My Second Life: Building a Photography Business

Do you know the podcast Second Life? It’s about changing direction. It’s filled with stories of pivot and transition at all stages of life. I’m drawn to it because I find it relatable.

My degree is in public health. I was a health inspector for many years. I tromped in creeks taking water samples, inspected pools and schools, and reviewed plans for new restaurants. That’s what I was doing when I found out I was pregnant with my oldest. After he was born, I left my job but kept up my certification, thinking that I’d go back to it a year or so after staying home. I even planned on getting a masters degree. (Super shocker spoiler: didn’t happen.)

One year turned in to many. As so many stay-at-home parents say, the years I stayed home with my boys were wonderful. Hard and tiring, but I’m filled with gratitude for that time. After my second was born, and once we got through the newborn phase (when you’re in a fog every. single. second. and can’t think straight let alone dream of the future) I started having the nagging feeling that I didn’t want to return to my career.

I had picked up a camera again over the previous couple years to take photos of my boys. I had purchased a DSLR and started to teach myself how to take great portraits of them. I hadn’t played much with a camera since high school, when I’d spend hours shooting on film with friends and developing images in our little school darkroom (Athens High School - woot woot!) I felt the pull to start again.

Through tons of courses, practice with willing friends and family, and a lot of trial and error, I taught myself to shoot in manual. I learned how to see light, how to see people, and how to create a final image from what I envisioned. I learned how to use shadow, color, and focus creatively. I learned the rules of composition. (The funny thing is, now I’m all about breaking those rules. )

I purchased new cameras, new lenses, and editing software. I was on my way. Where to, I have no idea, because I certainly never thought I’d be running a photography business. I just knew I wanted the gear and knowledge to take great photos of my family. It was a different kind of learning. It wasn’t for a degree or for a job or for a plan, it was just for me.

But, well, as things have have their way of doing, that changed. Friends started to ask me to take photos of their kids, then asked more formally if I’d “do their family photos”. And they wanted to pay me. I knew nothing about money and business and setting up a company, but it slowly happened. I kept saying to myself that I was only setting up a company so that I could be legit when taking payment, and I was only going to do this for a handful of people. And then all of the sudden I realized: whoa, I actually want to do this for real.

So I went all in. Well, “all in” as a business owner working part time and charging hobby prices while still filling the role of a full time stay-at-home mom. About nine years ago I made an official declaration (on Facebook, obviously, the most official of places) that I was open for business! I let things trickle in as I got acclimated. I said yes to every job, every budget, every request, and I tried out all the things many photographers do. I took family photos in apple orchards and tree farms, posed sleeping babies in baskets, offered hours of back-to-back mini sessions, took tons of senior photos, and focused on making sure I offered what people were asking for.

I did that for five or so years, and in that time had another kiddo, too. I thought about giving it up because I was just so darn tired. I felt pretty burnt out.

But then something happened. It was partially the result of finally reflecting on what I wished I was doing and the type of work I wished I was putting out there, but was equally the result of finally being brave enough to ask the right questions and connect with the right people. I discovered that I wanted to do a different style of photography. I didn’t want people to feel that they had to pretend-smile and look at the camera or spend the session posing in a million different ways. I wanted to incorporate a more documentary style approach, and I wanted to be more of an observer than a director.

I could say a ton about this, but the important part is that it leads me to where I am today. It’s amazing how life-giving being honest with yourself can be. The reason I chose to move forward with creating my own business many years ago was to make my hobby feel legit. But as the business has grown (and as I’ve grown) it’s been about making sure this is a reflection of me and my end goal of being a great storyteller. I want to show my heart, my passion, my values. I want it to be apparent that I value connection over perfection, the in-between moments, and that a perfect photo to me is one that you can feel. This business is just me (with the help of a ton of behind-the-scenes systems), and it only works well when I’m being transparent and authentic.

Running a business would never have been on my list of goals as a college graduate. Being in a creative career would never have made that list either. Honestly, I never even knew those were options for me. And that’s a whole thing to talk about another day. But it’s been beautiful, challenging and satisfying to be my own boss. While we’re on that topic, can we all stop saying “momtog”? Myself included. It’s belittling and just all around misleading. Cool, thanks. Good talk.

All of this to say…life is journey, right? And that’s my journey so far. I’m so glad I found the courage to take the leap (or, let’s be honest, stepping stones), and can’t wait to see where the rest of this life leads me.