08/17/2026
I went to a workshop this past weekend to be inspired and to be surrounded by like minded individuals. Itās a tradition I have every year before I start Fall and Christmas sessions and itās always the perfect little boost. To be honest I havenāt been able to stop thinking about it.
Everyday I wake up, and I take pictures. Itās really all Iāve ever done. Iāve been taking pictures since I was 17. For those that donāt know I left college and came homeā¦ I told my parents I was starting a photography business and didnāt want to go back. To this day I remember my Grandma saying what Grandmas say - ā You know not. That is not a job. You need to be a nurse youāll always be guaranteed a jobā
She was right- 20 years ago being a photographer was not the thing to do. To be honest there werenāt many of us 20 years ago that chose this as a career. It wasnāt a popular choice, but it was my passion, and still is. Iām damn proud of myself for choosing what I loved even when nobody was expecting it to work out. I canāt imagine doing anything else and I often think where I would be, or what I would be doing if I didnāt. I know whatever it was it wouldnāt havenāt brought me this much joy.
While at the workshop all the women above shared their story. How they got where they are in their business. We all mentioned failures, struggles, and then successes. But the successes never came first.. I think any business owner not just photographers will agree itās not always easy. Every single day we have to bet on ourselves. We have to get up and run a demanding business plus do the most important work of being mothers and wives. Itās hard.. But we do it because we LOVE it and how lucky are we to get up every single day and do what we love?. I truly believe our stories shape how we see our clients. How we photograph them, whatās important to us, and how we decide to to run our businesses. Itās almost impossible to explain but this is more than what I do -itās who I am.
Being around for as long as I have Iāve seen it all. Iāve seen the courses you can purchase that promises all the secrets to a successful business. Iāve been to workshops where they say itās one way or no way, and then there are workshops like this where they bring you back to the heart of what you do. They remind you that you donāt have to be like anyone else. You donāt have to do what everyone else is doing. You can be exactly who you are. How refreshing.
In todayās industry it has turned into more of āfollow the crowdā instead of your heart, and even though I donāt consider myself an educator in this industry I do feel like after almost 20 years I can confidently say following your heart, being authentic instead of perfect, being honest, and being a friend not just a photographer (Itās not always just about the photographs) can take you places no pretty edit alone can. Sometimes itās about who you are as a person and how you make others feel. It all goes hand in hand. You canāt capture your clients authenticity if you donāt get to know them and let them get to know you.
To any new photographer out there Follow your heart, work hard, never stop learning, and be a genuine person. There is no fast route. Good things take time. Pray about your business and how you can serve others with your talents. Cheer on others. Donāt compare yourself to ANYONE. We are all in different places in our journey. Thatās my secret to success and Iām thankful for this past weekends workshop it brought me back to my why and itās exactly what I needed ā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø
