A new venture...

Yep, we're taking on a new venture in the midst of all that is going on in our family right now. I'm taking the plunge and starting a photography business. I never imagined it was so much work to get things going, but it is!! I thought it was just a matter of owning a nice camera, learning to use the camera, taking great pictures, and I'd be on my way...nope, there is lot behind the scenes. Such as getting the equipment, in addition to a camera, backgrounds, lights, snoots, bounce cards and so on and so on. I've learned very quickly that photography is NOT a low budget hobby, and it has to be paying for itself--which is partly the reason behind getting paid for doing something that I'm truly enjoying. My wish list is SO long, I can't even keep up with it...and I know that the things at the top of my list change daily. One day it's software, another it's a monitor calibration device and maybe another day it could just be getting my hands on a nifty little Wacom tablet...all of which cost a pretty penny :).

I got my DSLR for Christmas, have been doing TONS and TONS of reading, and finally in Feb took my first basic digital class at a local shop. I was unable to pursue anymore classes, simply because life just got busy and a little chaotic at home. Nevertheless, slowly I've been gaining more knowledge and more practice behind the lens. In May, I decided I wasn't going to get better by just taking pics of my kids (who by the way, run from me when they see the camera come out of it's bag)...so I decided to offer portraits to friends as a mother's day gift. And thus, I began! Since then, I've done a few shoots, and with each shoot has come tremendous improvement (I'm a little biased...after all, I'm evaluating my own work)....So, now I'm at the point that I think I'm ready to start charging for my work...so it's on to another level of getting this off the ground. Lately, I've been looking into the tough question of "how do I price myself?" in this market?? I'm working on it, and may have a pricing schedule pretty soon. I've also been looking into setting up a website...and getting some business cards done...yes, I see it coming together...slowly, but I hope to get there before the end of this year....We've got a business name, and I've designed what I think will be my logo!! It's exciting, yet a little intimidating too...there are so many awesome photographers, that at times I think "what am I doing?? comparing myself to these guys..." I'm comforted by the thought that "those" guys have been doing photography for YEARS...I'm just starting out, and maybe a few years from now my work can be up to par....maybe?? just maybe??

This blog is just to share as we move along in this new venture we are trekking...

I'll leave you with a few images that I've captured, and let you be the judge of my work....