Amy Wenzel Workshop!

We cannot believe how quickly the workshop has come and gone!  It’s hard to believe that it was over 2 weeks ago that we were headed to Grand Rapids, MI to meet one of my all time favorite photographers Amy Wenzel and her amazing husband David Wenzel.  If you can imagine Lucy and Ethel flying on a little puddle jumper plane then we will not need to go on about our trip there to Grand Rapids… You would think that after the many, many miles we have traveled we would know how this flying stuff works!

Fast forward to Monday night.  We had checked into our room and were heading over to the JW Marriott where Amy and David were hosting a meet and greet for us all to get together the night before the workshop started.  As soon as we entered the room I wondered if we had accidentally made it to the set of The Bachelor!  Right before us was a group of 18-20 beautiful ladies and one man seated in a large circle.  We quickly realized that the circle was our group and the man was David Wenzel.  We were welcomed right away and from that moment on got to meet some incredible women and form some friendships that I believe will be for life!  What a pleasure it was to get to sit and talk with Amy for a bit and meet this wonderful woman that I have followed over the last year or so and gained so much encouragement and inspiration from her blog posts!  David is also a great encouragement and together they have touched many lives.  You must check out both of their blogs and read their story!

During the first night, Tammy was dealing with an earache that seemed to be getting worse.  The next morning we were pretty tired but so ready to get started in the workshop!  The first day was filled with information and Amy’s knowledge on so many aspects of photography and she really helped us to focus on our passion behind and in front of the camera!  Later in the afternoon we would get to shoot some models that Amy had arranged.  The weather was not going to allow us to shoot outside so we had the pleasure of shooting inside the amazing lobby of the JW Marriott!  The models were beautiful and great to work with.

As the day went on Tammy’s earache was getting worse and worse.  She finally decided to go to the local ER and get checked out.  She ended up with a severe inner ear infection that little did we know would keep her up all but 1 1/2 hour of the next night and lying on the floor the second day of the workshop!  She was in so much pain but determined to come out and listen as much as she could through out the day.  However, she spent most of the day lying in the back of the workshop space on the floor.  We were both bummed and couldn’t seem to understand why this would all have to happen right now!  God gave us both peace and it’s amazing because even in all of the craziness He continued to work and did some things in those 2 days that we will never forget!  We know that He had his hand on the whole situation and I believe He allowed us to go to this workshop for reasons we couldn’t dream or ask for ourselves!  He will always do a good work in those who believe and trust Him.

Tammy and I are so very thankful for this opportunity that we had.  What a joy it was to experience and although it didn’t quite play out exactly the way we had thought it would, we are thankful.  God is our great provider and everything we have and will have comes from Him.

I could go on and on, there are so many little side stories and I would love to tell you about the many amazing women that we got to know but I would need a few days… Here are some of our favorite photos from our time there.