I’ve been pondering this post for a few days now as I wasn’t sure where to begin. To most, this is just another photo of a cute, smiley little guy, but it means so much more to me. It really has taken almost a year and a half to capture this photo. Let me explain.
I began photographing Bray and his family in October 2009. They were one of the first families to take a chance on my skills – a big chance at that time because I was just getting started! 🙂 When we first met, Bray was a shy toddler; and while we managed to get some great photos, he was definitely a little uncertain of me. Since then, we’ve had about 3 or 4 other sessions together. Slowly, he has grown up and warmed up to me a bit more each time. This photo captures one of the very first real smiles he has given me directly. We were having a playful moment while mom prepared little sister for some more photos, and I was delighted to have caught this photo! My relationship with Bray has come such a long way during these past 18 months. He now knows who I am and feels comfortable enough to be himself around me – and that, my friends, is PRICELESS!!!
The reason I wanted to write about this is because I want everyone to know that what I do is about so much more than the actual photos. It’s about relationships. I’m certainly not in it for the money (if you know what I charge you’ll agree). I love being able to support my hobby with families I have come to call friends. I love watching their kids grow. I love being part of their lives.
If you are looking for the cheapest photographer, let me tell you now – I’m not your girl. I do keep my prices low as I respect my families budgets, but I don’t want to be some one’s photographer based solely on how much I charge. Another thing, if you are a photographer hopper (meaning you have tried every photographer out there), I’m not your girl. I don’t want to be just another photographer who took your family photos. There are plenty of photographers out there who will photograph your family if all your looking is photos. I promise – the area is saturated with them!!! Personally, I’m looking for a lot more. Not every photographer is a good match for every family. As we move into the fall, I’m looking to cut back my schedule so that I can spend more time with my family, and it is going to become more important than ever for me to stick with those families to whom I’ve become more than just their photographer. All in all, I think this photo says it all!
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