Style+Photo Workshop at Steve McKenzie's :: Why you should always stay a student

Hi Everyone! It's Nicole, Annette's web manager and friend. I'm thrilled to be sharing my latest Style+Photo workshop experience with you. Back in the fall, I attended my first style+photo workshop with Annette and Christina Wedge at the helm. I learned so much, but I knew there was a lot more for me to wrap my head around.When Annette invited me to her latest workshop at Steve McKenzie's in Atlanta (one of our favorite shops), I couldn't say no. At the previous workshop, I was really focused on styling. Even though Annette is sweet and says I have a great eye, styling is something that's always been intimidating for me.However, with Annette's incredible teaching methods, I found myself learning so much so fast. From color triangles to making just small adjustments, I was able to start to understand the secrets of being a stylist. So once I had that under my belt, I knew it was time to focus on my camera. Friends, my camera is something that I've been trying to master for years, and I have come to understand that really, it will always be a learning process...and that is OKAY!At this workshop, I spent time really playing with different settings on my camera. I really focused on understanding what ISO, aperture, and shutter speeds mean and how with each adjustment I make, there is an adjustment to how the photo appears. I would guess a certain combination and take a shot, and then I would try another combination and take a shot, and so forth. (see the vast difference below) The result was a series of photos that went from dark to bright, and I was actually able to understand what each change meant! I am so excited to learn that I can change the brightness of my photos without having to edit in Photoshop. Major time saver. And even better? My photos improved a ton. Which brings me to my next point. It is really hard to grasp all of this information the first time around, especially when you're taking pictures in a photo-rich, captivating environment surrounded by new friends. If you are able, I would plan to take Annette's workshops more than once...and not just twice...three or even four times! Each time, you'll hear something you didn't hear before, and you'll understand something different about your styling techniques or you camera.Ultimately, stay a student, and keep learning well beyond the workshop. Practice might not make perfect, but it definitely makes improvements.xo, NicolePhotos via: Nicole Letts