Following your dreams..

SCP

I was having a discussion with my friend today and I realized that I am in fact living and following my dream. My dream might not have been to do photography. My Dream was to work with horses though. To always have a horse in my life no matter what.

So here I am, I have ran this business for three years and it's going well. I am making a profit. That's all one needs right? It might not be alot, but I am starting to see a trend, Starting to see loyal clients, people starting to know who I am, I am starting to hear about people requesting me to do their shows.

I have great friends who market the heck out of me. Friends who help me along. Sometimes this industry is all about word of mouth and I work hard to keep myself talked about. Whether I am doing the talking or others are doing the talking.

I admire certain photographers, I admire some techniques, but I try and make my own.
I work hard and it may not seem like it to some people, but I do. I am at the Arena at 7:30am. I stand in the ring for 8 hours. I make sure every horse that passes my camera lens has photos taken. I leave the Arena at 6pm. I am up till 1 or 2 in the morning making sure all the photos are up and ready to be viewed by the next morning and I am back in the arena.

I never sit at this computer and do nothing. I am always working on something. Thinking up new pricing, new layouts. Writing in the blog, editing photos. Looking for more opportunities to put myself out there.

I hope that my kids see how hard I work to make my dream possible and someday I hope I can look back and say 'Yeah, I followed my dream, I lived my dream, I worked hard to make that dream possible and I am glad for it' Even if next year I am not doing it, or not doing it 5 years from now I know I gave it a shot, I tried my hardest and I am a better person for it.

How many of you are following your dreams?

Art Scott

Too many of us slave away for years at a job we actully hate but got into for the money alone....
then we do not understand where all the stress comes from in our lives........I truly believe that
if more people actually followed their dreams to the hilt that the world would be a much pleasant place
with a lot less stress.......I know I have regretted not quitting my factory job when I had clientele that I was
turning away just because my now ex wife threw a fit about my desire to follow my dream ........
but she had no problem spending the money :-}} ........now I am chasing those dreams 150% and happier than
ever .....................

SCP

I bring this up because my husband wants me to have a career. Wants me to use my degrees in design and photography. Isn't this a career? Aren't I using my degrees? I can't expect to be one of the greats tomorrow. I can't expect to start at the top. This is one of those few times in life were a piece of paper doesn't mean anything and it's all based on whether you have got 'it' The talent, the gift, the eye for it.

Am I making 40K a year? No.. but who is? The guys who work for National Geographic maybe. Am I making money? Not hand over fist, but I count it as an extreme success that I have been making 300-400 bucks at every show. Every show I have been to this year someone(s) have purchased photos from me. Isn't that being successful??

This comes up as I got a part time job.. just a job at a local restaurant. Nothing fancy, but it is flexible and will allow me to continue to pursue my choosen career. It also bring sin extra money, that should be enough. My hubby just doesn't see me at my potential. Could I run a fortune 500 business. Sure, I have skills, I have talent, I have the technology skills. Do I want to? Not likely. I'd just sit in my office all day and wish I could go take a hike.

I have a goal. My goal is to visit all the National Parks and Monuments in New Mexico and make a photo book of them. I can't do that being a Paralegal or an office manager. I can't do that by being stuck in an office and trying to shove a Park half a day away into a weekend.

Maybe someday my photography will be self sufficient. I am really working hard on Marketing my Landscape photos. I think they are all beautiful and should grace some walls.

Someday my other half will figure out this is work, not just fiddling around.

Snowgirl

SCP wrote: »

I bring this up because my husband wants me to have a career. Wants me to use my degrees in design and photography. Isn't this a career? Aren't I using my degrees? I can't expect to be one of the greats tomorrow. I can't expect to start at the top. This is one of those few times in life were a piece of paper doesn't mean anything and it's all based on whether you have got 'it' The talent, the gift, the eye for it.

I have SO been there and done that. I spent most of my adult life achieving in the corporate world only to be down-sized in the end - short of the point where my pensions would be vested and I'd have an income. Although the financial results were nasty, I'm surprisingly grateful because that kick in the petootie launched me into entrepreneurship big time. I have been eking out my existence for the past 12 years as a freelance writer and photographer. No, I'm not getting rich - far from it as I seem to spend more on gear and computers than I make but I am happy. I don't own pantyhose any more; haven't worn a suit in FOREVER; and consider formal wear clean jeans that don't have horse manure stains on them. You go girl and do NOT let ANYONE stand in your way. We all pass this way just once and no one ever decried happiness from their death bed.

Am I making 40K a year? No.. but who is? The guys who work for National Geographic maybe. Am I making money? Not hand over fist, but I count it as an extreme success that I have been making 300-400 bucks at every show. Every show I have been to this year someone(s) have purchased photos from me. Isn't that being successful??

This comes up as I got a part time job.. just a job at a local restaurant. Nothing fancy, but it is flexible and will allow me to continue to pursue my choosen career. It also bring sin extra money, that should be enough. My hubby just doesn't see me at my potential. Could I run a fortune 500 business. Sure, I have skills, I have talent, I have the technology skills. Do I want to? Not likely. I'd just sit in my office all day and wish I could go take a hike.

EXCELLENT Point!

I have a goal. My goal is to visit all the National Parks and Monuments in New Mexico and make a photo book of them. I can't do that being a Paralegal or an office manager. I can't do that by being stuck in an office and trying to shove a Park half a day away into a weekend.
PRECISELY.

Maybe someday my photography will be self sufficient. I am really working hard on Marketing my Landscape photos. I think they are all beautiful and should grace some walls.

Someday my other half will figure out this is work, not just fiddling around.

Hell, Nero fiddled while Rome burned - you are making progress in life - so much more important.

chrisjohnson

When I quit my well paid career with a multinational 10 years ago to follow my dream it was a family decision. I was staking a lot on indulging myself - if things went badly wrong then I could lose my house, my 4 children would struggle to go through college, and my wife and I might struggle in our old age. Fortunately my wife and children supported me and we have not gone broke, the children have their degrees and starting off with no debts.

I don't know SCP at all, but you say you have a family and a husband. Maybe you have other dependents. It seems to me that the way you spend your time as a mature adult is NOT entirely your decision to make alone.

It strikes me that you use the "I" word a lot in these two posts. I hardly know anything how your current career is either contributing to or frustrating THEIR ambitions.

You also seem to have the makings of a good business. You are doing something you know about and love, and you are making some money. I wonder why your husband does not respect this more?

Working in a local restaurant is a waste of time unless the family is in real financial problems. When money is the real issue then you should indeed consider how you could help more by using your qualifications and talents differently.

Your husband seems a decent guy. He has let you follow your star for three years, you can spend 20 hours a day on your business when you need. I suppose the children have already left home and he likes to cook his own dinner and sit alone in the evenings - just a guess. When he talks about you developing your talents it is obvious he cares. Maybe you should both take a long weekend away together and talk this through properly. Try and listen to what he is really worried about. He needs to be forthcoming why he really needs you to get a proper job soon.

Art Scott

Expand...submit photos to riding mags........it just might take off bigger than you think....get a copy of Photographers Market
and see who is looking for what...submit to them......and yes you are successful.....there is sooo much more to life than a
9a-5p or 6:30a to 7p (+overtime) job........

SCP

goldenballs wrote: »

When I quit my well paid career with a multinational 10 years ago to follow my dream it was a family decision. I was staking a lot on indulging myself - if things went badly wrong then I could lose my house, my 4 children would struggle to go through college, and my wife and I might struggle in our old age. Fortunately my wife and children supported me and we have not gone broke, the children have their degrees and starting off with no debts.

I don't know SCP at all, but you say you have a family and a husband. Maybe you have other dependents. It seems to me that the way you spend your time as a mature adult is NOT entirely your decision to make alone.

It strikes me that you use the "I" word a lot in these two posts. I hardly know anything how your current career is either contributing to or frustrating THEIR ambitions.

You also seem to have the makings of a good business. You are doing something you know about and love, and you are making some money. I wonder why your husband does not respect this more?

Working in a local restaurant is a waste of time unless the family is in real financial problems. When money is the real issue then you should indeed consider how you could help more by using your qualifications and talents differently.

Your husband seems a decent guy. He has let you follow your star for three years, you can spend 20 hours a day on your business when you need. I suppose the children have already left home and he likes to cook his own dinner and sit alone in the evenings - just a guess. When he talks about you developing your talents it is obvious he cares. Maybe you should both take a long weekend away together and talk this through properly. Try and listen to what he is really worried about. He needs to be forthcoming why he really needs you to get a proper job soon.

You make valid points here GB. A little about myself.

I am 32. I have Three Associates degrees in Web Design, Graphic Design and Photography.

I have two children. Two boys ages 9 and 11. Ours is a unique situation. The closest school is 45 minutes away (I should say decent school that actually teaches the children instead of allowing Pedophiles roam the campus) Because of this distance they stay with Grandma during the week. We tried carting them back and forth, but it wasn't working. They were way way too tired, couldn't focus and had bad behavior due to being cranky. Education is so important to us, so Grandma takes them for the week and Friday nights they come home for the weekends.

My husband works a Government position at a distance of an hour and a half one way. He leaves at 6:30 in the morning and doesn't arrive back home until somewhere between 6:30pm and 9:00pm. (Every other week it is at 9 as he works 10 hour days to take every other Friday off) He usually brings something home for dinner or I will make something for him when he gets home. Then it's usually eat dinner, watch a show on Hulu and he's off to bed.

Most nights I will sit in the bedroom with him and watch tv with him. When he goes to sleep I go onto my laptop. This is how it goes 4-5 nights a week. This year he is building a garage. So the Fridays he is off he is building the garage with his brother. Saturdays and Sundays I help, play with the children or go to a show if I have that one that weekend.

Now on to the money. The money in this situation that I would be making from working at a local restaurant would be paying basic household bills. Phone, Electric and Internet. Just making enough of a steady paycheck that my income is supplemental. That being said, the bit I make from selling at shows isn't enough yet to supplement and pay those bills. (Since I can get the payments from Smugmug Once a month) So until such a time I can bring in once a month, enough to pay those bills, feed my horses and have some play around money I will need a secondary job.

We are still both young and he is still paying on student loans and after ten years and 500,000 miles on his 2000 Altima he had to buy a new car. So that extra $300-$400 a month he's putting into a car payment is what I need to make up. If I can make $1000 a month. We are golden and living well.

We are not struggling, I am not putting my family at risk and being selfish. We can make it on his salary alone and we are, BUT, we could be doing better. We could have more money to play with, say for a long weekend get away. For a good dinner out.. for some toys we have been wanting to get. (A couple ATVs for the kids.. Luxury things)

I am lucky enough to have a job from November to Feb/March working for the Legislature while they are in session. I return every year. It's a very temp position, but works out for me as October is the end of the show season and March begins it. So I have a very well paying job between those times.

I am also really lucky to get this local job. Not but 2 miles away. I could ride my bike to work Saving $20 a week in gas ($80 a month..almost $1000 a year extra I have by not paying for gas) That savings pays to feed the horses for a month and now my check goes into the bank to pay for bills and save for that Cruise we want to take sometime. Then the money I make from selling at shows I can now save for myself. Say for a new lens or something for myself. I am also lucky in this job as I have the flexibility to continue to do my shows on the weekends and plan those trips to the parks of New Mexico.

Our bills round out to..
Phone
Electric
Internet
Propane (once every 6 months)
His car payment
His Student Loan Payment
His Gas
Groceries for two weeks
And whatever other little things he pays. (His online game and whatnot)

We own the Land and house Outright. We own our Truck, my horse trailer and my car outright. Nothing owed.

Perhaps I seem a little frivolous, but when you look at it all in a big picture sort of way I am really sitting rather pretty and am one of the lucky few to be able to follow my dreams without risking much of anything. My Husband supports me, but would like to see me take over the household bills. For that I have no problem.

Maybe that helps clear things up? I do apologize if I seemed selfish. I do use I a lot, as 'I' am the only one working on my business.I do it all alone.

(BTW. Loving the discussion!)

SCP

Art Scott wrote: »

Expand...submit photos to riding mags........it just might take off bigger than you think....get a copy of Photographers Market
and see who is looking for what...submit to them......and yes you are successful.....there is sooo much more to life than a
9a-5p or 6:30a to 7p (+overtime) job........

OH Thanks, I will definitely look into that. It's exactly what I was looking for really! Thank you Very much for the tip!

Art Scott

Thank You....it is my pleasure to help...............


You do not sound selfish at all......now with the 3 degrees you should be able to market yourself
and work at home doing the graphic arts and web design ...... if you so desire........ Career Builder
or Monster might be able to help get resume out there..........or put it out there so hubby will
know your looking at any rate..........

chrisjohnson

@ SCP. Thanks for the candour. I have serious questions on your relationship and lifestyle but Dgrin is not a place to go any deeper though we are all friends. Mail me if you want a pen-pal.

Business wise you need to figure what the prospects are for Stone Creek Photography. You should make some kind of business plan and some financial projections - this may help convince your husband that it is more than a hobby but then you need to take the consequences should you not meet your financial goals.

My 2 cents as a marketing guy:
- the horse market is good because people who own and show horses have money. Even though many are short on actual cash.
- you love horses so it is easy to win their trust.
- you can take a decent photo which is what 90% of them are looking for, not fine art.
- you do travel so you can become a "National" figure.

BUT.

- people who pay for Horse photos do not use Facebook - it is more for the kids. Facebook is a major marketing tool for you and it is the WRONG choice.
- you do not connect with your customers emotional vibe. 90% of marketing is about connecting with emotions.

What I would do, business wise, if I was you:

- set up your own web-site with your own url. You have the skills. It is not expensive - I have two for my own business and pay something like 200$ per year for super-fast access, 24/7 up-time, total ownership. One is a blog, and the other is more of a root site. I link from my social networking site - Linkedin - and from as many other sites as will support me. Figure out what sites the horse people use and feed them content.
- think how to expand your services. Web sites for ranchers who do stabling is obvious and you need to show what you can deliver. Maybe you should offer stabling yourself, and riding lessons, etc. Show the way!
- Get a reputation. SCP is authorised shooter for whatever the premier show happens to be - make a noise about it. XYZ buys my pics. Get my drift?
- Write some copy, make a podcast. The world is divided into people who interpret via images, via words, and via hearing. At the moment you talk to the image folk only so you miss 2/3 of the market at least. The image folk usually have their own camera so you are missing 80% of your market before you start selling.
- Reinforce the word-of-mouth. Give out multiple cards, print flyers, collect email addresses for a quarterly bulletin/reminder. Consider spending a couple of hours on a Friday to call the "suspects" when you think you might be short of work.

Some off-the-cuff thoughts on a sunday morning. Hope it helps.

ivar

SCP wrote: »

We can make it on his salary alone and we are, BUT, we could be doing better.

Due to some crazy events outside of my control, I now have the job I started out to get over 10 years ago, and should have only taken me a few years to get. (photography is a side-thing for me).

I am in debt for an amount I can easily buy a nice house for.

Times have been rough but I can not imagine doing something different now, and I'm happy I made the choices I did. I have no regrets.

Money isn't everything.

SCP

goldenballs wrote: »

@ SCP. Thanks for the candour. I have serious questions on your relationship and lifestyle but Dgrin is not a place to go any deeper though we are all friends. Mail me if you want a pen-pal.

Business wise you need to figure what the prospects are for Stone Creek Photography. You should make some kind of business plan and some financial projections - this may help convince your husband that it is more than a hobby but then you need to take the consequences should you not meet your financial goals.

My 2 cents as a marketing guy:
- the horse market is good because people who own and show horses have money. Even though many are short on actual cash.
- you love horses so it is easy to win their trust.
- you can take a decent photo which is what 90% of them are looking for, not fine art.
- you do travel so you can become a "National" figure.

BUT.

- people who pay for Horse photos do not use Facebook - it is more for the kids. Facebook is a major marketing tool for you and it is the WRONG choice.

First I want to say thank you for your insight, advice and thoughts, they are So greatly appreciated. Now..I am not sure if you have looked at my Facebook page. 90% of the people I have that are personal friends are horse people and 99% of the fans I have on my Stone Creek page are also horse people. I have several loyal clients who are fans of the page.

- you do not connect with your customers emotional vibe. 90% of marketing is about connecting with emotions.

What I would do, business wise, if I was you:

- set up your own web-site with your own url. You have the skills. It is not expensive - I have two for my own business and pay something like 200$ per year for super-fast access, 24/7 up-time, total ownership. One is a blog, and the other is more of a root site. I link from my social networking site - Linkedin - and from as many other sites as will support me. Figure out what sites the horse people use and feed them content.

I do actually have a blog, I am trying to keep it up to date, but I am horrible with blogs. I am also horrible about talking or writing about myself, so I don't have an about page.

- think how to expand your services. Web sites for ranchers who do stabling is obvious and you need to show what you can deliver. Maybe you should offer stabling yourself, and riding lessons, etc. Show the way!

No way in heck will I offer stabling for myself. Yikes! Well one I don't have the facilities. 2) too many liabilities, insurance, permits, all that crap to consider.

- Get a reputation. SCP is authorised shooter for whatever the premier show happens to be - make a noise about it. XYZ buys my pics. Get my drift?
I do need to do this.

- Write some copy, make a podcast. The world is divided into people who interpret via images, via words, and via hearing. At the moment you talk to the image folk only so you miss 2/3 of the market at least. The image folk usually have their own camera so you are missing 80% of your market before you start selling.

I am a member of several horse forums and I do a lot of marketing through there as well. 1/4 of my clients come from one particular Website. 1/4 comes from word of mouth through a couple of my clients who love to show off photos and talk about me. I spent two weeks in OK with a client. The reason I did is 1) She has 14 horses she wanted me to photograph. 2) She was a cornerstone in landing me the Official Photographer for a Show. 3) I traveled to Nebraska with her to another show where I was observing and taking photos of her horse only. Turns out that show didn't have someone to cover the show. So I ended up covering that show and landing a HUGE client.

Also, I have been accepted to a Horse Photographer group that markets and features only Horse Photographers. Something like Dgrin with trips and the like as well.

- Reinforce the word-of-mouth. Give out multiple cards, print flyers, collect email addresses for a quarterly bulletin/reminder. Consider spending a couple of hours on a Friday to call the "suspects" when you think you might be short of work.

Short of work is something I am never am. I have 6 shows I do and that usually equates to a show every single weekend. June/July slow down with the big regional shows and national shows come around. My real goal is to cut down on my shows a little and fill in with Farm Shoots.

Unfortunately I had to skip a show this weekend due to weather. it was 111 degrees and that's in a dangerous zone when I am standing in sun all day in the middle of a sand ring all day long. There's no shade in that particular arena. It's just too hot to be fit for Human or beast or my camera.

I usually start marketing to shows around September, as that is when they start looking for a photographer to cover their shows for the year.


Some off-the-cuff thoughts on a sunday morning. Hope it helps.

Your advice is always welcome and I look forward to your posts. (And Emails since I emailed you)

angevin1

SCP wrote: »

I was having a discussion with my friend today and I realized that I am in fact living and following my dream. My dream might not have been to do photography. My Dream was to work with horses though. To always have a horse in my life no matter what.

So here I am, I have ran this business for three years and it's going well. I am making a profit. That's all one needs right? It might not be alot, but I am starting to see a trend, Starting to see loyal clients, people starting to know who I am, I am starting to hear about people requesting me to do their shows.

I have great friends who market the heck out of me. Friends who help me along. Sometimes this industry is all about word of mouth and I work hard to keep myself talked about. Whether I am doing the talking or others are doing the talking.

I admire certain photographers, I admire some techniques, but I try and make my own.
I work hard and it may not seem like it to some people, but I do. I am at the Arena at 7:30am. I stand in the ring for 8 hours. I make sure every horse that passes my camera lens has photos taken. I leave the Arena at 6pm. I am up till 1 or 2 in the morning making sure all the photos are up and ready to be viewed by the next morning and I am back in the arena.

I never sit at this computer and do nothing. I am always working on something. Thinking up new pricing, new layouts. Writing in the blog, editing photos. Looking for more opportunities to put myself out there.

I hope that my kids see how hard I work to make my dream possible and someday I hope I can look back and say 'Yeah, I followed my dream, I lived my dream, I worked hard to make that dream possible and I am glad for it' Even if next year I am not doing it, or not doing it 5 years from now I know I gave it a shot, I tried my hardest and I am a better person for it.

How many of you are following your dreams?

I read this and went, "WOW! Very nice to read someone following their dream/s. And it is obvious you work hard too.

I am finally following my heart and dreams. And it is kinda funny how mine seem to be a heuristic versus some hard and fast dream. Yet it really should be no great surprise for me, since it is about the journey, and def not a destination.

Enjoy~