up in the sycamore photography » Photography Blog and Portfolio

I had the opportunity last year, this time, to teach a workshop to a very sweet and talented group of girls in Texas. It wasn’t fancy or formal, I used my basic equipment to show them what can be done within a small beginning budget, how to gain experience and challenge yourself, and I even learned a trick or two from them! The best part of this workshop is continuing the friendship and mentorship with these ladies, being able to network and share and laugh and cry with them. True friends! This morning one of these sweet girls texted me asking me “what am I doing wrong, why do I offer great deals and still get hardly any business? Do I need to upgrade my editing software to make {it} look better?”

This is what I told her: “All I use is PS Elements(!!) :) you can fool yourself into thinking you need better equipment, but you don’t (right away). I tell myself all the time I need a better this or that. But it’s not always true. (For the first few years of my career I shot with a Nikon D40x. A simple, basic, semi pro camera. Yes, I shot everything from newborns to weddings with this small camera. You have to continue to practice and grow, learn your basic software and camera like the back of your hand before moving on to something more advanced and fancy!) Look into taking another workshop, class, or mentorship by a photog you like that offers online or personal mentoring! Some people have a natural talent that blossoms into a successful business overnight, they might just happen to be in the right place at the right time or go to school for it for a long time. Some people are artistic (like you and me) but have to work very hard at improving their business skills. You will get there and it might take a long time. Never give up on what you love and don’t try to force it either. When you get down, maybe try to focus on personal photography like the place you live, your family, everyday story telling. Gain experience and find the beauty through your own daily life. See the beauty in what surrounds you. Take the business slow. Let clients come to you. Continue to offer inexpensive shoots to build your portfolio, because it takes time! But know that you don’t have to stay there very long. You can do it! :) what you don’t want to do is burn yourself out by constantly trying to overachieve your own goals, or doing shoots for next to nothing. Be realistic about how much you should charge and how much you can do as a mom and with a full time job outside of photography. Focus on what’s around you! Take pictures around town, submit them to the local paper, shoot shoot shoot and expect failure. That way when you nail something, it’s a surprise! Remember you didn’t go to school for this, and you are still learning. It’s a cruel and unrealistic goal to think you can make good money in this line of work overnight, it’s art! It has to please the eye of the buyer, be appreciated. Pretend you’re the buyer and just love what you do, constantly challenging yourself to learn new things. I know you will get there my dear, I wouldn’t encourage you to keep working at it if I didn’t think you had an audience that will seek you out.”

Every photographer has a unique approach, for me, I use simple photo editing software, a simple camera, but I have learned how to use them properly, and creatively (through a lot of trial and error) My style has changed over the past few years, my eye and knowledge has grown. As your business grows, and you can afford to upgrade, that’s wonderful! But having the best equipment doesn’t make you a great photographer. Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. My art isn’t appreciated by everyone I know, and thats ok. I put my heart into it, and that’s what makes it my own, and I love doing it. xoxo to all young beginning photographers! I was once there too :)

here are some simple iphone photos of my family, my beauty in everyday life.

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