Things I Wish I Knew

When I started as a photographer 7 years ago, I had no idea what I was doing. I was flying by the seat of my pants, making shit up as I went. What a difference 7 years makes!

As I was looking back at the dumpster fire year we just had, I realized I ended it as one of my best years. I learned so much about myself, but also I became focused on what I wanted as a business. This process made me realize there were a few things I wish I knew when I started.

1 ~ Everyone is NOT my client. My clients come out with so much more than just the session itself. I create amazing photographs, yes. However, I offer a full service luxury experience. This means that I walk you through the entire process. I'm there to help you turn your vision into reality. Not everyone wants that experience. Many people just want the session and images, and that's ok. I'm not the photographer for them.

2 ~ I don't have to photograph EVERYTHING. Being an entrepreneur means that you run your own business. Let me say that again, YOU run your own business. For years, I would photograph anything that someone would ask me to, whether I wanted to or not. I forgot that I was the CEO. I could choose to say no to projects I didn't want to do. For example, I don't photograph weddings anymore. I love weddings, but they are not for me.

3 ~ Make sure to invest in yourself. I spent my first few years doing everything on my own. Why do I need to spend money to learn something when I can just go try it. I can Google it. I can YouTube it. That's great in theory. However, a lot of things {newborns especially!} take a very specific knowledge, and you want to make sure that you are learning from the right people. I learned more {and you can see it in my photos} after I decided that it was worth investing in myself.

Check out that growth! This is what 7 years, investing in yourself, narrowing down what YOU want to do, and realizing who your clients are looks like.

I would love to hear what you wish you knew when you started your journey {whatever it may be}. Drop a comment below, send me an email, or message me on social. Share your nuggets of wisdom!

Talk to you soon!

xoxo,

Dorothy