Chasing The Dream (Not Toddlers)

posted 26th September 2011    Written by: Hannah    CATEGORY: All Posts, Hannah, Job/Career/Work, Life Lesson, Quarterlife Crisis, Season 5

When I first started my business I wasn’t sure where I wanted it to go or what I wanted to do with it.  I let it take on a life of its own through a series of “Yes, ma’am”s, taking every job that was offered to me from headshots to first birthday parties, newborns to weddings.

In the beginning, the vast majority of my shoots were of kids under the age of four.  If you’ve ever spent any time around a toddler, you know.  Those things are FAST.  I spent every two hour session literally chasing the kid around whatever park we were at and trying to get him to look anywhere near my lens.

It was fantastic for growth as far as technical ability, but the creativity was lacking, or rather it was required in a different area than I had intended when I started a photography business.  Trying out new shots is one thing.  Finding creative ways to tie down a toddler (duct tape?) is quite another.

This business I was creating was starting to look an awful lot like the nanny job I was trying to get out of.  It took a good year and a half of wearing myself way too thin, doing things I wasn’t loving (on my evenings and weekends no less)  before I had this revelation:

If I’m going to put everything I have into building my own business, I’d darn well better LOVE what I am doing!

I don’t want to give you the wrong impression.  I like kids.  I like family shoots and yes, even two year old shoots.  I don’t like them as my only creative outlet.  Not to mention that walking away from a steady income to do the exact same thing I was doing as a nanny seems just silly.  So I’m trying some other things.  I’m toying with several ideas that all end in the same product: beautiful images of you and your _____ (fill in the blank: spouse, family, pet, best friend) being who you are.  Loving how you love.

Everyone loves differently, and that’s what I want to capture.  You don’t want a photo of you and your husband cheesing at my camera.  You want an image of how your husband touches your face or how his eyes squint up when he really laughs.  He wants to capture the way you look at him when you’re REALLY looking at him.  And that’s what I want to give you.  I’ve been diving deep into the concept of experiential photography.  Whether your shoot consists of playing games and working through verbal prompts as a couple, or doing an activity (think baking cookies or exploring the pumpkin patch) as a family.  My goal is to bring out the real you, to show your genuine emotions and expressions, to capture who you really are.

The problem?  My brand.  My website is bland and lacks personality.  What I expect of my clients is that they’re willing to show their personalities.  My business cards are cute, but don’t evoke any emotion.  My clients have to be more than cute.  They have to be real.  My internet presence: spotty.  My expectation of my clients: completely present.  My brand needs a booty load of work, and it’s time to get started.  The message I want my business to portray is that I am genuine, creative and detail-oriented.

Actually, the message I want myself to portray is that I am genuine, creative, and detail-oriented.  Funny how that works, isn’t it?  When you find something you love to do it resonates with who you are.  Once again, my core values come in: autonomy, authenticity, connection, exploration, family, creativity, play/whimsy.  Each one is so me, that it is something I’ve intuitively incorporated into my business.  This is a concept that’s been weighing heavy on my mind.

My business needs to reflect who I am.  Not who I’ve, in my laziness, let myself become.  So here I go.  The daunting words,

“Goal Setting”.

Autonomy:

  1.  Making my own schedule requires MAKING my own schedule. Go figure.  Map out when I’m doing what (approximately) each week and when I’m OFF work.  Follow it.
  2. Create systems that work for my business (and in my small space) and use them. (Financial, work flow, client communications.)

Authenticity/Connection: You can’t have connection without authenticity, so I’ll stick these two together.

  1.  Flesh out a plan for rebranding and making my business reflect me.  Write out exactly what I want it to look like and how I intend to get there including a timeframe, smaller goals, and action items.
  2.  Make a list (Yay, a list!) of the types of jobs I will accept and those I will not.  At all cost avoid selling my soul to pay the mortgage.  Book clients who get what I’m doing and we can both be authentic.

Exploration/creativity:

  1.  Avoid getting stuck in a rut.  Once a month ask a friend or stranger to model and do a shoot that’s just for me with no consideration of client expectations
  2.  Create two new “experiences” a quarter for family shoots (i.e. pumpkin patch, baking cookies).  Create 2 new prompts a month for couple shoots.  Keep mixing it up!

Family:

  1.  Find balance.  Use my off time to spend quality time with my family and friends.  Plan a date with a girlfriend once a week and a date with Mister once a week (or make him plan half of them!)
  2.  Talk seriously to Mister about our plan to move closer to family.  Figure out our timeline. Figure out how I will keep my business going in both places.

Play/Whimsy:

  1.  Don’t take my shoots too seriously.  Help the client relax, have fun,  and play.  Suck up my nerves and be open with my clients no matter what they might or might not think of me.  Make a point to put myself out there, knowing that if I do my clients are more likely to do the same.  Give myself permission to relax and play too.
  2.  Don’t take myself too seriously.  Life is meant to be fun.  Change the way I talk to myself when I’m getting caught up in something little.  If it isn’t serious, don’t make it that way.  Give myself permission to relax and play.

When I first started my business I wasn’t sure where I wanted it to go or what I wanted to do with it.  Now I know.  The only thing I can tell about what it feels like to attempt to line up who you are with your career is that it is completely invigorating.  Now if only I can get there.  Those of you who have taken this leap, any tips for those of us who are just diving in?  I’m ready to go!

[Photo credit: Hannah D Photography]

 

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Comments (16)

16 Responses to “Chasing The Dream (Not Toddlers)”

  • Mel Says:
    September 26th, 2011 at 8:11 am

    Totally get this. I`m still trying to be brave enough to step forward and -create- the business model/feeling. (Even though I'm pretty sure that's not quite how bravery works…) This stuff is hard, yo.

  • KristenCF Says:
    September 26th, 2011 at 8:27 am

    Hannah, first off, I LOVE your photos. Secondly, you are so amazing for being true to your values and putting what you want first. Cheers to you for going after what you want and making it happen on your terms.

  • Anne Moore Says:
    September 26th, 2011 at 9:25 am

    I'm loving hearing your "voice" and all that's important to you…I have much to learn from my amazing daughter!

  • Jim Moore Says:
    September 26th, 2011 at 9:54 am

    So much of your growing up happens after you're a 'grown-up'. The core and thought you put into how your life should proceed will surely give you wonderful results. Go Hannah!!!

  • erinmakesitwork Says:
    September 26th, 2011 at 2:27 pm

    So much of planning a new business venture is finding your voice, your expertise, what makes you special. I indentified with so much of this, as I'm in the process of launching a new Etsy shop. I have been planning for over a year, but I just not feel like I am hitting my stride. Keep on keeping on. :)

  • Chris Guillot Says:
    September 26th, 2011 at 5:40 pm

    So glad I get to have you as a Lovely Classmate!

  • HannahD Says:
    September 26th, 2011 at 6:48 pm

    It is hard!! It's hard to get exactly that feeling that YOU have about your business to translate to others….and the whole, if I'm making up my job I'd better like it thing is kinda intimidating :)

  • HannahD Says:
    September 26th, 2011 at 6:49 pm

    Thanks Kristen!! Same goes to you! CHEERS!

  • HannahD Says:
    September 26th, 2011 at 6:49 pm

    <3 you. :)

  • HannahD Says:
    September 26th, 2011 at 6:49 pm

    and <3 you! :)

  • HannahD Says:
    September 26th, 2011 at 6:49 pm

    Would love to see your Etsy shop once it has launched! Be sure to share!

  • HannahD Says:
    September 26th, 2011 at 6:50 pm

    So glad to have you as a friend! :)

  • Dusti Arab Says:
    September 27th, 2011 at 7:08 am

    I'd just want to throw out there that some 2 year old love the camera and will sit still. ;)

    And I cannot freaking wait to get started working together on Brand Hannah. It's going to as fabulous as you.

  • HannahD Says:
    September 27th, 2011 at 4:58 pm

    I've seen some that like the camera…but I've NEVER seen one that will sit still! I must see this in person! :)

    I can't wait either! So excited!

  • superawesomeashley Says:
    September 27th, 2011 at 7:00 pm

    I love how you incorporated your values into your goals and are making them a priority in your life. So awesome. :)

  • Kat Says:
    October 1st, 2011 at 4:34 pm

    Seconding Ashley – I love that your values and goals are interconnected! I suspect that is a good recipe for success. I'm also so pumped to see your new branding and see YOU shine through the way it does here!

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