IGNITE Workshop // Styled Shoot in Poconos, PA

I was so honored to be a part of the IGNITE Workshop this year! The Workshop is hosted by NJSpark which is a group of Christian women and photographers who meet to fellowship, study the Bible and encourage each other in business. We gathered at a farm in the Poconos for two days of learning, networking and shooting a gorgeous styled shoot with a greenery and gold theme. 37 photographers, 6 speakers and countless vendors got together to pull it off and it was an absolutely amazing time! 

The styled shoot was featured on Red Oak Weddings last week and these are some of my images from the time spent during the workshop. Enjoy! 

Photographers/Speakers for the workshop: Myself, Amy Rizzuto Photography, Mekina Saylor Photography, Cassi Claire, deborahannphotography and Jessica OH! 

Vendors for the styled shoot: Florist - Kerry Patel Designs | Tables + Chairs - Beyond the Barn Rentals | Invites - Bella Carta Boutique | Hair + Make Up - Nancy Caroline Bridal Styling | Calligraphy Signs - Penned By Alice | Jewelry - L Priori Jewelry | Bouquet Ribbon - Honey Silks & Co. | Dresses - Rent The Runway | Videographer- TONEmedia | Unicorn - TJ Maxx | Donut Box - Antique

Launch day for cinnamonwolfe(dot)co!!

The day is FINALLY here. cinnamonwolfe(dot)co is live and out there in the world. It seems like it took forever to get here and also came so fast that I can't believe its actually March of 2017 and this is happening. 

In all transparency, I can't even pinpoint when this idea that is now officially www.cinnamonwolfe.co really started. I think it was more of an organic process...one that took me a while to fully form in my head. 

The process. I think? 

It started when we moved to New Jersey and I needed blog content since we were brand new in town and it was going to take me a while to get established with clients. I actually really enjoy blogging and writing in general so I started writing more educational content about blogging and doing things in Squarespace. It resonated with people. 

I consistently had feedback that I had a way of explaining things that people could really understand. The way I broke things down just made sense to people and they enjoyed the content I was putting out. I loved the tech-y and business-y side of running a photography business and I also loved teaching so I guess it all made sense even though I wasn't totally conscious of it at the time. 

All the while I was attending Tuesdays Together meetings and making tons of local connections. I started offering blog outsourcing. I started offering website help for those who were feeling overwhelmed with putting a website together. I started offering coaching and mentoring for newer photographers and business owners who just needed someone to talk through some of the issues they were having. 

And I was loving it. 

I also was really beginning to notice a phenomena that was flying around in the online world that really sat with me the wrong way. The fact that people seemed to be talking about introversion and extroversion in ways that weren't really accurate. 

I noticed a lot of people describing themselves as extroverted introverts or introverted extroverts (which logically doesn't even really make sense, although I think I get what they were trying to say).

I felt this tug that people knew this subject of temperament was important but the stereotype was still alive and well ---> introverts are shy and hate people and extroverts are outgoing and friendly (and maybe a little loud.) 

As with most stereotypes, this comes from somewhere, but in the research and study I have done in the past, there is just flat out a lot of misinformation and misconception about what it means to actually have an introverted or extroverted temperament and I have a big desire to help others understand their own temperaments better. In order to not only help serve their businesses, but to help serve their lives. 

So the idea of a separate site, filled with awesome educational resources started to form. I thought long and hard about keeping everything here on Cinnamon Wolfe Photography, but in the end, since my main goal is not really to teach or education ON wedding photography, it made sense for me to move it to a new home. 

CinnamonWolfe.com was taken?

In the super early stages, I looked to buy cinnamonwolfe.com, but someone had already snatched it up....4 days before I checked. Ouch, that hurt. I did email the guy, but he never got back to me. So I started thinking about names and how I wanted to structure this. I felt like I wanted to keep it with my own name for a couple of reasons 1) Its unique 2) Its memorable 3) Maintains a connection to me since it will essentially be a personality based business. 

I looked at different options, but the "outdated" .org and .net or .info just didn't feel right. I had seen a couple of websites around that had the .co designation so I looked it up. The general impression was that it was kind of the "new and fresh" way of domains. cinnamon wolfe dot co was available so that solidified it for me. That would be the domain and name for my new venture. 

Next steps

I vetted this idea with a couple of friends for feedback and advice. Then I started to really form out the process of what this would all look like in real life. I got the website started, worked with a friend on branding, brainstormed ideas for blog posts, resources, courses and e-books and step by step, day by day, it started coming together. 

I started *really* working on this late summer of 2016 so all in all it was about an 8 month process. Life was still happening in the middle of all of this including weddings, travel and the holidays. Plus working with other people schedules and timelines pushed things back from time to time as well. But in the end, the timing worked out perfectly and I am so happy today is the day. 

What's next?

Well, in addition to the new website, in true overachiever fashion, Paul and I have also decided to launch a podcast!! That is a whole other story for another day, but we have big plans for that as well.

This is also our last year in New Jersey as Paul is submitting his retirement paperwork (TODAY actually) and we will likely be selling our house, moving back to Seattle and settling there for good all within the next 12 months. That's a LOT to think about and deal with in addition to moving my photography business AGAIN. However, I am trusting in God's plan and I know that He will take care of us, because well, he always has.

And I don't mean take care of as in "everything always works out perfectly", because let me tell you...things definitely do not work out how I want them too...hardly ever actually! BUT remaining humble and grateful for this life we've been given, being good stewards of the talents and resources we have and putting God and our marriage first will always result in being taken care of...even if we have to eat ramen noodles for 6 months and live in our car! HA! 

Come celebrate with me!

I would be humbled and honored if you would come over to my new (second) home on the internet and celebrate with me. Grab one of my awesome resources (I would suggest the Tool Box!), leave a blog comment, submit a photo in How I got the Shot or listen to one of our podcast episodes. Whatever floats your boat. I would love to have you!

Hugs!! ~C