Happy New Years Eve! Wishing you a safe and fun holiday!
Here is my final post of the year. 2 years ago (almost to the day I picked up my first DSLR and started shooting). My business is no two years old and after this last year I’ve gained greater perspective on what a few things. I’m going to review a few things that worked and did not work for me personally. Enjoy and may you learn from my mistakes and my wins!
What Worked
Taking a holiday with Adam to Hawaii in December to unwind. Sitting in the sun, reading a good book, and being with my love was magical. And yes, I am glad I took my 5d Mark II.
Spending time in Kelowna and Peachland with my family and friends. I would love to shoot a summer wedding in Kelowna again as an excuse to go.
Figuring out my on and off camera flash and gaining more confidence with it. Still a work in progress but… Yayy!
Getting a second Canon 5d Mark II body for my back-up camera. And just in time because I needed it not a week after I bought it! If you don’t have a good back-up camera you really should invest.
Taking a girls trip witha few best friends to Vegas in September where I had easily one of the funnest nights of my life.
Making friends with other photographers. Shanna, Vanessa, Justine, Michelle, Rose, Erika, and Dana to name a few.
Minimizing the number of non-wedding related photo sessions I take on and really specializing in engagements and weddings.
Developing a more concrete editing style. While it still will shift as time goes by, I love that I am more consistent than ever before.
Attending my first photography workshop.
Creating two new sample albums for client coffees.
Having my work published on over 11 different wedding sites. Two Bright Lights used to be so awesome for this. I think it’s way to saturated now taking weeks or months to get approved and more months to get published, but I’m glad I got in when I did. Not sure if I will do it again next year.
Having my bestie, Jamie, room with us for a few months this year while she finished her masters and started a new counselling job.
Asking for help and advice from friends and collaborating with them to improve our businesses.
Finding a day to visit Universal Studios during a conference (mixing some business with pleasure!).
Having our two year anniversary photos taken. I learned what I think it might really mean to be a true photographer at heart and not a business person that takes photos. My eyes are now open.
Getting my Showit Website created and up and running! Finally! I can certainly add more and do more with it, but I am happy enough for now.
What Didn’t Work
Burning out in the Fall. Yep. I did. After shooting 4 weddings back to back along with about 6 other sessions within 3 weeks, teaching 7 (!!!!) classes and working 60% in my counselling role it was simply too much. I ended up with the cold to end all colds and I was sick as a dog (who don’t really get sick actually) for well over a month.
Getting tired and tardy with email (also in the Fall). I was still pretty rad at replying right away but it sometimes went longer than I felt comfortable with. Beyond that, I wrote about three emails and accidentally clicked save instead of send, and discovered this weeks later. I felt terrible. I ought to implement a daily email schedule if I stay this busy.
Being too flexible with paper work for clients and shooters. Left me feeling down and out and I created some decent headaches for myself. Learning points taken. Boundaries are now firmer and I have greater clarity and better contracts.
Having coffees with clients that were still in serious shopping mode and not really stronnnngly interested in me (i.e. they still have five other coffees booked that week and I’m just an ‘okay’ option at this point). Couples that like my images, the cut of my jib, and want to have coffee with me to talk about the relationship and their wedding (cause they already think they want to book me and they’ve already read my blog and website) are the ones I want to work and meet with. I don’t really want to work with those couples that want to meet up to ask me what I think my editing style is (because they haven’t looked much at my site) and whether I will edit photos in vintage form or not or if I use Canon or Nikon (no offense to those that have asked me these questions). I’m all about building the relationship and getting to know YOU. Talking about all the lenses I have (which are all top of the line and wonderful BTW) doesn’t accomplish that.
Not using Facebook and Twitter the way I know I should. When push came to shove I just didn’t feel I had the time to writer something worthwhile everyday.
Beating myself up for not being perfect at everything alllll of the time. I’m not. So I should just accept that and hurry up and use the time saved to appreciate all that I am.
I didn’t try enough cake at weddings this year. I love cake and maybe I had one piece out of 15? One piece! That’s a terrible record :). But, I’m sure my waistline thanks me.
I didn’t give enough direction for my second shooters or for Adam who almost always assists. Turns out it’s hard for me to manage the wedding people, the timeline, the photographs I take and the people working for me. I’m not that great of a manager on wedding days and this skill deficit left me caught off guard. What you can’t all read my mind??
I didn’t call my Mom and Dad enough. Sorry Mom. Sorry Pops.
I didn’t eat my vegetables and got too busy to cook so I ordered in. A lot. That made my pants too tight and painful to wear and then I ended up wearing the same dress to pretty much all of my 2011 weddings. Lol.
Okay so now, if you didn’t already know, you now do!
Next up on the blog are my 2012 goals! But first, check-out our visit to Universal Studios (taken with our Canon point and shoot camera – go point and shoot!).
xo
Lyndsay
I collect squished pennies :).
Self portrait with Frankenstein. 
I’m such a Marge sometimes.
And the beautiful Justine! She is so lovely!
Leona – the person who essentially booked me my first wedding – and my best friend – at Robbie & Chelsey’s reception.
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