Inspired Branding - Pink Perfection

It's another installment of Inspired Branding! I just finished designing this logo for Taylor of Pinkberry Photography and after designing her brand new logo and pouring through the latest Pottery Barn Kids Catalog I knew exactly where my inspiration was coming from today! I hope you enjoy some sweet pink perfection...

Resource List:
Pink Birdie - Hanging Tag by Paper Eclectiques (Etsy)
Paper Pack - Tracy Ann Digital Art (Etsy)
Rice Studio Supplies - Matte White Euro Tote
Rice Studio Supplies - Window Front CD Folio
Paper Source - #10 Envelope (chartreuse)
Paper Cource - 8 1/2 x11 Cardstock (blossom)
Label - Tracy Ann Digital Art (Etsy)
Nashville Wraps - Eco Friendly Nesting Boxes
Nashville Wraps - Pink Tissue Paper
MayArts -Faux Linen Ribbon (368-15-17)
MayArts-Faux Suede Ribbon (XL16)
Addicted to Scrapbooking - Flower Embellishment
Logo - Custom Design by Leah Remillet (sold)

Birthday wishes to Paperie Boutique with gifts for you!

Not only do I absolutely love Paperie Boutique because it is completely inspiring but Robyn (the creator) is positively fantastic as well and so worth celebrating. Knowing that, it's easy to see why I'm super excited to help celebrate Paperie's birthday with a free download and a GIVEAWAY for all of you! Because come on who of us haven't felt a little green with envy when all we get to do is watch while the birthday kids tears through the wrapping paper?

First for the free download! I thought it was fitting that I design a 1 year birthday card and those adorable digital designs on the back are from the ever awesome Sassy Designs. It's layered to be used for a boy or girl! You can download the card HERE.

Next I'd like to offer two lucky celebrators each a gift. Our first winner will receive your choice of either the Paysen or Adi Ultimate Marketing Kit and the 2nd birthday guest will win the iPhone Collection!

All you have to do to enter in this birthday giveaway is follow Go{4}Pro on twitter and/or Facebook. Then just leave a comment here wishing Paperie a Happy Birthday! The winner will be announced on Monday morning. Make sure I'll be able to find your email in case you win!

Good Luck and Happy Birthday to Paperie Boutique!

CLOSED

Creativity isn't dead!

It's sad to imagine a world where nothing new could ever be created again, where everything would always be a remake of another persons genius (hear the violin sadly play soft cords?)... It's also completely ridiculous and I seriously can't believe that people walk around thinking this way (now the hard electric guitar starts bashing down)! It seems to me that it falls under the old 'half empty' or 'half full' idea. While I do believe that all great ideas stem from influence, that doesn't mean that they are all lacking creativity. Einstein said, "The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources". Take these images below and above, the concept certainly stems from wonderful stories we are all familiar with but the execution is completely original and like nothing anyone had ever seen before Jan von Holleben. It's liberating to believe that something amazing is still waiting to be created!
Jan von Holleben is one believer who knows that creativity and originality are alive and well!



So tell me... Is originality extinct in your mind? Who's someone (even you perhaps) that's doing something that is stretching the fabric of creativity? Because I believe that originality is alive and well and if we push ourselves, we'll find it!

Checking email while doing your business while planning for dinner

Image from here.

I'm serious about getting organized and actually feeling like I have it together. Not just a little serious, I'm super serious. Seriously. Sometimes I can't help but wonder if I'm the only one this crazy? The only person hard wired with traits that I both love and despise about myself. I'm intense, I do everything with a zealous vigor that rivals 2 young missionaries holding the Book of Mormon at your door (by the way - be nice to them, they are good boys who are far from home). I don't know how to do things half way, I'm not even kidding, I have no idea how to just roll with it. I'm either flat on my back or I'm running as hard and fast as I can with no intention of stopping until the treadmill throws me off. I was asked recently how I do it all, I've been avoiding the question because I'm embarrassed to say. Am I alone? I'll go ahead and jump off my soap box now. Today's post is a collaboration of ideas I've found and thought up for my personal needs about better time management. I wanted to pass some of them over to you.


1. Touch it once. I've talked about this before (it's something my dad taught me) and I think it's so obvious and yet so overlooked (especially by me) that I want to say it again. Ready? Touch it once! In other words when something drops into your hands, voice mail or inbox take care of it immediately and say no to unmanageable stacks of to do's that are cluttering your thoughts and workspace. Let's ALL say yes to this one, because - come on - we all know it's going to make life better, right? Of course we do!


2. Make a list and check it twice. Santa Claus is on to something and I think it's worth our taking heed. I'm proud to say I think I actually came up with this one all by my little ol' self. I can't usually take credit, inspiration is usually recycled on some level. Ever since I've started doing this I've been amazed at how much better my day starts off. Before you end the workday, make a list of what you need/want to accomplish in order of priority for the next day! Think about it! Instead of sitting down to your computer and trying to flip through the mental list to figure out where you should start - and take the chance of forgetting something crucial you needed to do (we've all done it!) have a plan before your day begins. You won't believe how your productivity will soar with this simple little idea. You'll be ready to tackle the day feeling in control and mentally prepared to handle what's ahead.


3. Stop Multitasking. According to Dave Crenshaw, "Whenever you try to accomplish more than one task that requires effort and attention, you are really switchtasking: switching rapidly back and forth between the tasks. Whenever you switchtask, you incur switching costs, the transition time and energy it takes to transition from one to the other. Anyone who can reduce the number of switches in their day will get more done in less time, with less mistakes and less stress than the person who switchtasks."


4. Use your down time. There are things I have to do such as write blog posts, answer emails, edit photos, fold laundry, clean the kitchen, etc. etc. etc. And there are things I want to do, like take the kids to the park, read a book, blog stalk, try a new recipe. But so often I let the have to's trump the want to's even though some of my want to's (like taking the kids to the park) are far more important. I have started looking for opportunities to use down time to make both happen. For example I've given up on paperbacks and gone to audio books - now they are loaded on my iPhone and I can listen and be inspired while I unload the dishwasher, sort laundry or make the 3 hr. drive to Seattle for shoots. Another way I'm making this happen is by using my laptop. I am very blessed to have a wonderful husband who understands and supports my desire to be able to "do" the 2 things I love - my children and photography/Go{4}Pro, so he has helped me find ways to make it all more manageable. The most recent being my new MacBook Pro that I'm typing on right now. I'm in love because I can work on a blog post while we sit at the park or search out blog ideas while I sit on the floor in the kids rooms and most importantly, work somewhere other than in my office.


5. I think I can. When I was in 4th and 5th grade I played softball. I was really, really bad. No really, they asked me not to swing and hoped that my tiny frame crouched in the batters position would be enough to get me to base because my skill certainly was not going to get me there. During these "sport" years, my mom bought me a little train, when you squeezed it he chugged, 'I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. Chooo, chooo. I thought I could'. Try self coaching yourself (out loud) as to what you are going to accomplish and that you know you can do it. And confirm to yourself after you've accomplished the task - tell yourself (still out loud) when you've done a great job. Self affirmation is a powerful tool to make your time positive and effective. Oprah said so. ;)


6. Pray. I know that we have a loving Father in Heaven who hears all our prayers and I believe that He loves and pays special care to mothers. My mother-in-law recently told me that when her kids were small and she had an especially difficult day ahead with way too much she needed to do, that in her morning prayers she would ask Heavenly Father to slow time and help her accomplish all that was required without creating negative affect on her children. It certainly can't hurt to try it!

I'm on a video kick - I know...

Okay... So this was not supposed to be day 3 of video posts, it's supposed to be Inspire Me Friday and our next interview is going to be incredible!! We had a little hick-up though and it won't publish till next Friday (so so sorry). In the mean time, here's a hint to let you know who it will be...

Posing School from Bambi Cantrell on Vimeo.

Note about the workshop: Also want to remind you to get your spot at the Seattle Summer Workshop for Aug 20& 21. I'm so excited to share it all and give you the tools to bring your business into the next level! We are artists but we don't have to be starving and I'm going to give you everything you need to make sure that doesn't happen!

Plus because I'm all about service that extends to my fellow photographers, we're trying to make sure we're able to pick you up from the airport and getting you to your hotel not to mention you pretty much don't need to worry about food except for maybe a midnight snack. If you have questions, email Kathy and she can help you will travel arrangements and details. It's going to be awesome!! It's my goal to make the value of this workshop so above and beyond what you invest in it - You want to be there!!

The iPhone Fashion Shoot

It's a double post today because I've already had two readers send me this video. Completely agree that it's a must share. As Amy Pinney said, "It's inspirational, it's actually kind of informative without trying to be, and it's highly entertaining. My new place to go when I feel like me and my poor little rebel JUST aren't good enough...."

The iPhone Fashion Shoot - Lee Morris Shoots With The 3GS Fstoppers from FStoppers on Vimeo.

I've schedule a session, what should I expect? VIDEO

This video that I'm showing today obviously was not intended for the photographer but rather the client but that's exactly why I think it's worth sharing. Sometimes we (the photographer) can forget what it's like to be on the other side of the camera. All you have to do is have your own family pictures done and you will quickly recall that it can be extremely intimidating! You can read all about my own last family photo shoot and being on the flip side with Shannon Sewell here.

As you watch this video, may I suggest that you think about and ask yourself three questions.

1.  Am I helping my clients feel ready and comfortable for their session?
2. Could I create something that would help prepare my clients for their session?  What about creating your own video or pamphlet that would point out what they could expect and how to prepare. I'm seriously thinking about making a video! I really think my clients would find that extremely helpful!
3. Am I ensuring that my clients have reasonable expectations of what they will get from their session?

Funny side note: As I watched the video, I was like hey wait, this guy is shooting in The Portland Rose Gardens (I've shot there too). It's so funny how often the people I find happen to be local to me. 

Inspired Branding - Coastal

Every once in a while I'm walking down an aisle at Target or maybe checking out a cool design blog or looking through a fun little shop and all of a sudden a whole business design concept comes to fruition in my head. Sometimes I think it would be so fun to be a "decorator" for businesses. Helping them create that awesome look from the logo to the website to the welcome kit and on through to the packaging. Something that is cohesive with who they are and want to be!


At the same time, I've been trying to come up with ideas for regular and semi regular things to share on Go{4}Pro. Now that I find myself writing 5 days a week again, I'll admit I'm feeling a little perplexed for content. (If you would like to make a suggestion or write a guest post, just let me know!) I wanted to come up with something unique that wouldn't take a ton of reading time (for your sake) and would just be fun to look at - something for the creative soul inside each of us and that's where the idea for 'Inspired Branding' came from. So here is a mock up of my 1st Inspired Branding. As you can see the inspiration came from the fabulous little boy's nursery and than how I turned it into a business concept to run with. And yes that logo is available for whoever snags it first!

Wouldn't this look be just perfect for a Coastal State Photographer?! I constantly see a lot of children's photographers do pink and while it is absolutely adorable it does kind of alienate all the boy moms. Here is a design-start for a boy mom photographer who lives in a beautiful coastal town somewhere on the East Coast (and least that's what I envision) - Can't you just see the stunning images of little boys and girls running through waves and flying bright colored kites to go on the home page of this businesses website?


Product Source:
Paper Source: Red Presentation Envelope
Paper Source: Air Mail Hand Tag Label
Rice Studio: CD Round Tin
Sassy Designs: Gazpacho
May Arts Grosgrain Diagonal Stripes
May Arts Grosgrain 3/4" Red

Etsy - Label Tag by EveryJotandTittle

Logo - Created by Leah of Go{4}Pro ($125)

If you would like to share your own Inspired Branding, I'd love to see it and showcase it on Go{4}Pro! Or if you have something you'd like to see Inspired Branding drawn from I can try to create something for you. Just EMAIL me with the subject 'Inspired Branding Idea'!