Brandon.

I photographed Brandon back in January.  I'm grateful for the brief but lasting opportunity I had to be with him and his sweet family.

Brandon passed away Sunday morning after fighting cancer for over 4 years.

There are so many words that describe this brave boy and his selfless family.

Courage

Kindness

Perservance

Goodness

Faith

Strength

Great trust in the Lord

LOVE.

They've all been through more in the last 10 years than most families go through in a lifetime.  They've all done it with grace and graciousness and they keep giving love and kindness. 

Brandon has been a gift to more people than can be counted.

Thank you, Brandon, Christy, Don, Ellie, and Dylan.

**Memorials may be made in memory of Brandon to Greene Funeral Home Northwest Chapel, PO Box 37537, Rock Hill, SC 29732.

sweet. LOVE.

**All images in this post are copyright Laura  Novak.***

NEXT WEEK: Karen Lippowiths

{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!
 

Laura,    You have an absolute gift for organization, business, and marketing.  I attended a presentation you gave at a DWF convention years ago and was blown away by your knowlege and expertise.  You have created a very successful business in Philadelphia and in the meantime gotten married and moved into a gorgeous studio.  I'm so thrilled that you are here on Women and Business!  Thank you!

What do you do to help your clients be so comfortable with you during a photo shoot?
It’s really important to me to be present during the photo sessions, to bring my heart and soul to the session and connect with my subject.  Children know when you are just humoring them, or if you really care.  They are very intuitive.

 

How do you make time for your personal life and business life?
I love having my studio outside the home; when I go to work, I’m at work and when I’m home – I’m home.  Evenings and weekends are often spent with my husband or friends.  It’s a very different lifestyle from when I first started out... my schedule and separation of business and personal has been a work in progress for a long time!  There were a few defining moments that made me realize that I had to protect my personal time.  In the last few years I have been saying no more than ever, whereas when I first started I almost never said no to anything.  Now I’m really careful of preserving of my personal time and unless something is really important to our goals, I won’t travel or take on a big project - especially if it requires evenings or weekends. The more focused I have gotten with the business, the more I know what to say yes and what to say no to.

 

What is your schedule like each week in your studio?
I usually go to yoga first thing in the morning, and then come home, hang out with my dogs and husband and answer emails while watching the news.  I’ll go into the Wilmington studio around 9ish and typically have a photo session, I will select images from the previous session and transfer the editing over to our production manager.  I may do some admin work, take a look at our finances (I have daily metrics I look at every day), or work on our marketing.  Then I will most likely have lunch with a friend or colleague and head over to our PA location in the afternoon (about a half hour away).  I’ll typically answer questions and mentor the photographers over there for a while, do some errands, have any meetings or finish the day with a photo session.  I love it every day.

 

What do you recommend women do who are just getting started in the industry?
Start out with a business plan – know how much money you need to get going, the kind of customers you want to bring in the door and take the time to understand what is going to be required.  Most people I have talked to in my workshops (women especially) fall into the photography by accident and don’t really have a plan for what they are going to charge, how they are going to get customers, how much money it is going to take to start and when they can start taking a salary.  Then they are not taken very seriously by their spouses or family and become upset or frustrated which creates conflict.  It’s always best to establish expectations in advance – for yourself and everyone else in your life!

 

You are a fantastic business woman.  What made you start Strategy Avenue?
After I would speak or teach at a workshop or convention, photographers would come up and ask questions like ‘how do you get customers?’ or ‘how do you price.’  My response was “what does your business plan say?” and they would look at me like I am crazy!  But you have to have a plan when you are starting a business.  How I market, or price, is irrelevant to how another photographer should market, or price.   It all depends on your strategy, your mission and your vision.   One size fits all doesn’t work!

After learning more about what photographers really need to create a business plan, I developed a product that visually communicates how to create a business plan with a corresponding DVD curriculum.  It was difficult and expensive to produce but I have gotten great feedback from our customers ranging from their ability to get a bank loan to finally understanding their goal as a photographer.   It takes you through all the major steps of business planning, it’s hard work and essential to the success of any company big or small. I use the same product on my own company and re-visit my business plan every January.

 

What do you do for fun...that has nothing to do with photography?
I love to hang out with my dogs and my husband, John.  I am a total foodie and love going out to dinner with friends and with John.  We live in a great walking neighborhood and spend a lot of time out chatting with people and going for walks.  We also volunteer our time to many different charity organizations that are important to us where we meet new people.  

 

What are you most proud of as a business woman?
I have a firm set of values that I never compromise on.  Even if I could make more money or come out ahead by compromising my values, I never would.  Integrity is what is most important to me.

 

How do you keep your marriage safe from the stresses of your business?
I really try to have specific times that I work, and times that I do not.  I plan evening and weekend activities, when possible, around things my husband already has going on so we can be home at the same time.  Since being married, I have focused more on children’s portraiture and less on wedding photography so I can be home with him on the weekends.  I only tend to go to one national convention a year so if I’m asked to speak at one, I won’t attend another. My marriage is top priority in my life.  I don’t expect my husband’s life to revolve around photography, he’s interested in my business and helps out from time to time but we have other interests together as well.
 

You recently did a wonderful project with an ICU.  How did that come about?

Almost two years ago, I was on a shuttle bus coming back to Delaware from the Philadelphia airport and the only other two people on the bus were Nurses from the Hospital.  We started talking and came up with the idea.  I sent an email as a follow up and they forwarded it to a junior-level events coordinator at the Hospital.  We then just kept meeting with people and following up.  It was a good year of meeting with people and following up before we were able to begin photographing.  Once the head NICU nurse got wind of the idea, she really drove it forward because she wanted it so badly for her patients.

What is the best thing you've done to make your business successful?
I do yoga most days from 6 am. - 7 am.  It reminds me of the kind of person I want to be and keeps me centered and balanced for the day’s craziness.  

 

What have you done that you feel has the most meaning for you?
When I was watching the unveiling of the NICU project I was involved with, I was really excited about how much meaning it offers and how this project will continue to inspire people who are struggling with a infant who is fighting to survive. 

 

What do you do to keep from feeling overwhelmed?
I certainly can feel that way sometimes.  But I try not to get upset about feeling overwhelmed, being overwhelmed means I am outside me comfort zone, that I am learning and stretching. When I do feel overwhelmed I really try to stay as calm as possible under stress, and laughing always helps.  We laugh a lot in our studios and I think the day we stop laughing, it stops being fun.  I also have GREAT mentors, all outside the photography industry and I find there is usually someone I can call who can help me sort through a problem.  Finally I try to accept it as part of the journey of being a business owner and constantly learning!

 

What three products or things help you stay organized?

1. Things (conveniently named)
2. I use the voice recorder in my iphone when I think of something while I am in the car (only at red lights, I did sign the Oprah no phone zone pledge!)
3. ical – both of my store managers have my calendar on their computers so anyone can see what I’m doing at any time and when and where to expect me next

What is something that you think women in the industry should not do?
Allow negativity and drama to enter into their day.  I have a zero drama tolerance in my companies – and with 10 women the potential is there!  At Laura Novak Photography and Little Nest Portraits, If you are struggling in your job, we will get you training and support. If you are frustrated with another employee – we expect you to talk to that person directly in a honest and productive way.  If you are having a personal situation, take the time you need and come back when you are ready.  But there is no gossip, no whining, no negative attitudes allowed.  We just can’t afford to have it part of our culture. 

I also think that women, more than men, tend to try to be best friends with their employees.  They think “if they like me, then they will do what I ask.”  In my company it’s more important to me to be respected than to be liked.  If I can be both, that is a bonus.  I’m close friends with several of my employees but mutual respect is the foundation of the friendship.

**For a more indepth look at how to be a great manager see Laura's interview here with Totally Rad.**

What is something that you think women in the industry should do?
They should follow their intuition, rather than over-think something and thus over-ride their gut feeling.  I have learned to trust my intuition over the years, because every time I don’t I end up regretting it.  At this point, if something doesn’t feel right I won’t even consider it.  A woman’s intuition is a gift.

What five suggestions do you have for women who are trying to have a more whole, content, and blissful life?

1. always make your family and your personal life your highest priority.  It helps you to have an identity outside of work, which to me is the key to balance.
2. taking care of your health and your body will allow you to live in the moment and find your truest intention in your day
3. your fear of regret should always be more important than your fear of failure
4. surround yourself only with the kind of people who lift you higher
5. life is a journey.  Learn from the mistakes, celebrate the adventures and be grateful for every step along the way.

To see more of Laura's work:

Website

Blog

Strategy Avenue

Living the Dream Workshop

**All images in this post are copyright Laura  Novak.***

it can't be the first day of school already.

Every year the 1st day of school is difficult for me.  It's filled with all of the reminders of the things we did all summer and the things I wished that we had been able to fit into the too short summer days and the months that felt like they had wings and moments that happened before I even realized.  Seconds that played out and that I hoped to capture but that seemed to fly away before my hands could reach out and cup them careful to place gently into a mason jar.  So many of those summer days of lemonade and swimming and drive in movies and just being now feel like the fireflies we tried to catch...chasing after t hem, reaching into the gathering dusk for their light, hoping that when we opened our hands we would have one to keep...

I have all of these sweet summer memories in my mind and I can't help but want to have them in my hands where I can live them all again.

I loved this past summer.  It was a summer filled with things I hadn't expected.  My kids all grew up more in the last 3 months than they have in any previous summer.  Everyone one of them gained inches.  Emmett is now taller than me...that seemed to happen almost overnight.  Emma and Miriam both grew so much that now when I put my arms around them they I realize that they are less my little tiny girls and more grown up. Grace has gone through 2 shoe sizes and lost 2 teeth and gained 2 inches.  How does this all happen so fast?

I also didn't expect that this would be my first summer that I would have days where I looked to the first day of school and hoped it would come quickly...

Mostly, though I have loved summer.  I love the days of swimming at the pool, everyone hanging around the house engrossed in a great book, hearing my girls play endlessly together, laughing from another room in the house, happy kids running in and out of doors, girls making lemonade for a lemonade stand, boys making every color waffles for all of the neighborhood kids, doing sprints in the mornings with Miriam and Emmett, whispering voices coming from beneath blanket laden kitchen table forts, princesses being chased around the house by older brothers with light sabers, watching kids ride off down the road on their bikes together, walking to the school, playing at parks, exploring trails, paddling boats, eating ice cream, laughing under starry skies on our back deck, planning our 4th of July party, being silly with Grammy and Grandpa, picking very small and very few tomatoes from our garden, making salsa, taking meals to people with the cousins, creating cardboard villages, painting masterpieces, feeding giraffes and rhinos, playing games, enjoying a fun staycation, eating more ice cream, and just hanging out and being together.

What I didn't expect was that my kids' personalities would become stronger than ever.  They've always, each of them, had strong personalities and I've raised them to be independent and speak their minds.  I'm grateful for that...most days.  Some days though, especially lately, I'd like at least one of them to please just back down from a disagreement, stop pushing each other's buttons, refrain from poking their brother, or maybe just try not to talk for 2 minutes...those were the times that I would look at the calendar and wonder when school was starting.  Because at this moment...it wasn't soon enough.

A few years ago my sister said to me, "How do you stand the fighting?  I just can't stand the fighting..."

I said to her, "My kids don't really fight."

She said, "Really?!"

I was surprised to hear that my sister's kids fought enough to make her crazy.  They are good kids and my sister is a great mom.  (I was leaving in an alternate reality, I'm convinced.  I'm not saying that my kids didn't fight...I'm saying they didn't fight enough to make me crazy.)  I said, "Really. They have occasional moments...but it's not too bad."

She's a few years ahead of me.  Her oldest is 2 years older than my oldest.

Let's just say...

I now know what she was talking about....

There's something that clicks as kids get older.  Even though my kids have definitely known that they have a voice in our home...it's been recently that they've realized more and more that their voice means something.  They want to bring it out more often and stretch it and exercise it and get a good look at what it can do.  They like to experiment and see what kind of effect their voice and actions can have on other people. It's part of learning...even if it makes me crazy.  I'm glad about the learning, the stretching, the trying things out.  It's a good thing...except when I can't take it any more. 

So I watch as our family changes and evolves and our summers become shorter and shorter and personalities and voices are tested and there are days when school starts looking appealing...

Today, I sit here wishing that this new school year would melt away and wait to arrive on my doorstep until another day.  Today, I want to put a book on my kids' heads and hope it keeps them from becoming another year older.

I want that.

And I don't.

Watching my children change and become these amazing, outspoken, thoughtful, sensitive, kind, crazy, funny, soulful, aware, smart, wonderful human beings is also thrilling.

Seeing them try on being older and more grown up just to check the size like it's a pair of pants that is a size too big makes me smile a very, "I'm so proud of you even if it makes me crazy" kind of smile.

And when they occasionally leave those one-size-too-big pants discarded on the ground, I smile because I get to hug them just a little more and hold them just a little longer.  I know it's only for a second and they're going to try on being older and grown up again too soon.

And that's what makes every 1st day of school difficult.

It means that all of my kids are going to bust out their "I'm older and more grown up" clothes.  There's less and less looking back as I drop them off at school.  There's less sad faces when I leave and more excitement about what's ahead.

And that's the way it should be.  It's the way I want it to be for my sweet kids.  I want them to seize new opportunities with gusto and excitement.

And from outside their classroom doors I watch them and I listen to the voices behind doors as I walk down the long school corridors...

and I smile a very "I'm proud of you even if it makes me miss you" kind of smile...

school. LIFE.

Happy summer to you.

Thanks for checking in with Women and Business this week. 

Due to the craziness of the last week of summer, school starting, and the need to squeeze in just 10 more fun things before summer's end...my blog has been a quiet place.   Please check back with Women and Business next Thursday... Maile Knight Wilson will be appearing on September 23rd....

NEXT WEEK:  Laura Novak

In the meantime, click here, to catch up or reread some of our past Women and Business features.  You'll love them...even the second time around!

business. LIFE.

**All images in this post are copyright Karen Wise.***

NEXT WEEK: Maile Knight Wilson

{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!
 

Karen,    You live in New York City...somewhere I've always wanted to live...and your work is breathtaking.  You started a photography business 10 years ago and were just named one American Photo's Top Wedding Photographers.  You've accomplished a great deal in the last few years!  Your work is gorgeous, you shoot film, and I adore the simplicity of your food photography.  I'm so thrilled that you are here on Women and Business!  Thank you!

How long have you been a professional photographer?  What drew you to photography?

I’ve been a professional photographer since 1998, I guess. It’s hard to define when exactly I became “a professional” since I was doing so much photography from 1993-97 before I went off on my own. I studied photography at RISD and graduated with a BFA in Photo in 1996. I immediately started working in NYC as a photographer’s assistant. I assisted still life a food photographers and started to do my own jobs on the side.


Are you married?  Do you have children?

Nope, not yet ;-)  I’m in a long-term relationship with my beau, Chandler Kauffman, filmmaker extraordinaire.


Are you in a retail space or a home studio?  What made you decide ton the space you have?

I’m currently in a home studio in Park Slope, Brooklyn. I chose to live in a neighborhood which I knew well and which had a lot of life (cafes, good restaurants, a food coop, yoga center and a huge park) sacrificing a bit of space so that I could be at the center of it all. I went from living in a brownstone with a garden and a basement which was my darkroom, to something lofty, yet still prewar. I’m not in an elevator building (helps with the equipment schlepping!) in a home studio with high ceilings and windows which are southern facing (lots of light)
I do love the thriving neighborhood and the proximity to my office ;-)


Do you shoot film or digital?  What made you decide on this?

I shoot mostly film (medium format) and at times digitally (5D Mark II). I am a bit of a photography purist. I learned on film, it is my medium, my art-form, so why change something that I love and that works for me? The only reason to go digital in my mind was to save money. And it’s not even that much of a savings to shoot digitally, as there is so much more post-production work involved in shooting digitally. 

I prefer the look of film too.
Digital photography seemed so foreign to me, until 2 years ago when I finally bought my first digital camera (the 5D Mark II). I bought it because some of my wedding clients and events clients were asking me for images that night, or because they were adamant on receiving digital files and no negatives. They also wanted a less expensive wedding package, which I could now provide as an option…



What film do you shoot and what cameras and lenses do you use?

Film: Medium format film: mostly Kodak Portra NC
                And Kodak TMax 400
Large Format: Fuji Provia, NPS and Portra NC

Cameras: Contax 645, mostly 80mm, 55mm, and 140mm prime lenses
        Sinar 4x5, mostly the 210mm lens
        5D Mark II mostly the 50 L series prime lens


Do you do any work in Photoshop on your film images?

I do a little bit of adjusting of levels. I also make diptychs for my blog in Photoshop.

What does your workflow look like?  Do you outsource or keep everything in house?
   
My lab in Chelsea, NYC does a lot of the work for me (film developing, scanning and proof printing).

I also have a post-production assistant for my digital jobs. She tweaks slightly, resizes, and renames for me.

 

You were recently named one of American Photo's top 10 wedding photographers.  How did that change your photography business?  What good things did you see come from that honor?

Immediately after I was named one of the top ten, I would say I had about triple the amount of inquiries. I also had more requests for weddings around the country and in other interesting destinations. Since the article spoke of the wedding I shot in Udaipur, India, I received many inquiries for India after that. 
I found that I had more requests than usual for interviews and features in international publications which was awesome. My dream come true occurred in late 2008, when Vogue India interviewed me for a full page article on my work : )

In 2009 I also shot my first VIP celebrity wedding, the wedding of Google Vice President Marissa Mayer, in San Francisco at the Four Seasons. At this wedding one of my favorite bands, The Killers, played at their rehearsal dinner!

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

Nothing unsual, I talk to them and try not to bring up anything stressful ;-) I’ve been told that I have a calming demeanor.

You are widely published including Martha Stewart and Modern Bride.  How did you make that happen?

I guess I made connections in the magazine world early on and along the way… I sent my portfolios to MSW and Conde Nast a bunch of years ago. This was before online submissions! Eventually I was in their radar for when I would send them real weddings…



How do you make time for friends and family?

It’s tough, especially living in NYC where scheduling with friends can be so hard! But I try to make an extra effort to do so. I tend to see my Brooklyn friends a lot more frequently than my Manhattan friends though…
As for family, we set dates and times to meet.  I just saw my sister and my niece and nephew on my birthday in Cape Cod. I made the effort to take off from work and drive up there. The kids are growing so quickly, it makes me sad to say goodbye…
I also, try to see my parents in Montreal about 3 times per year at least. Chandler and I love visiting too, we ski up in Canada in the winter and attend the Jazz Festival in the summer. September in my utmost favorite month to visit.

After 10 years of business how do you keep from becoming burned out?

I try to keep shooting a variety of things. I go from shooting weddings, to food to travel. I just finished shooting a cookbook shoot with writer Silvia Lehrer. I also recently traveled and shot a friend’s wedding in Hawaii. I never get burned out : )



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

Assist others and absorb as much technical info as possible. Build a strong portfolio and website and shop them around. Try to learn from “rejection” take each little rejection as constructive criticism and improve as you go…



You are a food photographer. How did  you come to love food photography?

By assisting and being inspired by still life photographers Victor Schrager, Sang An and Anna Williams in the late 90’s.

 

What is your favorite thing about being a photographer?

The malleable schedule ;-)



What advantages do you think women have as photographers?

We have access that men don’t have.



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

Travel
Yoga
Spinning
Knitting
Watching films

What are you most proud of as a business woman?

Having made it in New York City.

What are the top three things you did when you were first getting started in
business to bring in clients?

1. Unique Websites: I bought KarenWise.com and FoodandArt.com in 1998

2. Killer Portfolios: I had two one for weddings and one for food, deisgned by Talas and handprinted by myself

3. A unique technique/niche: Handprinting from my film was one of mine…Indian weddings was another.



What are some of the processes you go through in your mind when you're at a shoot?  Do you have a bit of a routine you do to make sure you get the images that you want?

Don’t really have a regular/consistent process. I gauge the subject which is what dictates the way I then shoot/interact with them.

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

I invested in an excellent computer programmer/designer to make my new website in 2008. It was the first time I had a flash site, and I love it.
For this I also collaborated with a graphic designer (Oh Joy! Studio) to design my logo and help create a type of branding for my business.
This also carried over into my blog..
 
Although my blog is relatively new (I started it in 2008) I think it’s also brought me more work and followers. It’s also been a place where I can write down my thoughts, place travel images and organize my pictures in general.

What do you do to keep from feeling overwhelmed?

Yoga, and massage. Keeping things in perspective.

Blog

Wedding Website

FoodandArt

**All images in this post are copyright Karen Wise.***