It's a question I have been asked often throughout the last 5 years, and honestly my reason has changed from when I started to now.
When I started I was a new mom, I had only gone back to work 3 days so that I could stay home with my baby more. I had married into a family of entreprenuers, and the idea of owning my own business was very intreging to me. I spent a lot of time figuring out what that business would be, all I knew to start was that I wanted to passionate about it, I wanted to love whatever I was doing. After a lot of thought I landed on photography.
I have always loved pictures, I grew up in a famly who loved pictures as well, a family who documented EVERY stage of our childhood. I knew that I would do the same with my own children, so to be able to take beautiful pictures of my own family was the main reason I chose photography. Now we all love pictures, even if we don't like taking them, we all love that we are able to freeze our memories to look back on. Photography however, is a different story.
Learning Manual
After making the dicicion to become a photographer, my in laws were so kind to let me borrow their Canon Rebel to learn on. I had read that learning your camera was the most important thing to start, you are "telling" it what to do so you had better know how it actually works! I read & read and with A LOT of trial and error, and MANY blurry images, I found hope in the few that actully turned out. Baby steps right?? Speaking of baby, 3 months after I started on this journy I found out I was pregnant with my daughter. I had a 7 month old and just started photography, how on earth was a gonna add another baby!!!?
I didn't know how I was gonna balance it all, but I knew this was what I wanted to do, quiting was never an option. Now my why went to, taking beautiful pictures + providing for my growing family. This business has grown right along with my babies, and because of my choice to become my own boss, I am able to make sure I am present for everything they do.
Growth
My personal & professionl growth have been a constant balancing act, making sure I am giving everything I can to both at the right times. Most of the time, like many working moms I feel like I am failing at both, putting too much pressure on myself. I don't think I will ever be abl to make that go completely away, and even though my professional growth seems to take longer than I'd like, I remind myself small growth is still growth. Show up and do the work even when you don't feel like it, no one else can do it for you.
Todays "WHY"
The biggest motivators are my clients & my family.
The connections with my clients and capturing their unique story, consantly meeting new people, the texts and emails from clients on how much they love their pictures, captuing a couples journey to husband & wife... seriously, there are SO MANY things I love about this job!!!! If it wasn't for loyal clients, I wouldn't have job!
My family keeps my going when it's the hardest, I want to make them proud and for my kids to see me continuing to push and grow no matter how hard. Setting an example of hard work & perserverance is so important to me, so that as they grow they know that you must work hard for the things you want in life.
The journey has been a crazy, but educational one and I truly can't imagine doing anything else. Thank you all for continuing to support & follow along with me!
-Cassi
