This year has been incredibly challenging for me, as this business has taken off in ways I couldn't have imagined. I have three small children, and a husband who travels for work, which means my time is limited more than you even know. Trying to run a business, respond to the dozens of emails and inquiries I receive a day, and still give my children the time and attention they deserve has proven to be a balance that I have not yet mastered.
But I will.
I love this job, I love this art, and I am determined to become more efficient to better serve my clients and my family.
To those of you who have stuck with me, and been patient in scheduling and in receiving your products, my heart just fills with love for you. Thank you for your patience, your support, and for letting me into your lives.
As a thank you to you, who have stuck it out and waited patiently, I've decided to do ONE more mini-session day this year! Spots will be on a first come first served basis, and past clients and those who have inquired in the past will be given priority.
There will be only 6 spots available, and this will be my last portrait availability until next year.
The details will be the same as the Fall Minis:
$99 for a 15-20 minute session
2 5x7 professional prints
5 high resolution digital images
with print release
The date will be December 3rd, location to be announced.
As many of you know, Intuitive Images will be opening a new studio space inside Atomic Ballroom in Placentia. The Placentia location is the second Orange County location for Atomic, with it's first flagship location still rockin over in Irvine. Both locations are owned and operated by Shesha and Nikki Marvin, both internationally acclaimed competitive dancers and teachers, and pillars of the dance community here in Orange County. They've been my clients, my friends, now my partners in business and new opportunities, and it's time I introduce you to them.
Here's a little Q and A with the taller half of the First Couple of Atomic, Shesha Marvin.
1. When and how did you get started dancing, and what's your background with the late Frankie Manning (one of the founding fathers of Lindy Hop)?
I started dancing when I was dragged out onto the dance floor at Disneyland one Saturday night Jan 1996. A few months later I took my 1st class from Frankie Manning and I was instantly converted from a spazzy swing kid to a lindy hopper with a clue.
2. How did you meet your beautiful wife, Nikki, and when did you two acquire The Atomic Ballroom?
I met my beautiful wife Nikki at dance class in the summer of love 2003. She was my student. We were married in 2006 and purchased ATOMIC Ballroom in 2008.
3. If you could be born in another decade, which would it be, and why?
I'm happy with my decade. If I had to play your game I would choose the 1920s so that I could see the true progression of charleston to lindy hop.
Opportunity knocks and you open the door. I've known it was the next step for me for over 2 years.
5. What class or program is most exciting for you at the new Placentia location?
Argentine tango is ON! I've been trying to get into this personally for years. Friday nights, me, and Tango.
(The Argentine Tango series will be kicked off on Friday Jan. 28th - click here for more info on a stellar night of Tango, including basics, musicality, and workshops.)
6. Favorite thing to eat at home, and favorite thing to order at a restaurant?
Spaghetti and Spaghetti. Why fight it.
7. Do you hope your beautiful daughter, Anjali, will take over the Atomic empire when she gets older?
Anjali might just hate dancing. We could sell it and retire, who knows. I think of the ATOMIC empire as a small stepping stone in my life.
8. What are your hopes for the future of social dancing?
I need to keep pushing my basics and fight for more freedom.
9. You're somewhat infamous for your 101 Hat Tricks. Any plans to teach others via class or workshop?
Teaching hat tricks to geeks has been a long standing activity for me. I'm sure I will continue as requested.
(Here's a little taste of Shesha's Hat Trick Magnificence)
10. What would you say to someone who wants to get into social dancing, but has no experience?
I can't imagine living a life without social dancing. It fulfills so many human needs at once while also being fun. Any hopeless, clueless dancer can achieve competency starting at any age.
Thanks Shesha!
For more info about any classes Atomic offers, visit http://atomicballroom.com/ , and look for more articles in the Behind the Ballroom series, as I introduce you to more of the friends of Intuitive Images.
On top of pouring my heart and soul into photographs for incredible clients, I also have another job. I have three kids. Under seven. (Yes, thank you for your sympathy.) :) My kids are beautiful, intelligent, rambunctious, loving, and mostly all smiles. They're my everything. So fitting editing, marketing, client communications, blogging, shooting, ordering prints, learning, and all the other photography things that exist with a business like this into a schedule already packed with bottles, diapers for two little boys, feeding, helping my 10 month old learn to walk, taking my 6 year old to school (getting all 3 in the car at 8 am is a feat of massive proportions), icing down the goose egg on my two year old's forehead from when he jumped off the couch, washing dishes, doing 3 loads of laundry a day.. well, the list is never-ending. The list of sessions that are 3/4 done in the editing process at this time is... 6. I have six sessions that I am in love with, that I am making finishing them, getting out the cds and prints, and sending virtual hugs to all those patient clients a MAJOR priority this next week. Of course, I also have three photoshoots this weekend as well. :)
On my own facebook page, I've been trying to post something every day that I'm thankful for this month. From the ridiculous to the sincere, it's been helping me really live a more grateful life, day to day. So, when I'm trying to finish editing, the kids are hungry, the hubby is playing Call of Duty and tuning out the world, the laundry needs to be folded and put away.. well, I try to remind myself that soon my silly little kids will be in high school and won't even return my phone calls, that we're lucky to have so many clothes to wash and fold, and that even though they're a little whiny right now, my kids have never gone hungry.
I'm thankful for many things in my personal life, but I'm also thankful for my clients. For people who choose me to document their lives. For people who wait patiently for my laundry to be folded and my dishes to be done to get their cds and prints. I'm thankful to be able to do what I absolutely love.
Hope you enjoyed the sappyness. It doesn't happen often, but when it does.... :)
And just because I hate entries with no photo, here's one of my kiddos.
