Hitting the Ground Running
July kicked off in a whirlwind when I decided on impulse that rearranging my entire office was a good idea! So a few days and some new shelves later, my Craft Castle got a facelift! I’m in love with how it turned and if you’d like to read the whole story and see the before and after photos, you can see them here!
Next up was 4th of July! I dressed up Shadow (he was not amused), and Damon and I cooked waffle cone banana s’mores desserts in the oven while watching the fireworks from our second-story window while on Zoom with our family!
(We also found out this month that Shadow loves ripping holes in the shower curtain, "blepping" with his tongue out unconsciously and pens!)
Sessions on Sessions
July also marked the beginning of me really starting to go out and shoot more regularly! Socially-distanced and with a super fun mask for every single shoot, I comply with all of California’s mandates for my shoots and make it as stress-free as possible!
I actually filmed a wedding for the so sweet Rachel & Steve on the 10th of July- one of the last weddings I have left in the books after rebranding for wedding photography to branding in February! It was like a little blast from the past! I don’t miss weddings, however Rachel & Steve’s gave me all the feels and turned out so gorgeous despite the 101 degree day at Capital Park.
I also did some more work for the wonderful Vibrance Medical Spa up in Auburn and for Sierra View Medical Eye in Grass Valley updating staff portraits! While at Sierra View Medical Eye, I somehow managed to jam my 50mm lens into the ground and broke it...I went home and YouTube’d how to fix it and was so proud of myself for putting it back together before finding it broken apart again the next morning LOL. So I went out and purchased a new one.
#smallbizproject
My friend and incredibly talented photographer Allexa form Allexa Crosson Photography started a community-building project called #smallbizproject, which offers free photos to local businesses struggling due to Covid. I myself got to be a part of the project and got my pictures taken (I LOVE my photos, Allexa!!) and was even offered to take up the challenge myself!
So starting next month, I will be reaching out to female-owned creative small businesses in the Sacramento and Placer counties to photograph the owners and I cannot wait. But more to come on that next month!
Photos by Allexa Crosson Photography
Beginning a Journey in Film
Another adventure I started in July was the journey to learning film! My good friend Colton had previously let me take some shots on his film camera and I thought what better time to start learning than now? I’ve always wanted to learn film and to a certain degree felt like a “cheating” version of a photographer because I could only shoot digital.
So my Nana gave me her perfectly well-kept Canon Ae-1 with 20-some year-old rolls of films and I got to work researching via YouTube on how to load the film, how all the knobs worked and how to focus and meter for light! It’s crazy how something can be so similar and yet so different at the same time.
I put in a roll of black and white film and quickly used up my first 8 shots on taking photos of my sleepy kitty Shadow before restraining myself. It’s not digital after all! I have no idea if the photos will turn out as the film is so old, but there’s only one way to find out! I’ll finish this roll and send it in for scans with crossed fingers to see if they turn out.
Meeting the Talented Local Ladies
After a wonderful Tuesdays Together meeting in July, I consequently scheduled several Zoom calls to get to know more of the businesswomen in my area and I had a blast talking to them all! I met Betsaida who is an improv comedian, Lexi who is the very first other female videographer I’ve ever met and Kayla, who is a wedding photographer also looking to move into branding!
We had our monthly Mastermind group with Risa James Events, Katelyn Bradley Photography and Khalligraphy and I also got on a video call with a Business Bestie group all from the Bossgram course I recently invested in! I always love chatting with all these ladies and getting feedback and helping others out with anything they may be stuck on in their businesses. Solo-preneuring can be a lonely road and have like-minded individuals to connect with is invaluable!
I also connected with a really talented illustrator whom I bought this gorgeous Harry Potter notebook from for my own branding shoot! So excited to work with her in the future.
Notebook by BrightShaw
Coronavirus Stress
July ended on a bit of a sour note as another one of those out-of-nowhere stressful waves that Covid causes washed over me. It’s hard when you love people so much and they don’t take the pandemic seriously and literally nothing you say will change their minds or keep them safe. I’m sure a lot of you have struggled with the same things. For me, these feelings tend to eat me alive and leave me a total emotional wreck, but I sucked it up, went to socially-distanced visit with my sister and watched Merlin and had pizza to make me feel better. It did the trick ;)
Hello, Heat!
August is already looking to be a killer as far as weather goes, but I have to be thankful because I am looking at this next month to actually be a record-breaking month for Morgan Potter Photography and I couldn’t be more excited and frankly, more proud of myself! But I’ll talk more about that once August is officially over.
For now, I hope you stay well-watered in this heat and that you’re doing okay and trudging along this Covid journey as best you can! I am always here to chat if you need (or to send you funny and nerdy memes). Equally, it means so much to have everyone’s support here, YOU ALL ARE THE BEST!!
In Summary
BOOK OF THE MONTH: The Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen-Turner
TV SHOW OF THE MONTH: I mean c’mon, Avatar returned to Netflix so I gotta give it to ATLA!
FAVORITE PART OF JULY: Meeting so many fun new people!
BIGGEST BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT: Booking four new branding shoots!
MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH: Shooting more personalized brand sessions!
