Diptych Project #3

MOTHER [earth]. The shape of the cliffs in this photo have always reminded me of the shape of an eye. Her tears rushing down with tremendous force. Heavy and healing, the beginning of a new cycle. Photographed on a Holga.

MOTHER [sink or swim]. Frigid and turbulent waters. Power, presenting as peace. Black and light. Duality.

Diptych Project #2

Sister I. Childhood; on the verge of teen years. I witness theirs, as I hold and tend to mine. Photographed on 35mm Kodak Gold.

Sisters II. Growing up with a sister. Part best friend, part worst enemy. Of the same womb and inextricably bonded by strands of DNA and experience. Bonds that will certainly patina with time but can never truly be broken. Photographed on 35mm Kodak Gold.

Diptych Project #1

I am trying something new. Will it stick, well I suppose we will just have to see. But for right now, this little project feels achievable and exciting. A way to dig into my existing work and get excited about creating new work.

The project. Share two photos every Monday. With a short description. Maybe two or three sentences.

And that is it. Let’s go.

Double Standards. A bright light shines harshly on her, casting two long shadows that stretch from her feet back into the darkeness. The heavy burden of double standards every woman must carry. Photographed on 35mm Portra 800.

Aura. A glowing aura of growth and healing surrounds her. Even on this path, shrouded in a heavy darkness. She is her own source of light. Double exposure photographed on 35mm Portra 800.

FREE Photography Lessons

Good Morning Friend,

It’s day I-don’t-even-know-anymore of self-isolation because of Covid-19. I am writing you from home while the snow (honestly, Alberta really needs to move on to spring now) gently falls outside my window and the kids take this unsupervised opportunity to wreak some havoc.  Seriously though, I can literally hear them quietly giggling as they fill something up in the sink.  But thats where we are at, letting some of the mischievous antics slide for a moment of quiet or an hour of work.  It's not a perfect system, but ya do what ya gotta do you know?!

How are you doing?   I have been thinking of you all so much.  Wondering if there is anyway I could help besides reminding you to dance on instagram lol.   And I decided that at the very least, I could offer you a fun and creative distraction.  FREE PHOTOGRAPHY LESSONS!  If you follow me on Insta, chances are you maybe joined in on one or two of the live lessons.  But I heard from so many folks that missed out on the lessons or worksheets (sad face).  So I set to work to make everything available for you to go at your own pace.  All the live recordings have been, very non-professionally, posted on IGTV and all the worksheets will be sent to your inbox, just CLICK HERE to grab them! 

Here is a little break down of the lessons:

1. Learn how to shoot on Manual Mode

2. Understanding that Light

3. Creating with Composition

4. How-to Create Double Exposure and other Creative Techniques

5. The Beauty of Self-Portraits

Ahh, so exciting. I honestly love chatting photography with you all and I really hope these lessons bring a little light to your days! If you have any question or just want chat, you know where to find me!  Sending you virtual hugs!

Warmly,

Karmen

P.S.  A dance a day is quite an effective mood booster, just try it!

That Time I met Gwyneth Paltrow’s Wedding Photographer/4 Life Changing Lessons I Learned at Photo Native

“Is anyone sitting there?!” I said while balancing a plate of food and glass of wine.

He said “No, it’s all yours.”

And I cheered a silent ‘hoooray!’ because I was starving, and the wine was free. So far my day of solo travel had only occasionally been haunted by that painful kind of awkward. You know, the kind that almost always comes along with navigating new environments and experiences. And, dang, dare I say this was shaping up to be a good night.

I honestly can’t remember how the next bit went. But I quite quickly came to the realization that I had parked my clueless little self right beside the star of the show, John Dolan. I had mini-internal battle that went something like, ‘ding, ding, ding! Girl you picked the right chair!’ and ‘Dang, I really wish I had researched the speakers better. I’m gonna seem really ignorant when John realizes I don’t actually know anything about him or any of the other big names here’, and ‘Shit, I hope he doesn’t think I am a total weirdo for just making myself at home beside the keynote speaker.’ Cue internal panic, but like play it cool on the outside….

Fortunately for me, John Dolan seems to be somewhat of an expert when it comes to making people feel welcome. And, just like that, before the conference had even started I had learned LESSON #1: DON’T JUDGE. BE KIND. STAY OPEN. I spent the next several hours completely engrossed in a conversation with the man who had recently photographed Gwyneth Paltrow’s wedding and had spent the past 30 (THIRTY!) years working with most incredible people, brands and editorials. I experienced A-ha moments, soaked up much wisdom and watched as John effortlessly made everyone feel valued. By the end of the night, that little couch was filled and many others had pulled up chairs to hang out and chat. As the conference unfolded over the next few days I came to realize that literally all those people I sat around talking shop with were also instructors..….. So just call me a keener I guess LOL.

But this leads us perfectly to LESSON #2: THE POWER OF REAL LIFE CONNECTION. Don’t get me wrong, I love connecting online as much as the next person. I am a part of facebook groups that are genuinely empowering. And I have made the most wonderful friends through instagram. BUT, nothing, NOTHING, beats true conversation and connection. Some of my favourite moments from the conference did not happen in the classroom. But on the airplane, over coffee and during all those awkward in-between moments where it’s so easy to just stick a phone in front of our faces. Listen, friend. PUT THE PHONE DOWN. Smile at a stranger. Invite someone sitting alone to your table. There is so much to gain and much to lose when we choose to disconnect instead of engage with the people around us. This is something I am 100% going to be incorporating into my business this year. This includes getting my introvert butt out the door and (gulp) taking and making phone calls and maybe even hosting some shoots and events?! Who the heck knows! I just wanna see your beautiful faces IRL, ASAP!

And LESSON #3: THE ABSOLUTE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING INTUITIVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE. I get it, this isn’t my favourite part of the job either. But do you know what reoccurring pattern appeared with all my fav, successful photographers? Diligent, intuitive systems to ensure a stellar client experience. This is something I have worked on within my own portrait biz for a while now, but I have come home with SO MANY IDEAS on how to make it even better for my clients. And hopefully easier on me too! If you haven’t started creating workflows and automation sequences. Please, do yourself a favour and look into it! I use 17Hats, but there are lot’s of other options out there! (If you want to give 17Hats a try, you can use THIS LINK for 10% off!)

And lastly, LESSON #4: IT IS TIME TO START DOING. At the risk of sounding like a humble-brag, a common theme for me during the duration of Photo Native was deep validation. Validation that I am extremely capable, that I am on the right track and that each phase of life and business has equipped me with a unique set of skills. It is time to stop the second-guessing, to be brave and start putting into action what I already know. Fun fact: I am not the only person who struggles with these type of mindset barriers. And I don’t know who needs to hear this right now but see you, I really do feel you. I know how easy it is to dis-credit yourself. I know that stepping into your own potential is scary and uncomfortable. But I’m telling you, it is time to show up! Just show-up. Let’s do this together? Seriously!

Dang, there is so much more goodness that happened at Photo Native, I haven’t even told you about Yan Palmer, Caroline Tran or the dance party yet! And boy do I have some photos to share. But for now I’m just going to leave you with some iPhone shots and a virtual hug. Thanks for hanging out, I truly hope you learned something awesome and that you put it into action instead of just adding it to list of many things you already know. If you wanna chat more DM me on Insta, @karmenmeyerphotography or shoot me an Email, I genuinely adore connecting with you!

Warmly,

Karmen

P.S. Just a friendly reminder to myself (and you, if you need it) during a season of intense inspiration. You can do all this at your own pace. You can still live a life of slow intention and connection while passionately pursuing your dream job. Let’s call it the slow burn.

Why is photography so expensive?

OK, so here's the thing, this is really uncomfortable to talk about but I am going to anyways because I think these days transparency is everything.  So here we go, let’s get right into it. Why is professional photography 'expensive'? 

1. First of all, because running a photography business is expensive!! By now you have probably noticed ALOT of different people who start a photography business only to close it within a year or two because they are losing so much valuable time and resources. You see, what many people don't realize is that Photographers are paying bills just like your local salon or accountant. Unfortunately being a professional photographer isn't just buying a nice camera and booking clients. There are website fees, taxes, insurance, overhead costs, thousands of dollars worth of equipment to maintain and upgrade, there is editing software, emailing software, studio management software (ugh, so much software) and accountants and contractors and lab fees, etc. Let me tell ya, some days the expenses feel endless!!

2. Photography is filled with hidden hours. When you pay your photographer $300 for an hour long session, you are not paying them $300 an hour. Many hours are spent communicating, planning, driving, culling, editing, downloading and uploading. That one hour session can easily take up 8 hours of the photographers time. In fact, According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most photographers earn between $31,710 and $40,280 annually, or $15.24 to $19.37 an hour (pixsy.com).

3. Cost of education. True not all photographers go to post-secondary for photography. But I did! And on top of earning a degree, techniques and technology are always changing so it is important to keep learning and improving! Last year I invested over $3000 into education, and this year I have already spent $2000 so that I can serve my clients better and keep my business thriving!!

4. When you hire a professional photographer you are hiring an experienced artist. You are hiring someone with a unique eye and set of skills. You are hiring someone who knows how to make you feel incredible and confident and at ease. If you are brand, you are hiring someone who is able to translate your company’s story into a beautiful visual. Photography is unique in that it is equal parts technical skill, creativity and connection, and many photographers, myself included, have spent years honing their craft!

5. Photographs are invaluable and irreplaceable. Photography is one of those things that actually gets better with age. When cared for properly it will last for generations. And in my opinion, it is one of the few things we buy that doesn't have a shelf life. It doesn't become less important when trends shift. It possesses a truly unique emotional value.

So there you have it friends. I hope this adds a little context and insight into why photography costs what it does. I realize for some it’s just not worth it, and that is OK!! Phones have wonderful cameras now and we are all free to document our lives and businesses in that way if we so choose. But if you do value photography, know that by paying proper rates that you are supporting a working artist. An artist who is creating one-of-kind art just for you! Take so much pride in knowing that you are supporting a sustainable, local business!

And if you are feeling especially bold, when you see a photographer selling sessions and all the files for an incredibly low price like $150, take a minute to send her some love and encouragement. Let her know that she is incredibly talented and worth so much more. Because chances are, she is giving up valuable time with her family, she is exhausted, she isn’t making a living and her business may even be on the verge of burning out. (of course this applies to men as well, but in my experience women have a much harder time charging their worth!)

I would love to hear from you! Does this add some clarity and transparency to the price of photography? Have you also noticed the incredibly high turnover amongst local photographers?

And lastly, to my fellow photographers. How many of you struggle immensely with knowing your worth and pricing sustainably? I so get it, and want you to know that you are not alone. If you ever need help please don’t hesitate to reach out!

XO,

Karmen

photocredit: Marielle Elizabeth

Honest Review | Poppy Barley Eyelet Oxford a.k.a The Perfect Travel Shoe

The Poppy Barley Eyelet Oxfords!  The shoes that feel like slippers. No seriously they do.  I first tried these shoes on about a year ago and was immediately shocked by how comfortable they were;  Sadly, I wasn’t in need of them at the time so I left them on the shelf but you better believe that I did not stop thinking about them.

So when I started packing for our trip to Italy and realized I was going to need to bring a single pair of shoes that basically looks good with everything and are very walkable I did not hesitate to order a pair! 

And let me tell you, I put some serious miles on those babies.  We walked around 14km a day exploring the streets of Florence, the beaches of Cinque Terre, and the Canals of Venice. If I’m honest, it still feels a little unreal!  The only shoes I wore were these oxfords and my Birkenstocks.  And you guys, I have zero regrets.  They were exactly what I needed.  My love for Poppy Barley shoes hath grown ever deeper.

Now that being said let’s dig into the pros and cons of this cutie little shoe!

PROS

1. I am cannot over state how comfortable these are from the first wear. Almost unbelievably soft leather.

2. No tie laces. I’m lazy about my wardrobe pieces. If it’s too much work I likely won’t wear it. Needless to say, these slip one flats have been worn relentlessly.

3. So versatile. These shoes have such a minimal, classic look that works with so many outfits.

4. Great quality, my oxfords are still in incredible shape despite constant wear, being shoved in bags, and traipsing through less than ideal terrain.

5. They are always available in a variety of colours! I decided on toffee because I really needed them to be able to match everything, but Poppy Barley has some seriously cool colours and prints that change throughout the year.

CONS

1. They are very flat. I am quite short at about 5’2” and I have to admit I sometimes missed the little bit of height I get from some of my other shoes.

2. The sole is super soft and fairly flat. To be fair I think this is partially why they feel like the most comfortable pair of slippers. But if you are someone like me who has really bad feet you may want to consider adding a pair of orthotics. I used a pair of inexpensive Dr. Scholl’s and it’s been perfect!

So there you have it, my new favourite traveling companion. Besides my family of course! If you have been in need of an everyday, versatile shoe this one is without a doubt an absolute winner. Me, I am 100% saving up for their brand new Victoriana Boot!! It’s the black boot of my dreams friends!

I hope this helped! If you have any questions about the shoes or Italy, get at me girl! <3

Warmly,

Karmen

P.S. For more Honest Reviews follow me on Instagram, @karmenmeyerphotography, and check out my posts on buliding a capsule wardrobe.

As always, in the interest of full transparency, I want to let you know that Poppy Barley traded me these shoes in exchange for photos.  My review however was NOT paid for.  It is just honest feedback on my experience. Additionally, I don’t make any money if you buy these shoes. I just know how intimidating it is to purchase ethical clothing as it often mean more $$$ and ordering online without seeing the garment first hand. It’s truly my hope to help make that easier for you with these reviews! Thanks for hanging out and letting me do a wee bit of reminiscing today!