As I have mentioned on here in the past I have been unsure about my current career path and wanted to try something new, specifically trying to launch a photo business, focused primarily on wedding photography. The more I think it over the more I think it is possible, and the small steps I have taken have gone well.
Here is my new plan going forward:
Step 1. Launch website. I have already begun a blog (not public yet), and am researching a website. Jared is making me a logo. I have begun to sort through images and gather a portfolio. I am shooting a wedding this weekend and hopefully will gain more images to use. I hope to have the blog public my Feb. 3rd and the website launched by mid March.
Step 2. After I have webspace I will get the word out and direct people to said web space. I hope to book another wedding. With the money from this wedding I will purchase a new camera body ( to be used at said wedding, duh). I hope to have this wedding be booked for sometime during the spring- which is risky b/c some of those weddings are already planned. This deadline is iffy for that reason.
Step 3. Continue growth of webspace with new wedding images, continue getting word out. Book ANOTHER wedding. With this money go to a workshop with a pro wedding photog and learn how to be awesomer. I hope to have the worskhop done by Fall- again deadline dependent on timing of weddings I can book,a nd timing of available workshops.
Step 4. Go to WPPI 2010 in Feb- be awesome.
Clearly, since I am intending to get jobs to cover each next planned investment I am making an attempt to front no money, less risky. I would appreciate prayer and encouragement. I will keep you updated, and will tell you when my new wedding photog blog is public. These plans are my plans, and I am trying to remember they may not be God's plans. As well, BK has applied for grad school. If he is accepted it will involve a huge move, a new start, and me with the responsibility of sole bread winner.
P.S-> Last night Benjamin and I played fun music, played around with my new SB800, backed up files from the old compy, and danced around the living room. I felt happier then I have in a long time.
27 January 2009
25 January 2009
Blast from the Past
I am cleaning the office, and came across one of my "memory boxes." As usual I could not resist diving inside. I found an object that was the source of great laughter back in the day. I immediatly sent a pic message of it to Kimberly (and would have to Monica if she had pic messaging). Monica...let's just say it was rainbow and had a circle at the end...remember?
I found one of my old journals. It is my end of high school up until I started college journal. Whenever I find this particular journal I skip to the end when I started dating Benjamin. Everything in the journal before that does not seem to matter.
I always read this and smile:
Cheerio317: he DOES joke an awful lot about having the hots for you
Lizzbyte: really? what has he said about me?
Cheerio 317: he always says that, "liz is sooo cute!" and about how he "really wants LIZ to come" to different things
Cheerio317: haha
Cheerio317: he always tells me I should invite you to things and that we should hang out with liz.
Cheerio317: haha
Cheerio317: do you think he's "cool"?
Cheerio317: cause in my personal opinion I think he has it for you in some way
Lizzbyte: aww. that's great. but it sucks at the same time. cause i like him alot-eeekk- i kinda have had the hots for him for quite some time! but i leave for school in like a week and all so it sucks that it is happening now.
Cheerio317: WHAT!?!?!?!
Cheerio317: really?!?!?!
Cheerio317: that's soooo awesome!
Cheerio317: b/c I just was trying not to spill my beans, but he likes you too!
Cheerio317: A LOT!
Cheerio317: haha
Oh gosh I love reading old high school aim chats...they are hilarious. the language of the way we used to talk is just sooooo awesome. Cheerio317, I love you. I will not emberass ourselves further by posting the rest of that chat.
I still have "the hots" for him...I MARRIED HIM!
I found one of my old journals. It is my end of high school up until I started college journal. Whenever I find this particular journal I skip to the end when I started dating Benjamin. Everything in the journal before that does not seem to matter.
I always read this and smile:
Cheerio317: he DOES joke an awful lot about having the hots for you
Lizzbyte: really? what has he said about me?
Cheerio 317: he always says that, "liz is sooo cute!" and about how he "really wants LIZ to come" to different things
Cheerio317: haha
Cheerio317: he always tells me I should invite you to things and that we should hang out with liz.
Cheerio317: haha
Cheerio317: do you think he's "cool"?
Cheerio317: cause in my personal opinion I think he has it for you in some way
Lizzbyte: aww. that's great. but it sucks at the same time. cause i like him alot-eeekk- i kinda have had the hots for him for quite some time! but i leave for school in like a week and all so it sucks that it is happening now.
Cheerio317: WHAT!?!?!?!
Cheerio317: really?!?!?!
Cheerio317: that's soooo awesome!
Cheerio317: b/c I just was trying not to spill my beans, but he likes you too!
Cheerio317: A LOT!
Cheerio317: haha
Oh gosh I love reading old high school aim chats...they are hilarious. the language of the way we used to talk is just sooooo awesome. Cheerio317, I love you. I will not emberass ourselves further by posting the rest of that chat.
I still have "the hots" for him...I MARRIED HIM!
22 January 2009
I'm not good at doing the same job for a lengthy period of time, and by lengthy period of time I mean two months. I need change. I blame my upbringing.
School gave me a three month break every year- three months off to do whatever the heck I wanted! When I was actually in school we were on a quarter system- so every couple months I had new classes, a new schedule. When I went away to college I was at a colelge who not only had quarter systems, but also had a co-op program. My classes changed every 11 weeks, and for six motnhs I left school all together and worked. That job however-was NOT full time. I had a aprt time internship, and a part time job. This allowed for change and variety amidst the six month period. Once I left school I began working freelance- this allowed for lots of change all the time. I would do a job for a week, then not work, a new job another week, a nother new job, not work again, another new job. It was tough at times, but overall I very much enjoy the freetime while still being able to afford my bills (most of the time). I did have some lengthier jobs- and by lengthier I mean 4 months. Yet, even in those jobs the nature of the job allowed it to move through three stages (PRep, Shooting, Wrap) which allowed for a shift and change within the length of the job.
Now, at the age of 24.5, find myself faced with a job that requires me to work M-F, 10 hours a day. I have almost no days off to look forward to, and this job will not be over till July/ August. That's 6-7 months from NOW! I have only had the job 2 months (with a two week holiday hiatus) and I feel an itch for change ALREADY. The job is still, and will continue to be in the first stage for another couple months, then I will have to live through 3-4 months of shooting before I can look forward to wrap.
I do not know what to do with myself.
Adulthood, and this whole steady job thing is way over rated.
This is partialy why I want to be my own boss and start my own biz. I like the flexibility. I like the time off. I like doing my own thing.
I do enjoy my current job- I really really do. I just need to get over this hump...
School gave me a three month break every year- three months off to do whatever the heck I wanted! When I was actually in school we were on a quarter system- so every couple months I had new classes, a new schedule. When I went away to college I was at a colelge who not only had quarter systems, but also had a co-op program. My classes changed every 11 weeks, and for six motnhs I left school all together and worked. That job however-was NOT full time. I had a aprt time internship, and a part time job. This allowed for change and variety amidst the six month period. Once I left school I began working freelance- this allowed for lots of change all the time. I would do a job for a week, then not work, a new job another week, a nother new job, not work again, another new job. It was tough at times, but overall I very much enjoy the freetime while still being able to afford my bills (most of the time). I did have some lengthier jobs- and by lengthier I mean 4 months. Yet, even in those jobs the nature of the job allowed it to move through three stages (PRep, Shooting, Wrap) which allowed for a shift and change within the length of the job.
Now, at the age of 24.5, find myself faced with a job that requires me to work M-F, 10 hours a day. I have almost no days off to look forward to, and this job will not be over till July/ August. That's 6-7 months from NOW! I have only had the job 2 months (with a two week holiday hiatus) and I feel an itch for change ALREADY. The job is still, and will continue to be in the first stage for another couple months, then I will have to live through 3-4 months of shooting before I can look forward to wrap.
I do not know what to do with myself.
Adulthood, and this whole steady job thing is way over rated.
This is partialy why I want to be my own boss and start my own biz. I like the flexibility. I like the time off. I like doing my own thing.
I do enjoy my current job- I really really do. I just need to get over this hump...
12 January 2009
Decisions, decisions.
I have been doing some research to find a good photo workshop that I could take. Well I found one that I want to take....
PROS:
- Taught by "One of the 10 best Wedding Photographers in the world."
- Taught both in studio, in NJ and on location in Philadelphia. (local- no expensive travel)
- Small class size- lots of attention from teacher
- Teacher is Nikon sponsored, so he shoots Nikon, so do I
- 2.5 Day concentrated class
- I have (almost) all needed equipment (body, short lens, long lens, flash)
Cons:
- Costs 1700 bucks (I hear it is such a good workshop that it is well worth double that price)
- Taught during the week- I'd need to ask off work.
I really would love to take a workshop like this. It's hard b/c a lot of them are taught during the week (because they shoot weddings on weekends, duh) and taking off work is difficult for me. I am scared to ask off work, and I do not know if it would be irresponsible, or reflect poorly on me to even ask. This workshop is given a few times a year so I could wait for another one....but I want to take it NOW.
Also- I do not know if I can afford/ should pay such a large price. I feel like it is a fair price, and worth it....but it is still a large price for my pocket. With that I could by a new computer, a new camera body, a new lens...so many things.
Also- I am a little hesitant b/c I always worry what if I am not good enough and I go and everyone is way better than me and the teacher hates me and I am the worst in the class. I would be crushed if during the critique I had the worst images. I am not good at humility. But at the same time, I would like to welcome the humility.
I do not know what to do. I need to act fast b/c there are only five spots left in the class. They will go fast, and if they are not gone in the enxt couple weeks they will surely be gone after that when the teach goes to the WPPI convention in Vegas.
Oh...what to do...
PROS:
- Taught by "One of the 10 best Wedding Photographers in the world."
- Taught both in studio, in NJ and on location in Philadelphia. (local- no expensive travel)
- Small class size- lots of attention from teacher
- Teacher is Nikon sponsored, so he shoots Nikon, so do I
- 2.5 Day concentrated class
- I have (almost) all needed equipment (body, short lens, long lens, flash)
Cons:
- Costs 1700 bucks (I hear it is such a good workshop that it is well worth double that price)
- Taught during the week- I'd need to ask off work.
I really would love to take a workshop like this. It's hard b/c a lot of them are taught during the week (because they shoot weddings on weekends, duh) and taking off work is difficult for me. I am scared to ask off work, and I do not know if it would be irresponsible, or reflect poorly on me to even ask. This workshop is given a few times a year so I could wait for another one....but I want to take it NOW.
Also- I do not know if I can afford/ should pay such a large price. I feel like it is a fair price, and worth it....but it is still a large price for my pocket. With that I could by a new computer, a new camera body, a new lens...so many things.
Also- I am a little hesitant b/c I always worry what if I am not good enough and I go and everyone is way better than me and the teacher hates me and I am the worst in the class. I would be crushed if during the critique I had the worst images. I am not good at humility. But at the same time, I would like to welcome the humility.
I do not know what to do. I need to act fast b/c there are only five spots left in the class. They will go fast, and if they are not gone in the enxt couple weeks they will surely be gone after that when the teach goes to the WPPI convention in Vegas.
Oh...what to do...
05 January 2009
Goals/ Resolutions for 2009
1. Start a handwirtten journal
2. Improve my photography and expand business
3. Fix my typewriter/ Buy a new one
4. Finish and put into the practice more the book Celebration of Discipline
5. Pray more.
6. Grow my relationships with family/ friends more effectively
7. Stop wasting time
8. Organize my life
9. Start running
10. Eat Healthier
10 seems like enough...
2. Improve my photography and expand business
3. Fix my typewriter/ Buy a new one
4. Finish and put into the practice more the book Celebration of Discipline
5. Pray more.
6. Grow my relationships with family/ friends more effectively
7. Stop wasting time
8. Organize my life
9. Start running
10. Eat Healthier
10 seems like enough...
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