Hold on to your boot straps...
This post is going to take a while so you might as well get a snack and make yourself a cocktail. I want to tell you how crazy this last week was but in order to do that, I have to go way back to last Friday. Mike and I went to Tuscaloosa to visit some friends and watch Alabama play Kentucky. We won but it wasn't pretty. Hopefully, they won't come that close to giving me a coronary again but somehow I know that as long as I love Alabama football, they are going to find some way to make me work for my loyalty. We won and really, that is all that matters. We left as soon as the game was over and made it back to Jackson by 11pm. We got up, went to church and I left for New Orleans, sans Landry, for 3 days. Mike had her on Sunday and took her to the Barnharts for 2 nights Monday morning. I missed that little girl something fierce! I got ready to check in to the hotel and realized that I had left my drivers license in Mike's wallet from the game Saturday. I checked in with my Sam's card. Seriously, a Sam's card. I was hoping for the first time that I looked old enough to NOT get carded if when I went somewhere. The first night I was there, I met 2 girls and a guy that were also attending the workshop. We all went out to eat and ended up hanging out while alot while we were there. We were literally from one end of the US to the other. It was nice meeting new people and talking about something that I am really passionate about. They all shoot for a living so there was a little different perspective in how they shoot as opposed to mine. On Monday, we started at 8 am with breakfast and went to my first workshop. It was a class with one of my all time favorite photographers, Jessica Claire.
She is so good and her following is almost cult-like. She was very nice and shared a lot of herself with us. She really stressed the importance of confidence in your work and pricing. She also gets $12-25k to do a wedding too so I guess her confidence level ought to be waaay up there! I learned a lot from her and it was just nice to be around so many enthusiastic photographers. 
We were with her from 10-5 that day and shot a lot with her. We had models to shoot so it was really fun. Our class even made it on her blog. My mug is on there....ever be it so small! After that, the big kahuna, Jerry Ghionis did a 3 hour class from 7-10. I thought...Omigoodness, I am sooo tired! How am I going to listen to this guy for 3 hours?! I am so glad I hung in there because he is a ROCK STAR! His work is amazing and he has won so many awards for his work. He does very high profile weddings and he gets an obscene amount of money to shoot a wedding. The best part about him was he was so nice and funny. He was very giving of his time and talent and made himself available to anyone who wanted to pick his brain. He is from Australia and he has been traveling doing teaching events for the last few weeks. He was so good and I am glad I hung in there for it. 
After that, I was about to go up to my room and pass out and I ran into my new friend, Manolo(great photog, BTW) and he said 'Go get your camera...we're going to night shoot!' I was like..'No way, I am going to bed!' He ended up talking me in to it and I am so glad he did. I got to shoot with 3 of the presenters and 25 other photographers in the streets of New Orleans. It was unreal. I learned so much that night that I would have never learned if I had not sucked it up and gone. We got in at 1 am. I took a shower and passed out. Tuesday, I was up and out the door at 8 and had a class with Audrey Woulard. She is an amazing photographer specializing in Child Portraiture. She has the style that I would love to have. I even found out that she shoots with the same exact camera that I have! I am in search of the lens she uses...may be soon! We shot until almost 5:30 and if I had had Landry there, she would have been one of our models. We had some but not any little ones and we ended up getting one of the other participants 14 month old son to model for us. I was so wanting Landry to be there! At 6:45 we had to meet 
in the lobby for a parade and we were in it! It is called a Second Line Parade and it had a jazz band that led us along with a guy dressed in a purple suit carrying a fancy umbrella through the streets of New Orleans. We had umbrellas, masks and bandannas to wave in the air as we paraded to our party. It was one of the funnest experiences I have ever had in New Orleans. Several of the photographers brought their cameras so it looked like the paparazzi was shooting us. When we got to our destination, we had a fabulous party in a beautiful courtyard with an open bar, authentic New Orleans food, 2 caricature artists and a band. After it was over we went out on Bourbon Street for a little while and finally made it back to our hotel. Of course, we were up again at 8 am for a video class and finally and open forum to ask questions and wrap up the event. Right before the Q&A, one of the presenters, John Michael Cooper asked me if I wanted to model for a shoot that afternoon! His work is over the top! He is a free spirit and is so talented. Of course, I said yes but that meant I was going to be a few more hours before I got my hands on that child of mine. It was a once in a lifetime chance so I went for it. We finished up around 3pm and I got my stuff together, said my good-byes and was out the door. I had to get one the road so I could beat rush hour traffic and get Landry before she went to bed. All of that would have been possible if some dude hadn't hit me right in front of the Super Dome. I was almost to the interstate and he hit me. URGH! It took the police officers 45 minutes to get to us and another 50 to fill out the reports. I was about to lose my mind thinking that I was not going to make it to Landry before she went to bed. The other guy got a ticket so at least I know it won't be listed as my fault. He was definitely in the wrong. I was so rattled over the whole situation that I called the Barnharts and asked them if they would keep her one more night and I would just pick her up in the morning. I turned around and went back to the hotel and got up with my friends that were still staying and I ended up staying one more night with a new friend that came all the way from Australia to attend this workshop. She was kind enough to let me get a roll away bed and bunk in her room. Four of us went out to eat, we walked into a few galleries and turned in. I got up that morning and headed out. I was driving across the Lake Pontchartrain Bridge on my way back and I was on the phone with my friend Theresa. I looked over and my gas gauge said 0 mile to empty. My heart fell to my toes. This is the longest bridge in the world.... 24 miles to be exact! No gas for miles!!! I saw a sign for Manchac and since it was 8:50 in the morning, the only business that I knew of on that exit was closed. I asked someone to help me but he said he was too busy. He told me of a place that was 'down this dirt road, near the railroad tracks...blah, blah, blah. Needless to say, I thought I was going to get myself in to some real trouble but I didn't have a choice but to go where he told me and hope for the best. My friend Theresa thought I was crazy for going back in the boonies in hopes to find gas but I was running out of time. I took my jewelry off(I know, I am crazy) and pulled up to this business right on the water. It ended up being a gas station for boats and they just so happened to have a pump with premium gasoline! I have never been so happy to spend $3.95 on a gallon of gasoline! Inger, the woman who owns the store was so nice. She knew I was a little frazzled and calmed me down. I asked her if they sold shrimp there and she took me down to a boat that was docked and I bought some of the best shrimp I have had in a long time right off the boat. I bought 15 lbs for me and 15 for the Barnharts. It took me 30 minutes to get my gas and shrimp and be on my way. Finally!! On the road again and going to see my baby. That was until I saw these blue flashing lights in my rear view mirror. At this point, I just thought, is this FOR REAL!? A state trooper pulled me over and yes, I was speeding and yes, my inspection sticker was expired oh, and yes, I handed him my Sam's card for identification. OK...Stop laughing. It isn't funny. It's really not that funny. OK...It is hilarious but quit laughing anyway! Bless his cute little heart, he felt sorry for me and did not give me a ticket. HELLLOOOO!!! Could I please just get to my child?! I finally made it to my love bug at 11:30. She was so excited to see me at first and when I picked her up she got really quiet and acted a little mad at me. It was like she thought....'Hey, where the heck have you been?!' She got over it and she has been my shadow ever since.
She is so good and her following is almost cult-like. She was very nice and shared a lot of herself with us. She really stressed the importance of confidence in your work and pricing. She also gets $12-25k to do a wedding too so I guess her confidence level ought to be waaay up there! I learned a lot from her and it was just nice to be around so many enthusiastic photographers. 
We were with her from 10-5 that day and shot a lot with her. We had models to shoot so it was really fun. Our class even made it on her blog. My mug is on there....ever be it so small! After that, the big kahuna, Jerry Ghionis did a 3 hour class from 7-10. I thought...Omigoodness, I am sooo tired! How am I going to listen to this guy for 3 hours?! I am so glad I hung in there because he is a ROCK STAR! His work is amazing and he has won so many awards for his work. He does very high profile weddings and he gets an obscene amount of money to shoot a wedding. The best part about him was he was so nice and funny. He was very giving of his time and talent and made himself available to anyone who wanted to pick his brain. He is from Australia and he has been traveling doing teaching events for the last few weeks. He was so good and I am glad I hung in there for it. 
After that, I was about to go up to my room and pass out and I ran into my new friend, Manolo(great photog, BTW) and he said 'Go get your camera...we're going to night shoot!' I was like..'No way, I am going to bed!' He ended up talking me in to it and I am so glad he did. I got to shoot with 3 of the presenters and 25 other photographers in the streets of New Orleans. It was unreal. I learned so much that night that I would have never learned if I had not sucked it up and gone. We got in at 1 am. I took a shower and passed out. Tuesday, I was up and out the door at 8 and had a class with Audrey Woulard. She is an amazing photographer specializing in Child Portraiture. She has the style that I would love to have. I even found out that she shoots with the same exact camera that I have! I am in search of the lens she uses...may be soon! We shot until almost 5:30 and if I had had Landry there, she would have been one of our models. We had some but not any little ones and we ended up getting one of the other participants 14 month old son to model for us. I was so wanting Landry to be there! At 6:45 we had to meet 
in the lobby for a parade and we were in it! It is called a Second Line Parade and it had a jazz band that led us along with a guy dressed in a purple suit carrying a fancy umbrella through the streets of New Orleans. We had umbrellas, masks and bandannas to wave in the air as we paraded to our party. It was one of the funnest experiences I have ever had in New Orleans. Several of the photographers brought their cameras so it looked like the paparazzi was shooting us. When we got to our destination, we had a fabulous party in a beautiful courtyard with an open bar, authentic New Orleans food, 2 caricature artists and a band. After it was over we went out on Bourbon Street for a little while and finally made it back to our hotel. Of course, we were up again at 8 am for a video class and finally and open forum to ask questions and wrap up the event. Right before the Q&A, one of the presenters, John Michael Cooper asked me if I wanted to model for a shoot that afternoon! His work is over the top! He is a free spirit and is so talented. Of course, I said yes but that meant I was going to be a few more hours before I got my hands on that child of mine. It was a once in a lifetime chance so I went for it. We finished up around 3pm and I got my stuff together, said my good-byes and was out the door. I had to get one the road so I could beat rush hour traffic and get Landry before she went to bed. All of that would have been possible if some dude hadn't hit me right in front of the Super Dome. I was almost to the interstate and he hit me. URGH! It took the police officers 45 minutes to get to us and another 50 to fill out the reports. I was about to lose my mind thinking that I was not going to make it to Landry before she went to bed. The other guy got a ticket so at least I know it won't be listed as my fault. He was definitely in the wrong. I was so rattled over the whole situation that I called the Barnharts and asked them if they would keep her one more night and I would just pick her up in the morning. I turned around and went back to the hotel and got up with my friends that were still staying and I ended up staying one more night with a new friend that came all the way from Australia to attend this workshop. She was kind enough to let me get a roll away bed and bunk in her room. Four of us went out to eat, we walked into a few galleries and turned in. I got up that morning and headed out. I was driving across the Lake Pontchartrain Bridge on my way back and I was on the phone with my friend Theresa. I looked over and my gas gauge said 0 mile to empty. My heart fell to my toes. This is the longest bridge in the world.... 24 miles to be exact! No gas for miles!!! I saw a sign for Manchac and since it was 8:50 in the morning, the only business that I knew of on that exit was closed. I asked someone to help me but he said he was too busy. He told me of a place that was 'down this dirt road, near the railroad tracks...blah, blah, blah. Needless to say, I thought I was going to get myself in to some real trouble but I didn't have a choice but to go where he told me and hope for the best. My friend Theresa thought I was crazy for going back in the boonies in hopes to find gas but I was running out of time. I took my jewelry off(I know, I am crazy) and pulled up to this business right on the water. It ended up being a gas station for boats and they just so happened to have a pump with premium gasoline! I have never been so happy to spend $3.95 on a gallon of gasoline! Inger, the woman who owns the store was so nice. She knew I was a little frazzled and calmed me down. I asked her if they sold shrimp there and she took me down to a boat that was docked and I bought some of the best shrimp I have had in a long time right off the boat. I bought 15 lbs for me and 15 for the Barnharts. It took me 30 minutes to get my gas and shrimp and be on my way. Finally!! On the road again and going to see my baby. That was until I saw these blue flashing lights in my rear view mirror. At this point, I just thought, is this FOR REAL!? A state trooper pulled me over and yes, I was speeding and yes, my inspection sticker was expired oh, and yes, I handed him my Sam's card for identification. OK...Stop laughing. It isn't funny. It's really not that funny. OK...It is hilarious but quit laughing anyway! Bless his cute little heart, he felt sorry for me and did not give me a ticket. HELLLOOOO!!! Could I please just get to my child?! I finally made it to my love bug at 11:30. She was so excited to see me at first and when I picked her up she got really quiet and acted a little mad at me. It was like she thought....'Hey, where the heck have you been?!' She got over it and she has been my shadow ever since. So...how was your week?
2 comments:
HaHa, you left out the part of me being in a complete panic while you left me holding on the phone. I thought you were being attacked, but instead, you decided to purchase shrimp. If only I could have gotten my hands on you...I would have shook some sense into you. ARE YOU NUTS!!!
WHAT a post. I was enthralled. Glad it had a happy ending!
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