Because figuring it out alone is underrated.
When I first picked up a camera, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Heck, I didn't even know how to properly use the camera. Luckily for me, I was taking a beginner photography class in college. I had a professor, helpful classmates, and some patient friends who let me practice and critique my work.
Since then, it's been the most fun, wild, and rewarding experience. I still think about how luck I was to have a positive environment, mentors, and examples by my side from the very beginning. But there are definitely a few things I wish someone had whispered in my ear before my very first class, and well before I had ever thought of owning a photography business. So here's my thoughts (and hindsight) in blog form.
1.) It's not just about taking pictures. There's a whole business that happens behind the scenes.
I thought the hardest part about a photography business would be taking good photos and talking to strangers in the middle of nowhere (because my mom always told me never to do either of these things)! Spoiler alert: that wasn't the hardest part. Running a photography business is so much more than just clicking buttons. It's about staying on top of my emails, perfecting my editing workflow, and keeping everything documented and organized for taxes. I used to dread the back-end work. As I've gotten busier, I've spent more time on it, and I actually find joy in making my workflow run smoothly.
2.) You need a contract, even if it feels awkward at first.
In the beginning, I hesitated to send contracts and make people sign them. I didn't want to seem "too official" or scare potential clients off with contracts. But here's the truth about contracts: contracts protect both you and your client. They set clear expectations about the photoshoot, what to expect, and the deliverables. They also save you from possible awkward situations, and let everyone breathe a little lighter. Now, i refuse to shoot without a contract being signed, even with my model calls. It's one of the best decisions I've made for my business and it makes me sleep a little better at night knowing my clients and I are both being protected.
3.) Consistency is better than perfection.
I have self-diagnosed myself with OCD, and I used to feel like everything I could possibly control or do had to be perfect. That changed when I joined a 30-day challenge to post on Instagram. Some of the rules for the challenge included that I had to do daily posts on my feed and in my stories (all original content and no reposts), 10 new reels, and one new pinned post and reel. Trying to stay and appear "perfect" definitely has held me back in the past. During this challenge, I quickly learned that in order to keep up with the 30-days, trying to have the perfect website, perfect Instagram, or perfect anything was impossible.
Now that I have finished the challenge, I have realized that having something done is much better than trying to perfect an idea and never getting around to posting it. Progress and consistency in showing up for your business, and honestly for yourself, will take you so much further in life than stressing out about every detail that most people won't even notice.
4.) Your people will find you (but you have to show up first).
In high school and some of college, I spent a lot of time trying to be what I thought other people wanted me to be. It turns out being me (the Diet Dr. Pepper loving, reality tv-watching, goofball) is what actually draws my people in. When I started posting more vlogs, funny videos with my sense of humor, and behind-the-scenes, lots of people unfollowed me at first, and that's okay! But what happened is more of my people started connecting with me. The kind of people who appreciate who you are without trying to fit yourself into a box. These people appreciate who I am, and I've been able to create meaningful relationships with them because we share things in common that I was willing to share and be vulnerable about.
5.) Burnout is real, and rest is part of the job.
Man, this is the one that I am still trying to learn. When photography becomes your full-time gig, it's easy to feel like you need to hustle and show up 24/7. I learned, sometimes the hard way, that breaks and rest makes you better. Better in my business, and as an overall human being. I've noticed that I have this bad habit of trying to overwork myself. When I do this, I can either choose to rest and take breaks on my own terms, or my body will force me to take breaks and rest by getting sick.
I recently saw this reel on Instagram that mentioned how someone (who is a successful full-time photographer) started taking a few days off from work a week. They mentioned that they come back feeling so refreshed, and even able to do the tasks that they needed to do in a shorter period of time because they were more focused. Well, I tried that out lst week, and it's completely true. I took a day off and came back to work the next day, and I found that I was able to cull the photos for a gallery in half the time it usually takes me. I have the reel linked at the bottom of this post if you'd like to watch it!
You're building more than a business, you're living your passion.
I think everyone finds something they're passionate about, and sometimes, that passion grows into something much bigger than you could have imagined. Suddenly, you're not just having fun with a camera... you're running a full on business. Whether you're just starting out, or even years into your business, I hope this gave you a little encourageent and a reminder that you've got this! If you ever need a hype girl, my DMs on Instagram are always open!
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Click here for the reel!
