I get emails and messages from people who ask me how I started in photography and what is involved in my specific business. Although I can always remember having a camera and taking photos of my world, photography didn’t grab me and reel me in until I had kids. That happens to a lot of people. It was never my intention to pick up a camera and take photos as a career. I picked up a camera because I quickly discovered how fast life goes by and I wanted to capture my three monkeys in all their amazing glory. I learned the ins and outs of my camera because I wanted to be able to manipulate my camera in different settings to get images that spoke to me and my life. I was eventually asked to take photos for friends and their families. I did that for fun for about 18 months. It helped to fuel my love for photography, especially at points when my littles did NOT want my camera in their face. After that time is when I decided to pursue photography part-time as a career. It (the business side) has been hard but I would make the same decision again.
Photography is where I escape, it’s where I find a renewed sense of self. Photography is where I capture a moment in a life that may seem insignificant but has power and meaning. When I go to events for my kids, I don’t just photograph my kids, I photograph all kids. I love sending those images to their families and see their faces. I recently went to my son’s Taekwondo belt ceremony. If you have never been to one the demonstrations alone are pretty cool. I, of course, was excited that my child was being promoted and he even received a trophy for his kicking combination skills. I took a lot of photos that day but the one that stood out to me the most was not one of my child, it was one of someone else demonstrating his board breaking skills. That moment was so awesome to me. He shattered the board with his foot and it was over his head, 1.5 (adult) people high. Um…AWESOME!!
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When I showed him and his wife what I captured they were thrilled and excited. Plus, he actually saw for himself how his foot destroyed that board. I love that my photos bring joy to people. I work hard to perfect my craft and every day I am constantly learning. I will NEVER be perfect but I will always strive to get better.
My advice for those who are interested in photography is simple, decide what about photography is drawing you in. Is it the love of capturing life? The possibility of income? A way to express your creative side? This business is over-saturated with “photographers” who picked up a camera, turned their camera on auto, put a fancy action/filter on it, and someone said it was good. That was when they decided to “go into business”. If you are driven by money then you will likely charge nothing, give your images away, and take 2-3 times as many clients as you need to. You will also burn out. My advice is just shoot…things, people, life. Learn your camera first. I shoot every single image on manual. I know my camera, my lenses, how the light will react in each setting during different times of the day. I know how to edit every image by hand and yes, sometimes it takes forever. I read, study, take classes, workshops, put myself out there for criticism, and most of all I just continuously practice. I just want to take beautiful images that people will LOVE. My advice is to just shoot anything and everything for a long time without expectation and without reservation. Then decide if a photography business is for you. You will be a better photographer and a happier photographer if you do.
Sweet Pea Studios specializes in newborn, family, baby, child and maternity photography in Northern Virginia and surrounding areas including but not limited to Chantilly, Fairfax, Aldie, Leesburg, Alexandria, Reston, Middleburg, Manassas, Gainsville, Vienna, McLean and Washington DC.
