Tonight is going down in history for me as one of the funnest nights - ever! Here's some proof below! We have and ENDLESS amount of images from the photo booth, so watch for more photos to come from the entire sha-bang next week!
Thank you to everyone who came and shared the photo-love!
Have a super awesome weekend!
LOVEe
1 comments so far
~Thornton Wilder
Lofty is the perfect word for me, and especially right now.
Many times I have people say to me, "Oh, Eliesa. You've done so much already and you're always doing something! What is next for you?" This is always immediately followed up by the question," And how do you keep going?"
This whole thing, my life, my business, etc. is all fueled by passion. I am passionate about doing big things. I'm not interested in being mediocre or okay - I am determined to be great. I am determined to be a legend. These are big words and I have set some extremely high expectations and lofty goals for myself, but I always have. I think there have been two keys to my success thus far. 1) Everything has come about and happened very organically and naturally for me. I have never tried to be anyone else but myself and I have stayed true to the art that I want to create. I have always put my efforts into projects that I believe in and I have not compromised anything to get to my dream. 2) I have always had momentum. I am constantly pushing myself - and those around me - to go out of our comfort zone and create things and chase our ideas to make them a reality. If you own a business and want to continue to do so for the next 30 years, you better not get comfortable. In fact, you better get UN-comfortable...the more, the better.
On the flip side, this past week, I was out to a little impromptu dinner with some fellow photographers and one of them said, " Sometimes I just hate being around you Eliesa, because you are so god damn motivated and that is just not me! It's exhausting...but deep down I suppose I need a little of that right now." She is absolutely right! You shouldn't feel like a horrible person if you are reading this and thinking, "But, I don't want to be a big deal. I just want to make photographs that make people happy and have my little happy business." Great, fabulous, lovely. Everyone has their own vision of how they want to impact this world and Oprah is no better than the volunteer in the soup kitchen.
However, my point for the whole post is to encourage all of you to do something that is uncomfortable for you and see where it takes you. Whether you are interested in photography and you've been putting off buying that camera - do it. Maybe you want to quit your day job and pursue your passion as a full time career - do it. Maybe you feel like you need to do some soul searching and you really want to book that trip - do it. Sometimes in life, your best decisions are made as spontaneous ones. I guarantee you that by taking a big risk, you will be absolutely terrified, but I also guarantee that it won't be as scary as you think. You will have catapulted yourself into a situation that you simply can't fail at. Failure has never been an option for me, and big surprise...I've worked my ass off, but I have never failed myself.
You can thank my great friend Josh Elliott for this photo up above, which started me thinking about all of the above thoughts! This image was taken about a year ago when we were at a workshop together and I love it, because I am SO focused on whatever I am doing.
Passion. Truth. Momentum.
Don't get comfortable - ever.
LOVEe
7 comments so far
I love you!!! You are amazing and thank you for always being so real about your love for photography. Taking over the world 2010!!
(02.07.10 @ 04:04 PM)E this is amazing stuff, and you do conquer the world daily. Thanks for sharing you with us. I really appreciate your everyday advice, caring and just encouragement. Thank you. I love this picture by the way. It's awesome.
(02.07.10 @ 10:42 PM)Good morning Eliesa,
Super dope blog above- very inspirational and I must say I think your quite amazing. I so enjoyed working with you on Rockstar Boudouir Photoshoot and got knows that was all about gettin the f$ck out of my own way - challenging myself and fosho risky for me. But I loved it! Look forward to the pics and seeing ya again. Peace & Love
Phoenix
Such an inspiring blog post! Loved it! You nailed this...regardless of our goals (be it big or small), we should never get comfortable and/or mediocre. Great advice! Thanks!
(02.09.10 @ 10:08 AM)Great words of advise! Especially for myself who just entered in a marathon!
(02.09.10 @ 01:18 PM)Thank you for being real, authentic, and YOU! This is a great reminder for me ... I think I have been stuck in doing what is comfortable and it is time to dive in!
(02.09.10 @ 04:13 PM)We also had the opportunity to see some of our fabulous friends...yes, Cali was pretty much bliss!
Here's to Sunshine and Pinkberry!
LOVEe
3 comments so far
simply SPECTACULAR pictures!!!!! glad you had a good time!!
(02.01.10 @ 04:10 PM)Mmmm... the beach, palm trees, and Pinkberry. Sounds perfect to me!
(02.01.10 @ 04:14 PM)mmmm...pinkberry is the best!!!
(02.24.10 @ 07:48 PM)Now, please don't get me wrong, I love Lara and her movement. I was just overwhelmed by this CONSTANT chatter in my industry and it was too much. However, part of me was absolutely curious as to what all of the buzz was about! One of my biggest frustrations with where I am at this point in my career is continuing education. I've been to many workshops and I have learned and built an incredibly strong business. I have my dream studio, an amazing crew, I am booking my perfect clients and pushing our limits to be the best possible photographers and people we can be. I mean....shit.....I. MAKE. THINGS. HAPPEN.
So, did I need this motivational speech? I mean, I've got it all figured out, right?
Wrong. I learned a lot about myself yesterday and I am incredibly happy that I decided to go. The big thing that I think anyone who will attend this workshop in the future should know is that it is what YOU make of it. The session really has absolutely nothing to do with Lara and Jeff, but everything to do with yourself. They are simply creating a safe environment for you to explore yourself, which is the foundation of owning a great and successful business - and also allowing you to dream big....like REAL big. (I confessed I was going to be on Oprah someday and be the next Richard Avedon....)
I also want to encourage all of you 'veteran' photographers, coordinators, vendors or people who DO have it all 'together' to attend the Making Things Happen tour. I had to dig down really deep to find things that I needed to change or face some fears that I was holding back from and when you are established, there are expectations that you are suppose to reach. I fully intend to reach those lofty goals, but they are scary and personally, I had been putting off many of those BIG things, because I might fail. Well, fuck it if I do, but I am also the type of person that if I go for it, I will absolutely succeed, so what's the point in putting it off? There is always, always room for growth. Challenge yourself and live your dreams.
I am also very proud of the Minneapolis industry right now! I live in such a great community of artists who really do offer a great support system for growth!
Midwest is the best, yo.
A big thanks to Lara and Jeff for bringing their workshop to Minneapolis! These two really opened up and gave ALL of themselves, emotionally, to the attendees, so thank you! I am a big believer in the Midwest photographers, so it's nice to get the support from others in our industry!
LOVEe
6 comments so far
Thank you for tweeting about your post. I love your raw and honest approach to talking about what you got out of the Making Things Happen. I find your view to be ridiculously refreshing and thank you for sharing.
(01.21.10 @ 02:05 PM)How much would I have to pay you to have you follow me around and take pictures of me that make me look that bad-ass? It was so great finally meeting you yesterday.
(01.21.10 @ 02:35 PM)Thanks so much for sharing your experience - and your initial reservations. I'm attending MTH in Atlanta next month and I've been feeling exactly the same way. I'm no seasoned pro, I'm on the ground floor of my business so I'm in prime motivational time already. I've been worrying about it and thinking "Am I going to be the ONE person who leaves this workshop feeling worse than when I went in?" I've been assured I won't but still...it's good to hear. :)
(01.21.10 @ 04:28 PM)Thank you so much for your honest feedback about the intensive! I'll be attending in NYC and though I have reservations (feel a little out of my league) this post helped to put things a bit more in persepctive. I hope to learn a great deal at MTH!
(01.21.10 @ 04:44 PM)Wonderful post - I love your honesty. It's sometimes hard for those of us overseas watching from a distance to get some reality out the industry over there, but posts like these are a big help, and this is a great message.
(01.24.10 @ 04:56 AM)Amen! It is inspiring to dig deep in to personal goals. Can't wait to hear about all the other, crazy amazing things you've been you to. Watch out Oprah :)
(01.28.10 @ 03:28 PM)People think I'm disciplined. It is not discipline. It is devotion. There is a great difference.
~Luciano Pavarotti
LOVEe
0 comments so far
You are so right. Epic night.
(02.15.10 @ 04:21 PM)