So I had this moment last week. You know, one of those moments when it all just kind of clicks. I was preparing for a (really super kick butt) bridal show that happened yesterday by updating my image slideshow I run at all my shows. Before every event of this type, I sit down and go through alllll my images pulling out the ones that best represent me, my brand, and the “look” I’m trying to achieve every time I pick up my camera. As I did this image sorting, a realization set in that really made me smile.
I feel like I’m in a business of constant growth and change. Either you’re learning, growing, adjusting, refining, and bettering….or you’re not. I feel neither approach is necessarily better than another, but in my life and in my business, I strive for the growing, refining, and bettering side of this scenario. When it comes to business, there are tons and tons of different ways you can achieve the learning portion. This industry is full of learning opportunities: conventions, gatherings, workshops…you name it, it’s out there. I tend to be rather selective when it comes to said conventions and workshops as most cost lots of dinero and my money tree died a looooong time ago 😉 I did get the opportunity to take a workshop at the very end of 2011, and as I sat and revisited some of my old work while image selecting last week, I was reminded just how much I got out of that workshop.
In November of 2011, I traveled up to Indianapolis full of nerves and excitement to take a workshop from a husband a wife team, Bobbi and Mike, who also happen to be some of my favorite photographers, like, ever. I always looked to their work for inspiration, so when they announced they were having a workshop, I made sure I was SO THERE. I didn’t know what I was going to learn, and to be honest, I didn’t care. At that time in my life and subsequently in my business, I was stuck in a funk that I just couldn’t find my way out of. I went to the workshop with few expectations, literally praying it would give me that jolt I knew I needed to defunkify and get my act together. What I got instead felt practically life changing for my business. I left after two days of talking, learning, watching, listening, asking, laughing, laughing some more, laughing even still, with a completely different outlook on why it is I do what I do, and it was amazing to see the impact it had (and still has) on my business. I should specify by saying I’ve never not loved my job. I always have, and pray I always do. But at that time, it felt like just that: a job. Bobbi and Mike reminded me WHY I love this job so much, and how much it means to my clients that I do my best all the time to capture their love and memories so vividly. Amongst the many tips and tricks for both business and shooting, I was so pleased to see two people in an industry saturated with competition not only give all of their knowledge, but all of themselves to we the attendees. There was no pretense, no fuss, no telling us how cool they are because they know this person and use this product; it was just them, and it was just us, and that might have been the most valuable part. I have since incorporated this “just me” approach to both my business and my shooting, and have felt myself change both in the way I do business and in the way I shoot. So when I was looking back at all these beautiful images I’ve shot over the last several years, it just hit me. I was proud. I AM proud of the moments I’ve been able to capture for some really amazing clients. I’m proud that lessons I learned from Bobbi and Mike over a year ago are still cycling through my internal dialogue, constantly pushing me to do better and be better for all those amazing clients. I’m just really proud to get to do this job I love in the way that I love to do it for people I adore, and I just wanted to take a moment to write it all down so I can always remember this feeling.
Because posts feel naked with no pictures, I borrowed the image below from Bobbi+Mike’s blog. This was my workshop group back in 2011 🙂
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