Revelations from a Photographer Mum

I have been asked why have I made the recent changes to my photography business?  Why do I charge more now?  Why do I offer less services?  Why now?

Well some things haven't changed.  Natural, black and white family shots still is, and always will be my first love in photography.  I have always loved creative portraits as well, and these have been a work in progress the whole time I have been in the photography business.  They have been there, but they have been crowded out with everything else I was doing photographically.  

The last year or so of business have been my busiest (and I had the tax bill to prove it :D ).  Up till now I have kept my prices very low.  I have enjoyed taking lots of photos of different families, and being able to provide images for families that normally couldn't afford a photographer.  They have helped me enormously in improving as a photographer.  The down side was I could feel myself burning out.  The frequent migraines, the never ending tiredness, I could feel my creativity and passion draining away. I was starting to sacrifice the time that goes into home-schooling two boys and being a wife and Mother.   At the same time financially, there would be weeks that would be fine, and then there would be weeks when I was working hard, but still struggling to put food on the table.  Looking into the pantry trying to figure out how to feed your family for the next week with what is left is tiring in itself.

I knew I needed to make changes, and I had been slowly doing it.   It was The Arcanum that gave me the painful kick in the butt in the right direction to make me commit, and have give me great advice on how to do it. There is still some tweaking to do, but the first major step is done.

My hourly photography rate is actually still the same, I just don't do mini sessions anymore and I have some lovely products to showcase the portraits now.  I understand that not everyone will now be able to afford my new packages (though you can pay them off.. just saying), but know that I will be putting my creative best into every portrait session to make your investment worthwhile.  If it starts getting really busy again, at least I should be able to afford to hire Calico Jo's sidekick, Jaxon to help out.

I'm excited now.  I'm focusing on what I'm passionate about. I am brimming with ideas for portrait sessions. I'm getting mentored by some of the best photographers in the world!  

Did I mention, I love photography?

Calico Jo