Revealing the Refined Rebel | Bye Bye KrashingMotions | Hello Unleashed World of Expressing YOU!

During my last post ...I mentioned some changes in my business.  I have left the wedding industry to pursue shooting my dream(s).
Really I am capturing fun, rebellious, revealing and yet with a sense of refinement concept shoots with REAL PEOPLE!  Yes I am.
 I describe it as helping you reveal your refined rebel.  Its the inner you,  either who really you are or who really want to BE, but can't due to society views, your job, or your role in life ...like a mom!  Maybe you are sex kitten but it's not really conducive to walking around in studded heels and leather pants while you make our 7 year old's PB n J and send them off to 2nd grade.  Or maybe you your day to day life is in scrubs saving lives or in a suit litigating and sometimes you just want to shed the layers to express your personality?

So the shoots have begun and the new blog is up! We are still getting the site re-styled.  What can you expect.... you will expect style,  ways to express yourself as a Refined Rebel, provocative moments, fun expressive moments and some stuff just for fuck'n fun!  Oh yes I forgot to mention as I amay have watched my p's n q's for the most part on this blog...the new blog has fewer limits....pretty much no limits.  It's going to be RAW...it's going to be expressive, fun and more than anything truly THE REAL FUCKING ME AND YOU!
Cheers!
Visit me at http://refinedrebel.org to read on and see what I have been up to with my new found Refined Rebels!

here is a sneak peek....

Let's Aloha because I'm not leaving just entering a NEW beginning

My Crazy Family and I

Come visit me on the wild side!
Refined Rebels...yes we ARE!

Contact KrisD Mauga | View KrashingMotions Gallery  | View THE NEW BLOG {Refined Rebel}

Happy New Year 2013 | KrashingMotions starting a New as KrisD Mauga

Oh my crazy year!  2012 came and went and I'm still catching my breath.  I shot weddings, eSessions, family sessions, corporate events and then started KrashSets LR presets & PSD's for rock'n photogs, then decided to design ShowIt +Sites while being a devoted 'sherpa' and volunteer to them. The summer came with a bang...traveling to Punta Cana with my husband to celebrate our 10 year anniversary.  More weddings of course.  Spent most available weekends with my family were on our boat soaking in the rays!  When I wasn't working I was with my daughter taking her to golf leagues and camps along with her annual summertime swim camp.  It was a busy summer.  I thought it would settle down, but of course it did not!  A couple more weddings, and school starting at the same time.  During all that I was trying to do it all and more!!!!
After shooting my last wedding, I took a deep breath and decided I needed to focus on what I truly wanted.  I want my family, my family memories.  Taking weekend after weekend and overloading myself with work and deadlines was all MY doing when I wasn't available.
Even though I made sure to spend plenty of time with my family, I also realized I wasn't always present.  Thoughts of what I had to do and complete and answering emails nonstop from clients didn't allow for me to completely absorb those moments.
I can say I definitely focused more on my family than I had the year before.  It has taken a few years to get into the groove of being able to step away from the computer and actually tell myself it's time to CLOCK out!

I can tell you now, if you are a photographer, or aspiring photographer you can lose the things that matter if that's all you focus on.  I've seen it, I've felt it... I almost went through it myself.  Last year at this time my husband I were struggling to keep up the smiles when we saw each other...blaming each other for whatever was going wrong in our lives.  At that time I remember promising to myself I was going to make more of an effort to be available to the people who matter the most- my family.  I did!  I honored it...but it wasn't perfect, it didn't happen in a hot minute...it took work.  I'm still working on it.  I at times struggle with being authentically present.  My thoughts become consumed on "my to-do's" and I have to place myself in check when that happens.

I also know I need to pursue my passions as well.
So during this journey of defining my PASSION, I attended an amazing business coaching bootcamp in Denver called the FightClub with Jeff Jochum in December.  I went knowing I was about to make changes; I had an idea of what they could/or should be.  I knew all of this was happening at a defining moment in my life...but I hadn't revealed it just yet.
For the past 2 years I have been jotting down style concept shoots that I truly wanted to do but could never squeeze into my already hectic schedule.
Then is occurred to me on my way to Denver, this was the time to dive into my passion and this time do it right!
With the help of Jeff and his amazing mentors, I came to the destined conclusion that I had to stop shooting weddings and everything else in order to deliver what I am passionate about.  It was 3 days of intense digging into my soul- Damn it Jeff you made me cry! I consider myself a hard ass when it comes to anyone 'making' me cry.
It was discovered, I was discovered, my passion was discovered!

I am taking control of my life, my work and my direction to balance it all.

SO LET ME SAY!

I am KrisD Mauga (not KrashingMotions)
and I am a Refined Rebel.  to be me and honestly me..it's true!
I can't be authentically me shooting what I am passionate about when I shoot weddings...it conforms me, it limits me and with that I am limiting my clients of something true I have to offer.

"I reveal the refined rebel in couples!"

You will soon see changes.  KrashingMotions will be exiting and moving out.  I plan on showing soem of those fabulous couples I never blogged because with out them I could never had come to the revelation.  I will show some of my fabulous families whom I had the honor to shoot as well.
Shortly after you can expect to see the real- the true KrisD Mauga with a new site, new blog and some amazing couples who are taking a leap of faith with me being showcased on my new site as their Refined Rebel selves!

Happy New Year everyone!
May 2013 bring the moments take the time to all discover the importance in life, your defined passions and the ability to pursue the truths & the loves in your life!

I love you my baby Kruiz and hubby Donovan!!!!
Thank you both for being patient with me during these past 5 years of a journey of challenging myself, our family and allowing me to pursue my dreams while being my supportive family!


Contact KrisD Mauga | View KrashingMotions Gallery 

Cyber Sale for Monday & Tuesday!!!

the links above don't work via the image so click here to visit KrashSets to view all the products (LR presets, PSD's, ShowIt Platform +sites)

CLICK here to give back will buying product to our friends on the East Coast- Exclusive offers on our Charity site with proceeds benefitting the East Coast rebuild...more info regarding foundations and where you can donate as well.

Contact KrisD Mauga | View KrashingMotions Gallery 

RAWartists | KrashingMotions | VOTE

Last Thursday, I had the honor and thrill to be showcased at a RAWartists art show!  This was one of my goals when I started my photography biz.  Funny though it basically fell into my lap.  I have been shooting boudoir, weddings and editorial lifestyle shoots but never thought that some of my already published work would be considered for an art show.  So when I got the email from Kaila, I was shocked and ecstatic!  Of course there was a lot preparation to get ready for the show, ordering prints, canvases and getting frames built, etc.  BTW - thank you dad for building the 3 awesome 36x26 frames!  The frames themselves are artwork themselves- built from scratch and hand painted.
I had a fabulous showing of friends, family and clients; thank you for you support.

So now that the show is done... it's time for the RAWards!
This is a huge opportunity for me and all artists.

 The 1st step is an online voting system to just get nominated so we can then be judged by industry professionals.  From there we have the possibility moving forward to yet another judging system.

 The winners will receive major opportunities to be displayed in multiple galleries!

Now I am even more excited given all of these possibilities!
This has been such an honor!
One of the best things that has happened is it has inspired me to take on a huge art project for another show. My creative juices are flowing!

So if you have a chance today and each day you happen to think of it please take a moment to vote for KrashingMotions in hopes I get nominated!
You can vote once a day until October 15th.
Thanks for all your support and love over the years!

VOTE HERE!
http://www.rawartists.org/krashingmotions




Contact KrisD Mauga | View KrashingMotions Gallery 

Up, Up, & Away

Literally I have been away!  In previous posts you have probably read how I always feel challenged to balance my work and personal life.  I have had struggles trying to give my clients, my family all the attention the deserve and the on thing that has and will continue to fall short is blogging.  While I used to love the blogging aspect of this business I find when I take it off my to-do list I have more time to focus on what's important my family & my clients.
So when I get the time to squeeze in a post and blog I guess it's more of treat to me...possibly you :/? Possibly not- lol. Really blogging is quite self serving if like what you see and read great...but really it's my online journal about my work and peek into my personal life as well.
So where do I start since I think this is the 1st time I took literally months off from this blog!!!
Let's start with the beginning of summer! My hubby n I celebrated our 10 year anniversary.  It was well worth the wait and it was so needed to take some RR with just each other.  10 Years is not an easy feat to accomplish.  We have had struggles like most, if not all couples.  We have had good times, loving times, passionate times, rough times and downright horrible times.  It's the struggles that build us as individuals, as a couple and as a family. There have been moments when I'm sure both of us wondered if we would get through it and stick together and moments when I'm sure when  we felt like giving up.  The thing is I am at an age where I see all over facebook and with personal daily friends whom I love splitting up.  It's seems to be an epidemic!  Each circumstance I know is different and really for me the only way I can imagine walking away would be if the other fell in love with another...but how does it get to that point?
Did they stumble n fall and some wondrous stranger then picked them to make them feel loved?  Did they think the grass was greener on the other side?  Did they forget that moment they fell in love with their spouse?  Was it not what they thought marriage would be?
These are thought that run through my head as I watch the struggles of others and the demise of their marriages.  It is stressful to see your friends hurt and empty.
I have to say to all my friends whom have split... you are all strong people to have started anew.  I wish you all the best on your new paths.
As for me, I choose to love my husband regardless of obstacles we may face.  It's hard work...really hard at times but the rewards are worth it!

Do I think we are a successful marriage... successful in some ways and not in others and FAR from perfect.
Those moments when we have struggled, I stop and think about the moment we met.  I look back fondly on the day he proposed, the day we said I DO, the moment I told him we were going to have a baby and of course the day our family became complete with the birth of our daughter.
I have to tell myself no matter how much he can PISS me off or ANNOY the fuck out of me...that I fell in love with him for everything else great about him.
He and I both have to fall in love with each other over and over to keep it going.
We have to let other's relationships not effect us (because they have and do when we get too involved).  We date as often as possible to keep us interested.  We talk about our future dreams and travels  (we still have dreams and new things in our life we want to do).
We have pretty much talked about everything possible in life so sometimes silence is a cherished comfort.
The one thing I know that enables us to love each other over and over is we fight, we talk, and then we make-up.  Communication is key.  You need to express yourselves, your wants and needs and share your thoughts to see if you can continue on this journey.  When you stop expressing yourselves and sharing your thoughts.... you lose a piece of yourself and a piece of your love for each other.

I started this post not knowing what direction it would take or where I was really heading with it... my intention was to tell you I had a fabulous trip to the Punta Cana for my 10 Year Anniversary and it somehow snowballed into this.
Well take it or leave it and I hope you all can love your loved one over n over... "Fall in love as many times as possible with the same person over and over".

Thanks to my Ichiban for sticking with me through the good and the bad- here's to 10 more years of  Love and War and Love again!

Contact KrisD Mauga | View KrashingMotions Gallery 

{Photog Tips} Being Featured | The Good, The Bad, The Fab & The Ugly

I y'all.  So I'm on a blog roll now.  There some new things happening here on the blog and hopefully I'll get a rhythm going and you can be more aware of when I'm posting by photog biz tips.  For now please bare with me as I ramble these out just so I can share with you my experiences to help those want or need it.
Today I wanted to talk about being featured and/or published.

I remember the 1st time I was featured on a blog and it was thrilling to think "oh my those are my images on someone's blog for the whole world to see!"
That happened after being this biz for year and half.  From that point for that year I think I had about 8 blog features.  Funny things was I never authorized nor did I submit them...I happened to come across them.
Crazy huh?  Was I upset that people were basically stealing my images?  No not really.  To me I figured heck they were cool features; they had my business name on them and links back to my blog.  That equaled free advertising to me and no work on submitting and I had the luxury of posting them on my blog as well without waiting.

Later that year, I started to become more aware of submitting work for features on my own, choosing my submissions (instead of waiting to be found) helped my increase my features to about 16 per year.

It wasn't until I think the fall of 2010, that I discovered Two Bright Lights.  Oh my had submissions become easier to submit and more available!  I had access to not only blog features but to magazines for publication.  Submitting through Two Bright Lights doubled my annual features.  A world of blogs I hadn't been aware of now at my fingertips.  Two Bright Lights is not only a tool to connect you with features, but it also directs you on what to feature; what each blog or publication is looking for and what the turn around coud be.


So now for the good, bad, fab and ugly!

The Good
Features = exposure
Exposure = marketing/advertising (for free)
advertising = clients
Advertising can range from $300 in a publication to thousands of dollars just to advertise in one publication.

The Bad
You no longer paid for features.  Believe it or not there was a time in this industry when people were paid for the work to be featured, not so much the case anymore.
Unauthorized features... I think we can have our own opinions to this.  Some might hate it because they did not authorize their images to a person to showcase but MY PERSONAL opinion is "AS LONG as it is a positive feature and it has your info and a link back then don't sweat it- be happy."  That's My opinion and you can agree or agree to disagree.

The Fab

Fun lil dilly...
"to see your images in print in a magazine and to smell the print rocks!"
Just saying:)
It's a tangible peace of work to have and cherish and to even give as gift to your client who was in the issue as well.  Brides love seeing there wedding in a magazine!

The Ugly
Ok so here it is....
MAny times if it is an exclusive feature it can take months before it's even posted and you have to keep it under wraps during that wait.
If it's in print, you and YOUR wedded COUPLE have to keep it under wraps and sometimes (much of the time) you have to keep it off FB, off your blog, off the web until it is printed and that can take 6 mos to over a year!

So is it beneficial to wait for that fabulous print or to get it out on your blog so you have intant marketing on your own site?  Thats' a question you have to answer yourself and decide where does the value weigh for you and your business.

So there you go, I hope it gives you some food for thought as you try and build your business.
Best wishes to you all!

***UPDATE***
As soon as I posted this I got a message asking about tips for posting with Two Bright Lights.
this is another fabulous tool from TBL, they have done all the research for you!  They know what the editors want and they have created web files that have everything you need to know and MORE!
Go to their help center and you will find a book of composition, a photographer getting started manual, and video tutorials about creating weddings, organizing your images etc.  They have done such an amazing job to help assist you as photographer and to get you featured!



Contact KrisD Mauga | View KrashingMotions Gallery 

What if's? | Being yourself | Photog Biz Tip

I am a person who reflects  A LOT!  I look back on things and think what if?  or wow!
What are the what if's and wow of my life?

{What if's?}
Gosh there are so many in my life and possibly in yours as well.  Many what if's you can't go back and change right?  But you can change those what if's for your future.
One of my "what if's" has been what if I had started my photography business with what I know NOW?!  I think many of us think this in what ever business you are in and passionate about.
The things I've learned in this industry since starting in early 2008 is that you need to be yourself!  I heard it over and over about being authentic!  While discovering my style of photography, I was trying to discover my "work self".  What is that?  What I realized, it was a seriously filtered version of myself.  I had to put on my work face and attitude when I met with clients... at least that's what I thought I had to do.  I think this came from my past corporate jobs when I was representing a company and not myself and needed to put on my game face.

What I have learned after over 4 years of establishing my business is that "work self" is just not ME!
I am an unfiltered person who speaks her mind, loves and cares for her family, defends her friends, fights for what's right, souls searches daily, loves to entertain, loves to make crass remarks for fun- sorry but farts are funny, I curse (we call them adult words, not bad words) and of course there is more to me than meets the eye.
 I am person who celebrates life to the fullest...
and for some reason I felt that was something I had to hide as a professional.
Why?  I work for myself and the only people who I should be wanting to work with are people who want to celebrate life as well and not take it so seriously; people who make jokes, and dance in the streets whenever they want...these are my people.
I started to understand that being truly me attracts clients who are quite similar.  My clientele of now are people who are young at heart always and loves to live and celebrate life as well.
So what's up with this post?

I just want to confirm that being authentic attracts people to you and not your product or your service it's about you and working with you!
So when you hear again and again that this business is about selling yourself... it's true. Being authentically YOU (not your work you) but the REAL YOU, will bring you clients whom you want to work with and ones whom WANT TO WORK WITH YOU!

So throw away the work you, get rid of your game face and just be the true you!

Contact KrisD Mauga | View KrashingMotions Gallery