Taking a breather

hese past few months have been quiet. A much needed time of silence and plenty of time with family seems to be rejuvenating me. I decided a much needed breather was required to really figure out what I need to change in my business. I have prioritized my business and figured out what makes my business ME. I have been meaning to write this blog post for quite some time now but I seem to be EXHAUSTED.  
 
It's SO easy to fall into exhaustion in this industry and I seem to be swimming in it. I'm not entirely sure how to write this post because I don't want to offend anyone but I felt I should write what I have learned thus far as a wedding photographer in this exhausting industry. This is just MY opinion and I ONLY am writing this based on my perspective and how I feel.  
 
I feel as though I am swimming in exhaustion because I have allowed myself to just simply get tired. I'm tired of pushing myself to the extreme to be something I just may not be. Why do I feel guilty for not blogging? Why do I continually feel like I'm not good enough? It's SO easy for an artist to feel these ways because it's a constant battle to refine your business and we seem to pour all of ourselves into our work. We need to learn to change these ways that we feel. One way, is to STOP comparing yourself to others in this industry. It will kill your creativity and all of your heart in your business. I take photos based on how I see it and how can that be wrong? If you are happy with what you see and your client is happy with what they see, shouldn't that be all that matters? It seems in this industry that it's NOT all that matters. It seems as though it's a popularity contest. Don't let it be.  
 
I asked myself these questions and realized that all that matters is what I think about myself and what my clients think about me. If my client is happy with their photographs then I am dancing in my shoes because that was my soul purpose on their wedding day.  
 
I have purposely avoided reading other photographers blogs because I feel it takes away from my own creativity. I want my blog, my photographs, and my work to be MINE not someone else's ideas. Sure, I still look at blogs in this industry, I just don't "study" them. I I feel like it's easy to fall into someone elses groove of doing things rather then your own. We all seem to admire someone else and how they run their business but that doesn't necessarily mean it's going to work for you. I feel that you will have a successful business if your business is around YOU. If you photograph like YOU and not someone else, then your going to attract the clients that want YOU and not someone else.  
What I mean is, don't strive to be something you're not. It saddens me when I see my peers in this industry striving to be the BEST of the BEST instead of just focusing on themselves and what their clients like. I personally feel that if you care about YOU and your CLIENT, your business can only grow.  
My goal is to be the best photographer I can be for myself and my clients. I don't NEED to be a well known photographer in this industry to feel good about my business. I just want to be me.  
 
If you need to take a breather, take it! Breathe in your own creativity and breathe out what others think about you.  
 

This is Oliver. One of my many beautiful nephews.