something pretty
Dear Readers,
Seeding has begun! I peek in on the little germinating seeds at least three times a day to shower them with loving thoughts, and also to physically shower them with water.
But that's not the topic of this post! Have you ever thought it would be SO COOL to be a wedding photographer? So fun and lovely and chill and artful, right? One of my favorite wedding photographers, Lindsay Anne Belliveau, was kind enough to give us a close-up on her life as a photographer. Not only does she give some thoughtful advice, but her pictures are so pretty to look at on this cold February day. Enjoy!
Why did you start your own business? I started my business slowly but surely as I was finishing high school. I began by taking senior photos of my friends and timidly branched out into photographing couples. By college, I was photographing weddings on some weekends and loving it.
What's the best compliment you've received since starting out? I think I've felt most gratified when clients start out feeling awkward and nervous about being photographed, but then they end up having a great time together and loving the photos afterwards. When people are blown away by how great they look in their photos, that's the best compliment to me! I like helping people feel their best, because everyone can be photogenic!
What things frighten you about owning your own business? I really get freaked out by bookkeeping and taxes. Having an accountant is 100% necessary, and this year I'm hiring an awesome bookkeeper as well so that I don't miss anything and I'll have much more peace of mind.
What's your typical day on the job like? I try to do emails at the beginning and the end of each work day. The in-between is filled with culling, editing, exporting and uploading photos, making blog posts, keeping my social media stream updated, SEO work, attempting to do bookkeeping, designing albums, and much more! I always make to-do lists so that I don't forget anything. My brain can't hold that much information on its own, so it helps to get it out on paper!
Who do you rely on most? I have to say that my husband is my biggest help. He sometimes assists me at weddings, and his way of quietly being there for anything I or my clients could need is so priceless. Working from home with him for most of the week (his job is 90% from home, too) helps me to me to be more productive. He also makes me coffee and tea most days! Yay!
How do you define success? Success is doing what you love and making just enough money to be self-sufficient. You don't need to "beat" all of your competitors in the number of jobs you get, make six figures, or have the coolest instagram stream to be "successful." I think success is acknowledging where you and your business are and what you can do to grow, without comparing yourself too much to others.
Butterbee Farm is going on its fourth year in business. What's one piece of advice you can give me? Never stop learning! The times I grow stagnant are times when I'm not learning anything new about photography. I like to attend workshops every 1-2 years, read about new techniques online, and best of all just photograph for fun. That way, I can't get bored with this job that I love.
