For some reason and I’m guessing it has to do with Anton’s magic, but I have gotten a few more emails from other photographers lately than usual. They seem to be mostly mommy’s like me, wondering HOW I do this with small children and WHAT have I done to get here. It makes me giggle and it humbles me. I am not sure where “here” is, but perhaps the best way to answer that question is to start with saying……..I am never “here”. The kind of person that I am doesn’t believe in moderation. I never did, all or nothing BALLS OUT! I like to accomplish, had my BA at 21 years old, and an MA degree by 22, 2 classes short of having another master’s degree but decided to move on. Taught, loved it, hated it, loved it, became a Mom and loved it most. Took too many pictures, loved other photographers, hired them, spent too much $$$$ and decided, my next journey would be photography.

“Here” with teaching was me pushing my boundaries and challenging the system, because it needed it. “Here” in this career is kind of the same thing. I’m always wanting to do more, accomplish more and gain more experience. BALLS OUT or nothing right? But I’m not here, not yet, no where near!

My first moments as a professional were of tears, I SUCKED, had no idea what aperture was and thought a 35mm lense had something to do with 35mm film! LOL, all you can comment on how much I needed to learn! I bought things I didn’t need, spent too much $$$$ and was way over my head. But I KNEW what I wanted to do I know exactly where I want to be (when I get there, I’ll tell you, but it may take 100′s of years). I push myself to learn, the more I learn, and still this remains, the more I realize I STILL need to learn.

It’s been about 2 years since I started and I have grown, LORDY have I grown and one day if I have the guts I’ll share pictures from my FIRST session and then from a current one. You’ll laugh as I cry but I’ll laugh with you too. So How did I do it? How have a grown to what people are writing to me as a “here”…….. This is not a formula, just what I have done, and still please know, I am nowhere near where my dream is…….because I am never content.

1. Learn from those you admire (this can be hard, but find a NON GRUMPY to share and go to their workshop, or read their blog, but learn from others.
2. TEACH to others, I have yet to do my own workshop, but the teacher in me knows it will happen one day, but offer up what you got BABY! YEAH yeah I know, cliche, but we all have something to share and offer, what this is, is art, subjective and creative, art.
3. RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH before you leap, my costly mistake but try and get as many opinions as you can this could save you BUCKS on a website to camera equipment
4. Make goals, revisit and make new goals. Goals however are nothing without a plan. Your plan and ability to achieve those steps will enable you to reach your goal, which you should continue to change and push
5. READ FAST TRACK PHOTOGRAPHER written by Dane Sanders. Seriously, if I had read this book earlier in my career, it would have paid off ten fold. Read it, you’ll discover a lot about yourself and this career and the choices that we make.
6. NETWORK, you need to FIND the people in this industry to get to know YOU. They aren’t going to magically find you first, at least not in the beginning, find them, get them to know you!
7. Love what you do. I have been to workshops where I’ve paid $1000 to listen to an amazing photographer complain about what they do….and honestly it made me angry. For all I know the group of 20+ of us just paid off a car to listen to someone who is burnt out. GET REFRESHED, seek fun in everything you do, change it up, find “it” before your grumpy! (again get Dane’s book and you’ll get it!)

It’s a start, a small explanation to how I got to this point which truly isn’t anywhere for me, at least no where near my goal. Yes the videos, the beautiful website, all steps in working to my goal which I stay focused on. My goal? What is it you ponder? That’s another post. But I promise you, that once I see I’m close, it just gets bigger, I keep going.