This past Christmas was the first year that we hosted the celebrations out of our parent’s house and in our own.  So, we had the leisure of not having to travel to Texas for the holiday- which was very nice- but it was difficult because we started alternating holidays between families.  Late one night, my parents got a phone call that they thought was important to share with us.  I was rather grumpy about having to get out of bed…again.   My mom slipped down the last two or three stairs right as I had fallen asleep the first time- thankfully she was fine!- and since the stairs go right under our bedroom, gave me a terrible fright in my half-asleep state.  Then, once I had gotten nice and cozy again, someone barged in my room to wake me for this phone call.

Like I said, I was grumpy!

So, we gathered in the guest room with my parents to hear the good news- my sister, Kelly, and her long-time boyfriend, Jason, had just gotten engaged earlier that afternoon in Austin!  After that, the whole night’s antics seemed worthwhile! 

The lovebirds soon joined us for Christmas, and unfortunately could only stay for three days as they had to jet-set to Florida to see his family.  But, we got them over the holiday and spent the day after Christmas at Mount Vernon in the snow.  It was so beautiful!  And of course we decided to do an impromptu engagement session to celebrate!

Kelly & Jason- I know this isn’t new news, and the whole blog thing is ridiculously late, but I’m so incredibly happy for the two of you!  I can’t wait for the wedding and I hope you enjoy the crazy-fun journey while you work towards getting to the altar.  Jason- I’m so excited to have a brother (and someone new to torment!) and better yet, a brother like you!  Love and miss you guys!!  Hope you enjoy the photos as much as I do! 

Filed under: Engagement Session, Photos Tagged: Engagement Session, Kelly & Jason, Mount Vernon, Snow, Virginia, Winter ]]> http://meghansenkelphotographyblog.com/2011/04/02/kelly-jasons-impromtu-engagement-session-mount-vernon/feed/ 1 Meghan Senkel IMG_5518-1 IMG_5545-4 IMG_5538-2 IMG_5565-8 IMG_5594-10 IMG_5800-50 IMG_5640-15 IMG_5701-28 IMG_5659-19 IMG_5664-21 IMG_5760-38 IMG_5784-42 IMG_5788-44 IMG_5736-34 http://meghansenkelphotographyblog.com/2011/03/27/status-update-maryland-engagement-boudoir-photographer/ http://meghansenkelphotographyblog.com/2011/03/27/status-update-maryland-engagement-boudoir-photographer/#comments Sun, 27 Mar 2011 16:18:50 +0000 Meghan http://meghansenkelphotographyblog.com/?p=1489 ]]> As you may have noticed, the blog has changed quite a bit over the last few days.  This site formerly housed my entire website, but will now serve as home to my blog.  So, please take note of the web address change to meghansenkelphotographyblog.com.  I can still be reached through the “Contact” tab near the top of the page. 

Meanwhile, my new Showit site is under construction at the usual meghansenkelphotography.com address, which I am crazy excited about (and nervous too!).  I had the opportunity to purchase a lifetime Showit site, and as I had been coveting them for so long, I could hardly resist.  However, with that came a commitment to keep plugging along with my photo business endeavor.

I will admit that for a brief period I had been considering closing up shop.  Why?  Mostly self-doubt.  Sometimes the obstacles seemed to great to overcome.  It was too much work.  I was asking for more than I needed/deserved/was capable of.   There’s lots of negativity in the photog community right now, so feeling supported was a problem (mostly in my own head).  I felt disconnected and out of touch.   I also  figured that I had sunk a bit of money into this thing, enough to give it a go, but not so much I would feel like a royal failure.  If I was going to get out, then it was time to do it.

But here I am.  What made me change my mind?  Well, for starters I couldn’t imagine not doing it, but I needed major direction- a boost of some kind.  Luckily, two things happened.  First, I got a huge collection of products out to a client early this year.  Some of the items were ones I hadn’t ordered before.  As always, I’m terrified of ruining an order, so it was nerve wracking for me to say the least.  But I was so excited when the products started trickling in.  First it was a beautiful canvas.  Seeing it on my wall is an awesome experience, but seeing it in their home was way better by a factor of ten!    Then their albums, folios, and presentation boxes all came in at once a few weeks later.  I was blown away at how good it feels to see my images, my art, in a handcrafted album.  Again, it was even better when the items were delivered and I saw how much they were loved.  Of course this was all a huge (and much needed) boost for my confidence.

Second, I attended a Business Clarity workshop here in Baltimore with Jeff Jochum, that I had signed up for months earlier.  I told myself that I’d go through it and see what happened before I made any decisions on whether or not I would continue in photography.  This workshop is not all about lovey-dovey fluff and cupcakes sprinkled with moonbeams and hugs.  It was hard.  Mostly because we had to look inward to find out who we were, only so we could find out who we needed to be looking for client-wise.  I’m sure there will be a separate post on this, but to make a long story short, I didn’t exactly walk out of there feeling like a newly inspired photographer ready to grab the world by the short’n'curlies.  In fact, I was exhausted and had a terrible headache.  But a few days later the clarity started to trickle in as I began to process what had been discussed at the workshop.  And to top it off, I met some really great ladies while I was there which gave me the social connection with other photographers that I had been missing for so long.

So while I don’t have it all figured out, I do know a few things that will help to guide me:

I’m not going to kill myself over this by trying to be something or someone I’m not.  I don’t think that was ever a problem, but it’s hard to keep your head on straight and have good perspective when there is so much attention on the “rockstar” photographers who shot to fame (and supposedly fortune) almost overnight.  I don’t want or need that.

I love my day job.  I’ve been working there for two years and I can honestly say that I still love what I do and the people I work with.  Even my bosses.   And let me tell you that is something I’ve never been able to say about a job.  That means a lot to me.  It’s much more than financial security.  I don’t feel like I need photography to jettison me out of a bad situation.  If I can turn this into a full time gig and be happy with it that would be amazing.  But I also know that I don’t have to be a full time photographer to be happy.  Ultimately, making beautiful images and meeting/befriending  clients is what interests me.  Having some extra cash on the side is nice too… 

I don’t have to have a client booked every weekend.  I want to find the clients that suit me and I them.  I want to find people who are as quirky as myself, who like to ham it up and be goofy.  If I work only five times a year, that’s fine, but I want it to be with my ideal client.

In the end, I love taking pictures and will always keep doing that.  I’m really glad I’ve gotten to go on this journey I started, and I’m even happier that I made the decision to stay on and see where it takes me.  I like having my own little place in the world where I can be Queen and make a positive impact on someone.  I don’t need to be a “rockstar” to be successful, I only need to be me and to do this my way.

Just a quick update on what’s happening at Meghan Senkel Photography:

I’ve cut my teeth and gotten some great experience under my belt in the last year or so since I’ve been in business.  I’ve been taking the last few months to think about where I am and where I am going and just how it is that I am going to get there.  With that in mind, you will be seeing some changes around here that I hope position me for success in the future.  So, keep your eyes peeled!

As always, I appreciate any feedback that you may have and always welcome questions or even just a friendly ‘hello’!  And thanks for all of the support and comments, it really helps to keep me fueled and pumped up knowing you guys have my back! 

Anyhow, I went today early  (refreshed from the wonderful weather we’ve been having – we slept with the windows open last night!- and the luxurious four-day weekend) and had a blast.  Aside from the delish empanada and fresh lemonade w/ strawberries I had for breakfast, there were tons of great booths selling all sorts of stuff.  I’m trying to mind my wallet  now that we have a mortgage and because I know I’m going to London (If you haven’t heard, I’m going to London at the end of the month!), so I didn’t buy everything I laid eyes on.  But I did walk out with some great old Ball mason jars, fresh produce, a stocking stuffer for my mom (shhhh!), and some flowers for a friend.

It’s bittersweet because I know summer will soon come to an end, but I am excited for fall.  It’s one of my favorite things about living farther north.  I hope everyone has a wonderful and relaxing Labor Day!

If you’d like to see these photos large, come on over for a vistit at my Facebook page!

Hello Readers.  I know it’s been a while… a long, long while, but things have been more than busy.  I hope you understand.  I’d like to do some posts on what’s been keeping me away (we bought our first house!), but for now I’d like to focus on the boudoir session I did waaaay back in May.  With all of the craziness it’s taken me this long to get the photos edited, have a viewing session with the client, and get approval for the blog post.

I must say it’s worth the wait, I’m so happy with how my first boudoir session went – we ladies had a blast! – and the husband and wife are ecstatic with the sumptuous and sexy results.  I decided to give my boudoir clients a Code Name, so that they may keep their privacy and maybe have a little fun with their sexy, online, alternate self.  With that I’d like to introduce you to the amazing Christy.  I am so lucky to have her as my first model for this type of shoot.  Aside from her amazing, fit physique (you’ll see her abs below…), she is fun, a bit wild, and had no inhibitions in front of the camera.

The following photos are just a tiny fraction of what we got that day.  I have some others I’m authorized to share and I’d like to post them in the near future, but these are the strongest together.

So, to Christy, I hope you love your photos as much as I do.  You are strong in all senses of the word, incredible inside and out, and so damn H-O-T!!

Filed under: Boudoir, Photos Tagged: Boudoir, Photography, Washington D.C. ]]> http://meghansenkelphotographyblog.com/2010/08/14/code-name-christy-washington-dc-area-boudoir-photographer/feed/ 3 Meghan Senkel Christy-20 Christy-51 Christy-53 Christy-55 Christy-56 http://meghansenkelphotographyblog.com/2010/05/30/darren-kristina-engagement-session-georgetown/ http://meghansenkelphotographyblog.com/2010/05/30/darren-kristina-engagement-session-georgetown/#comments Sun, 30 May 2010 15:49:44 +0000 Meghan http://meghansenkelphotography.com/?p=951 ]]> Darren & Kristina are transplants from Texas – him a geneticist, her a teacher.  Separately they’re great, but together…wow!  They are getting married back home in July, in the same small church where grandparents and parents were married before them.  Things are different now that they’ve moved up north, but they’re still laid back and easy going in that warm, friendly Texas kind of way.  I am so glad to have met them.

Meeting with Darren & Kristina is like a quick trip home for Jesse and I, we clicked instantly since we shared two bonds – both from Texas and both Aggies.  It’s a good feeling to make those kind of connections when you’re so far from home.  But better yet, it has been a real honor to witness the love between the two.  They’ve let us in to see those funny, sweet, and meaningful moments that don’t always show to strangers.

As my first “real client” shoot, these two were perfect subjects to cut my teeth on.  They knew me better than I knew myself, and fully expected to be dragged around Georgetown for more than the allotted two hours.  They were so right – we shot for four hours!  And they were troopers the whole time!

Darren isn’t a guy who likes to call attention to himself and is a big believer in minimal PDA.  It was really tough for him to traipse around a very crowded Georgetown with a photographic entourage and make kissy faces all day.   What can you say?  He grew up in a world of ranching and hard work,  so playing model in America’s political and economic heart doesn’t come naturally.  Not to mention it was hot!  But he pulled through like a champ…as these photos show.   In fact, he has what I’ve dubbed the “Matt Damon Look”.  Kristina on the other hand was great, sharing her brilliant Texas smile all day long.  She helped Darren through the whole experience, locking him in with her beautiful hazel eyes, and making him forget, if only for a moment, that people were watching as they locked lips.

Like I said, they are great separate, but together…wow!  I hope you enjoy this little taste of our day in Georgetown! 

A super special thanks to Georgetown Cupcake for letting us use their facilities after closing time and for donating all of those cupcakes for our use!  If you are in the area and haven’t been, you need to go.  Don’t. Walk.  Run!  And if you’re ever visiting, one bite of this cupcake will make sitting in coach behind a screaming baby for three hours sooooo totally worth it!

If you want to see all of the photos from our session, come visit me on Facebook!  Leave a little love for Kristina & Darren or maybe even become a fan!    Or you can always follow me on Twitter.

Filed under: Engagement Session, Photos Tagged: Engagement Session, Georgetown, Georgetown Cupcakes, Photo Shoot, Photos, Washington D.C.

I can still totally remember how it felt when I got the email from Darren asking for more information on an engagement session.  Jesse and I were in our bedroom when I checked my iPod and saw Darren’s email.  I screamed so loud, Jesse thought I was having a fit…and I kind of was.  It felt so good to have some one asking me to take pictures of them instead of the other way around.  I happy danced for minutes.  I mean, c’mon – real clients!

I finally got to meet Darren and his fiancee, Kristina, on a nice warm day in Annapolis.  We had coffee and talked – I can’t even begin to describe how amped up and nervous I was.  But they were awesome, so nice and friendly.  One of the coolest things about them (and for this I’ll forever be grateful) is that they are Aggies (as in Texas A&M, a.k.a.: The Best University Ever!) and Jesse and I are Aggies.  So at the start, it was already like family.  Darren told me about how he found me – we had taken the same picture of our truck beds full of snow after the blizzards this year. 

We had our session on the first weekend in May in Georgetown.  While it was hot and a bit muggy, the weather held out and we had a fabulous time.  Darren and Kristina are so in love, it’s a really beautiful thing to see.  The more I look at the photos the more I can see it – those little moments captured that mean so much more than words ever could.  So, here’s a little taste.  There will be more to come next week, since the viewing session is this Friday.  I can’t wait!

Filed under: Uncategorized ]]> http://meghansenkelphotographyblog.com/2010/05/26/sneak-peek-darren-kristinas-engagment-session-georgetown-engagement-photography/feed/ 2 Meghan Senkel IMG_0388-88 IMG_9584-12 IMG_9833-30 http://meghansenkelphotographyblog.com/2010/05/25/elle-turns-two-and-im-a-bad-bad-blogger/ http://meghansenkelphotographyblog.com/2010/05/25/elle-turns-two-and-im-a-bad-bad-blogger/#comments Wed, 26 May 2010 01:09:53 +0000 Meghan http://meghansenkelphotography.com/?p=901 ]]>

So, it’s recently come to my attention that I’m a bad, bad blogger.  It’s been a month.  A month!  It’s shameful really.  Especially considering that this post has been sitting here for all that time, loaded with beautiful pictures just waiting for text.  Um…yeah.  Not much to say there.

I will say that things have been busy.  On top of my real-life job I’ve had three shoots – one each: engagement, 10 year anniversary, and boudoir.  All basically back to back.  And since I haven’t met with the clients to show the photos, I haven’t been able to post.  Let us please ignore the fact that a sneak peek would have been more than appropriate.   I’ve also been doing a boot camp in Baltimore Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the last three weeks, which means up at 4:45 am and to bed (hopefully) around 9 pm.   Doesn’t leave much time after work, does it? To top it all off, Jesse and I are in the process of packing up our messy, cramped condo in order to move to greener pastures.  We are finally buying our first house (!) and closing is on June 14th.  So, I’ve been busy.  Please forgive my absence.

The following are from Elle’s second birthday – she’s the sweet blond in the first photo and I just love her to death!  Let’s just say there was a moon bounce and the parents were more than disappointed when it had to go back.  Why must the kids have all of the fun?

I think I’ll let the photos do the talking on this one! 

I do have a couple of things to update you on.  You may remember me posting about Bark’n'Bean, which is a local dog wash and coffee bar here in Annapolis, and how they are opening a new location on West Street that’s a straight up coffee shop.  And how they asked me to provide some large dog-themed photos to help decorate their new place.  Of course, I was more than happy to oblige!

Their new location is great, right in the heart of things at Park Place.  The shop itself is fun and bright with a clean urban feel and plenty of pooches smiling from the walls.

It was already pretty busy when we got there around 10…not too bad for the first two hours of business!

Lots of friends stopped in to say hello and sample hot coffee and delicious pastries.

I had one of these strawberry scones myself…it was amazing!!  Jesse had a bagel and then we may or may not have sampled the ice cream.  I’m keeping my lips sealed on that one! 

The staff is attentive and fun.  I can already tell that this is going to be a great place to hang out and relax – just like the dog wash has always been.

On to the art!  I was honored when Theresa asked me if I would be interested in having some of my images hung in their store.  Of course I had to say “YES”!  The coffee shop is supporting local artists by using their work to decorate the walls.  It’s a great thing to have a community of small businesses supporting each other!  Below is my little piece of real estate.  I’m thrilled, it’s a prime location!

We got to watch as they decided how best to hang the photos on the wall.  I think Bodie is excited about being in the spotlight. 

And there they are!  We didn’t get to stay to see the third image hung, so I guess we’ll have to return, right?!?  How cool will it be to sit on the couch, have a drink, and look at my art on the wall!  I love it!

I’m glad that now I have a local option that’s home grown, no more Starbucks for me.  I’m thinking that this will be an excellent place to bring my clients and myself!    This last picture sums it all up in words better than I could ever type.  Where else can you get a smile like that, especially knowing that she had been up constantly for the last three days prepping for the opening?  This is the real reason I love Bark’n'Bean! 

Filed under: Photos Tagged: Annapolis, Bark'n'Bean, Coffee Bar, Maryland ]]> http://meghansenkelphotographyblog.com/2010/04/24/on-barknbean-coffe-bar-art-annapolis-maryland-photographer/feed/ 9 Meghan Senkel IMG_8278-20 IMG_8201-3 IMG_8183-1 IMG_8197-2 IMG_8204-4 IMG_8216-7 IMG_8212-6 IMG_8224-9 IMG_8227-10 IMG_8248-12 IMG_8208-5 IMG_8256-13 IMG_8263-14 IMG_8270-17 IMG_8274-18 IMG_8293-21 IMG_8295-22 http://meghansenkelphotographyblog.com/2010/04/10/diy-camera-bagpurse-washington-d-c-maryland-photography/ http://meghansenkelphotographyblog.com/2010/04/10/diy-camera-bagpurse-washington-d-c-maryland-photography/#comments Sat, 10 Apr 2010 11:00:45 +0000 Meghan http://meghansenkelphotography.com/?p=832 ]]> Alright, I know that many of you, like me, have been drooling over the fabulous and chic camera bag/purse combos that are out there; something that’s functional and safe for your gear, but doesn’t scream, “Hey!  There’s a camera in here!” and has a bit of flare and style.  And if you’re like me, then you also don’t have the $$$ to drop on one of these sweet babies.     I’ve been brainstorming and dreaming and scheming of a way to make one mine…but I can’t really justify it until I get myself out of the hole I’ve dug for myself with the start-up of the business.  SO…I figured that instead of making one mine, I could just make one!

Several weeks ago there was an article over at DPS that talked about women’s photography bags.  Unhappy with the commercially produced options the author decided to make her own – one that would suit her needs and tastes perfectly.  This started my quest for the ideal bag that would become the foundation of my ultra-cheap yet ultra-chic camera bag.

Luckily, the search didn’t last all that long.  A Kohl’s just opened up in Annapolis and I’d been meaning to check it out, so that’s where I headed, armed with my 15% off coupon!  I searched through the purse section like a crazy woman, measuring the bags for size against my forearm, checking and double checking for pockets, pouches, and zippers, sliding the bags on and off my shoulders while pretending to stuff a camera in or pull a lens out…you know, crazy lady stuff!

And then I found it.  Right at the front.  And even though I knew I found it, that didn’t stop the crazy lady from making another lap around the purse section.  Three. More. Times.

Yeah…crazy.  See??

I proudly walked out with this baby:

It measures 12 1/2″H x 16″W x 5″D and meets all of my criteria: lots of pockets (one on the front, two on the sides, two in the interior), has two zippered pouches inside, a roomy divided interior, and nice generous shoulder straps.  It was once $75, but I walked out with it for around $40thanks to a sale and my coupon!

The next step was to find a suitable means for protecting and separating my gear from the sunglasses, keys, and other items that are daily necessities.  I scoured the article’s comments on DPS and came across a link to the Clik Elite CE510RE Capsule Small.  I found the best price at Amazon.com – with free shipping it came in for a total of $36!

The capsule is pretty cool – it’s sturdy without being too stiff, has a nice double zippered top with a lay-flat handle, the interior is soft and cushioned for my gear,  it’s covered in a durable nylon, and it can hold my Canon Xti body with lens plus two additional lenses.  Coming in at 11.7 x 5.1 x 7.8 inches there’s no bulk and no wasted space.  Perfect!

I tried cramming the capsule into the back compartment of my bag and had a moment of terror when I realized that it wasn’t going to fit without getting crushed.  So, I made an executive decision to cut the lining of the purse, which was was restricting the full use of the bag’s capacity.  Flipping the lining inside-out, I only needed to cut along one side and down the bottom of the lining a bit to allow the capsule the space it needed.

After that, the capsule slid right in.  Perfect!

So, for a grand total of $76 I’ve got a nice roomy camera bag in a purse’s clothing.  It fits all of the essentials and is deep enough for files and the iPad my husband’s promised me. It’s cute, stylish, and feminine.

I love it!

I’d love to show this bag in action, but the problem with being a photographer is that you don’t have people to take pictures of you when you need them!  Luckily, I’m meeting with fellow Soar Sister Christine Barker soon, so I’ll have her snap some photos then!

If you’ve got a DIY solution that’s worked for you or found a commercially available option that you like, talk about it in the comments!