Raising a glass to creative women!

Photo by Di Mackey

Last fall I hooked up with Di, a fellow blogger and expat, and became involved in helping her launch a photography business here in Belgium. It all started with a simple request: could she photograph my family to add to her portfolio? Would we mind?

Mind? Only if we were crazy! I’d seen Di’s work online and was thrilled she was willing to turn her camera our way.

Di is from New Zealand and had been working in Turkey when she developed a relationship with a Belgian guy and ended up leaving Istanbul for Antwerp. I knew she’d endured many low moments during the immigration process, quipping that falling in love with a Belgian was an offense punishable by death through paperwork. Her determination to build a new life in cloudy Belgium and to venture into business in a new country impressed me.

What started with a photo shoot grew into something more when I offered to use my professional experience in marketing and PR to help her get her venture off the ground. Midway through the process, I contacted Char, a Web designer in the U.S., to see if she could help Di get a photography site up and running. Before I moved to Belgium, Char and I had worked for the same agency and partnered together on many Web sites and print projects.

Di picked out a general template, I wrote copy, and Char took the framework, sharpened the design, and pulled it all together. Di and her husband put in many hours selecting and formatting photos for the galleries.

The end result is a personal and professional product I’m really pleased to have been part of, not just because it’s a great site but because of the relationships and process that brought three creative women together sharing their talents.

Check it out here. And while you’re at it, check out Char’s professional site (I wrote the copy).

Cheers to the Sisterhood of Creative Blog Grrrls!

January 12, 2007

Comments

[Shirl Grrrl]

Kudos to ya'll! I wish you much success! Di, I wish you were here in IN! Char, maybe one day I'll be successful enough selling rubber stamps that I'll need one of your awesome websites! And of course, V shall write my copy!

[Char]

V - as always, what a cool write up! I thank you so much for introducing me to Di and being a part of this project. It was fresh and fun and further reinforces the power of blogging.

I was planning on doing a showcase for her site and after reading yours, I decided there is no time like the present.

Thanks again!

[furiousBall]

Really impressed with both sites. Di really is an incredible portrait photographer. I always appreciate creative buddies doing well.

[Shirley]

Wow, this post is really timely ... I am considering developing a website (very early stages indeed) for my self-employment plan and now I know who to contact regarding setting one up--Char! And Char, you're even local to me since I am in King George, VA. What a beautiful collaboration between you all! V-I love your words ... they really pull you in. Di-Your photos are gorgeous ... not the normal boring ones that studios push out. (Another fabulous picture of you, V!) A fantastic website is really powerful stuff. Thanks so much for sharing the info and story of your work together. It's such a pick me up for me today, too, as I consider my future plans!

[Rick]

You're all WOMEN? I never woulda guessed. ;-)

[V-Grrrl]

We're not women, we're Grrrls.

[wendy]

You are a striking presence.A true Grrrl's grrrl.

[Di]

Well ... thank you, writes the smiling woman.

I was busy today, wandered in late, read your post, opened a bottle of red and raised a toast to the collaboration between the 3 of us.

I'm so pleased that I asked you if I might photograph you and your family ... I enjoyed the photography session but more importantly, thank you for all that has grown out of my simple request.

I still smile when I read through the 'about' you wrote for me on the website ...

And hey, you guys have your own personal photographer now :) See you soon.

Di

[Neil]

Love the photo!

[mamatulip]

Wow -- what excellent photographs! Both sites are impressive!

[Bice]

Di's site is very attractive and user-friendly. I love simple. It's always so tempting to overdo online. Nice collaboration.

[Lynn]

Congratulations to all of you! What wonderful work - and how fun to see collaboration like that come together so well! I wish I lived there and could have Di do a family session too! I've loved the portraits she's done of y'all.

[amber]

It looks great! I really love the horses. Good job, ladies.

And I love your hair!

:)

[Flubberwinkle]

Cheers to all!

[Ortizzle]

Fabulous success story. Love the website, the photos, and of course the words. Congratulations to you all!

[Shirley in NZ]

I love your hair too, having teeny tiny thin fine difficult hair myself. And I am also a New Zealander, like Di.

I am a big fan of the type of collaboration you've described, though it's not always easy to make it work.

[echo]

I love to see people, especially women working together and sharing their talents.

[Mignon]

Great photo - I love it that you're posting these of yourself. You remind me of an attractive, Italian Brenda Blethyn. http://dvdtoile.com/Filmographie.php?id=2401

[platypus]

I read this yesterday but forgot to comment on how great those photos are and how good all the sites look. You are one very talented group of women! I hope both sites (and the businesses behind them) are a great success. :)

[Cissy]

Great teamwork! I love Di's photos. So real, so great.