Photogirl Retreat 2008....Outer Banks, NC
I spent the past week with some fantastic, uber photographers at the Photogirl Retreat in Nags Head, NC. It was the first ever meeting for many of us and hopefully, we'll be making this an annual event. Enjoy the images and make sure to visit the links. It was an inspiring week!!
Sara and Melanie of Whitebox Weddings hosted our week long retreat and I can't say enough about how great they are. Thank you just isn't enough. Below, Michele M. Waite and Melissa Jill check out exposures....both women are incredible photographers and when it comes to blogging, Melissa Jill can't be stopped. She has so inspired me to blog for my business and for the fun of it too. Thanks Melissa Jill!
Our first day on the beach, the weather was gorgeous. Michele is from Washington state and Melissa Jill flew in from Arizona, Brooke Mayo and Sara are both NC girls.
Melanie is the other half of Whitebox Weddings. She and Sara are great photographers, thoughtful and fun to be around too. Brooke Mayo, a fantastic photographer on the Outer Banks, has been shooting in great locations this year. Cozumel, Mexico most recently. Whitebox Weddings and Michele M. Waite have spent time south of the border this year too. I've photographed engagements in NYC and even did an impromtu wedding in Las Vegas last year......at the Wedding Chapel. Elvis did the ceremony and the couple was from England. While attending WPPI with friends, we all stepped out one evening and found a willing couple that wanted us to be their photographers for an hour. Lots of fun and I highly recommend other photographers do what we did.
Sara of Whitebox...
Khara of Kabloom Studios in Nebraska! Khara is so enjoyable to be around...always smiling, light hearted and kind. Not to mention, creative in so many ways, in addition to being an incredible photographer.
Rebecca is from the midwest. I really liked her photographic eye....especially one of the images she took of Melissa Jill! I also thought she made the Shootsac look good in this photo.....
Melanie from Whitebox Weddings...
Brooke....
Believe it or not, Michele was standing in the deep end of an empty pool when I took these fun images. What a great background!! Who da thought? We spent part of an afternoon taking headshots of each other at a motel down the street from the beach house, The Seafoam. It was perfect but I had to miss part of the session.....check out the other photographer blogs to find some really great shots taken at a deserted motel!
Thanks Michele, for going back to the Seafoam so I could get in some shooting too! After looking at everyone's images, I realize how much I missed! Brooke and Melanie, thanks for going back with me too!
On the last day we went to Corova for another outdoor excusion and came across some of the wild horses that the northern areas of the Outer Banks are known for. Thanks Brooke, for sharing your home with us! Adrienne Maples was such a treat. She's a great photographer and all around fun person to get to know. She's from Kansas but spent a lot of time in Savannah too. Check out her blog and website......
The Wild Horses on the Outer Banks.
I love the colors mother nature provides us!!! This image seems so relaxing with it's soft hues of yellow and blue....I even believe it would make for a great landscape gallery wrap of abstract art.
The same exact image but I ran an action to create more of an artistic impression to the final look. Always fun to play and experiment with photoshop.....
When around the wild horses it's best to keep your distance and it's also highly recommended by the local government....so using a telephoto lense is a good idea. I used mine for other reasons though. When photographing this guy, at one point we seemed to be dancing.... I tried to move in three different directions all of them being away from his direct route only to find him matching each step I took. Made me a bit nervous! I love the wild horses and would do nothing to endanger them.....
While at Brooke Mayo's home, we spent time with "biskers" and "weezy" too. This is Biskers who Brooke adopted. His previous owners just weren't the ideal pet owners and so he was lucky to be rescued. Now he's living the life!
Off to a bridal shoot today.....so I'll be posting more later! Please check back and leave a comment or two should you have something nice to say.
Mary Basnight
9 Comments
Reader Comments (9)
Mary! These are beautiful images -- and it was SOOO SOOO great to meet you! See ya next year!
She's alive!!! And she blogs!!! Thanks for spending time with me Mary, I really enjoyed our conversations & I look forward to seeing you at the next retreat. You are a gentle soul- it was a joy just to be around you ;)
Hey Adrienne and Rebecca....yes, I'm alive! After those tournament games I just went down with bronchitis but I'm much better now. Adrienne, can't believe you didn't. Thanks for tuning into my blog. I'm excited to be working it again and will keep it posted. Please stay in touch.
Mary
Hi Mary! Welcome back to the blog-o-sphere! Ha ha ha! Great work... of course, I'm not surprised! :)
Until next time!
:) Khara
Hi Mary
I'm so sad to hear that you got bronchitis :( Thanks so much for the kind words, I can't wait for Photogirls 09! Hopefully we can get together before then!
Peace out!
Mel
Great recap Mary! I love your shots! Especially that cute one of Adrienne :).
WOW. I just realized that you re-entered the blog-o-sphere (haven't been up on my google reader...) Your images are amazing. I will keep coming back to see more!
LOOOOOVE your work! It makes me miss the Outer Banks even more! I can't wait to get back up there!!!
Mary- Looks like a great time was had by all! Great shots!