Since new year is right around the corner I figured it was a great time to roll out the new logo and give it a go to see how it went before the new year actually started. So far, I'm totally digging it. I think it has a classier look.
I'm really looking forward to photography in 2014 and have lots of goals I'd like to reach this year! It's always a learning experience. You are constantly learning and striving to be better in this field. You are never fully done learning and broadening your horizon. There will always be someone more amazing out there, but you should always do your very best and learn as you go and continue to better your technique and every other aspect of what you do. I've spent most of my life afraid to do anything about or with something that I LOVE to do because "someone else liked it first, or is better at it" and "I don't want them to be mad at me or think I'm copying". If every single person in life that like that....no one would have ever done anything new at all, there would have been no advances in art, music, dance, theater, science, and who knows what else! We would have not gotten very far as a human species.
In photography it is very easy to get caught in a ho hum attitude. It's easy to look at the work of others and totally beat yourself up over your own work and second guess yourself and worry that you aren't good enough. Which is silly. At one point in time, those people were where you are at too. They didn't just wake up amazing one day and have it all together and know everything. They had to start from square one too! Some photographers have taken classes and courses on doing what they love to do, and it's done great things for them. Some have not taken any courses at all to become amazing at what they do. Others have taken classes and found them completely useless and felt like they didn't learn a thing at all. Others have learned from mentors which is a wonderful way to learn as well.
Every day I see the works of many talented photographers, both in the pet photography field, and every other aspect of photography (newborn, maternity, weddings, children and families, nature and wild life, etc). They all have their OWN unique style and way of doing things. They've worked hard to get where they are today, and thus...they can charge the big bucks for their shots, they have refined their art and found their niche where they belong in the world of photography.
Others, are still searching, still finding their way. Still exploring what they are wanting, they may know what they LOVE to photograph but are still working on the finer points. They may not charge the bigger bucks, but it doesn't mean their work isn't just as important or special as the other photographers. They are both works of constant growth, and hard work, just at different levels.
There are people from all walks of life. Some people are well off and can easily afford the big time photographers who are TOTALLY WORTH every cent spent on their AMAZING works of art that are created around you, your family, your pet, etc. However, there are those in this world, who struggle, who may not be able to afford those carefully mastered and refined family photos. Should they be destined to the cookie cutter world of your average department store photography? No, I do not think that is fair either. Any house hold income has the right to beautiful photos that they are happy with, to have that experience. I currently live in a community that no longer has those cookie cutter department store photos (maybe if you drive several miles you can still get that, but not directly in our town). All you have in this area are "personal" photographers.
They deserve just as much attention for their family photos as others who can afford the "premium" photographers. I have no problem being that "cheap" photographer. I'm working on EXPERIENCE. Getting that hands on experience. Trial and error. That's why generally I only work with close friends/family and shelter animals, and those who are recommended to me by close friends and family. They understand I am not a big time "professional", and my photos aren't going to be the most beautiful and glamorous, but that I will throw my heart and soul into every single photo I do for them.
I learned a LOT from my Mother who went to school for photography back in the day of 'ye old film camera'. Back then, you got it right the first time. There were no composite pictures, or air brushing or smoothing out "the flaws". There were no computers to upload your photos to so you could take 20 pictures just to create the ONE perfect image for your client. If you were taking 20 pictures, you made sure all 20 pictures WERE the perfect pictures for your client, because film wasn't cheap, and neither was developing it yourself. You worked double hard to make sure the lighting was perfect, because there was no viewing your photo immediately upon taking it like there is no. No delete button. No redo button. You took the photo, you took what you took and moved on.
In many ways photographers have it so easy now. Oh darn that person is blinking in this photo or it would be PERFECT, here let me just edit out their eye ball...and then use photo shop to put a NEW eye in from this photo over here where their eye was open, but everyone else looks like a dork. Making a baby hang from a tree in a little knit bag? Photo. Shop. Of COURSE the baby isn't REALLY hanging from a tree! That would violate SOOO many safety concerns. Composite work, photo shop. Doesn't mean there is anything WRONG with it. It's still VERY beautiful art work, and I love it. I strive to some day be able to do something that incredibly beautiful. However, I'm not going to sweat it right now, because I'm not "there" yet. There are so many OTHER more important things I am working on first.
As I mentioned above, we live in an area where the department store photos have disappeared, unless you want to drive several miles. So the big "thing" around here right now, in order to GET family photos, holiday photos, photos of your pet, etc....is to hire a "personal" photographer. Which...it seems around here that EVERY family has a personal photographer in it. Some of them are utterly AMAZING, some of them...not so much. Where you fall in that category, depends on the people who love your work in my opinion, and how hard you are/have worked to get your work noticed. I however, have noticed an unsettling trend among all of these photographers. I guess it's just the push for carving out "YOUR OWN". Your own clients, your own style, your own what ever. Just to be "YOU". Territorial issues, I suppose?
There are many projects I take on for free, and when I say many, I mean most honestly. Especially new things I am doing and trying to learn. My shelter photos are done free of charge, because it's VOLUNTEER work, that's how all of this started (sort of). I really love lending my time to help the dogs! There is certainly NOT a high calling for a pet photographer in our area, but it is something I really truly love to do. Since I already work with lots of dogs, the idea for Fur Ever Yours just kind of grew. I've had issues with people stealing my personal photos in the past, so a water mark was my way of protecting my "stuff". I work very hard on the dog photos that I take, it's not easy to chase down a shelter dog and get them to hold still for photos when all they want is to get out of their kennel and run and play. It's not easy teaching a new volunteer how they need to hold the lead so I can get a proper photo of the dog without arms, legs, heads etc getting in the way and taking away from the dog. It takes a LOT of work and a LOT of time and honestly can wreak havoc on your equipment. Nose prints, sand, mud, paws, tongues, etc. Trying not to scare the dogs who are timid and scared and when there is a human directly in front of them with this THING growing out of their face that blinds them, and makes terrifying noises and they just want to get away....it can be difficult. With some dogs you spent at least 30min just trying to get their attention so you CAN get a half way decent photo of the dog. A good photo for a shelter dog can literally be the difference between LIFE and DEATH. I do NOT want to fail. The shelter dogs are the clients that I want to please, that I DO NOT want to let down. Their life, hangs in the balance. Rescue groups won't look twice at a photo of a dog they can't see. That's blurry. That is too dark, where they can't see the face, or the whole body or get an idea of how big it is. It's taken me 2 years to get a nice routine down on how I want my shelter dog photos to look like. TWO YEARS. Please tell me I haven't worked my ASS OFF to get where I am? I've tested, changed, tested again, done this done that, read this read that, talked to all kinds of shelter photographers getting tips and tricks and find out what works for ME. What meets the needs of the shelter dogs in MY TOWN.
I've had a love of photography since I was a very young child. Going through my Mother's very old collection of cameras that she had lovingly collected over her childhood. I loved every single one of those cameras. I loved asking her how they all worked, and what kind of photos she had enjoyed taking with each one. She taught me about each camera and I grew to love photography so very much. I loved being in front of the camera, I loved being behind a camera. I remember when I was handed my very own 35mm cheap plastic camera. I was the happiest child on earth. I only had 4 rolls of film, and I had to be very careful what I took photos of and not to waste it on stupid stuff (remember, no delete button back then)! I remember when I got my first Polaroid camera. I was in 9th grade. I loved that camera, and actually still own it! I would LOVE to get some more film for it some day (I hear it is hard to find now), and pass that camera on to my own daughter who loves nothing more than to photograph the world from her perspective. She won't have any of those "toy" cameras they design specifically for children. Nope, she has to have the real camera in her hand.
I share my love and excitement for photos with my children, and how very important and special they are. How capturing the joy of REAL life, real moments, REAL memories is so very important. So many of these beautiful and amazing portraits (that I greatly admire), while they are so beautiful, they aren't "real" (well to me). I think your family photos, pet photos, life photos whatever, can be both beautiful art work AND memorable moments.
I love studying and learning all that I can about doing what I do. My FAVORITE thing to photograph in the world, is animals. I LOVE capturing the beautiful, funny, sweet, breath taking moments of animals. The closer, the better! I love the little details of their faces, the little expressions, whiskers, scales, feathers, their eyes that say so much. At the same time, I am also a mom so realize how vitally important it is to have photos of your children (including your furry children). Children grow up so quickly (I know that very well my own children are growing up in a flash)! I want to capture THEIR moments too. The faces, the dirty hands, the smiles, the look of laughter on their faces. The "in the now" kind of moments.
Photography and blogging are two hobbies that I have always loved my entire life. Well, before there was "blogging" it was writing/journaling, whatever. These are outlets, creative outlets for myself. Stress relievers. They should never become "stress givers". I am not a "threat" to anyone in the photography world, that's for sure. I'm just simply doing something that I LOVE. That's why my goals, are MY personal goals for myself for this New Year. New growth.
I have had so many people supporting me over the past few years, gently pushing...mostly shoving and kicking me this general direction.
I was afraid.
I didn't want to become "that" person. That one who picked up a camera, got lucky with a couple of decent shots and was all "OOOOH look at ME I'm a photographer now!" I get plenty of positive feed back, and that always makes me feel wonderful, but at the same time I am my OWN worst critic. Always second guessing, always telling myself "no, you can't do this" or "You aren't any good, at all, give up". Or "Stop, you are embarrassing yourself, and everyone else is so much better than you"
You have to stop comparing yourself to others, because you are NOT others. You are YOU. Don't strive to do something that YOU love the way someone else would do it. Do it the way YOU would do it, and always strive to do better than you were the time before. Don't allow yourself to feel inferior. Don't take things others say personally (which is something I struggle with greatly).
Remember. All photographers, started somewhere. They were once where you were. Keep a humble attitude. There is a difference in being happy with your work, and happy with your achievements. It's another to be boastful. If you are amazing at what you do, people will SEE that, you won't need to tell them, the work will stand for itself.
I always get a smile when I see that I've been recommended to someone (from someone who has been very happy with their work I have done for them, and that work proudly hangs on their wall). It feels weird to be on that "list" of recommendations. It's cool though. Does anyone every follow up on that recommendation? Once in awhile. I'm ok with that. I'm still learning, still growing. So if that's not what someone is looking for, and they want someone more amazing, that's ok. You aren't always going to like or appreciate "the style" of a certain photographer that others are looking for. We all have our own conceptions of art, beauty and talent.
Let your light shine, do it with love and happiness and it will show in your work.
Mahala
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