Happy Day!
You may have noticed that life here at Polka Dot Umbrella Photography is a busy one. Its awesome and fabulous and can’t thank all my clients, friends and family enough for the support. In 3-ish short years – things have exploded – all I can say is Wow! Like really…WOW!
What many may not know is that I was also an elementary art teacher for the past 8 years. I loved it – the children, the creativity, the projects, the getting out of the house (ha!), and the friends I made while I was there. (Oh and nothing gets me more excited then opening up a brand new box of crayons. Hehe. P.S.. My Favorite crayon colors: Scarlet and Cerulean Blue)
Well friends, I have decided to change things up a bit and move in a different direction with my career. So this fall, I am officially a full time photographer – whoa. Crazy right? Its been weird when people I first meet ask me my job and to say photographer – it completely still feels like its not real.
SOO friends…..this summer is all about figuring things out – my time, what works, what doesn’t, and how to get my family life to coexist with my business life. Now if any of you have ever had a business where they work from home – not sure about you but I have the hardest time turning off work. Its on my mind from the moment I wake up from the moment I go to sleep. Which unfortunately is not the way I want it to be. I mean, I LOVE photography obviously, love working, love creating, love seeing the end result and the happy faces – but my life as a mom hasn’t been 100%. My days start around 6:30-7 when my 2 little friends – Lydia who is 3 and Joseph who is just 1 are up and ready to start the day. Boy, do I love them. They give me smiles and happiness that I could never imagine. And yes, I can stay in comfy clothes and have unwashed hair and no one would be the wiser. Trying to make phone calls, edit pictures, and be a business woman doesn’t always work with 2 small children wanting love. So the minute its nap time – I grab my computer and work and the minute they are down for the night – I am working until my eyes just can’t work anymore. (So I am thinking I am obviously needing to work on my efficiency…ha.) Running this business can definitely be overwhelming and even a bit stressful as I try to make my life as a mother and wife work with my life as a photographer. Because lets be honest, if I was just taking the pictures and nothing else – I could do it -but the truth is my job isn’t just the session. Its starts way before and goes until you have those pictures in your hands and beyond.
So this is me – trying to find my way and I am sure there will be a few bumps along the way – I really try to be timely with galleries and emails but sometimes I just need to be a mom and turn work off. I am a work in progress and would like to think I have all the answers but…..sigh…I don’t. That being said – I am also currently trying to figure out a fall schedule for myself. One that balances my business life with my home life. As much as I want to accommodate everyones schedules – there are only so many sessions I can do a month/week/day and only a certain amount of hours in the day. I am trying my best to be successful at photography and to learn to be a mom at the same time. Its WAY hard than I thought. Who knew…ha!
Its been an amazing journey so far and can’t wait to see what the future holds so thank you for letting me know you and your families and trusting in me to take moments and making them into art for your walls.
And these little people are mine…all mine. Aren’t I lucky? And often the ones you may hear in the background as we are chatting on the phone. How can you work with lose faces starting back at you….:)
