Its been almost 1 year since the launch of Studio FBJ. YEP, that's ALMOST ONE YEAR! Its been more amazing than i could have imagined. I started the year off, in my home studio. Doing makeup and hair styling for weddings (www.facesbyjoy.com) and loving everything! With a full booking of weddings on the books in 2012, I did not see this coming......
My neighbor called:
"We would love to get some photos our of daughter, she just got her braces off! She is so excited!"
Me:
"great, I know several good photographers!"
Neighbor:
"well you did her makeup for cotillion, she loves you, and we have seen photos you have taken in the past, we want YOU to do them"
Me
"oh, me? Um, (pause pause) are you sure?"
Neighbor:
"Yes!"
2 weeks later... we headed out to Ashland, VA. We had a blast Sunday afternoon, Jan 15 to be exact!
Yes, these are the first pictures I took in 2012. On my Canon Rebel (that had been sitting in the closet since 2007) with its kit lens. I started out with the name fashion by joy(as you see above) since I had no idea what i was trying to do? Makeup, styling, photos?? I don't know? But I wanted to somehow tag the photos.
NEXT....my other neighbor called.
"Saw the photos you took on Facebook of ALEX! WE love them. Take our family photos?"
Me: "gosh, I have never photographed a family...yikes! I don't know how they will come out, but I will do your hair and makeup and that will at least make up for the photos!"
Lara was so happy with the photos. I was breathing a sigh of RELIEF! Lara dropped of a check for me a week later. I did not want to except the money. I could NOT except the money. Could not. Two weeks of looking at the check. What to do? I called Lara.
Me: "I have made a decision. I am going to cash your check."
Lara: "You have not already!?"
Me: "I couldn't"
Lara: "Cash it and go have a spa day or something!"
Me: "I am going to use it to purchase a new lens for my camera. Your money is going to help me start something I have thought about doing for a long time. I wanted to take photos along time ago. Since college even. The thought that this could help me go towards something I have thought and pondered over, this is such a gift. I wanted you to know."
Lara: "I am so happy for you! Now, go get your lens!"
What alot of people don't know about me is that I took classes in college for video production/ photography and modeled in High school and college. I loved taking photos or working with a video camera anytime i could. I worked for Kodak as a Test Model, and learned alot about being "on set" and in front of a camera or on stage. I participated in pageants for over 12 years.
I did not understand nor did I think that I could make "money" taking photos, until i started looking at the Wedding photographers at the Weddings I was booked on in 2009 and 2010. Photography had become so very popular. Such a Career! You did not need a huge studio, the outdoors was your studio. How times have changed i thought. But I did not want to be a wedding photographer. I loved doing the hair and makeup. I don't think i would enjoy doing the photos for the wedding in addition.
But then what? I knew that I wanted to take photos after taking them of Alex and Lara and her family...
I adored working with Miss and Teens when i directed the last few years i was in the pageant world. I worked with them on stage presence, walking, posing, coaching for photos. Why not High School Seniors? Why not Teens? This made me light up inside!
I have put myself BACK through college, as much time as i have spent researching, this past spring/summer and fall about High School Senior photography...
Paige and Corrine came next in February and March. The first two Seniors REPS for the studio that I would photograph. I came up with a little marker for Facebook and called myself Studio FBJ.
Faces by Joy was already well on its way in makeup and beauty in the Wedding arena. People in the Wedding industry knew me as Faces by Joy. So I just added the Studio part, used my other business initials, and that's how Studio FBJ was born!
AND I was scared! What would people think of me? Why?..... is SHE taking photos? What does SHE know. It was a scary time..for me. I hesitated to share my images. Cringed at feedback I might get. I often tell people, when they are scared to do or try something just put your blinders on, put your head down and go! Just don't look to the side, or back, don't worry about whats around you, just focus on YOU and SCORE! I knew, I had to do this. I was doing something that made my heart sing.
With the help of Mrs. Karen Martin and Headliners Dance Studio, I put together a MODEL TEAM. A few girls from each of the closest High Schools.
We shot on a VERY SUNNY day. I was testing a new lens. Had close to NO idea what i was doing really with a GROUP of ladies! But I had to put forth my most courageous foot, and just PLAYED the part!
The girls got hair and makeup and then business cards to hand out to friends with their photos.
They were going to be the "Front Line" ..... Faces of Studio FBJ!
I moved from my home studio in April to a small space inside Headliners Dance Studio. It was AMAZING!
Then it happened. Slowly I started booking Seniors. I set a lofty goal of 15 seniors for the year, I was excited!
October: Due to the increased business with so many sessions we moved into our VERY own space October 25th and one of my Model Team Seniors became a part time assistant in the fall when times were so busy!
Why stop here......LOL!
Now that i have a dedicated space to indoor photos, a beautiful makeup room and waiting area respectively, I am on a new high learning lighting and really having fun doing so. I have had a few guests in and we have been having a blast. There is so much more to come, I cant wait to share!
So that dear friends, is an {almost} year in review! I am so excited about what is to come in 2013!! Big plans and big Dreams! Why not? New goals, new expectations. I can't wait!
Happy New Year.... and may YOU Dream Big things too, then put your blinders on and GO LIKE CRAZY to make them come true!
My neighbor called:
"We would love to get some photos our of daughter, she just got her braces off! She is so excited!"
Me:
"great, I know several good photographers!"
Neighbor:
"well you did her makeup for cotillion, she loves you, and we have seen photos you have taken in the past, we want YOU to do them"
Me
"oh, me? Um, (pause pause) are you sure?"
Neighbor:
"Yes!"
2 weeks later... we headed out to Ashland, VA. We had a blast Sunday afternoon, Jan 15 to be exact!
Yes, these are the first pictures I took in 2012. On my Canon Rebel (that had been sitting in the closet since 2007) with its kit lens. I started out with the name fashion by joy(as you see above) since I had no idea what i was trying to do? Makeup, styling, photos?? I don't know? But I wanted to somehow tag the photos.
NEXT....my other neighbor called.
"Saw the photos you took on Facebook of ALEX! WE love them. Take our family photos?"
Me: "gosh, I have never photographed a family...yikes! I don't know how they will come out, but I will do your hair and makeup and that will at least make up for the photos!"
Lara was so happy with the photos. I was breathing a sigh of RELIEF! Lara dropped of a check for me a week later. I did not want to except the money. I could NOT except the money. Could not. Two weeks of looking at the check. What to do? I called Lara.
Me: "I have made a decision. I am going to cash your check."
Lara: "You have not already!?"
Me: "I couldn't"
Lara: "Cash it and go have a spa day or something!"
Me: "I am going to use it to purchase a new lens for my camera. Your money is going to help me start something I have thought about doing for a long time. I wanted to take photos along time ago. Since college even. The thought that this could help me go towards something I have thought and pondered over, this is such a gift. I wanted you to know."
Lara: "I am so happy for you! Now, go get your lens!"
What alot of people don't know about me is that I took classes in college for video production/ photography and modeled in High school and college. I loved taking photos or working with a video camera anytime i could. I worked for Kodak as a Test Model, and learned alot about being "on set" and in front of a camera or on stage. I participated in pageants for over 12 years.
I did not understand nor did I think that I could make "money" taking photos, until i started looking at the Wedding photographers at the Weddings I was booked on in 2009 and 2010. Photography had become so very popular. Such a Career! You did not need a huge studio, the outdoors was your studio. How times have changed i thought. But I did not want to be a wedding photographer. I loved doing the hair and makeup. I don't think i would enjoy doing the photos for the wedding in addition.
But then what? I knew that I wanted to take photos after taking them of Alex and Lara and her family...
I adored working with Miss and Teens when i directed the last few years i was in the pageant world. I worked with them on stage presence, walking, posing, coaching for photos. Why not High School Seniors? Why not Teens? This made me light up inside!
I have put myself BACK through college, as much time as i have spent researching, this past spring/summer and fall about High School Senior photography...
Paige and Corrine came next in February and March. The first two Seniors REPS for the studio that I would photograph. I came up with a little marker for Facebook and called myself Studio FBJ.
Faces by Joy was already well on its way in makeup and beauty in the Wedding arena. People in the Wedding industry knew me as Faces by Joy. So I just added the Studio part, used my other business initials, and that's how Studio FBJ was born!
With the help of Mrs. Karen Martin and Headliners Dance Studio, I put together a MODEL TEAM. A few girls from each of the closest High Schools.
We shot on a VERY SUNNY day. I was testing a new lens. Had close to NO idea what i was doing really with a GROUP of ladies! But I had to put forth my most courageous foot, and just PLAYED the part!
The girls got hair and makeup and then business cards to hand out to friends with their photos.
They were going to be the "Front Line" ..... Faces of Studio FBJ!
Then it happened. Slowly I started booking Seniors. I set a lofty goal of 15 seniors for the year, I was excited!
Summer came
Seniors...Kept...Coming.....
From as far away as Charlottesville and West Point, VA. From Chesterfield, Henrico, Hanover......
MORE than 50 Senior Sessions happened in 2012!
 |
| Maggie helping paint! |
Why stop here......LOL!
Now that i have a dedicated space to indoor photos, a beautiful makeup room and waiting area respectively, I am on a new high learning lighting and really having fun doing so. I have had a few guests in and we have been having a blast. There is so much more to come, I cant wait to share!
So that dear friends, is an {almost} year in review! I am so excited about what is to come in 2013!! Big plans and big Dreams! Why not? New goals, new expectations. I can't wait!
Happy New Year.... and may YOU Dream Big things too, then put your blinders on and GO LIKE CRAZY to make them come true!
