Filling the Days | Charlottesville Virginia Wedding Photographer Sarah Houston Photography
Photo Credit: Justin & Mary Marantz
I've always been a fan of blogs that write those awe inspiring posts, you know-the ones that make you wanna stand up and light a lighter while waving it around, in my case I just silently fist pump the sky (because no one wants to set off sprinklers in their office building). So here's my fist pump, light the lighter (outside in the parking lot) post.
It all begins with the calendar, the one that counts the days and hangs on your wall reminding you everyday that you are either busy.....or your not. Every year I work myself to the bone trying to fill the days with something more than just "holidays". I was deeming my success and my value as a photographer on how many weekends were booked with weddings. I was stretching myself thin trying to ensure every saturday was a wedding day. I started to lose track of the important parts, like WHY I was doing this, WHO I wanted to do this for and WHAT I wanted my business to stand for. I was taking the fluff and filling my calendar with it because I wanted to make sure I was "busy"....which completely depleted me & my business was suffering.
When did it come down to how many weddings is what determines your success? How did I lose myself into thinking I needed to book up my weekends in order to BE a photographer?? God has blessed me this year with some really amazing couples, couples that have let me share in their special days, trusted me with their memories. Those couples are blessings, they are all so so important to me. It makes me sad that I was trying to just "fill my days" with anything that I possibly could for fear that God wouldn't provide. Holy smokes y'all...did I REALLY just admit that?? Yep. So I was saying yes to anything that came into my inbox, all the while praying that God would provide something more for me, but how could he when I didn't even trust that he would?
It's about to get real y'all.
Photo Credit: Justin & Mary Marantz
Here I am again staring at my 2016 calendar, looking at the Saturday's and yes thank the Lord there are some filled with the names of lovely couples I can't wait to share my Saturday with...but there are still some that are empty. Waiting for the "fluff". I could sit here freaking out (ok ok I admit I STILL do), I could start taking whatever comes into my inbox....OR I could actually start listening and following through with my prayer, because like all the times before-God has provided.
So I ask you this my friend, are you filling your calendar because you're scared? Are you doing it to keep up with so-and-so or to prove that you ARE a photographer?? Because I'll tell you...it's not worth it. It's not worth selling yourself short, settling on whatever comes your way, because you know what? You ARE worth more & something better WILL come along if you just have faith. It's a scary thing...trust me, it scares the heck outta me looking at a half empty schedule, but it doesn't make me less of a photographer-the universe will not implode & I most certainly won't receive a letter in the mail saying I'm not successful and I need to turn in my camera.
I challenge you to have faith, fill your Saturdays (or days) with the couples YOU love and want. Fill your calendar with the ones who value YOU and what you stand for, not the ones who are looking for a deal or just booked you without even looking at your work. Value yourself, your work and your time. As for the looming blank white pages of your calendar...they'll fill up & even if they all don't, it's OK. Give yourself credit for the ones you DO have because they chose you out of thousands of photographers to capture their memories. That's pretty impressive in itself.
Stay Fabulous
xoxo
Sarah
