'Tis the Season

I remember as a child, the feeling of Christmas (I celebrate Christmas, not hating on the other holidays-this is just the one that I know ;) Starting right at Thanksgiving, and you could feel that holiday excitement radiating every where you went, right through New Years! People were happy to hear Christmas music, and they were nice to each other, and SMILED! It was fun to decorate, and wear cheezy sweaters and earrings shaped like presents or that jingled when you walked. It was okay to make ginger bread houses in school because people werent so paranoid about one thing or another- and allergies werent as common. Fast foward 20 something years to 2012. First of all, you can't say Merry Christmas without offending anyone- people gag at the sound of Christmas music. Nobody even glances at their neighbor out in the yard, or the person walking by them. It is a burden to have to string up those lights. And we have parties to mock those chunky sweaters adorned with snowmen, cardinals and Christmass Trees- extra points if you throw in those jingle bell earrings. Ginger bread houses at school?! Your child is lucky if they can bring reindeer shaped cookies- because so and so cant be in the same room as anything with butter in it because we haven't properly trained him to be aware of his surroundings. (ahhh the art of over protecting and coddling)(btw, I have a child with lifre threatning allergies, so this is somehting I am very familiar with) As a Photographer I am aware of my responsibilities. I chose them. I knew that it was a close and personal career- which is why I love it. I am a person. I like to sleep late when I have the chance. I eat my asparagus with my fingers. Sometimes I dont even feel like putting on concealer under my eyes. I put on sweat pants as soon as I walk through the door. I hate when the house is messy, and when people wear their shoes inside and track things all over the floor. I could drink pepsi from a trough if it were available to me. Sometimes I don't brush my teeth for a full minute before bed-because I am just too tired. I like to wake up my 2 year old to bring in in bed with me for the night. I LOVE packing a picnic and finding an open space where I can just lay and watch the sky and Conner can just run and play. When i start reading a book, I finish it in 2 days. I love cooking, playing, singing at the top of my lungs even though I have the WORST voice in the world........AND-I spend more time with other's people's kids than my own...because that.is.my.job. I hate that sometimes I have to spend time editing while my son is awake, just so I can get a session finished. But I do it. I stay up until 1 am sometimes later, so that I can answer emails, perfect images- update my pages- design albums, and order prints- or take an online workshop to learn new tricks or tips. Most of the time, I go out of my way to meet up with the client to deliver one thing or another. And my prices are STILL lower than my COMPETITORS (please note that I did not just say other local photographers) So now it is the HOLIDAY SEASON. And I am still all of those things. Clients sign a contract that has all of the info that they need in it. I am FLOODED with emails asking questions that could have been answered if they had read that contract. And I cater to them. And then I stay awake until 3 am to make sure their needs and wants are fulfilled. And then wake up at 8 am for a full day of sessions. And it's not enough. So I want to just remind everyone that- HELLO! It's (Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza, whatever!) Relax! It's a time for joy and cheer. Photographers, small business owners, vendors- we are still people. But we are not a huge corperation. We are us- by ourselves. And when we have 10 antsy people at our throats because they aren't getting what THEY want for THEM, in THEIR time-It is not exactly joyful. It's sad and depressing. And when I have to "have dinner" with my family by looking at them over the top of my computer, so that I can try to make someone else happy-I'm not exactly cheerful. Now- since I am a Photographer, I'm going to take this in that direction now- COMMUNICATION. You chose your photog. because you liked their work. So you know their style. If you want a full styled shoot and for the photog. to execute it for you- tell them. Ask questions, but know- you get what you put in- clothing, location, time of day etc. And take a second to step back and think about the work that is going into your images, your prints, whatever the case. But don't forget that there is ONE person behind of all that- standing in front of 5-20 families at a time. On the sidelines of their own families. Happy Holidays :) xoxox