A Girl and Her Hair...Self Portraits-Day 4

It's hard.  If it was easy, I guess everyone would do it? Well isn't that the problem that us photographers feel is the issue?  Everyone out there is a photographer now.  Cell phones, point and shoots, compact DSLR's and even more advanced DSLR's are all over, it sometimes gets us Pro's a little down. 

Now don't get me wrong, I have no problem with someone wanting to use Photography as a creative outlet, to photograph their grandchildren, or just to document their lives.  Photography is a wonderful tool that almost everyone can use.  That is what makes it so great!  The only thing that gets me down, is the wide misunderstanding that it is so easy to do what us Professional Photographers do on a daily basis.  To add to that, I think it's a misunderstanding on how easy it is to be self-employed, or own a small business.  It's a straight false perception, and that is what gets me upset.

I went to school orginially to become an Orthodontist.  When I attended Albion College, I received my degree in Biology, with a minor in Art.  At the time, I thought for sure I was going to be a Doc.  It just ran in my family.  Everyone, including my two older, wildly successfull sisters, are doctors.  It was a path I'd always envisioned.  Boy was I in for a rude awakening when my last year in college, my oldest sister Dori, encouraged me to pursue photography.  With my heart on my sleve, I googled photography schools and found the absolute BEST school in Santa Barbara, CA.

When it comes to any career, I think more education is ALWAYS better.  You can always learn, and you should always learn, everyday. I strive to give my clients the best I can find.  You don't have to go to an actual school, but you should be learning lighting, posing, and most of all your camera.  That will be the only way you can give your best. For the masses to believe what we do for a living is as easy as picking up a camera and starting to shoot, really hurts not only photographers as creatives, but as business people as well.

You don't have to be a photographer to feel down at times, you just have to be a small business owner.  When you own your business, or work for yourself, there is no "help" really.  You wake up sick, there is no one to cover for you.  There is no "sick pay".  If you aren't working, then no one is working.  And if no one is working, then money is not being brought in to pay bills, let alone yourself or your family.  You also don't get paid vacation.  You have the luxury to work a schedule you want, but ultimately, it's the same as your sick days.  If you aren't working, usually no one else is, so no money then either.  Most of the time, you have to pay your own Health Insurance too.  Just another expense that you have to make sure you are working to make the money to pay that bill for you and your family.  And if you are like me, and you ARE your business, well then you have to be on top of things 24/7.  You have to be the cheery receptionist, the worker, the sales person, the photographer, the graphic designer, the advertising agent, the retoucher, and even the janitor.  I am sure I missed a few other jobs in there, but basically we have to be them all!  This can be very stressfull at times and very overwhelming. 

So with that rant out of the way, tonights photos I tried to depict how I was feeling today.  Stressed, depressed, and sometimes a sad outlook on my business.  It is hard to work all day and look to your right or left and know that all of this is on your shoulders.  Thankfully I have 100% the BEST CLIENTS EVER!!!  So all of this stress, and pain and worrying about bills and everything else is all worth it because of all of you who support me.  I want all of my clients to know that I learn new techniques, and strive to be a better photographer EVERY DAY for them!  I want to provide them with nothing but extraordinary images and the most wonderful time during their session! I also consider them my friends and family  :)  So I'm not really sad!  Ya know, it's just one of those thoughts that bug you for a little bit until you talk to someone!  Well that someone is you guys:)  I thank you so much for reading all of this! GOSH

As for my images, I have always wanted to do that "wet hair" photos.  Well so happens I got busy again today(Yoga pant day) and didn't shower until later..so I had wet hair.  I wanted to do more "split lighting" and the crying(was fake!) depicted the stressfull feelings I had at times today!:) The head wipping this time didn't make me sick though!

Enjoy!