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Thanks everyone! We appreciate your poll responses, emails and calls! After hearing your thoughts, we are pleased to announce a NEW Spring section of our workshop...

The Brandenburg Gate
The Reichstag (German Parliament Building)
Interior of Sir Norman Foster's glass dome, on top of the Reichstag

Happy holidays from Berlin, the center of the "New Europe." Christmas season in Berlin is full of public excitement, including many outdoor "Weinachtsmarkt," which are festive street markets. Vendors sell everything from carved nativity scenes and ornaments to smoked sausages and candied almonds. The smells are amazing and the Glühwein (warmed, spiced wine) tastes incredible! The mood on the streets feels like New York City during the holiday season, and all of the stores are decorated with elaborate displays. The streets are lined with twinkling white lights, which makes the atmosphere even more magical. We've been exploring the city, and since this is our third visit here, we feel even more at home. One day, it would be wonderful to have an apartment in Berlin! Big dreams! The Stilwerk is a modern home décor mecca! They have everything from Kartell furniture to German graphic art galleries.

It was serendipity that the New York Times published an article about Berlin the day before we flew to Berlin. This city is a portrait of change. The energy is palpable; construction cranes are everywhere. Berlin has been transformed from a city that was a the epicenter of 20th century world politics to a thriving cultural, political and financial hub of The New Europe. Check out this video to experience a little bit of the trip!

-Andrew and Rachel

It's a challenge for girls to grow up in a culture surrounded by idealized images of beauty, abundant in mass media, that hold them to a standard of beauty that is impossible to attain. When a friend introduced me to a television commercial produced for Dove's Self Esteem Fund I was struck by the extent of makeup and Photoshop retouching that goes into a typical fashion shoot.

It reminded me that the standard of beauty that mass media often presents is unrealistic. Photojournalist Lauren Greenfield dedicated years to a long-term project on this topic, which is showcased in her book, Girl Culture.

As photographers, it is a challenge for us to counteract such unnatural standards of beauty. You'll see in this commercial, called "Evolution," a model transform from an ordinary woman to a supernatural beauty. In this ultra-produced environment, women will be made-over, the lighting will be manipulated to soften the model's skin and jawline. Photoshop retouching will distort the shape of her head, eyes and neck into a more idealized form.

What are we to do? Do our clients want to look like supermodels? I believe that if we were to retouch the images of a bride so she becomes a distorted, idealized image of herself, it will have the opposite of the intended effect. As a photojournalist, I want to showcase the bride's natural beauty and articulate it into an image without manipulation. That's the real power of photography.

Under the guidance of 12 of the country's top wedding photojournalists, the Foundation Workshop's select 21 participants will be challenged to enhance their photographic vision and refine their understanding of photojournalism by documenting and editing a real life photo story.

It's an honor to announce that Mark Adams of LaCour will be on the faculty of the 2007 Foundation Workshop. There are some amazing faculty including Huy Nguyen, Greg Gibson, Tyler Wirken and Anna Kuperberg who have an immense amount of experience, skill and insight that they will be sharing with everyone at the workshop. For those of you who want to improve your photojournalism shooting and editing skills, we would highly recommend this workshop.

There are only 5 spots left and they are going fast. If you reserve your spot by Dec. 15th, you'll save $400 off the tuition price.

As a follow-up to yesterday's post, I compiled a list of my "Top 10" business books. All of these have played a role in our business development, and have shaped my philosophy about building the LaCour brand. Book Number 9, The Call, was given to me as a gift by my father. It changed my definition of success and challenged me to carefully consider my goals as a photographer and business owner. Book Number 10, The World Is Flat, is my assigned reading for December! Please send me your recommendations. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Happy Reading Everyone!

1) The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It, by Michael E. Gerber

2) The Power of Cult Branding: How 9 Magnetic Brands Turned Customers Into Loyal Followers, by Matthew W. Ragas and BJ Bueno

3) Creating Customer Evangelists: How Loyal Customers Become a Volunteer Sales Force, by Ben McConnell, Jackie Huba, Guy Kawasaki

4) How to Win Friends & Influence People, by Dale Carnegie

5) Selling the Invisible: A Field Guide to Modern Marketing, by Harry Beckwith

6) Enduring Passion: The Story of the Mercedes-Benz Brand, by Leslie Butterfield

7) Lovemarks: The Future Beyond Brands, by Kevin Roberts

8) Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, by Malcolm Gladwell

9) The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century, by Thomas L. Friedman

10) The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life, by Os Guinness

And one random addition that never seems to fit neatly into any category: The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron