Managing a Photography Business
Over the last year and since I’ve started my business, I've really gained a lot of experience with running my own business. It's not as hard as I thought it would be but it's definitely not easy by any means. I've definitely come to know my clients and how to better run my processes. Nothing about wedding photography is easy but not a day goes by that I regret doing this. It's hard for me to admit but I get emotional sometimes when I shoot weddings. I love seeing visions and dreams come true and being the one to capture this moment in time is amazing.
One thing I’ve had the hardest time learning is not every wedding is the same. Not every wedding is going to be a big wedding with lots of bells and whistles.I’ve had a hard time learning to be patient. I am a very proactive person. I like everything being on time and ready. For me, this means emailing clients back immediately and expecting a prompt response. This has bothered me deeply but I've learned that everyone has lives other than wedding planning and checking emails. I’m learning that it's okay. I am also a perfectionist sometimes so I like to make sure everything is perfect for my clients including my documents and processes. I hate messing up.
One of the easier things I've enjoyed doing is creating client projects and files in Honeybook, the software I use for contracts and payments. Consultations and communicating are my favorite things to do. I get to learn who my clients are and get to know their wedding or event. I’ve had clients from big weddings to small weddings but every couple has been magical and eccentric over their weddings. To me that's the most amazing part: seeing them on their wedding day, happy and excited how everything came together and being the one who gets to capture it all. It creates a different sense of peace and meaning.
Unfortunately, not everything can be sunshine and flowers. Difficult clients, over explaining my worth and telling clients that wedding photography is important and the list goes on. I wish I could give the clients everything they need and to make the processes stressless. Running a business includes all kinds of costs including: travel, equipment, insurance, software, storage, licenses and registration fees. Paying for all that plus paying myself a livable wage makes working with a client’s budget hard. I want to make things affordable. Every photographer and vendor in the wedding industry does. But unfortunately everything has a cost. And sometimes it's hard to get a client or couple to realize it. Trying to get clients to understand what photography entails requires a lot and sometimes it doesn't work out. But something I'm realizing is no client is better than an overly difficult client.
Managing a photography business requires hours and hours of dedication. Not just before an event or during the event itself but after the event and during the editing process. It requires patience, alot of understanding and a lot of social skills. It requires seeking out business and keeping up with social media and a website. One of my goals in my photography journey is to help the world realize how special photography is and it's not just pointing a camera and taking a picture. There’s more art and creativity to the job than most people know. Photographers are real people who have feelings and thoughts like everyone else and it's crazy I have to explain that. I use this blog as a way for people to dive into the life of a photographer and see the everyday processes I and we have to use. I love doing these blogs because it also helps clear my mind so I hope everyone enjoys these blogs.
