Confessions of a Transparent Photographer
I was walking on the beach with my twin daughters the other day. I was talking to one of them when I turned around to see her sister doing this. Taking a seemingly dangerous leap. It was too late to yell and I didn't want startle her and cause her to get hurt. I instinctively raised the camera up and took this shot. It turns out that she had jumped from the lower rocks but had just jumped super high. On the surface it looked scarier than it really was.
I thought about this picture today as I thought about opening for the season this weekend. It reminded me about the changes I decided to make in my business this year. Changes that were brought about after ending last season with a dampened passion. I went from having an all consuming passion to not wanting to take look at a camera. It was affecting my family and it was affecting my work.
I had not laid out rules for my clients. I'd seen other photographers do this and thought they were "Photog Nazi's." I underestimated their experience and I was undervaluing my time and talent. The hours spent from my 1st contact with a client to the delivery of the product I was not making enough to make it worth the time I was missing from my family. I was missing out on moments like the one below.
It was time to set limits, fan my passion, reset priorities and focus on my strengths.
Do you remember how I described feeling when I saw my daughter jumping from the rocks onto the beach? That is how I felt when I made changes to my business this year. Fearful thoughts like:" Did people choose me because they could not afford anyone else?, What if no one will like my style of wedding photography?, What if people are turned off by the changes I have made in pricing, packages,image delivery and service additions?" began to attack my mind.
I suddenly reminded myself that there will be people who will fit that description and will most certainly feel that way. They won't be back. They will find the cheapest photographer they can find and not respect his/her time and talent. They will try to get something for nothing and haggle with that photographer's price.....something they would never do to their hair dresser, accountant, or other service provider.
I also know that my work will resonate with other clients. Clients who want a portrait that captures their family members personalities and one that tells their story. They value portraits that show more than a forced smile and a stiff pose. Brides will want wedding albums that tell the story of their special day in such a way that future generations will know what it was like to be there that day. These are the clients who want the magic I find in the moments I capture. I might not get ALL the clients but I will get the RIGHT clients.
You see, I realized that I can't lose. I'll get just the right clients and if I'm not booked up that weekend..well.... I get to spend that weekend cuddling with one of my kiddos. I just need to remember that just like that picture...sometimes taking that leap might look scary but it's safer than it appears.
