Things You Should Check Out!

So as I was thinking of what to write for my weekly blog, I remembered all the time I have used up this week looking at random websites and photographers.

So instead of showing you pictures today, here are some awesome websites that I have been loving this week:

www.lynda.com - photography tutorials

www.betterphoto.com - online photography classes

goingpro2010.com - for emerging professional photographers

Check those websites out for some great tutorials and classes. As well, below are some photographers that have been truly inspiring over the last few weeks:

Alex Beadon Photography - truly amazing photography, really nice self portraits

www.alexbeadonphotography.com

Brandy Anderson (Fresh Sugar Photography) - really well known for her children/maternity photos

www.freshsugar.ca

Erin Manning - author of Make money with your digital photography, great portraits as well as business advice

www.erinmanning.com

Be sure to check it all out and let me know what you think. I have got a lot of useful information from those sites and photographers in the past week and hope you do as well!

Have a great week :)

12 for 2012 Project

As each year progresses I normally have a bunch of new ideas that I want to pursue and just hope that one of them will work out. Not this year. Now, I know for sure the direction I want to go with everything in my life. I know for sure that photography is going to consume most of my energy and goals for 2012. I want to really progress as a photographer and focus my energy on as much education in this area as I can and expanding clients for future plans.

So in order to start this year off great for my photography career, I have decided to take advice from my photography teacher from SAIT. Patrick Kornak is such a well-rounded photographer that taught me so much in the summer of 2011. He did the 365 project in which you take a new picture daily. I really admire his passion and I want to follow that same idea.

So for 2012, I am going to be doing "12 for 2012 Project" in which I will do one project each month that has a different aspect of photography for 12 consecutive months. I think it will really force me to try new things and learn new tricks and ultimately make me a better photographer.

In 2012 I also plan to take more photography classes and capture as many great moments as I can and build up clientele. If you know people looking for a photographer this year, keep me in mind!

I encourage you to keep in touch and follow my posts:

Facebook Page: Mandy Thorogood Photography

Twitter: @mthorogoodphoto

Website: www.mandythorogoodphotography.com

Thank you and I hope everyone had a wonderful and restful holiday! All the best in 2012!

Mandy

Dance...like no one is watching!

A select few photos (of many amazing ones) of my dance students! I can't reiterate enough how much I enjoy teaching them every week. I am very grateful to be able to teach such talented, committed girls. Every week they put a smile on my face! :) Thanks girls for working so hard and looking forward to the next 6 months of hard work to prepare for year end recital.

Tarra, Trevor & Max

Tarra has been a good friend since we danced together in Vivo, the Alive Dance Company! From this friendship, I have been given the opportunity to photograph her family twice, and am hoping that I will get to continue for years to come.

Trevor and Tarra are wonderful, loving and supportive parents to their little man, Max (who is just a pleasure to be around)! It is so refreshing to see such joy and love in a family all the time! Their family is so beautiful and kind and I can never say enough wonderful things about them.

I hope that someday I will have a family that resembles the love and commitment that Tarra, Trevor and Max do!

Thanks guys and can't wait to see you all again! xo

Diversity Dance and Performing Arts

Diversity Dance and Performing Arts is located in Evergreen Village in SW Calgary and this wonderful studio has a very diverse group of teachers. I got the the pleasure of photographing them prior to Christmas this year and they were wonderful to work with.

Christina is a talented studio owner and just generally a wonderful person! Thanks Christina for thinking of me for your group photos this year and thank you Diversity DPA for your passion for what you do...your students are very lucky!

Need something to make you smile today?!

Luka was born July 30th, 2011 and has been a blessing to everyone around him since! In the past 4 months, he has brought many smiles to my face and made me laugh on many occasions.

We did a few shots of Luka while I had a backdrop and gear and just wanted to share his cute faces so that it may bring a few smiles to your face as well!

Enjoy :)

Starting a new phase thanks to Nicole!

After being talked into starting a new blog, I decided to give it a try!! Thanks Nicole, now there is one more thing that keeps me on my computer at all hours!!

I have to say I am very excited to be jumping into a photography career from it being my passion for so long! Nicole was the one who got me interested in photography years ago and I thank her for always pushing me to do things and believing in me (whether it is photography or not).

So today I want to just thank Nicole Hudson for being the best friend anyone could ask for. I miss her so much and I am so happy I got to be part of her wedding day just a few weeks ago!! Nicole and Greg looked stunning and it was so nice to see old friends and her family.

Nicole thank you for always being there no matter what...I love you!