One of my goals for this year is to let you in a little more – to show you more of my personal life, and to be more consistent about blogging personal things.
In order to do this, I’ve decided to start on a project – a personal project that will challenge me to take at least one photo of my personal life every week. No matter what it might be, I hope to share a weekly personal photo with you every Friday.
Week 1 – January 4
Early on in this journey of becoming a professional photographer I learned how important it is to network. Some of the photographers I met in the first year of my business are still some of my mentors, my colleagues and confidants. We support each other and laugh together – and love. We are all in it for the same thing – we love capturing the love our clients share and we love being part of our client’s love stories.
I’ve learned over the past few months how important it is to have someone to hold you accountable. It’s easy to let your goals get swept under the rug when you don’t have a boss in the traditional sense of the word. Working in the corporate world I always had more than one boss to keep me on track – to help me stay focused and accomplish my goals. As photographers, in the flurry of wedding season it’s easy to get distracted from our larger goals and focus on the necessities – shooting, shooting, shooting and turning client images around quickly. Of course, these things are important – they always will be. Finding efficiencies (another goal for 2013) in my business and in my personal life will help me balance work and play.
Yesterday, I sat down with a HUGE cup of coffee and a dear friend, confidant and all around amazing woman: Natalie Franke. She’s a truly talented photographer and a huge dreamer. And I mean a HUGE dreamer. Natalie knew she needed someone to hold her accountable too. She needed to make goals for 2013 that weren’t just big dreams, but that were accomplishable.
We have set up a plan this year to meet on a monthly basis to check in on our yearly and monthly goals. Yesterday, we sat in the corner of that Starbucks and scribbled aimlessly on our note pads a million ideas. Not only our business goals but our personal goals, too. Things like, bi-weekly date nights, no technology nights and setting strict office hours (GASP! I know…). Things we want and NEED to improve for our personal well being and our the health of our businesses.
Thank you for following my journey.
Check back next week for a few of my specific goals. It’s terrifying to put them out there because that means they MUST be accomplished!
Melissa Manzione Photography 