You can click to see enlarged image.I'm so happy to almost be done with all of last year's clients ordering their pictures. I took Dec-March off to refocus and recenter. It's been good for me. I've done a lot of soul searching. It's been tiring doing pictures because I have to, not because I want to. It's been nice playing with my camera again this week and experimenting again. I even took the time to make a new watermark brush for 2008. I think it will help me later remember what year I did the picture and also I hated my old watermark. I like the font I've used for my website, but it doesn't work well for a watermark.
I've also been taking this time to find a few new favorite photographers to stalk and also to learn some new tecniques. I got a reflector that I'm going to start playing around with and learning to use... yay!
Anyway... I was asked to be on a committee for putting together the midwest areas 3 1/2 day workshop. My job is to help with planning and with helping to get teachers, location, hotel, etc. It sounds like we might go with my location suggestion, which is only about 15-20 miles from my home.
When we got together the first night to talk about the planning and date there was some conversation and someone brought up the phrase, "Mom with a camera". Or more popularly known as MWAC. It stung me a little to hear it, and I wasn't sure why, until I really took a deep look at myself. I'm a MWAC.
I talked to my husband about this and my decision to actually take a couple of years off of photography. I know it's what I want to do. I know that I will continue for the next couple of years to reach and to grow and to find my true syle. I'll be taking workshops and classes, maybe even some business financial classes.
What it comes down to is if I'm not willing to fork out the money for an insurance plan to cover my equipment or if someone gets hurt by my equipment, or if I'm not willing to fork out the dough to an attorney to make sure my contracts are good for the state I live in, and if I'm not willing to go down to City Hall and get a licence to do business... (I have to do ALL of these things, I'm only willing to do one right now).... then in all honesty, I am just a MWIC and maybe a little bit of talent.
I've greatly increased my session fees on my website in hopes that only a few serious people will be calling me for sessions, and I'm ok with that, because I need to have new models every once in a while. I have one wedding booked for June, so I'm not stressing any new jobs at the moment. It's a good time for me to get back to taking pictures for me.
So... now I'm off to enjoy my camera and find myself.
7 comments:
Soul searching is very good, just dont be gone too long, or share your "learning" pics with us at least! You are very talented but I agree there is always room for improvement! I hope you find what and who you are looking for. You have a lot of support. Good luck on your journey my friend!
Thanks. I don't think it's so much that I want improvement, than it is that I want my style. I don't want to improve a fake style, kwim?
I also need to be willing to back my self and my company up with all the legits if I want to be more than a MWIC. I also want to love it again.
I think it is kind of hard when you feel all the pressures of society to do everything that is expected. One person working part time doesn't make that much and the fees gobble up too much of a percent of the profit. Well, anyway, it did for me when I did my cake decorating business in Idaho.
MWAC is still SO cool. In fact, that is what is so cool. And you are actually a JWAC (Jen with a cmaera). That is something no one else can be.
One of my greatest, no kidding, treasures are the neat pictures you took of my boys. You captured them in a way that no one else could.
Follow your heart.
Just in rambling,the guy who did Carla's wedding pictures sold us on a package, even before he took the pictures. I knew his stuff was good, so I bought, say, a certain number of shots. I think it was 12 engagements, 12 bridals, 36 wedding day, and 24 candids that night. They put them in an album for us. I just picked which ones I wanted blown up. It was nearly $1,000, but once the contract was on, he didn't have to stress about trying to crop them good for me, and hope I'd buy some. Basically, the package was set.
I wouldn't do that if I didn't know his stuff was good.
You might could work something like that out, so that we have good profits on one or two jobs a summer.
I'm sure you've thought of all this, but I remembered you saying you were re-thinking your prices. I could check back with them and see how they did that, if you want.
luv ya,
banana
awh jen,
i really like the YOU who you are girl. i do.
love ya friend,
kathleeny :)
I had no idea what all you have to do to really cover your bases as a photographer. Wow! I am proud of you though, for taking the time to really find out who you are and what you want. So many of us just expect that to show up one day without ever really thinking about it. So good for you.
There's only one thing you said that I disagree with, "I am just a MWIC and maybe a little bit of talent." Dear friend, you have MORE than a little bit of talent. I've been lucky enough to see your work and it has blown me away more than once. So no, not for one second do I think you have a little bit of talent, you have a God-Given -Talent, which is far more precious.
Have fun playing around and I look forward to new pictures. :)
jen dear,
you have blown me away more than a number of times by some of your pictures that have caught my attention. YOU.HAVE.A.GREAT.TALENT!!
and there people who can take incredible pictures with some basic or so-so equipment. and there are people who can have the highest tech and most expensive stuff, yet still can't capture the breath away from someone from their pics. oh, you know what i am saying jen. YOU have a talent no matter what YOU use and no matter what paperwork you have filed to "prove" that you are in business. got it?? don't doubt it girl.
you rock,
kathleen :)
As someone who dreams of eventually being able to use my passion for photography to earn an income, I admire and respect you. Regardless of if you are still doing sessions or if you are just doing photography for yourself - you are amazing, either way!
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