Recap on the Meraki Workshop

We hosted our first workshop! We’ve hosted several small scale photographer’s shoot-out events over the last year and we knew we wanted to expand on them and offer an educational and intimate experience for the photographer’s in our community! This workshop was built to allow the attendees a space to create something new and dive into the intentionality behind their businesses as they move into the new year.

As we begun meeting with vendors and discussing the workshop in more depth a word popped into our Bekah’s head that had hung on her bulletin board throughout high school:

Meraki: [MAY:RAH:KEE] noun.

“Doing something with soul, creativity, or love; to put something of yourself into what you create.”

This word perfectly embodied what we wanted this workshop to be all about and how we wanted all of our vendors and photographers that participated in the workshop to feel as they created in the studio!

We had an amazing team of all-female (HECK FREAKIN YEAH) entrepreneurs and business owners that helped make this two day workshop possible! With the incredible talent and help of Wildly Collective, we were able to offer two different styling themes for the workshop that focused on current and upcoming trends. The Dream State sets were curated and designed by Wildly Collective and focused heavily on a soft, colorful and “dream-like” aesthetic that has us (quite literally) dreaming of Spring!

Our team at Lightbox curated the Modern Romance sets that used a more earthy tones and textures. We wanted these sets to focus more on editorial posing and integrate an edgy bridal session with a fun fast food twist!

We made sure to make the styled shoot portion of both days fall along the same overall theme but offer something new and exciting for each day so that the photographer’s attending could choose to come to day one, day two, or both days!

Day One

This 8 hour day was filled with 2 styled shoots, 1 styling vignette and 1 tablescape. The goal was for each photographer to take the time to try new posing techniques and bounce ideas off one another while shooting. After the photography portion of the day, we congregated in the Edison to download our images and start editing. One of the best parts of the day was hearing from speakers Wildly Collective and Tessa Cooper on “Creating More Meaningful Work” and “Pitching your Work to Publications.” We ended the evening with a catered meal from Cafe Cusco (a local fave) and conversations around the beautiful tablescape styled by Wildly Collective.

Day Two

This 4 hour day consisted of 2 styled shoots, headshot set-up, editing time, an introspective worksheet and learning about “Staying True to Your Brand Identity from the owner of the Ozark Mountain Flower Truck, Cassie Parker!

Cassie spoke on staying true to your brand identity, finding your “why” and how to scale your business! We LOVED having Cassie here because we so admire the brand she has cultivated at Ozark Mountain Flower Truck!

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Our favorite part of any photography related events at the studio is ALWAYS the incredible images from all of the attendees! We continue to be blown away by the creativity and passion of the photography community in our area!

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BG STUDIOS PHOTOGRAPHY

RHIANON BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY

BLOOM AND BE PHOTO

MORRIS IMAGERY

J PUHR PHOTOGRAPHY

PORTRAIT NOVELLA

LEIGH SMITH PHOTO

WHITE DOVE PHOTOGRAPHY

WILD WILD PHOTOGRAPHY

CHELSEA MACMILLAN PHOTGRAPHY

ILLUMINATE PHOTOGRAPHY

We are so incredibly thankful that this workshop was a success and ignited the creative spark in the community we love so much! We couldn’t have done it without the help of our incredible vendors:

Wildly Collective

Dream State concept & design
Day one speakers

@wildlycollective_

Kyndra Jackson

Dream State day two wardrobe

@neverwakemeup

(Photo by Leigh Smith Photo)

Shea Brianne

Styling mats

@shea_brianne

(Photo by Rhianon Brown Photography)

Queen City Blooms

Dream State florals
Modern Romance head piece

@queencity.blooms

Sand and Stone Handmade

Stone ring boxes

@sandandstone.handmade

Cassie Parker

Day two speaker

@ozarkmtnflowertruck

Lilac and Lord Baking

Baked goods

@lilacandlordbaking

AVBS

Hair and makeup

@avbsalon_tiffany

@avbsalon_aerie

Tessa Cooper

Day one speaker

@tessajcooper

(Photo by Elise Abigail Photo)

Kind words:

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Written by Bekah Schooler & Hannah DeVries

How Springfield Locals are Spending Quarantine

Hi guys! Bekah here! It’s been a quiet couple weeks at Lightbox! The COVID-19 pandemic was something we never expected and as a small business, we know it can feel like a rug has been ripped from right under your feet!

Photographers, business owners, makers, bloggers, parents and health care workers….EVERYBODY has been affected by this so we decided to send out a questionnaire to our followers and ask different questions on how they are handling quarantine, social distancing, and working from home!

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First of all, on a scale of sweatpants to power suit, how are you handling quarantine today?

“Putting in the 9-5 work…but in sweatpants” - “3 cups of coffee so far :P” - “Scale is around leggings and a sweater lol” - “Power Suit! - “Jeans and a cardigan but i’ve been wearing the same t-shirt for 2 days” - “Scrubs!” - “Sweat pants FO SHO”

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Photo courtesy of Sarah Storer - @Simplysarahbagarah

We found that most of our answers were from people who would fit into a “creative entrepreneur” category, but we did have a handful of health care workers, parents, service workers and more! We asked them:

How are you staying creative during this time?

“Hoping to do some self portraits and let my inspiration lead the way!”

“I’m having painting sessions every couple days & taking advantage of free resources!

"Daily meditation // gratitude journal // nature walks”

”Projects around my home and keeping up with clients and rescheduling”

”The No Way Jose 52 Challenge!”

“‘Shopping’ my decor stash and restyling my home instead of going out to shop”

“Piano, drawing!”

“Creating without boundaries! No set goals just fun!”

“Working on my business and investing into it!”

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A couple local businesses also jumped in to answer some extra questions and give us some insight into how this has changed their work-flow!

Bree’s Little Closet

Brianna and Tina Barnett are good friends of Lightbox! They own and operate a mobile women’s boutique in Springfield and the surrounding areas! With everything going on, they told us they had to shut down their store completely, move every single item out of the truck and into their office, and transfer every item online. All of the events for the end of March and April were cancelled.

“How has the last week been for you, how has it affected your business?”

Bree’s Little Closet: “We have realized that we are not alone in this and every single person has been affected in one way or another. I’ve personally had to realize that it’s okay if customers don’t buy my products right now, because they have more important things to pay for. Some people have lost their jobs or have lost hours at work, so we don’t expect for people to purchase our products when they’ve lost their income. For us, we are okay! Our business is okay! We are financially okay! People have been incredibly supportive throughout this difficult time, which we are very blessed for!”

“What is bringing you hope and encouragement?”

Bree’s Little Closet: “The fact that I know we are not alone and that every single person has been effected by this in one way or another. I also love knowing that I have friends & family that are here for us if we needed anything! I love our support system!”

Bree and Tina also said they are spending this time enjoying the little things, listening to podcasts, dancing to music, binge watching Netflix and getting ahead of the things they had been putting off. Also just taking the time off to rest, take it easy and invest in themselves!

We love you Bree and Tina! You can support them by following them on Instagram: @breeslittlecloset. Sharing and liking their posts or ordering from their online shop! breeslittlecloset.com

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Leigh Smith - @leighsmithphotography

Leigh is a good friend and has shot at the studio several times! We asked how she was staying creative and she talked about how she is working on drawing a little bit each day and revisiting old photo galleries to edit and breath some new life into them! Such a good idea!

“How has COVID-19 affected your business?”

Leigh: “Photography has always been a finicky business for me, but I've had to do a bit of rescheduling and work out a couple of cancellations which is a new territory for me. Bills tend to pile on at the first of the month, so, I'm bracing for April.”

“How has the last week affected you? Personally, spiritually, or in your business?”

Leigh: “This last week has been quite mentally and physically exhausting but, oddly needed. I've been outside a lot this last week which has refreshed my soul and overall well-being. I haven't felt connected to the outdoors in a long while. Slowing down and "staying in place" has been a blessing in disguise.”

I think we can all relate to being exhausted by this situation, Leigh! Can’t wait to have you back at the studio once this is all over! You can support Leigh by checking out her work and sharing your thoughts or viewing her website, leighsmithphotography.pixieset.com or Instagram at @leighsmithphoto.

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Photo courtesy of Sarah Storer, @simplysarahbagarah

How are you handling social distancing?

“It’s hard!! I love traveling and I’m a sucker for talking to new people.”

“SEND HELP”

“My husband and I work from home so it’s not much change except we can’t go out together!

“OOF, it’s rough! Lots of tears. Lots of Netflix. Zoom and face time for hours.”

“I miss being around people… and I’m an introvert!”

“Horribly! I’m an extrovert! I get my energy from lots of hugs!

Right there with you friends! I love my home and Netflix, but i’m definitely getting stir crazy! Hang in there!

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What is bringing you encouragement?

“Hill City House Church Playlist on Spotify” - “Friend, Family, God’s Word, & Nature” - “Making phone call connections with strangers and loved ones I’m in the same boat with” - “Music!” - “Through others! Family and close friends for sure!” - “Group texts with family, tuning into live IG and prayer!” - “Friends who check on me”

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Elle Steward - @Ellescottage

Local maker, Elle Steward runs an Etsy shop! She expressed her concern in these times with the slower traffic on her website and that her secondary job won’t be starting for another month. She also was very transparent in the fact that times like these have increased anxiety and are really hard on mental health.

”How are you finding encouragement through this time?”

Elle: “All the good people are creating in the world! I love seeing everyone band together & support each other. All the free resources & courses have been such a blessing. I’m staying connected by popping on live streams & zoom calls & contacting my friends all the time. I’ve spent more time studying the Bible & am leaning on my mom.”

“What is something you want to accomplish in this time of social distancing?”

Elle: “I want to grow in my relationships with my friends & family. It’s something that’s already started & I want to consciously cultivate it. I also want to do the inner work on my business so when this is over I can jump into boutique collaborations, craft fairs, & events with a solid foundation & quality products.”

“How are you handling the lack of social contact and interaction?”

Elle: “I’m actually more connected than ever! My friends finally have time to write me back & stay in touch, people are online doing calls & live streams & my social cup is full because of all of it.”

Thank you so much for sharing, Elle! You can support Elle by connecting with her on Instagram (@ellescottage) or shopping from her store! www.ellescottage.com

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As for me, I wish I could say I’m the type of person that got up every morning and meditated, did my makeup and worked in my office. HA! I’d totally be lying to you guys! You won’t be seeing any selfies from me on this post! However, my cat Georgia is very photogenic and has been enjoying the extra snuggles while I work in sweatpants on my couch for the 10th day in a row! Though this is a stressful time, I’m very thankful to have a good support system and a comfortable place (with fast internet) to get through it!

The Lightbox team have also been working from home but we are so ready to be back at the studio and seeing all of your smiling faces! We love you all and our sending out all the love and virtual hugs to you!

It is our hope that through all of this, we are still able to provide a sense of community to our fellow Springfieldians! We strongly believe that hard times are a little easier when we go though them together, and I hope after reading this blog post you feel like you’re not alone! Thank you to everyone who reached out and shared their stories with us! While we couldn’t include every single response (this blog post would have been miles long) please know your answers were read and heard. You are all in our thoughts and prayers! Stay safe and healthy at home friends!

You can support Lightbox by snagging some of our merch!

SHOP HERE

Written by Bekah Schooler

Creative Coordinator - Lightbox

lightboxbekah@gmail.com

Photographer’s Shoot-Out Recap

Our goal at Lightbox is always to foster creativity and bring the community together.

If you follow Lightbox, you’ve probably seen a gorgeous floral set and a minimal editorial set popping up on our feed often! What is it from? The very first Photographer’s Shoot-Out event!

For our first Photographer’s Shoot-Out, we had 11 photographers, 2 sets and 2 models! Unlike most styled shoots, each photographer had different time slots so they were able to work with each model one on one! The first set was with our rose tufted ottoman, white seamless backdrop & a GORGEOUS floral arrangement from Queen City Blooms. Each photographer had the choice between our model, Karissa, wearing a fun, mustard yellow maxi dress from Lulu’s or an elegant wedding gown from The Dress Bridal Boutique! The 2nd set was a more minimal set with our model Soleil wearing an amazing sweater cape from Rent the Runway. In this set you were encouraged to really play with posing and focus on the art of portraiture! This set was basically a blank slate with a few props and really allowed each photographer the space to get creative in their own personal way!

One of the most amazing things about an event like this is having several different photographers shooting the exact same sets and models but in totally different ways! It really showcases the individuality between each and every person who participated. I myself got to join in on the shoot-out and they are some of my favorite photographs I’ve ever taken!

And of course, this shoot-out would have been nothing without the incredible talents that had a hand in bringing it all together!

Here are the amazing vendors who participated:

Florals: Queen City Blooms

Hair & Make-up: Skyler Ellison, assistant under Emily Edgar

Models: Karissa Houts and Soleil Richardson

Bridal Gown: The Dress Bridal Boutique

Yellow Dress: Lulu’s

Sweater cape: Rent the Runway

Now the fun part, THE PHOTOS! Let’s take a look at the work of all these amazing, talented photographers!

WILD WILD PHOTOGRAPHY

@wildwildphotography

SHANA LYNNE PHOTOGRAPHY

@Shanalynnephoto

ILLUMINATE PHOTOGRAPHY

@illuminatephotography417

JWETER PHOTOGRAPHY

@jweterphotography

TAYLOR JEAN PHOTOGRAPHS

@Taylorjeanphotographs

GRACE KAY PHOTOGRAPHY

@gracekayphoto

BLOOM AND BE PHOTO

@bloomandbephoto

RHIANON BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY

@rhianonbrownphotography

NEGATIVE IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY

@negative.image.photography

STOECKER MEDIA

@stoeckermediallc

HANNAH ARNZEN PHOTGRAPHY

@hannaharnzenphotography

@lightboxsgf

Can I just say…WOW!

After seeing all these amazing photos you might be thinking, WHEN IS THE NEXT ONE? Well, good news! I’m super excited to share with you the mood board and theme of our next shoot-out:

PANTONE COLOR OF THE YEAR SHOOT-OUT!

There will be 2 monochromatic sets to work with and a table of props that will inspire creativity! It’s all happening on Sunday, April 5th! Tickets are on sale NOW! Get them here:

Written by Bekah Schooler

Creative Coordinator & Studio Assistant

If you want to stay in the know about future shoot-out events, sign up for our email newsletter here:

PHOTOGRAPHER’S NEWSLETTER

Galentine’s Party Recap

It is almost March and love is STILL in the air here at Lightbox! We had an AMAZING opportunity to try something new to Springfield and put together our first Galentine’s Party! This event was a colorful and glam filled pop-up selfie museum! Sounds exciting, right?! Lots of hours, creativity and sore hands from cutting out hundreds of hearts went in to the making of this event! We cannot wait to recap and show you how much fun we had!

All photos posted on IG by the beautiful gals who came to the Galentine’s Party!

Featuring eight different set-ups, girls went around to each set and take adorable pictures to glam up their ‘gram! Cute photo props were provided for everyone to use, peep the heart shaped glasses featured above! Three of our eight sets were set up downstairs and consisted of: a lime green confetti fall, heart balloons with our white styling blocks, and our peach wall with fun plants and teal blue palm leaves. Upstairs we had a fun flamingo wall, XOXO wall, super pink heart wall, multi-colored paper chain set-up, and our shimmery cellophane wall!

In addition to the sets, we were happy to have Rove Coffee with us and served iced strawberry mochas along with Ozark Mtn Flower Truck parked out front! We also had a fantastic giveaway that ended up having a value of over $800! We cannot thank the sponsors and businesses who donated for our giveaway:

Yoga Gab Retreats - Rove Coffee - Modern Society Boutique - The Merry Moore - Andy B’s Springfield

MarGorgeous Boutique - Olive and Ivy Boutique - Texas Soul Boutique - Bree’s Little Closet

She is Wonderfully Made - Alijah Storm Cosmetics - Illuminate Photography - 5 Pound Apparel

Rebecca Lynn Illustration - Tessa Bulger - Crave Cookie Dough - Grove Spa - Ozark Mtn Flower Truck

Congratulations again to our giveaway WINNER, Ryinne Jacquemin! We hope you enjoy all your new goodies!

Written by: Jaylee Branch, Community Relations Coordinator

Photo by: Ozark Mtn Images

Interested in upcoming events?

CLICK HERE!!!

How To Use the Ring Light for Your Rental!

Let’s start with the basics!

With the ring light you have the ability to control the look and lighting of your photos! It can be added to any rental for just $15 and you can add it the day of your rental! This is a great option if your rental happens to be on a cloudy day and you want a little extra light for your photos!

There are two sliders on the ring light, one that controls temperature and one that controls brightness. Since it is a slide and not a switch, you have complete control over how bright you want the light and whether you want cool tones, warm tones, or somewhere in the middle!

The ring light is super user friendly, so you totally don’t have to be a professional photographer to utilize it for your rental! It also comes with a tripod to hold a cell phone!

Our rolling white backdrop, the ring light and some banners or props make the perfect setup for a do-it-yourself photo booth during your next party!

Below are some examples of how I used the ring light during my photo session with Jacob!

All of these photos were taken with the same camera settings and all of them were taken about 30 minutes before sunset when natural light was starting to fade!

The only difference between them is the light temperature and brightness settings I had on the ring light!

BEFORE: This photo was taken with the ring light set to cool tones and the brightness on high

BEFORE: This photo was taken with warm temperature settings and the brightness on medium!

BEFORE: This photo was taken with only natural light! Keep in mind that it was almost dark outside so there wasn’t much light to work with in the first place. In a normal situation I would change my camera settings, but I kept the the same as the photos above to illustrate the differences between all the photos!

AFTER: For the cool tones settings I just enhanced them a bit! This setting fit really well with Jacob’s skin tone and the backdrop we were working with!

AFTER: For Jacob’s skin tone I did bring down the warm tones and oranges in editing just a bit to match my own personal style but I love the look of the finished product! The warm tones would be really great with other skin tones or if you were going for a specific style!

AFTER: I had to work a lot harder with editing on the photos with only natural light! I felt like it left them a bit grainy and the backdrop doesn’t pop quiet as much as it does when i’m using the ring light!

Here are some bonus pictures that were taken with the ring light when it was pitch black outside!

Are you ready to get creative? Book and add the ring light here!

Blog and photos by Bekah Schooler, Studio Assistant at Lightbox & Owner of Illuminate Photography.

Q & A with a photographer - Jennifer Weter

We have had an amazing group of photographers join us at Lightbox in our first couple months of business! It is so amazing to see the individual style and creativity that each photographer brings to our space!

We are starting a new series of blogs featuring photographers that have come to use the Loft and Lower Studio here at Lightbox!

For our very first edition, we are very happy to introduce you to Jennifer Weter of JWeterPhotography!

Meet Jen!

“I'm a travel obsessed, beach loving, sunset chasing soccer mom. I love new experiences, whether it's meeting new people, exploring new locations or trying new foods. My husband and I love to explore new cities during our daughter's soccer tournament weekends by visiting local restaurants, craft breweries and coffee shops. What photographer can live without caffeine, right? I've spent many years working in the healthcare industry, but I'm most at home behind the camera preserving the moments that mean the most to my clients.”

Head shot: Abigail Derrick Photography

How long have you been a Photographer?

I started my business in 2017, but my love of photography began many years ago when I was the photographer for my junior high school newspaper. After my daughter was born in 2008, I wanted to preserve all of those precious, fleeting moments. That's when I enrolled in a photography class at Missouri State University, and I spent the next few years soaking up all of the knowledge I could get my hands on. I still believe investing in your education is important, and continue to take classes and workshops. I was fortunate this year to learn from one of my photography idols, Tarah Sweeney

How would you describe your photography style?

I like to incorporate a mixture of portraiture and lifestyle images in my galleries. I know we all hope to get that one shot of everyone looking at the camera and smiling, but the images that really move me are the ones that embody warmth, movement and emotion. Every picture has a beautiful story to tell!

What is the most rewarding thing about being a photographer?

Being able to document moments that will be cherished for generations. I always loved looking through my grandparents old photos. Seeing images of my grandmother as a child and young adult sparked conversations that might never have occurred without those photographs. It brought back joyous memories for her, and allowed me to share in a part of her life that I knew very little about.

What's your biggest fear as a photographer?

Showing up to a session without an SD card. So, I am compulsive about checking all of my gear before I leave the house, and I usually have several extra stashed in my camera bag, just in case.

What is your favorite thing to photograph?

Newborns! The transition from couple to family is so incredibly life changing. Those first few days go by in a sleep-deprived blur, and I love being able to freeze those moments for them. Witnessing the evolution of a family, as their littles grow and as siblings are welcomed is one of the best parts of photographing families year after year.

What is the best thing about your clients?

They are graciously willing to be vulnerable and allow me into the most intimate parts of their lives. It's difficult to be that open and trusting with a photographer, but it's so important. This lets me document the way they interact with each other when no one else is around. That's where the true magic lies. It's an honor that I don't take lightly.

If you could give one piece of advice to yourself when you first started as a photographer, what would it be?

Trust yourself. Shoot what you're passionate about because to serve your clients well, you have to be inspired. If a session doesn't excite you, you won't be able to produce your best work.

If you could give one piece of advice to your clients what would it be?

Relax! Don't worry about the kids' behavior, just show up ready to be in the moment with your family. I'll take care of the rest!

What are some fun facts people may not know about you?

I was once a wedding cake decorator. I delivered many 5 tier cakes down ridiculous stairways, holding my breath the entire time. I had more than one nightmare that I dropped a cake during delivery. Although it never actually happened, I had enough near misses to make me never want to photograph weddings! Another fun, but embarrassing fact...I took a nap on the monkey bars when I was five years old. I fell off, face first, and broke both the bones in my arm. I guess being clumsy is a theme that has followed me throughout my life.

What would your ultimate, dream photo shoot be?

A couples shoot on the Kalalau trail in Kauai. My husband and I got married on the island and it will always be special to me. It's the perfect mix of my favorite things - beach, mountains, waterfalls and adventure.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

Love, in all its many forms. Love between partners, parent and child, siblings, friends...it's what gives us hope for the future.

What kind of photo shoot(s) have you done at Lightbox?

Maternity and holiday family sessions. Everything from babies to families of six.

What was your favorite part about using Lightbox?

It's so incredibly versatile! I've used Lightbox for photo shoots, baby showers, girls' night out, and the space was perfect for all three. I love being able to utilize the prop closet. We were able to have a gorgeous tablescape for the baby shower and I didn't have to haul everything in from home.

How would you like to use the studios at Lightbox in the future?

I'd love to use the amazing light in the loft studio for a newborn session

Thanks so much Jen!

We love your work and so appreciate you taking the time to share your passions with us!

Find more of Jen’s work here:

www.JWeterPhotography.com

https://www.instagram.com/jweterphotography