Updated: Photo Workshop with Augie Chang

On Saturday, I had the great pleasure of flying up to the Bay Area for a photography workshop hosted by the amazing Augie Chang! If you're from the Bay Area, and in need of a family photogapher or wedding photog, you really MUST look him up. He's delicious...and talented...and full of unending creativity. When I signed up for my photo classes through the Irvine Fine Arts Center, I sensed that it wouldn't QUITE be all I was looking for, so I decided to supplement my classes by finding workshops to attend. I didn't really expect to fly up north, but boy am I ever glad I did!

Augie Chang has been hosting workshops for quite a while. Most of the other 12 students were parents hoping to learn better techniques for catching the moment with their kids. However, a few of us were toying with the idea of going deeper. His workshop was half a day of intensive classroom sessions, followed by a live shoot in downtown Pleasanton (adorable) and then back for critiques. I was super nervous because during the shoot, we were given specific assignments: to shoot in the shade, in direct sun, and with the sun behind the subject. During the critiques, he didn't hold back, but when he came to mine, he actually said he wouldn't change a thing...talk about a way to make a girl crack a smile! : )

Here are some pics from the day that I took and that he took!

My shot of Jasmine with the sun behind her.

My shade shot of Kim.

The adorable Augie (through my lens)!

Hey, who is that girl taking pics with her mouth wide open???
Doesn't she know flies will get in? My partner Kim and I...you may recognize that shot of me. : )
The whole group!

I share this whole experience not to brag about my new hobby, but rather to say that learning something from scratch as an adult is totally mind-blowing. I think that all to often we may have a desire to learn something new, but hold ourselves back. I decided this was the year to take photography to the next level and I'm so glad I did. It's been so rewarding, so fun, and so exciting. Taking this workshop has opened my mind to something I never expected. Not only do I think I WANT to take beautiful photos, but I believe I CAN! I'm hooked and I encourage you not to let your own walls keep you from chasing after your dreams either! Whether you want to learn to golf (like I did two years ago), or sew (like I'm doing now), read more, be more handy around the house...only YOU can stop yourself from doing those things! Reach for the stars and never tell yourself you can't achieve anything you want!!! This workshop WORKED FOR ME and I have no doubt that something similar can work for you!

To learn more about what works for other people, visit WORKS FOR ME WEDNESDAY!