A few weeks ago, my friend, Sarah, and I were talking about our professional goals – where we’d like to see our photography businesses go. It’s interesting because we have two very different objectives and hopes, and we are both at very different points in our careers right now (though in some areas, like paperwork and marketing, we are in exactly the same boat haha).

While there are many photographers who dream of owning their own studio and having an army of reliable employees, my dream is very different. That is not something I want. I like being small. I like the control I have being a one-woman shop. At max I can only ever picture myself with 1, maybe 2 employees. That’s it. I want to be the one taking your pictures. I want to be the one who answers the phone and the emails and gets to know you. I want to be the one editing your photos and giving them that personal touch. I want to be the one who places your order and gives them that little bit of love before you pick them up. I like being able to give you, my clients, that personal touch you can’t and won’t get from bigger studios.

I’m not opposed to having a studio either, but there are several reasons I’m more than happy to never own a large studio space. First of all, it keeps my prices lower. I don’t have to cover the expenses of the overhead a studio would bring and so I don’t have to pass that charge onto you, which means you still get awesome photos for a much lower price. There is also an added stress that comes with a studio space. In addition to needing to bring in enough money to pay the bills, there would also be routine maintenance and cleaning that would need to be done. And finally for me – it’s a convenience thing. I like having the great wide world as my studio. I can come to you or you can come to me or we could meet anywhere in between. I can go anywhere, do anything. I’m not limited by electrical cords, battery packs, backdrops and props. I can use real things in the real world; take photos of genuine people in a real and natural setting. It’s my ideal. It’s what I love to do. I personally don’t think you can beat natural light. I like when a photo feels like a moment frozen in time, like that couple was actually sitting quietly on that bench in the park and we just happened to catch a sneak peek into their private moment. It’s something I don’t feel like you can get in the studio and I would hate to feel limited by it, and yet obligated to use it.

When I decided to start my own business over three years ago – heck when I finally decided what I wanted to “be when I grew up” – I knew that I wanted to be able to work from home. I knew I wanted a family, and I knew I wanted to be able to be at home with my kids. I want to reach a point where I’m actually making a living, from home, and having a strong client base who appreciate my goals and vision. I’m moving towards this goal, slowly but surely. I don’t have the kids yet, but I’ve already got a great supportive client base – all of you! I’m not really making a  living at this yet – but I’m definitely moving forward in that department too – which is also because of all of you!

For now – I’m still just trying to get my name out there, convert more people to the idea of quality imagery over “cheap” photography, and better explain and market what makes me different from the other photographers in the area. If you’ve made it this far into this post – I want to thank you for reading the whole thing! And I’d also like to ask you, if you are one of my clients – what makes the difference for you? Why me over some of the bigger studios? If you aren’t one of my clients yet – I’d like to know what you are looking for from your photography experience?

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