So...sorry that all I've been showing you here is portrait photos I've been taking recently...but that is ALL I do now. What started as exciting fun has quickly become a second job that doesn't pay nearly enough for the time and energy it requires. Don't get me wrong, I still LOVE doing it...and I don't want to stop. I am just exhausted. Christmas is coming FAST...and I still have shopping to do...with not even a moment to think about what to buy. I have photo sets to finish editing pronto for the parents to have before Christmas. Post-processing is taking up much more of my time than I thought it would...and my original pitch of a "Free Portrait Session" is starting to look like too poor an idea to continue for very much longer. I'm sure things will be much better after Christmas, because everyone is rushing Holiday Portraits...but right now, I barely have time to breathe.

Tonight, I will scoot out of work as soon as I can, and head home to settle in front of the glowing monitor with a cup of coffee and photoshop until my 5:30 appointment arrives. I've got another one tomorrow at 2:00. Both of those seem like they will be easier orders. Today's shots are of my neighbor's niece and nephew. She wants to gift the children's mother with a couple portraits for Christmas. They are 6 and 2. Piece of cake. Tomorrow's children are 9 and 4, and are also a gift being done by someone else for the kids' parents. They do not need any Christmas portraits, but they do need the photos before Christmas.

I am trying to work on my nervousness with photographing children of people I don't know. So far it has mostly been friends. I did one that was referred by my neighbor, but the neighbor came with them, and Chad was there to help me get the baby to smile. The overall energy of that shoot was really great. It is funny how each shoot is different, with a different pace, and the parents all act differently. The first set I did, both parents came, and the father got his daughter to laugh by telling her knock knock jokes. Some parents will stay behind me most of the time, while others will sit right beside the backdrop near their kids. Some come prepared with armloads full of props, knowing exactly what they want the photos to look like...while others just stand back and let me make all the decisions.

I need to find a good site to host my photo sets on. I want something that the parents can view the photos online at. I want them to be download protected, and I don't want the option to order prints from a third party to be available. Anybody have any recommendations?

I also need to think of a name for my business. I don't particularly want to use my married last name, since it is long and polish and not very pretty sounding...not to mention, not all that easy to spell. Ideas? E-mail me if you really want to try to help me think of anything, and need to know my name and stuff. K thx!

Labels: photographic ventures