Small Business Spotlight: Down Home Creations - Albia

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I moved to Albia, Iowa in November of 2019, and ever since then, I have felt inspired to highlight various small businesses around Albia. My soon-to-be Husband, Andrew, was raised here and although I’ve only been here for about a year and a half, I’ve really found this town to be an enjoyable place to live. The people in the community are incredibly supportive and loyal to each other.

Without further ado, I’d like to share my first small business story.

I had a pleasant experience of meeting up with Chris and Carol Ann, the owners and operators of Down Home Creations. They’re located on the south west corner of the Square in Albia, Iowa. They began their small business journey in the middle of 2019. Down Home Creations is a gift store of hand-made goods, made by local crafters and artists. Chris and Carol Ann had a clear vision of what they wanted to do. They had 15 vendors set up before opening, and only 3 days after moving into their location, they opened their doors.

You can find pretty much everything you would be looking for in a gift. Paintings, candles, jewelry, home decor, and furniture are among some of the many things you can find at their store. Chris and Carol Ann even make their own goods which include custom wooden signs and embroidered clothes and trinkets!

Their favorite things about Albia is the supportive community, the fun events - such as the Victorian Stroll - and they find that it’s a great place to raise their family.

Owning a small business does have its challenges, including publicity and of course, Covid-19, but it does have many benefits which allow them to be flexible with raising their family and it gives them the opportunity to be involved with the community. Their relationships they’ve built with their customers are valuable to them and they are always excited to make new connections.

I asked them if they had any favorite pieces they’ve sold, but they struggled to come up with any specific answers, and that’s no surprise. The gifts are all so unique and beautiful! They show much appreciation and love to all of their vendors.

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They see so much potential in Albia becoming a fun shopping destination, and they hope more shops will join them in future events in town. I share this vision, as I see so many possibilities in this small town as well!

If you haven’t been there before, I highly encourage you to check out Down Home Creations! Chris and Carol Ann are super warm and friendly people. They’ll have exactly what you need, and tell them I sent you!


Δ Abbi

iPhone Photographer vs. Professional Photographer

There’s a difference between someone who does photography for a living (or on the side), and someone who does photography as a hobby. Both of these people could be great photographers, or they could both be bad photographers.

But I’m going to speak in general terms for the sake of this blog post.

Professional photographers understand the Exposure Triangle, they understand the importance of Composition, and have an appreciation for Art. Professionals know their craft and know how to tell the story of the subject.

Hobby photographers, like your generic Uncle Jimmy Bob, who shoots on an iPhone, may not understand these things (maybe he does, but like I said, for the sake of argument).

I would like to demonstrate the difference by showing you my work compared to my brother’s work. We took pictures of the same person, Kayla, in the same location, with the same lighting conditions. However, my brother took photos with his iPhone XS, I took photos with my Nikon D5600 and my Nikkor 24mm-120mm f/4 lens. He had the natural light to work with, while I had access to my speed lights and reflectors. He used Mac’s built-in photo editing software, and I used Adobe Lightroom.

I would like to thank both Casey and Kayla for participating in this with me!

Casey’s photo is on the left, my photo is on the right. Casey put Kayla right next to the shed. I positioned her a few feet away from the shed in order to separate her from the background. I also adjusted my aperture in order to more easily allow for the the bokeh (blur) effect.

Casey had the right idea here. It’s not a bad shot. I like to shoot my subjects at more of a 45 degree angle and I prefer to shoot downward on them. The reason for this is because it makes the facial features more flattering, like the nose and chin. Straight-on shots or even shots from below can sometimes be harsh.

There are times, however, when shots from below are flattering. Most of Casey’s shots were taken at eye-level. There’s nothing wrong with shots taken at eye-level, but experimenting with angles can add variety.

I also noticed that Casey had Kayla standing in all of his shots. I like to add variety by having my subject sit, stand, lean, etc. Again, you will notice that Casey put Kayla right in front of the tree instead of separating her from the background.

I will give Casey credit for creativity. He shot before I did, and he did a pretty good job of coming up with different photo ideas. He decided to get a photo of Kayla on our deck, while I decided to get a photo of her in front of the tall grass.

And lastly, the studio shot. Casey only had access to the LED lights in the basement, whereas I used my speed lights here. Now obviously, your Uncle Jimmy Bob could have access to speed lights, but again, for the sake of argument, we are demonstrating what the general iPhone shooter may have access to. Casey’s photo has some harsh shadows, and he had Kayla right in front of the backdrop. I pulled her away from the backdrop and I was able to reduce harsh shadows by positioning the speed lights accordingly.

I just want to be clear that photos taken on a phone or point and shoot camera can be great, because quite frankly, a great photo is a great photo no matter what kind of equipment was used to capture it. The point I am making here is that photography isn’t as simple as pointing a camera and pushing a button. Photography is an Art that requires practice, knowledge, and a bit of a natural eye.

Some people don’t need or want a high end, professional photographer, and that’s okay! However, if you are wanting quality photos taken, it’s important to consider who takes them for you.

Δ Abbi

2019 Review - My Intentions for 2020.

I kicked off my 2019 by moving back home to Minnesota. I had just opened my online shop and I was ready for a new year. I started a new job after being laid off, and I although it wasn’t an ideal situation, I found that it was exactly what I needed.

In February, my dad and I went on an awesome 3-day trip to Arizona to catch a Leafs hockey game. We were able to make a day trip to Sedona and see all kinds of amazing landscapes that I will never forget. I wrote a blog about our weekend, you can see photos and read the story HERE.

March was a bit of a dry month as far as photography goes. It was cold, there was a lot of snow, and PJ and I pretty much just hibernated. We made trips to see Andrew as much as we could but snow was not our friend.

April was a major improvement. I was able to get out early one Saturday morning to shoot some sunrise photos! I also purchased an awesome photograph from fellow photographer Doug Cummelin that month. His success inspires me to keep pushing myself to achieve my goals.

In May, I had the pleasure of shadowing/assisting amazing newborn photographer, Erin Young, located in Rochester, MN. I don’t have a ton of experience taking newborn photos, but her tips were incredibly helpful! It’s awesome seeing other artists in action.

In June, but also the entire summer, I took advantage of the local farmer’s market. I got to meet a lot of nice people, including some of the other vendors! I sold some prints and greeting cards, and I had a great time just spending time outside in the beautiful Minnesota weather! I also started gaining a little more traction in my photography business which was really exciting!

Then July came along. My brother and I went to a local Fireman’s Dance, where I shot some photos of the band! Later in the month, I took a trip to Vancouver, BC, Canada, with my now-fiancé. We spent a couple days driving all the way out to Vancouver, seeing awesome sights (and some really boring sights), along the way. We spent some time in the city but we also ventured outside the city to experience some Provincial parks and other fun places! But it was time to come home, so we took the Amtrak all the way back this time, instead of driving (trying to sleep on a fast-moving train is quite an experience).

August is the best month for many reasons. First off, I got engaged at the beginning of the month! I was so excited (and I still am). Second, I turned 25 this year on August 26th! I also had the amazing honor of shooting my sister’s wedding!

September (my second favorite month) was fun too! I got to shoot a lot of senior photos! Senior photos are probably my favorite type of portraiture because you can get really creative with them!

October was a turning point for me! I shot for a couple more seniors, I was able to spend Halloween with my little brother and sisters, and I finally was able to move back down to Iowa with my fiancé! Things finally came together for me and I was so excited!

I started my new job in November and so far, I am absolutely LOVING it.

December was mostly uneventful. I traveled back home for a couple days but it was ultimately a relaxed month.

So what are my plans for the future of this business of mine?

The honest answer is, I don’t know.

I thought I had a clear path and set of goals, but after this year, I have learned a lot about myself. I know that I absolutely love the artistic side of my craft. I think my goals for 2020 will be more geared towards Quality instead of Quantity. I want to create truly amazing photos, I want to create things nobody has ever seen or imagined before. I am working on a project (it has no deadline at this point), the subject is Surrealism. Back in high school, I took an art class where we were required to create a surrealistic piece, and that class, especially that specific project, made an impression on me. I’d like to continue to explore that realm of art. I’m not sure where the project will lead me, if anywhere, but wherever it does, I will happily follow.

I want to thank everyone who supported me in 2019, and every year! It means so much to me! I hope everyone finds something in their life that makes them as happy as my photography makes me!

Happy New Year!

All my love,

Δ Abbi