“Always chase your dreams instead of running from your fears.”

photos from vi.sualize.

Congrats to the winners of the Katelyn James Photography Workshop giveway! I couldn’t begin to imagine the pressure and frustration to choose from so many great entries & deserving photographers but I know the winners deserve every bit of the awesome workshop she has to offer!

I entered the contest myself earlier this week with my own blog post about my journey into the photography industry. I must say that the challenge really pushed me to admit to myself and the world my insecurities along with the realization that building a business is w.o.r.k., lots of it. It is far more than the photo session or final product. And putting yourself out there for the world to see. Big hairy scary. So instead of saying how I was the girl that always had a disposable camera in her hand to document all of lifes big and little moments. That I would make sure to get double prints so one set could go in my photo album and the others could be displayed in a scrapbook or frames and how those frames had contast changes. How I would only do 1 hour developing  because I wanted them rightthisminute. How I stumbled into wedding photography by photographing a friends “getting ready” and details because her photographer didn’t. How I had thought I wanted to be a wedding & event planner but quickly realized it was the wedding photography that I enjoyed far more. I didn’t really focus on my victories or future hopes. Rather than be all rainbow & unicorns, I chose to expose my struggles and my dreams & my struggles with my dreams. Not in an attempt to be negative & all Debbie Downer, but to be raw & honest, putting it all out there with hopes that others can relate and we can encourage one another to keep pushing forward. Some people say that being an open book with your struggles can be business suicide. I don’t believe that. I feel that as long as I am honest about my insecurities, trials & tribulations along with my victories and sunshine moments, that people will see me for me, and not as just a business persona. I do fully believe that we are a walking billboard for our business and I should be the image that I want my business and myself to be portrayed. Hopefully it’s real, honest, down to earth & human. Thank you Katelyn for giving me the opportunity, but more so the push to let it all out, acknowledge it, own it, learn from it & keep moving forward. 🙂