First Smugmug meeting and The Quintero's

Hello bloggers and happy FRIDAY! Before I start talking about my fabulous sister and her beautiful family, I want to talk about last night. SO, last night I had the opportunity to attend my first ever OC smug mug meeting. This was HUGE for me! If you know me at all (and you all do because lets be real, I don't have many followers...YET! ;D) Anyhow, if ya know me you know that I am INSANELY shy and a little ridiculously introverted. Which, I know what you are thinking next: How am I doing Photography and talking to people, getting THEM to come out of their shells when I myself, am this shy? Well the answer is I force myself out of my shell...and it pays off every time. Just like it did last night; when I forced myself to step outside of my usual shy-self and drive me and my fantastic boyfriend up to Orange County to sit in a room full of other awesome photographers and listen to the FABULOUS JStar* (Jasmine Star!) share her fabulous insight in her world of "Netmaking." Netmaking is a word that Jasmine made up in place of a word that she shared she had a common hatred for...Networking! Netmaking, as Jasmine so beautifully put it, is: "The desire to put one's needs before your own as a way to help, invest, and grow another business." She continued to tell us all of the ways we could help others...not to boost ourselves or our own businesses but rather, to help others. And maybe, watch as Karma works its beautiful magic. (as my new friend Crystal Le put it: "the good old "do unto others as you would have others do unto you"")Naturally Jasmine (and Crystal) put it much better then I did, but as I sat there (at the edge of my seat, said Brent) I just kept thinking "Oh my gosh, I would LOVE to help others...But what can I give? I hardly have knowledge myself and I just barely taught myself how to work my Nikon D60 on manual....surely no one needs MY help" And then she kept going and kept reminding us that she too was once in the same boat, with the same fears and that she always found a way to make herself helpful to anyone in ANY way she could. So, needless to say I drove home all wide eyed and excited like a little kid on Christmas morning. Imagining all of the ways I can try to be of help to ANYONE! So my goal from now on is to find ways that I can help others, and NETMAKE...in ANY way that I can! To end the fabulous night we were instructed to talk to at least three other photographers in the room and netmake...not to be confused with network. We were to really get to know them, try to offer our help to them and actually go home with a new contact that you follow through with. I was NERVOUS to say the least...but was so thrilled that AGAIN I pushed myself to not think in the old Megan mind set....and was so grateful to have met some fantastic photographers and great people to learn from and hopefully help in some way! ALSO there, was the ever fabulous Ryel J! I met Ryel just a few weeks ago at my friends wedding that I practically forced my friend to hire as her photographer. (I am kidding, actually Ayelet was in love the second she saw Ryel's work!!!) Anyway, I bring Ryel up because I would literally kick myself if I didn't share with my fellow inter-webbers how FABULOUS, SWEET, INVITING and TALENTED Ryel is. She not only recognized me from Ayelet's wedding but ran over and gave me a huge hug making a nervous me feel so very welcome in a place that I was so nervous to be at. Ryel has been an incredible inspiration to me in these first few months as I try to find who I want to become as a photographer and artist....And I can only hope that some day I make another photographer feel as welcome and comforted as Ryel has made me feel! (ok, don't tease me...but I literally DO NOT know how to link people's websites yet, otherwise, I would have linked both Jasmine and Ryel's blogs to my page....but I promise I will learn soon!) If you do want to see their work just shoot me an e-mail and I will send you their links! Anyway after dreaming last night of ways to NETMAKE and push myself in more ways as a photographer I felt that I had to post something about my experience last night! IT was fabulous thanks to Jasmine, smug mug, Ryel J and all of the other rad photographers there!

Now, onto the Quinteros! My sister and her hubby actually made their big BLOG Debut a few months ago when I just got my camera...but the holidays are rolling around and I am working on a little something that I will share with you all next week...So again my sister graciously agreed to gather her beautiful family for me to photograph in what is my favorite place in San Diego...Balboa Park! I had a blast shooting my fun, goofy, spirited, HILARIOUS, super sweet nieces and nephew and my beautiful sister and her oober awesome hubby (brother in law as he is referred to by me and Angie) Here are a few of my favorites from the afternoon...Stay tuned next week for what fun ideas we have coming for the Holidays (Hint---Think Holiday cards!)