Meet Beryl Young . . .

Beryl Young

“Love is everything. It is the key to life, and its influences are those that move the world.”

~Ralph Waldo Trine

When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. ~Ansel Adams

Location:  Aldie, VA

DOB: February 21

Husband: Brendan

Animals: 2 fur children. Ebony - our spoiled black baby and Vincent - our laid back tabby boy

Contact Info: BeYoungPhotography@gmail.com

Name of Business:

My business is currently going through an overhaul. Formerly Bella Rose Photography, I've decided to change my name to fall in line with my mission and brand a bit more and the launch of my new BeYoung Photography site should be up and running by the time this feature is published!

Website (s):

http://www.bellarose-photography.com/

http://www.beyoungphotography.com/

Blog: check out my older work and blog postings at www.bellarose-photography.com. By late February I should have a new blog over at the BeYoung site.

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/anna.e.purdy?v=feed&story_fbid=274779488980#/pages/BeYoung-Photography/259903224175?ref=ts

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/BeYoungPhoto

Linked In:  I am on linked in, search Beryl Young and you should find me!

Email: beyoungphotography@gmail.com

What's in your bag? (if you are building your bag, what do you desire for your bag?)

First of all I absolutely adore my Wicked Stitch Designs customizable bag.  In my bag I currently have:

Nikon d90 dslr

18-105mm 3.5 - 5.6 lens

35mm 1.8 lens (my favorite! Its almost always on my camera)

Lensbaby composer lens with double glass optic kit

wireless remote

tripod

On my wish list right now is:

Nikon d700 dslr body

28-70mm 2.8 lens

50mm 1.8 lens

Epiphanie Ginger camera bag

What's your favorite editing software?

I use both Lightroom 2 and Photoshop CS4 and love both for different reasons. I know Photoshop a bit better so right now it edges out Lightroom by just a hair.

Favorite Food:   Favorite Color:   Zodiac Sign:

Food - Mexican Food!!  Color - Green   Zodiac Sign - Pisces

A few of your favorite things:

family. friends. cats. cameras. coffee. starbucks. good conversation. yoga. warm weather. moments of inspiration.

What inspires you?

I love taking ordinary and making it extraordinary. Raw everyday emotion and every day things really inspire me. I love being able to capture the simplest moment in time and then take that moment and transform it into art.

Name something you just have to have everyday:

Coffee. Just one cup, but it's the only way to start my morning right.

Tell us all about your journey into the world of photography. When did you realize that this is what you wanted to do and why.

I used to HATE taking pictures. Yep, you heard me right - I hated it! Then last year a friend inspired me to start a project called 365 where you take a photo a day for an entire year and post each of them daily to share. I wanted to learn to love my camera more, especially since my husband and I were planning on starting a family. I wanted awesome picture of our child-to-be. So I started 365 and it was addicting. There was a whole community on the flickr.com site just waiting to encourage and inspire me. It was amazing! Fast forward a bit and I got pregnant, became terribly ill with morning sickness and couldn't bear to take photos. So 365 ended but I left the project knowing I'd be inspired to shoot again once our baby arrived.

Unfortunately 4 months into the pregnancy we got some terrible news. Our baby was extremely ill and she didn't even make it to 20wks. She was born sleeping when I was 20 weeks pregnant and it turned our life upside down. I turned to my camera for comfort and my blog "Bella Rose Photography" was born. After 2 months of blogging friends were inspired and moved by my images. I was absolutely flattered to be asked to capture photos for the upcoming holiday season. I quickly whipped up some early pricing options and October - December I booked close to 8 sessions of friends, couples, kids, and newborns.

I think losing our Bella made me realize how important capturing moments is to a family. I love turning ordinary moments in to art, and I love that Bella showed me how something so tragic for our family was able to be turned around into a blessing.

If you already have a photography business please tell us about it, type of photography you do, how long you have been doing it, etc...

I am in the early stages of building my photography business. I imagine starting the business as primarily a family event and portraiture business, but weddings might be somewhere in my future as well. This past fall I started by listing some basic portfolio building sessions, but in 2010 I really want to take things to the next level.

If you are dreaming of starting your business, what are you learning and/or doing to move you towards your goal?

Right now I am just taking classes when I can, networking, and shooting shooting shooting! I think the only way to get better and really perfect my craft is to just get out there and shoot.

Who is your favorite photographer that you follow and why?

It may seem silly but I follow my wedding photographers pretty religiously (http://worthington-photography.com/blog/). They are a husband and wife team and we've always appreciated their laid back personalities and natural candid style. Even though I am not shooting weddings yet I really find that their style falls in line with where I want to go and what I want to attain as a photographer.

Besides photography, what else do you do , i.e. work, domestic engineer, volunteer?

My day job is as a Technology Resource Teacher. I work in a K-5 elementary school teaching students and teachers the best way to utilize technology and incorporate it into 21st century learning. I get to play with computers, laptops, interactive whiteboards, cameras, and other multimedia all day!

What are some of your other hobbies and/or things that you like to do besides photography?

My husband and I are very community minded so we can often be found doing various service work in and around town.

Do you have any other businesses that you are incorporating and/or combining in your photography business or that is separate other than photography?

Nope. Just pursuing the photography for now.

If there is one thing in the world that you would like to change, what would that be and why?

What a BIG question. So many things are swimming around in my mind to change with our world. But the first thing that comes to mind is an end to childhood hunger. I've seen first hand what the implications are when a child goes hungry and I feel strongly that this is something we all need to work to end. I've done work with this organization before (http://strength.org/) and really love their mission.

Name three things you would like to do before you die?

1) Go on a transatlantic cruise through Europe

2) Write and publish a book

3) Develop and teach an online photography e-course

List three goals you would like to accomplish in 2010:

1) Book and shoot at least 15 photo sessions

2) Develop and teach at least one local photography workshop

3) Start an etsy shop offering some of my work as prints or artistic notecards.

Favorite Shots:

F U R b a b i e s

B A B I E S  & f a m i l y

A R T

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Thank you Beryl for sharing with us!  It was great getting to know you a little better. 

Your images offer a great simplicity and romantic feel that leaves the viewer wanting more. 

Best wishes with your growing business!