I snapped this picture at a kids birthday party I was photographing a couple weeks ago. It’s not the most compelling photograph but I love the message.
You know how you plant those little seeds and for a long time nothing really happens? You keep watering and giving it light knowing that eventually – if everything goes right – something will grow. One day you spot a little green sprout and before you know it’s time for a bigger home. Then all of a sudden it just takes off. What once was a little seedling now appears to grow inches in an afternoon.
I find myself going through a similar transformation lately as this “photography thing” grows beyond my belief. I’m not only juggling but back-flipping and karate kicking the balance between my day job and a growing new business. People want to hire me. They love the pictures I give them. They tell their friends. More people want to hire me. My husband gives me that looks that say, “hello, please give me attention” and “are you seriously still on the computer?” or “are you ever going to do chores again?”. Yes, Dear. Yes, Dear. Yes, Dear.
All I can say is that I’m thrilled for the challenge. I’m embracing the invitation. And even though I have a backlog of sessions to be edited and laundry to fold, I’m grinning from ear to ear and thanking my lucky stars that I get to be what I’ve always wanted to be – a photographer.
In an effort to give something back to this awesome community, here are a few links to some articles that have really moved me and helped me grow as a photographer:
Portraiture Should Be About People by Shelley Paulson
A little snippet: “make your portraits more about the person you are photographing than about you being seen as cool by your peers. It will honor the person you are photographing and give you a feeling of satisfaction that you have created a photograph that has meaning beyond just being cool.”
It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be by Chase Jarvis
A little snippet: “Do not seek praise, seek criticism” and “Do not covet your ideas. Give away everything you know and more will come back to you.”
Why Does Custom Photography Cost More? by Shawn Houllis
A little snippet: “Being in demand, being well known for quality work and having a good reputation often costs time on the photographer’s part. Their expertise comes at a cost, their time learning their craft and learning the intricacies of lighting and the commitment put forth on their end to create a persona about their business that oozes professionalism. A great number of photographers go a very long time from the time that they purchase their first good camera to making money at the business of photography. Many photographers, when first starting out, rush in thinking that the business will be easily profitable in no time, how expensive could it be to get a camera and use it to create their dream? They often neglect to factor in the cost of business, the cost of equipment, software, back ups, etc.”
What Every Aspiring Photographer Should Know by Cheryl Jacobs Nicolai
A little snippet: “Never compare your journey with someone else’s. It’s a marathon with no finish line. Someone else may start out faster than you, may seem to progress more quickly than you, but every runner has his own pace. Your journey is your journey, not a competition. You will never “arrive”. No one ever does.”
Photographers: Push Your Art Directors by Chase Jarvis
A little snippet: “You’ve got to realize–and I get sick to my stomach every day when I listen to people who don’t get this–that you are getting hired by people for your creative vision and your ability to execute. You’re a professional. You’re not a monkey with a trigger finger and a D90. If you’re getting hired, you have vision. Period. And you’ve got to trust that vision and better yet, you’ve got to put it to use.”
Lessons I didn’t Learn In Photo School by Syl Arena
A little snippet: “If you want to be a strong photographer… strive to create images that touch people’s lives. The most challenging part of this has nothing to do with the details of creating a photograph and everything to do with living an enriched life.”
What 100 Paintings Will Teach You by Jen Lemen
A little snippet: “Not everything you do will be brilliant. Some of it will suck, and that’s okay.”
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