I used to be a drill sergeant in the Israeli Army. I was a complete geek at the time and wore green contacts to match my uniform (sigh). I was born & raised in Haifa, Israel but moved to the USA in 2000 to follow an American sailor I met in 1997. We eventually married in Tuscany 10 years after our first date. I’m a huge book worm and will proudly tell anyone I’m a Harry Potter fan through and through. If I could live one fictional character’s life it would be Anne Shirley. I graduated from Columbia University with a BA in Political Science – but now almost refuse to talk politics and read newspapers. I went to Community College first for two years, built up a kick ass GPA and was able to transfer as a non traditional student (being post Army and in my twenties… LOL) – I’m still shocked to this day that Columbia accepted me. Someone must have used a Confundus Charm on the admissions board  I’m a wanna-be New York City girl but am firmly planted in the suburbs just outside the big apple. Mad Men, Game of Thrones, Dexter and So You Think You Can Dance pretty much rock my world. I’m just an ordinary girl trying to achieve the life I had always imagined.

This blog is all about my journey towards self actualization. Five years ago I was a photo hobbiest working a full time corporate job that literally sucked the life out of me. I spent a LOT of time feeling miserable and sorry for myself. I followed various photographer blogs and dreamt about being able to have their lifestyle – to actually do what I *love* for a living (fancy that!).

The decision to find a studio and establish a commercial location was not an easy one. I had been lusting over studio spaces for the past three years, so what made NOW different? There were a couple of events that made me decide to take the plunge.

1 . The winter months are the “slow” months for photographers. I signed up for numerous workshops between January – March, most of them being OUT of the line of work I usually do (families, children). I felt the need to explore other genres to re-invegorate and challenge me. These workshops included Mystic Seminars (3-4 days full of classes, knowledge and networking), a boudoir/wedding/children workshop in Long Island with the fabulous Natalie Licini, and countless online 3 day workshops through creativelive.com. YES, it was a lot of time and money invested in my photography education. And YES, it was worth every penny and every minute ……

As a result of these workshops and seminars I discovered women photography. And holy freakin’ shit I LOVED IT! Boudoir, glamour, contemporary portraits — I just couldn’t get enough of it. I started scheduling photo-shoots for women and was absolutely, head over heels in love. And not to sound arrogant, but I also found I was good at it! At making women feel super comfortable, at ease, beautiful and empowered.

But to do more women-centered photography I needed to get my own space. Shooting against a seamless in my home office or renting out boutique hotel rooms was getting expensive and old. Lugging all of my stuff around and shuttling to far away locations was taking up way too much time and effort. I couldn’t stop fantasizing about having my own space that would not only be great to photograph in, but will also provide my clients with an amazing luxury experience.

2. I had an “AHA” moment where I realized I was thinking too small. I was saving my business earnings toward a specific nest egg, a dollar figure that I thought would make me feel comfortable…. But then I realized that taking those savings, investing them into the business, would enable me to open up a studio that will allow me to take on MORE business. So in the long term, my profitability will significantly increase, thereby making the original savings nest egg I was aiming for seem miniscule. Yes people – I’m thinking BIG. And why not? Live the life you’ve imagined. Is it a risk? Hell yeah.  But like the title of this post, “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough”. My dreams scare the crap out of me. The investment and overhead is huge. But I have complete and total confidence I’m going to rock this out  and be extremely grateful in the future that I allowed myself to listen to my gut, despite the fear.

Once I made the mental shift from dreaming about a studio to deciding to invest in one, I basically manifested it into happening. I envisioned having the space, what it would look like, how I will be utilizing it, how I will feel in the space, how it will revolutionize my business, how I can grow to live the life I want to live, who my clients will be, how I will find them. The energy I felt was so uplifting, positive and exciting — it naturally led me to take steps to make sure the vision becomes reality. I know this may sound super out there to some of you, but I swear it worked. I told people about my plans so I can be held accountable (“I’m getting a studio” is not easy to say when you have nothing to show for it quite yet). I went into my business email and created a folder named “studio”. I got the ball rolling (stalked commercial leasing websites, contacted a real estate agent, got all of my business accounts prepared). Before I knew what was happening I was touring spaces and making the dream a reality.

Was I scared? Yes. If I had allowed myself the time to mull over it too much, I may have possibly talked myself out of such a big risk (you know the status quo always seems safer). So instead of allowing that to happen, I kept the momentum going, the fire in the belly, and continued manifesting having that successful brick and mortar. That studio I was  envisioning – where I had already thought of different areas utilized for maximum client experience – perfectly fit one of the spaces I toured. I remember it clearly – it was Passover, my parents were here visiting me from Israel – we all toured the space together and I knew, just KNEW, it was the one.  The light and energy inside it were perfect. Each time I thought about it I got giddy. So I went for it, I felt the fear and took a leap into the unknown.

Much, much more to come. Enjoy the journey with me!

XOXO

Noa

In any case, amidst the chaos that is currently enveloping my life I completely forgot to blog about the fact that I have a BRAND SPANKING NEW WEBSITE!!!! Its been a long time in the making and I am so flippin’ excited with how it came out. The fabulously talented Geada Ford designed it, and my amazing friend Jessica from Jessica Lee Media pieced it together painstakingly in showit.

Sigh. I love it so much….

I thought I would be able to relax once the site was finished, but instead I’m finding myself in the process of creating a NEW website for a new division of my business I will be introducing soon. See? Told you lots of amazing things are in store

Check out the video in the about section…. One of my favorite additions to the site!!

Come visit the site and say hello…. If you click on “comments” you can leave me some love on Facebook

www.noa-green.com

When I photographed these two gorgeous sisters at a recent workshop/shoot out at the Tri-age (organized by the fabulous Natalie) I had less than 30 minutes to interact with them, and they mostly wanted to giggle and be silly. So I talked to them. A lot. I constantly moved them around, and asked them to do things, like share secrets.

I make funny noises to make them suddenly look at the camera (every one of my clients knows I apologize for how ridiculous I may sometimes sound during the session! but it works)

I say they can’t look at the camera or (G-d forbid), smile.

I ask lots of questions. And talk nonsense. Sometimes it makes them tune me out (who can blame them?) or just think about what I’m saying, which results in natural portraits that just steal my heart.

After a while of being in front of the camera without the expectation of cheese, I am sometimes lucky and am able to capture soulful, authentic smiles. MELT.

Sammy and Lexi absolutely stole my heart. They made me miss my own sisters so much….

And lastly, one of my favorite images. LOVE.

Wishing everyone a wonderful & relaxing weekend….

Shabbat Shalom!!

XOXO

Noa

Pursuing your dreams means taking risks. Abandoning the status quo can be intimidating and scary beyond belief. But the results? Oh, the results are so worth it.

The other day I was driving back from a client ordering session, and I swear my heart was singing. I thought back to where I was three years ago and all I could feel was gratitude flushing through me like quicksilver in my veins.

A Robert Frost poem I studied in middle school is still one of my favorite poems to date. Its about choosing something different, being authentic to yourself, and most of all — taking risks:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

I hope you’re all out there, making opportunities and taking risks. Life is too short to live it passively.

If you’re out there dreaming of your own opportunity, I would love to hear and chat about it….