So, most of you know that I am involved in a community of photographers who specialize in documentary style photography for weddings and portraits, called the Foundation Workshop Forum.  Each year, the Foundation Workshop teaches around 30 students how to "see" when they are shooting.  Students are given random assignments to local establishments and are asked to photograph there for two days.  (You may remember my work on the McKinney Senior Recreational Center and you just got a glimpse of my work with Vivero Boxing Gym last week.)  Each night, the students bring back their work to their team leaders, mentors, and other team members and are critiqued.  Technical aspects, story-telling, creative shooting, earning trust from your subjects and much more are covered at this workshop.  Most who attend say it is life changing, so if that applies, I've had my life changed TWICE.  =)  I went back in 2008 and again in 2009, and was asked to be the official staff photographer this year.  My job was to document everything from the day spent in the classroom to photography technique building activities to students at their assignments and getting critiqued.  It was a nonstop job that I would do again in a heartbeat.

To say that I love my Foundation Workshop friends is the biggest understatement.  Outside of my family, these people are the ones who are most in tune with my world.  Because I am a business of one, I don't have staff meetings or watercooler time.  I get the support, friendship, and camaraderie from the members of FW, and can't imagine doing this business without them.  I even have formed such great friendships with my homegirls:  Kathryn Krueger, Olivia Brown, Kirsten Lewis, Erin Chrisman, Jenny Jimenez, & Morgan Lynn Razi.  It's such a cool feeling to have buddies to discuss cameras one second and Louboutins the next.  I also have my surrogate "brothers", Ed Atrero, Ryan Jones, & Jan Garcia to say "That's What She Said" jokes with.  Double score for me.

So, if you are a photographer and are serious about getting your ass into gear, check out Foundation Workshop Forum, the Foundation Workshop, and Foundation Conference (at which I am speaking next November!).  The majority of American Photo Magazine's top 10 wedding photographers in the world from last year are members...as well as several Pulitzer Prize winners.  Need a visual aid?  Here is a schmorgasboard of images that I took at Foundation Workshop 9 in Austin as the staff photog.  Feast your eyes, my friends!

If you have any questions about the workshop or forum, give me a shout!