If you read the last post, you know that I spent two full days at Grinter Farms last weekend, and now that I am (almost) over the exhaustion of shooting and editing (all done-yay!), I have had some time to reflect on the experience. On things I loved and things I will do different next year.
 

Every time I go into a new place to shoot or have new clients, I try to soak it all in and fully embrace the newness. It's always a good learning experience because it is all very fresh and sometimes anxiety-provoking. I seem to thrive on a little bit of anxiety. It's a sometimes flawed part of my personality.
 

The Grinter sessions definitely taught me a few things.
 

• When on mini-sessions, always pack a cooler of drinks and snacks. On Saturday, I brought along one bottle of water. Pretty stupid considering I normally drink 3-4 bottles per day working in an office, not even doing physical activity. Let's just say by lunch, I am dying. Thankfully one of my sessions cancelled right before I had a scheduled break so I took the opportunity to go get a drink. And lunch because for some reason I didn't think I would be hungry.  Again, stupid. I am starving too. On Sunday, I had learned my lesson and packed a cooler full of water and snacks to hold me over. Since Sunday was far warmer than Saturday, I was patting myself on the back for that.
   

• Sunscreen. Even when you don't need it, you really do.  I spent half of each day in the shade and still managed to come away with a good burn/tan. I am definitely keeping a small sunscreen in a pouch in my camera bag in the future.
   

• Use your down time productively.  A few sessions cancelled at the last minute, which can be disappointing (mostly because I had people who were on a waiting list - but whatever), but I used the thirty minutes that I would have been shooting to do other business tasks that needed to be done. I updated my Facebook page, culled a few previous sessions, and even booked a session. So a shoot lost wasn't really time wasted.
   

• Network!  Sunflower fields are popular photo spots, judging from the 20+ photographers on the Grinter property at all times over Labor Day weekend. It was a great opportunity to meet others that I never would have met before. From Lawrence and KC, even one from Wichita.  
   

• Cookies make everything better. Just what I needed on Monday. Thanks Kelley!!