Another year, another successful Academy France! Returning to this little slice of heaven in the French countryside always feels like coming home - and it’s so special to be able to share that unique experience with others. Here’s a little look at how the Styling & Photography Workshop unfolded this summer. If you’d like to be the first to know about the next Academy France, sign up here.

Year after year, organizing and orchestrating The Academy France is my most fulfilling and beloved project. Not only is the environment so beautifully quaint and authentically French, the people I meet and the experiences we have together are unforgettable. I've been settled back home in California for a few months and have finally gathered my thoughts and images from this years event in order to share with you now. I hope it conveys all the magic that transpired this summer at The Academy.

After our successful day gathering props at the brocante, we were ready to begin utilizing those finds in our styling sessions. In addition to what everyone found for their own prop collections, I set up a table with an assortment of small dishes, linens, fresh produce, herbs and spices, and beautiful artisanal bread.

Our first few mornings at The Academy begin with lectures on the proper techniques and aspects of styling. Starting with the fundamentals, the attendees are able to understand the how & why behind creating stunning that resonate meaning and convey the vision they wish to express. They are then able to implement those concepts and skills as they continue to practice throughout the week. But more importantly, upon returning home, they will have an arsenal of techniques to apply in their own body of work and creative pursuits.

Bonjour, mes amies! Currently I'm home and settled back into daily life, after a nearly month long visit to France to prepare for, teach, and host - The Academy. At the moment, I'm finding it somewhat difficult to express how I feel about my experience without using words that make me sound like a simpleton - amazing, memorable, and truly inspiring come to mind. But then, they do accurately describe the time I spent with those who attended, as well as my friends and team that help me pull off such an enormous event. Something remarkable happens when you bring a diverse group of creative women together. Friendships are born, creativity sparked, dreams and goals revealed, and authentic encouragement envelopes the group as a whole.

It's nearly impossible to describe the experience I shared with the incredible group of women who attended The Academy in Dordogne, France. Words like amazing and wonderful don't quite encapsulate how I feel, nor do they adequately describe the memories I'll have for a lifetime. What I envisioned when I began planning my first workshop far surpassed what I expected and that belongs mostly in part to the wonderful attendees who gathered with me to learn about creative and editorial styling. Here's a few highlights from our time together in the French countryside and the new 2017 workshop dates for The Academy in Dordogne, France Available Now!

 Over the years, there have been countless times I've been asked for advice about my career. Depending on where the person was on their own path, the questions would range from photography advice, blogging and brand image topics, to how I got started styling, and what it takes to work with magazines and major brands. I've realized there are so many creative people wanting to pursue their passion and learn to refine and improve their own body of work. I also noticed there weren't many offerings of teaching others creative and editorial styling. Most were geared towards the wedding or floral industry and not specifically on professional styling. So after a year of contemplating the idea of helping others learn the art of styling, I've created   The Academy - A Creative and Editorial Styling Event.