In case you missed my first three posts about the Click Away conference you can find them here.  My fourth, and final post will walk you through my last day of classes and what I took away from the conference as a whole. So here we go, enjoy!

The last day of Click Away was bittersweet. I was really excited about the the classes I was signed up for, but I was also starting to get a little home sick. The late nights and long days were getting to me and I was tired. Luckily the last day’s sessions didn’t start until 9:30am so I got to sleep in a little.

There were three sessions on this last day that were probably three of the most valuable sessions I attend. The first one was a Social Media class led by the amazing Courtney Slazinik from the Click It Up A Notch blog. She had some amazing advice on how to best utilize social media outlets and well as tips on SEO and blogging. Her session is the main reason I now have a shiny new blog platform. In the past month since following her advice, my daily website and blog traffic has TRIPLED!! It’s amazing how little changes can make a huge difference (insert happy dance)

The other two classes that had a huge impact on me were both shooting demos. The first one was a senior session with Ashlyn Mae Photography. We had a beautiful senior girl who happened to be from my home town of Waco,Tx. She is an aspiring photographer and is very talented. It was so much fun hanging out with her. We were shooting in harsh afternoon light which was a challenge but it was fun to learn new tips and tricks from a pro! I love the images I got from this session and have already used some of the information I received in recent sessions.

The second shooting demo I attended was a couple’s shoot with Danielle Hatcher who was probably tired of me by this point because I attended every class she had at Click Away 🙂 We had a sweet couple to model for us who were new parents to a sweet 4month old baby. We utilized a really fun spot inside the convention center before moving outside. I learned so much about how to get couples to loosen up and interact naturally to capture beautiful images!

 

Before the day was over I walked back through the Click Away Hub one last time to visit a few of the vendor booths. I think I was also in denial that it was over. I didn’t want it to end. I felt like I had learned so much, but there was still so much more I wanted to learn and take in. I also wasn’t ready to leave all the new friends I had made. There was a farewell concert that night, but a few of us opted to skip the concert and go to dinner on our own instead. We sat on a patio under the stars and talked the night away. I know to some people that may sound mundane, and a sort of anti-climatic way to end the trip, but for me it was perfect. I love to talk, so sharing a quiet dinner with people that mean something to me, sharing our stories, thoughts, dreams and ideas was the best way I could have found to end such an amazing trip.

 

So now the question remains…what to do with all the information I brought back with me? Well, I am still figuring that out. I would be lying if I said that I left Click Away with a clear and perfect vision for my business, but I did leave with a strong sense of direction. I know that there are changes I need to make, which includes raising my prices to reflect the value of my work, being more selective in the sessions I book, creating a brand and making sure that I am shooting for me just as much as I am for others. I have personal and professional goals that I want to achieve in the next year and if nothing else, this trip affirmed the fact that I am right where I am supposed to be.

I have come a long way in my photography journey, and I still have a long way to go, but after Click Away I now know that I am not alone in this journey. I made some amazing friends, learned a lot and renewed my love for capturing moments for myself and for others! I have never been more passionate about photography than I am right now and I cannot wait to see where that passion leads me.