2022 did not go as planned, but instead, offered spontaneous opportunities that lended a hand in growing the business in ways I did not expect! This blog post is a way to keep track of my goals and growth, and to share a behind the scenes look into operating a photography business.
MY ORIGINAL GOALS FOR 2022…
Photographing reining and cutting horses in action.
Expand hunter jumper clientele in the midwest part of Michigan (closer to home).
Connect with more competitive dog owners, trainers and reputable breeders.
Furnish a higher percentage of client homes with fine art.
Adding a virtual assistant to help manage office obligations.
Improve my skills as a photographer and business owner.
INSTEAD I ENDED UP…
Dedicating a large portion of my summer photographing for international equine and canine company, LeMieux. I am marking this off as a HUGE learning exerience. With the company sending me box after box after box of inventory to photograph, I expected the images to be used, resulting in more exposure and drive for the business. in lieu of that, I put LeMieux before portrait clients, did a LOT of work for not a lot of money, building a library of photos they most likely won’t use (even though they said they were thrilled with them and wanted more). It left a lot of models, and myself, incredibly disappointed, and was the leading reason I missed my net growth goal this year.
Creating portraiture images of horse & dogs together. I wanted to book more clients for the Luxury Equine Portrait Sessions, a new package that focused on artistic poses vs the basic head shots. It also allows me more freedom to be creative in what I see as an artist. Instead - I had more clients wanting their horse and dog photographed together against a black background. This assisted me in opening the door to clients who sought me out as an equine photographer, to also hire me as a canine photographer. I call that a win - but I’m still hungry to be artistically creative in the Luxury Equine Portrait Sessions.
Adding an assistant for photoshoots. Instead of hiring a virtual assistant who could help manage the office obligations (inquiries, booking, accounting, blogging, social media calendar and engagement, fine art designs, etc. etc.), I ended up hiring an assistant to travel with me and assist during the photoshoots. This elevated the client experience, allowing the client to relax into the session, producing more authentic images.
Making a change from DLSR to Mirrorless. This was inevitable. I hate change, especially when there isn’t anything wrong with the current equipment. But my main camera needed to retire to be a backup, and with my clients wanting larger fine art than I could comfortably sell with a 5DIV, it was a better investment to upgrade to the R5 Mirrorless than the 1DX DSLR. I’ve gotten used to the new camera menu and adjusted for different muscle memory, but I’m still not loving the adapter requirement for sigma lenses.
Improved my social media skills. If this isn’t a job in itself, I don’t know what is. Being social when you’re not a very social person is HARRDDD. 😅 Things I find boring in my job - you all think are the most interesting posts I’ve ever published! You make me question my sanity, but I’ve heard from many of you that my endless efforts in social media appearances and content quality is “excellent.”
Create a healthier work/life balance. The first 3-5 years are always the hardest for businesses, and will determine if the business with succeed or fail. I put myself on the chopping block in 2021, and by 2022 I said enough. I limited my availability for photoshoots, scheduled regular office/editing days, and allowed myself days off. I put my mental and physical needs above the business, learned to say no, and how to overcome the anxiety that slowing down to put myself first, wasn’t going to harm the business, but instead strengthen it.
COMPILING MY SUCCESSES AND FAILURES OF 2022, MY 2023 GOALS ARE…
Hire a virtual assistant for office obligations. 😆 This is a never ending goal, but if I can book enough photoshoots, then I can afford adding a second assistant for office work!
Sell more fine art for client homes. I don’t put all this effort into photography just to have the images get liked on social media and lost when phones die. They need to be enjoyed as heirloom fine art in homes, offices, and barns. Adding value and need to fine art, and seeking clients that feel the same, is a BIG goal for 2023.
Dedicate more time toward mentoring up-and-coming and peer photographers. Whether that’s through in person mentorships, video calls, or online courses available for download, I want to give back to the next photographers, and foster a positive community of support for each others dreams.
Restructure commercial and product photography. IF I choose to do more commercial or product photography, I need to ensure that my time is equally compensated and only positively effects the direction and growth of my business with my portrait clientele.
Create a healthier balance of work during all seasons. May - October is always SUPER busy, and although I’m ready for my break around the holidays, I would love to find ways to fill my calendar with regular work, and more a predictable income in January - April.
Continue to create spectacular photography through the beauty of every day moments. This will come from constant personal development as an artist and business owner, through mentorships from fellow photographers, and thinking more outside of the box!
For those in 2022 who have shared, liked, commented on social media, referred a friend, assisted in photoshoot prep, purchased gift cards, invested in fine art, or enjoyed your own photoshoots - THANK YOU. Your support in the big and small ways has made 2022 a success, and my 2023 goals 100% possible. 🖤
