Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Having the Confidence - Workshop with Me Ra Koh

Early last year I started on a personal journey to rediscover what really inspired me. My husband calls it my "Renaissance." I painted large format paintings with acrylics. I started journaling. Then I discovered journaling with art. This then blossomed into mixed media pieces and photography. I really enjoyed getting my hands messy with paint and the creative process of layering with mixed media. BUT...I LOVED taking pictures. I always have. Photography creates this glow inside of me. And when I see how others react to my photography...well, that's just icing!

A Bucket List item for many women (especially unsure moms wanting to take better pictures) is Me Ra Koh's Confidence Workshop. I had been following her blog and wistfully hoped someday I could find my way to a conference. I even bought a Sony a33 because of Me Ra's story about Sony and it's connection with women photographers.

Last November I'm sitting upstairs one evening and I see that a new location had been added!! I couldn't believe it! I let out an "eeeehhaahhh". My husband asked "what"? I yelled down, "Me Ra's coming to Florida!!!"

Two minutes later, he's standing next to me with his debit card and says, "Happy Anniversary, Merry Christmas & Valentines' Day. Do you think we could get Mother's Day & your birthday, too?"

It was amazing and a TOTAL game changer for me! I went wanting to get more confidence with my camera, and was hopeful I'd find inspiration and have more confidence in myself. When I left those 3 days behind, I got all that and SO MUCH more.

I had in front of me a completely different perspective of what I thought I could do with my love of photography. I saw so many possibilities. And what I had was a support network of 20 other female photographers of varying stages of their photography and their lives. Most of whom are still very connected and supportive on a private Facebook group. My roommate for the Conference was local to me and turned out to be a friend of a friend of mine. We've promised to keep that relationship going too.

Me Ra, along with her husband Brian, and of course my own husband, were the catalysts for me seeing a path for myself and having the confidence to turn my love of photography into something MUCH bigger.



Out on the beach for the Family Shoots. (Photo by Brian Tausend)



Confidence Infused Mary with Me Ra and Brian.



My favorite shot of the Workshop. (photo by Mary McGuire)