11/03/2014
Hey, Everyone!
I just wanted to let you all know that I am going on a hiatus from photography for a while. If you're an existing client and we've had or discussed a photo shoot already, no worries; you'll get your photos :). However, I won't be accepting any new clients at this time.
There are lots of little reasons for hanging up my camera, at least temporarily, but there are a few big ones. I, personally, have found that being a full-time parent as well as photographer prevents me from being able to put in as much time as is preferred for completing clients' photos within a reasonable time frame.
Also, when I was a child and was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I gave many answers: artist, teacher, Disney animator, dog breeder, writer, archeologist, rancher, CIA agent, actress, rock star, cross-cultural missionary, photojournalist, etc. In recent years, the answer has been the last two on that list, which have both been slowly pursued through short-term missions opportunities and portrait photography. Being a wife and a mother have always been there, too—a given for me—but never the first answer I'd give. There has always been some major dream in addition to that. I've always wanted to be a parent, but never a stay-at-home parent. I've known some who consider such a thing to be their biggest dream, but this has never been so for me. Some sort of career and parenthood both have equally been my dreams, but in different ways. In fact, I admit to not understanding the dream of being a stay-at-home parent at all...sometimes, shamefully, being a little judgmental about it. Haha! Wow, how God changes hearts. When parenthood started to become a reality for Greg and I, I braced myself for figuring out the balance between parental responsibilities/relationship as well as photography. I was up for the challenge of trying to sacrifice as little as possible for successful parenthood. I wasn't going to let parenthood get in the way of the dream of photography. However, over the past 10 months of my son's life, I've begun to feel the opposite. As I edit photos daily and look past my laptop screen to see those big blue eyes eagerly staring up at me, begging to connect with mine and have life shared with them, I feel like photography is the thing getting in the way. God has surprised me by changing my heart to desire more intentional time with my son as my biggest dream more than photography or any other sort of career, at least for now.
I am playing with the idea of other dreams/income and can always pick up photography again, too, if need/desire be, so there are options. I'll continue seeking what the Lord wants, following His lead, taking each day as it comes. For at least the near future, though, it looks like it's focusing on my son, and even maybe later transitioning to a dream that might look a little different from portrait photography.
Thank you to everyone who's given me the opportunity to capture wonderful memories through photography. I've so enjoyed and have been honored to witness them and help share in their beauty. Blessings!
