GIVEAWAY: Active seat to NATURALLY LIT with Carolyn Fong

NATURALLY LIT

learn off-camera flash for on-location portraits with ease.

with Carolyn Fong

NEXT SESSION: 4/25/22 to 5/8/22

REGISTER HERE ON MARCH 30TH AT 12 NOON EST

Class Overview:

When you have to deliver images but you can’t control everything, you control what you can - including bringing an off-camera flash or strobe head to create the light you want and need. And you can do it with ease.  In this workshop, you will learn my go-to OCF (off-camera flash) setup that I use for editorial and family portrait sessions.  

In this workshop, you will explore the many ways off-camera flash can be integrated into your existing photographic style.  You will learn how off-camera flash can help you create images on location in a way that will allow you greater freedom in scheduling, freedom from creating only when the weather is cooperating, freedom to allow your clients to stand, behave or act wherever they feel comfortable because you will no longer need them to stand only where the natural light is good!  As well as be given opportunities to explore beyond your comfort zone and discover new ways to integrate off-camera flash into your photography toolkit.  

You will explore how off-camera flash works and discover the many ways you can use this incredible tool to your advantage - for in-home, or outdoor family portrait sessions, for editorial or branding projects.  Off-camera flash is invaluable for any project or assignment when there’s a limited budget (meaning - no assistant) and limited time - so you’ve just got to make it work with whatever is there when you arrive at the location.

This class is a great introductory dip into the fun of off-camera flash.

To learn more about this class GO HERE!

Enter the giveaway in the form above.


If you don't know Carolyn Fong, you are missing out. She's a commercial, editorial, brand, and family photographer based in the SF Bay Area. She has photographed for ACLU, Time, ESPN, The New York Times, The Washinton Post, NPR, The Guardian US + UK, and The Wall Street Journal to name just a few. With a degree from The Art Center College of Design & over 15 years of practical experience working on location and in studios, from small NYC basement apartments to big beautiful suburban homes, outside in the woods and on the sidewalks of cities -She has learned a thing or two about making great images no matter when her client is available and what the existing light is. She is the perfect person to teach you how to make off-camera flash and strobes work for your and your workflow. We are beyond excited she has joined the Illuminate teacher team. ⁠


To learn more about this class go HERE.

***Giveaway runs from Tuesday, March 22nd to Saturday, March 26th at 11:59 pm.***

GIVEAWAY: Active seat COMPOSING THE WORLD YOU SEE with Cornell Watson

COMPOSING THE WORLD YOU SEE

a guide to creating dope ass compositions

with Cornell Watson

NEXT SESSION: 2/21/22 TO 3/6/22

REGISTER HERE ON DECEMBER 8TH AT 12 NOON EST

Class Overview:

What’s your favorite song? Favorite movie? Favorite book? Favorite photo? Favorite future illuminate class by me? (ok, I’m kidding with the last one).  What do all these favorites have in common? I’ll bet that if you look close enough, it’s composition. Composition is the sauce to creating art and the key to consistency.  

There was a time when one of my biggest fears was showing up with my camera and not being able to create anything I’d be satisfied with.  What’s changed since then is that I have more control over my photos by being able to recognize and play with the different elements of composition.  Now my anxiety is less about making good photos and more about whether my joints will be sore the next day. In Composing The World You See, we’re going to build, stretch, challenge, and flex your composition muscles to consistently create your new favorite photos. 

To learn more about this class GO HERE!

Enter the giveaway in the form above.


If you don't know Cornell Watson, you are missing out. He's an amazing family and commercial photographer based in Durham, North Carolina who has been able to document not only his own family but his community. His photography has been published in the New York Times and Washington Post, including his amazing project about the Black experience titled, "Behind the Mask". He's photographed national ad campaigns for companies such as T-Mobile and currently, he's a contributing photographer for Durham Magazine. After working 8 years in HR/Talent Acquisition, he's now living his best life as a dope-ass Black photographer. Cornell is an amazing photographer who creates images with such unique compositions. Most importantly he is a GREAT teacher who will shed some light on how to help you create more dynamic compositions in your own work. We are SO lucky to have him join the Illuminate team.


To learn more about this class go HERE.

***Giveaway runs from Tuesday, November 30th to FRIDAy, December 3rd at 11:59 pm.***

Spotlight on a student from FOOD AS ART with Anna Christine - Sally Frawley

We are proud to spotlight food photographer Sally Frawley who was recently named one of the 10 best food photographers in Melbourne, Australia and is an alumni of FOOD AS ART with Anna Christine.

“I’d been specialising in food photography for a few years when I took Anna’s class. Taught with her signature nurturing gentle style she unlocked a new confidence in me encouraging me to embrace things I saw as imperfections and utilise them in my story telling. Her carefully constructed course enhanced my understanding of natural light encouraging me to try new techniques and grow my skill set and widened my use of styling to convey the story behind my images. Food as Art is a class that will help new and experienced photographers in the genre grow and reach new heights in their art and leave you feeling inspired and creatively charged.” - Sally Frawley

BEAUTIFUL work Sally! Thanks for letting us share.

The next run of Food As Art starts on October 18th, 2021. Be sure to REGISTER HERE!

Spotlight on the students of SERIOUSLY SOCIAL with Rowe Timson

Hey! This is Rowe. Social Media Manager, photographer and Illuminate teacher. I’m super excited to be teaching the 8th round of Seriously Social on Monday 12th! The workshop is all about making the most of the time we spend online, approaching social media with intention, and getting your online presence in order. We cover everything from brand identity and finding your ideal clients to the ins and outs of Instagram, FB, and Pinterest, and then dive into advertising.

I’m just stopping in to feature a couple of past students who are acing their socials!


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SEANA WILLIAMSON

“Rowe is someone you want in your corner. She is authentic and personable and when you pair that with her level of knowledge and expertise in the field, you get a super comprehensive, blow your hair back kind of class. 

Seriously Social finally gave me a direction in the great big world of social media, which had previously completely mystified me. Rowe helped me to organize my thoughts into action, clarify my brand vision, and set attainable marketing goals.

There were countless takeaways from Rowe’s class, but the biggest for me, was confidence. Shortly after finishing, I revamped my website, I got on the books as a corporation, and finally started pursuing my dream of creating full time. 

It’s funny to me what might be the thing to light that fire. For me, it was this class...seriously! “

SEANA’S FACEBOOK 

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 SEANA’S WEBSITE 

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My thoughts on Seana’s socials - Seana is doing an incredible job with her socials! In my class, we talk a lot about your brand vision and connecting with your audience. That this is an important part of growing your online presence and I think Seana has that down! She posts consistently and shares a great mix of business and personal imagery with stories about her life, interwoven throughout. Followers would feel a connection to her, like they know her which encourages buyer confidence and a warmth towards the business which one would hope, would convert to more bookings. 

Seana makes the most of Insta stories, sharing session slideshows and saving them to highlights so new visitors can see her work, front and center! When you think of Insta as the first point of contact for a potential client, using highlights to showcase your work is a great strategy. 

Earlier this year, Seana ran a promotion called ‘gratitude sessions’, gifting a session to an essential frontline worker with every session booked and later offered FaceTime sessions! Changing things up and meeting market needs during these unusual times is such a good way to stand out in the marketplace!

I love Seana’s new website! Her welcome message lets new visitors know what her sessions are all about! The site is super easy to navigate. I love her featured session so potential clients know exactly what to expect if they were to book a session with her. I like that she does not have social links on every page because it stops people from getting distracted and keeps them on the site longer, exploring her work. 

All round, Seana has embraced the lessons taught in class and I think it has had such a positive impact on her brand identity! I’m looking forward to seeing how she grows and things evolve over time. 

See more of Seana’s work - INSTAGRAM // FACEBOOK // WEBSITE



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KATY BINDELS

Seriously Social is such a fantastic class! It's jammed packed with information, some of which I never would have thought about. Before taking Seriously Social I was just doing what I thought I should do on my social media accounts - just throwing things out there and crossing my fingers that it would work.

Rowe and her class helped me to see and think about the different options that are available out there, and the many ways in which they can be used to further my photography career goals. Best of all though, she helped me see that I didn't have to do all of it, and she helped guide me to narrow down how to best focus my energy online to achieve my aims. Along with being a lot happier with my online presence now, I also feel confident that I have the knowledge to implement changes and additions to how I use social media as my career changes and grows.

Rowe is not only really generous with her time and knowledge, but she is also very easy to talk with and is such an encouraging teacher. I count myself lucky to have had the opportunity to participate in the Seriously Social class!”

KATY’S WEBSITE 

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KATY’S PINTEREST  

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My thoughts on Katy’s socials - Katy’s work is so emotive and unique! She has a great eye for composition and this is evident in the way she curates her Instagram grid. It flows beautifully and tells the viewer her story. Her account has a gallery feel to it, resembling a portfolio you would see on a website. So much so that when you pop over to her website, it mimics what you see on her Instagram. Having a consistent style across multiple platforms is so important when creating a brand and trying to build an audience. 

Katy's website is all about her imagery and her about page showcases all the places her work has been featured and her awards which really instills confidence in her abilities! I just love how clean and simple the website is, allowing the imagery to speak for themselves, but with all the important info a potential new client needs, right down to her easy to understand, no fuss session pricing.

Katy has a beautiful Pinterest account with her own work woven throughout! One board is dedicated to her work entirely so new visitors can easily see what she does but she has also created boards where she pins work from other photographers and includes her own so 8 out of her 13 boards feature her imagery which is amazing! She has a board where she pins family activities in the area where she lives and works which is a great way to reach potential clients! 

With Katy’s consistent style across all social platforms and her website, she has created a strong online presence and potential clients know exactly what they will get if they decide to book a session with her. I can’t wait to see how her business evolves in the future! 

See more of Katy’s work - INSTAGRAM // PINTEREST // WEBSITE

SIGN UP FOR SERIOUSLY SOCIAL HERE

Want to talk more about social media? Pop over to the Illuminate Classes Instagram to the saved “Seriously Social” highlight where I shared lots of tips in my insta takeover this week.

Want to read more? See THIS blog post and THIS one. 





Spotlight on the students of FOOD AS ART with Anna Christine Larson

Anna Christine Larson here to talk about my online class Food as Art as well as share some past student work. Food as Art is always such a fun and creative class! I truly enjoy getting to know my students and watching them gain more control over their food work during our time together. We spend two weeks in the classroom learning so much including:

  • envisioning an atmosphere and story

Shelley Glimcher.

Shelley Glimcher.

  • “shop your house” for props, backdrops and surfaces

Lisa Rawel.jpg
  • find quality natural light and learn how to control it

Nicole Rodgers final image

Nicole Rodgers final image

Nicole Rodgers pullback from above shot

Nicole Rodgers pullback from above shot

Lindy Zolnierczak final image

Lindy Zolnierczak final image

Lindy Zolnierczak pullback from above image

Lindy Zolnierczak pullback from above image

Kristin Reinhard final image

Kristin Reinhard final image

Kristin Reinhard pullback from above image

Kristin Reinhard pullback from above image

  • set a tabletop scene

Lindy Zolnierczak

Lindy Zolnierczak

  • Working with colors and textures

Elizabeth Roy

Elizabeth Roy

  • photograph food in a way that’s appealing

Carolyn E Beck

Carolyn E Beck

  • pairing images

Sophie Booth

Sophie Booth

  • bring your images to life through editing in Lightroom

Salley Frawley

Salley Frawley

We will learn all of this and so much more. We cover both on the table and off the table, incorporating another subject in a lifestyle way. I always give detailed video feedback for every active student assignment submitted and you can learn through watching each others.Once our time wraps up, we have an alumni Facebook group that you’re invited to join. I’ll continue to support you through your journey with food work. I hope you’ll join me for the next round of Food as Art! 

Anna Christine Larson | instructor of Food as Art

REGISTER HERE. Class starts 10/5









GIVEAWAY: Active seat RAISNG A FAMILY BUSINESS with Posy Quarterman

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RAISING A FAMILY BUSINESS

Run your (family photography) business instead of letting it run you! Raising a Family Business is a 3+ week course designed to help you lay the foundation for a family photography business that meets your needs, lights you up, and thrills your clients.

with Posy Quarterman

NEXT SESSION 4/6/20 to 5/1/20 (with a one week break)

These are strange times but despite the uncertainty, this worldwide shutdown WILL eventually end. NOW is the perfect time to implement a strong system for your family photography business and make all those workflow changes you’ve been meaning to make. When this is all over and it's back to business as usual, you will be set up for even greater success. Posy will be right there to hold your hand and walk you through it all. Since she has extra time on her hands, she will be doing extra live zoom meetings during class! WUT? You don’t want to miss this opportunity.

***If you sign up for a seat right now and then win the giveaway, we will refund your money***

To learn more about this class or register now go HERE.

To learn more about Posy go HERE.

Enter the giveaway in the form above.


Her class is amazing but don't take it from us:⁠

“If you, like me, are exploring starting a family photography business and want to get off on the right foot, you must take this class. (If you’re already established you should take it, too!) Posy’s system is simple and straightforward (not easy to pull off!) but also deeply thoughtful and strategic. I highly recommend it!”
— Lynnae Day⁠
“Posy’s class is a game-changer. She doesn’t hold back and sheds light on all the things that are sometimes tricky to figure out as a photographer. Posy gives all the keys to the kingdom, from helping hone in on what your vision for your business is to then reflecting that in how you communicate with your clients. I am leaving this class with renewed confidence and a streamlined workflow and businesses structure that is has been fully implemented in less than a week after the last day of class. Looking for inspiration + concrete actionable content? Posy’s class is for you.”
— Lila Smyth⁠
“Posy’s class is Family Photography Gold. This class filled a big gap I was experiencing in my business and I’m so grateful Posy has decided to drop some of her wisdom on us. I am 5 years into my business and I had a lot of questions that needed answers. Posy created a safe forum to ask all of the questions and I learned so much from both her and my classmates. I wish I had started my business out with her framework, but now I’m super excited to integrate her client process on top of mine which she walked us through step-by-step. Posy is funny and kind and brings lots of refreshing “realness” to a field which I have started to feel pretty isolated in. Her class helped me feel much less alone in my experiences and challenges, and instead in community with a group of women at various stages of their photo businesses. Whether you are deep in your business or fresh into these crowded waters Posy’s class will help you walk away refreshed and armed with lots of new ideas for doing better business.”
— Ellen Shaw

To learn more about this class or register now go HERE

***Giveaway runs from Tuesday, March 31st to FRIDAy, April 3rd at 11:59 pm.***

Monthly Challenge Highlights: #illuminate_light

Thanks to all our you who participated in our first monthly challenge!! Our jaws hung open as we looked though the hashtag #illuminate_light on Instagram. Here are a few images that really caught our eye:

And if you haven’t heard, for this next month’s challenge, we’ve decided to explore the theme of motion in photography. We want you to capture movement, through slower shutter speeds, multiple exposures, abstraction or freeze a moment in time with a faster shutter speed. It’s up to you to interpret the theme and have fun with it. Just head over to Instagram and tag your movement images with #iilluminate_moveme to be featured next month.

Are you interested in getting some “motion” tips and tricks delivered straight to your inbox? We will be sending them out to our newsletter subscribers next week. To be included sign up HERE.

We can’t wait to see what you create!

GIVEAWAY: Active seat to THE BASICS OF PHOTOGRAPHY with Celina Bailey

Celina Bailey: The Basics of Photography

THE BASICS OF PHOTOGRAPHY

take control of your camera to bring forth your vision with confidence

with Celina Bailey

NEXT SESSION: 4/27/20 to 5/17/20

REGISTER HERE ON MARCH 18TH AT 12 NOON EST!

Class Overview:

Learning the fundamentals of photography will not only help you to take photos that you’ve always envisioned but to do it confidently. Understanding how your camera works will allow you to consistently take perfectly exposed photos in any situations and allow for more creativity in your work. To do so, you need to learn how to shoot in manual mode and take informed decisions on ISO, shutter speed and aperture. Knowing what focus mode to use and how to meter in-camera to take well exposed images, are just a few of the things you need to learn to take full control. Understanding light and how it’s color (white balance) affects the end results are key principles of photography. The technical part of photography allows for more creative control and consistant results that match your vision. When the science meets the arts is when the magic happens, let me help you do that!

What you will learn:

  • Knowing your camera and it’s limitations

  • The difference between a crop sensor and full frame

  • Shooting jpeg vs raw

  • Understanding the different focus modes 

  • Understand the different camera modes

  • Introduction to Exposure

  • Understanding ISO

  • Understanding Shutter Speed and how it affects motion

  • Understanding Aperture 

  • Learn to meter in-camera

  • Understand The Exposure triangle and going fully manual

  • Tools to help you get the right exposure 

  • Learn how to read a histogram

  • Learn to meter with the zone system to get the right exposure every time

  • Learn to use the concept of stops

  • Learn to recognize different types of light and how to meter/shoot for

  • Learn how the color of light (white balance affects your photos)

  • Knowing the difference between different lenses and what type of photography they are good for

  • Learn about different types of photography

  • Basic editing tools to help you enhance your digital images 

To learn more about this class go HERE. To learn more about Celina go HERE.

***Giveaway runs from Wedneday March 11th to Friday March 13th at 11:59 pm EST”

New Monthly Photography Challenge

Every month we will be announcing a new photography challenge to get you inspired to pick your camera up and to become a better photographer. This month the theme is light- we want to see your rim light images, you low light photos, your night light or your artificial light. Let’s do this.

Read More

GIVEAWAY: Active seat to Posy Quarterman's new class RAISING A FAMILY BUSINESS

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RAISING A FAMILY BUSINESS

Run your (family photography) business instead of letting it run you! Raising a Family Business is a 3+ week course designed to help you lay the foundation for a family photography business that meets your needs, lights you up, and thrills your clients.

with Posy Quarterman

NEXT SESSION 1/27/20 to 2/21/20 (with a one week break)

REGISTER HERE ON DECEMBER 5TH AT 12 NOON EST!

Class Overview:

The fact is, you either run your business or your business runs you. When you started off as a family photographer you likely had ideals, goals, and visions that were thwarted by circumstances out of your control. You got hired by clients that just didn’t get you (or may not have even truly known what they wanted). You got hired by the “right” people but your “dream” session was sabotaged by a hangry 3-year-old. You found yourself so buried by sessions needing to be edited, and emails needing to be returned you forgot why you got into this work in the first place. Without meaning to, you let your ideals go out the window as your business was steamrolling you.

But what if you learned that these circumstances are actually not out of your control? What if you learned that there is, in fact, a method to the madness that is running a family photography business? This class will help put YOU in control of your family photo sessions. By confidently maintaining control from the beginning, saying the right words, and preparing your clients each step of the way, you’ll not only stay on track of your vision, you’ll set your clients at ease to be themselves in front of your camera. This class will help you attract the clients YOU want to be shooting and will work with you to develop a course map that will ensure your clients are so delighted they not only come running back for more, but send their friends your way as well. It’s time to stop letting your business run you. It’s time to lace up your running shoes and get back on the journey of running a thriving business you love!

To learn more about this class go HERE. To learn more about Posy go HERE.

***Giveaway runs from Sunday, December 1st to Tuesday, December 3rd at 11:59 pm.***

GIVEAWAY: Active seat to Abi Quisenberry's new class BEAUTY IN THE MUNDANE

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BRAND NEW CLASS: BEAUTY IN THE MUNDANE

weaving cinematic stories from ordinary moments on your client’s wedding day

with Abi Quisenberry

NEXT SESSION: 1/20/20 to 2/9/20

REGISTER HERE ON DECEMBER 5TH AT 12 NOON EST!

Wedding photography is an art form, and it is not for the weak of heart. It is for the wanderer, the seeker of magic and light, the storyteller. For the one who sees humanity, for the one who understands the need to document history and the moments that make history meaningful. As a wedding photographer, I am a storyteller and a historian, a documentor of humanity and emotions and rituals and families and blood and bonds. I am carving with my images, all the feelings, all the emotions so that they can be relieved. I am sharing in a sacred day and bond, in families coming together, of all those they love gathered in one place. And it is beautiful and magic and daunting as hell to get started.

I’ve been photographing weddings since 2007 and have never had a “perfect” wedding day, a timeline that runs 100% according to schedule, videographers who always stay out of my way or ideal light all day long. The truth is, no day will be perfect. Wedding photography all comes down to you and how you choose to see the day. You can have a conference room for getting ready and still manage to make magic getting ready photos if you play in the shadows. You can have five minutes for couples photos and still slay and get your couple back to cocktail hour to hang with their friends. You are allowed to slow down. To people watch and anticipate. To see with your eyes and not your camera, to find the beauty in every situation, the humanity in every soul.

It’s the joy and the tears and the fleeting moments that will live on. By changing the way you see your couples and your world, you will create images that move you. Learn how to find the beauty in the mundane and the quiet in the chaos.

To learn more about this class go HERE. To learn more about AbiQ go HERE.

***Giveaway runs from Sunday, November 25th to Tuesday, November 26th at 12 am.***

How to grow your Instagram account with Rowe Timson

Rowe Timson here. Social media manager and Illuminate teacher.

Hand up if this sounds like you. You share a photo on Instagram. You check the little love heart tab on the app numerous times in the hope people have engaged. You check your follower count daily and your numbers seem to stay the same. You’re treading water. Heck, some weeks you even go backwards… Noooooo… You ask why???

For obvious reasons, one of the questions I get asked most frequently, from students and business coaching clients is, how can one grow an Instagram account because the above scenario has happened to us all! People want to connect with like-minded souls and potential clients on insta but they have no idea how to go about it!

First up, we need to invest time on the platform if we want to grow our account! Students often tell me they already spend hours on Instagram each day but let me just say, there’s a big difference between mindlessly scrolling and jumping online for 30 minutes with a plan so I wanted to share a few tips with you that I hope will help you approach your time online more mindfully.

  • Post good content consistently, ideally 5 to 7 days a week.

  • Post at the right time of day for the best reach

  • Use hashtags your target audience are searching for ⠀⠀

  • Use hashtags your target audience are engaging with⠀⠀

  • Engage daily with your followers

  • Engage daily with potential new followers⠀⠀

  • Research competitors accounts for inspiration to see what works

  • Engage with competitors followers

For more in-depth info on any of these tips, pop over to Illuminate’s Instagram and see the Seriously Social highlight because I shared these tips and more during my takeover last week!

Now a little story to inspire you.

Introducing @soulbali!

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I started this account back in June 2016 and shared a few posts with plans to use it for a new business venture but I never had time to get the idea off the ground so I decided to use the account to test my growth methods. That way I could use it as an example for potential clients and in my class for my students.

I planned to post daily for 2 months but I struggle to find time to post on my own accounts when I’m managing so many accounts for others, so in reality, I shared 40 posts from 8th September 2017 till the 22nd November 2017 which is approximately 3 to 4 posts a week.

I had my social media helper engage for an hour a day, liking and commenting on potential followers accounts. In October I had her increase the time invested a little because we were seeing good results.

The type of accounts we engaged with was of the utmost importance if we want them to convert to followers! For this account, Bali lovers as I was sharing beautiful imagery of daily life here. I had her engage with Bali based businesses and their followers. Also people using specific Bali related hashtags.

The results? I grew the account from just under 400 to over 1200 in 3 months! How? Posting and engaging with the right kind of people, as I shared above.

Still not convinced it works? Here is the comparison between @soulbali and my own personal @rowetimson account. Worth noting, on my personal account I do none of the things I teach… I share very infrequently, rarely use hashtags and don’t invest time in engaging. Note the difference in the likes in particular.

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Not sure what these numbers mean? Here’s some info on engagement rates from Scrunch, an influencer marketing platform.

  • Less than 1% = low engagement rate

  • Between 1% and 3.5% = average/good engagement rate

  • Between 3.5% and 6% = high engagement rate

  • Above 6% = very high engagement rate

You can see that while my personal profile has more followers, it has an average engagement rate of 3.49% but @soulbali’s account is exceptionally high. Why is that? @rowetimson has more followers because there was a time when I was very active on insta, sharing and engaging daily. When social media management became my full time gig, I stopped sharing and engaging. As a result he algorithm no longer works in my favour. When I do post, very few people see my photos. My account isn’t growing. In fact, I have periods where I lose followers…

With the @soulbali account, while I have not continued to post there, I have had a couple of periods of a month or so where I actively seek out new followers. Even when I’m not posting, the account has continued to grow because when you spend time engaging, people engage with you.

Want to know your own engagement rate? Pop over to phlanx.com to check your account. My guess is, if you’re not posting consistently and engaging, your account probably resembles my personal one but I know with a bit of effort, it’s possible to turn things around so I hope the tips shared here have been helpful. Feel free to ask questions and if you’re keen to work on your own online presence, my class starts on Monday 14th October and runs for 3 weeks. There are still a couple of seats available! Buy yours HERE.

Spotlight on a student from Embracing Your Inner Artist and Project Development & Fine Art with Deb Schwedhelm

THOUGHTS FROM DEB:

Today, I wanted to take a moment to feature one of my students, Meghan Endahl Meghan won a seat to my ‘Embracing Your Inner Artist’ (EYIA) class and later went on to enroll in ‘Project Development and Fine Art’ (PDFA). One of the most gratifying aspects of being a teacher is watching your students not only grow, but completely blossom — and that is exactly what I have observed Meghan do over the past year.

Meghan came into EYIA with gorgeous imagery but from the moment she started sharing, I knew that there was more lying under the surface of what she was sharing. After numerous questions and some in-depth discussions, her imagery began to evolve as the days of instruction passed. As do all of my full-participations students, Meghan received lots of feedback and heartfelt guidance about her photography and possible direction for her future imagery. By the time EYIA came to a close, I wasn’t completely sure where Megan stood with her thoughts regarding moving forward but I did know that the seed was planted to trust herself and her own voice and vision for her work.

Next came Meghan’s participation in PDFA. I remember so clearly when Meghan photographed the wilting yellow flower (see below) and shared it in class. She loved the image. I loved the image. But when she shared it on her social media, she wasn’t receiving the validation that her previous work had received. Meghan came back into class and voiced her frustration, which also led to some doubts with this new work. I again stressed to her how external validation does not define if an image is good or bad, strong or weak; the validation needs to come from within. Together, we moved forward through lots of class discussions and by the end of PDFA, Meghan had a few unified images, an overarching concept of ‘intimacy', a ridiculously strong drive and dedication, and the launch of a project. Meghan has continued to work so hard and I have loved watching this body of work continue to evolve and expand. I couldn’t be more proud of Meghan and all she has accomplished but more than that, I’m beyond thrilled that she has found the confidence in herself as an artist with a voice that is unique and special. BRAVO Meghan and congratulations on your recent award that you received with this body of work — keep on keepin’ on!!

Deb Schwedhelm | instructor of Embracing Your Inner Artist and Project Development & Fine Art

THOUGHTS FROM MEGHAN:

Before Illuminate Classes, I was absolutely just another face in the photography crowd. I found myself lost, pretty quickly, in this vast community where many strive to have the most beautiful images that look and feel a certain way. I was desperate to be like everyone else, and yet also very aware I couldn’t be like everyone else. After taking many photography breakouts, Illuminate Classes was recommended to me - specifically Magic of Light, instructed by Summer Murdock. As we know, the class is so well loved that claiming a spot is basically like getting into Fort Knox, but somehow I managed it. Magic of Light was my first step toward this path that I’m now on. It helped me realize that I have an eye for light and from there I was able to shoot the way I wanted to shoot. That wasn’t enough, of course. I was still in this community where finding one’s own voice is so very difficult, sort of like searching for one particular voice in a crowded subway. I let myself get caught up in what everyone else thought was beautiful and in turn found myself creating fewer and fewer pictures until I stopped going on social media altogether. That’s when I saw an email about entering a contest to win a seat in Embracing Your Inner Artist - and let me tell you, I jumped on that opportunity. I’d been following Deb’s work since taking Magic of Light, always telling myself that, someday, I would be in that class. I won that seat, and this was one of the greatest things to happen to my photography journey.

EYIA helped me learn not only more about the art of photography itself, but most importantly, that I’m not alone in this struggle, and also that we each have choices to make regarding the artists we want to become. Deb’s lessons helped me completely let go of expectations and - literally - embrace ideas and instinct and transfer those from my mind to my camera. The images I was producing at the end of class were almost completely different from the ones I’d submitted in the beginning, and you know what? Those images at the end were me. They were the art I’d been dreaming of creating and I couldn’t just stop there. Of course, the only logical next step was signing up for Project Development and Fine Art. Those two weeks were amazing. I finally felt like my photography “belonged” somewhere. With Deb’s dedication and instruction (which is invaluable), I was able to piece together my first project. In EYIA, we’d discussed the word “intimacy” in relation to my images, and “intimacy” was the word that carried me through these next steps. After PDFA ended, I took Deb’s advice and changed out certain images, replacing them with more appropriate ones and, with more confidence than I’d ever had before (even in class), I named the project: “The Intimacy of Motherhood.” On a whim, I submitted it to a tiny art exhibition in my parents’ hometown, and was accepted. Never in my life did I think I’d have my photos on display for literally hundreds to see. But here I am.

The project itself is ongoing, as most art projects should be because we, the artists, are constantly changing. The underlying foundation of my images, however, is my desire to communicate the intimacy of motherhood. My love for light and shadows (strengthened by my time with Magic of Light, EYIA and PDFA), has turned out to be key in telling the stories of the photos. Each image is meant to be a very quiet, still moment, wherein the observer feels the weight of emotion a mother feels. I have purposely included my macro images of flowers, some dead and some alive, because to me, flowers symbolize the juxtaposition of the strength and resilience we require as mothers, and our fragility.

Without the culmination of these classes, this project wouldn’t have happened. Deb has helped me articulate my photography in a way I didn’t think possible. Her honesty and knowledge and vision so carefully takes you from a place of the unknown, where we are insecure in our our work and our own artful desires, to a place where we can say “this is who I am, and this is what I can do."

Meghan Endahl


If you are interested in taking Embracing Your Inner Artist or Project Development & Fine Art with Deb Schwedhelm, they will both be offered this fall. Registration will open on August 22 at 12 noon EST HERE.

Spotlight on the students of FOOD AS ART with Anna Larson

Why is food photography important? Although the photographs can easily stand on their own, in Food as Art, we also explore our personal history and how food is woven into our daily lives….it can carry both positive and negative experiences. No matter what our culture, food most likely plays a big role in shaping it.

Online courses are unique in that we gather from all over the world. We’re able to share stories from our own culture, as though we’re sitting around one big table. Here’s what one student shared and the reason why photographs are so important…

“Food was such an integral part of me and my brother's upbringing. Being Syrian, it was everywhere….Recipes were almost never written down, but passed on verbally, and everyone loved to talk about how each household (or region) made certain dishes differently. Food was in the air we breathed.…

When we would go to Syria in the summers, we were always greeted by an insane meal and a gigantic table filled with my grandparents, my mom's six sisters, one brother and all of my cousins (well us young'ins would usually get booted to the other table). And every day after that first day, everyone would stop what they were doing to come have lunch at my grandmother's and take their post-lunch naps (common practice). Lunch was just that important culturally. In Syria vegetables, fruits and meats only came locally, and things were only consumed seasonally or after they were preserved or frozen if off season. These were things I very much came to appreciate later in life.

Now, there is no more Syria (or the Syria we knew). There is no more grandmother's house (my grandmother lives in Jordan with my aunt in a 3 BR flat). The siblings are all scattered throughout the world, most likely never able to gather around at a single table ever again, and some of them, never able to see my grandmother again. Food is a legacy. It's a story. And I've realized in the past few years how important it is to preserve that story, for it might forever be lost. I love that photography can preserve that story in a visual way. And I want to somehow bring that story to light.”

- Omayah Atassi

During the two weeks together, we explore everything from backgrounds and surfaces, to props, lighting, editing, styling and photographing food off the table. Here is some of the beautiful work that was turned in by students during the fall run of Food as Art…

xo,

Anna Larson | Instructor of FOOD AS ART

If this resonates with you and you’d like to tell your own food story, FOOD AS ART opens for registration on November 29th at 9:00 am EST.

Spotlight on the students of SERIOUSLY SOCIAL with Rowe Timson...

Hello there! For those of you who don’t know me, I have been a photographer for most of my adult life, an obsession that started in high school with a Canon AE1 and far too many hours playing in the darkroom when I should have been elsewhere.  I shot commercial fashion initially and later moved into portraits and kids fashion. 

My love for social media had me take on a couple of social media clients back in 2012 as a part-time gig, but gradually I transition from full-time photographer to a full-time Social Media Manager, doing commercial photography on the side. 

I love everything about social media and I am super excited to be teaching my third round of Seriously Social in just a few days on Monday 17th! The workshop is all about approaching Social media with intention! Making the most of the time we spend online. Working smarter, creating a strategy and making use of the tools available to implement your strategy in the most efficient way.
Featuring students is a rather tricky task for this kind of class because we cover so much and students are often working through the content well after the class ends and also focusing on one platform at a time, implementing changes slowly. That being said, a few students were happy to share some thoughts about their journey and where they are at with things since the class ended and I am so proud of them and thankful for their kind words!

Instagram //Merja VarkemaaRowe’s Seriously Social class was a real eye opener for me. Of course I had been aware how social media is everywhere, but I had never realized to which extent. There was so much to learn and I’m still learning and implemen…

Instagram //Merja Varkemaa

Rowe’s Seriously Social class was a real eye opener for me. Of course I had been aware how social media is everywhere, but I had never realized to which extent. There was so much to learn and I’m still learning and implementing what Rowe taught us in class.

Photography is my passion and creative outlet and as I’m not in business, my personal approach might differ from that of many others. What impacted me the most was all her knowledge that she shared about Instagram. A passionate amateur photographer like myself is all the time looking for ways to share one’s work, to put it out there. With Rowe’s guidance, I discovered this tremendous online gallery that IG is for us photographers. She helped me to make my profile look more like me and my work, explained the algorithm, use of hashtags, how to curate my feed and many other features. For those in business, she shares valuable information about growth strategies and how to market one’s work. I’m personally still at the stage of organic growth but now have plenty of ideas for the future.
Before the class I had not spent much time on Instagram and hardly ever posted. I’m now addicted, it is such a wealth of inspiration and a source of endless motivation. There are so many artists out there sharing stunning images that are waiting to be seen.

My thoughts on Merja’s Instagram - I just adore Merja’s work and have loved watching her vision evolve over the last couple of months. She has a great eye from a curating perspective and I really like the way her grid has a gallery feel to it almost resembling a portfolio. It’s unique and works well with her compositions and her emotive editing style. What’s not to love! I can’t wait to see what she does on her other platforms in the future.

See more of Merja’s work - INSTAGRAM // FACEBOOK // WEBSITE

Pinterest // Deb Schwedhelm   I thought I had my social media shit mostly together, but knew that I had more to learn. What I didn't realize is HOW MUCH I had to learn from Rowe's class. From day one, I was blown away by all the information that Row…

Pinterest // Deb Schwedhelm

I thought I had my social media shit mostly together, but knew that I had more to learn. What I didn't realize is HOW MUCH I had to learn from Rowe's class. From day one, I was blown away by all the information that Rowe was presenting. Of course, I very quickly realized that I did NOT have my social media presence together and all the work I had to do, under the incredible guidance of Rowe's tutelage. So lesson by lesson, I worked, improving my Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest presence. Seriously Social reinforced that to be successful in social media, one must be organized, active, authentic, and engaged. There really is a method to the madness.

I had been a longtime user of Pinterest, but I was using it for fun. I have had so many boards over the years, but I hadn't realized that I could actually use Pinterest to my advantage. Yes, I could still pin things that I love, but I could also create boards that would assist in marketing my photography endeavors. So I cleaned existing boards up and created new boards. I also got back to being regular active on Pinterest. Who knew that Pinterest could be such a strong force?!

I can't thank Rowe enough for her time and guidance. She goes above and beyond to ensure that each student is taken care of, which is not an easy task in a social media class. I'm forever grateful for this class and the push that it has given me to be better.

Pinterest home page where Deb has selected her own work to be front and centre in the banner at the top and in her featured boards -

The first two rows of her boards tab -

My thoughts on Debs Pinterest - Out of Deb’s 10 boards featured on the first two lines we see when we visit her profile, 6 boards contain her own imagery which is exactly what you want. For people to visit your profile and know who you are and what …

My thoughts on Debs Pinterest - Out of Deb’s 10 boards featured on the first two lines we see when we visit her profile, 6 boards contain her own imagery which is exactly what you want. For people to visit your profile and know who you are and what you do! The other 4 are full of photography related inspiration which is just perfect for reaching her target audience… Who is her target audience? Photographers looking to be inspired and educated.

Note: Deb is an incredible photographer who happens to also be an amazing illuminate teacher!

See more of Deb’s work - INSTAGRAM // PINTEREST // FACEBOOK // WEBSITE

A few fun Pinterest facts… It’s actually not a social media platform. It is essential a search engine. Being successful on Pinterest is less about your number of followers and more about how many people are seeing your pins. You can have next to no followers and be rocking Pinterest! To do so, you need to create brand relevant boards and pins and use keyword rich descriptions so people find your content. Of course, posting frequently is important too because the more active you are, the more your pins will show up which means a higher chance of repins which equates to more traffic!

I used to get around 10,000 views a month on my Pinterest profile After implementing a super simple strategy and more regular pinning practises, that number rocketed to 200,000 views a month! I recently created a Pinterest strategy and pinning schedule for one of my clients and after just 6 weeks she has over 400,000 views a month! I know… Crazy! Pinterest honestly is worth taking the time to learn. Get in now. Be an early adopter before it’s saturated and it is hard for your pins to be seen. It’s a pretty easy platform to master and its super fun.

Website // Ellen Keith Shaw  Really, we put so much time and effort into our businesses and I’m increasingly realizing that speaking to an echo chamber can be so defeating. I’m thankful that Rowe’s class, Seriously Social, has started me on the righ…

Website // Ellen Keith Shaw

Really, we put so much time and effort into our businesses and I’m increasingly realizing that speaking to an echo chamber can be so defeating. I’m thankful that Rowe’s class, Seriously Social, has started me on the right path of posting consistently (with the help of a scheduler, which was life changing), and engaging with my audience. She taught me that a engaged authentic audience is much more important than false inflated numbers. She helped me establish a look and feel to my Instagram thread which finally feels cohesive. I feel that that effort also spilled over to my website which I recently overhauled to have it better reflect the audience I am trying to reach.

The class included conversations with a branding expert and with a copywriter which was such a bonus. I studied branding in college, but that lesson helped me apply the branding process to my own business. The copywriting one reinforced that the voice of our businesses is so very important. The tips provided during that call helped me to refine my about page—the voice of which influences all of the other communication around my business.

Rowe Timson and Seriously Social far exceeded my expectations. I was not a fan of social media and in some ways resented spending my time on it, but with Rowe’s help I am now able to see it in new light and as a valuable place to put some of my energy in building my business. The class ended with me feeling inspired, along with many actionable steps to help me continue to build my audience.

Ellen’s Portfolio -

My thoughts on Ellen’s website - Last week I was checking in on my students, visiting their profiles to see where they were at and really loved Ellen’s Instagram and then I visited her website… Sigh… It's just so beautiful, as are her images! Simple…

My thoughts on Ellen’s website - Last week I was checking in on my students, visiting their profiles to see where they were at and really loved Ellen’s Instagram and then I visited her website… Sigh… It's just so beautiful, as are her images! Simple and unique! I honestly love everything about her branding, right down to the fonts she chose. I think she has really rocked every aspect or her website overhaul and I cant wait to see how her other platforms evolve over time!

See more of Ellen’s work - INSTAGRAM // PINTEREST // FACEBOOK // WEBSITE

Instagram // Wendy Atkinson   Seriously Social by Rowe Timson helped me to learn how to manage my Social Media accounts to be able to gain followers who were right for my photography business. I learned how to curate an Instagram feed that is truly …

Instagram // Wendy Atkinson

Seriously Social by Rowe Timson helped me to learn how to manage my Social Media accounts to be able to gain followers who were right for my photography business. I learned how to curate an Instagram feed that is truly my voice and my brand. I learned how to create a workflow to help me manage the time I spend posting and engaging with my audience. I believe that implementing the strategies that Rowe teaches has helped grow my business, interact and engage with clients and prospective clients.

After taking Seriously Social I felt lead to help a non-profit organization that I support because I noticed that they have a great ministry that very few people know about because their social media was scarce. In two months I have helped them to gain new followers, and to spread the word of the mission of their organization. They have received feedback that people are excited to see the great work they are doing across the globe.

My thoughts on Wendy’s Instagram - Wendy had a clear vision early on in the class, keen to create a consistent posting plan using a mix of photos and quotes and she executed it brilliantly! I really love the consistency of her clean, fresh imagery and how she varies the content to keep things interesting! I am so pleased she was able to put her new skills to use to help a non-profit and they had received good feedback as a result of her handwork. Looking forward to seeing more from her!

See more of Wendy’s work - INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

That’s all for now but I will share more soon! Sing out if you have any questions about the workshop or social media related questions in general. If you are interested in taking my class, head HERE to grab a spot. Class starts Monday.

Thanks, Rowe.