Free to Succeed Workshop - Kansas City

I'm so excited to attend the Free to Succeed Tour workshop tomorrow in Kansas City, MO. David Jay and Jasmine Star, both awesome wedding photographers and entrepreneurs, will be the featured speakers. I've been following DJ and Jasmine for the past few months and I can't wait to meet them! They seem like such amazing people and I'm sure they'll be even more amazing in person.

Side Note: David Jay is also the creator of Showit Sites - the way cool, easy to use software that I used to create my new website. I've gotten so many great compliments already, but I hope to learn more about the software to make my website even better!

If you'd like to learn more about DJ - F-Stop Beyond TV: in Living Color just completed a 3 part interview - Check it out! Also thanks to Ron Dawson and Dane Sanders of Fast Track Photographer for picking me to win the free copy of Dane's new audio book and the pDNA! If you haven't checked it out yet - I highly recommend it!

Photo Featured on Des Moines Register Website

I just found out that my photo Cowboy Gear @ Midnight is now featured in a slide-show on the Des Moines Register website! You can see it here and you can also click through the slide-show to see the other winners at the 2008 Iowa State Fair Photography Salon.

My photo was also one of the photos featured on the local news channel KCCI on Tuesday evening!

Award Announcement

Last night was the 69th Annual Iowa State Fair Photography Salon awards reception. This year I entered four pictures.

Two weeks ago I received notification in the mail that three of the four pictures were selected for display at the fair and I had a sticker that said AWARD on the notification. I knew from years past that award could mean a number of things but could hardly wait to attend the reception to find out how my work did this year.


I walked into the building and I couldn't believe my eyes! One of my entries was selected for the Superintendent's Choice Award! This is one of the top TWO awards that are given out each year at the fair! I was so excited it even brought tears to my eyes. My image Cowboy Gear @ Midnight was selected for this prestigious award.

This is my first major photography competition award!

A special THANK YOU to Paul Peregrine from Lightware and Ron "the walking camera manual" from Nikon for teaching the session that the I captured Cowboy Gear @ Midnight from. You guys were a BLAST and I learned so much from you. Thank You!

In addition to the top award - I also received an Honorable Mention award for my Black & White entry - Chimney Rock - Nebraska.
The other image that is on display at the fair is Cowboy's Best Friend. I capture this moment of Dana and Petey at the Equine Photographers Network workshop at Sombrero Ranch in Craig Colorado this past spring.


Charley W. Starnes, the Superintendent of the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon was the MC for last night's award reception. He said that the competition was really tough this year. Of 3,601 entries and after 12 rounds of judging, only 806 (22%) are being exhibited. Also, out of the 1,229 photographers who entered, only 545 (44%) have at least one photo on display.

Knowing that there was that much GREAT competition from so many amazing photographers makes this award that much more special. Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive of me and my passion!

Blessings!
~Jill~

New Website!

I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! I just launched my new AND improved website today! Please go check it out at HERE . Please leave a note in the comments to let me know what you think!

I'm also VERY excited to introduce my new LOGO! My awesome friend Bill Butler redesigned it for me. Check out his superior art and graphic design work HERE. He is such a talented artist and designer!

Young Love

My cousin Ryan and his fiancee Jamie came to visit me this 4th of July weekend. We went to Knoxville, Iowa for the sprint car races on Saturday night. Then on Sunday we dodged the storms that were rolling through to take a few engagement photos. Here are a few from the session.


I'm so happy for you Ryan & Jamie!

Refuge Gallery Opening

Last Thursday evening I had the pleasure of attending the gallery opening of my friend Bill Butler at the Avenue Gallery in West Glen Town Center. Please go to Thomas Lift for more information about his work. Here are some of the images I captured that evening.

image below complements of Ernest Phillips

Thomas Lift

Below you'll find pictures of my good friend, Bill Butler. Bill is a talented Des Moines area christian artist. He created this painting during a 1.5 hour service at Lutheran Church of Hope. You can see more of Bill's work here Thomas Lift. Bill also is currently showing his other works at Avenue Gallery in West Glen Towncenter in West Des Moines, IA.