Business Update

I still haven't turned my flash on. I'm scared! I need to make sure it is completly dry, no H2O in there. A few more days, then I'll check it.

Ya know, I started this blog to chronicle the journey of my business, but I find myself writing more about my personal life than I planned. So I thought I'd do a little recap on where things are, and where they're going.

I've set up a four-year plan for getting things going, and this past Spring was the beginning of year two. Why four years? Well, that is the amount of time that I had until all of the kids were in school, and I can't work full-time until then. So it made sense to use these first years as a time to learn about the business, network with other photographers and vendors, build my client base, and add to the arsenal of necessary equipment. When all of my kids are in school, I should be working at 100%. The goal at the end of that year is for the business to profit enough that I am making the same amount that I would have made as a school nurse (that was my plan 5 years ago, my how things have changed!)

To further break it down, I've devoted this year to specifically learning shooting techniques. There is an overwhelming amount of information available, from seminars to webinars, photography forums, DVDs (I have a bunch), and finally hands on practice. My goal is to be able to capture the image in camera as close to perfect as possible, with little post-processing necessary. One of the biggest strides I've made in the last few months is that I'm able to "see" the final image before I click the shutter. I'm hoping to attend at least one major seminar that is focused on off-camera lighting techniques, but these are usually very expensive so I may have to continue to settle for DVD learning.

Next year, beginning in January, I'll shift my focus to business techniques-things like pricing for profit, marketing, finances and accounting, and finally branding. This stuff isn't the most exciting to learn and put into practice, but I enjoy it more than I ever imagined that I would. One thing that I've learned from being a member of a pro photography forum is that taking good pictures is the least important factor for a successful photography carreer.

My final year before full-time will be devoted to fine-tuning the whole operation. I should have a decent idea by then of what it takes to be profitable, and I'll decide if I can make a reasonable living doing this. I think I have a decent shot, but the world of photography is changing every day due to the digital revolution, so there are no guarantees.

I know I have about two-dozen blog stalkers who have followed along the last couple of years, thanks so much for keeping up with me! It's been a fantastic journey so far and I'm planning to go MUCH further in the coming years.

Oh, its no fun to post without including some pictures, so here are a few images from the session I did of my kids: