Samm Blake Photographer - Blog - Fine Art Documentary Wedding Potraiture Photographer, Perth, Western Australia

Today was the last day of the workshop, after three days of intense emotional learning, I can say I am so truly thankful for coming on this journey to the USA. I know the people I have meet in this workshop, will be apart of my future journeys in life and our paths will definitely cross again, multiple times. A bunch of strangers at the beginning of the week, it’s amazing that through our love for photography, it is possible for us all to connect so quickly and in such a unique way. Photography is so much more than just a click of a button. This is something I will be exploring on many deeper levels on the coming days, weeks, months and years.

Tomorrow something truly amazing is happening. I am doing something I never thought would ever be possible. More on this after tomorrow has been :)

Today I feel more alive then I have in a very long time. The last time I really remember this feeling was about two years ago. I was in the middle of the Rajasthan desert in India, our car had broken down and as I stood on the side of the road, with wind blowing through my hair and sand in my eyes, I remember feeling the way I do today. Today I came to understand the fascination I have with wind blowing in peoples hair in my work, it takes me back to the last time I felt alive.

.. The last 24 hours has been a complete life changing experience. I cannot even begin to describe the journey I have just began but I know my life is going to be dramatically different from here on.

Today I started the Life (as an artform) workshop in San Francisco. I have traveled to the other side of the world to be part of this, all on my own, not knowing a single soul here. Last night, I laid wide awake in my hotel room bed at 4am completely jet lagged but completely excited about the workshop starting in the morning, I could not sleep as much as I tried to, I sat in bed scrawling down the millions of thoughts going through my mind. I started writing down ideas about my journey of being, I had actually called it something different, but as Jesh began discussing that ‘life’ is the journey of ‘being’, I knew instantly when he begin discussing this, that last night I was just beginning to scratch the surface of something truly life changing.

Woke up very late today, 11:00am, eeek! Although I am just probably getting over the jetlag, its weird because I am normally a early riser. I have been sleeping with the curtains wide open, its pretty awesome to wake up to a view like that each morning. Well since it was a late start to the day, and the workshop dinner is tonight and my legs are hurting a lot from yesterday, so I caught the trolley tram thing into Chinatown, and decided to head back downtown to the shopping area for a few hours this afternoon. Only bought a new pair of sunnies from Urban Outfitters. I was so excited to be able to go back into Urban Outfitters since they were my favorites when I was living in London, though nothing today took may fancy! I did find one really cool top but didnt have my size. One thing I must say is that I do love the American sizes. Size 10 in Australia is a size 8 here. Yes I do like that a lot. haha.

Another thing I must mention, is although Australia and the United States are very similar in so many ways, the food is really different. I went to a food court today and everything was so strangely different which I didnt expect it to be? The Japanese was different, so was the Mexican and the Chinese. I am having sushi withdrawals - I cant seem to find chicken sushi anywhere? Does it not exist here?

45 minutes until I am meeting up with Jesh and the workshop gang for dinner! Eee! :)

After months of thinking about this, I am finally getting on a plane to San Francisco to be part of Life (as an artform) photography workshop by Jesh de Rox with Jose Villa as guest speaker. I absolutely adore both these guys work, I have been wanting to go to this workshop for a long time but could never go because my calendar is always jammed packed. A few months ago, Jesh announced the San Francisco workshop for August, and as soon as I saw it I knew I was going. So here I am (bags still not packed I might add), but soon be in the air flying to the USA. As luck would have it, David Jay and Jasmine Star, are going to be in San Francisco while I am there as part of their Free to Succeed tour around the states, so I am booked in for that too!

So to all my clients, I am now out of the office until the 25th August. The best way to contact me while I am away is by email - mail at sammblake dot com or using the contact form on my websites, or leaving a comment on the blog! If it’s absolutely urgent, please text message (+61412848820) and I will call you when I can. I will be checking my email daily so that is the best way to get in contact with me.

Thanks to all who sent me birthday wishes yesterday and feedback for my new websites, you guys totally made my day! :)

I will be blogging my adventures while I am away so check back here in the next few days! :)

xoxox

One of the exciting projects I have been working hard on over the past few weeks is that I am launching a new wedding website + portrait website. I was over the old layouts, they have treated me well but decided it was time to create something new. I am in the very final stages of the wedding website to be ready, all I really have to do is finalize the music. Ive decided to pay to have licensed music on my wedding site because the three songs I have chosen suit the photos really well and just makes the whole viewing experience so powerful. It’s going to be SWEET. I just have to find out about one more copyright fee I have to pay, fingers crossed it will not cost to much! If any Aussies know exactly how much it will cost please fill me in because I do not want to wait until Monday to find out.

Hopefully it will be live by Tuesday or Wednesday!

Some BIG projects are in the works! I have not posted in the last few days because I have been working on some very exciting new projects! Im currently working on setting up a new side business with my partner, we will be launching in Spring but hopefully have a website up in the next couple of weeks. All my existing clients will be the first to know :)

I’m off to San Francisco in two weeks time! I am heading over to do a photography workshop with Jesh de Rox and Jose Villa. I really connect with these guys work. Everyone who has been to Jesh’s workshop has said it has changed their life completely. I am started to get really excited to go!!! eee!! :)

I am a big fan of letterpress, does anybody know of any good stores in San Fran were I can buy me some letterpress prettiness? or any awesome paper stores? or anything you think I may enjoy seeing/buying while I am in San Francisco?

Yesterday I received my iPhone. I am such a gadget freak :) It is completely worth getting, everything about it is awesome and all the apps are really cool. So if you have been thinking about getting the iphone, stop thinking and just get it :) Did you know you can drink a virtual beer from it? :) The thing I like best about the iphone is that it is going to get my life organized. My laptop is my constant companion because I always need to be able to check my email, now my iPhone can do that for me and as I have so many appointments each week, being able to sync my calendar is absolutely awesome (my nokia n95 was capable of this but not very well). I am really looking forward to MobileMe launching.

I will hopefully have one of my projects ready to launch next week. I have been working hard on it all week and cannot wait until everyone can see!

Happy Friday everyone :)

I’ve been reading a lot lately, almost a book a week, all business related, mostly finance, marketing and investing. I am indeed learning a lot! :) I am looking at buying a house in the next 6 months and so trying to learn as much as I can, as fast as I can. I wake up every morning at about 6am and read for about an hour or so, its amazing how much energy I have these days! I generally like my sleep, but not so much at the moment, I prefer to read.

Last week I finished reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. This book was great to read and very insightful, I highly recommend it!

I am currently reading Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi I am almost finished (this book is also highly recommended) and wondering what book should I read next? any recommendations?