Ep. 059 - Annie Marie: Still Thriving After a 30 Year Career
Annie Marie has been working as a photographer in Minneapolis for over three decades. She’s earned the titles—four-time Minnesota Photographer of the Year, SYNC Photographer of the Year—but none of that has pulled her away from what matters most: making honest portraits and helping other photographers find their footing.
Podcast Title: Generator
Episode Title: Annie Marie - Still Thriving After a 30 Year Career
Episode Number: 59
Publish Date: 22 Sept 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode, we talk about what it means to stay curious when you’ve been in the industry a long time. Annie shares how she keeps learning, how she teaches, and why she cares more about creating connection than chasing trends. She walks through her approach to working with seniors and families, and how she builds images that hold up over time.
Her workshops are a reflection of that same calm focus. They’re small on purpose. There’s time to breathe, to think, to actually work through ideas instead of rushing through a shot list. She talks about the value of styling, lighting, and making people feel comfortable, whether they’re in front of the lens or behind it.
We also get into her work as a graphic designer. She creates branding templates and marketing materials for other photographers. For Annie, it’s another way to support the community and keep her creativity sharp.
There’s no ego here. Just experience, clarity, and a deep respect for the craft.
Takeaways:
- Annie Marie emphasizes the importance of continuous learning in photography, no matter how experienced one becomes.
- She believes in creating a comfortable and intimate environment during workshops, allowing photographers to connect with their subjects.
- Annie's unique approach to lighting focuses on the feeling it evokes rather than just technical execution, enhancing the emotional impact of her portraits.
- Her workshops include hands-on sessions where attendees get to style models, ensuring they leave with personal, portfolio-worthy images.
- Annie shares her journey of overcoming self-doubt to become an educator, realizing her experience and insights could benefit others.
- Through her graphic design work, Annie emphasizes the value of a strong, unique logo as part of professional branding for photographers.
Links referenced in this episode:
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Transcript
Welcome back to Generator.
Speaker A:You know, one of the things that I've tried to do over the years as a photographer is stay humble, realizing that there's always, and I mean always, something more to learn.
Speaker A:Sometimes it works.
Speaker A:Sometimes my ego gets the best of me.
Speaker A:But when I have the chance to talk to someone with real longevity in this business, I make sure to shut up and listen.
Speaker A:Annie Marie's been behind the camera for over 30 years, and if you listen to her talk, she'll tell you she's still just getting started.
Speaker A:She runs Annie Marie Photography up in Minneapolis, where she focuses on seniors and families and beauty portraits and fine art.
Speaker A:But the thing that really stands out about Annie is her humility.
Speaker A:I first heard her name because I kept seeing her work placing high in all these photo competitions like the Portrait Masters and wppi.
Speaker A:We've become friends over the years, and I always do my best to find a little time at each conference to talk to her.
Speaker A:The why?
Speaker A:Because she has this incredibly calm personality that only comes from years of commitment to this craft.
Speaker A:People like that are my heroes.
Speaker A:They're my inspiration.
Speaker A:But this episode isn't about the awards that she's won, which are plenty, or the titles that she's earned, like Minnesota Photographer of the Year four times over.
Speaker A:It's the way that she keeps pushing herself, the way that she still gets excited about creating something new for everybody, every client that walks into her studio.
Speaker A:Over the years, Annie's built a career that a lot of photographers would dream of working in home studios and large studios and studio shares, you name it.
Speaker A:She's seen the industry change a hundred different ways.
Speaker A:And rather than getting stuck in the past, she's figured out how to adapt and evolve and keep making work that actually matters.
Speaker A:So in this conversation, we talk about that journey, what it's been like staying inspired for more than three decades, how print competitions and fine art photography lighter up, and what it takes to really last in an industry that's full of trends and copycats.
Speaker A:We talk about her graphic design business, her mentoring, and I'll let her tell you about her wonder jar.
Speaker A:Annie Marie is the real deal.
Speaker A:She's living proof that you don't have to burn out or sell out to stay creative.
Speaker A:And I'm so, so glad that she took time to sit down with me.
Speaker A:So let's not waste any more time.
Speaker A:Here's my chat with the incredible Annie Marie.
Speaker A:So this is actually kind of a good jumping off point.
Speaker A:So you said your dad was a photographer.
Speaker A:Is that where you got the bug for all this, did you just start hanging around and watching how it was done, or did you develop all the creativity on your own?
Speaker B:My dad was not a creative photographer.
Speaker B:He was a photographer that took photos.
Speaker B:I, on the other hand, went more into it for the creative side because I went into graphic design.
Speaker B:I knew I wanted to do something with creative.
Speaker B:I wanted to be a fashion designer designer, or, you know, something creative.
Speaker B:So, you know, my journey took me to Guatemala, and when I moved to Miami, I knew I was going to be divorced.
Speaker B:And I wanted to have something that I could do, that I could move someday.
Speaker B:And so photography.
Speaker B:I had two little kids and photography just was it.
Speaker B:I mean, for some reason, I just knew that's what I was supposed to be doing.
Speaker B:And then I, you know, growing up around it, I always had a camera in my hand.
Speaker B:I was the only girl.
Speaker B:So every time there's a beautiful sunset or flowers blooming, my dad would grab me as the model or light testing.
Speaker B:And we lived in the country in the woods, and so he would set up all these little vignettes around and we had our studio in our home, and so he would always grab me as the model and I would always kind of play around.
Speaker B:We had a dark room and I was always in the dark room.
Speaker B:So, I mean, I grew up around it, but thinking of a career, I never actually thought of it as that's I want to do.
Speaker B:I was going into graphic design until I was, you know, living in Miami and Guatemala with kids on the verge of a divorce.
Speaker B:And then photography was.
Speaker B:That was it.
Speaker B:I just knew that's what I wanted to do.
Speaker B:So never second guessed it.
Speaker B:And I still do the graphic design part, you know, as the logos and branding and all the templates and things for photographers.
Speaker B:So I kind of get to do everything.
Speaker A:I want to dive into that in a little bit because you do have the templates and the backgrounds and you do logos and you do all the branding work.
Speaker A:We're going to touch on graphic design a little bit as we think about photography, and we said this before we kind of started recording, is you've been in this 30 plus years, right?
Speaker A:And I've asked a few people recently about trends that they've seen cycle around and things that come around, right?
Speaker A:So the big thing now is 90s hard flash.
Speaker A:Make it look like you took it on a disposable camera, right?
Speaker A:And it's all the rage.
Speaker A:And the imperfection is the rage.
Speaker A:You and I both saw that just growing up because those are the cameras that were Available, right?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:What else have you kind of seen circle back around and has there been anything as of late where you're like, oh, yeah, here it comes again?
Speaker B:Well, let's just say I hope that select color doesn't come.
Speaker B:That was.
Speaker B:That was bad.
Speaker B:That was best.
Speaker B:I am guilty.
Speaker B:I did that.
Speaker B:Oh, my gosh.
Speaker A:I think everybody does that.
Speaker B:Right?
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:You know, I feel like gels have come around again.
Speaker B:I remember gels being a thing and then they went out.
Speaker B:That's.
Speaker B:They've come back several years now.
Speaker B:But I think people are really having fun with that and color again in a creative way.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:This gels before were just, you know, adding color.
Speaker B:Now people are getting super creative with, you know, the technology advances.
Speaker B:But yeah, that out of focus and that, you know.
Speaker B:No, thank you.
Speaker B:I mean, it's just.
Speaker B:I think Beyonce started something like that, what, like about five, six years ago to do some shoot that looked just very, I don't know, just look very amateur and became a fad.
Speaker B:It's like.
Speaker B:No, it's.
Speaker B:It's the same thing that I've seen.
Speaker A:And every now and again, this will pop up on social media.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:I think there was one lately.
Speaker A:I want to say it was last week where I saw it.
Speaker A:Zendaya did something for Versace or Dolce and Gabbana or one of the large brands, and it was very poorly composited in that campy, this is supposed to be composited way.
Speaker A:But it really looked, quite frankly, a little bit lazy from an art direction standpoint.
Speaker A:But it's what I was talking about earlier.
Speaker A:This imperfection is seeming to come around as trendy and I think that's.
Speaker A:Is it a cultural thing where.
Speaker B:Here's my take on it.
Speaker B:The young people that are kind of bringing that back, they've grown up, they're looking at photos in their grandparents photo albums and their parents folk albums, and that's what they're seeing because that's.
Speaker B:That's all they had.
Speaker B:Like when I look in my dad's photo album, it was like Instamatic cameras, like black and white Instamatics.
Speaker B:I mean, there's like blown highlights and flash, but there's so much nostalgia that comes with looking at those old photos.
Speaker B:And I feel like maybe the young people are the.
Speaker B:I mean, if I don't know who's marketing this, it might be the big companies marketing this.
Speaker B:But I have a feeling it's a little bit part of people wanting to hang on to so a little bit of nostalgia.
Speaker B:So they're kind of bringing that in a big way in the, in the marketing.
Speaker B:Not that my clients are seeking that, but, you know, the kids of high school and stuff, they're seeing that in magazines.
Speaker B:And I know I've had friends say that, you know, kids come to their session and they're saying, hey, you know, can I bring a disposable camera?
Speaker B:You need to take the field with that, right?
Speaker B:It's like, hell, no.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So when I have people come to the studio, I keep a couple of old Nikon cool pics, like 31 hundreds.
Speaker A:The little, you know, you power them on the lens comes out sort of disposable camera flash.
Speaker A:Not disposable, early digital cameras.
Speaker A:And I give that to the clients or their mom or whoever and be like, take pictures with this.
Speaker A:Because it's kind of mixing the two here.
Speaker A:Get some behind the scenes for that experience and then I'm going to shoot the real pictures for you.
Speaker B:The real stuff.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:The reason I ask you about all the trends is when I look at your work, you have such this gorgeous consistency, whether it's seniors or families or fine art, right.
Speaker A:There's this gorgeous consistency where you're not playing to any trend.
Speaker A: oh, this was clearly taken in: Speaker A: This was clearly taken in: Speaker A:Because there is such a beautiful consistency to the work.
Speaker A:I know for you that is probably purposeful, right?
Speaker A:You're doing it so that you have these images that last the test of time.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:They're timeless, Right.
Speaker A:Perfect.
Speaker A:Is that the reason that you shoot the way that you do?
Speaker B:I don't know if this.
Speaker B:Because I think it's because I have settled into how I do things.
Speaker B:You know, I settle in the way I light, the way I, you know, the way I approach a session, whether it's a fine art session, whether it's my high school seniors, whether it's a session for a beauty session for a woman or a headshot.
Speaker B:I sort of, you know, after so many years, I've kind of settled into me sure way I photograph.
Speaker B:And I feel like that's where my consistency comes from.
Speaker B:And it took me a long time to get there.
Speaker B:I know that since I started out before computers were a thing, before digital, you know, it took us a long time to get where people get to now.
Speaker B:Today, after just a few years, you know, I see people that have been doing, you know, photography for a few years that just, they kind of got it because there's so much education out there there they can find the right tools, right Away.
Speaker B:I mean, it took me so long to find myself.
Speaker B:I mean, I kind of grew up like that.
Speaker B:I. I was a late bloomer, so it took me a long time to find myself as a human and.
Speaker B:Which makes sense, you know, that it took me a while to find myself as a photographer too.
Speaker B:But once I found that, you know, I. I feel like I've kind of settled into that so I don't have to really think about the technology of it.
Speaker B:I can really, at this point connect with my, my clients and my people and kind of, you know, that's a good place for me to be at.
Speaker B:However, at the same time, I just got back from Shutterfest and I went there with the purpose of learning something new to get me out of that perfect pose lighting, because I want to bring in an element of a little bit more element of something different that I haven't done before.
Speaker B:So I went there to kind of learn to like, break down all that perfection and maybe just do something not so perfect or something different or something unique.
Speaker B:And so, I don't know.
Speaker B:I'll see.
Speaker B:It's not something that I would like.
Speaker B:I'm not going to transform my photography into that, but it's maybe something I want to kind of play around with and add and just kind of do it, you know, on top of other things.
Speaker B:Just.
Speaker B:I think that's what keeps me going for so many years, is just kind of finding new things to kind of play around with and do and just kind of keep that spark.
Speaker A:Sounds like you're getting a disposable camera soon.
Speaker B:Get a disposable one.
Speaker B:But several years ago I got an old, an old Instamatic that, you know, that kind of pop up Polaroid.
Speaker B:And I found a company that still sells Polaroid film.
Speaker B:And my idea was kind of like what you do and each section I wanted to take a Polaroid of each of my clients and so that they would have something that can never.
Speaker B:That's unique, one of a kind.
Speaker B:I would, you know, maybe write a sweet little note on it and send it to them after the whole session and after the sale.
Speaker B:And my.
Speaker B:Because I always send out a handwritten thank you note.
Speaker B:Just send that Polaroid that is one of a kind.
Speaker B:You.
Speaker B:There's no digital file for it.
Speaker B:There's no negative and, you know, just something unique and different.
Speaker B:So I don't think.
Speaker B:I think I maybe did that with one client and, you know, my camera always dusty somewhere.
Speaker B:I guess I've never.
Speaker B:I never got into it, but I do.
Speaker B:And I Think it was like when I was saying it's.
Speaker B:There's a nostalgia to it.
Speaker B:And some of my favorite photos, and they had albums and albums of photos of me and my.
Speaker B:My brothers growing up and my dad and my mom when they were young, all those black and white Polaroids.
Speaker B:And it's just.
Speaker B:There's something about that, the Instamatic kind of healing.
Speaker A:I. I agree.
Speaker A:And, you know, another thing very similar is I have a Fujifilm, one of the little fine pics, instant cameras that I'll also do the same thing, take a couple of pictures, give it to them right there and say, yeah, you don't have to wait for me to edit anything.
Speaker A:Here you go.
Speaker A:This is right here.
Speaker A:I love hearing the fact that.
Speaker A:That you went to Shutterfest, and I want to hear about that conference, because I've never been personally.
Speaker A:I want to hear your impressions of it secondarily.
Speaker A:I love the fact that you're always even 30 years in, learning new stuff.
Speaker A:As an educator yourself, that's gotta be really important for you, correct?
Speaker B:Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker B:It just.
Speaker B:It keeps one growing.
Speaker B:I think if anyone ever thinks they know everything, they're.
Speaker B:They're lying.
Speaker B:I just.
Speaker B:I look at my work, and I think, I've got so far to grow yet.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:I look at myself and I see so much.
Speaker B:I mean, I see so much work that is just blows my mind.
Speaker B:And I'm thinking, okay, I'm here.
Speaker B:I still have lots to go.
Speaker B:So I never feel like I'm up there.
Speaker B:Never.
Speaker B:I don't think I'll ever get that way.
Speaker A:That really surprises me.
Speaker A:Only because I first learned your name sitting at the portrait master's.
Speaker A:Seeing you win over and over and over and over and seeing all of, like, top 10, top 10 Annie Murray, like, another one.
Speaker A:I'm like, who is this woman just keeps winning all of this stuff in competition.
Speaker A:And so that's how I got to know your work.
Speaker A:And I'm so glad I got to know you.
Speaker A:Otherwise.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:But, you know, I see this.
Speaker A:So is this something that's always been a part of you since you started taking photographs?
Speaker A:Always pushing because I see you as.
Speaker A:As the bar that I'm trying to get to.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:I want to know where.
Speaker A:Who you look at, and I need to get there because that just extends the road another couple of miles in front of me.
Speaker A:Who are you looking up to?
Speaker B:Galleries at Icon.
Speaker B:I mean, man, I think I'm that way as a human.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:You know, I think I'm always pushing myself to learn more about myself and how to be a better human, be a better person.
Speaker B:Just.
Speaker B:I'm.
Speaker B:I'm.
Speaker B:I'm.
Speaker B:I want to call myself Wonder Woman.
Speaker B:Not because I'm amazing, but because I'm always wondering.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:My husband gave me a Wonder jar one year.
Speaker B:He said, every time you say I wonder, he said, I'm going to put it.
Speaker B:We're going to put a quarter in the jar.
Speaker B:Because I'm always wondering.
Speaker B:I'm always wanting to know things and learn things.
Speaker B:And I literally have always walked around like that.
Speaker B:And so I have a feeling that that has just transferred into my.
Speaker B:My world is photography, where I'm always wanting to learn new things.
Speaker B:Like, that's why I feel like I don't have, like, one specific style.
Speaker B:I feel like I could do this and I can do that and I can do that because I love everything and I want to do everything, but I know I have to, like, rein it in and.
Speaker B:But I do.
Speaker B:There's just so much I want to do and learn.
Speaker B:So I don't think I'll ever quit searching and wonder.
Speaker A:Is there a style?
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So whether it's on location, whether it's beauty or glam or the Lux man, as you call it, or, you know, fine art, is there one particular style that no matter when you shoot it, that you're in that state of wonder immediately?
Speaker B:Well, no, all of it.
Speaker B:I mean, every session I go into, it's.
Speaker B:It's something new in front of someone, new in front of me, and something new to discover.
Speaker B:And, you know, you talk to them and you just.
Speaker B:You're creating together.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And it's.
Speaker B:I mean, whether it's a high school senior, they're just fun and energetic and, you know, you're out and running around and finding cool light in locations, and they're twirling and the dyes are, you know, looking cool.
Speaker B:And that's just fun.
Speaker B:Those.
Speaker B:Those give me a lot of energy, you know, And I bring in the women's.
Speaker B:The women from the women's portraits.
Speaker B:It's more to allow them to just feel beautiful and kind of get to know them as, you know, they've been mothers and employees and wives and daughters all their lives.
Speaker B:And it's a chance for them to be in front of the camera as a woman, you know, and it's.
Speaker B:It's very fun for me to watch their transformation and then blossom.
Speaker B:And sometimes they don't do it until after, when they see their portraits.
Speaker B:Then they realize what, you know, what I was seeing.
Speaker B:So that, for me, is just exhilarating.
Speaker B:And when I do my fine art, I literally don't sleep for a couple days before a session.
Speaker B:I'm so excited to, you know, I'm like, putting everything together in my mind, and I'm getting props together, and I'm thinking about this and that.
Speaker B:So those are.
Speaker B:That's my fire, the.
Speaker B:The fine art sessions.
Speaker B:And if I get to work with children, that's just fun too.
Speaker B:So I think every session I go in, it gives me a different type of joy, you know, and it just.
Speaker B:That's why I like doing different things.
Speaker B:There's not one thing that I enjoy doing more than another.
Speaker B:It just is all.
Speaker B:It's all just different, you know, it gives me a different joy.
Speaker A:Do you find when you're shooting fine art, are you already thinking about competition or do you shoot competition images separately?
Speaker B:Kind of.
Speaker B:Kind of both.
Speaker B:I didn't even start competition until I was in business, like 25, 20 years, over 10 years.
Speaker B:So I never went into it thinking about that because that, to me, I always thought, I don't need letters behind my name.
Speaker B:I don't.
Speaker B:I'm doing this for my clients.
Speaker B:I'm not doing this for.
Speaker B:To get a master's or whatever.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:I just.
Speaker B:I never went there with.
Speaker B:With my work.
Speaker B:I mean, we can talk about that process of how I kind of entered that world, but some I go into this.
Speaker B:This is the time of year that I mostly do my creative sessions because it's quite.
Speaker B:It's before my busy summer, high school seniors, families saw that type of thing.
Speaker B:So winter's my chance to kind of just create and.
Speaker B:And I do it for me.
Speaker B:You know, sometimes I do do it for.
Speaker B:I have it in mind now if I'm in the process of doing a.
Speaker B:An awards or print comp, I will shoot with that in mind, you know, with making sure every year's new place and whatnot.
Speaker B:So it's a combination some I go into just to have fun with, you know, thinking of all these ideas that turn into competition images.
Speaker B:Sometimes I go in to a shoot with competition in mind, and then I don't come out with anything that I think would work.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:So it's interesting.
Speaker B:But.
Speaker B:But yeah, like, right now I am.
Speaker B:I have some concepts.
Speaker B:I mean, obviously after Icon, I went home with a head full of ideas and a lot of chicken scratches on paper.
Speaker B:And so I'm putting some of those together now, which is very.
Speaker B:I mean, it's just so exciting for me to.
Speaker B:To.
Speaker B:To be doing that right now, because once I hit summer I don't really get to have.
Speaker B:I don't really have the time to put in that kind of creative effort.
Speaker B:So, you know, I'll probably do competition for another couple of years and maybe Mulan.
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:It's.
Speaker B:I feel like I've done a few of them.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker B:Icon.
Speaker B:This is your first year after Icon, so.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Tell me about my throat.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker A:Tell me about your feelings about Icon.
Speaker A:I saw you get up on stage.
Speaker A:I felt so proud seeing you up there.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:That was fun.
Speaker B:I 100% did not think that I was going to be up there.
Speaker B:So when they called my name, I was, like, in shock.
Speaker B:I mean, I think I started crying and I like, are you kidding?
Speaker B:Is this real?
Speaker B:Pinch me.
Speaker B:But it was.
Speaker B:I loved.
Speaker B:The thing that I loved about Icon is they brought back the print, the printed portrait.
Speaker B:And because when I had first started credcom, they.
Speaker B:It was print.
Speaker B:And so it was fun to see.
Speaker B:You know, first they go through the digital portion of it to get to the top 10 in each category, to get to the Physical Icon Awards.
Speaker B:And just to sit in that, in that room.
Speaker B:I know you were in there too, just in that room and just watch this print go up and the judges, you know, getting.
Speaker B:Leaning in and, you know, it just kind of.
Speaker B:It was old school and that was really cool to actually see printed work again.
Speaker B:No, it was.
Speaker B:It was a one, I don't think.
Speaker B:I'm not saying it was a wonderful experience because I was able to win a category, but it was just an overall, really positive experience.
Speaker B:Just overall, you know, and I always like competitions that have a high level people in it, so that pushes me harder.
Speaker A:I know Jerry and Melissa do such an amazing job with the Icon Awards.
Speaker A:And I've been doing this now 13 years.
Speaker A:And when I look at the galleries, I feel like you said a few minutes ago, there is so much more I need to learn and get good at.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And there are just some people that I see the world differently.
Speaker A:And I'm always just impressed by the level of creativity that I see.
Speaker A:And you're no different.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:I put you right in that same class.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:It's fun to see someone put visually the visual story that some of these people tell is just like, where does that come from?
Speaker B:I feel like I need to have more turmoil or more something in my soul to bring that out.
Speaker B:I. I feel like I'm such a positive, happy person that I don't have that.
Speaker B:That deep, you know, kind of angst inside of Me to bring up some of that art that I.
Speaker B:That I see people bring out.
Speaker B:Mine would be like rainbows and whatever, but I might have to try to do a dark piece sometime.
Speaker B:I don't know where that would.
Speaker B:Where I would dig that out of.
Speaker B:But not that all the beautiful ones are dark images, but I'm just saying people.
Speaker B:There's so much inside of these people that come out in their work that, that it's just.
Speaker B:It's mind blowing.
Speaker B:You know, I bought that Icon of Words book and I still some days just kind of page through that.
Speaker B:Just blown away.
Speaker B:It's amazing.
Speaker B:Yeah, they do a great job with that.
Speaker A:They really, really do.
Speaker A:Thinking about competition, thinking about the print, right?
Speaker A:Do you have a favorite image of yours?
Speaker A:Was it one that won your first award or one that meant a lot to you?
Speaker A:Do you have a particular image that you've entered into competition that was for you felt a little bit different than the others?
Speaker B:That is an amazing question.
Speaker B:I actually have one that I.
Speaker B:An image that I happen to love.
Speaker B:I was doing.
Speaker B:I think this is when the Portrait masters first kind of.
Speaker B:I was first starting with their wars.
Speaker B:And I remember the first images I put in there.
Speaker B: I think this is: Speaker B:I just put in client work, you know, because I had never entered a competition before, so I didn't know what it was about.
Speaker B:And so I just entered a bunch of random pictures and a couple of them, one of them actually made the top 20.
Speaker B:And I was like.
Speaker B:But that was, you know, they really tightened up, you know, once they started rolling and the work just started leveling up and up and up.
Speaker B:But so I had brought a few people in because then that started my love for fine art and my quest to create more fine art.
Speaker B:And I wasn't at that point even offering that to clients.
Speaker B:So all I find artwork at that time was for me or to Andrew and print comp.
Speaker B:And so I had some people come in for ideas that I wanted to do.
Speaker B:So this woman came in for a fine art session and she brought her boyfriend with her.
Speaker B:And so he was just kind of hanging out on his phone, you know, like.
Speaker B:Like what?
Speaker B:You know.
Speaker B:And it was.
Speaker B:It ended up being.
Speaker B:She was very, very white skinned and he was very dark skinned.
Speaker B:And so I'm like, do you mind being a few photos?
Speaker B:Because then I wanted to play off the yin and yang and.
Speaker B:Sure.
Speaker B:And so anyway, I did all this stuff with her and then I did a few things of them.
Speaker B:And then while she was changing, I just had him sit in front of.
Speaker B:You know, I think.
Speaker B:I don't think it was natural light.
Speaker B:I think it was sort of like a Rembrandt light.
Speaker B:And I put a hat on him.
Speaker B:He.
Speaker B:I had him just.
Speaker B:He had a black T shirt, so I had him just in a black T shirt.
Speaker B:And I just had him sit there and I snapped a couple photos of him.
Speaker B:And she came back.
Speaker B:Whatever.
Speaker B:I don't know if the images I took of her or them together were competition worthy, but there was one shot of him I took where he was just staring in the camera, and I edited it in a way that is just mesmerizing.
Speaker B:And that one actually has done fairly well in print puffs.
Speaker B:But I think it stands out to me because it's the one picture I went in.
Speaker B:Not.
Speaker B:It was just sort of just killing time between what I was trying to create.
Speaker B:So it was the one I ended up with that was the best image.
Speaker B:So you just go in those.
Speaker B:You never know.
Speaker A:Is this the one on your website?
Speaker A:It's like a brown fedora with a black pant.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:He's like this guy.
Speaker A:You know, he's holding his face, and it is the gravity in that photo.
Speaker A:Like, you're hypnotized by the gravity in it.
Speaker A:And it's gorgeous.
Speaker A:It's a gorgeous photo.
Speaker A:I remember seeing it on your website.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker A:That's really interesting.
Speaker A:I was wondering if.
Speaker A:We all have stories about the images that we create that affect us a little bit different, whether it's because it surprised us or whether it was the exact execution that we wanted.
Speaker A:More often than not, I find it's something completely random that just happens in the moment.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Because we let ourselves be open to just the act of creation and something wonderful happens.
Speaker A:We.
Speaker A:We don't overthink it.
Speaker A:We don't try to force it.
Speaker A:It just happens.
Speaker A:So that's really interesting to hear that.
Speaker A:I'm always curious when I look at people's portfolios, if there's an image like that.
Speaker A:I'm glad it was.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:I never really had to think about that.
Speaker B:That's really interesting.
Speaker A:Let's talk about Shutterfest.
Speaker A:You're just there.
Speaker A:What did you think?
Speaker A:I've never been, so I'm.
Speaker A:I'm purely asking out of curiosity.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:I'm portrait masters, wppi.
Speaker A:I've been to a billion different trade shows, but I've never been to Shutterfest.
Speaker A:So how was it?
Speaker A:How did it go this year?
Speaker B:It was my first year, too.
Speaker B:I had never been to it, and so I've always heard a lot about it.
Speaker B:I thought it was going to be a little bit like, I don't know if you had ever been to or heard of After Dark.
Speaker A:Helen Never was never there.
Speaker B:That was years ago.
Speaker B:That was very hands on because they always had all these shooting bays and, you know, speakers, and it was just kind of high energy.
Speaker B:And people said Shutterfest is sort of like photographers on photography on steroids, you know, because there's.
Speaker B:They have like 2, 300 models that you can just use.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And they've got Shooting Vegas.
Speaker B:They've got obviously their trade show and 50 speakers.
Speaker B:And each speaker does three classes.
Speaker B:So that's what, 150 classes you can choose from.
Speaker B:So.
Speaker A:Oh, wow.
Speaker B:So they, one day they open up class signups and so you go in and you get your classes.
Speaker B:And some of them have limited space.
Speaker B:So everyone's trying to get all their classes.
Speaker B:But, you know, there was one time slot.
Speaker B:I wanted to go to nine classes.
Speaker B:I had picked nine that I wanted to see, and I could only pick one.
Speaker B:And they do that on purpose because they create this like, you know, so there's a ton of different teachers and classes and mentors, and some of them are hands on, some are just lectures, some are just like demo and some are indoors and outdoors and flash and gels and natural light and sun.
Speaker B:And I mean, there's just something for everybody.
Speaker B:So I really.
Speaker B:The value for what they offered was.
Speaker B:Was really, really good.
Speaker B:And they, they have beginner, intermediate and advanced.
Speaker B:Some of my favorite classes were the ones that I went to that were very different from what I do, like the gels.
Speaker B:And I bought this little ninja smoke machine.
Speaker B:Oh yeah, sure, Ninja smoke.
Speaker B:And I have a couple little RGB lights that I purchased before Shutterfest that I want to kind of.
Speaker B:I kind of want to work with with some colors and stuff and kind of do some more creative work that way.
Speaker B:So there was some really good classes.
Speaker B:And then, you know, between classes or after classes are done, like at 7, you can like, I ornate with a model.
Speaker B:Like a month before Shutterfest, they have like a list of all the models with their, with their social media.
Speaker B:So I contacted one and our group, I went with a group, there's five of us.
Speaker B:And so we.
Speaker B:I brought everything from my studio to style her.
Speaker B:And I brought three different outfits.
Speaker B:And so we just ran around and just found cool locations for those different outfits.
Speaker B:And so there's some people that shoot like 8, 10 sessions after hours and they're oh till like 2, 3, 4 in the morning, shooting in the streets.
Speaker B:And outside, and it's at Union Station, which is this gorgeous.
Speaker B:Have you ever been there in St. Louis, that.
Speaker B:It's like an old train station.
Speaker B:So it is just gorgeous.
Speaker B:So there's beautiful vignettes indoors and outdoors.
Speaker B:And so it's sort of like, one of my friends said, sort of like a Korean conference.
Speaker B:You can go there and you can chill as much as you want and take whatever classes you want, and.
Speaker B:Or you can just do absolutely everything and be out.
Speaker B:And they have parties a couple of the nights you can be partying.
Speaker B:And I just kind of went in with a chill vibe.
Speaker B:And it didn't help that I left my camera bag at home.
Speaker B:Oh, no, I didn't.
Speaker B:I had camera and lights and everything to bring, and I got to the airport and realized I left it at home.
Speaker B:So I was a little bit more limited.
Speaker B:The session we did with the beautiful model we had, I borrowed a friend and I just shared the camera, and the other people that drove brought a bunch of lights.
Speaker B:So that was.
Speaker B:That was fine.
Speaker B:But it was fun to just play.
Speaker B:I mean, I played with the ice light, which I actually won an ice light for my icon first place.
Speaker B:I haven't yet sent it yet, but one of my friends bought one there, so that's what we played with that night.
Speaker B:You know, like, there was a cure cell.
Speaker B:And I was, like, blown away because I don't like hard light.
Speaker B:I like dark and moody for some things, but I don't like hard light, especially on the younger people.
Speaker B:And it was beautiful light, and that's all we used.
Speaker B:And there was enough ambient, so.
Speaker B:So it was.
Speaker B:It was a really, really good conference.
Speaker B:And then the last day, they have some.
Speaker B:Most of the people leave, and then they have an extra day where they have, like, main speakers.
Speaker B:Your friend Johnny was one of them.
Speaker B:Super excited to meet and hear speak because he's just, like, charismatic, and he, like, talks to your soul, and he will.
Speaker B:Bigger.
Speaker B:Bigger names that were on that last date, which is pretty cool, too.
Speaker B:So I really enjoyed it.
Speaker B:It was a really good.
Speaker B:It was unique, and you get me conference, because they all are.
Speaker B:Port Master was its own.
Speaker B:It had its own feel, its own family, and Shutterfest has its own family.
Speaker B:And I got a sandwich at a senior conference every year, and they've got their own vibe and their own family, so.
Speaker B:And WPPI and imaging, that's, like, huge.
Speaker B:So it's good to kind of test all kinds of different types of conferences and workshops.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker A:Yeah, I've.
Speaker A:You know, I. I've heard about Sync through Erica Manning.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Another senior photographer.
Speaker A:Now you.
Speaker A:You won't.
Speaker A:She.
Speaker A:She's amazing.
Speaker A:I mention her all the time just because I think she's an amazing person.
Speaker A:But you won like SYNC photographer the year one year, correct.
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker B:That was in 20.
Speaker B:20 something.
Speaker A:25.
Speaker A:Tell me when in the past five years?
Speaker B:Yes, it was in the past five years.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Now what.
Speaker A:What goes into that?
Speaker A:I mean, I've again with sync, another conference because I don't shoot a lot of seniors.
Speaker A:It's not culturally a thing up here, so.
Speaker A:But I know, you know, in certain pockets of the country, it's massive.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So I know in the Ohio and where.
Speaker A:Where you are, you know, kind of upper, mid.
Speaker A:Upper Midwest, a big thing down south.
Speaker A:It's a big thing here in the Northeast.
Speaker A:It's kind of like.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:So how does SYNC compare?
Speaker A:Is same type of deal.
Speaker A:Is it the same type of conference?
Speaker B:Yeah, I love sync.
Speaker B:SYNC has fewer speakers.
Speaker B:They have just two main stages.
Speaker B:They have it.
Speaker B:They used to have two conferences.
Speaker B:They had a portrait conference and a sports, and now they have it in one.
Speaker B:So they have two stages.
Speaker B:I don't really do the sports stage because I don't do sync sports and stuff.
Speaker B:So they have just one speaker at a time.
Speaker B:Where Shutterfest had like 10, 20 speakers at a time.
Speaker B:You chose from.
Speaker B:So SYNC has like a main.
Speaker B:The.
Speaker B:The main stage speakers and they have some like in the evening, they might have some shootouts or they might have.
Speaker B:They have some kind of just chill, sit back and chat kind of vibe going on.
Speaker B:In the evenings they have the.
Speaker B:A big party the last night, a big awards ceremony and just kind of like a.
Speaker B:Like a big goodbye party, whatever you call those things.
Speaker B:Closing ceremony closes.
Speaker B:A sink is a definite family kind of a conference.
Speaker B:There's, you know, four, three to 500 people there.
Speaker B:And people tend to go pretty much every year for.
Speaker B:Till they kind of go off for a little bit.
Speaker B:Like I went to the first two sinks, like years ago and then I didn't go for many years and then I started back up.
Speaker B:And I should know this because I had the first year I came back is the first year I got.
Speaker B:Is the year I got sink throughout the year.
Speaker B: I think it was: Speaker B:I spoke the next year.
Speaker B: So that was: Speaker B:It's one of those years.
Speaker A:Well, it just kind of.
Speaker A:It leads me into.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Because I know you're an educator as well.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:I know you do a lot of teaching and I Ask you about the conferences, not only because, like, I'm just out of my own pure curiosity, but I know that you've seen education go from what we were talking about earlier, there being no education, you having to figure it out yourself to now everybody with an iPhone is a guru in his.
Speaker A:Suddenly Mark Seliger or Helmut Newton because they've got an iPhone.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So I love hearing your perspective about what conferences bring, but I'm also curious as an educator and as you go to these different conferences, what are you picking up to bring back to your students and your mentees?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Are there any things that you learn at these conferences that you then incorporate into your work?
Speaker B:Yeah, I get a lot out of like, a lot of the, like, business classes.
Speaker B:Like, if they're talking about marketing and the business side, social media side, you know, I can always use more on that end of it because I put so much into the creative side.
Speaker B:And I kind of, you know, the other brain just kind of takes a vacation until, like, you know, unfortunately, photography for us is always a hustle.
Speaker B:I mean, it's not like, you know, you groom your clients so that they bring you more clients.
Speaker B:And I do get a lot of repeat business, but with high school seniors, you know, I, you know, you get our siblings, but there's always a new class coming up, so you always have to keep hustling and hustling.
Speaker B:And I just, I'm not always good at that part, but I always.
Speaker B:I want to be better at social media and that type of thing and even speakers that talk about light in the creative process, that there's always something that, you know, maybe spark something like.
Speaker B:Because I said, I. I don't know, everything.
Speaker B:Technology is always changing people, you know, might do something different than me that might work better than what I just kind of automatic, you know, I'm kind of on autopilot.
Speaker B:That's most of the time.
Speaker B:But I always come home with a few nuggets, you know, and I don't expect to come home with at this point with pages and pages.
Speaker B: ence I went to when it was in: Speaker B: to: Speaker B:And I was.
Speaker B:That was at the time when digital was moving into.
Speaker B:Or film was moving into digital, and I wasn't trusting it yet.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:But I would see this beautiful blowing pictures and I'm like, what filter are they using?
Speaker B:You know, are they putting gasoline on their filter to get it smooth or, you know, like, what are they doing?
Speaker B:And I just couldn't get that look with, with, you know, the film.
Speaker B:And I felt very like.
Speaker B:Like I could only get this when I wanted to get this.
Speaker B:And so a lab had sent me a postcard and it was ACI down in.
Speaker A:Sure, I know.
Speaker A:ACI sure.
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker B:And they were having like a little workshop.
Speaker B:They had two speakers coming in.
Speaker B:It was just going to be like a one or two day thing.
Speaker B:And I'm like, I'm just going to go down there and I'm going to learn something.
Speaker B:And so I went down there and I walked in the room and a speaker had these huge banners of these he did high school seniors.
Speaker B:And they were just beautiful, glowing skin.
Speaker B:And I'm like that.
Speaker B:And I sat in the front row with my notepad and I took like a mountain of notes.
Speaker B:And then I realized it was digital.
Speaker B:So I'm like, oh, crap, now I have to go buy new cameras.
Speaker B:I have to go buy a freaking computer and all the software and then I have to learn how to use it.
Speaker B:And I did.
Speaker B:I went cold turkey.
Speaker B:And, you know, obviously haven't looked back, but, you know, everyone's in their journey and you know, I don't take, you know, tons of notes, but the ones I take are gold to me because, you know, it's.
Speaker B:It's still, you know, I'm still like learning and wanting to, to perfect things and to make the ship flow better.
Speaker B:And so, so I always, I always bring back something.
Speaker A:I'm curious because you also run Annie Marie Coe, right.
Speaker A:The graphic design side of the house.
Speaker A:And I was wondering if when you go to these conferences that you're picking up nuggets from people that you hear of gaps that need to be filled right.
Speaker A:In the research that you're doing, how do you bring that information back and then incorporate it into the graphic design side of your business?
Speaker B:Well, like, I mean, people will say, you know, oh, I like when they're talking about client experience and client education.
Speaker B:You know, I have a lot in my template client education, whether it's product catalogs or whether it's information guys just talking about your studio, whether it's getting people set for prep for sessions, you know, just hearing people talk about that, or maybe, maybe I'll see a trend where I can incorporate it in these cool stickers or something.
Speaker B:And packaging.
Speaker B:So maybe I'll make something for packaging or social Media is constantly changing.
Speaker B:So maybe people are wanting social media templates between listening to what the industry is changing to and meeting and what people are talking about, or even just friends saying, hey, I wish I had this.
Speaker B:I'm like, okay, I'll.
Speaker B:The woman who created.
Speaker B:And like, two days later, I have it on my site because, you know, they do it right away.
Speaker A:And that's, that's phenomenal to me.
Speaker A:Again, yet another deficiency in my genes that I have, which is I hear a great idea.
Speaker A:I think the great idea.
Speaker A:I write the great idea down, the idea never gets executed.
Speaker A:And then I see it.
Speaker B:That stack on the, on the, by your desk.
Speaker B:I've got several.
Speaker A:I've got them everywhere.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And so, you know, as someone that has just started creating digital products and is selling things and it's a slow process.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Because it becomes for that mailbox money, there is a little bit of marketing that you have to do and you have to keep up with it and constantly be producing things.
Speaker A:How do you handle that side of the business?
Speaker A:And is it working for you?
Speaker A:You know?
Speaker A:Is photography feeding the graphic design?
Speaker A:Is the graphic design feeding the photography?
Speaker A:Do you keep them separate?
Speaker A:How do you integrate your, your two worlds together so that it feels cohesive?
Speaker B:Yeah, it's, it's.
Speaker B:They're separate.
Speaker B:The, the hard part about marketing my design work is most of the groups I'm in, you know, like Facebook groups or whatnot.
Speaker A:Yep.
Speaker B:On the low soliciting.
Speaker B:I can't just go in these groups and talk about this or I'm having a sale or here's.
Speaker B:Here's a code or whatever.
Speaker B:And so it's pretty much word of mouth.
Speaker B:And I haven't really jumped into, like, advertising yet.
Speaker B:Me and Meta do not belong.
Speaker B:I mean, I would divorce Meta if I was married to it, because I cannot figure it out.
Speaker B:And I have tried to put.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:The past, like, few months, I've tried to create an ad and it says that it's active, but there's like no movement on it.
Speaker B:It doesn't take out the money.
Speaker B:So it's like just nothing moves.
Speaker B:But it says active.
Speaker B:And it's not like you can just call like Joe doll street@meta.com and just chat with them.
Speaker B:So I just haven't taken the, the time to really kind of figure that out.
Speaker B:I need one of those yellow and black metaphor dummies books.
Speaker B:I need one.
Speaker B:Send me the link.
Speaker B:So I haven't really advertised, but most of it is word of mouth, you know, and every.
Speaker B:And like, if I.
Speaker B:If I speak or something, I'm able to, you know, talk about it.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:And, you know, you were talking about, you know, coming up with ideas and stuff.
Speaker B:And like, when AI started, that started a whole new digital backgrounds, you know, so I have like, for a full sports package for people doing sports pictures just to pop those digital AI backgrounds in or rooms.
Speaker B:I have all these cool rooms with.
Speaker B:With character and, you know, textured walls and stuff.
Speaker B:And then I did another where I have frames on walls that people can just put their pictures in and show their images, like on a wall in a room.
Speaker B:So stuff like that.
Speaker B:I find that when the industry changes and now with AI, there was a need for that.
Speaker B:You know, some of the actions that I use daily, I created a couple action sets and stuff.
Speaker B:So I'm constantly kind of filtering what's.
Speaker B:What's kind of needed.
Speaker B:And.
Speaker B:Yeah, but advertising is difficult, but I am able to get the word out enough that I don't have a ton of time for that type of thing.
Speaker B:So, you know, I kind of hook that in where I have free time.
Speaker B:Because it's always like, you know, no matter how much you eat, there's always room for ice cream.
Speaker B:Of course, in my world.
Speaker A:In my world too.
Speaker B:So it's the same thing.
Speaker B:Like, there's.
Speaker B:No matter how busy I am with photography, I always will find room to create a logo for someone or to design something because it's a different part of my brain.
Speaker A:There's a couple of things, and I wanted to talk about this a little bit because I saw on your website, especially with those products, I love the fact that you're right ahead of the curve and you say, you know what, these are created by AI.
Speaker A:You might not be able to use them in competition images.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:You're already calling out because you're sensitive to the competition nature that a lot of these photographers might be looking for these types of products.
Speaker A:So I love the fact that you're calling that out and prepping people to say, hey, before you spend money on something you can't use in a competition, at least know what you're getting into secondarily.
Speaker A:I love the fact that you're using AI to do this stuff and create variations and put together packages for people and mockups where they can drop their own stuff.
Speaker A:You're taking a lot of the work.
Speaker A:For photographers that don't want to spend the time to learn AI prompts or learn how to do variations or put it in the right format or create a collection, you're doing the heavy lifting for everyone and the fact that you're able to brand Annie Noriko very much like your photography side makes it all feel very cohesive, Cohesive, you know, and so the look and the feel is the same.
Speaker A:And you know, you're at the right website.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:There's a lot of people, myself included, that don't do that as well.
Speaker A:So looking at all of this and looking at the logos and branding and templates and like, does that graphic design bring the same satisfaction as photography?
Speaker A:Or like you said, is it just a different part of your brain and you just have to satisfy each hemisphere differently?
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker B:I mean, I love graphic design was my first love.
Speaker B:And I think logo design for me is like, that's what gets me giddy to design logos.
Speaker B:I mean, I could do that.
Speaker B:If that's, if I could make a living doing that, I would, I would love to do branding and logos.
Speaker B:That would be it for me.
Speaker B:But I would never give up photography until I can't like roll around and grow photographing scene or, you know, until that just isn't, you know, an auction anymore.
Speaker B:I'm kind of an old lady stuck at a computer, you know, that's all I could do.
Speaker B:But I just, I love both almost equally, I think.
Speaker B:Excuse me.
Speaker B:The photography is more visually like exciting, I think.
Speaker B:But creating that, the design where I could, I can like sit in front of a computer for like 12 hours without moving.
Speaker B:Like, I loved the editing process and the photo process and I love the design process.
Speaker B:So I'm like, I mean, I could just do both for hours and hours.
Speaker B:I mean, I have barely have a life other than that.
Speaker A:Yeah, join the club.
Speaker A:We get jackets, right?
Speaker A:So, so one of the things you said you love designing logos, what's the thing that, that most.
Speaker A:No, let me step back, let me ask this question in a different way.
Speaker A:I know a lot of photographers when they first day with the new lips, I know a lot of photographers that think when they start their business, oh my God, the logo is everything.
Speaker A:We've got to have a logo before we can have a business.
Speaker A:It's a two part question.
Speaker A:One, how important really is the logo in a photography business?
Speaker A:Secondarily, what do most people get wrong when they have a logo for their company?
Speaker A:It doesn't even have to be photography.
Speaker A:What's the, what are those, what are those two sides?
Speaker A:How important is the logo when you start?
Speaker A:And what do you see as mistakes that people are making all the time?
Speaker B:I would say, you know, there's a lot of things like when someone's starting a business, obviously the most important thing is that a, you have a product that is good.
Speaker B:You have to concentrate, be a hundred percent, have a beautiful work.
Speaker B:You have to have good work to really do the good sale.
Speaker B:You have to have a good website and good.
Speaker B:I mean you have to have something to sell and something to market.
Speaker B:I do think a logo is important and I don't say that because I love designing.
Speaker B:Oh.
Speaker B:But I think that's like, it gives you like a profession.
Speaker B:It's a professional standard, I think.
Speaker B:And when people have really bad like I call people out and they're bad logos.
Speaker B:I mean change my.
Speaker B:But no, I probably have offended a few people out there and if you listen to those are.
Speaker B:But I think if you have like a very outdated or very low key logo that's going to show people like that's probably what your work quality is too.
Speaker B:Because sometimes people see that first.
Speaker B:Like if they, if they go on your website or on Instagram or whatever, if they see like bad marketing, just overall branding, it's just that's kind of like walking to like a, somewhere with just like raggy clothes.
Speaker B:You know, you're marketing yourself, you're.
Speaker B:That's part of the full, the whole photography pie.
Speaker B:I think it's part of it.
Speaker B:It's not the most important.
Speaker B:Obviously the most important is having a good product.
Speaker B:What was your second question?
Speaker A:What are most photographers that do have a logo getting wrong?
Speaker B:Oh, they're, they're going and buying like a $50 like the same logos everyone else has.
Speaker B:They're just copying and pasting like a lot of the photographers that are just copying everyone else's logos are doing the same thing with their photos.
Speaker B:They're mostly the, the ones that are learning online and just getting a camera and charging pennies and giving all their digitals.
Speaker B:I'm not going to say the S and B word, but they do the same thing with their logos.
Speaker B:They say, oh, everyone's logo has a little scrolly heart and some flowers and some butterflies.
Speaker B:And that's what I'm going to do because that's what everyone else does, you know, and so there's no uniqueness.
Speaker B:Their logo doesn't make a statement.
Speaker B:And it doesn't, it's, it's not.
Speaker B:Well, I just want to say it's not unique, you know, it doesn't really.
Speaker B:It's just like a copy, a carbon copy and people that are out there looking at photographers and searching can see that.
Speaker B:I think.
Speaker A:Yeah, you know, I think so.
Speaker A:Too.
Speaker B:They make it themselves and they've got like four fonts in it that are very outdated and they get some graphic that's kind of fuzzy and.
Speaker B:Yeah, no, just people that want to save money.
Speaker B:You know, it's like you spend a few hundred bucks and get someone to actually.
Speaker B:And I don't charge that much for logos, so.
Speaker B:Oh, I tell you.
Speaker B:Yeah, well, I see a lot of that stuff out there or people that have been in business for many, many, many years and they've never updated their logos or your website for that fact.
Speaker B:And it's just you go to it and I don't.
Speaker B:And it's just like so outdated and.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:And this is the, the thing that I love hearing from graphic designers, right.
Speaker A:I went through a graphic designer to get mine.
Speaker A:It is very simple.
Speaker A:But I wanted, I wanted something for me where I knew the thought choice would be correct, that the cunning would be correct, that the balance would feel right.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And with a lot of services, fiverr just AI mid journey, right?
Speaker A:You're not going to get anything, in my opinion, that captures the character of your brand.
Speaker A:That's why you need to have a conversation with an actual graphic designer.
Speaker A:Here's what I like, here's what I don't like.
Speaker A:Here are things that inspire me.
Speaker A:Here are things that I really want to avoid.
Speaker A:Getting all of that information to a graphic designer will give you many more options and a shorter path from A to B than just continuing to throw things into prompts and say copy this or make this a little bit different across these arrows this way.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And it's the same thing as everybody else, right?
Speaker B:It's with anything, it's just custom made for them.
Speaker B:And I know when I'm working with someone, you know, I get a lot of information from them in the field that they want the logo.
Speaker B:And I say you're going to know it when you see it.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker B:And I don't have, I don't tell people, oh, I only do three revisions.
Speaker B:I will revise and revise and revise until they go, that's it, that's me, you know, that's it.
Speaker B:Sometimes every once in a while I've got it like literally on the first try.
Speaker B:Normally it takes three or four back and forth, just choking little things, getting everything right.
Speaker B:But, but when people see it, they, they know it.
Speaker B:And, and that's the, that's what I want to get to.
Speaker B:I said, I'm not done with your logo until you love it, until you know that that's you.
Speaker B:And and it's, it's like anything else.
Speaker B:It's like when women go out wedding dress shopping, they try on many dresses, but when they tried the one, they know it.
Speaker B:You know, I don't think I brought tears to anyone's eyes at this point, but.
Speaker A:But it sounds like you take that same approach to your photography too, right?
Speaker A:Where you're, you're listening and you're taking care and you're going through revisions and you're going through all these different sets and setups to give something that is uniquely singular to that person.
Speaker B:Right, right.
Speaker B:Because I am not a photographer for me, I'm not taking those photos for me, unless I'm doing my own, you know, a finer thing.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker B:I'm taking those photos for them.
Speaker B:So I am trying to encapsulate them in that portrait.
Speaker B:And I want them to look at it and just know that that was created for them.
Speaker B:Not because I'm just creating a photo to sell, you know, but that I'm creating something truly that captures their.
Speaker B:Their uniqueness in their soul.
Speaker B:Knowing that.
Speaker B:That I was there for them, not that they were there for me, if that makes any sense.
Speaker B:You know, someone's in my studio, I don't go in thinking, oh, they're here for me, you know, to give me business.
Speaker B:I think I am here to service them.
Speaker B:You know, I love that.
Speaker A:And I think it's.
Speaker A:It's that client first approach that some photographers forget.
Speaker A:We all want to create beautiful art and get ourselves noticed and get the affirmation and get the awards and get the clients and all.
Speaker A:Sometimes we forget in the moment about the person in front of the lens and what it is that we're doing for them.
Speaker A:And I say that because I'm not calling anyone out.
Speaker A:I'm guilty of it.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:There are moments where I, I get on this creative streak and I'm like, these are going to be gorgeous.
Speaker A:And I can't.
Speaker A:And I have to bring myself back to the fact that it's not about you, you egomaniac.
Speaker A:It's about them.
Speaker A:So if.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:If you could go back and tell Annie Marie 30 years ago where you're going to wind up, do you think she would believe you?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yeah, I think so.
Speaker A:You've always had this, always in this.
Speaker B:For the long haul.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:I never thought I would be on the other.
Speaker B:Well, no, I can't say I was gonna say I never thought I would be on the other side to do the education part.
Speaker B:But that said, I have always been a leader and I'm always been a giver, and, and I'm in a family of teachers, so it's only fitting that that's who I am.
Speaker B:I mean, I, you know, got to a point where I had to get enough confidence, first of all, to know that I could stand on the other side and, and share what I know and have people actually learn something or listen.
Speaker B:It took me many years to get to that point to think I have something worthy of sharing.
Speaker B:You can, and I still feel even 30 years in that, what if I don't have enough to teach?
Speaker B:But as a giver and a person that wants to just always help others and teach, I'm kind of moving more in that direction where I want to be that for photographers starting out, because I didn't have that.
Speaker B:I started out in Miami in place I knew nobody there was like, we were talking about no education.
Speaker B:There wasn't even the Internet back then.
Speaker B:If it was, it was an AOL that just was.
Speaker B:There was no color.
Speaker B:You know, it was like, oh, my God, am I aging myself?
Speaker A:I'm like, they're with you, sister.
Speaker A:So you just go ahead.
Speaker A:I can still hear the AOL dial up noises in my, my ears as we say this, right?
Speaker A:Ptsd.
Speaker B:But that's why it took me so long to get to, you know, probably where I was 20 years ago, where I felt, you know, comfortable as a.
Speaker B:In my space as a photographer.
Speaker B:But I want to be that mentor, that person, that educator that helps people that are in that point where they're just starting out and just needing that kind of helping hand or that inspiration.
Speaker B:You know, I just want to more than anything, is inspire people to be in their own journey and be okay with where they're at.
Speaker B:Because everyone, I think, gets started and they want to be up here already.
Speaker B:People don't realize you have to kind of grow into that, you know, So I always do more.
Speaker B:Do more for my work and do more for helping other people's work.
Speaker A:So I want to slow down and dig into that just for a second, because a moment ago you said, and I wrote it down, you didn't think you were worthy of sharing some of this information.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:At what point did you pivot from I'm not worthy to share this to, you know what?
Speaker A:I'm good enough to share this, and I'm going to start teaching people.
Speaker A:Was there a moment in there?
Speaker B:It was.
Speaker B:It was when I got Photographer of the Year at Sync.
Speaker B:Yeah, I thought, okay, all right.
Speaker B:I got recognized for my work and people took note of who Andy Marie was.
Speaker B:You know, I think I always felt like.
Speaker B:I think I felt like I was at a level where I. I was good enough to do that.
Speaker B:But I'm gonna explain this, but I think that, you know, I would see speakers, and.
Speaker B:And I think people would look at me and think, oh, who's Annie Marie?
Speaker B:Whatever.
Speaker B:You know, people didn't know me, but as soon as I. I got that, people, like, recognize.
Speaker B:They said, okay, well, yeah, she.
Speaker B:You know, then they knew who I was, and then I could take that next step.
Speaker B:And people trusted me.
Speaker B:I think I didn't want to be in that position until I knew people trusted what I was saying, if that makes sense.
Speaker B:I don't think people would have trusted what I was saying until they knew who Annie Marie was.
Speaker B:You know, so I started on that stage, and then, you know, I did other events and local things and online summits and podcasts, and little by little, the more people that hear my name, I think will give more trust in me that would say, okay, well, maybe what she has to say has value.
Speaker B:And so, I mean.
Speaker B:And that's like a.
Speaker B:Like a steady climb, too.
Speaker B:I would never want to start up on the big stage.
Speaker B:You know, I want to kind of start small and just kind of earn my way up.
Speaker B:You know, I can't force my way up, but I. I do definitely want to earn it.
Speaker A:Well, you have.
Speaker A:You have earned it.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:I'm gonna sit here, and I'm gonna be the guy that tells you, yeah, you've earned it.
Speaker A:Yeah, you could be up on tape.
Speaker B:Here on Matt's not saying something.
Speaker A:I'm sorry for that.
Speaker A:I'm sorry you're going backwards.
Speaker A:I'm sorry you're going backwards in your career.
Speaker A:But since we're here anyway, I think, you know, I'm curious, because there's a subset of people that have been in an industry, doesn't matter if it's photography, that are in a creative world long enough, and they've accumulated their knowledge, they've defined their voice, they've made whatever success they've made.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Doesn't have to be national.
Speaker A:It doesn't even have to be local.
Speaker A:They just define success, how they define it, and they start to teach others.
Speaker A:And I used to think that there was a threshold before you could become an educator.
Speaker A:Do you feel like there's a threshold?
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:I don't think there's a threshold in.
Speaker B:In, like, years of how many years you have to be photographer.
Speaker B:I don't know.
Speaker B:That's.
Speaker B:That's a hard Question.
Speaker B:I don't necessarily think there's.
Speaker B:I just think it has to be.
Speaker B:You have to be knowledgeable, and you have to back up what you're saying.
Speaker B:Like, you're in business for three years and you're teaching people you know how to run a business.
Speaker B:It's like, okay, you've been in business for three years.
Speaker B:You know, you're telling people, you know, you're making this much or you better darn be making that much.
Speaker B:You know, I know a lot of people, educators say, oh, I make this much for client.
Speaker B:It's like, I don't know.
Speaker B:But I think you just have to be able to back up what you're teaching, because I think some people are, like, made for teaching, and they actually have amazing photography.
Speaker B:And maybe they've only been in business for six years, but they have.
Speaker B:They created a system.
Speaker B:They've created.
Speaker B:Whatever they've created in the next six years is, like, amazing.
Speaker B:And so I think their threshold, you know, like, mine is, you know, I'm.
Speaker B:I'm a late bloomer.
Speaker B:I'm a snow blossom here.
Speaker B:So it took me a lot, a lot longer.
Speaker B:But.
Speaker B:But, yeah, I think I had.
Speaker B:I.
Speaker B:Here was like, literally an imaginary line that I one day got stepped on that line, and then like, okay, now I can look into that, you know, and, you know, that first big stage experience is, like, a little bit terrifying, but it was so exhilarating because I was doing what I loved.
Speaker B:And I'm not necessarily made for speaking because, you know, you get on stage and it's like, if I don't have words in front of me, I'm like.
Speaker B:So, like, you are probably a person that could just get up on a stage and talk for, like, an hour and a half without notes just because that's who you are.
Speaker B:I can't do that.
Speaker B:I just, like, my brain just, like, shuts down, and so I kind of have to have, like, my little crib sheets or whatever.
Speaker B:But.
Speaker B:But I think eventually I could get to a point where I could just talk, you know, and just take.
Speaker B:Bring it out of my.
Speaker B:You know, my soul.
Speaker B:But it.
Speaker B:I don't care how it works out.
Speaker B:I'm gonna.
Speaker B:I'm gonna get there.
Speaker A:I don't.
Speaker A:I don't want to surprise you, but you've been talking for an hour without notes, so I think you're perfectly capable of it.
Speaker B:This is a conversation.
Speaker B:I don't need notes for a conversation.
Speaker A:You know, it's how I've always approached speaking of any sort is.
Speaker A:And when I When I'm on siege, if I'm giving any sort of presentation locally or nationally, I always try to find one person in the audience and I just have the conversation with them.
Speaker A:I feel like I'm talking directly to them because I'm very comfortable in a one on one situation like this.
Speaker A:I'm extraordinarily uncomfortable in a crowd.
Speaker A:I really have a lot of social anxiety, which people are like, do you really?
Speaker A:Yeah, really bad social anxiety.
Speaker A:And so the only way that I can get past that is to find the one person and then it doesn't feel so intimidating.
Speaker A:You know, they might get creeped out by my locked on eye contact for 45 minutes, but for the most part it goes decently well.
Speaker A:Walk from one end of the stage to the other.
Speaker B:You can water them first, right?
Speaker A:Yeah, totally, totally.
Speaker A:I'm like, I'm going to be looking at you for the next hour.
Speaker A:So I think about that only because there is no threshold.
Speaker A:I think you're right.
Speaker A:When you say as long as you have the experience to back it up, it doesn't matter if it's a year or if it's 30 years, if you can walk the walk, walk the talk that you're talking, then go for it.
Speaker A:Because I think there's room for everybody.
Speaker A:I really do.
Speaker A:I think, I don't, I don't believe in gatekeeping.
Speaker A:I don't think you should lock anyone out because quite frankly, the ones that can are going to rise to the top.
Speaker A:The ones that can't are going to be told pretty clearly not your time on the stage yet.
Speaker A:And that's, that's fine.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:So I just have a hard time.
Speaker A:In the age of social media, everybody's got a phone in their pocket, everybody's a guru, everybody wants to be an educator.
Speaker A:Especially in an economic climate like this where maybe we're not booking as many clients as we used to.
Speaker A:And the thought is, hey, let's just jump on YouTube, we're getting a YouTube channel.
Speaker B:Let's be an influencer and get offers.
Speaker B:You get paid that way, right?
Speaker A:Yeah, never that easy.
Speaker A:Now I know you're just kind of starting a YouTube channel and you're starting to do some of this.
Speaker A:What kind of content are you looking to put on there?
Speaker B:Well, I am very not a technical person, so I'm not going to get up there and talk about all these technical jargon because I will sound very stupid.
Speaker B:I want to go into it more creatively.
Speaker B:I want to talk about my creative sessions.
Speaker B:Like I've already got a Few things up there where I made.
Speaker B:Actually show them how I made props.
Speaker B:And then I do the session and I'll show behind the scenes of the session and then editing.
Speaker B:I'll do a lot of editing stuff.
Speaker B:And I want it to be kind of a creative, inspirational place.
Speaker B:I mean, I've done some crazy ideas.
Speaker B:Like, I think one idea I want to do, I want to walk into like a thrift shop with no idea what I'm going to do.
Speaker B:And I just want to go in and find what I want to use for a session.
Speaker B:And I want to use, you know, create a session out of what I can find in this thrift shop.
Speaker B:You know, just make a challenge for myself.
Speaker A:Sure.
Speaker B:And to see what I can create and just kind of let people know that, you know, you can create out of anything.
Speaker B:And, you know, I want to talk about lighting and, you know, plan a lot of behind the scenes.
Speaker B:Just kind of bring people with me to sessions.
Speaker B:You know, maybe do some outdoor stuff with the, with the high school seniors.
Speaker B:I don't really have a plan yet.
Speaker B:I'm just, I just know I want it to be more on the creative side than the technical.
Speaker A:You filming this yourself or do you have someone helping you film it?
Speaker B:Okay, I don't let anyone filming me.
Speaker B:And since I am not technical, this is how I'm filming myself.
Speaker A:Perfect.
Speaker B:You know, so it's, it's a learning curve.
Speaker B:I've already learned a few things.
Speaker B:Like don't if, when you have your, your microphone on, don't like get plastic by it and crinkle it and you know, there's like little learning curves.
Speaker B:And eventually, you know, I will probably have a nice setup.
Speaker B:I just don't have like a permanent setup.
Speaker B:Obviously, I'm in my little living room here.
Speaker B:But a lot of it will be shot at my studio, which is a very small space.
Speaker B:And I want people to.
Speaker B:You can shoot in small spaces too.
Speaker B:And you know, I might go to Home Depot and buy some lights and just show people you can create beautiful stuff just from, you know, Maybe I'll spend $10 at Home Depot and see what I can buy and show people that, you know, think outside the box.
Speaker A:I think it's.
Speaker A:I think it's amazing.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And I wish you all the best.
Speaker A:You do not need.
Speaker A:I say this as someone that does video.
Speaker A:You do not need high end equipment to do impactful video.
Speaker A:It's the content.
Speaker A:The content that matters.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:And rather not have to think about, you know, getting the perfect setup.
Speaker B:And so I just want to be able to just capture it.
Speaker B:You know, I want it like you said, I want it to be about the content and not like have to think about all the technical and getting the perfect, you know, camera and lights and stuff.
Speaker B:Like, well, obviously the lighting is important, but, but yeah, I mean, maybe someday I'll get to the point where I can hire a videographer to follow me around.
Speaker B:But until then, it's just me and my little iPhone.
Speaker A:You know what, you can do it on the iPhone.
Speaker A:Hire an editor.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:That's where it's going to save you more time than anything else.
Speaker B:Exactly.
Speaker A:The reason I ask that is I'm so, I'm a fanboy of yours.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So I'll be readily admitting it where whenever I see you and I see your work, I, I, I fawn all over you.
Speaker A:It's probably pretty disgusting.
Speaker A:But the thing is like, I want to learn from you.
Speaker A:I want to see what you put out there.
Speaker A:I know you're doing a, you do like a three day workshop, which is kind of unheard of in the photo industry.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:It's usually a one day thing.
Speaker A:Maybe a two day workshop you're doing.
Speaker B:It's an intense, it's an intense workshop.
Speaker B:Yeah, it's like filled with, you know, like day one, I have some models come in and I first sit down and I talk to them about the, how it all starts.
Speaker B:Like the inspiration where that everyone asked me, where do you get inspired by?
Speaker B:How do you get your ideas?
Speaker B:So I talk about inspiration and creating the ideas and how I put together the outfits and you know, the creating process.
Speaker B:And then we go into talking about lighting and styling of the session and choosing the backdrops.
Speaker B:And I'll go through different lighting setups.
Speaker B:So my models, I will set them up and talk about the why of lighting.
Speaker B:Not just, oh, put this here, put this here, put this here.
Speaker B:But I light based more on how it feels than how it looks, if that makes any sense.
Speaker A:Sure, absolutely.
Speaker B:But I give them a base, you know, I give them obviously diagrams to start here.
Speaker B:But then, you know, feel free to kind of to, you know, over on the image or whatever.
Speaker B:So we do several different lighting setups with the different models.
Speaker B:And then day two is like my most fun day.
Speaker B:I have two models come in and I only take six people because I have a small studio and I prefer a workshop that is small and intimate and hands on.
Speaker B:And I don't do anything where people are like shoving up against each other shooting.
Speaker B:I, that, that is just, I don't do that Myself, when I go to workshops, and I don't allow that in mind, it's only one person because I feel like people need to connect with the model and they need to get the right angles and everything.
Speaker B:You can't get, like people just elbowing each other and they're not learning anything.
Speaker B:So anyway, day two, each of my attendees get to style each of the models.
Speaker B:So they, the first day, they dig through my extensive closet, which I have accumulated way too much stuff for, and all my props and my accessories and anything that they see in the studio is game.
Speaker B:And so what I do is like, someone will sell that first model and then I am basically there as the assistant.
Speaker B:I help them pick out the background and set up, and then they're helping them put together their outfits because I might have something in suggestions and just to walk them, their mind just, it's just watching, like, create this outfit is so fun for me.
Speaker B:And like one of the first workshops, I had this, this guy come and he's just this kind of guy.
Speaker B:I mean, he's a fisherman and a hunter and this guy.
Speaker B:And I thought, oh my God, he's not going to want to, like, you know, do all this stuff.
Speaker B:And he had so much fun.
Speaker B:He was just putting stuff together and these, I could just see his creative line working.
Speaker B:And for me, that is so exhilarating.
Speaker B:That's just like why I do what I do.
Speaker B:So anyways, while the first person, each person gets like 20 minutes or half hour to photograph their model.
Speaker B:So they get enough time to kind of get into it, and everyone else is not even allowed to photograph.
Speaker B:And so.
Speaker B:And then when that model's done, then the next one comes in and then, you know, they switch off, then we go to lunch and then they switch people.
Speaker B:So at the end of the day, they each have photographed and styled two of the models in their own unique.
Speaker B:And they can do super fine art, they can do something contemporary, they can do something very traditional.
Speaker B:I want them to create portraits that is something that they would want to either have at their studio or, or to use or, you know, maybe it's their chance to do something different so they get to decide the style.
Speaker B:So, and then day three is all about editing, and we just do editing.
Speaker B:And then my son is a chef, and so I have him come in the last evening and he cooks this like five course, amazing dinner.
Speaker B:And that's just kind of where, farewell, we just sit down and have this beautiful chef dinner.
Speaker B:And my guest house is included in the price of my workshop.
Speaker B:And that's like a half a block down the street in this cute little area that I live in.
Speaker B:And it's just a very intimate.
Speaker B:And everyone becomes really good friends.
Speaker B:And it's just.
Speaker B:I mean, people feel, like, nervous when they get there, but then it's just.
Speaker B:They realize it's just a.
Speaker B:It's a busy time, but it's.
Speaker B:But it's a time just to relax and create and network and it's.
Speaker B:I just love it.
Speaker B:I. I wish I would do more, but.
Speaker B:But it's a fun, fun little workshop, but three intense days.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Now, do you do that.
Speaker A:Do you do that often?
Speaker A:Like, do you do it once a corner?
Speaker A:Do you do once a year?
Speaker B:I. I've done it once a year.
Speaker B:This last year I did two.
Speaker B:Two and a half, actually.
Speaker B:Last year.
Speaker B:Yeah, this year I just have done.
Speaker B:I set up one this year so I might try to do.
Speaker B:I do them in the spring because I don't want people coming to Minnesota in the winter.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Here's my state.
Speaker B:So that's why I do, like, May, June, and my summers get super busy.
Speaker B:I could probably do one in the fall.
Speaker B:You know, after my busy season.
Speaker B:I might consider doing one in the fall because there's some areas of the southern state states, that's when they're less busy, I think.
Speaker B:Some people ask me about November, so I might think about doing the November one.
Speaker B:I did a November one last year with.
Speaker B:With a group that came in special for that, so.
Speaker B:And that worked out pretty good too.
Speaker B:So it's fun.
Speaker B:I love it.
Speaker A:I think that there's two things in that that I find are different from other workshops I've seen and why I would be attracted to something like that.
Speaker A:First, you're keeping people in that childlike wonder.
Speaker A:You're letting them style, letting them be creative.
Speaker A:You're letting them fail without any repercussions.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And it's their chance to learn.
Speaker A:I love that type of environment.
Speaker A:The second part, and this is the part that I really love about it, is that everybody gets their pictures, their own pictures of their portfolio rather than.
Speaker A:I've got this model, I styled her this way.
Speaker A:And you're going to shoot this in this lighting style, which if I'm a family photographer or a senior photographer and there's some fine art stuff going on, that's never going to be in my portfolio.
Speaker A:It's wasted time for me.
Speaker A:So I love the fact that you're.
Speaker A:You're allowing photographers to truly develop as photographers with interaction and connection and styling and Lighting.
Speaker A:And it just sounds like a really cool environment, especially when you only have five or six people in the room together, as opposed to 20 where everybody's shooting over the shoulder and it just becomes chaos.
Speaker B:I would not, I would never create anything that would have that vibe.
Speaker B:I, I just, I can't do that.
Speaker B:Everyone's crawling over each other and just, you know, fly.
Speaker B:What do they call it?
Speaker B:Drive by shooting?
Speaker A:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker B:It's really important to me that each person gets that one on one time when, when they're shooting and I'm giving them suggestions, I'm talking them about posing, you know, because they're.
Speaker B:Sometimes they're a little bit nervous and they don't know how to pose them and stuff.
Speaker B:And so I'm just there to be their cheerleader, to tell them it's okay.
Speaker B:This is, you know, to kind of help tweak the posing, tweak the lights.
Speaker B:Maybe we'll do lighting one way.
Speaker B:And I'm like, hey, let's, you know, maybe we try this or try that and you know, just working one on one with that person for that half hour and just watching like those, you know, watching things click and watching them have fun.
Speaker B:And that to me is fuel for her, for me to want to teach.
Speaker B:You know, just watching people kind of get it, you know, lights go on.
Speaker B:I love that.
Speaker B:I love those moments.
Speaker A:I was just going to ask you, after 30 years of doing this, what's the thing that keeps inspiring you to move forward?
Speaker B:My soul is a creative soul.
Speaker B:And I think I will always, anytime I get to create, just working with people.
Speaker B:Like, I love working with my clients.
Speaker B:And I just, I mean, I don't even know, like, if I'll ever retire.
Speaker B:You know, I mean, I have this old Airstream that I'm, I'm renovating and it's like, I better, I better have some time.
Speaker B:I can actually enjoy that when I, when I have it done.
Speaker B:But yeah, I don't know if I'll ever retire.
Speaker B:I think I'll always want to do something like this.
Speaker B:Whether it's the creative side, me doing the creating or helping other people doing the creating.
Speaker B:I'm, I'm here for it for life.
Speaker A:I'm so happy about that.
Speaker A:And as I ask you this last question, as we kind of land this plane gently, where can everybody find everything that you're doing right?
Speaker A:Because I want to make sure that I have it correct.
Speaker A:So let's start with websites, photography website and graphic design website.
Speaker A:Where can they look through your stuff?
Speaker B:Photography is Annie Marie photography dot com.
Speaker B:That's pretty simple, straightforward, graphic.
Speaker B:Website is Annie Marieco dot com.
Speaker B:So that's all my, My, you can get there through my photography site too.
Speaker B:But it's Annie marieco.
Speaker B:That's anything.
Speaker B:Templates and the logo design, the mentoring, the workshop is on there.
Speaker B:The actions and all that, all the visual goodies.
Speaker A:And then for social media, I'm sure it's variations of Annie Marie Photography.
Speaker A:Annie Mariko.
Speaker B:It's.
Speaker B:It's Annie Marie Photography on Instagram.
Speaker B:I literally just.
Speaker B:I had Annie Marie senior's Instagram for what, 10, 15 years, and I decided I just want it all in one because it's just too daunting to try to babysit two Instagrams.
Speaker B:And so I literally just put out, I think last week or the week before that on my senior page, I'm moving all senior content over to one page.
Speaker B:And I felt like this weight was lifted up.
Speaker B:Now I can just talk to that one group and really give 100% rather than 50% there and 50% there.
Speaker B:I'd rather give 100 to 1.
Speaker B:So Annie Marie Photography.
Speaker B:And then I don't do lots with my Instagram on my.
Speaker B:Yeah, I don't really do much with my design Instagram.
Speaker B:I have like seven Instagrams.
Speaker B:And so I'm trying to.
Speaker B:My.
Speaker B:My Airstream has an Instagram joke.
Speaker A:Don't we all have.
Speaker A:My dog has an Instagram account, right?
Speaker A:Yeah, he doesn't do well with her paws.
Speaker A:Like, really has trouble typing, so I don't even know why I have that.
Speaker B:I'll tell you what, when I'm surfing, I'm looking at the animal.
Speaker A:I know.
Speaker B:So I. I want to see your dog.
Speaker A:It's such an alter ego.
Speaker A:It's so strange.
Speaker A:Eddie, I cannot tell you how long I've wanted to have you on here and how.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker A:Much of a joy it was.
Speaker B:I'm so thrilled.
Speaker B:I feel honored.
Speaker B:I feel like such honor, like, oh, my gosh.
Speaker A:Well, clearly you have a drinking problem as well, so.
Speaker B:Yes, I do.
Speaker B:It's.
Speaker B:It's about time.
Speaker B:That is a pack somewhere.
Speaker A:It's five o' clock somewhere, so.
Speaker A:No, it's.
Speaker A:It's been amazing.
Speaker A:It's, you know, over the years, as I've seen you at conferences and I just, again, I see you up on the winner's board all the time.
Speaker A:Hey, there's another one that Anna Marie's won.
Speaker A:There's a category and there's another top ten.
Speaker A:And it just.
Speaker A:You're so humble and so approachable and you don't gatekeep anything and there's no ego.
Speaker A:And it's just so refreshing to see that in a world where everybody is self promoting constantly, to know that there's just good, genuine, incredibly talented people out there and you are right up there with the best of them.
Speaker A:And I cannot thank you enough for being here.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker B:And I can't thank you enough for trusting in me that you would even ask me here.
Speaker B:But I was so excited to just sit and chat with you and have a conversation about life and photography and wherever it took us.
Speaker A:It's so funny.
Speaker A:We're always like, you know, we should catch up, we should catch up.
Speaker A:We should catch up.
Speaker A:Yes, we'll say the same thing a year from now.
Speaker A:Yes, we should catch up.
Speaker A:You know, so I'm glad.
Speaker A:So listen, stick around for just a minute, but thank you so much for being here and I'll see you at the next conference.
Speaker A:I'm sure.
Speaker B:I'm sure.
Speaker B:For sure.
Speaker B:Thank you.
Speaker A:All right, thanks.
Speaker A:Bye.
Speaker A:Bye.
