Happy Monday, friends!
By now, you probably know the outtakes are coming.
But first, let us fill you in. Last week, we hosted our seventh AJ Workshop in our hometown of Scottsdale, Arizona, welcoming sixteen photographers from six different states (and Canada!) for two jam-packed days of learning about how to build a successful photography business that changes lives. We laughed. We cried. We ate (well). And we worked hard as a team to make sure that we all left better than when we arrived. That includes us, too.
It’s okay to say to simply say that you’re a photographer
But sometimes the first step is the hardest, isn’t it? As one attendee told us through tears on a break, “When you said, ‘It’s okay to say to simply say that you’re a photographer.’ I felt so much freedom.” We love that. Because that’s what it’s all about. Good things happen when we ignore the naysayers and fight our fears to do something we know will be hard but feel in our soul that we have to do.
And the amazing part? This group’s success stories are already pouring into our inbox!
One of our attendees booked 4 new weddings since the workshop — which was only A WEEK ago!
And we couldn’t be prouder. Just browsing through the #ajworkshop hashtag on Instagram has us feeling ALL the feels.
Today, there are over one hundred soldiers in an ever-growing army of AJ Workshop alumni who have that freedom and are marching on the same mission: multiply our God-given gifts to make a lasting impact on people’s lives. We could go on and on about each and every one of them, but we have a feeling they’ll be making enough noise in the coming year that you’ll get to know them all on your own. So, without further ado, here are the most recent graduates of the AJ Workshop:
From left to right: Row 1: Kristine, Jennifer, Trisha, Quianna; Row 2: Matt, Megan, Silvana, Devon; Row 3: Mckenzie, Gayle, Tessa, Melodee; Row 4: Leah, Jennifer, Michale, Chris.
Now, on to the part you came for: the outtakes.
For two days, the attendees fixed their eyes on something they couldn’t look away from.
Amy’s disco moves. While Jordan checked out her backside. #busted
Amy cast spells on the ones who misbehaved. While Jordan did sorcery… with his eyes.
Once everyone started paying attention again, Jordan fanned them off. And then we all counted to ten.
Amy was so proud of everyone who counted to ten. Jordan was less impressed.
About that time, the attendees snapped out of the hypnosis from Amy’s spell-casting — and realized she was wearing all of their necklaces. At once. #busted
Jordan tried to explain that she wasn’t going to keep them. It was just joke.
Look, you’ll get yours back at lunch. Don’t MAKE us put you under another spell. Okay, front row?
Then someone in the back complained. So Amy hypnotized them. HIGH FIVE!
Then we laughed. Because Amy still had all of the necklaces.
And your little dogs, too!
To discipline the truly unruly attendees, there was only one answer: Jordan’s spell-casting wizard hands.
No, seriously. They work. Just give them a second to warm up.
We realized that everyone needed an outside break, so we took to the streets for some in-camera training.
We even had two fellas from opposite sides of the country join in on the fun!
The AMAZING creative team led by Ashley Gain of Ashley Gain Weddings and Events, who teamed with The Flower Studio, put the final touches on a styled shoot that we can’t WAIT to share with you soon!
A HUGE thank you to the models and creative team of professionals who collaborated to give our attendees an outstanding styled shoot to photograph for their portfolios.
Event Designer: Ashley Gain • Bride’s Dress: Mariee Bridal • Bridemaids’ Dress: Jenny Yoo • Cake: A Bake Shop • Floral Design and Furniture: The Flower Studio • Flatware: Casa de Perrin • Groom’s Suit: Brothers Tailors • Hair Stylist: Emily Hughes • Linens: La Tavola Fine Linens • Makeup Artist: Arielle Rondeau • Paper Products: Jenny Sanders of Graceline • Photography: Amy & Jordan • Venue: Clayton on the Park
Here’s a little group shot with our lovely models, planners and friend, Carrie, from Mariee Bridal (second from left). She donated the dress and has a cool British accent — which means she can even make words like “porta potty” sound smart.
Styled shoot time! Amy still has the necklaces. Every. Single. One. Of. Them.
Mckenzie is twenty. Which basically means she’s going to rule the photography world.
Kristine is laughing. Because Amy is showing how many necklaces she’s taken from attendees over the last year. My bag of jewelry is THIS big…
Back to the styled shoot!
Devon’s laughing. Because Amy hasn’t snagged her necklace yet. Yet…
We added bridesmaids to this styled shoot for the first time! Amy already got their necklaces.
Megan is talking serious photography business. And covering her neck. So Amy doesn’t get her scarf next.
Surprise! We took the attendees on a little desert field trip! A new AJ Workshop tradition that we’re starting. Who doesn’t want to photograph in the desert, right?!
That one time, Jordan forgot Amy’s stool…
Group photo!
On Day Two, we got down to business.
Starting with a sincere apology for stealing all the necklaces the day before. And turning them into one really pretty one. And a watch.
Sorry we’re not sorry!
They were good sports about it.
And we agreed to do head shots for them to make things right. But, as you can see from Trisha, we didn’t give their necklaces back.
Except for hers.
We’ll miss these guys! It was an unforgettable two days! And we’ll always have their jewelry as a reminder of our time together.
Ready to take the next step in your business? We’ve had so many people asking us when the next AJ Workshop would be announced, and today is the day!!
The next workshop will be:
April 11th & 12th
We’d love to have you join us!
Due to the amount of requests we’ve been receiving, and the way past workshops have sold, we don’t expect these seats to last long. Seats go live this Wednesday, February 3rd at 12PM EST, so set your alarms RIGHT NOW! Our workshops are known to sell out FAST, and we’d love to have you for this one!
The best news?! We’ve got a $200 early-bird special that you won’t want to miss!
We will be posting the link right here on Wednesday! We can’t wait to see you there!
If you’re a wedding or portrait photographer and you want a successful business that makes you a living and makes a difference in people’s live, this is the workshop for you! We’ll show you our secret sauce that we don’t share anywhere else and give you real, practical, applicable, proven strategies you can implement immediately next year. We won’t be traveling the AJ Workshop anymore, which means all future workshops will be right here in our hometown of Scottsdale, Arizona! We can’t wait to have you here with us in the desert!
PS Don’t forget to set your alarm for this Wednesday, at 12PM EST to grab a seat for April 11 and 12 before they’re gone! Just like those necklaces…
2. Past Workshop Recaps
One • Two • Three • Four • Five • Six • Seven
