Started as a simple idea to gather together a group of like-minded professional photographers passionate about the craft of photojournalism, the workshop has grown to embody an experience, a mid-season refresher and often a perspective shift so desperately needed in our industry where we don’t speak a lick about weddings or trends or business, but only about the core of who we are as visual artists striving to tell other people’s stories through our images. It doesn’t matter if you have the fanciest new camera on the market if you don’t have the chops to back it up, folks. We all have room for improvement. Roots is a safe environment to do just that. And man, the growth that takes place is WOW inspiring and makes all the nutty logistics and legwork worth every ounce of effort.

I invite you to take a peek at a slideshow below put together by the brilliant Eric Laurits from this past July to give you a glimpse at a bit of what goes on. And then I urge you to run a quick report on Quickbooks to see where you spent your money last year. If you didn’t spend at least one wedding’s income on education, ask yourself why not. You and your clients deserve it. I challenge you to resolve to do so in 2012. We all guarantee it will forever change the way you think and see, see and think. Join us, won’t you?

Registration is now open for the Roots Workshop 2012 class, July 22-26. Special guest speakers, a scholarship contest and a 5th anniversary assignments twist to be announced. I can’t wait! Call or email us asap to reserve your seat!

2011 students, you should have received an email from me last week with all the nitty gritty details. We were waiting on one of our sponsors, Pinhole Pro, who so generously purchased a seat to the workshop and gave it away in an online contest, to announce their winner before I shared the team assignments. That has all been settled, and so, without further ado, I present to you your teams! Hooray!

FYI, you’ll notice we have one less team than originally planned. With a few seats left and registration still lingering last month, I decided to keep your group small and not accept any last minute participants so I could concentrate on securing our assignments and lining up the other pieces of our plans. We think you’ll be extra happy with an even tighter learning/living circle.

TEAM 1:
leaders: Jennifer Domenick (‘08, ‘09, ‘10) and Mark Dolan (‘10)

I go way back with these two. Jenn and I met while working at the Washington Post in 2001 and Mark Dolan is a bbq-loving bearded teddy bear who also happens to be my very favorite photojournalism professor from when I was a student at Syracuse University. He now teaches photography at the Southern Illinois Carbondale campus and we’re so lucky he’s returning for another summer with us. Jenn is co-owner of Love Life Images in Columbia, Maryland, and mother to three of the most wonderful little boys you’ll ever meet. She’s a Roots staple having been with us since the very first workshop!

students:

Christina Wnek (‘09)

Lucy Parker

Ruben Parra

Samantha Bohall

Whitney Fox (‘10)

———

TEAM 2:
leaders: Tyler Wirken (‘08, ‘09, ‘10) and Rachel LaCour Niesen (‘09, ‘10)

Smart and savvy Rachel, co-owner of LaCour and online studio management software company ShootQ (now with Pictage), is paired with Roots mega personality Tyler who I first met while teaching at the Foundation Workshop in Texas in 2007. Both have extensive backgrounds in photojournalism, hosting workshops and generally just being awesome and enthusiastic. Tyler co-owns Wirken Photography in Kansas City and Rachel lives in Atlanta.

students:

Denise Farwell

Jeff Mosier

Kelly Benvenuto

Maria Fernandez

Tracey Buyce

Nervous yet? Don’t be! Well, er, maybe just a little!

For more information about this opportunity and to take an inside peek at the experience from the student perspective, please visit our workshop website. We’ll be waiting for your calls tomorrow at 207.272.2285.

See you on the Cape!

And so… without further ado, and in no particular order, here are our three teams for this July!!

———

TEAM 1:
leaders: Jennifer Domenick (‘08, ‘09) and Arnold Miller (‘08)

I go way back with these two. Jenn and I met while working at the Washington Post in 2001, and Arnold was my boss at the Cape Cod Times where I interned for two summers during college (and hence why Roots is hosted on the Cape!) in 1998 and 1999. Jenn is co-owner of Love Life Images in Columbia, Maryland, and Arnold lives on Long Island where he is the multimedia editor at technology powerhouse Newsday.

students:
Erica Pelaccia
Emily Sterne
Jennifer Badalamenti
Robin Shetler

———

TEAM 2:
leaders: Rachel LaCour Niesen (‘09) and Mark Dolan

Smart and savvy Rachel, co-owner of LaCour and online studio management software company ShootQ, is paired with Roots first-timer Mark Dolan, a bbq-loving bearded teddy bear who also happens to be my very favorite photojournalism professor from when I was a student at Syracuse University. He now teaches photography at the Southern Illinois Carbondale campus and is a fantastic addition to our staff.

students:
Amanda Herzberger
Audra Bayette (‘09)
Ian Riley
Amie Otto

———

TEAM 3:
leaders: Tyler Wirken (‘08, ‘09) and Mark Adams (‘09)

I first met both Tyler and Mark while teaching at the Foundation Workshop in Texas in 2007. Both have big personalities, extensive backgrounds in photojournalism and are currently running successful wedding photography studios in Kansas City and Atlanta respectively. Tyler co-owns Wirken Photography and Mark co-owns both LaCour and ShootQ, one of our generous supporters.

students:
Neysa Ruhl (‘08)
Whitney Fox
Elisha Tablada
Alison Britton

———

Also returning as workshop staff photographer is wedding photographer and Roots ‘08 alum, the always fun and insightful Eric Laurits, and my husband, photographer, Roots ‘08 alum and liveBooks rock star J Sandifer as cook.

So, yippee! I’ll be sending you more information as to what you should pack and such within the next few weeks. And look forward to seeing y’all real soon! Get ready to work hard!

Yes, this is a joke trophy, but its 2009 recipient takes her win very seriously. Earlier today, I presented photographer Audra Bayette with this handsome trophy (kindly made by Ray Messier at Creative Awards in Scarborough) from our goofy Chubby Bunny contest at Roots Workshop last July. It started as a spontaneous game in 2008 on the last night of our workshop with leftover marshmallows from s’mores (workshop staffer Jenn Domenick’s husband Ethan took the crown then) and, well, I guess with the implementation of a trophy you could say it’s now a tradition. Audra hopes to defend her own title when she returns for her second summer at Roots this July. I hear she’s been practicing.

Who wouldn’t want a trophy with a camera on it, anyway?

Think you’re up for the challenge? We are sold out for 2010 with a waiting list, and have already started a list for when we open Roots 2011 registration next fall as well!!

ps- Congrats on your recent engagement, Audra! So happy for you and Matt! I know a really cool place you could get married on Cape Cod this summer…

1. Emily Sterne Emily Sterne Photography Cambridge, MA

2. Amanda Herzberger Orchard Cove Photography Windsor, CT

3. Erica Pelaccia Erica Leighton Pelaccia Marblehead, MA

4. Audra Bayette** Audra Bayette, Photographer Scarborough, ME

5. Amie Otto Amie Otto Photography Ashburn, VA

6. Allison Britton A Britton Photography Woodbridge, VA

7. Robin Shetler Robin Shetler Photography Decatur, GA

8. Whitney J Fox emilie inc. associates Portland, ME

9. Neysa Ruhl* Neysa Ruhl Photography Cincinnati, OH

10. Ian Riley Ian Riley Photography Arden, NC

11. Elisha Tablada Love Life Images Columbia, MD

12. Jennifer Badalamenti Jen Lynne Photography Grand Rapids, MI

* denotes Roots 2008 alum

** denotes Roots 2009 alum

Well folks, with just three days of open registration, Roots Workshop 2010 is sold out!! How exciting is that!?!? I am absolutely thrilled to spend the winter cooking up some excellent assignments and not stressing about enrollment. Weehoo!

I realize there were some photographers who were on the fence about signing up and have thus missed out. If that’s you, please be sure to email me as we will have a waiting list in the event extra seats be added.

1. Registration officially opens at 9a (EST).

2. Email info@rootsworkshop.com to let us know that you want in!

3. I will send you a confirmation email, acknowledging that you are one of the 12 students who made the cut. Attached will be a simple registration form.

4. Return the registration form with a deposit of $1500 to PO Box 2703, South Portland, ME 04116.

5. Registration will close just as soon as the seats are filled tomorrow or by Monday, September 21st. Should there be any remaining seats, we will announce a second registration round before the end of the year.

Flexible payment options available. Please inquire for details.

It’s during this time that most wedding photographers have the opportunity to reflect on the past season and look forward to the next, identifying what areas of their business need improvement. Many focus their efforts on marketing or purchasing updated equipment, overlooking the basis of successful photography: skill. It is for this reason that I started the Roots Workshop last summer, and look forward to another fulfilling week of creative growth this July on Cape Cod.

Many thanks to instructor Arnold Miller of Newsday and emilie inc. videographer Morgan for putting together this recap of our experience. It’s a much-needed reminder of why we do what we do, and how important it is to push away the clutter of running a business and perfecting the craft first.

Need a brush-up on your skills? We still have a few seats open for this summer’s workshop, and welcome all inquiries to info@rootsworkshop.com. Not a wedding photographer? No worries. We don’t spend any time talking about weddings, it’s all about shooting. We’d love to have you join us!