I’ve been fighting the worst fever since Sunday night–after the most WONDERFUL weekend with the Seattle CONFIDENCE ladies (inspiring photos from the weekend to come!).  My head is finally feeling like the fog is rolling away, and just in time because I’m so excited to write today’s post!

This month’s SOAR! Photography exercise was a BIG one!  The gals had the choice of either second shooting/shadowing a pro wedding photographer or setting up their ideal setting for a mock shoot with a bride and groom.  If you are thinking of shooting weddings, I strongly encourage you to shadow a wedding photographer.  As Charisse put so well in her blog post yesterday, it’s one thing to be a guest or participant but a whole different dynamic to be the photographer all day long.  From shadowing a pro, you learn so much–even if you don’t take a single photo and just carry bags.  That’s what I did when I first started, I carried bags from one shooting spot to another, but believe me, my brain was BUZZING after!

I invite you to go check out the SOAR! blog today!  Ali created a video of her experience.  Charisse shared a ton of powerful tips that she learned, and a handful of gorgeous photos like this one!

And Rachel, who started SOAR! with ZERO photography/camera experience, set up her ideal shoot in the dessert and captured the most FABULOUS moments!!

I am super proud of all three of these girls!

But that’s not all!  I want to give Linda Baylis, one of the SOAR! Recipients from last year, the BIGGEST HIGH FIVE!  She relocated to New Zealand this year, and she emailed a few days ago to say she booked her first wedding in New Zealand!  Woo-hoo!!  We are so happy for you Linda!!  We can’t wait to see what you capture!  In Linda’s email she wrote the most inspiring words, I hope they infuse you with hope for your dreams too!

“It was just over a year ago that you challenged us to blog about our

dreams… While the clock may have struck midnight December 31st 2010 many

months ago the dream is still becoming more and more real…

Here I am back in New Zealand, living in the lifestyle location we’d dreamed

of, and in case I forgot to say before I’VE BOOKED MY FIRST WEDDING!!!”

With intense programs like the SOAR! Scholarship, you get out of it what you put into it.  I can’t be more proud of how MUCH these ladies have put into their SOAR! experience and work.  Head over to the SOAR! blog, and be inspired today!

A very special thanks to two wedding photographers, Peter Bang in Washington DC and Susan Sparks in Sacramento, CA for allowing two of our SOAR! Recipients to shadow you.  You are both so amazing and generous!  If you haven’t checked out Peter and Susan’s websites, make sure you do!

xoxo,

m

p.s. I’ve got a couple Mini Session spots left in Sacramento–coming at you this month!  And you may get more than 30 photos b/c I’ll have Charisse second shooting with me!  Woo-hoo!  Book your time slot HERE!