What are eight ways to keep photography interesting and fun?
1. New locations. This is trickier because you may not know the light there but just check it out during a time that you would actually shoot to see where there is good back lighting, shade, fun aspects of that location etc.
2. Say `no' to sessions that you know are not your thing. At the beginning we said `yes' to everything/everyone. We were still trying to figure out what our niche was and what we loved. Now I know I'm not into certain types of sessions and won't do them anymore. They end up being more work than fun and I don't want to dread what I do. One thing that I have phased out is extended family sessions. Although they can be great, I find they are not my thing and I had my last one this week. I wish I had done this much earlier!
3. Try new things. I am completely booked for the year but a friend approached me about doing just a mini session of breastfeeding photos for her as this is likely her last child. Different and unique and new. Perfect. I'll do it!
4. Short and sweet. So, I don't know if this is a good idea business wise but it's been good for me mentally. I have started offering mini family sessions. Twenty minutes. It prevents me from dragging out a session and usually the kids are happiest for that amount of time. The downfall is that it generally goes a bit longer than it's supposed to. It is less money but it's also less work :) For me right now, it's been good. If I were to recommend something here, I would say to charge more than I did. If a full session is $250 for an hour, I'd say $175 for a mini.
5. Know your limits, stay within it :) Although I could be working twice as much I've learned to say no. One session per week is a good amount for my family/life balance right now. If Gary is home, I sometimes take on more and that has worked well.
6. Take a break! For the past two years, I have taken one full month off. True, there are still emails to answer but it has been good for me to help me look forward to getting back at it.
7. Put a limit on your volunteering or change the way you volunteer. We are part of two communities that require a lot of volunteering. We have contributed many hours to each with our photography skills. We are now stepping back from several of these tasks so that we can contribute in other ways. Sometimes it's nice to give in a way that isn't your job you know?
8. Don't compare. Whether you mean to or not, there are a lot things out there that can make you feel like you suck at your job. Following other photographers on facebook. Pinterest. Overall, these sites are good but you need to be careful. Moderation is key. Be inspired but don't compare.
9. Be YOU: Too often I ask the client exactly what they are looking for and focus on that. I think that sometimes they might not be aware of the possibilities and I should just do my thing (along with their suggestions). My favourite weddings are when the couple says, `We trust you, we love your work, do YOUR thing!'.
9. Be YOU: Too often I ask the client exactly what they are looking for and focus on that. I think that sometimes they might not be aware of the possibilities and I should just do my thing (along with their suggestions). My favourite weddings are when the couple says, `We trust you, we love your work, do YOUR thing!'.
I'm sure I missed a few things. Do you have anything else to add?
