Wow, this has been a CRAZY week (to say the least)!!! Remember a few weeks ago when I wrote this blog post about how many times we hear the word ‘no’…? And about how we always want to stay encouraged, not giving up… not taking ‘no’ for an answer… and just continuing to pursue our dreams… Well, this week we’ve seen the floodgates just pour open with tons of great exposure for our business here in San Diego! We’ve been on 2 local TV stations this week, 2 radio stations, and 1 high-profile blog in San Diego. So here is our encouragement to all of our photographer friends out there: Don’t give up. Get out there and write a letter to all of your local media outlets, and try to get them to do a feature on boudoir so that you can spread the word in YOUR city about how Boudoir is BACK!
If you’re interested in seeing more photos from us on the news today, go check out this blog post!
We were so honored to be asked to go on air with San Diego Living on Channel 6 CW! We were thrilled to be able to talk about boudoir photography, and why a boudoir photo session with The Boudoir Divas is the absolute BEST gift for Valentine’s Day!
Happy Friday everyone! The Boudoir Divas are stoked to announce that we have yet another awesome new backdrop. The Drop Shoppe has tons and tons of backdrop options and what’s even cooler is that they can customize one for you using a picture you send them! We love how light weight the back drop is so we can move it around easily between our studio and natural light set as well as bring it with us to trade shows and workshops. We can’t wait to try it out on a client soon! Check out all their options at The Drop Shoppe! THANKS DROP SHOPPE!
I don’t usually get into the resolution hype. I am a goal setter in general so I feel like the the whole new year resolution concept is just a way I really hope live my life in general… but, something happened this year. I think I allowed myself to be a little bit lazy the past few weeks in anticipation that I knew that I was going to work 2012. Kimberlee and I always say to “Dare to Dream” and to “make shtuff happen” and so as this new year is upon us I have so many ideas and goals that my head is abuzz with excitement. From studio set revamps to Boudoir International to re-doing our “Workshop in a Book.” But from past experience I know that I really need to focus my time and energy every day in a strategic way to make those things happen, and with that said I need to start every day organized and with a game plan. So I wanted to share with you what my to-do list looks like and invite you to use it if you wish. Here is what it looks like…..
A few tips on how I like to use this thing. So the bottom four blocks are my list of all the things I want to accomplish this week. Then every morning I decide what I will tackle that day, and I add to the day’s to do list. I love feeling like I met my goals at the end of the day, so I select my day’s to-dos without being too overzealous. I try to be realistic. It keeps me calm and then I feel more satisfied at the end of the day. If at the end of the week you haven’t finished all the to-do’s in your four boxes at the bottom, you can always move them over to the new week’s to-do list.
The long term goals are things that take a substantial time to accomplish. I put the overall larger goals there with due dates. Then every week I assign myself smaller tasks to chip away at those.
Another little tip is that I love to put photography goals in my “major goal this week” area. For instance I wanted to improve my “wide open” technique and set an intention to try to get
sharper images at the time I chose to shoot at 1.2 that week. Another week I wanted to master my black and white presets making them look more film quality etc.
So as I sit at my desk for the first time in 2012 I feel so grateful and blessed to be where I am right now; so many of my dreams realized. But I know that God has more planned for K and I, and I am eager to get started. I pray this is new year finds you refreshed, invigorated and ready to make 2012 your bitch! Make it be the vehicle for the life you envision for yourself. And if you are brave enough to commit to your big goal, we would love to hear them! Let’s encourage each other as we start the new year with a serious bang. Love all you fellow Bou photographers!
Marissa and Kimberlee are working away at our next product to offer on our Boudoir Shop: the Lighting DVD! We are very excited about this product and hope you all are too. 🙂 If all stays according to schedule, we should have it available to purchase in January. Many of you email us asking what brand we prefer and what kind of lighting we use in our studio. Well, we are a PHOTOFLEX filled studio! We have everything Photoflex and absolutely love their products. Right now they are giving away some awesome prize packages on their site and all you have to do is enter your email address and fill out a super short survey! You can click the picture below to see the prizes and enter. The drawing will be held on December 15th. Talk about an awesome Christmas gift!
Here are a couple shots of Marissa and Kimberlee editing the video with John and Norma from NR3 Video Productions.
We are so happy with how it has turned out so far and can’t wait for it to be finished!
If you need any other educational resources for photographers, check out the holiday specials we have going on right now! Don’t forget, if you have been considering the Workshop in a Book, the DIGITAL VERSION is all we have left and it is on sale until this Friday. Then it goes back into the Diva Vault!
One of the mottos here at the Boudoir Divas studio is: “EVERY WOMAN DESERVES TO FEEL BEAUTIFUL!” At our speaking presentations and workshops that we’ve led over the past four years, this has been a huge push that we always share a LOT about.
Check out this video to hear more of our heart on this issue… (It’s a video that we created for our CLIENTS at the studio in San Diego; we always want to be sure that we are telling our clients about what we believe, because we want them to know WHY we do what we do!)
I can’t believe it’s already that time of year again; time to start putting up the holiday decorations, light the cinnamon candles, bake cookies and pies, spend time with family, and buy gifts for all your loved ones! The last one in that list can definitely be stressful (not to mention pricey) and so we want to help out by offering our most popular educational resources at a discounted price during the holiday season. This sale is going on now at our www.boudoirshop.com and will run through January 3rd. Check out the awesome deals below!
POSEBOOK INFO: We are very excited to announce that the SLR Lounge has written a review on the Posebook and we are officially “SLR Approved!” If you want to see what they have to say about our book, you can check out the article HERE
Click below if you want to check out a video of Marissa and Kimberlee explaining the difference educational resources we offer to photographers!
Happy Holidays everyone!
Wow… we have the greatest job in the world. Not only do we have wonderful clients (over 400 boudoir shoots per year w/ women who come to see us from all over the country)… and not only do we work with the most AMAZING women (fabulous staff, Crystal, Deena, Ashley, & newest addition Danielle!)… but on top of all of this, we ALSO have the opportunity to travel and meet some bad-ass photographers from around the WORLD.
Most recently, we’ve had the chance to lead a speaking program with WPPI’s Road Trip 2010, in Irvine last week, and in Dallas TX yesterday! We met SO many new friends, and we just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who came to hear us speak. It is truly an honor to be able to share with all of you about boudoir… something we are so incredibly passionate about. Way back in 2007 when we launched our “Bringing Boudoir Back” campaign, it took a long time for photography organizations to realize that boudoir really WAS about to make a comeback! A handful of forward-thinking photography organizations did agree to let us come and share our vision for what boudoir could become, and in the past 3.5 years, we’ve seen boudoir just EXPLODE as more and more people in the industry are starting to see the potential that is in this niche. We are so excited about where things have come, and we just can’t WAIT to see where this is going to go next!
To all of you who believed in us (and who believed in boudoir) way back in 2006-07… THANK YOU. Seriously, thank you for listening to these couple of crazy gals who believed that boudoir would become the next big thing. Thank you for coming to our workshops, thank you for purchasing our books, thank you for traveling to hear us blab on and on about this topic that we are so passionate about. I know, I know… this is starting to sound like a lame ‘acceptance speech’ at the Emmy’s or something. Whatever. We just want you to know that we wouldn’t be where we are today without all of you who have supported us and helped us and believed in us along the way. And… you never know… maybe someday we’ll also have the chance to lead a platform presentation at WPPI Vegas (fingers crossed!) 😉 Thanks again, WPPI, for inviting us on the Road Trip. We had an amazing time, and we’re honored to be counted among so many industry leaders who have done so much for others.
Here are a few photos from our presentation at the Irvine stop on the Road Trip…
In this first shot, we are showing where the business started out (in Marissa’s TINY one-car garage!) A lot of people don’t know this, but Marissa actually came up with the business plan for the Boudoir Divas WAAAAY back in 2001, right after she graduated from high school!
This next image shows our Mission Statement on the screen. This is something that is INCREDIBLY important to us. We encourage all of you to sit down and write out your own mission statement – something that is personal and unique to you and your business – something that reminds you WHY you do what you do.
Thanks to everyone who came to hear us speak! PS… to those of you at the Irvine show… we realize that we had to cut out the ‘MARKETING’ portion of our presentation (that’s what happens when Becker talks too long and we start 20 minutes late!) 😉 just kidding Becker, you know we love you! Ok, but to those of you who were at that show – we WILL be sending you that marketing section. Actually, maybe we’ll send it to EVERYONE on our mailing list! If you’re not on that list, CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP RIGHT NOW!
One more thing (as if this blog post wasn’t long enough already)… we are THINKING about possibly recording our speaking presentation and having it available for download for FREE on our website. A lot of people have heard us give this presentation this year, but as 2010 is coming to a close, we already have new plans for a NEW speaking program (just in case we get invited to speak in Vegas)… 😉 … So anyway, if you’d be interested in having our 2010 speaking program available to view for free, leave a comment below. If there’s enough demand, we’ll make it happen! Thanks everyone!
xoxo, Kimberlee
