You say its your birthday
I just finished making these last night at Scrapbooks, Etc. in Mesa. I started off the year being super excited about birthdays for my clients’ kids. BUT, since I didn’t get started before January 1st, I am simply behind. I had fun incorporating my colors and making them a bit more fun than a card-ish card. : ) So, if you have given me your kids’ birthday, shout hooray! because your little darling will be getting his/her personal note in the mail with something super special inside! I can’t tell you the secret but I hope your kids will like it! Sorry to all the January birthdays… I am sending them today!
Time away
Whenever I have time away from the computer (a necessary evil) I have a chance to evaluate, consider, think and be excited all over again. Sometimes too much thinking is well, just too much. : ) But we went away on vacation without laptop and camera, technically I had the camera but weather did not permit its use. I managed to bring it along on one day’s adventure but the rain was so bad I decided to leave it back at the hotel. Anyhow, when I am here-“in the office” I get locked on what am I supposed to be doing, how behind am I on stuff and keeping up with all of it. When away, I have to let go. I can’t be where I am not and I can’t do what I cannot. So, back at the day, still in my PJ’s I am playing catch up to nothing but my own expectations and assignments! Funny how that happens! I am glad to be back, sitting here and feeling inspired all over again.
I am still pulling pictures from last year’s stuff. I probably will since my blog was nothing short of shameful last year. I wanted to start new so I am pretending like this is the first time it is out there! I have reserved January as the month to work on the business, not in the business. I am all about proactive (try to be), not reactive. I wanted to have systems in place, stuff in order so I can continue to run the rest of my life and not let this and everything else run me. It is a work in process and something on my mind most of the time but I am excited about what I have been able to address and accomplish in January.
This… it was all Todd. We were dying to get some emotion out of him. His face was stationary in what he thought was the perfect smile for family photos. He was doing a fairly good job. : ) I was hoping to see something more and it happened when I asked him what else he wanted to do or what else he had in mind. He got his family on board, lined them up and finally something real was shown on his face (and everyone else’s). In this photo, you can just see the kids thinking he is a little funny and there is Courtney barely agreeing to his cleverness. In the end, I think this is what they wanted, not the first 30 minutes…
Biz, all Biz | Queen Creek photographer
Writing down goals and (committing to them) sounds easy but in practice, its hard! I’ve written all sorts of things that I REALLY AND TRULY meant to get to (like dropping 25 pounds, learning Spanish, etc) but even writing them down didn’t work for me. Ok, I’ll be honest-I attempted but no follow through. Something that isn’t easy seems a little harder to knock off the goal sheet.
Well, I tried it differently this year (for the photography side of things) and typed them out, printed them out, hung them above my desk and started acting upon them before 2010 started. So, tonight is the night I have finished a HUGE step for me. THIS NEW BLOG/WEBSITE! I obviously can’t take credit as Tim (my dedicated and supportive husband) is the brains behind customizing this blog so thank you Tim! He showed me how to maintain, create and change stuff but he certainly made the buttons and links do what I needed it to do. I LOVED my website before (which was my blood sweat and tears, not Tim’s (insert curtsy here)) but I wanted to incorporate a blog that I could contribute to regularly-and feel like it tied into everything. I wanted it to all be in one place. Voila…
I am striving for these in 2010:
- Complete the studio (finish hanging prints, add mirror, and a few other minor touches)
- Do 3-4 classes/workshops by year end
- Update website/blog by end of February
- Master workflow process and a system of time blocking and stick to it
- Join PPA (or a club/organization/association of camera people in the local area) before year end
- Second shoot a wedding (but I changed my mind on this one—no longer a 2010 goal)
- Read 3 new educational books on photography or the business side of life
- Revisit business plan, pricing, and goals and update by end of January
- Travel with my camera and get paid for it
- Find 5 photos that I love and hang them on my wall (my home, not studio) ok, so this should go on my personal goals but I needed an even 10 so there you have it)
Hallelujah, the year is starting off with a jumpstart. I am inspired by so many out there so a thanks to some of them…
I have 2 workshops in the works for far:
- FranciPants Academy (awesome guidance on the business of photography-I am in this right now and looking forward to all that I will learn and develop)
- OneLight Workshop (I hope to do this one in July in Indianapolis)
I would love to take more classes (the advanced class and the flash class) by Wendy Schultz but I am hanging tight on the waiting list. The first class I took from her was AWESOME and full of goodness! I highly recommend it!
I also love the idea of the AZ Highways workshops but I am going to hold on and see what the buzz is out there.
Time to finally get some sleep!
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