sneak peek.

From the very start we had music playing and twirling and spinning...on the stage (or bed...depends on whether you're using your imagination or not). 

I got to see amazing lego architecture that came in the form of trucks, cars, airplanes, and other creative inventions put together by three generations of boys.

And then we discovered that you can almost touch the sky when you jump off the front room sofa...and there are lots of flowers that are ready to be picked and made into beautiful bouquets for your mom on a walk downtown.

There's fun to be had in the everyday.

discover. LIFE.

Ugh. Not again.

I think it's one of the worst ways to ruin a perfectly good intention.  The night before...usually Sunday night...I once again recommit to myself that this week will be different.  THIS week I will get back on track.  This week I will exercise every day.  This week I will eat food that will benefit my health and only when my body says to eat.  This is the week I'm going to reclaim my healthy lifestyle.

And you wake up.

And it's raining.

And raining.

Not letting up.

No sunshine in site.

And the wind is blowing.

And it's a cold wind.

So what's supposed to be 60 degrees...

feels like 40 degrees.

It's cold.

It's dreary.

There's no sun.

It's raining.

You're now in no mood for walking...

now, you just want to curl up on the couch with a good book...

and a fire.

And pretend you never recommitted to yourself.

Last night.

Let's just forget about last night.

It's the morning after...and you don't want to think about it anymore.

It's raining.

So what to do when the rain wants to try and ruin everything?  Tell us all in the comments.  I know I want to hear!

In the mean time...here's a little list I found:

1. Step 1

   Hit the stairs for a quick cardio workout. Running up and down stairs, or even a few steps, is a great way to exercise during bad weather. In a mere 15 minutes, you can get a great cardio workout in your own home.

2. Step 2
   
   

   Pop in a fitness DVD. There are so many different fitness DVDs to choose from. Having a wide variety in your collection allows you to get the perfectworkout, any day of the week. For example, you might want a low-impact workout one day and a cardio workout the next.

3. Step 3
   
   

   Dust off your at home exercise equipment. If you love to exercise outdoors, your fitness equipment is probably covered in dust. During bad weather, take a few minutes to clean off that treadmill, and then hop on for a quick workout. In just a few minutes, you’ll get the exercise you need without having to go for a walk in the rain.

4. Step 4
   
   

   Rethink your exercise program. Exercise doesn’t have to involve walking or lifting weights. You can actually get a great workout by simply cleaning your house. If cleaning your house doesn’t sound fun, why not dance? There are so many activities that don’t seem like exercise, but actually burn several calories.

5. Step 5
   
   

   Head to the gym. If you don’t like the idea of exercising at home, head to the gym. The gym is a wonderful place to exercise during bad weather, because you can get a complete workout. You can spend time on the treadmill and then hit weights to tone your muscles.

    

   real. LIFE.

***All images in this post are copyright Eliesa of Photogen Inc.***

NEXT WEEK: Amy Smith

{To nominate women you'd like to see in this series please list them in the comments-or if you have a question you'd like to see in the interviews--make sure to include your info in the comment fields so that I can get in touch with you- or write to me at: davina at davinafear dot com }

As always make sure to leave comments for the women who are featured. They like comments as much as I do I'm sure...let them know if you have questions or just to say thanks! for their insight and wisdom...

You can check out the rest of the series by clicking here. Tell a friend!

Eliesa, In 10 years you have grown your studio into such a thriving business. Your photography is fantastic and you have such a wonderful, infectious personality.  Your business includes commercial work as well.  You have so much going on, I'm excited to hear about how you manage to do so much and make it look so easy.  Thanks for being on Women and Business!

How long have you been in business?  I’ve been photographing professionally for 10 years, but officially incorporated for 5!

You are a wedding and commercial photographer.  How do you make both of those work together? I started out as a commercial/editorial photographer and weddings kind of fell into my lap about 4 years ago. People knew I was a photographer and would ask me to photograph their weddings, but I had NO idea how you were ‘suppose‘ to shoot a wedding. I think this was a really good thing, because from the start, I photographed weddings in a way that I wanted to, which made it incredibly rewarding and fun for me!

Right now, my business is 50/50 between weddings and commercial work. I really, really appreciate this balance. The commercial world is fast - but there is a new and exciting challenge each month. Weddings though, really touch and effect people’s lives.  I don’t know, honestly, if I could just be just a commercial photographer or just a wedding photographer - I thrive off of the difference that both industries bring to my world!  

You have set up a unique studio situation.  Will you explain?  How did you decide on this arrangement?

From the moment I decided to incorporate and make this business official, I knew I wanted it to be ‘bigger‘ than myself. I have always wanted a team of amazing artists around me; hence, the Photogen Inc. crew! We have now grown to a staff of 7 and we are truly stronger than ever! One misconception that some people have is that I have associate photographers - and I actually don’t. I highly dislike the word ‘Associate‘ and what they have become in the wedding industry, which is a bunch of photographers working under a lead photographer’s name and brand. Value, Quality and Service are incredibly important to me when it comes to making my client’s happy and I feel like sometimes that gets lost when there are so many people shooting for a studio. I have also worked SO hard to have a stellar reputation - and I don’t want anyone to mess that up for me! Having a staff for me is not about booking a million clients a season, but rather to have a constant creative collaboration in the studio. Here is how we are set up:

Eliesa - Lead Photographer / Boss Lady

Liz - Studio Manager (Helps me with editing, post processing, client management, print orders, - and you name it, she does it!)

Brandon - Assistant with Photogen Inc. for the last 4 years, this year, we launched a new company for him called Rivets and Roses (http://www.rivetsandroses.com) He is now ready to be a leader and this was the perfect solution for us all to keep him in the family!

Melissa, Tom and Ryan - All of these amazing people are assistants for both Brandon and my weddings! At each wedding, I bring along 2 assistants, so there are 3 photographers total. I absolutely love this creative collaboration on a shoot - it keeps things alive and fresh!

Judd - Judd is the business/tech guy! He is the brains behind the analytics of how Photogen Inc. runs! I am really not a technical person at all, so he does a lot of research for me on equipment, programs, software, etc! My computer is always magically calibrated and it is a beautiful thing! I also think it is extremely important to ‘collaborate‘ with business minded people, just as much as it is with artists. I didn’t go to school for business, so I have learned a lot from these people - they are so valuable to me! 

What does your workflow look like?  Do you outsource or keep everything in house?

We have a wonderful program called SHOOT Q, (http://www.shootq.com) that has saved our lives as far as client organization and workflow goes! Because there are so many of us, Shoot Q totally keeps us on track and we never miss a beat! Absolutely everything we do is in house. I chose to do this, because I want to make sure that absolutely everything is perfect when it leaves our studio. When I decided to hire Liz, our studio manager, we spent months and months training her on how I do my post production for both weddings and commercial work.  We are now at the point where I trust her 100% with all of my editing and she does an amazing job! I have super high standards and I expect us to rise above those - and I want to keep it all in the family!

For our online proofing and print fulfillment, we use WHCC (http://www.whcc.com) and Red Cart (http://www.redcart.com) , who are both local to us here in Minneapolis. For albums we use Finao (http://www.finao.com).

How do you keep your client files and organized so that they are easy and quick to find?

All of our client information, contracts, invoices and e-mails are kept in Shoot Q! Seriously, I can not tell you how much I. LOVE. SHOOT Q!!!! It has been the best thing I ever did for my sanity and workflow / organization with clients! With a click of a button, I have all of my clients information organized and at my fingertips!

How do you keep your 10s of 1000s of client images organized so that when you need to find an image quickly you can go right to it?

We keep a large RAID set up in the studio and one off-site to ensure that all of our images are super-duper-crazy-safe! We keep folders for the various things we have going on (ie. Weddings, Commercial, Marketing, etc) Then, we break it down by year and date, which keeps it pretty easy to manage and find things super quickly! We use Photo Mechanic to sift through and find images super quickly on our hard drives. This program is amazing, because it literally loads images instantly, which saves us SO much time!

What daily practices do you have to keep your studio running smoothly?

We have a daily pow-wow once a week to discuss what we need and want to do in the coming days! We are also in constant communication with everyone - that is key when working with a team! The Photogen Inc. crew also does ‘team building’ hang-outs every 3 weeks or so. It’s so easy for life to get busy and in the way sometimes, and with our team growing, it is so important for me to not lose touch with everyone. We’ve really enjoyed these moments together - it is definitely making us stronger!

What do you do to help your clients be so comfortable with you during a photo shoot?

Honestly, just being myself. My shooting style is very laid back, and I simply just create-on-the-go! I am passionate about photographing and my clients see that during a session, which absolutely puts them at ease!

What do you recommend women do who are just getting started in the industry?

Surround yourself with people who will support you and build you up! This is absolutely essential. If I chose to hang around people who told me that this was a ‘Bad Idea’, I probably would have been very discouraged. Confidence in yourself and in your craft go a long way too! At whatever level you are at, you need to own it! Now, this doesn’t mean you have the OK to be super cocky or get a big head, but if you have the talent, determination and true passion to really pursue this full time, then hell yeah! Work it girl! 

What do you do for fun…that has nothing to do with photography?

I love to do hot yoga and cook. Yoga just chills me out and makes my entire being feel strong, healthy and balanced. I also love to cook. I shop at a local co-op, so all of my food is coming from farms directly in my area and the mid-west. I didn’t use to be a good cook at all, but I have learned a lot about it through friends and there is absolutely nothing better in life than a great meal, good drink and fabulous friends to share it with! 

You have a workshop coming up.  What are you most excited about in regards to the workshop?

2010 is all about giving back for me! I launched LOVEe Consults this year, which is an 8 hour one-on-one mentor sessions for photographers. Absolutely anyone and everyone can book a LOVEe Consult, it is not just for photographers in the Midwest! I am absolutely in love with these days! I have met some super incredible people and I have also found that I have a new passion for mentoring.

I also just launched MINNe-SHOPS, which are small afternoon mini-workshops for photographers specifically in the Midwest area. They are very specific to a certain topic (ie. our first one will be all about Tilt Shift photography!). I am super excited for these, because it is a great way to connect the people in my immediate market and also teach them about very specific parts of running a business or shooting techniques, etc. I will be taking suggestions from photographers as to what the topic will be for each MINNe-SHOP!

Last but not least, a bigger, more glorious workshop is in the works! It will most definitely be amazing and centered around our unique situation of having a team!

What are you most proud of as a business woman?

I’m proud of living my dream and not compromising anything along the way! I’m young and successful - and more importantly I have amazing clients, respect in my industry and I get to make a living doing what I love - and I am surrounded by people I love. What could be better? 

What is the best thing you’ve done to make your business successful?

Doing exactly what I have wanted to do and not what other people have ‘thought‘ I should do. I have always taken big risks and never played it safe. I have also surrounded myself with the most amazing people, which have been a huge support system for me!

What have you done to get clients that you really love that want what YOU do?

There are two things I feel have heavily contributed to me getting the perfect clients:

1)  My blog. Over time, I have built this amazing following of blog readers who tune in daily to see what is going on at Photogen Inc. I have been told that my blog is sometimes the best part of a person’s day and that is huuuuuge! I am myself on my blog. I swear all the time, I post photos of myself running around in my underwear, and I also show only the work that I want everyone to see. Because of this, the people who book me are attracted to ME, just as much as they are my work. This makes all the difference in the world to have that connection with people.

2)  Word of Mouth. Whether it’s my blog, facebook or twitter, online presence is absolutely everything now.  I have also never advertised, so the constant chatter about my blog as brought in more readers and followers than I could have ever imagined. Eventually, these people get engaged and I am the first person they call, price is not an issue, they just want ME. I seriously have the perfect clients!

What do you do to keep from feeling overwhelmed?

There is no doubt about it, owning your own business is overwhelming and stressful. However, it is completely rewarding. I honestly don’t get overwhelmed that often. The vibe in our studio is pretty chill and we have such an amazing system over here that we know we’re all in it together, which helps with my stress! And yoga!

You are such a fun person.  What keeps you going?

You know, it’s all about having fun. Life is way too short to not love what you do. I feel like this entire journey of owning my own business has literally just been so much fun! I am so fortunate, but also a big believer that everyone can be this happy when they take big risks and make their life exactly what they want! I have a lot of momentum to push the limits - that is what keeps me going!

You have 7 people that work for your company.  How did you know it was time to hire?  And how did you make the leap?

Hiring the right people is a very organic process. I am a big believer that people come into our lives for a reason and it’s just all about recognizing their potential! It is essential to hire people who you have an instant, deep connection with - and who you can also put your upmost trust in. Loyalty, honesty and passion and three of the main things I look for.  I also hire people who really have had never photographed weddings before or have goals of their own completely separate from photography - it helps us so much more with an overall group collaboration and they also have no pre-conceived-notion of what you are ‘suppose to do’.

You do a great job capturing with the Tilt Shift lens.  How do you know when to use it?

Thank you! I think a lot of what makes a person a good photographer is knowing what tool is going to be the best for the image they are trying to achieve! Personally, I get a little excited ‘feeling‘ in me when I look out and visualize what a certain image might look like with the Tilt Shift. If I know it is going to enhance the image and make it the best it can be, I will use the lens! If not, my 50mm or wide angle might be a better option! The T/S lens is trendy right now and it’s important for photographers to really step back and think “Am I using this lens just to get a cool blur effect or am I really enhancing the image?”

What is something that you think women in the industry should not do?

Jump the gun. I know a lot of people who get burned out really quickly from launching their business too fast and not taking enough time to practice their craft. It’s taken me 10-11 years to get where I am now (and no, I’m not that old, but I have been working at it that long). Things for me did not happen over night - and they are not suppose to. Take your time to really be REMARKABLE at what you do.

What is something that you think women in the industry should do?

Have confidence and have fun! If you really, deep down inside of you, know that you are suppose to do your own thing and run your own business - DO IT! Yes, it’s scary and you could think of a million excuses as to why you are not-suppose-to, but I guarantee you, they are all bullshit. If you try, I bet you will surprise yourself as to how successful you can be! Also, get un-comfortable with your life. Big things happen when you are un-comfortable - it forces you to take risks!

What five suggestions do you have for women who are trying to have a more balanced life?

Take time for yourself: Don’t make it all about business! I did this for a wee bit of time and I was pretty stressed out. I realized I was doing everything for everyone else and not for myself. Go get your nails done, go to the gym or take a trip alone...you have to be connected with yourself to connect with others!

Travel: There is a bigger world out there than your little bubble of twitter, facebook and immediate industry. When your eyes are opened, you don’t stress about the little things!

Dance Party! That’s right! I always like to rock it out and have little dance parties in the studio to Just. Let. Go.

Get your shit done - and you’ll have time for the fun stuff! Sometimes in life we have so many distractions that it takes us way longer to get things done.

Get a good working space. Getting my studio and having a creative space to come to work in really helped me separate work from life. It also allowed me to be more productive and creative. A studio is not the solution for everyone, but a creative space is!

 To see more of Eliesa's work:

Website

Blog

LOVEe Consults

MINNe-SHOPS

***All images in this post are copyright Eliesa of Photogen Inc.***

american girl book club.

A few years ago a friend of mine told me about having an American Girl Book Club.  Now...I've never been into the American Girl dolls and I thought that's all that American Girl was but after we chatted about this super fun book club I wished that my girls were old enough to attend.  

In January Miriam and Emma came home all excited about the book their teacher was reading about the civil war.  As we talked more I found out that they were reading "Meet Addy", one of the American Girl books.  I love that American Girl has created stories about girls that are aroud 8-10 years old in different time periods of our country's history and in the midst of the story you learn some wonderful details about the era in which the girls lived.  There's even a little history section in the back that gives more details about what they ate, fashion of the time, what boys and girls did, and other fascinating information.

I said to Miriam and Emma (and Gracie, too, of course)...."we could have an American Girl Book Club!"  I explained that we'd need to send out invitations...and before I even said anything else they were all for an American Girl Book Club.

We wanted to have a Mother/Daughter Book Club and decided that each of the girls would invite 3-4 friends and their moms from school and church.  We chose to start with the book, "Meet Felicity".  

Each Mother/Daughter would need to dress in the time period and also bring a dish that was from a recipe of the era or something that they ate in 1774.  We also let everyone on our invite list know that we would read a book one month and then the next month we would have our book club get together.  We invited 12 Mother/daughters...which meant 24 people minimum (not counting me with my 3 girls) if everyone showed up.  I told the girls, usually when you have a party you can plan on about 50% of the people attending.  So we'll probably have about 10-12 people....

Everyone attended but one mom and her daughter!  We were so excited!

We were so thrilled when all of our friends showed up to the party and had totally gotten into dressing up and bringing a recipe!   It was so fun to see all of the little girls in homemade, patched together costumes (I went to Goodwill and found some skirts, used some stuff from around the house, etc.).  It was sweet to see them talking together and looking so much like they had stepped out of 1774.

Here are some of our details:

*The girls and I made invitations one month in advance of our first book club party.  We included details of dressing in the time period and bringing a recipe dish from the time period as well as the book we had chosen, "Meet Felicity".

*With the help of some wonderful moms in the group, the girls and I created a really pretty table that looked very 1774 with china and pewter for each of the girls to eat on.  (I think this was key to pulling off a great party...knowing that you can call other moms to help you and your girls out).

*We researched the time period beyond the book looking for famous women, politics of the time, fashion, what women and men did, the state of the country (colonies), what games the kids played, what school was like, what kinds of homes they had, plumbing and electricity of 1774 (zilch), etc. 

*We create a timeline game with events that could be taped onto the timeline that we put on a huge table.

*For our book discussion we made a little list of questions that we could discuss.  We divided into two groups since our club is so big.  Half way through our discussion we divided into different groups again so that we could hear other people's thoughts on the book.

*The girls and I learned a dance from 1774 that we taught to the other moms and daughters.

*We had our book discussion before we ate.

*At the end of the book club party we decided on our next book, "Meet Kaya" and another mom and daughter volunteered to do the next book club party.  (Actually, 2 moms decided they would plan the next event together.)

*We talked about Abigail Adams (1st lady to the 2nd President of the United States) and how she had written over 1,000 letters in her lifetime.  So...each of the girls and their mothers wrote one another a letter with a pen that had a feather taped to it (we would have like to have used ink and quill but couldn't find either one...)

*I had a sewing activity and games activities planned as well but there just wasn't time.  We said the book club would go from noon-2pm...and really it could have gone all day with all of the fun we had lined up.  It was nice to know that we weren't running low on activities.  It was also nice for the girls to just have fun playing together with no structure.

*We had fun!  All of the girls played after we ate and ran around like crazy and had a really great time.  Moms helped to clean up which I really appreciated and absolutely had not planned on.

*We collected names, phone numbers, email addresses, and mailing addresses before everyone left.  Most of these moms I had not met until they came to the book club party.  Many of them I didn't have a phone number for because the girls had just delivered the invitations at school.  

*I sent the collected names list out to everyone in the group, thanked everyone, and let everyone know who to contact about the next book club party.

If you have girls in the 5-10 year old range this is such a fun way to learn!  Once my girls grow out of/or finish the American Girl books I'm hoping that the book club will keep going with other age appropriate books...I love these women and their girls and I know I look forward to seeing them all every other month.

learn. LIFE.

how do I resist junk food?

I love it so much.  I've absolutely gotten a taste for this terrible, yummy, sugar, fat filled, tastiness.  I love junk food and especially as much chocolate as possible.

So...I've been on the search for some ideas for resisting what I've come to love again.

Here's a little list I found here:

1. Step 1

   Eliminate temptation at home. Clear out all the junk from your cupboards, and get the whole family on board for the effort.

2. Step 2

   Lay a healthful foundation by stocking up on ingredients for nutritious meals, desserts and snacks. If you eat healthy food at home, you won't feel so bad when you splurge on an infrequent fast-food meal or candy bar.

3. Step 3

   Set realistic expectations for yourself by remembering to practice moderation. Total deprivation will only make your cravings more intense, so allow yourself a weekly treat for cutting back.

4. Step 4

   Identify those times of the day when you're most vulnerable to a junk-food attack. Is it that relentless 3 p.m. cookie craving? The phone call from your client-from-hell that spurs a run to McDonald's? Prepare ahead of time by having healthy, flavorful alternatives on hand--and if you still need to indulge, just have a bite or two and toss the rest. Better yet, schedule alternate activities for those times when you're most likely to face temptation.

5. Step 5

   Choose grilled or broiled versions of foods that are typically fried. Grilled chicken sandwiches, grilled chicken and rice bowls, sandwiches with no cheese and a small amount of mayonnaise, fatfree or baked chips, water, and salads with light dressing are available at most fast-food restaurants.

6. Step 6

   Focus on eating healthy foods. Be sure the snack foods you keep in plain sight and hidden away are all good choices. Keep a fruit basket on your kitchen counter, table or desk. If you stock the refrigerator with exclusively healthy foods, you'll eventually overcome the urge for fat and sugar-laden treats.

7. Step 7

   Avoid situations that may encourage a junk attack, like sitting in front of the television all evening. Resist those evil vending machines at work by bringing your own healthful snacks and leaving your pocket change at home.

8. Step 8

   Cook large quantities and put extra meals in the freezer. That way you won't be tempted to make a junk-food run on your way home from work. See 297 Plan a Week of Menus.

So what junk food are you resisting this week in exchange for healthy choices?  And HOW are you doing it?

If you're struggling with something as you try to manage a more healthful life, let me know, and I'll address them here on Move it Monday.

Happy Healthy Week to you all!

junk-free. LIFE.