Wondering?

Hey it's been a few days. I couldn't figure out what my topic was going to be.

So i have been going through somethings personally and professionally and i am starting to wonder...

• Will i get a break professionally?
• How will it happen?
• I am good enough?
• Will others think i am good enough?
• How do i show i am good enough?
• What can i do to show everyone i AM good enough?

and many more...

There are several things that are holding me back. MONEY being the biggest set back. How are you suppose to start a Photography business when you can't afford the equipment? I am using a dinky Kodak Easyshare ZD8612 IS camera. That takes moderate quality pictures.. sometimes. I want to get my Photography Certification but I can't find a School that i like and can afford at the same time. I have ideas and no clients steadily coming in to try them out on? Then when i have clients either my brain freezes or something i can't control happens. Like a child's mood swing.

I have been looking at a Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2 12.1 MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera with 3-Inch Touch Screen LCD and 14-42mm Lumix G VARIO f/3.5-5.6 MEGA OIS Lens (Shown Below)  through Amazon.com. For my future camera buy but i can't afford it. I know as soon as i get a wedding down payment that will be the first thing i purchase. How do i get a wedding?


I have done three weddings in the past and two were my own family. How do i spread my wings outside my family tree? The pictures i have taken in the past are not the pictures i want to take in the future. I have recently fell head over heels for Photojournalism style Photographers. I follow two of my favorite local photographers through facebook and blogspot. I want to post them on here and i don't because they are my competition.
I feel like i am putting myself out there too. I have business cards out hanging, a website up and running, facebook fan page, blog, twitter and word of mouth. I feel like i can't do any local advertising, One, because i am not licensed and Two, i don't have much of a portfolio to show yet. So what is a person suppose to do?

So what else can a person do? I have tried working with local photographers and getting  a foot in the door. Someone to teach me the ways of being awesome. Someone to show me the ropes. I know there are workshops out there and again they take money. It's like a vicious cycle.

So i guess i am just stuck here wondering?

Spring Cleaning!

Normally, when a person does spring cleaning they are getting rid of stuff. Me, i can't wait to bring stuff in.

I have just started running an indoor studio. I usually took all of my pictures outside. I love taking pictures outside. There is just something about it that adds unspeakable beauty to the pictures. With the bright green grass, the deep blue sky or  frothy white water fall.

Incorporating a indoor studio has been a challenge. Not only to you have to by everything but know what you are doing. I don't know why, but i keep second guessing myself with the lighting. I didn't go out and buy the big expensive soft boxes or strobes. I just set up four flood light in several different areas in the studio. I know that isn't the best, but when you have a tight budget anything works. We have finally found the perfect wattage. We started out with 75watts but that was extremely blinding and hot. We now have a soft 45 watts set up. Given what i think is a comfortable coverage of light.

Also, i can't afford to buy the backdrops or stands so I made my own. I went and bought California King Sheets, yards and yards of fabric and vinyl. In the long run probably wouldn't have made any difference in the prices. My dad put in a bar so i can hang the backdrops from. So you can say that i am a penny pincher,  but someday i would like to have some if not all authentic studio equipment. Until i get some more clients paying me some big bucks i will have to do with what i have going now.

This is my Grandma.
She was my model while
perfected my lights.

The worst thing is the studio isn't even in my own house. It's in my Grandma's empty den. She don't mind for the most part. My first photo shoot over there, was a family shoot, and we all were in the back room taking the pictures and grandma was in the kitchen. She didn't say a word. Well when the family left we were sitting down looking at the RAW pictures when she asked, "Next time do you want me to leave?"

I looked a her with a puzzled smile, " No, why would you say that?"

"I felt like i was intruding!" she replied.

I looked at her and just giggled, "Intruding, Grandma it's your house."

"Well i know that, but i felt in the way." Now keep in mind, this isn't a small house. There is a huge living room separating the kitchen and the Den area. She was basically two rooms over. I told her, "If anything Grandma, we are intruding. You could have came back and talked to them if you wanted."

She said no and that is was okay that i was using her room, It wasn't being used anyway and someone should be using it. And so you all know, she does get rent out of it. Not much but something to show her my appreciation for letting me use her spare room. I think it was like 2% of what i make off of each shoot.

So now not only do i have my own house to take care of this spring. I have my "makeshift" studio at my grandma's house. I guess it gives me reasons to come and visit it. Probably get drug into cleaning the rest of her house. Oh Well.

Aaahhh, Spring Cleaning!!

Bra!!

Starting a new business, to me, has it's ups and downs. Everyone seems to be on board for the most part.

Bear Dogg and Me

With starting a new business it has it's frustrations also. I am proud to say my clients have been rolling in, inquiring about prices and want pictures done. There are few that do all that and cancel the day before. Really there is only one client so far that has played me like that. She was in my first family photo shoot. Real nice lady. She called me the week after the shoot and wanted to book and shoot that same week.

The family session i did was at discount, mainly because i was going to use the pictures for advertisement. I didn't really make anything off of it. So i figure with this lady i would do the same thing. Give her the same deal i did for her friend. I didn't want them talking one day and they bring up my photo prices and one feeling like she was being ripped off. So i cut her a break. She had great ideas and eventually the day before, i contacted her and asked if we were still on for the following day. She said she would like to push it back. I told her my schedule's and we re-booked. Well the day before that rolled around and i contacted her again. Again, she said she couldn't make it. She said she would get back to me with dates and times that would work for her. Needless to say, i haven't heard a word. I have left messages and i am just feed up. It's been a month since her first initial session date, and i am half tempted to say screw it and go onto the next.

My Husband (Travis) and Me

I guess what bothers me the most is that she was at discount. I can't run a business discounting her. I am giving her til the 24th (month after her initial session) and i  will be contacting her raising the price and giving a deadline. The problem with that is. I know she is getting married and she could be a possible wedding in the future. So what should a person do? And NO! i wouldn't give her a discount on her wedding.

Like i said in my first post, i have several pending shoots. None have really happened since the first one, a month ago. Well with this push and pull i have had been doing with this client. My main support system has began to wonder about this "business". My husband. Just yesterday, i had three inquires say they would like me to take some pictures for them and their families. I was excited and  told him. His response was, "I'll believe it when i see it".  It was like an instant stab to the chest. He may not have meant it to be hurtful, but it did. I later facebook'd, "I need support like i  need a great fitting bra... but how come all i can find is my bra?" I know it's funny. I had many "likes" and girlfriends commenting, but it wasn't the same as him telling me. "Congrats" or "I am proud of you!" All a girl needs is a good bra!!

Beginning!

My sister Andrea's senior Pictures

Andrea's Best Friend

I have never blogged before and my writing sucks, so bear with me.

I started taking pictures back in 2004, they were my sister Andrea's senior pictures. I didn't think much about taking them. Then her best friend asked if i would take her also and i did. Not really a big deal. Then my little sister Megan got married and her best friend wanted her senior pictures taken also. So i guess i didn't see what i was doing that was so appealing, beside saving them hundreds of dollars.

I have also landed my sister Andrea's Wedding and a family shoot just this year before everything started falling into place.

Megan's Best Friend

Andrea's wedding

In the last year, I have done two weddings, two sets of family pictures and took several pictures of my nephew. Then it hit me, I could be putting myself out there and making some money. First i came up with a name, Revels (Reveals) Photography. I thought it was catchy and smart. I love play on words. When i am able i add a small line above the second (e) to give it that long e sound.

Megan's Wedding

Then next thing i had to do was make a price list. You would think that this would  have been easy, just low ball all the competition. It wasn't. I wanted to have a set number and detail. I wanted a complete package i guess. It took me a while to figure out something. I did researched and snooped on other photographer websites. I used bits and pieces of their prices list and came up with my complete lists.

Marketing was and is the hardest part about the whole situation. I created a website and a Facebook Fan Page. Then i needed some word of mouth ads. So i had my sisters and family start advertising for me. I made business cards and brochures. So int he last Three months i have booked 2 Family sessions, 3 Children, 1 Wedding and 1 Individual Portrait. With more inquiries everyday. All i can say is  it's only the "Beginning".

 Below is some of my work: