As a small business owner, I'm constantly evolving. The biggest myth I ever told myself as a business owner was that once I got off the ground and "made it" that I would be able to sit back and relax and not really have to ever tweak too much.
Boy, was I wrong.
Every year, I find myself evolving, as a business owner, a photographer, and a person. What's working, what isn't working, what do I want to do more of and what needs to change. This is a critical step for every business owner, and I was a damn fool for not realizing that kind of work would need to constantly happen. I'll never know everything, but I'm glad to be on the path that I am now vs. when I began almost seven years ago.
So what have I learned this past year?
For starters, photography is so much harder on the body than I ever expected it to be. Especially with newborns. We contort into weird positions, holding ourselves waiting for settling, or the perfect shot with a sleepy smile. I realized sometimes I'm even holding my breath! Not recommended! All photography requires a general degree of holding positions, and I've found my gym workouts to be absolutely essential for staying fit and for keeping up with the level of clientele I take on every year. And then, sitting for hours on end in front of a laptop, doing all of the things that are required - editing, client communication, bookkeeping, etc - that is a whole other set of problems! Self care becomes more important each passing year. I can no longer run my body to the ground and be expected to bounce back quickly. With three kids, I'm constantly "on", with very little time to truly rest. Things I once considered to be a luxury, like massages and gym workouts are critical to being able to make it through busy season. As I prioritize my own self care, I've learned everyone will benefit from that - my clients, my family and especially my own health.
Something I've always known, is my love for outdoor photography. Even though I have a beautiful, shiny studio, nothing compares to being outside. Sunsets, flowers, interesting architecture, colors, trees, lights.... I love how the outdoors, always changing, inspires my own creativity. I've been embracing it more this year than I ever have before. I've also really enjoyed high school senior portraits. I've gradually built a solid portfolio over the years, but the past two years it has really exploded. And with that, I've enojyed that adventure a lot. Like, a lot-lot. Bringing my luxury services to the senior scene has been a work in progress, and so much fun. Especially with the girls, being able to pamper them, offer rent-the-runway, hair and makeup, and seeing their true personalities come out has been incredibly rewarding. I've also added a session option for the guys (and for girls that don't necessarily want all the bells and whistles).
I learned long ago that you cannot do it all. You physically cannot. It is easy to fall into the trap when you are first starting out that you must say yes to everything to stay afloat. But it isn't good for anyone. Your clients will feel the strain. You may not think they will, but they do. You'll burn out really quickly if you say yes to every single project that falls your way, and it won't feel as meaningful that way. And I've learned that when I'm saying yes to only the things that make me happy, everyone is going to win. I also learned this past year how important it is to take time off. In the past I've never taken off more than two or three weeks at a time. I felt like I couldn't. But I took the past summer off (July and August) and it was amazing. I felt so refreshed and for once not depleted heading into the busy season of fall. I realize this is a luxury that not everyone can have, but for me spending that time with my kids was priceless.
All this being said, I've made a decision of sorts, one that hasn't come easy to me, but also feels right. I'm taking a step back from the maternity/newborn world and embracing high school seniors (and will still take families, of course!). I am not completely giving up maternity/newborns - my established clients will still be able to book those services, along with family and friends. But there will be a time soon where I will completely step back. It feels like a natural progression and I hope you all will support me by sharing my name for seniors and for families the way that you have for maternity and newborn. I'm realizing my body just cannot handle the strenuous newborn sessions in the frequence in which I've accepted them in the past. It also works so well with my schedule, to be able to take off summers and winters with my kids, without having the pressure of squeezing in babies as they arrive earth-side.
Change is never easy, but sometimes it proves necessary. I have an article coming out soon in Voyage where I talk about how important it is to know when to take risks. This is yet another risk for me, but I'm really excited about what the future holds.
To see all of our senior work, please follow us on our new Instagram:
You can also see all of our projects on our main instagram:
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