEAR is here!!

It’s Genie (Me Ra’s ‘little genie’ as she likes to call me :))  The ladies have started emailing, saying why they are coming, what they hope to get out of the weekend, sharing their fears, insecurities and enthusiasm. Wonderful group!  I know Me Ra and Brian can’t wait to meet them all! One lucky woman is yet to join the gang!  She is our future Running On Empty winner.  If you fit the profile below, APPLY TODAY!  The deadline is this Thursday, December 30th at 6pm, PST!

If you know a MOM who is;

A. Running on Empty

B. Lives near Orange County or has mileage to spend

C. Can arrange for a sitter and get the weekend free, starting Friday, January 14th for Meet & Greet night all the way through Sunday night, January 16th.

D. Most importantly, has a PASSION for photography

Nominate her TODAY! Nominations must be in by Thursday night, 12/30 at 6pm PST.

We will announce the winner in time for her to jump in and make all the arrangements. So make sure your nominations are all in by Thursday at 6pm PST. If you are not familiar with this contest, read below and see what it’s all about! Moms are one of the most beautiful parts of creation. This contest is all about acknowledging their beauty, especially when they are Running on Empty.

Running on Empty

Here’s how it works – from Me Ra!

In honor of how wonderful moms are and all that they do and give, Brian and I keep one spot reserved in every workshop for a special mom like YOU! That’s right, you (or she) will get a free pass to the upcoming CONFIDENCE Workshop in the LA-Orange County area! (Please note, we don’t provide room/board and travel.)

To nominate a mom, you must post a comment telling us about the mom who you think deserves a big break in life! If you are a mom, you’re probably laughing because we ALL deserve a serious break. But the moms we’re looking for are the ones who have had a ridiculous amount of stress in their life whether from trauma or things just not going her way this year. She is a mom in your life that needs a serious blessing to come her way. She needs a serious surprise that gives her empty tank some fuel. If she is a woman that has miscarried, she is still a mom in my mind b/c I know her heart became a mother’s heart the moment she found out she was pregnant. Don’t hesitate to nominate her too.

I’m proud to say that our previous winners stepped out on a limb and nominated themselves. Take courage in them and feel free to nominate yourself if you know you need a serious break. Who knows, you may have your house remodeled by Oprah!

We’ll collect all the nominees, have a committee of wonderful moms vote, and then announce the winner within days of Thursday’s deadline!

Nominate her today and turn her day around! Oh, wait! Don’t forget to let her know you’ve nominated her too! If I was a mom nominated I’d love to know my friends were thinking of me whether I won or not! Deadline for ALL nominations is Thursday, December 30th at 6pm PST. Nominations MUST be posted as a comment on this blog post. Either your email or the nominees email MUST be included on the blog post to qualify (you have to write it in). Nominations emailed or posted on other blog posts may be overlooked. Please post all nominees here. Thanks!

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*All 2010 CONFIDENCE Workshops were SOLD OUT!  Having attended the San Francisco Workshop I can you can’t help but gain confidence and have a BLAST! Why not make CONFIDENCE your goal for 2011!  Join us for any of the upcoming workshops!! Do you have some Christmas money to spend?

Seattle Details, SOLD OUT!

LA/Orange County Details, CLICK HERE! ONLY ONE SPOT LEFT! Who’s going to snap it up?

Scottsdale, AZ Details, CLICK HERE! TWO SPOTS LEFT!

Send those nominations in! And, Happy New Year!

~ Genie

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  1. Hi, I really wish to nominate Wendy Roob, My favorite wife. Where do I start.

    We had a thriving business in Brookfield WI for 30+ years and had the rug pulled out of us due to a competitor brother getting into a pissing match with an attorney about about a wedding. The attorney taught law at Marquette University and used it as a class project. We lost 75% of our business because of the same last name all in one year. We tried to stay afloat for 4 years and the name was plagued so we moved out of state to Chicago area. This happened 2 years before 911. This is a brother-in-law was put in prison for 3 years because of “buyers remorse” over a wedding which happened to have the same last name as ours.

    Wendy had studied nursing, life coaching, akashic records, teaches tie kwon do, almost a 3rd degree, and has helped to build a business in an area we never were and didn’t know much about. Just was far enough away from the story.

    She has spent many nights listening over her tears how the business is coming and is right their as she spends all of the savings we have to motivate others to spend. She does have a passion to learn and be a success. She knows the old school of photography business and it doesn’t work. She is looking for a miracle on 34th street. A career that she can do and be successful and be able to change lives. Imagine, proving to someone that they are perfect just as they are, awesome. That is what she is looking for.

    She has a left and right brain and used both. She loves the creative and also the detailed. She has a passion to learn photography that earns so she can be able to create for others. Her creativity is screeming to be set free.

    Jon Roob

  2. Wendy Roob says:

    Hi Mera!
    I would like to nominate myself.
    I feel embarrased about doing this… but I am going to anyway. 🙂
    Here is why I would like to earn the last seat at the Confidence workshop in LA…
    I am an empty nest mom. My kids are grown… I spent the last 28 years of my life working for my husband in his photography business… doing the office paper work, ar/ap, payroll, etc. I also did a small menagerie of other jobs…
    Taught taekwondo, was an obstetrical nurse, and a life coach. Some of it fulfilling, some of it not.
    I have been searching what I can do FOR ME. When I work for someone else… I realize I am an entrepreneur all the way through. When I ignore my artistic creative side…. I feel the emptiness of not allowing my “crafting/creating” to be expressed.
    I realize my 28 years of photography background may seem silly to ask for consideration to your workshop… and I never learned how to work a camera. I always did the behind the scenes paperwork…. Now I want to be a creator and help make a difference in others lives by helping them to see themselves beautiful through the camera’s eye.
    So… please… I have tried to learn on my own. I cannot learn from my husband… it just doesn’t work….
    Ok. thank you for considering my request!
    I know already that I have frequent flyer miles and there are open seats right now for that weekend (already checked into it :))
    Thank you!
    Wendy Roob

  3. Desert Greetings Me Ra,

    Like many who follow your blog, I am a mother who has a deep passion for photography and a strong desire to make a living doing what I love. And that is creating portraits for families to cherish for a lifetime.

    A little about me. I have loved photographs since I was a child. My passion for capturing and creating photographs was fueled by the sudden death of my first husband when our daughter was but 10 weeks old. I have no family portraits to pass down to my daughter.

    I have been blessed to find a new love of my life and we have been together for 10 years now. 7 years ago we had a son. Shortly after he was born, I was diagnosed with Post Partum Depression and severe sleep deprivation which was seriously affecting my health. It was not an easy decision, but I quit my job with the County for my health and so that I could stay home and take care of my children. It has not been easy, a family of four (sometimes five) surviving on one income. In fact, in 2007 we lost our home to foreclosure. And earlier this year my husband was reduced down to less than full time hours. Somehow though, we have a roof over our heads and food to nourish our bodies.

    About 2 years ago I decided to take my passion for photography and turn it into a career and a business so that I could contribute to our families income and relieve the stress sitting on both of our shoulders. Its not easy to get a business off the ground considering current economics of the country and living in a small rural desert community where there are not many jobs or people with disposable income. But despite these circumstances, I continue forward because I love photography and capturing those specials moments in life for myself and others. I want this more than anything else! I can not put into words how much I need this. A boost to my confidence that I can do this. Be successful doing what I love. To be able to make my dream come true. To be a role model for my children and show them that you are never too old to go after your dreams and do what you love.

    As for getting to Orange County for this workshop. Yucca Valley is less than two hours away. And I grew up in Orange County. Spent many hours trolling the beaches from Huntington to Newport in my youth. Graduated from Magnolia High School in Anaheim. And I still have friends who live in the area, who would welcome me into their homes for this weekend.

    Celebrate Life and Capture It!
    Patricia Knight

  4. Wendy Temples says:

    I am going out on a limb here and nominating myself, which is a very scarry thing in itself.

    My husband and I have been married for 13 years and were high school sweethearts. A year after high school he joined the Army Reserves. I agreed with this decision because it was something he felt he needed to do for himself and for our future. Thinking there was no way he would be sent off to war being in the reserves I was ok with this choice. Well here we are 14 years after he joined and he is now on his 3rd deployment. He has been deployed and gone for training for at least 6 years out of the 13 years we have been married.
    Somehow with him being gone all that time we managed to have 4 children! Coral is 12, she has become my little independent tween, sweet, smart, quiet (gotta watch out for those ones), Alexis, 9, the nurturer, the future teacher, Bodie, 5, the agressive one, independent, follower of his daddy-wants to be a soldier, and Isaiah, 4, my little cuddle bug, the baby, my ladies man.
    I am running on empty, and were not even half way through this deplyment. The orders he recieved were for 400 days, not including the 2 months he was gone prior for training. So for 460 some odd days I am a single mom with the worries of a soldiers wife, stuggling to began a buisness and have no idea where to start. I have a passion for photography and need a break!
    With each deployment it seems the orders get longer and longer. And I’m not getting any younger, so it seems harder and harder each time he goes. As a mom with babies who know that danger their daddy is in, I must put my feelings and fears aside to comfort theirs on a daily basis. I run them all to soccer practice, and back and forth to school, we have church and grocery shopping and doctors appointments, all the while I have no time to breath let alone worry about my husband on the other side of the world. Of corse that worry never goes away, but if I take even just a moment to think about all the stress I really am under I will break, completly fall apart.
    This weekend would give me a chance to breath and focus on the art that I love so dearly. To learn and to grow as an artist. I need a break! It would give me a moment to focus on me and not worry about running kids somewhere or cleaning another mess or getting the yard cleaned up, just me! Something I haven’t been able to do in a very long time.
    Thank you for this opportunity.
    Wendy -Hesperia, CA

  5. Amanda says:

    Hello Mera-

    I would like to nominate my sister, Emily for the Running on Empty contest workshop seat. Let me tell you why…

    I come from a family of seven daughters. My sister’s and I all grew up as a very close knit unit. My best memories are of hanging out with my sister’s drinking tea late into the night and chatting. My sister Emily bought her very first camera when I was fifteen or so, and she introduced me into the world of photography. As we grew up and all moved away, we all keep in very close touch. My sister Emily is my go-to girl for anything- photography, child, husband or life related.

    But Em’s life hasn’t been totally easy the last couple of years. Her amazing and incredible daughter Clare was born with bilateral cataracts at birth and has had to undergo three surgeries to try to correct her vision. I sob when my son gets a vaccine, I cannot imagine going through what she had to go through in those first years of her first born’s life. She got pregnant with her second a few years later, and then battled PPD, which is something that everyone knows exists but few people understand how difficult and devastating it truly is. But through all of this, she was always there for everyone else. From her neighbors, to her friends, to her family. She remained true to herself- loving, warm, hilarious and amazing.

    Money is tight for her right now for her too, but I’ve never seen anyone make a sow’s ear into a silk purse the way she does. She is always busy. Always crafting something. Always making her family’s life better.

    But that leaves very very little time for herself. She is an INSANELY talented photographer. She sees things in a way that I’ve never seen anyone else see it. Her pictures are deceptively simple until you really just look at one or two of them, and the you see the truth, beauty and simplicity behind it. She has shot with her Nikon D50 for the past six or seven years now, and even though its an old camera, she coaxes the very best out of it. She is the most selfless, sweet and amazing person you will ever meet.

    Please, please pick my sister for this seat. This is exactly what she needs. A boost of confidence. A sisterhood of friends and peers who are interested in the same things she is and who want to help her on her way to becoming more and more the photographer that she is. She needs something to look forward too, something to get psyched up about, and something to dive back into. A respite from the all too real clenches of everyday life. Please consider her. You will love her. I’ve never met a single person in my life (seriously) who hasn’t loved her from the moment they meet her. Thank you Me Ra for offering such a wonderful opportunity.

  6. Tessa says:

    Hi Me Ra,

    I just read this and I am taking it as a BIG sign from God to step out of my comfort zone and go for it…so here I go…

    I’d like to nominate myself for the Running on Empty contest. I am a mom of 3 (ages 8, 7 and 6) who has dreamed of starting my own photography business. I had planned on submitting an entry for the SOAR scholarship. I even got as far as taping my video but at the final hour, I basically chickened out. I am not proud of it and I have kicked myself about it ever since. I know my biggest obstacle is myself. I can’t seem to get out of my own way and give myself the encouragement I need to go forward in pursuing this dream of mine. Photography has been a passion of mine since I was 13. What I lack most is confidence and I know that if I am selected to attend this workshop, I will leave completely inspired and motivated to “just DO IT”.

    I have done countless sessions for free- all because I am not confident enough in my own abilities (despite all the support and numerous compliments I get for my work)- to charge anything. I’ve watched as my peers and closest photog friends launched their own successful business and I always think “I can do that too”!

    I really need this boost of confidence and would love the opportunity to surround myself with other passionate people. Please consider me for this contest. I live in FL but I have an unused ticket to LA that I am able to use and a wonderfully supportive husband who would drop everything for me to be able to go. I was supposed to go to LA last month to visit friends but the plans fell through. Now I feel things may be lining up for good reason. Childcare and travel expense would be no problem. Thank you so much for considering me.

  7. Carol Strawn says:

    I would like to nominate a friend…Adrienne Zwart. I had the brief pleasure of meeting her recently, and have followed her blog for the past two months. I hate to even write these words, but I have to say that the hardest thing ever happened to her right before Christmas this year…she lost her husband to cancer. I understand that together their family had been fighting this battle for long time. Her example of strength during times of trouble has been a huge testimony of faith to many. Enough said…you can read more about her journey at grace4the-journey.blogspot.com or adrienneinohio.blogspot.com. She just recently started her photography business at adriennezwartphotography.blogspot.com.

    I do feel that she would not mind being nominated, as she has a huge passion for photography. I am hoping it is not too soon for her to attend a workshop, however.

    Respectfully submitted, Carol

  8. hi me ra!
    i would like to take a minute and nominate my amazingly talented, and hardworking wife, stefanie. she started her own photography business a year and a half ago, and is now scheduling between 4-8 photoshoots a week! she is extremely talented, and is loving her new business.
    However…. she is also a mother of three extremely energetic and lively toddler boys (Caden and Rylan, twins, 3, and ethan, 2)! When we got married, she told me that she knew that she wanted to stay home and be there for her kids. Of course, after the boys were born (within 12 months of each other!) money got tight, and stefanie came up with the idea of starting a photography business and working from home. she schedules her photoshoots on my days off (i am a police officer with San Diego police dept), and works on editing the photos, answering emails and phone calls, and the rest of the business stuff while the boys are napping during the day, or after they have gone to sleep. she often stays up late until midnight or later, creating the beautiful images of families and toddlers and babies, and then wakes up at 6am with the babies of her own!
    On top of her thriving business (she did over 350 shoots this year!), she manages our home, keeps it clean, laundry done, bills paid. We just purchased our first home, and she did all the paperwork, research, stayed on top of everything, and had us completely moved in and unpacked the week before christmas- AND she set up the christmas decorations for the kids! she is absolutely a wonder woman to me. i cant even comprehend how she does all that she does. but i know that she is tired. she tells me sometimes that, although she loves her kids and she adores her job and business, she feels like she is struggling with managing it all, and doesnt feel like she is doing an amazingly good job at either. i completely disagree. but i would love for her to be able to attend one of your confidence workshops, so she can learn just how truly amazing she really is! I know that after spending time with you, she will be able to re-discover what i already know. that she is wonderful at both being a mother, and a photographer. thanks so much for your time! her email is joiedevivrephotography (at) live.com. thank you so much!
    chris zeltner

  9. Nick Dimond says:

    I would like to nominate my wife Liane Dimond.

    I would love her to be able to attend the confidence workshop in Southern California, as she would be a very deserving recipient.

    Liane is the mother of four kids ages 2-10 two boys and two girls, and is a stay at home Mom who gave up life as a Golf Professional when our ten-year old was born. She has literally played golf five times in ten years, transferring all of her energy from her profession to her family, almost overnight (9 months!).

    Over the past year, like everyone, we have had our share of financial hardships, (50% cut in family income) and personal losses which have required me to “lean” on Liane like I never have before in our 19 years of being together. Liane has shouldered the extra burden and has had to do more with less than in any other time in our life.

    Over the past year and a half I have enjoyed watching Liane assist weddings and start to take on a new profession in photography. I have been as supportive as I can be, but my help is minimal given the financial responsibilities we have to keep our family going. Liane never complains, and is genuinely cheering everyone on in the SOAR community as she watches and learns and discovers new things daily from this amazing group of women photographers.

    In ten years, Liane has never left our family overnight, and has had a baby-sitter for dinner dates on five occasions never leaving our kids with anyone but her family on those occasions due to MY insecurities…not hers.

    I would love to see her go to Southern California, and stay with an old golf friend close to your venue, and catch up on old times while learning some new photography techniques. This would give Liane a well deserved energy re-charge in her new passion after a ten year wait. She is learning as much as she can, and will someday get the extra breaks she needs to be able to push her photography passion into the wedding photography business she quietly keeps as her dream.

    Thanks to you Me Ra and Genie for the opportunity to submit my nomination.

    Warmest Regards,

    Nick Dimond

  10. Samantha says:

    I applied for the Running on Empty contest for San Francisco, and I was not chosen. But I am not giving up! Here is my story of being empty.
    When I first saw the running on empty contest I thought to myself, I don’t feel empty right now. Empty was when I took my 11 month old baby to the ER because he was throwing up and dehydrated and the nurse turned around and said “Get the trauma room ready!” Empty was when, as he lay on a table with an IV in each arm, one in his leg, and the tiniest catheter ever to collect his urine, the ER doc looked at me and said “We think he has type 1 diabetes”. Empty was trying to hold my baby without tangling all the tubes and wires and just wishing that I could nurse him as he whimpered and my breasts became engorged. Empty was when the Diabetes Educator came to teach my whole family how to give insulin injections and I couldn’t do it. If I was completely unable to inject my husband and myself with saline, how was I going to inject my son with insulin multiple times a day?
    That was 4 years ago. After spending a year being so sad that I didn’t even realize that I was sad, one day I woke up with a little bit of happy! I was making my way through the grieving process and starting to accept that it is what it is. I was starting to allow myself to be happy again.
    I am not as empty now as I have been. But type 1 diabetes, or juvenile diabetes, is an incredibly high maintenance disease. Everyday I test my son’s blood sugar about 10 times with a needle prick to the finger. Every 3 days we insert new tubing for his insulin pump into his body with another needle. And every night I wake up to test his blood sugar. Sometimes I only need to wake up once, but more often I get up 2 or 3 times. During really hard times, like when he is going through a growth spurt, I might wake up every 2 hours to test him. So this is why I am empty. I have been living my life for the last 6 years on interrupted sleep. From being pregnant and getting up in the night to pee, to nursing a baby, straight into parenting a child with type 1.
    Before having children I was an elementary school teacher. For now that career is not going to work for me because I just don’t have the energy to keep up with a classroom of children because of my crazy sleep schedule. And even though teachers have great vacation time, the schedule is not at all flexible. I absolutely need to be flexible to take care of my son. Having a child with a chronic disease has forced me to take risks with my career because I need to be able to make my own schedule. I am dedicated to making a career for myself as a portrait photographer, and I could sure use your help! Me Ra, your SOAR! scholarship inspired me last year to go for it. I have been doing sessions for friends and it is working out really well- I love the work and they love the pictures. I would like to move into photographing people beyond my circle of friends and your Confidence Workshop is just the boost that I need. Thank you for all that you do to support women, you are truly inspiring.
    Samantha (samanthajo@ymail.com)

  11. Kristina Burns says:

    I would like to nominate my best friend, Melissa Appleton.

    Melissa is a mother of a wonderfully bright and delightful 3 year old, Maxwell. Her husband of five years, Mike, is supportive and loving. They are a wonderful family. Mike’s mother, Elaine, was a core part of their family, providing care for Maxwell while Melissa and Mike worked during the day. Maxwell and his Nana had a wonderful bond. Elaine was one of Melissa’s best friends. Melissa lost her mother over 13 years ago and Elaine was like a second mother to Melissa. They spoke on the phone almost every day, loved to go antiquing together and especially loved spending time together with Maxwell.

    Last year Melissa suffered from two miscarriages, one in August, another in October. These events were heartbreaking for the family. Melissa’s mother in law, Elaine, was a huge support to Melissa during these times and their bond of family and friendship grew in grieving and healing together. The family was shocked this summer when Elaine became suddenly ill and had to go to the hospital. Elaine struggled for weeks in Intensive Care. With little extended family support, Melissa and Mike were at Elaine’s side everyday, advocating for her needs and struggling to navigate the insurance, medicare and hospital systems. During this time they continued to work, maintained Elaine’s home, cared for Maxwell and tried to help him understand his Nana’s illness. After a seven week struggle, Elaine passed away.

    Everyone whose life was touched by Elaine has been heartbroken by her loss. Melissa has been devastated. The road of grief is long and in her attempts to pick up the pieces she has found photography.

    Photography has given her an outlet for her grief, her love and her creativity. She has a natural talent and I have seen her passion for photography grow as she learns more and takes more photos. Lots of photos:). It has given her new hope that she can one day make a living doing something she actually enjoys! This workshop would be a wonderful opportunity for her and she deserves it, my friend, Melissa.

    Thank You, Kristina Burns

  12. Caroline says:

    Hi,
    I would like to humbly nominate myself. I am bracing myself for a new decade as I turn 40 in two weeks. Eeeek! I’ve lived a full life in my 30s, having birthed/raised 4 kids (ages 4-12) and supporting my husband, who serves as a pastor and has finally finished his doctoral degree (it took him 8 years to complete, and my enduring lots of solo parenting, so that he could steadily work on his dissertation).

    I cringe when I’m referred to as a “pastor’s wife” just because that can be such a loaded term with so many assumptions and preconceived notions. As such, I do NOT wish to be defined nor known by that title/role. I would like to known as simply me! That said, living this life has its tremendous stresses and sacrifices, which can take a huge personal and marital toll. All my married life, I have lived in the fishbowl, under the scrutiny of people. Most people are gracious and let me be me, but I’ve also endured my share of silent heartaches. I love my husband and am so blessed to be married to him, but the scrutiny and always feeling like I have to be “on” definitely leaves me running on empty. Sometimes, I do not wish to be “on!” For example, in one week’s time, we can be involved with people celebrating their highs (an engagement or wedding, or a new birth) to the deepest low’s (people suffering miscarriages, discovering a newborn has Down Syndrome, wife & child dying in a tragic car accident). While it is a privilege to walk with people and support them during times of joy and sorrow, this life can also be hazardously draining and exhausting if I don’t take care of myself or find hobbies/people that “fill my cup.” I am going to try my best to nurture myself and find things that bring me joy, so that I,in turn, can give to others around me.

    This next decade, I’m not sure what the next season of my life holds. I sense this to be a time of shifting. My kids are older, and I am done with the diaper and childbirth stage. I am ready to move to the next season of life. I want to invest in myself and my passions, something I have not given myself permission to do due to being so busy with raising young children and supporting my husband. Yes, I will continue to live in the fishbowl, but I want to be known for me, and not just as a pastor’s wife or so-and-so’s mom. I’ve been dabbling with photography for a year and a half and want to develop my skills as it, so that I can use this gift to bless those around me.

    I don’t have sob stories to convey. I’ve had my share of good times and bad just like everyone else, but through it all, I have tasted God’s faithfulness in my life. I would love this opportunity to participate in your workshop to further my skills and to start off my 40s on a strong note and “kick some butt.”

    thank you very much,
    Caroline

  13. Stephanie says:

    Life begins outside your comfort zone… that is my motto for 2011. So that is way I’m taking a leap of faith and nominating myself for the confidence workshop.

    I’ve been working hard for the past year to reach my goal of sustaining a living full-time as an entrepreneur doing the things I love, web design, photography and writing unfortunately through all my efforts I didn’t reach my goal, I’m still doing triple duty with a full-time job, running an online store, freelancing as a writer and web designer, while raising my two young kids and trying to build up my photography portfolio. There have been many times I’ve cried myself to sleep thinking that I’ll never achieve my goals and I should give up. I’m tired all the time and I am truly running on empty.

    I’ve come to realization that I’ve put my dreams and passion on the sidelines for far too long. When applying to college I wanted to major in photography, but my own fear and the voices of others kept me from doing so.

    I’ve grown up around cameras, my father is an avid amateur nature photographer and he bought me my first SLR when I was in high school, I took one photography class in college and loved it. But I still remained reserved settling for the “secure” major that would lead to a solid career.

    Fast forward to my life as a mother, after having my son I purchased my first DSLR craving for those beautifully buttery images I see others taken and my interest in passion grew double time. My camera came with me everywhere I went, yes it even laid by my bedside as a slept. I started taking pictures of everything. I thrived on capturing every moment with my kids; it filled the void of not having enough time with them. At least I was capturing the moments we did have together.

    I’m a do-it-yourself type of girl; I learned how to write screenplays on my own, learned how to build websites without any formal training and until now I’ve developed my skills as a photographer by reading blogs and watching videos. But I still have reservations and a lack of confidence to go to that next step. And I think attending your workshop will help me climb that last hurdle. I have the website up and ready to go I just need the confidence to announce myself as a photographer.

    Thank you for your time and consideration.
    Stephanie Elie
    seliecreative (@) gmail (dot) com
    PS. I’m just a hop, skip and a couple of freeways away from Orange County

  14. Karla F. Kahler says:

    I would like to nominate my daughter, Dawn VandenHeuvel, for the, “Running on Empty”, Confidence Workshop because…………

    My daughter recently took a, “Leap of faith” and resigned from a very stressful full-time job to follow her lifetime dream of becoming a professional photographer. She has shot several weddings, has done graduation, engagement, newborn, and family photo shoots.

    Dawn has been given a beautiful gift. She has the ability to capture her subjects personalities and when shooting weddings, etc., she makes you feel like your right there celebrating with everyone.

    Dawn is a mother of three beautiful children and has finally found that, “You know he’s the one person”, to share her life with. She is in the process of blending two families together and doing it beautifully.

    Recently, Dawn had to say good bye to her Father, Step-mom, and a favorite uncle. She is still deeply feeling their loss. She has always been the person that is the, “Rock”, for others.

    Dawn has her own website, “justdawn.net and in the past couple of years, her work has been noticed by a representative from CNN and some of her photography was given world wide attention.

    Your workshop would be a God send to give her the added confidence to truly become even more than a good Photographer but help her become outstanding! Dawn needs a real break, for once in her life, to take her to that next level. She always puts others needs before her own and I would love to see her do something for, “Just Dawn”.

    Thank you for what your doing to help women fulfill their dreams and ambitions.

    Blessings to you and yours,

    Just Dawn’s Mom

  15. Felicia says:

    Hi,
    I’d like to nominate Stephanie Elie, my sister. Why? Because I think she’s awesome and because she spends so much time working and caring for her family she’s not able to do much to sustain herself.

    I’m always amazed at how much Stephanie is able to multi-task – her family, her day job, her business pursuits, and her hobbies. Though, I don’t think “photography” should be called a hobby. I think that for Stephanie it is more of a passion.

    I’d love for Stephanie to be able to make the most of her talents. After reading about the upcoming Confidence Workshop agenda, I know that it would be a good fit for her – especially the sessions on combining photography and blogging. Stephanie has been working hard to turn her freelance writing into a full-time income, as a result there isn’t much room left in the budget for instructional courses like the Confidence Workshop.

    Stephanie lives in the LA area and if she is given the opportunity to participate in this workshop, we will make sure that the family is taken care of so that she can go, learn, and relax – and come home refreshed and inspired.

    Thank you for this opportunity to nominate my sister.

    Sincerely,

    Felicia

  16. Jennifer Johansen says:

    I would like to nominate Daisy Reyes – my dearest friend. She is a wife, a mother, a writer, a teacher. She is a breadwinner, a chef, a stargazer, a listener. And in her heart of hearts, she is a photographer. She has this incredible ability to capture the innocent sparkle in a child’s eyes and find the beauty in a tired mother’s smile, highlighting the true joy of motherhood. She brings people to life in her photos, because she is so focused on the true nature of her subjects – and she celebrates their lives through her photographs.

    Daisy and I met on our first day of college 14 years ago. She sat next to me in an English class and my life changed for the better in that moment. Daisy is the most selfless and giving person I have ever met. Through the years, I have leaned on her more than any other for support through my own trials and she has given me the love and encouragement I need to continue on. If I need advice, I go to her. She has a humble wisdom that helps me see things clearly and a perspective that gives me courage in times of struggle.

    Daisy’s husband recently lost his job and she is dealing with the startling reality that one of her precious children has health and developmental struggles they never imagined. After a full day of working as a teacher and dealing with the great amount of stress involved in preparing to enlighten and shape the little minds in her care (along with the ridiculous amount of politics involved in education), Daisy goes home to care for her beautiful little girls, husband, and home. She is such a patient and loving mother and wife, desiring most to provide a happy and fulfilling life for her family. After the kids are asleep, she takes college courses to further her own education and – if she can find a moment – she documents the little joys in her life on a blog filled with beautiful photos and poignant thoughts about life.

    Life has dealt blow after blow to this family, however, and the stresses have been nearly more than Daisy can bear. She gives and gives and gives of herself and yet her struggles are so much greater than many others’. She would never detail her personal trials publicly in a way that would hurt anyone she loves, but please take my word that she has suffered greatly in recent years. Despite all of this, she is always a ray of sunshine in my life and in the lives of all who know her. And yet, I can see how her struggles have dampened her enthusiasm for life and shattered her confidence into nothing. She is truly running on empty. She is broken. Please, please consider my dear friend Daisy for this opportunity. The tears are falling as I write this because I want so much for her to find that happiness again that flowed from her as we sat together in that English class so many years ago. She is deserving of so much for the joy she has given to others. Please give her the opportunity to find herself again. Please.

    Respectfully,
    Jennifer Johansen

    Daisy’s Blog –

  17. Jennifer Johansen says:

    I accidentally published my entry before adding these links. I would love for you to take a look and see who Daisy is — from her perspective.

    Daisy’s Personal Blog – http://marcelacamille.blogspot.com/
    Daisy’s Cooking Blog – http://delightsbydaisy.blogspot.com/
    Daisy’s Photography Blog – http://www.andphotographyblog.blogspot.com/

  18. Bill Brown says:

    Hi Me Ra,
    I would like to nominate my daughter, Stephanie Elie. Stephanie lives Southern Cal, very close to Orange County, so when selected, she would have no problem making it to this awesome event. Why should she be selected? First of all, she is doing an unbelievable job of balancing a full time job, her entrepreneur business, caring for a three year-old and five year-old, all the while nourishing her passion for photography. Quite frankly, I don’t see how she finds the time to do it all, but somehow she manages to do it. So I know she has to be “Running on Empty” a lot. Secondly, I’m very proud that she has acquired the same passion for photography that I’ve had for more than forty years. She has come a very long ways since I gave her that first SLR way back in high school. Since she moved up to a DSLR, she has become quite the photographer and is almost never without her camera. She has presented us with many wonderful pictures of the grandkids but she has the desire and passion to do much more with photography and this workshop would be a perfect fit. So please give her this wonderful opportunity for enhancement.
    Thank you for the privilege to nominate my daughter.

    Sincerely,
    Bill Brown

  19. Judy says:

    Hi,
    I would like to nominate my daughter Stephanie Elie.
    As mothers, we all like to see our children follow their dreams. As Stephanie’s mom I have watched her give 100+% of herself to her family and the many hats (jobs) she wears on a daily basis. Stephanie is like the energizer bunny; she keeps going and going, doing what any person would do for their family. Now it’s time for Stephanie to do something that will help her to relax while inspiring her at the same time. I have watched Stephanie’s love for photography grow. Carrying a camera and taking pictures everywhere she goes has become second-nature for her. It doesn’t matter how old a parent gets, it still gives them a sense of pride to see their children do well in something they really love and Stephanie passionately loves photography. She reads about photography, practices its lingo, attends photo shoots and reviews and writes articles about photography books and gear. Allowing Stephanie to attend this Confidence Workshop and connect with other people with the same interest, will inspire her and build her confidence such that she will continue to pursue it and take this passion of hers (photography) as far as she can.
    Thank you for this opportunity to nominate my daughter, Stephanie Elie.
    Sincerely,
    Judy

  20. Hello Me Ra!
    I was just watching the nate berkus show (which you were on today!), and i realized that i hadnt checked your blog in a while. when i read about the ‘running on empty’ contest- i realized- Me ME ME! i want to do it!! And as awkward as it seems nominating myself, i thought id give it a shot.
    “running on empty’ seems like a perfect adage for my life right now. I realize that i am both amazingly blessed and fulfilled, but it also seems that i am so stressed out and overwhelmed, that i am having a hard time enjoying my wonderful life. My husband and i were childhood sweethearts (our parents met and became friends when we were three in the same church), and grew up camping, holidays and vacationing together. having been best friends our whole life, we were both too chicken to make a ‘move’. after three whirlwind weeks of finally dating- 4 years after going our separate ways after high school, we got engaged. 6 months later, we got married. we knew we wanted to start a family, so a year later, i got pregnant, found our we were having twins, and then proceeded to spend almost my entire pregnancy in the hospital, due to complications, on medicated bed rest. the twins (caden and rylan) were born two months early, and spent almost 3 weeks in the NICU, weighing three pounds. three months later, we found out we were (surprise!) pregnant again. and i was in tears, worried about the same complications. Ethan was born when the twins were less than 13 months old.
    I always knew i wanted to be a stay at home mother, but three babies, practically at the same time was not what i had bargained for! i quit school, 4 classes shy of my bachelors degree in kinesiology and health education. I have tried to be a dedicated wife and mother, dealing with my special needs preemie twins, and my energetic third child! I have supported my husband as he went through the extremely rigorous police academy in San Diego, and continue to worry about him as he works the most dangerous area in SD. One of his close friends in his division (chris wilson, if you heard about it), was killed a couple months ago, working the shift that my husband could have been working.
    About a year and a half ago, money got tight, and i went out on a limb and began a photography business. it had been a passion of mine for a while, and our money worries became enough for me to just go for it! it has been a huge blessing in our lives, as my business has increased exponentially (i did 350 shoots this last year!). However, since i am bound and determined NOT to place my three toddlers in daycare, i have been scheduling my shoots around the days that my husband is off duty, and only edit photos and answer emails when my rambunctious children are napping or down for the night.
    We just were lucky enough to buy our first house, and with the stress of two escrows, numerous bank errors, and stress beyond my wildest imagination, we moved in the week before christmas. i had the house unpacked and christmas decorations up just in time for my kids to have their first christmas at ‘home’.
    I certainly dont mean for this entry to be a sob story, i realize that i am beyond blessed with an amazing husband and three amazing (and busy!) boys. But when you wrote about ‘running on empty’, that is exactly how i would describe my life right now! i feel like i havent had a chance to relax, enjoy and take a moment to breathe, in the last 3 and a 1/2 years! With all the disciplining of my toddlers, i feel like i am doing more ‘correcting’, than ‘playing’, more ‘working’, than ‘enjoying’. more stressing and crying, than truly loving and being grateful. A weekend away, to recharge my batteries, to get a chance to spend time with other women, just like me, seems like something in my dreams. I would be absolutely honored to be chosen to win your ‘ running on empty’ contest. thank you so much for considering me!!
    Sincerely,
    Stefanie Zeltner

  21. Thia barnes says:

    Is it too late? I just found the website after seeing the rerun of MeRa photography pets on the Nate show. 2010 was a doozy of a year and I would love to nominate myself to attend the conference as I’m close in San Diego. My Dad died last Christmas Day after I had been his caregiver for 6 years when he developed Alzheimers and Parkinsons. From January to June I was busy with my high school daughter who was graduating and preparing for college.My son is about to graduate from college too so I was about to become an empty nester. The very day my daughter started college my husbands work contract ended so I didn’t even get a day off by myself. I’ve always loved photography- took a Nikon course 20 years ago and even did handcoloring black and white photos. Please pick me – I need a break to recharge and start my new life!

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