- Be you. I’m serious. I’ve been down the road of “ooh… but I would be so much better if I was like _____!” It’s no fun and it does no good.
- Make sure it’s what you love and are passionate/excited about. If you aren’t, it will show through. People can really tell when you love or don’t love something. Plus, you don’t want to be doing a job for the rest of your life that’s just kind of okay.
- Make what you have work. I’m a first-time business owner, too, folks. My dad is also self-employed. When we started his/our contracting and wood working company, I watched what happened when we didn’t make what we had work. It equaled digging ourselves into a pit. Lesson learned. I get it that it’s especially hard in this industry, but it’s not all about the equipment – it’s about you as a person and photographer.
- Ask questions. There is no question too “dumb”.
- Surround yourself with people who support you. I know firsthand that you can’t do something without a group of people supporting you. (Learned that one by falling flat on my face with web design.) For me, this is my family and good friends. I couldn’t do it with out them.
- Perfect your in-camera skills. The better in-camera, the less time you’ll have to spend with your eyes scorching, glued to a computer.
- Connect with other photographers. Do lunch if they’re local. Do Skype if the live further away. Make them friends.
- Give yourself a break. I try to work four or five days per week unless something urgent comes up. It works wonders. (I’m partial to running when I need a break.)
- Get inspired. For me, this equals something like splashing in a creek with my siblings, going mudding with good friends, lighting a few candles, laughing with my sisters. It’s the simple things, but inspiration is part of what drives this business.
- Don’t freak out when something doesn’t go as planned. Just breathe and keep on clickin’. (I need to work on this one.)
And guys? I’m not exempt from those things, either. Not in the very least.
What are some things that you think are important for photographers to remember?
