02/18/2026
No one prepared me to comprehend how much kids would affect my work. For years I could grind at building my business. Happily, I worked long shoot days and the ever extended edit sessions long into the night. I could travel at a whim and say yes to any project that enticed me. I was in 5th gear/full throttle. Then it changed. Kid #1 then 2 then 3. And with each, a down shift to a lower gear. I had to say no much more than I ever imagined. Much more than I wanted. And to this day I feel like I’m at 50% of my potential with this career. I recall telling a client I won’t work weekends and he looked at me perplexed. I explained why but I never heard back from him. I should be pissed…and at times I am. Lost business. Lost accolades. Lost growth. But with all that said, I know it’s the accumulation of small moments with the kids that ultimately matter most. Sunset beach walks, camping trips, coaching little league, sharing my love for cameras, and even the daily tantrums are better than the best day of work. I’ll get back to 5th gear sooner than later.
