Photo Talk Forum.
This month I am the featured teacher on Lori Nordstrom’s Photo Talk Forum. So far it has been both a lot of fun and a challenge to keep to conversation going.
This week on PTF, I posted about the Maker’s vs Manager’s schedule. I posted similar thoughts here on The Collective a while back. In the discussion, I was asked –
How do you do it?
I have young children, and I homeschool.
How do I create blocks of time in my schedule?
I suggested reading Gary Vaynerchuk’s book, Crush It!
More than anything Crush It! is encouragement to get IT done (whatever your dream is). If something was easy everyone would be doing it.
You might say, “Everyone is a photographer today!” Yes, there are lots of photographers, but how many of those photographers have created successful businesses? Not many. Why? It’s hard.
Anything truly worth doing is hard. If it were easy everyone would be doing it.
Hard things worth doing.
There are lots of things we should be doing. We should be doing things to make our business, life or art better. We don’t; they are too hard.
Here’s a list of hard things we need to do. It’s just the tip of the iceberg. I know there are 1000 more that I’m missing. Feel free to fill in the blanks in the comments.
- Clean up your studio space.
- Rebuild your website.
- Learn new styles and trends.
- Stop looking at your competition.
- Become a better technician (photographer).
- Fully understand the financial side of your business.
- Keep your social media up to date.
- Forgive.
- Approach a new marketing partner.
- Hire a new staff member.
- Fire a current staff member.
- Read more.
- Develop a marketing plan.
- Raise your prices.
- Find a cause.
- Purchase and set-up studio management software.
- Step away from the computer.
- Admit something is broken (and fix it or dump it).
- Incorporate or set-up an LLC.
- Take responsibility.
There is no system.
David Jay’s “The System” gives 10 steps to be a pro wedding photographer. There is some good info in it, but there is no simple 10 step program.
Becoming a successful (highlight successful) professional photographer is hard. If it was easy everyone would be doing it.
What is your list of hard things needed done?
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So true! Loved Gary’s book and read it when it first came out. He’s so hard core that I don’t even pretend to do or want to do as much as he does, but his enthusiasm and get ‘er done mentality are inspiring!
Tasra – Thank you!
I totally agree about Gary’s “hard core” attitude. I didn’t say it in the article, but I did in my response on the forum…I can’t keep the pace he does. I can go like that for 2-3 weeks or a month at a time, then I have to slow down. It is a good book to read or think about when you need a little kick in the pants.
Andy… I just stumbled upon your blog & just love it! Every post is something I needed to read today… I’ve been down in the dumps about all the ‘photographer problems’ I perceived that I was experiencing… ‘competitors’ who aren’t tax-payers, burnout, equipment-lust, photographer envy. I have to keep reiterating to myself that I’m a human 1st, and then an artist who happens to enjoy using photography as a way to create images, & that my primary lifetime goal is really to create a body of work that I feel reflects my view of the world (or the experiences people hire me to capture for them) Thanks for writing your posts to give validation to those of us who feel temporarily discouraged… your words help us get back up, dust ourselves off, & keep moving past our momentary lapses in confidence.
Susana –
Thanks so much for your comment. I’m glad that I’ve been an encouragement for you this week.
Keep moving forward!