Category: Uncategorized

Gift Guide: The Photographer

by Madison

Happy Blogmas Day 3! We are doing this, y’all!!

Today is the first of a few gift guides — it’s not too late! I am not done shopping for my family and friends and if you are, MAJOR props. If you have a photographer friend, family member, or are a photographer and need some Christmas list ideas, this post is for you. The entire image above is clickable (simply click on the red boxes with a + on them) and shopable except for these 4 extra special gift ideas:

Illustration
An illustration is a perfect gift that elevates an already present photo. I personally use @denofdreamers Tara Nix for my illustrations. She is affordable and her images are so quality! I gifted my boyfriend the image above for our 1 year anniversary and it was such a special gift.

Brevite Jumper Backpack:
CAN’T RECOMMEND ENOUGH. Holds everything. So many compartments and places for everything a photographer could need at a shoot or for a workday at a coffee shop. Seriously, get this for the photographer in your life.

Gift THEM a photoshoot (branding/headshot or a simple family/couple shoot!)
As a photographer, I would LOVE to be gifted a branding session or a couples session to have photos taken OF me! It is really important to get in front of the camera to learn how your clients feel but also just to get some updated photos of yourself! Clients want to see their photographer’s face sometimes too (: You can learn how to gift a photo session in this post I wrote.

Workshop from their photographers
Some photographers like Dawn Charles offer workshops, resources, guides, etc. that can be SO helpful for new and intermediate photographers. The photographer in your life definitely has a favorite photographer of their own… ask them who they are and then do the research to see if they offer a course or workshop!

GIFTCARDS!
Specifically to coffee shops. Starbucks would be great. Or even a Trade coffee subscription! They need their editing fuel!

I hope you were able to get some good gift ideas from this post! Happy shopping!!

PS: If you feel so inclined, I would LOVE to hear how you got to this post. Instagram? Facebook? A friend?

PPS: Feel free to share this post!!!

How to Gift a Photography Session This Holiday Season

by Madison

Hi there! Welcome to Blogmas Day 2! We are jumping right in with this second post. Getting right to the good stuff.

Photography sessions make incredible gifts. Specifically for your girlfriend, wife, Mom, and grandparents. Your girlfriend or wife will literally be OVER THE MOON if you gift her with a photo session. Your Mom and grandparents will be just as thrilled to be a part of one but will also cherish the photos in frames all throughout their home for years to come. The guy in your life could also be thrilled about this gift, especially your Dad. Dad’s are complete mush balls (most of the time) when it comes to photos with their kids or grandkids. This is also the perfect gift to give to a couple (maybe they just bought a house? Just had a baby? Need some new photos for the frames in their home?), your daughter or son (do they need new pics with their boo? New headshots? A session with their beloved pet?), or even your parents as a fun activity for them to do together. You could gift a photo session to your boss, your in-laws, your roommate, your sister, you name it. Who doesn’t want new photos?!

Now you’re thinking, how do I gift a photography session…?! Isn’t that so specific? Well sure! The date and location is super-specific. But you can purchase a gift card for the session price and print it and wrap it up in a frame or in an envelope to gift to your loved one and then work out the details later.

Step 1: Contact your favorite photographer (or your wife/girlfriend/mom/boyfriend/husband/dad/etc.’s favorite photographer) and ask if they offer gift certificates. 99% will, and they will have a procedure and process in place to get you through all of the steps in order to put a perfectly unique gift under the tree.

Step 2: Grab a frame or an envelope to print out this gift certificate! Either fold it up with a sweet message in a card or cut it out and place it in a frame that they will get to fill with photos from the shoot. Wrap it up and place it under the tree!

A two-step gift, what could be easier? And, you are helping a small business. We need all the help we can get this year 😉 I want to say thank you on behalf of all photographers as you gift sessions this year. It means the absolute world to us. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Another easy way to gift session this holiday season is by sharing our posts! Simply just sharing our posts to your Instagram stories or Facebook feeds helps us tremendously by expanding our circle to your circle.

Have specific questions about giving the gift of a Madison Crowley Photo gift certificate? Message me on my Instagram (@MadisonCrowleyPhoto), submit a form through my contact page on my website, or shoot me an email at hello@madisoncrowleyphoto.com. You can simply copy and paste this message into either:

HELLO! MY NAME IS ____ AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE ONE OF YOUR SESSIONS AS A GIFT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. WHAT IS MY NEXT STEP?

After we work out the details, you will be emailed this image (in high-res) to print out. There is a second page with a section to fill out explaining what the details are to the person receiving the gift and an exact message that your loved one can include when they reach out to me to schedule their session.

Give the gift of memories this season, a picture is worth a thousand words and memories are truly priceless.

Have any other questions? You can find me at @MadisonCrowley, @MadisoCrowleyPhoto or shoot me an email at hello@madisoncrowleyphoto. I would be more than happy to walk you through this process or figure out any details you may be wondering about. Let’s shoot!!!

Talk to you you tomorrow!
Madison

PS: If you feel so inclined, I would LOVE to hear how you got to this post. Instagram? Facebook? A friend?

PPS: Feel free to share this post!!!

Welcome & Hi: Blogmas Intro

by Madison

Hi everyone! Welcome to Vogue & A Latte if it’s your first time and welcome back if it’s not. I am really excited about starting a new tradition called Blogmas. I am a big YouTube watcher (not maker, I am horrible at video editing. I wish it came naturally to me.) and my favorite YouTubers (Danielle Carolan, Brooke Miccio, Kenzie Elizabeth, Sierra Furtado, Morgan Yates, etc.) do this thing called Vlogmas each year where they post a video every single day up until Christmas. This must take a LOT of work for them, yet I am so intrigued by it and wanted to put my own twist on it by doing it in my own way on my own platforms. I feel like it is a challenge for myself to see if I am capable of writing a post each day (or writing in batches to post on days that I am unavailable). I am curious about how the consistency of posting each day on V&L as well as my Madison Crowley Photo blog will affect engagement. Maybe it will, maybe it won’t. Maybe I will be so tired of doing blog posts each day that I won’t finish (I hope not though, that would be weak of me!!!). Maybe my engagement will stay the same. Some posts will get more views than others because naturally people are drawn to different topics, but really I am just focused on writing about topics that interest me but benefit you. Two years into photography, I have made mistakes and learned lessons that I want to share but also have a good amount of beginner photography wisdom that I want to share. I also have some wisdom on what it takes to be an influencer (I used to focus mainly on that so I know what it takes to pitch yourself, work out contracts, post before deadlines, etc.), how to social media content plan & schedule, as well as a thing or two about non-toxic beauty, gluten & dairy-free cooking, blogging, and so much more. I’ve got a lot of topics to write about and I am excited to take you along with me!!!

Here is a littttttle bit about me in case you are new:
+ I live in Atlanta, Georgia with my 6-year-old Yorkie-Poodle named Boston. If COVID didn’t exist, I would be in Orange County every other month visiting friends, family, and clients.
+ As of today, I work full-time for myself as a photographer & mentor at Madison Crowley Photo (that’s crazy y’all)
+ I have a passion for coffee tbh. I am becoming a coffee connoisseur (not a coffee snob, though) and am newly into matcha. I love fancy drinks. In another life, I would open a boutique coffee shop.
+ I started a fashion blog in 2016 called Forge a Frenzy that has evolved into Vogue & a Latte which is definitely not primarily (or secondary or even tertiary) a fashion blog. At first, I was paralyzed by that as I didn’t know who I was or what to write about. Losing that desire and passion scared me for a while until I realized that the beauty of having your own blog is that you get to write about whatever YOU want. People are attracted to who you are. Write authentically.
+ I eat gluten & dairy-free (not by choice).
+ I care a lot about wellness (non-toxic living) because we come into contact with enough chemicals just by leaving our homes, why not manage the chemicals we actually can control?!
+ I have a wonderfully fantastic boyfriend who is supportive and Godly and funny and handsome and an answer to prayer.
+ I love fresh flowers. And green juice. And dainty gold necklaces. And good-smelling oils/lotions. And online shopping, unfortunately.
+ I am a major list girl. If it isn’t written down, it’s not happening. And that’s a fact.

And here are some topics you can get excited about coming up this Blogmas:
+ Your Email Is a Trap
+ How to Start a Blog
+ How to Plan for Your First Photography Session
+ The Only Business That Requires 0 Investment Upfront
+ Everything You Might Be Wondering About Where to Market Yourself
+ Christmas Eve & The Importance of Planning Ahead
+ Launch & Adjust

This post was short, sweet, and to the point. How I approach a lot of things in my life. If you don’t have efficiency, what do you have when it comes to your business! Most of these posts are going to be beefed up with tips, tricks, and education so we are starting off with a welcoming invitation to join me on this Blogmas journey. Fingers crossed we make it to the end!

You can follow along in real-time on my Instagram at @MadisonCrowley but until tomorrow, ttyl <3

If you feel so inclined, I would LOVE to hear how you got to this post. Instagram? Facebook? A friend?

3 Beginner Photography Mistakes I Made So You Don’t Have To

by Madison

As a photographer forging her way into the world of lifestyle, portrait, and family sessions galore, there are a lot of mistakes to be made. Lots of bumps in the road!! Thankfully, we recover and learn from them. And thankfully (most) clients are gracious. Whether you are just beginning to toy with the idea of grabbing your dusty camera hidden at the top of your closet or are heading into your 2nd, 3rd, or 4th holiday season as a photographer, here are some mistakes I made so you (hopefully) don’t have to!

1. Always Turn On Your Camera BEFORE a Shoot… And Always Bring a Backup

Check your battery, your SD card, and that it actually takes a visible photo!
Storytime: A little over a year ago, I was parking my car and walking up to meet a client at Lido Marina Village. I greeted them with a big smile, chatted for a bit, and then got to shooting. I found the right location and lighting, then set her up with her first set of posing directions and began to click away. As always, I checked my screen to take a look at the photos and lighting and adjust accordingly. I noticed that my screen was black. Yes, you read that right, black. My heart stopped for a second and I panicked. I had to think on my feet and didn’t want them to notice anything was wrong yet. So I lifted my camera back up to my eye and began to shoot some more. Still black… I told them I needed to fix the lighting and quickly scoured every setting I could possibly look at. I removed my lens and put it back on. Nothing. At this point I couldn’t hide the fact that something was off so I had 2 options: Continue to shoot and pretend everything was good and then say that something happened to the SD card (keep reading for the storytime on THAT subject) or tell them that something was wrong with my camera and that the photos weren’t capturing. I went with option #2 as that was the most honest, even though it was harder, and started explaining to them that I had no idea what was up with my camera, that I checked every setting and had no solution for the problem at that exact moment and needed to take my camera to the camera shop. I offered to take some iPhone photos for her so that she at least had a little bit of content from that day and assured them I would send back their deposit as this was completely out of their (and my) control. She and her husband were very gracious even though I could tell they were obviously very disappointed. I assured them that once my camera was fixed, I would reach out to them and offer a discounted session price to make up for this inconvenience. Clients prepare for shoots whether that be a hair appointment, taking off of work, buying a new outfit, or making a drive to the location you are meeting at. It is very important to give value to their time. It turned out that they did not end up wanting to reschedule, which is completely understandable. That was definitely a negative result of a beginner photography mistake! I didn’t beat myself up for it, mistakes help us grow and become better, but it was definitely a major lesson for me.

Moral of the story: Had I checked my camera prior, this situation could have been completely avoided. I would have seen that something was off with my camera and simply rescheduled or just started the shoot with my backup camera. Had I had my backup camera, none of this would have happened. I would have simply switched to my other camera, changed over the lens and SD card, and kept the session moving. ALSO, never put your camera in overhead storage on an airplane. 🙃

I now ALWAYS check my camera before leaving the house. Does the shutter close all of the way? Does the image appear on the screen? Do I have enough room on the current SD card living in my camera? How is my battery level? I also never go to a shoot without a fully charged backup camera with a blank SD card inside. I never want to freeze on the spot like that again or lose a client’s faith in me!

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Amazon Prime Day 2020

by Madison

Let’s make this short and sweet. Here is everything I have bought on Amazon over the last 6 months and then below that is everything I have on my wishlist for this year’s Prime Day. Happy shopping y’all!!

HAVE:

WANT:

Gluten and Dairy-Free Buffalo Cauliflower Bites Recipe

by Madison

I would live in Sweet Baby Ray’s Buffalo Wing Sauce if I could. I could drink that stuff like coffee. I mean, my stomach couldn’t physically handle that. But if I could, I would.

That means I would eat buffalo wings (gluten-free boneless or bone in, whichever) all day long. And I mean, we shouldn’t just sit around eating chicken wings all day if we are striving to be our healthiest selves. I have seen this recipe going around during quarantine and decided it was finally time to try it out for myself!!!

For those of you who have been reading my blog from the beginning, welcome back and welcome to a new era of V&L. Where I spend my money has changed, where I spend my time has changed, and where I spend the majority of my efforts for work/passion projects have changed. Instead of buying incessant amounts of clothes, I am buying food and making new recipes that I can share and help people who can’t eat dairy or gluten add some new meals to their repertoire.

With that being said, let’s dive into this yummy recipe.

Grocery List:
¾ cup gluten-free flour (I used brown rice flour)
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¾ cup oat milk (or whatever milk you prefer)
1 head cauliflower
Buffalo sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray’s Buffalo Wing Sauce)

Let’s cook:
1. Preheat the oven to 450ËšF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, add the gluten-free flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and oat milk, and stir until well-combined.
3. Cut the head of cauliflower into small florets. You want them bite-sized so that you can evenly coat them with the mixture. You want every side covered!! Add the cauliflower florets to the batter.
4. Arrange the coated cauliflower on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, flip, bake for another 10 minutes.
5. Brush buffalo sauce evenly on all sides of the florets. I like a heavy dose, as stated at the beginning of this post, so feel free to douse those suckers. Bake for 10 minutes, flip, bake for another 10 minutes.

After making this recipe from a different one, I changed some things up to achieve peak buffalo bite perfection. We didn’t lather the buffalo sauce enough or make sure to evenly coat the batter on all sides. Flipping is important so that all of the sides of the florets are as crispy as possible.

Tbh, they taste freaking delicious. They aren’t chicken wings, but they are crispy at first bite and the perfect texture inside once you start chewing. They are a great alternative for chowing down on heavily battered and fried chicken wings or strips and also a great way for kids (or adults who don’t like veggies – ME) to get some nutrients in. I am not sure if this would work for other veggies but who knows! It just might. We put potato salad and pineapple with these and I got the Follow Your Heart vegan ranch to dip mine in.

Make sure to follow along at @MadisonCrowley for more in-the-moment recipes and photos! Feel free to share if you used this recipe and loved it!!

When God literally stops you in your tracks.

by Madison

I am back again with another traffic light story. God speaks to me when I am driving, when I am the most un-Godly version of myself. Our God has a sense of humor, FYI. If you haven’t read my other post where I talk about my love/hate relationship with patience and red lights, read it here.

Last Saturday, I was driving to a photoshoot at the beach. It was early, I was tired, feeling uncreative, and somewhat dreading the small talk I was about to partake in. It’s SO cool that I get to meet new people each and every week and be a shining light for Jesus. At least it’s cool until I haven’t had my coffee or am not in my shining light of Jesus mood.

Besides the early morning and lack of motivation, I was ignoring God. I was ignoring the gut feeling that God has given me (and you). I was ignoring facts, ignoring myself, and ignoring sound counsel from friends. I was ignoring God’s word and I was ignoring the shallow emptiness that was slowly beginning to creep back into my life. The familiar tendency to search, to please, and to gain satisfaction from life instead of God. From people, instead of God.

I was driving along, actually, the same place I was driving in my previous post, just the opposite direction, and suddenly, out of nowhere, the light turned yellow. I was annoyed and verbally said, “What the heck, there is NO ONE HERE” as I slammed on my brakes. I probably slammed my steering wheel too, dramatic. (I wonder how Jesus would have spoken as he drove????) There was no one on the road. Not a soul. And yet still the light turned from green to yellow to a halting red. At that exact moment, I recognized my annoyance and remembered Jesus. I remembered the patience that he had been teaching me (until I decided to ignore him) and thought okay God, I get it. I hear you. You’re trying to tell me something. And immediately, I kid you not, immediately, the light turned green. I was stunned because lights normally last like 5 whole minutes and I was suddenly no longer forced to be stopped and sit in my guilt, but I was allowed to go. I thought I was going to have to sit in patience, in self-control and learn some long lesson, but the light turned. Maybe that’s what growing in our relationship with Christ looks like. Understanding his character and needing less long life lessons and more quick snaps to turn your attention back on his face?? Idk, I’m still learning.

I was driving along, depending on myself (and coffee) and God L I T E R A L L Y stopped me in my tracks to say, “Ummm hey, hi. Remember me? I’m God. I have your best interest in mind and I have something really neat coming soon for you. Quit what you’re doing right now that you know isn’t from me. Cool, now that we’ve got that cleared up, continue on.” I was ignoring him, I wasn’t listening, and he got my attention. God doesn’t always work like this, and sometimes we pretend not to see it, but I couldn’t ignore this.

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To the girl who is (not so) patiently waiting.

by Madison

Last week, I was on my way back from spin class, in a major hurry to get home to my dog, eat some good food, and just relax after a long work day. Doesn’t sound like something you would need to hurry for, but that’s just me sometimes. My gas light blinked on and I read the words, “Warning: Low Fuel”. I was pissed at myself for not getting gas sooner but also kind of pissed at myself for even being mad that I had to stop and get gas. I didn’t REALLY have anywhere to be, I was just impatient pretty much for no reason. I have been noticing myself doing that a lot more lately and this time seemed extra prevalent. I was cruising down the street and hit a red light right next to a Shell station. I’m not sure if Shell stations are ridiculously expensive where you live, but here they are one of the most expensive gas stations around. $0.50 – $0.60 more PER GALLON, which makes a huge difference when gas is already $3.50 a gallon. Crazy, I know.

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2019 Commitments, Goals, and Dreams

by Madison

New Years Eve is my favorite holiday.

I love reading other people’s goals. I love hearing how people want to better themselves and aim for their highest potential. New Years holds hope and endless possibilities. People forget the shortcomings of the previous year and search their hearts for what they really, really want to come true in their life.

Looking back on the previous year is also one of my favorite things to do as well. Reading my blog post exactly like this one from last year (I have 3 posts like this… I’ve been blogging this long?! So crazy!!!) and thinking about what I know now that I didn’t know then, what I would go back and tell myself… Let’s reflect.

In 2018 I…
+ Changed my blog name to something that describes my passions better than my previous name.
+ Moved back to California.
+ Lost my job and found a new one that activates all of my strengths and allows me to grow and shine in ways I never have been able to at a job.
+ Became single and stayed single. For better or worse, this is where my life is at and there are some truly wonderful parts about being single and learning to be alone and learning to love me. I hope that everyone gets to experience what this feels like! Relationships are about two WHOLE people coming together, and before this, I am not sure I would have been able to bring that to the table.
+ Dove into photography and decided to give it my all and have begun to see the fruits of that. I love meeting new people and capturing them SO much and I can’t wait to see where that takes me in 2019.
+ Decided to get rid of all of the food that was weighing me down and making me feel like crap. It was hard, it still is hard, but I am not giving up.
+ Kept up with spin classes, kept working my body, kept proving to myself that I have determination, motivation, and self-control.
+ I have taken steps towards humility and bettering myself, getting rid of the negative parts, and learning to love myself even more and listen to others feedback in order to grow.

I am going to be 100% transparent and vulnerable here, I was happier at the end of last year than I am at the end of this year. But I think that that actually is a good thing. I think that this year, Jesus is teaching me that without him, there is no point in having anything, really. That my satisfaction, desires, and joy can only come from him. Lifes pieces are constantly going to be moving, but He stands firm amidst the movement. That doesn’t mean that I am not allowed to feel the differences between these two years and examine where my heart was at and where it now. And how my longings really haven’t changed much. If I have learned anything this past year, it is to cherish literally every, single moment and enjoy those who are walking through life with you.

Turning 25 was definitely a milestone for me that I wasn’t looking forward to. But after it came and went, I have begun to relish in this age and this year. But with getting older, there is a lot of wisdom that comes. And being older is actually really, really fun. You have your own money to spend (and save), you (hopefully) get to get up every morning and do something that you love every single day, and you know more of what you want in life, at least I do.

I think that “resolutions” are a bit of a daunting term. I think they are great and super aspirational, but still ominous. Filled with the expectation of failure, in my opinion. I am splitting up my “resolutions” into different terms. Commitments, goals, and dreams. Commitments are the things that are non-negotiable. I think that every new day is a new start and you don’t have to wait until the New Year to begin creating better habits, but it’s definitely a good place to start, and great motivation for me. Goals are more fun things that I want to accomplish or do in the next year and beyond. Dreams are the things that I am going to work towards, that I am going to put all of my time and heart into beause they matter to me.

Commitments
+ I commit to starting each day in the Word. Whether that be simply reading the verse of the day, or diving into a couple chapters with a cup of coffee and Boston.
+ I commit to being less critical and judgemental of those around me and of myself.
+ I commit to saving more, getting rid of debt, and doing less thoughtless spending.
+ I commit to my “food is fuel” journey and maintaining/expanding my health.
+ I commit to relentlessly pursuing photography and giving it my all.
+ I commit to listening more and talking less.

Goals
+ Write more: blog and journal.
+ Read more books.
+ Be just a *little* more laid back 😉
+ Learn more. Maybe take a course or find some topics to research and become an expert in them.
+ Explore more hobbies and find a few to consistently do.
+ Stop comparing myself to others. No one is walking in my shoes, or I in theirs.
+ Creatively inspire others.
+ Procrastinate less on the things that are really important.
+ Expand my network.
+ Volunteer more.
+ Share my style in a genuine way.

Dreams
+ Photograph the coolest clients. In the coolest places. While being paid for it.
+ Work with big brands that share my vision and help others.
+ Travel places that I have never been.
+ Meet awesome people and listen, then share their stories.

What are your goals? What are your dreams? What are you committing to this new year? Dream BIG and aim for the moon. Push yourself to places you didn’t think you could go. You will be surprised where you end up.

Girls Weekend Getaway: Palm Springs

by Madison

Hi! Welcome back to Vogue and a Latte! I am super excited to share these photos and spots in Palm Springs, one of the most relaxing places on earth.

I am here to tell you all about my girls weekend in Palm Springs last weekend. It was truly a desert dream with some of my favorite gals (Anna, Kenzie, & Tori)! We all piled into my tiny fiat and headed out to our trendy house in Palm Springs. I am going to be talking a LOT about our perfect Airbnb, that I will link here for you guys to book your future getaways! It was one of the best Airbnb’s that I have ever stayed at. There was a concrete wall surrounding the property and a gate that opened and closed with a code, we felt so safe which is crucial when it is 4 girls staying together. The decor was on point ( the house is actually famous for its design ) and we could have photographed for hours inside the house. Zedd actually shot his most recent lyric video in this house. The outside was the perfect backdrop for our photography dreams. Cacti and desert all around us.

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