hanging with the photog’s | indiana county, pa photographer | just for fun

I answered a question the other day on Formspring wrote by someone wanting to know: How do you balance everything?! Well today would be a GREAT example. Sometimes I need to unplug, get away from the computer and drive. It just so happened that today, I unplugged, got away from the computer and drove the whole way to Punxsutawny PA (home of the famous ground hog) to hang out with my photog friends Courtney Katherine Weaver + Joelle Watt.…..AND we laughed, talked business, ate, learned some new vocabulary, shot some embarrassingly funny photos and then laughed some more!!I think it’s been long overdue.

So as you can see, we had a yummy lunch. We decided that everyone would bring something with them to the “meet up”….since I am no Martha Stewart, I was designated to bring the buns. So I stopped at one of my favorite Italian shops, Sanso’s in Homer City to pick up some buns that I could try to pass off as my own…and maybe some anti pasta! Equipped with my containers I headed for the hills. Listen, I’ll let you know a little secret, it’s like that saying “if you build it they will come”……well my version goes like this “if it’s dead, I will eat it”! LOL I joke with people all the time, “I didn’t get this size being picky!!” So we ate and laughed…….until my belly hurt. 🙂 Word to Courtney’s mom for the scrumptious cheese cake…and for the 10 pounds I gained eating it. It was soooooo good…and pretty!! 🙂

I officially met these ladies this past summer when we all car pooled down to a lighting workshop in Pittsburgh with the Bui Brothers (You can see those images here) In the hour or so it took to get there, I immediately felt like I had known them forever! So we decided that we certainly needed to get together again……………and personally, I needed it! Sometimes I can get so caught up in my work, my editing, my shooting that I forget that the world is still going on around me. It can get lonely sitting in front of the computer so many hours in a day and it’s nice to get around other like minded individuals, entrepreneurs like yourself and “just be”. I couldn’t help but think on my drive home: what DO I do to stay balanced between photography, editing, family, “me time” ..I came up with the following to share. Whoever you are that asked the question on Formspring…here is a more detailed answer.

1. Surround yourself with QUALITY people-remember Quality over Quantity. I know I tend to keep upbeat positive people in my life. Over the course of the past year, I have “let go” of the Debby Downers. Best. decision. EVER.
2. Be YOURSELF! You might admire another photographer, or their work….but shoot from YOUR heart and be YOURSELF. With so many photographers coming out of the woodwork it’s easy to compare yourself to others people success and try to “mimic” their work. This is the WORST thing you could do-eventually it will become exhausting and what’s the point really?
3. Unplug. Get away from the computer, do something for yourself. I think I forget sometimes that it’s OK not to answer an email at 1am on a Saturday morning that YES it can wait until Monday morning…no one is going to die-it is not life or death, put down the mouse and go to bed!
4. Get honest with yourself……WHY did you start your business?….Then remind yourself everyday of how fortunate you are to be doing what you LOVE. We all started our business for different reasons, motives, ets. Focus on why YOUUUU became a photographer and build on that. Be different. Be YOURSELF (Refer to #2)
5. Family Time….Trust me, I have a 6 year old and I have “mommy guilt” all the time. I’ve been making a more conscious effort to schedule family time, sit down for dinners together, like I said above….no one is going to die if you answer an email on Monday instead of Sunday. Put down the phone and spend time with the family!
6. Work isn’t everything: Remember, work to live…..not the other way around. Try something new once a month: food, activity, etc.
7. Get together with other awesome photographers and eat yummy food!! The End!