Nikki is such a delightful person - she truly is!  She sat in the front row for all three days and I often found myself speaking to her.  I knew that she was one of our more shy attendees, in that she didn't know anyone before coming and I really did hope that she not only learned from us, but also from the other people in the room.  I shouldn't have worried, because Nikki settled right in very quickly!

In an email Nikki sent me about the Bebbinar, she made a really great point about things that happened in the evenings.  I haven't been to tons of workshops, but the ones I have been at have always had the participants find their own things to do during the evening.  About a week before the seminar began, Steve and I realized that we wanted to plan things that would tie in with the overall theme of what we were teaching - and so we made arrangements for evening activities.  Not everyone participated, which was to be expected, but in hindsight, we should have let Nikki know ahead of time.  She had her whole family with her and they spent their evenings together...at events they had planned before hand.  It was a valuable critique and we will definitely be making note of that for v2.0.

So with that....Nikki's thoughts:

What was the Bebbinar to me?
 
Well, I was nervous about it all, I had the funny feeling that I would be the only one not from North America and I was right, I was the only one daft enough to come across the pond and see what all the fuss is about!  I have always enjoyed the work of the Bebbs, they are on my list of blogs that I check regularly, and they happen to live in the best place in the world, how could I NOT go?!?!
 
I was amazed at Jen offering to make the time of the first Bebbinar around a time I could actually go, and I signed up before it even went live, I was so excited to be a part of it all.
 
On the first night, as my family walked me to the door of Bebbs studios, I though "Oh crap! I hate walking into new places!" and to begin with, I did feel like I had walked into a party late.  From the information given to me prior to the start of the seminar, it looked like the strategy was to make everyone turn up at different times, and not all at the same time.  Even though for a change, I was early, I seemed to be the last one there, and it looked like the party had already started!! I got the most amazing welcome from the wonderful Jen, but then felt a bit of a lemon, while everyone else had made friends! Fortunately, I made a beeline for one person I have been wanting to talk to for ages, the lovely Lulu from Calgary.  Lulu and I have been "virtual friends" for years now and finally we meet, and of course then we end up blethering all night, and not really socialising with others, whoops!! It didn't help that the first night party felt a little split up over the tables, but it was the best of a bad situation when the original restaurant bailed on us.
 
The next morning was the first official day of the seminar, and it was galling, excited, enthralling and embarrasing, sitting watching the talent of the other participants, as well as your own work.  What a brilliant idea though! Other seminars I have been to, have had the talker show a slideshow of their own work, and then the seminar has been about them, and their work, and you walk away inspired and with possibly a few ideas that you can attach to your own business.  But the Bebbinar really wasn't about the Bebbs and their work, it was about each individual person that was there and what the Bebbs could do to push each and every person, on in their business.  Making the others talk about what your photos show them, what style, what feeling it gives, was a real eye opener; you can imagine that is what clients do with your work! And the numbers of participants was so right, any more and it would have felt uncomfortable. And I loved how it was all based in the actual studio itself and not as originally planned, in an auditorium.
 
The shooting task was a blast, in every way possible!
"Shoot jpeg" they said, "oh sugar" I said!
I don't rate myself as a great photographer, and I love RAW shooting and the leyway it gives me when I cock up exposures!! I hadn't shot JPEG for nearly 2 years............
Sod it, I thought, if I cock up, it's no probelm, and isn't this all about pushing boundaries, yes it damn well was!  And I made it harder for myself, I shot the whole task in manual, something a bit strange for a AV kinda gal!
 
I was gobsmacked............ I could not believe the work I turned out!! Granted, having a hot couple to work with was so much easier than what I was used to, so posing wasn't an issue.  This meant I could concentrate on working my camera, and my eye.  We all had a shot at taking charge, I wasn't too fussed about this apsect as I work alone at weddings, but I know others in my group were nervous about this part, yet they rocked!  The light was muted, and I had deliberately not brought any flash with me, as I have previously felt that I rely too much on flash, so I was truely pushing all boundaries.
 
The second day, was a great day with the amazing business entrepreneur Laura Novak. It was wonderful to meet up with her again, having second shot with her in Delaware last year.  What she said made so much sense, and gave me so many ideas to take home and work on in the business (and I already have her Strategy Avenue CDs and now they make so much more sense)
 
ShootQ; wow, it sounds and looks amazing, and I reallly REALLY hope it does come over the pond to the UK, as it would make my life sOOOOOO much easier!
 
Day three was the most nerve racking; seeing the results of the images taken on day one.  I was blown away again by the talent I was working alongside, and I wasn't too embarrassed about what I shot, and what was shown.  Infact, it was such a confidence boost to see the work I could turn out, it really made me a better photographer, as I never would have had the guts to shoot JPEG and manual at a wedding of my own! Yet now I know I can get the images I want, not just what the camera gets for me!
 
There was so much socialising after hours in this seminar, such a pity that we weren't warned about this, previous seminars have been 9 to 5 ish and then you on the whole are left alone at night. My family and I had already booked hockey tickets for one of the nights of the seminar, and I missed out on what sounded like a great night out.  And again it wasn't just a "Night out"; the Bebbs had really thought about all the places we were taken to, to see branding, service and presentation in many different forms.
 
I walked away from this seminar with a boot up my bum............ strange thing to say but perhaps if I say it was a much-needed boot up the bum, then you will realise that this seminar has done more for me in 3 days than any other seminar has done over the past 7 years.  I am at the stage of just about to jump into full time photography, and yet I had reached a stage of "Am I actually any good at this?"  By forcing us to shoot out of our comfort zone, by showing us how important branding is, by showing us how other people see our work, it was all the boot up the bum I needed to say "Yes I AM bloody good at this, yes I can go full time and yes I can sustain this business with my talent!
 
And how do I know I can do it?  I have just come back from a weekend in Paris, second shooting for the lovely Christa Hoffarth from California, who very kindly picked me from all the names she got, to go "play" at a wedding she had in the city.  The condition was, I was to shoot JPEG!!! I did laugh at this when I got her email, and I did say to her that before the Bebbinar, I would have said no to this, I didn't think I was technically good enough to get the shots she required in JPEG.  But guess what? I went, I did it, I shot JPEG, I shot completely in manual the whole wedding which was a first for me and I got some amazing shots! I couldn't believe it, what a boost it was to my confidence and all thanks to the Bebbinar, as I would have seriously turned down this job the minute she mentioned shooting only in JPEG!
 
It was so worth the trip over, the money spent and the time away.  I met so many other amazing photographers at the seminar, it was a shame I didn't get to speak to them all but they were all influencial and I check all their blogs now. I hope I can meet up with some of them again in Tampa (maybe you should do a Bebbinar reunion at Tampa?!)
 
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the confidence boost, the welcome, and the boot up the bum, I will be enternally grateful for the Bebbinar!

We have known these two for a while now and had the incredible good fortune to be able to photograph their wedding.  I don't know how much we had to do with their decision to pursue photography themselves, but to think that we may have had even a little bit of influence is certainly amazing.  

From the beginning, Ral and Danelle have wanted to do it their way while still respecting the people that came before them.  They aren't interested in short cuts or coattails - these two want to pursue their art with integrity and truth.  And they do it.  Their hearts are true (and huge) and you can see their sincerity in every aspect of their work.  I truly expect that one day we will go head-to-head on jobs with them and maybe even lose a few.  Yes, they are that good!

We have had a few conversations with these two since the last night of the Bebbinar that left all four of us in tears.  I've taken the following from their blog:

Here is what Trish wrote to me recently:

The Bebbinar. It was an experience that challenged, humbled & encouraged me.

Jen & Steve put so much energy into each day & every minute were fully present & open. I learned about business, I learned about relationships, I learned about photography. Each hour, each day I was constantly amazed by learning from 2 people who have plenty of photography & life experiences with lessons that related on so many levels to what I came to learn (& of course the fabulous Laura Novack & Mark from ShootQ were incredible as well). 

Jen & Steve were the first there & always the last to leave. They constantly encouraged networking & each person seemed comfortable & willing to let their guards down & open to learning & sharing with the others.  I left there with many questions answered & more knowledge & information than I could process.

It's been a month now & I have implemented so many of the ideas & suggestions I took away from the seminar. The response from clients has been positive, and I feel much more focused as a person, photographer & in our business.

Is it worth it? Absolutely! I would do it again in a heartbeat if I could & I recommend taking part if you get the chance. It kicked my butt & kicked the business into high gear. Thank you guys!!!!!!

There are two things that strike you right away about these two - their sincerity and their kindness. What you don't expect, based on first impressions alone, is the fantastic way these two both see the world. They might be quiet in a crowd, but their work is anything but. In fact, Rich won the website giveaway for an image he made the very first day.

The winning image:

We received the following email from Lulu:

Thank you both so much for all you put into the Bebbinar. It was totally fabulous and will impact our business and our outlook for years to come. Our drive back to Calgary was punctuated by, "how does that fit with our values and goals?" and "how does that fit our brand?" comments.

Thanks to your branding exercises we've come up with a new tagline (never had one before or felt the need for one) in prep for our new fab website (can't wait!). It's a bit cheesy but we are working on it: Quietly Focussed on You. It won't be everywhere, but we'll use it somehow as it truly describes us and how we work. We'll also be labelling everything on the site as "your"... Your Life, Your Love, Your Day, Your Family, Your Kids... etc. And, thanks to Laura, we have a starting set of values and goals to point us down the correct paths.

Thank you also for being real, for letting us into your life and business, and showing us how you got where you are today. As parents we realize the sacrifices you made in your personal life to spend so much time with us, and we truly do appreciate it all. Your open hearts and willingness to share will take the industry to a better place all around.

So, our thanks so the two of you, for your willingness to come all the way to North Vancouver, sit on hard chairs for three days and really open your hearts to us. When I read the workbooks after that first day, I was brought to tears by the honesty and truth you were willing to share with us. You are truly an amazing couple and I know that you will succeed beyond your wildest dreams. Keep surprising us with your images. I can't wait to see what you two do next!

Bebbinar v2.0 is almost full and we wanted to share all this before we completely sold out.  Steve and I are pretty intense people - laid back?  Yes.  But we're very passionate about what we do and how we do it. 

We'll never tell you that our way is the only way to get something done, but we will tell you how we worked for nearly seven years to acheive overnight success.   We'll let you know about some of the mistakes we made, the lessons we learned and the amazing people we have met along the way.  We'll let you into our studio, our life and our family. 

We'll eat every meal with you, spend time shooting with you, and get to know each and every one of you.

At the end of the Bebbinar, you will be part of our family...one of our friends.  We will cry with you, laugh a whole lot, and help you find what it is you need to take your business to the next level. 

As Danelle says:  Check out the Bebbinar website - if you’re a photographer and you don’t go… well, you’re lame. Sign up people!

And we told them that during our one-on-one time.  They were actually the first people I sat with, and by the end of our time the tears were flowing freely.  And that was when I knew that Steve and can do this - we can give something back to the industry that we have been so fortunate to be part of.  Erin and Chad would have got there eventually, but we were able to help them maybe get there a little bit faster with a few less roadblocks.

I've taken the following images from their blog:

Steve and I sat down and chatted about what was important to us and we both agreed that conducting our business with the same level of commitment and integrity from before the Top 10 list was it.  We wanted to be able to wake up in the morning, look our children in the eye, and know that we were still the same people.  We want to make them proud.

Every single product that we use, we are willing to endorse.  We will not endorse anything that we don't believe in.  And that is, in my opinion, a very important distinction.  So, when we asked some of our favorite people if they would help out with the Bebbinar, we were just thrilled at the response.  From products, to discounts, to lunches, we had a lot of help and we wanted to make sure those people were thanked.

In no particular order, here they are:  

Finao

This is, without a doubt, one of the best album suppliers around.  Christine and Keith (the brains behind it all) have put together a company that listens to its clients - the photographers.  As the North American distributor of Seldex albums, they are able to supply photographers with anything they might need.  And their own line of ONE and Elements albums is second to none.  We are honoured to be part of their family and we trust that each and every one of you will feel the same.   

DWF

"Wedding Photography's Home on the Web" is the slogan used by DWF.  And it's true.  But it's so much more than that.  If you are a pro or you want to be a pro, I strongly urge you to go there today and sign up.  The knowledge is one thing, but the networking and friendships are equally valuable.  Among my friends all over the world, a very large percentage are from DWF.  I'm also a moderator over there, so I get a glimpse of what happens behind the scenes as well.  The team at DWF is dedicated to keeping their "home" the very best place it can be. 

Shootsac

Launched earlier this year by my good friend Jessica Claire, the Shootsac has become an essential part of my shooting wardrobe.  Perfect as a lens carrying bag, the Shootsac not only works, but it looks fantastic!  I have a variety of covers that I can change to suit my mood, my clothing, or even the wedding theme.  Jess has done a fantastic job with this.

Parade 

Micah and Kristi are the folks behind Parade.  An awesome couple with a family of their own, Steve and I feel a real kinship with them.  More importantly, they make unbelievable custom sites.  They are the designers behind Jesh de Rox's site and they are working on custom solutions for many top industry professionals. 

Pickpic

What can I say about these guys other than thanks!  Pickpic is an amazing, amazing tool that every photographer owes it to themselves to have.  It's robust and beautiful and can be an incredibly wonderful passive income generator for you.  The customer service is hands down some of the best in the industry and the cart is definitely worth the wait. 

Totally Rad Actions 

The Boutwells are truly our heroes!  We first met Doug and Chenin in 2005 and our lives are richer because they are in them.  Making kick ass images together for several years, Doug has moved out of weddings and is focussed on other forms of photography as well as the Totally Rad Actions.  And they are RAD!  We don't use many actions, but we use these ones. 

Bludomain

We have been with Bludomain since before the entire world knew who they were.  We have watched their business literally explode and they have become the benchmark against which all wedding photography sites are measured.  When we move onto a custom site, we won't be leaving our relationship with blu behind.  We will always have at least one blu site up and live all the time.

Boda

The Boda Bag is another fantastic resource.  When we travel, we are able to get almost our entire kit into a single Boda Bag each.  The way the bag is designed and constructed makes it very easy to carry on a plane.   Jim and his team have listened to what photographers want, and need, and has put almost all of it into the Boda Bag.  We use them on the days we don't use our Shootsac.  It is a very different bag than the Shootsac and serves a different purpose for us.  Having both to use is the best of both worlds.

GKing Photo

These guys are our local connection.  Although we try to use Canadian products, it isn't always possible.  The folks at GKing have given us the lab solution that we need.  This is not a "quicky mart" kind of lab.  This is a lab that wants to know who its clients are - wants to fold them in as part of the family.  We often say that we're in the relationship business when we speak about our clients.  Well, these guys are definitely in the relationship business as well.  Their products stand alone and they are willing to work with you to ensure they meet your needs.  I would not hesitate to recommend them to photographers the world over. 

ShootQ 

Designed by the LaCour team, ShootQ is the one ingredient that our business has been missing.  It's a studio management system that will revolutionize the way you run your business.  I don't know what we did without it and I think everyone needs it. 

Showit Web

What a fantastic resource!  We use these shows for all our clients.  It is a great way to showcase the wedding, and your photography.  Our clients send the links to their shows all over the world for their family and friends to see. 

Wedluxe

 This Vancouver based magazine epitomizes the luxury market in Canada.  It is the only print ad that we run now, and it is an honour to be part of the magazine.

Our goal for the Bebbinar was really simple - we wanted to give each person, regardless of their skill level or the amount of time they had been in business, tools to get to the next level.  We literally sat down and went through our entire program to ensure that there were take-aways for everyone:  things they could go home and do immediately to set themselves on a new path.  Just three things, because anymore would overwhelm and any less would be insignificant.  From the feedback we have received so far we didn't just succeed in that regard, we went above and beyond our original goal.

We started Tuesday with a lesson in style and branding.  One of the first things we wanted to do was help each person define their style by giving them the vocabulary to do that.  The exercise also brought out what influences and inspiration people were using in their imagery and I think that surprised some of our guests.  No one wants to think their work looks like anyone else's work, so seeing their images through a fresh set of eyes certainly surprised some people.  And that is a good thing - there is no way to grow if there is no room for growth.

After deconstructing and removing any ego that was left in the room, we moved on to our shooting assignments.  These were tough.  In fact, not one person in the group felt very comfortable with the parameters they were given.  And that was the point - we wanted to show them two things:  they are better technical photographers than they thought they were, and that you can only truly grow as an artist when you push yourself beyond your comfortable limits.  

At the end of the day, the group had really bonded together as they realized that there were more similarities between them than differences - that they weren't competing with each other but rather helping each other grow.  When I collected their homework for the evening and settled in to read it at about 11pm, I was truly moved by the way in which they were embracing their growth and committing to the process.  More than one person's words moved me to tears and I was truly humbled by the trust that had been placed in our hands.

Wednesday was all Laura Novak - a truly wonderful person.  We wanted to give everyone the chance to look at their businesses in a new light and to find a way to move forward.  Laura continued the theme of worksheets and assignments and had each person work through a series of steps that defined their goals, and laid out the path each wanted to follow.  These were intensely personal activities and when some people chose to share some of their goals, the tears flowed freely and we all realized the importance of taking these steps.  Laura put some fun and levity into a very, very important process.  I know that people's heads were spinning as we went out to dinner that evening.

Everyday, we had chosen restaurants and locations to reinforce the concepts that we were hoping to instill in everyone.  We wanted everyone to be aware of the ambience of a place, the perceived value that created, the overall service, the experience itself and the associated branding that each restaurant had created.  We saved our highest end experience for Wednesday evening when we brought everyone to the Ocean Club for dinner.  This was our way of showcasing a more high end, boutique style experience where you don't mind paying a premium price for a premium service.  They have a $25 fixed menu every Wednesday so it wasn't too pricey, but I think the overall experience helped drive home the point.  

Somehow, Steve and I ended up on the wrong end of the camera (again) and became the models for our very own seminar.  It started innocently with Mark Adams wanted to take a few images of Steve and I, and quickly evolved into a lesson in off camera lighting involving a manual flash, a dish towel and a sync process that consisted of yelling "GO!".  Needless to say, it was fantastic and a great way to really pump up the group.  Here are some of the images that Mark and Laura were able to make with this incredibly expensive and sophisticated lighting kit:

And, of course, we had to turn the tables on Mark as well:

 Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to Mark that evening as his flight left at 7am on Thursday.  We invited Mark to come and show everyone the studio management system that the LaCour team has developed and is now making available for photographers.  It's something that we're using in our studio in an effort to streamline our processes and develop a more efficient workflow.  We knew this was something that would help our attendees immeasurably, so we were super excited when we found our Mark was coming.  ShootQ is an awesome system and I would strongly encourage everyone to check it out.  You can read all about Mark's version of events on the LaCour blog.

That's Mark in the middle, between Steve and I. 

Day three at the Bebbinar began with a review of the images from Tuesday.  I think that everyone was very nervous about this part of the day.  After all, these were jpeg images, almost straight out of camera, created in less than ideal circumstances and conditions.  No one was confident that they had done well.  In fact, the room was very quiet as the images started to come up.  It wasn't long before people realized just how great a job they had all done.  There were fantastic images being shown. It was an amazing opportunity for everyone to see the value of good photography before any processing at all takes place.  What was even more amazing to see was the support they all gave each other - they were all so excited when each person's work came up.  There was nothing but positive affirmation as we critiqued our way through the morning.  

We moved into the crux of the entire Bebbinar just before lunch - the importance of consistency and how one can become more consistent.  We didn't offer a magic bullet to make it all right, but what we did do was showcase the importance of presenting a consistent and cohesive product if moving up market is your goal.  By lunch, there wasn't a photographer in the room that was maligning the importance of consistency and who wasn't committed to making it happen. 

The rest of the day (and night) literally flew by as we moved into the details of our two button workflow and began our one-on-one sessions.  Steve, Laura and myself all split up and took separate groups for this exercise.  I have no idea what happened with the other groups, but with almost everyone I sat with there was a good cry taking place.  This was truly an amazing experience for me as a teacher to see that what we had tried so hard to do the past three days had made an impact and was having an effect.  The tears were of relief and joy, not sadness and fear, as each person or couple realized their potential and that they could reach it.  I am still moved and sit here with tears streaming down my face again as I write this.  For me, this affirmed that Steve and I have made the right choice to give back and to share.  It was a hard choice, but such a rewarding one in the end.  I hope that every single person that attended the Bebbinar is on the way to greatness - because each has the potential to get there.  All that was missing was the drive, the tools and the commitment.  To be even a small part of that is one of the most humbling and gratifying things we have ever done.

We have some huge, huge thanks to extend to the people that helped us put the Bebbinar on.  I hate to use the word "sponsor", so I'm not going to, but the following people were extremely generous to the Bebbinar and their continued support is something we are always thankful for.  In no particular order:

Finao

DWF

Shootsac

Parade 

Pickpic

Totally Rad Actions 

Bludomain

Boda

GKing Photo

ShootQ 

Showit Web

Wedluxe