Does anyone have a 30 before 30 list?  One of my 30 before 30 goals was to attend a Katelyn James Workshop!  Katelyn James is an industry leading wedding photographer based in Richmond, Virginia.  I’ve been reading her blog daily for the past couple years and am so blown away by the quality of her work and also the incredible client experience she provides!  Katelyn has grown an incredibly successful photography business in her 20’s and I knew I had so much to learn from her!  So at the beginning of the year I carefully budgeted so I’d be able to afford to attend her workshop and I’m so glad I made that investment!

The first day of the workshop was focused on the client experience and we learned so much about posing and making your clients feel comfortable in front of the camera!  We had an amazing styled shoot designed by Amanda Veronee and had two models posing as our bride and groom.  It was so awesome watching Katelyn in action as she posed the couple so effortlessly!  Below is a quick sneak peak from the styled shoot.  Katelyn is submitting photos from the styled shoot to be featured in a publication and we’ll be able to share more photos once the shoot is featured!  At the end of the shoot there was a surprise proposal, the two models got engaged!

On day two we focused on the business side.  I was so excited for day two since I enjoy the business side and learning how to be more efficient in my workflow!  One thing I truly admire about Katelyn is that she is very open about her faith and emphasized how her business is her ministry.  Katelyn openely shared how we all search for something greater in life and it’s not enough to take beautiful pictures and live a comfortable life, we need to be serving someone greater than ourselves and living for a purpose.  That is one huge reason I wanted to attend the workshop is to learn from someone who has the same values and desires to love and serve their clients.  It’s all about truly loving and caring for your clients rather than treating them simply as customers.   The day ended with another surprise, one of the workshop attendees got engaged!  Her boyfriend flew from Wisconsin and surprised her at the end of the night with a proposal!

I’m SO excited to begin putting into practice all that I’ve learned.  There are so many excited changes coming in the future for Stacey Lynn Photography.  I’ve been working with a designer on new branding and a new website which will be coming in the near future!  I’m so excited to share some sneak peeks soon!  If anyone is considering investing in The Workshop Experience,  I would HIGHLY recommend attending!  Katelyn is so professional and personal and I know you’ll leave the workshop feeling educated and inspired to take your business to the next level!  Here are a couple behind the scenes photos from the workshop!