Yesterday marked a big day for me. Yesterday was my 6 month anniversary of being a full time photographer. You see when I slowly started my business a few years ago (3 to be exact) I worked a full time job also. It was always just a dream to be a full time photographer. It was only a dream because I knew that we needed the money from my full time job. I mean it did seem like a long shot being able to be my own business with only a firefighters salary to help get us by! (I wouldn’t change my husbands dreams for all the money in the world though!!) So this is a biggie anniversary for me. I thought maybe I would share some of the great things that I have learned in these past 6 months. You know, the warm fuzzy, make you feel good things. There are some of those! Most of them revolve around the wonderful people that I have the blessing to photograph. But it is not all sunshine and rainbows growing a tiny little business. I do want to share some of the things I have learned this last 6 months with y’all though.
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1. Dreaming Big
I love the mantra: Dream Big. I mean how many of us have ever dreamed what it would be like to win the lottery? Come on, I know I have! The thoughts of the world at your fingertips is a great dream. But one thing the dream big business fairies don’t tell you is that for every big dream, you are on the one who has to make it happen. And it doesn’t always happen the first, second, or third try. Some of my big dreams will be years in the making. That’s ok, I am in for the long haul.
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2. Making Great (Photo) Friends
This one seems simple enough and is probably the most important ingredient to having a small photography business. It is those friends who will tell you straight up when you work isn’t where it should be. Or when you need to work on this or that. They are really the backbone of learning and growing in this business. I am so very thankful for my real photography friends that I have made in these past few years.
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3. Starting Over
I thought that when I went “full time” that it would be a breeze. I mean, I know my camera. I know how to take photographs. I have had a business for a few years and it is growing. I am growing as a photographer (not nearly where I want to be but growing). Stop. Going full time is like starting at square one!! Wait, let me rephrase that…. going full time when you depend on a certain income is like starting at square one!! You know what you need to do. You know what you need to do to get there. But the pressure of making it work is overwhelming at times. You can’t just take a break and relax because you have to do it. You can’t look to the internet because Janie Photographer over there makes it look so easy. Why is it so easy for them?? Wait, maybe it isn’t easy for them. Maybe behind the scenes it is just as stressful and overwhelming as it is for me. Or maybe they don’t depend on the income for daily living. One thing that I have learned over the past few years is what someone shares on the internet is what they ‘want’ to share. Not everyone is ok with showing their struggle and that’s ok.
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And the biggest thing that I have learned in the past 6 months…
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I can now 100% say that I know exactly what I am suppose to be doing with my life right now!
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I can’t say that it is easy. I can’t say that I am not struggling to keep my head on straight. I am not saying that my house is clean or that I am not spending so much time on the computer learning as much as I possibly can.
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I am saying that I LOVE it. Every crazy minute of it. From thinking of shots for clients, to planning some personal projects for the future. Taking photographs fills my soul with happiness, love, and so much joy it is unbelievable.
I have learned this past 6 months that I will make mistakes. I will own up to my mistakes and learn to make them better.
I will do my very best for anyone who sits in front of my camera.
I will continue to grow. I will continue to learn as much as I can.
I love this gift I have been given!
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(This shot was taken this weekend with a little tripod when I had the privilege of taking my entire family on my Mom’s side photo!)
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and yes a cow photobombed the background!
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