[meganray]

I claim what I make . I have a back up camera.. and a back up computer, and I save originals to external hard drvies after sessions and loading them on m y computer… we also rent a space for me to process out of and store props and lights because our house is small. I do NOT have employees but I do have an assistant (my sister) who I pay to come to newborn sessions as a poser and spotter…

 

I have a Nikon D50 and a Nikon D90 and I use primarily a 50mm 1.8 and my 18-200 VR… I just ordered a 35mm 1.8 and am sooo excited for it to arrive.
My husband makes enough money that I don’t have to work.. but I enjoy it.. so getting rich, or under cutting other photographers has never been my goal.. I am not trying to take anyone elses clients, I work for the same people most of the time, and do not think my time and work is of no value.

I very very very much would like to start printing for my clients… I have always wanted to offer the disc, but because I am learning the importance of printing and have learned so so many people never print their images!.. I always figured people printed… but so many just keep the disc and the thought of images never being printed does break my heart… I would like to start including a disc after prints have been purchased.. the reason I have not yet is because we live an hour from the nearest city… or any printer!.. and with three young kids, and no real organised set up I just didn’t feel ready to do it yet… I dont have the time.. but I agree its important and like I said I do hope I can build up and when my kids are in school work full time… and really make all this legit…

I really do appreciate everything you said… you were very upfront and polite about it and I thank you for that!! You reaffirmed a lot of things I was already feeling…

I have been intending to slow down.. but not quit… but I really do want to improve and I do NOT want to be a fauxtog!

I do welcome advice on both business and my images. 🙂 I do like my work, and I do not agree that every photograph needs to be technically perfect.. I do work a lot by feelings and how an image touches a person too… but I want to improve in all aspects if I can. 🙂

I do hire other photographers, and I do always buy the digital copies and print for myself.. but I understand what you mean.. I realize now not everyone realizes the importance of proffesional printing and not just leaving pictures on disc.. I do take my work seriously … I agree I learn a lot more about my camera.. and I do love experimenting and I get what you mean about pressure and stress..

[meganray]

… Can I also say… I definitely one hundred percent, individually tweak and hand edit every single image, actions or not. Every single one.

 

Sorry I wrote so so much!!

[meganray]

”

I have to ask exactly what do you mean “Every time I try and stop I miss it so much”?

Every time you stop shooting?  Why do you stop?  Dont ever stop if it’s what you love to do.

or do you mean stop being in business?

If the latter, what do you miss?  Most photogs actually shoot and learn more when they aren’t in business, so I’m a little confused.”

 

If I did all sessions for free.. I would not have had the money for daycare (so I could both shoot.. and process) .. or the equipment I was using.. 😉 .. so I was mostly unable to shoot during those times.. unless it was my own kids…. and I have learned a LOT just doing my own kids.. 🙂

I try to be fair about what I charge.. so I am making enough to cover daycare, equipment, props and such… and some groceries… 🙂

[meganray]

I still give a disc with sessions… I charge between 100 and 250 depending on the job and if I am traveling.. I work in a small town between two cities and most of what I do is here..
I do not consider other photographers competition and I don’t want other photographers to hear about me and think I am trying to undersell them if they see my prices, but I don’t want to charge too much for a few reasons.. I cater to small and new families.. and I have never been to school. I’m self taught. I’d like someones opinion on if that makes sense?

I LOVE looking at other peoples work.. I do not want my work to look the exact same as anyone elses but I have never been terribly concerned with making mine stand out.. I just work on each picture as its own… I don’t wanna be a fauxtog! I think my images will stand the test of time.. I’d be sad to hear they won’t.

[meganray]

.. Thanks for taking the time to respond!

Ok, just gonna be totally honest haha.. everything I know about photography I taught myself by trial and error, I started with film … but that was in highschool.. really all that taught me was a little about light and composition, but it helped and I loved it. I was a painter and it was just another way to get that out. I worked at Superstore portrait studio for a while.. but we had no editing there, and they didn’t teach me anything about shooting manual at all, it was just set the person up and snap the pictures.. so again it taught me about posing and working with people.. a bit about cropping and contrast but thats it!

I’ve read my manuals, watched video tutorials and I play around.  I had a camera because I always just loved shooting.. and I mostly did young kids when I was in highschool.. because my mom ran a daycare and my brother and sister were almost 10 years younger.. haha just made sense.. thats what was avaibable to shoot.. so I practiced like mad…. I liked photographing people.. and then the amount of people that wanted me to do it started to grow and I couldn’t keep up and I am a people pleaser and didn’t like saying no… so I would charge 20 or 50 buck depending what the job was.. and give them a disc. It didn’t even pay for my time or equipment but it kept my boyfriend happy haha!.. He didn’t mind it taking up so much time because it made me happy and I wasn’t doing it totally free. I never lied to anyone.. I am very open about being self taught.

During that time I was still working at the portrait studio and was saving for school when I found out I was having my first, and after that I had 3 kids in 3 and a half years… So I have taken a lot of breaks and tried to slow down.. because I can’t improve my skills in the speed I want to while trying to raise babies and toddlers at the same time… so I feel a little stuck right now with my learning curve.. I teach myself one thing at a time..

I try to say no to weddings, because I don’t enjoy them.. so much stress..  but I do still do ones every year! I have a hard time saying no, and I am trying to force myself.. at least 60 percent of the people I work for.. I know..  because I am from a small town.. thats a huge thing… almost all my clients are people I know, or know my family and friends.. so the reason there is soooo many facebook images up is because they all want sneak peeks… I know them… and I know there kids… and I post everything I think they’ll like!… I know I need to stop doing that. Its good to have someone say so.. maybe it’ll make me stop.

I also tilt the camera… a lot! Guilty!.. I love it.. haha and had no idea it was a bad thing.. and I probably will never completly stop doing it because I still like it but I do it way to much and actually have been trying to rehab myself of it!

I am inconsistant.. on purpose.. eeeeeek I know that sounds so bad.. but up until now I have always approached every single picture as art.. as a painting almost.. I do each one individually and not in order… I am terribly scatter brained… I am not organized at ALL.. but its always worked until now… I literally have never had someone tell me they were unhappy.. after a session, other than when I agreed to do Dance pictures for my town one year there was a slight issue with the one client but it was more about time schedualing than pictures…  not there couldn’t have been unhappy people that never talked to me about it.. I do think about that. :/

I know I am not AMAZING.. I know I cant call myself a pro.. YET! I’ve never even been to a photoshop class…

But I do my best to give the best images I can.. not just ones that look good in a profile picture, but I print my personal work, and strive for clear, sharp images, but I am not all the way there. I would like to improve and become more consistant and I hope within the next 5 years start a full time business.

I WOULD LOVE advice. 🙂

[meganray]

Oopsie.. ahhhh.. here goes… here’s my link.. 🙂

Only contructive criticism please! (I know some of you will tell me I over edit..  I love it that way… ) 🙂 I do want to know what you think.

https://www.facebook.com/photography.meganray

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