Success at Salem's

People have been kind enough to ask me how the open house event at Salem's went.  I feel like I've been moving from one busy week to the next and haven't found the time to blog about the lovely event.

Truth be told, it went smashingly.  There were so many people who visited over the course of the day.  Some faces were familiar to me, but the most exciting part of the day were all the new faces I had an opportunity to meet and talk to.  I was able to have a few conversations with people whom I've known for awhile in passing but never really had the opportunity to speak with for any length of time. Maybe I'm just starved for grown-up conversation after all my days at home with the girls!

The baked goods went over well.  I brought with me four batches of scones, three batches of cookies, 14 loaves of sweet bread, and two batches of cupcakes.  All but a dozen cupcakes were sold for charity by the end of the day.  I was so pleased.

Adelaide ran down the stairs as I was packing up the car that morning, asking if she could join me for the day.  I hesitated, knowing it would be a long day but agreed that she would be a great helper.  In the end, she really saved me!  She sat with the photographs that were for sale while I dealt with bakery customers.  She was a tremendous help.

I was pleased to run across a few folks who purchased a few of the photos for themselves to frame in their homes or even use as postcards and souvenirs of the time in Ethiopia.  One woman honored me with the proposal that if I sent her the original file of the photos she planned to print them out at her United Nations office to hang in their conference room.  Pretty exciting.  I can't wait to go look at the photos displayed.

 Helping Salem throw an open house like this was on my list of things to accomplish while I was in Ethiopia.  She really didn't end up needing much of my help but I was pleased to have been apart of it.

Salem's Ethiopia Fall Open House

Ethiopian bold

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing Salem's Runway Collection on a model.  It was the first model work I've done and I found the human element made me a bit nervous.  There's a first time for everything though right? This woman is actually the designer of this amazing collection.  She has the most gorgeous skin doesn't she?

These are a few of the bold, one-of-a-kind pieces that were created for an Ethiopian fashion show in August.  Each piece is unique and so important to capture on camera.  Ethiopian jewelry is fabulously colorful and tribal but in a very tasteful and modern way.  Just gorgeous.

Continued work with Salem's Ethiopia

You may recall I was working at Salem's Ethiopia this past Spring doing the photography and design for their look book.  I wrapped up that project in May.  I loved the work so much I was a little sad to see it come to an end.  Well it just so happens that my time with Salem's is not finished.  I stopped in yesterday and was overjoyed to see the look book printed.  Holding it in my hands was surreal.  I am so pleased with how lovely the photos look.  I snapped a few photos of the book.  I wish you could see it in person.  It's just gorgeous.

Even better yet, I have a new opportunity for experience.  I've volunteered to be Salem's social media director.  I guess that's a good title for it.  I get to take all sorts of photographs (Yay!), manage their facebook page, create a blog and help plan and execute a PR event next month at the shop.  I'm really excited about this opportunity to learn from Salem, be creative and hopefully add a bit of young expat ideas to their business model.  Salem's is such a gem in Addis Ababa and Salem herself is an amazingly and kind individual.  I can't wait to bring a bit more public attention to their business in the next 10 months.

wrapping things up

I've had the most amazing time taking photographs for Salem's Ethiopia.  It's a project I only imagined ever having the chance to do.  Sadly, the project is wrapping up for me.  I've taken hundreds and hundreds of photos. A selection of them are in a "look book" I designed.  Recently, the photographs were also used in a new flyer for Salem's to hand out to customers during bazaars.  It's extremely exciting to see my photographs in a flyer or book that people will flip through.

I think I'm most sad about not having an excuse to pop over to the shop and nose around into the gorgeous work that is being done there.  Every time I go, there is some new bright colorful pile of yarn or hand dying project that inspires me to take a photo.  I love all the color.  It's mesmerizing.

Here are a few of the photographs I've taken at Salem's that were not purchased by the client or used in any project.

Full Circle Exchange

photo commissioned by Full Circle Exchange

photo commissioned by Full Circle Exchange

When I started this blog in 2007 I knew I wanted it to be bright and primarily focus on photos. It was mostly photos of my children back then.  Over the years, I've tried to elevate the photography on my blog little by little.  It's something I've always loved to do.  With each new thing I learn, I become more and more passionate about photography.  Now I'm doing some freelance photography work. That's right! I'm getting paid to take photographs.

I received my first contract as a photographer a few weeks back.  Maybe you recall the photo journalism style piece I did for Salem's last year?  The story was published in the embassy newsletter and the owner liked the photography so much she asked me to be in charge of the product photography as well as the design the Spring 2013 Look Book (it's just a cooler version of a catalog).  It's an amazing project for a number of reasons.  She's given me almost full creative freedom with the photos and the design work, as well as complete flexibility with my working hours.  The job has been exciting and challenging.

photo commissioned by Full Circle Exchange

My work with Salem's has led to additional work with Full Circle Exchange.  Have you heard of it?  It's a non-profit organization that works with small businesses in developing countries. They purchase the products and sell them to retailers and on their own website.  It's a wonderful way to empower small businesses who are struggling in Ethiopia and around the globe.  This kind of exposure is priceless.  Salem's has a partnership with Full Circle Exchange.  Over the last few weeks I've watched the artisans at Salem's weave and finish seven hundred scarves for Full Circle! Some will be sold at Walmart.com!  I'm now Full Circle's photographer in Ethiopia.  You can see the photos of the scarves on their website as well as some of the women and the products on their Facebook page.

photo commissioned by Full Circle Exchange (this is Rosa-one of the beautiful hardworking women I've had the opportunity to meet at Salem's.