Friday, September 16, 2011

Every Image Is A Reflection

I take photos professionally. That is, I run an official business where people pay me to take photographs. What I put out there for the public to see will be a direct reflection of the type of work I produce. I, however, have decided to make a concession. Let me explain.

Facebook has been an invaluable source for me. I've made new contacts, shown off my portrait work, and booked sessions through messaging. My business contacts, however, consistantly blur into my personal friends.

A while back I made the decision to no longer use my DSLR for everything. I found it became drudgery to record personal events - my family, daily life, vacations, etc. I found I simply wouldn't shoot these things at all because it meant thoroughly thinking the shots through (is my child in the best light for blowing out her candles), culling any less-than-perfect shots, and fully processing them before I would even consider posting it. I began to wonder how much of this precious time with my children was not being recorded or shared with my friends/family because of my desire for perfection. I bought a Panasonic Lumix which also recorded video and that's what now travels in my purse with me and comes out during fun moments in our day. Less than 5 minutes and the snapshots are up on Facebook.

I guess I do have this luxury because my family can and does come first. I am blessed for not having to rely on my photography for my survival, and I therefore am not trying to grow my business at this point. So far, I have gotten just the amount of work I can handle to keep my skills progressing without taking too much away from my family. When someone wants to see my work, I direct them to my website, not my Facebook account. I find I am shooting more, with less stress, and actually come to value my "good camera" all the more when I do use it.

Photograph: Just Another Homeschool Day

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Great perspective! Thank you for sharing!