Last year I grew a lot in my photography. I honed my skills, took a couple workshops, started to find my voice (which is probably a never-ending process). 2018 was also the first time I really said, “I’m going to do this, really do this as a business.” I set some business goals which, at times, I thought I would never meet. But by the end of the year, I had surpassed each and every one of the goals I had set.
As I contemplated 2019, I wondered about what goals I should set. The success of last year pushes me to set loftier goals and to push my business to grow more. I see the success of other photographers and that pulls me in the same direction. Grow. Grow. Grow. It is the obvious and clear next step . . .
But I’m not going to take it.
I love photography. When I photograph someone, it’s as if it’s the only time I see them. Really see them. I get to focus on them in a way I don’t get to when there isn’t a lens between us. I get to focus on their personalities, what makes them uncomfortable or happy, how they interact with their loved ones, all their little details. I get to focus completely on them and nothing else, and it is always a beautiful experience for me as the photographer. I say that I come to love each and every person that steps in front of my lens, and I do. You can’t focus on someone so completely and not love them.
Along with that, photography has been my release. When I became a mom, I let myself be engulfed completely. All of my hobbies and interests seemed to fall away unnoticed as I cared for my little one. I was okay with that at first, but after a couple of years and another kid, I felt I needed to find myself again. Photography has been part of that journey.
But with all of that, I will not be striving to grow my business this year. In the second half of 2018 I hit my sweet spot. I had just the right amount of work that I was being fulfilled but I wasn’t overwhelmed. I see so many photographers get overwhelmed. So I’m keeping my same business goals that I had last year. It seems almost wrong to not push higher and farther. But sometimes it's okay to stay where we are at. To stay where it feels good. To stay in our sweet spot.