goodness, it's been a while.a long while. i could make lots of excuses but i won't bore you -- other than sharing that it's been an amazing, whirlwind, full-of-travel, kick-ass kind summer. so where do i start? oh canada. yes...CANADA!!

this past june, i held a workshop in grand bend, canada. i feel so incredibly blessed to have been able to share with 10 amazing, awe-inspiring, beautiful women!! i truly feel that each and every workshop i am able to teach is such a gift in my life. i am blessed -- and so very grateful. and so i start with some special and very important thank yous --

to those who attended my canada workshop, i cannot thank you enough for entrusting and believing in me. thank you for opening your hearts, minds and souls to all that i had to share. each of you is unique and special and i can't wait to see where your journey takes you over the coming months and years. from the bottom of my heart, i thank you: lisa tullett amber lowe meg henderson tracy higgon sherri davis stephanie jackson heather ellen jennifer floyd & jessica thew

thank you hilary camilleri, for taking such awesome care of me while in canada and ensuring the workshop was seamless, from beginning to end. and i thank you for your kind and gracious friendship!

thank you sherri davis for working so hard on this beautiful, heartfelt video, captured during our workshop days together. i will never forget our foxy visitor and the full moon rising...meant to be!!

thank you to the cranston family, claire and nina, who all volunteered to model for the workshop (photos shared below).

thank you to the wonderful workshop sponsors: dream a little dream with me the organic bloom lensbaby ketti handbags baby p designs 3 annies camera bags erin darcy design the flower studio

in closing, i wanted to share this incredible email i received after the workshop, which had me in lots of happy, grateful tears:

Dear Deb, Shortly after our workshop, our family packed up and headed to the cottage for a couple of weeks. It was complete chaos and I didn't end up getting the time I needed to honestly reflect on what you gave to me at the workshop. I knew I had walked away refreshed, motivated, and inspired, but also knew that something deeper had happened in those two days.

I am home now and the kids are asleep. I can finally sit down, think, and write.

I can't thank you enough for your honesty and for presenting yourself as a "real" person. Until the workshop, you were some famous photographer that I worshiped. After the workshop you were Deb. Deb who had a dream, worked her ass off and is now one of the most talented photographers I know. You weren't handed your gift on a silver platter. I needed to see this more than you know. I needed to see that an everyday mommy like me, could be great at this art.

You took the time to explain things and teach things that I am sure are very second nature to you. I felt safe those two days knowing that I was there to learn and you were there to teach. No stupid questions could be asked.

An inside look into your work and how you approach a shoot and editing was incredible. I can't even begin to tell you how much I learned during that time! You inspired me to keep going with this art and be honest and true on my journey. These words have not left my head. Before I arrived I wasn't sure if I should be doing this or return to teaching. I am now committed to this amazing art and have put teaching on the back burner. I understand I have a long road ahead and that there is no end to the journey. Before you, this would have scared the shit out of me. Now I am excited.

More than anything you have motivated me to KEEP GOING.

Deb, you were incredible those two days. I could have listened to you forever. You add so much value to this art and I respect you more than I can express.

THANK YOU for the opportunity to learn from you and get to know you. I would do this all over again in a heart beat. I hope that we will meet again some day but for now know that you have left a really big awesome mark in my world. So grateful for our time.

last but not least, some of the photographs that i took at the workshop...