Foundation Workshop 6

Erin and I are in Dallas, Texas at the Foundation Workshop, where we are both serving as mentors. We're here all week and it's been a great workshop so far, helping to teach the students how to better shoot and edit photos. It's one of the best workshops out there for photographers who want to work on the craft of photography. Learning to see and create better pictures as well as fine-tuning your ability to tell stories with pictures is the focus of this workshop. I was on the faculty last year and am so excited to have been invited back again this year. Erin was invited to be on the faculty this year and she's loving the experience.

Below is a group shot of all the faculty and staff. These three photos were lifted from Ben Chrisman's blog (one of two official workshop photographers). Check out his blog for more fun photos (somehow I manage to make it into his blog posts at least once a day. I guess I'm a ham.

Corey McNabb's Workshop Kickoff

Andrew and I had a great time visiting with everyone at Corey McNabb's workshop in Asheville. We were up representing SHOOTQ and had a little presentation on Monday morning. But before that serious stuff, we got to enjoy the party stuff at Corey's beautiful studio!

The opening party on Sunday night was gorgeous and tasty. Corey's green and gray theme carried throughout the party, from florals to martinis, from cake to curtains! Everywhere I looked, Corey's branding was unmistakably present.

This was my first AppleTini and I must say that Corey's wife Jill is a pro Martini maker & shaker. I watched her craft drinks in total amazement. It's an artfom, without a doubt! Enjoy some photos from the party, including a funny photo of one of our Favorit:e: Fri:e:nds wearing a fishy hat. We left too early to see Shyla don her prettiest dress. Can't wait to see those photos, Shy :)






A big thanks to Amber Holritz for sharing these photos with me!
What a cool way to spend a Sunday and Monday. Now, we're back in Atlanta again gearing up for the WPPI tradeshow. ShootQ has a lot of fun stuff in the works for you!

Hiking in the Appalachian Mountains

This post is a little late, but Will just sent us some photos. On Superbowl Sunday, Erin and I, along with Will Godrey, and Jenn and Adam Linke, all of The Decisive Moment, plus all of our dogs hiked Blood Mountain, one of my favorite parts along the Appalachian Trail here in Georgia. One of my goals is to through-hike the entire Appalachian Trail. I just need about 6 months off :)

LaCour's Auction Ends in 3 Hours!

Let the countdown begin! LaCour's auction for THIRST RELIEF closes soon.

GO BID NOW to take advantage of the opportunity to learn and share at the same time.

Remember: To up the ante, the winner of LaCour's auction receives a SHOOTQ Membership. We just sold out of 100 open spots for ShootQ in less than 36-hours, so HURRY and bid so you can also get ShootQ.

Just think...this could be you...(special thanks to ANNE RUTHMAN for providing this scandalous photo!)



Don't forget:

There's an Anti-Snipe Feature. This means that if a particular auction is experiencing a bidding war at the time it is SUPPOSED to end, the auction will stay open as long as bidders are willing to bid on a mentor.

Remember to write down payment information so that you'll be able to immediately go to Thirst Relief to make your donation. Donations must be made within 48 hours or the auction will go to the next highest bidder.

Happy Bidding!

Congratulations Laura Novak & John Meyer

It's always an honor to photograph a fellow photographer's wedding. Of course, it's also intimidating, especially when you admire the photographer so much! That's why Andrew and I were humbled by a request to shoot Laura Novak's beautiful wedding in Wilmington, Delaware this month. Along with extraordinary primary photographer, Anna Kuperberg, we spent the weekend celebrating and shooting. If you know Laura, you know how much she values her relationships. She and John have such a tender, genuine way of relating to each other. I hope you can see their love reflected in these photographs. Congratulations Laura and John! We love you guys and are proud of your commitment to each other.



Laura was pretty in pink! Her dress was a custom Birnbaum and Bullock couture creation.



Even with camera shutters clicking all around her, Laura was serene and immersed in the moment.







John and the guys (and the priest!) hanging out before the ceremony began.



I love the way they looked at each other during the ceremony.




Archmere was such a classy venue with colorful decor and details.


First dance under the coolest black chandeliers!







Laura changed into an adorable silver dress at the end of the reception. The stone archways framed everything perfectly.



Jessica Claire was a bridesmaid and had the best accessory: a mini LEICA digital camera! Andrew was jealous.



Last but definitely NOT least, fabulous lead photographer and business visionary Anna Kuperberg and us!



Thanks everyone for a fun weekend in Wilmington!

August Workshop Sold Out!

Our August workshop, The Business of Storytelling : Branding & Marketing, is sold out! We've had a a fabulous response to our workshop. If you would like to be notified when we have another workshop, sign up for our e-newsletter over on the right side of this screen.

Auction Countdown – Mark's Beard is Safe!

Bidding begins tomorrow for mentoring sessions benefiting Thirst Relief !

You probably recall the excitement of last year's auction and Mark's dramatic last-minute offer to shave his beard if LaCour raised the most money.

This year, we've decided to save Mark's beard. Afterall, it's the only way you'll recognize us on the tradeshow floor! But we are upping the ante by offering something that will make your life easier and give you more free time to invest in organizations like Thirst Relief.

The winner of LaCour's auction will receive a FREE ONE-YEAR MEMBERSHIP to SHOOTQ !

Of course, you'll also get plenty of time to pick our brains about branding, marketing, sales, pricing, lighting or any other topic that would help you. Maybe we'll even do some karaoke together? Just ask Tina Carter about her marathon mentoring session last year with LaCour! So, be prepared for a fun time with the LaCour crew! :)

Here's the lowdown:

* Mentoring sessions will be HERE.

* Click on the Thirst Relief banner to go directly to the auction site.

* Auctions will not be visible until they go live on February 9th at 10am EST (auctions are based on EST).

* Bidders need to register with the site. Each auction has a different ending time.

* Important Note: When the auction is scheduled to close, if there's a bidding war over a mentoring session, then the auction will stay open until the bidding war ends.

* The auction will take place February 9 through February 12th. Auctions will end on the 12th (unless there's a bidding war, in which case the auction will end when people stop bidding).

* Auctions end at different times, so double-check when you bid.

If you won't be at WPPI, you can still make a difference by visiting Thirst Relief and make the next $5 you spend go toward saving a life!

A Love Story You Won't Want to Miss...

Get ready for a fun, real world wedding experience! Our dear friends Bob and Dawn Davis just told us about a new workshop they are offering for photographers. And the best part? It's taking place during WPPI in Las Vegas next month! If you're already planning to go to WPPI, sign up for an extra 2 days of hands-on learning with Bob and Dawn.
Vegas Love Story is a unique opportunity to shoot alongside Bob and then witness Dawn's design savvy. Bob and Dawn are some of the most sincere, patient teachers I've ever known. Take advantage of this opportunity to learn practical skills from this talented team.

Thirst Relief Auction 2008

We are happy to announce that LaCour is auctioning off a mentoring session again this year to benefit Thirst Relief International. Last year's auction raised nearly $25,000.00 to help provide clean drinking water to people who need it most.

This is a great chance to make a difference!

Stay tuned for more information. The auction goes live on February 9th!

You can sign up and pre-register now on the auction site, fotoVerite.

Super Tuesday

For some, the Super Bowl is the highpoint of the year. While I admittedly know very little about sports (I didn't even know who was playing in the Super Bowl until somebody told me at the wedding reception on Saturday) I can relate to the anticipation and excitement brought about by the unknown outcome of any competition.

Politics are for me what sports are for most people, and this year has been the most fascinating in my lifetime!

I was in Delaware this weekend photographing the wedding of a photographer friend, Laura Novak and her husband, John Meyer, when I found out that Barack Obama would be speaking in the public square right outside of our hotel. When I saw Secret Service patrolling our hotel, I knew something was up.

As a political junkie, this was an unexpected gift — and it landed in my lap! Another photographer friend, Anna Kuperberg, who shot the wedding with us, joined us and 25,000 other people to be right in the middle of it all. It was exhilarating.

So, today is SuperTuesday, and I'll be glued to the news. For those of you who live in one of the 22 Super Tuesday states, remember to get out and vote!

I'm Andrew Niesen and I approve this message. :)

VRAI Launch Party in Chicago

Life sometimes gives us gifts in the form of people who inspire us to make the world a better place. Tina Carter is one of those people. Last year, she was the winner of our Thirst Relief mentoring auction. Tina consistently shares her resources with wonderful causes she supports. Then, she came to our Business of Storytelling workshop and continued to encourage us with her passion for making a positive impact through her photography and her business. She cares deeply about the environment and her new brand VRAI reflects her deeply-held values. Erin and I were lucky enough to attend Tina's VRAI launch party in Chicago last week. We had a great time catching up with many friends who came to support Tina. The entire LaCour team is thankful for friends like Tina who remind us of what's truly important in life!



It was fun seeing Bob and Dawn Davis, Emilie Sommer and Dave Wittig and Nancy Beale!

WPPI 2008 Video Preview

This video is too funny. I had to share with those of you who know Joe Photo.

LaCour Featured in Leica's Magazine

LaCour Photographer, Andrew Niesen, is featured in the current issue of the Leica e-magazine. Andrew has been using the digital Leica M8 for the past year and says, "By minimising the impact of my presence, the M8 lets me create pictures that can speak in adjectives... It's so low-key that people don't take me seriously, which is a good thing."

**Click Here to check out the entire article.

And to see in-person more of what an M8 can do, be sure to visit the Leica booth (Booth #211) at the WPPI tradeshow. Andrew will be there showing off some 20" x 30" prints of images he made with his M8.