BEHIND THE LENS: WITH COLLEEN {CHASING DREAMS PHOTOGRAPHY}

We are so excited to feature Colleen this week on our Behind the Lens series.  Not only is she an amazing photographer but she is also a talented designer of textures.   Check out her Chasing Dreams Photography Facebook page and be sure to LIKE it for freebies and announcements.  

And Colleen is generously offering our Moms Who Click readers a special 20% discount  on any of her texture packs valid now through April 30.  Just visit her site and use the coupon code CLICK20.  

And now we bring you Colleen..........

Your Name:  Colleen 

Your studio/business name:  Chasing Dreams Photography

Location:  Illinois

Website: http://www.chasingdreams.me

Blog: http://www.chasingdreamsphotography.blogspot.com

Twitter/Facebook: http://facebook.com/pages/Chasing-Dreams-Photography/114459351914536 

Your Style:  

• In 50 words or less, how would your clients describe your photography? Eclectic!!!
• Are you self-taught or classroom trained? Both. I have taken several different workshops and plan on taking more.  I'm also self taught. I'm a Googler (is that a word?). I Google everything until I find the answer.
• How many years have you been a professional photographer?   Professional??? Me???? This one made me giggle a little...I will forever feel like a Professional student...but I started my Photography Business in 2009.
• Where do you want to take your photography business in 5 years?   Wow...five years from now..Hmmnnnnn  I kind of fly by the seat of my pants. I do hope that my texture business continues to grow. I hope to build up my photography clientele and continue to love what I am doing!!! Because I really really love what I am doing right now.
• Is there a photographer who inspires your style?  Who would that be? Oh my goodness there are so many photographers that inspire me!!!!! Amy Wenzel is one of them. I love how Amy captures her littlest clients. No one captures children like Amy Wenzel!!! Everything that Jessica Drossin touches is unbelievably stunning!!! I love floral's and am always inspired by Isabelle LaFrance, Claire Penn and Sylvia Cook...their work is gorgeous!!!!  There are so many more photographers who inspire me, I could go one forever.
• Favorite location to take photos? There is a little town near me with lot's of old buildings, brick paths and stone walls...I love shooting there. The textures and colors make gorgeous backdrops.
• Favorite vacation spot? I am a sun, sand and ocean girl. I don't like to vacation in one place for too long, cruising is my style of vacationing. I love to be any where in Caribbean. The water is warm and a gorgeous shade of turquoise!!!!

Your Business: 

• What was the pivotal moment when you decided to become a photographer?  I don't know that I really had a pivotal moment. I started taking classes because I wanted to take better pictures of my children. After a few classes I started to enjoy what I was doing and I must admit, it became a bit addicting!!
• What’s the best marketing tip that has worked for you? Facebook has been a wonderful Marketing tool. Giveaways are great exposure!!!!
• What’s the most surprising thing a customer has asked you? Nothing ever surprises me.
• Favorite print lab?  WHCC and Miller's. I use them both for different things. I also like Simply Color Lab.

Your Gear:

• Are you Canon or Nikon (or “other”): Canon
• If you could only have one lens on a photo shoot, what would it be?  Oh this is a hard one but if I only get one...my 50mm 1.2 would win!!!
• What brand bag do you carry your camera in?  I have an awesome backpack that I love for travel. I can fit my intuos pad in it along with my camera and about 3 lens. I also have a Kelly Moore bag that I love.
• Are you a natural light fan or strobe fan? Natural light, I haven’t ventured into strobe yet!
• Are you PC or Mac? Apple Mac

Your Tips and Tricks:

• What post processing tools do you use?  I process in Adobe Raw and Photo shop (CS5).
• Do you shoot in Raw or Jpeg?  Raw.
• Best advice you would give your 20-year old self? To slow down. Life passes by way to quickly.... enjoy the journey!!!
• Best advice you would give a new photographer? That it's OK to pick and choose what you like to photograph. You do not need to photograph everything under the sun to be a photographer. If you enjoy photographing children but not families, that's OK. Find a style that suits you and make it "yours". Every one of us is unique in some way...find what makes "you" unique and rock the world with it!!!!!
• What site do you use for your photography and why? I use photobiz. The site is really easy to use and their customer service is awesome!!!!

What Else Should We Know?

• What was your worst photography experience? (We have learned that the most seasoned photographers learned from their mistakes)?  I have had a few mishaps. Let's see...I once accidentally moved a few buttons on my camera while photographing a family. The little ones were getting tired and I just kept shooting...when I got home and loaded up the pictures....half of the pictures were so blown out...Live and learn : )
• What would surprise people most about you, whether it is photography related or not?  That I may be 5'2" and look sweet (ok, maybe not sweet, but let's pretend I do) but I had the biggest mouth on the football field when my boys played high school ball.
• Tell us something else you’d like us to know:  I am only child and love that I have six children. While most of my friends had dreams of conquering the business world.....I only had dreams of becoming a mother.
• Three things I can't live without........Family, The Mall, & Coffee
• I wish I had more.........Time with my mom. My mom has Parkinson's and Dementia. Her and my dad moved in with us last summer...watching my Mother fade away is hard. The fact that she does not know who I am any more is the hardest...I wish I had more time with her...so much I feel I need to say to her.
• The best thing about being a photographer is....The view!!!! There is nothing like the view through a lens. The entire world opens up and you see everything so differently!!!! I would also have to add, the people. I have met some of the most incredible people through photography. Most of my good friends are photographers. Photographers are unique in so many ways...I love their creativity and eagerness to share their knowledge. I can always rely on my photographer friends...they are always there for me.
• The most important lesson I ever learned was..........To be cautious of who I trust...
• My favorite time of day..... is at night when everyone is in bed asleep and I have some alone time.

Click this forward - we LOVE Chasing Dreams!